SMT224

I really think it would be activity appropriate for the Boy Scouts to have something like an energy bar or gorp to relates to the hiking and camping Boy Scouts are known for. This would be so much better than popcorn. A granola packed energy bar is not a Thin Mint cookie - no rational person could confuse. The Girl Scouts need to get over it!

Despite lessons from the past, it seems that every generation believes that they alone have the capability and strength to make things different at last. Of course JFK and then Johnson thought we could show the Vietnamese a better way and they would embrace democracy and thank us. Of course Bush and now Obama believe that Iraq and Afghanistan will see the light if we can just stay the course a bit longer. In the meantime, all the Presidential candidates believe their way and their way alone will guide us to the best future possible. And could any of us believe any different?

noname - Making such a change in the Troop will be HARD!! As you have reported, the SPL will NOT want to do. Sit down with him, and let him know that changes are coming and that the Troop will be doing tent camping from now on. The Adult leaders will need to stick together and let the Troop know that there will be lot's more tent camping, and that's that. It's important for the Adults to be committed to doing this, despite the whines and complaints of those Scouts (and even worse, parents!) who are used to doing things the old way. And a few may even quit! Big deal, so what? You'

A bunch of us had daughters in the Girl Scout Troop as well as sons in the Boy Scouts. Here's the problem - we took the girls winter camping a few years ago, and it got down to -9F. The coldest it's gotten with the boys is 2F. So now the boys are looking for any opportunity to beat the girls with a -10F. It wasn't this year... it only got down to 5F for our January camping trip, and 17F in February. Always next year!

We usually go tent camping every month except December. We do summer camp plus a 7 day / 6 night adventure trip in August. We try to find a Klondike, but other wise just go winter camping in January or February. Sometimes we will rent a cabin for cooking and eating, but always sleep in tents, or occasionally in Adirondacks. We do our calendar year planning in August or September, and stick to the schedule. Sometimes we have 25 Scouts on a camping trip, sometimes 6. We go anyway. Only rarely have we cancelled a trip due to extreme weather conditions. My suggestion to the OP is t

The crossover from our feeder Pack happens in late April. We do a joint camping trip in early April, which includes a morning service project, and then an afternoon with joint Pack / Troop activities including campcraft and scoutcraft demonstrations and fun games. On Saturday evening we do a Pack/Troop campfire with songs and skits. This let's the Cubs and parents see the Troop in action and have a fun night of camping in what is usually pretty nice weather. As others have said, I wouldn't do a crossover any earlier because of weather - the new Scouts would not be able to go on t

A follow up article in today's Post... Girl Scout Cookies: A battle brewing over the boxes By Melissa Bell 09:48 AM ET, 01/30/2012 For years, the most scandalous thing about the annual Girl Scout cookie sale was the companys inability to decide on what type of lemon cookie people liked best. Gone are those halcyon days. The kid-friendly corporation has come under attack from small groups of religious conservatives. To protest the protest, though, people have come up with a sweet solution: Buy more cookies. This weekend, The Posts columnist Robert McCartney writes about t

In addition to being a Scoutmaster for a Boy Scout Troop, I was the camping adviser for my daughters Girl Scout Troop from 2005 to 2011. The girls loved to go camping and do just about everything Boy Scouts do. My focus was clearly on camping and outdoor activities, and we did a lot of it! At no point did I ever hear anything like that discussed below. From today's (1/29) Washington Post... Dont fall for smears against the Girl Scouts By Robert McCartney, Published: January 28 The culture wars in this country have grown so acute that we cant even agree to support a patrioti

Here's one I thought everyone knew, but got worse than a blank stare... My son is on the swim team, and his coaches a couple of graduates who are now at the local University. They are really into diet and lot's of practice, including plenty of push-ups. When he first joined the team, they said he could choose the kind of suit he swam in at the swim meets. He could either have one that went half way down his thigh, or a very short suit. I said, "oh, you mean like Mark Spitz?" The coach looked at me and said, "Who?" Never mind. BTW OP, I concur with the educational associat

I believe each and every boy in the Troop should have an opportunity to take on a leadership position and make as many mistakes as possible! Scouting should be a safe place to mess up and learn what works and what doesn't. I'm always delighted to see how well a shy and retiring Scouts can do when he takes on the responsibility of a Patrol or the Troop. We did have a "natural" leader several years ago... he was excellent at leading Scouts -- and they easily became loyal followers. Unfortunately, he lead them to all the wrong places! He was a great leader, just didn't think the Scout La

