SSScout

When/if the boy leaves the Troop, give him his plank. Lots of good use for velcro© here. Name, Scout rank (sticker), miniature shoulder patch picture. When he leaves/graduates from Troop, give him his plank with the rank and PoR attached. Laminated cardboard picture of PoR, velcro to fuzzy board for arranging, maybe plexi over it to avoid idle hands from becoming devil's playthings? Good P/R at CO, too.

What is the way to help a Scout whose family is hard up in these times? How can he (his family?) pay his fairly established dues? Troop allows free ride? Ask local service club to help? Pass the Scout hat? Does the Council have a "scoutship" program? I have been told that some GSUSA councils have such a thing. Does BSA? Ask family to pay as they can? So much per month? I can remember when the dues were collected weekly at the Patrol meetings... History/nostalgia not appropriate? Insist that the Scout participate fully in the fundraising program and apply more than the usual share amount to his dues? What if the Scout has some difficulties emptionally/intellectually and the family really sees Scouting as a plus in his life, but those problems make it difficult for the Scout to fully participate? Thoughts? Experience? Thanks in advance...

As has been said, this is "one more arrow in the quiver". Same arguments might be heard about the Council Camps that offer ocean going yawls or rock climbing as a regular activity (not just a "special"). Now, I might wonder if Polaris or Yamaha might be thinking, here's a way to introduce future ATV purchasers to the sport. Oh, wait. We have a National Jamboree site that will have rock climbing and WWRafting as side lines. Mebbe a motor trail too? Ah! I got it... figure eight racing in dad's old Nova....

Didn't I read something about Scouts in Uni are not supposed to "ring the bell" at a kettle, but out of uni (in 'mufti'?) was alright, but other "service" projects were encouraged? http://www.scouting.org/FILESTORE/marketing/pdf/02-776.pdf That's the only thing I can find right now... S/A are really good guys, I always dump all my change in the ketttle as I pass...

EJ: Indeed, welcome to the ecampfire... Always good to meet another Scout from Murlun. My good wife was from Balmer, and I know where Rising Sun is. I think you will have the best of all worlds by staying in touch with your Troop when you get "old", helping the younger Scouts to keep your Troop active. As you pass Harpers Ferry, stop by the Swiss Miss for some ice cream...

Random thoughts::: CSDC give out a special "glow in the dark" bead for picking up trash around the campsite. On the Hike: ScoutLeader carries small bag to put trash in as he goes. Boys notice and beat him to it. At Nat Jamboree:: Encountering a circle of lunch bags, boxes on grass next to road to campsite, passing Scout stops and asks out loud "can I have a little help over here??!!" and starts picking up, others join in. At IOLS:: During Woods Tools session, mention is made of proper use and misuse of tools. Not just idle time hatcheting, but choice of needed project to give Scouts chance to practice skills. Scoutmaster Minute::: Mention of Stewardship of the Earth and such. Camping:: Not just a trash "pack it out" bag, but a recyclig can and bottle "pack it out " bag. Holding Scout PoRs and Adult Scout leaders to account. Conservation projects that make a difference. Mentioning things that aren't right when they are seen, and then correcting them instead of merely walking on after saying "oh, isn't that too bad". When the Troop encounters the Ranger that mentions the Troop From Hell that was there last weekend, plan a special project for that site, THAT weekend. You didn't really have to be back to the church parking lot by noon, did you? Sponsor a section of local road and stick to the commitment to regularly do the cleanup. Whole Troop? Each Patrol? Everyother month? Take on responsibility for some regular duty around your CO site. Every month, one Patrol trims the shrubs or sweeps the driveway, or something. Each Patrol/Den takes it's turn to help. Regularly. Expected. Done "the best I can do". Teach the boys by example and opportunity and lesson the importance of being responsible for their actions, and the results of their actions.