Our Troop is similar to that described by resqman... All meal planning, food money collection, shopping, preparation, and clean up is done by Patrol. The Patrol designates cooks and KP crew for each meal. Adults eat separately from Scouts. Two weeks before a camping trip the Patrols meet to plan menus, set up their chuck box, designate a shopper, and combine their food money. If a Scout does not bring in his money (usually $10-$15 for a typical week-end camping trip), then he does not go. If he pays and then backs out later, no refunds. These hard and fast rules were dec

Cub Scouts prepare boys to be Boy Scouts Boy Scouts prepare boys to be men and leaders While in Cub Scouts, they should have lot's of fun and be boys. While in Boy Scouts, they should make lot's of mistakes and learn to lead and make things happen. This is not to say that as Cube they are mini-Boy Scouts -- they are not! They are Cubs! Nor can teenage boys take on the responsibilities of being a man and a leader. But in the game of Scouts, they are learning by doing.

We do not do this because there are some Scouts in our Troop whose families can barely afford registration and summer camp, let alone basic food costs for a camping trip. They simply do not have the money to stop and buy stuff. Other Scouts could easily ask mom & dad for $10 or $20, and may indeed have something in their pocket if we should stop somewhere on the way back from a camping trip. But we do not want to create a situation where some boys would have to wait in the car because they do not have any $$, and then watch as others indulge in treats they cannot have. We will occa

We attend Mass on Sunday not at the request of our Catholic sponsoring organization, but due to a number of parents who absolutely will not allow their son to go camping unless provisions for Mass attendance are built into the camping schedule prior to departure.

Our Troop is sponsored by a Catholic Church, and about 1/2 the Scouts are members of the parish. We either go to Mass near where we are camping or be back to our home church in time for Mass. Either way, we have no other option than get up and go. However, if possible, we try to schedule our camping over a three day weekend (like upcoming MLK), and then head home after lunch on Monday. In such cases, we go to church on Sunday morning near where we are camping, go food shopping after church, and then head back to camp. The Scouts appreciate the extra night out, and it makes it seem l

Patrols are responsible for cleaning their own dishes, pots & pans, and any kitchen mess. Adults take care of themselves. We try to get things cleaned up as much as possible on Saturday night so Sunday morning is pack & go. Sunday breakfast is oatmeal out of paper bowls so we don't create any big cleaning jobs.

Wow! Great ideas! Me thinks we should start a PAC and make some demands. Those currently engaged in the election are likely to agree to anything if it means votes!

Hmmmm.... was Quality Unit mandatory? What if you didn't do it? We always did it, so no idea... And now, what does "mandatory" mean? That the unit will not be re-chartered?

Beavah, I like the 60 day deadline. In addition, effective October 1 of each year, I'd like to see an absolute cessation of Congressional funding, including all member & staff salaries, travel expenses, as well as utilities, telephone, & internet for all Congressional offices until a budget is passed. I like to think they'd move a bit faster if the lights went out and their blackberries stopped working! And CR's don't count!

My worry is that the partisan rift in America is become so intensive that some have made party is first, country second. What an elected leaders does seems to be judged entirely on party affiliation. It's unfortunate that substance counts less that party. If Obama were a Republican, most of what he has done would be applauded by the GOP.

I'm sure he's talking about winter camping! What could build confident leaders better than the seriousness of camping in snow at 17 degrees! Although I really don't feel like things get serious until it's below 0.

We integrate the Hiking MB in our regular Troop activities so we do a number of 10 mile hikes through out the year, and then a 20 mile hike every other year. Doing the 10 mile hikes is the conditioning for the 20 mile hike. Not all participate, but after a couple years those that are interested have completed all the requirements and have earned the MB. We find it really helps to have plenty of Scouts on the hikes to keep each other company and spirits up. The conditioning comes from getting out there and doing it.

Here's what I got my boys (15 yr twins) for Christmas. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003R0LSMO/ref=oh_o00_s02_i01_details http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00503E8S2/ref=oh_o00_s02_i04_details Which one is more dangerous...?

Thanks for the suggestions. I will seriously consider the idea of giving the Scouts knives next Christmas. But perhaps I should wait until an irate mom pulls her son out of the Troop because he's been using his knife to carve on things around the yard...

One of my overriding contentions with Scouting is that boys & girls like to play with fire and knives. Scouting gives kids a safe and constructive way to indulge in these activities. Scouts learn how to safely handle both fire and knives and learn life-long skills. I encourage Scouts to build, maintain, and put out fires according to Fire-m-Chit, and handle knives according to Tote-n-Chip. Of course they do get a burn or cut now and again. It's all part of the learning process. Respect and an understanding of the rules are the end points of the process. However, I just had a cal