From the words of the article, it is not the GGs that are dissapointing the youngster in question, but the family who is making the decision to not be religious, or express a faith in a "higher being". Thatis their choice. It is good to have such diversity in the world. Makes me sure there is a god, if he can allow his favorite species (at least I hope it is) such freedom of choice... 'Course , there are other good orgs for boys and girls to join. Camp Fire USA comes to mind. They also have a promise, but it makes no mention of a deity. Same with 4H, but maybe they are not available in Britain. Even the Christ thru the Bible tells us not to swear , only to tell the truth as we know it. Hence the BSA "oath" is not considered a "swearing" but a promise, a declaration of our action and belief. If that includes a promise to serve the "creative force" of the universe, so be it. There is no "requirement" to do so, only if you want to belong to the Girl Guides or the Boy Scouts. At least for now.

This has been discussed AT LENGTH previously here, and over many a cuppa and adult beverage out in the hinterlands. Bottomline is: You, as SM, may not question previously passed requirements, unless you can somehow (?) prove outright fraud (forged signatures?). Re-Testing past requirements is not an option. However... No reason why you can't ask the Scout to help teach the knots (frinstance) to other young Scouts, prove his leadership by his tenure in his POR, and counsel him in his Scout Spirit with informal SM conferences prior to the "official" SMC. He is in a Patrol, yes? Have all the Patrols participate in Patrol competitions in Scoutcraft stuff. Ask him to help do Uniform inspections. Lead hikes. Compass & map following. Put him in the position his lofty status should entail. If he is in it for the patch , rather than the accomplishment, that is what he will get , ultimately. SM Minutes are inspired by less, I find. Look up "The Guy in the Glass" by Dale Wimbrow. http://www.theguyintheglass.com/gig.htm

""I think another important element of the MB program is having the Scout learn to take the initiative too. Getting up the nerve to call some adult, introduce himself, explain what he'd like to do, schedule time, plan his work, follow up, etc."" There ya go. When I do Farm Mechanics MB, I put an ad in the District newsletter saying on such and such a date I will be starting a class in FMMB, and interested Scouts should contact me. Far too often I get a SM or parent will email or call and say "I have several Scouts interested in the MB..." And I respond, fine, have them call me. Theoretically I should have 25 Scouts, never more than 6 or 8 contact me and ALL of them complete the MB. Much better that way anyway... Only exception to that has been a Scouter in Virginia (an hour drive each way!) who deals with some learning disabled Scouts; he I will talk to, his Scouts are enthusiastic if limited in ability. With help, they complete the MB.

"A World Scout Moot is much like a Jamboree, but for Scouts aged 18 25 years old instead. If you are between 18 25 years of age at the time the Moot starts, you can be a participant; ISTs are needed as well, who need to be at least 26 years of age." http://www.worldscoutjamboree.se/2011/08/14th-world-scout-moot-in-canada-2013/ Decisions, decisions...

*AHEM* Cub pack I commish: http://ww2.gazette.net/stories/02232011/olnenew203303_32537.php I just hand out the awards, I don't do any coaching....

((Cub Pack)) "Okay, Cubs and parents, I'd like to introduce to you Den 5's new Den Chief. Bill Smith, would you come forward?" "Now, Bill here is from Troop 123 and has taken on a new job, and I hope he'll find it a fun one. He will be our Den Chief for the coming months. He's going to help Den 5 with all our activities, helping the boys earn their ranks and such. As a sign of his new position, he wears this shoulder cord. (pin the cord on). There you go, Bill, (shake his hand) looks good on you. Let's give him a round of applause!!" (( rooouuunnnndd of applause)). ((Scout Troop at Regular Court of Honor)) Here, treat it as any other POR with the Troop. Explain what the cord indicates, what the responsibilities are, award the cord, shake his hand. If the Troop has any sort of investiture ceremony for it's leaders (hand on flag pole, give the promise, etc. ) adapt that for the Den Chief. Definitely worth mentioning, but I would not do anything out of the ordinary UNLESS he is being awarded the Den Chief Service Award, which is a little more special (" ooo, very special...") and thus deserving of abit more hoopla.

"Unit Commisserator" (patch: Beer mug crossed with tears) = shoulder to cry on, sympathize with, agree with (no matter what), quafe adult beverages with, remember the "good old days" with. "Unit Scrounger" (patch: red arrow crossed with question mark and exclamation mark) = Able to find equipment or repair parts needed for free or cheap, knows who has what for use at the camporee or CSDC, has a seemingly unlimited amount of 'stuff' in his gsrage/toolshed/basement that is great for CS to build things with.

Trivializing, didn't mean to. Simplistic, perhaps. But still, is not the purpose of the OA to: (1) honor those Scouts that exemplify the virtues of camping and service to their fellow Scouts and (2) encourage the virtue of "cheerful service" to others (not just Scouting, we hope) and (3) let those so honored (thru election by their peers) enjoy the company (par-tay?) of their fellow OAers. Thus (theoretically), by the example observed, encouraging such behavior among other, non-OA Scouts. At least that is what my expectation is. Am I wrong in that? So if I am right in the above, it isn't the PURPOSE they have argument with, only the ceremony, yes? Has OA changed that much? As to the comparison made by various religious professors (def.: one who 'professes' a particular belief or theory) of OA ceremony to a real religion (Mason, pagan, shamanistic, Native American, whatever), I still say 'you shall know them by their fruits'. If there is a spiritual quality to Scouting or OA, it certainly can't be of any particular faith. Can it?

It has been a long time since my Ordeal and Brotherhood. I can not say if the ceremonies that impressed me then are the same as in use today. Scoutson has said, regardless of my encouragement, that he would not accept an OA nomination, because he (1)knows all about serving others already by my and our family and Meetings example, (2) is already too active in Scouts, 4H, Meeting (he is now at 17 a full member of our Maintenance Committee), and school and (3) does not seek extra "bling" on his uniform (his words). That said, I find it hard to understand how any person, religious leader or not, can object to an organization whose goal is the encouragement of selfless service to others. Isn't that what Christ was all about? I do not remember any worship of a diety, per se, in the ceremonies. I could be wrong in that, but I don't remember anyone saying "worship THIS in THIS manner, or else" anywhere in the OA cermonies. I don't remember any directed "please join me in" prayer. I remember some boys in psuedo indian garb, playing indian, invoking some hokey idea to help a Scout realize the benefit, both to him and to others, of "joyful service". Catholic priest doesn't see a Christian basis for OA? Well, "Do unto others" isn't necessarily only a Christian admonition either. It comes up in every faith around the world in some rendition or other. My short stint as a Demolay member was kinda like that. I learned some more history, but I didn't need the ceremony to see the benefit of serving others. I had enough in Scouts, Key Club, OA, Church, my dad's Lions Club (junior member), and such. Maybe we need to make sure the OA is still about camping and service and let it go at that. If you know the priest, recommend he read Seton's ""The Gospel of the Redman". Faith and Chaplaincy forum, anyone? (This message has been edited by SSScout)

All together , now.... WIN ALL YOU CAN!!! Ethics and moral behavior really can't be legislated.

Thank you. I thought so too.

Thank you, Stosh, for the short form! I agree, there is no "official" form of ceremony, only precident and tradition. With Cibs, KiS. With older Scouts, add pomp to it but still, KiS. I recently was asked to help organize a flag presentation at a local Mosque at a 9-11 remembrance. We had many local politicos, veterans and police and firefighters in attendance, and they asked the Scouts to do the flag presentation to open things. I put the word out to the District and garnered a dozen Scouts. I collected a US flag, a State one and a County flag. We met one hour early, parceled out the flags, got'em all in order, assigned a Color guard (yeah, we used that term), a Captain, rehearsed it twice, got our cues set with the MC, then they opened the doors and let everyone in. It went well, very impressive, if I do say so myself. After all the formalities, speeches, songs, blessings, prayers and testimonials, when it came time to retrieve the colors, the US flag came back to formation LAST, then they marched out. The US flag was in the proper position for the march out (2 abreast), but was walked in LAST of the three. After all was done, one of the police in attendance, a BIG fellow, came up to me and thanked me for the Scouts being there, but did I know the US flag really should be FIRST in the formation at all times (he was an exMarine). I said I thought so, but we are amateurs, after all. He said it was all good, none the less. Bugle story: I was asked to do "Call to the Colors" at the first raising of the flag at the dedication of a new Scout camp some years ago. I dutifully praciced and got my lip in shape. They wanted the "long" version (!). When the time came, I put horn to lip and COULD NOT remember the start of the tune. I ended up doing the French "Avec Le Colour", which I had learned as a Scout watching Captain Gallant (Buster Crabb) on TV. No one said a thing to me, one way or another.

Home town Cub Pack (and Troop) work toward Unit Conservation Good Turn Award (sort of a mini Hornaday): http://www.gazette.net/article/20111109/NEWS/711099499/1020/volunteers-pound-the-pavement-in-silver-spring-to-make-county-greener&template=gazette

Can we PLEASEPRETTYPLEASE WITH DUTCH OVEN BROWNIES ON TOP have a seperate "Faith and Chaplaincy" forum???? This ain't Open Discussion. It ain't Program... It ain't Issues and Politics.... It is a seperate topic and needs to be recognized as such. I think. Those in favor say aye? (Wait... I'm a Quaker. We don't vote for such things. We seek unity, God's will, agreement, or as they say in corpspeak, "consensus" ). J-I-KC: How do we contact Scouter Terry?

Watch out for the drawstrings in your jackets. G2SS needs an update. http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12033.html Please, no jokes about throttling CERTAIN Cub Scouts.....

I work as a subteacher. All middle school gym lockerroom showerrooms in out county have become new storage areas. Can't say for the high schools...

OOO - OOO !! They could sell something to raise money for their pet projects... I understand popcorn is a popular idea.... How many cans of chocolate dip p/c for one F37 ?

Oh, yes it is. If you KNOW it's not an emergency, yeah, don't call. But "When in doubt..." and you DON"T know, CALL. My wife wouldn't be my wife except someone called... "It's just a small cut"... no, it wasn't, it was a artery in her arm... At my WB course, one Scouter came to the first aider (a trained EMT) and told her he had an embedded tick in his leg. She called for the local ambulance, he went to the local ER. It was surgically removed. I have no idea if it was Lyme infected, but the FAder thought (doubt? Nope) that it could not wait til he was at home the next day to see his personal physician. He could've been driven by a fellow WBer, but wasn't. The FAder insisted on the ambulance. He returned to the course after a few hours. Aside: How does one miss the feeling of a tick burrowing that deep into one's thigh? I don't know. I'll pay the taxes. This is what government is about, service to citizens....

Been there, unfortunately done that. Is there another mom (friend?) that knows the divorcedScoutmom? Often the devorcedmom doesn't recognize or is unwilling to admit to the =him vs me= dynamic. It unfortunately comes down to the divorced parents REQUIRING that the boy choose between them. How well did you (the SM) connect with the boy? Could you go with or thru the other mom (NOT male!) to the DSmom about your concerns for the boy? It cannot sound like you are trying to take the boy away from the mom. It must be made obvious that , of course she is a good parent, but that the boy must be left to realize for himself the truth of the matter, and he will, eventually. There can be no doubt about that, even tho it take years for it to happen. In the mean time, the boy can gain in his confidence and ability to decide things for himself thru his Scout career, given a chance. But do not write. Call and express your concern about the BOY, not her situation, but the boy's. His buddies miss him. You would like to see him complete xyz. He was a real asset to his Patrol at the Camporee. You enjoy watching him grow and mature, soon he will be the young man, not merely a boy, she must be very proud of him. If you have no contact with the father, I don't quite see the benefit of it. Perhaps if you have his phone number, you might phone and comment to him how well the boy is doing in Scouts, how he has grown and etc., but maybe not. Depends on your comfort level. It is never easy (even with intact families) when the parents won't let go of the boy. Here, it sounds like a mom with regrets, or revenge or loneliness (afraid of being "left", again). Hard to say from out here in email land... Good luck, "do your best", . "Keep your stick on the ice, we're pulling for ya"