SSScout

Lots of good tips. Klondike Derbies coming up. Read "To Build a Fire" by Jack London again. Heater in a tent??? Nononono. See G2SS. Asphyxiasion danger. Fire danger. Melt nylon issues. Burn Scout issues. No need for extra weight. Leave No Trace issues. This is "roughing it"? Save a sheep. Wear Wool.

Jamboree headgear story (from a reliable source)::: When the 2005 Jambo steering committee was meeting to decide on things, the supplier of Staff Hats (among other things) presented each member of the committee with a sample Staff ball cap, personalized in the back with the committee member's name. The chair, (whose name I forget, say it's John Jones) handed his hat back saying, "this is fine. Make 8,000." And they did. 8,000 hats with "John Jones" embroidered on the back. When they arrived, and the problem was discovered, the hats were sent back and rather than make 8,000 more, they embroidered a pretty rainbow OVER the name. At least, that's how it was explained to me...

Good show, old bean,welcome to the electronic campfire, where all will be revealed. Pull up a virtual log and sit a spell. Cubs are the most fun, I think. Remember to communicate, communicate. Call, email, but call! Personal contact to the adults is best, always; email for reminders, but don't be surprised if you get no response by emailing "I need a volunteer" .Don't be bashful about reminding the adults in the boys' lifes that the boy will only be 7, or 8, or 9, ( or 10! ) once. Make the most of it! Make a list of all the family resources, mom and pop jobs and interests. Then see if someone knows someone to get a tour of the plant/park/museum/base. Include the boys in a (Lions/Kiwanis/Rotary/AmericanLegion/etc.)club outing or color guard duty. When the time comes, Cub Scout Day Camp is a must. Be careful! You just might end up being Staff at CSDC! Get them out on hikes and conservation service projects. There's no more energetic group than a willing Cub Den or Pack. Make sure your Charter Org knows about you (we hope it is not a "hands off" CO) and offer to help anywhere the CO can use you. And don't forget the Cub Mantra: ((close eyes and repeat)) "KISMIF, KISMIF, KISMIF!" (that's keep it simple, make it fun!)

All God's Critters got a Place in the Choir (Bill Staines) "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord" and all that, but I would hope that you would also encourage the Scout to just sit and LISTEN... to God's creation, to that "still, small voice".

Lenhok Sin, NCAC's high adventure venue, in Goshen Scout Reservation. http://www.boyscouts-ncac.org/openrosters/ViewOrgPageLink.asp?LinkKey=16562&orgkey=1933

Does your CO have multiple rooms? Den per room? Stations for activities? Movie ? Hallway PWDerby? "small" olympics (mini competitions)? Local Volunteer Fire Dept.? Historical Society? Talk to your local Cub Scout Day Camp folks for ideas...

Don't forget that most important part of the Computer SAcience MB::: GIGO.(This message has been edited by SSScout)

two and a half men nip and tuck sons of anarchy south park american dad cleveland show gleemelrose place "fridays the new hump day" (promotion for gossip girl) glenn martin, dds these are some of the tv shows available to the average "basic" cable, fios, dst, disk receiver. in "prime time". don't think your kid isn't watching them when you aren't. all are designed and intended to make the language being discussed here seem ok, acceptable, normal, usual. you pay for the creation of these shows, and you have little or no say in the matter. look to http://www.parentstv.org/ for more info.

Much congrats! I hope you took lots of pictures of the CoH. Now, make sure the local news gets ahold of the story. Nothing like a local boy makes good story for the evening TV news and Town Gazette. AND the angle of a new Scout unit and how it got up and running. Your local Chamber of Commerce might help you make the right conections. Next, ask your CO if you can establish an Eagle memorial of some kind, a wall placque or display case. or something, because you ARE going to have more Eagles , some day, yes? And a picture album to put all those pictures in of Eagle CoH and camp trips and such. Need a Troop Historian or Scribe to help tend to that. "Well done"... oops, that's Sea Scouts.

In our Council, the Program Director is the one to go to for info on Range Officer training or Shooting Sports Director training. The Camp School connection is correct, as far as that goes, and you do need the Council PD's OK to attend. I'm sure your Council would love to allow you to pay your own way to Camp School for the training, providing you promise to be available for range responsibilities around the Council, not just for YOUR unit...

I get the same looks when I set up my "Scout" tent, which is really a 10x10 tarp. I have a canvas Scout issue tarp with tie offs and grommets all around. I think the trend to the modern "umbrella tent" is driven by 1) the perceived need to keep out the creepy crawlies and skeeters. (desease!!) and 2)the desire to have the newest and trendiest (ipod pockets? designed in ventilation? instant erection?) 3) if so and so had it on Everest, it must be good. Nylon doesn't last near as long as canvas.It is lighter, surely, but with care, the canvas tent I think will last longer. The Troop of my youth made our own tents/tarps. Cut out a 10x10 foot square of 6 mil black plastic sheet. Apply the best quality duct tape around the 4 edges, on both sides. Install a 5/8ths" grommet in each corner (need a supply of grommets and a hammer grommet set) and evenly set three more on each side. If you feel it necessary, apply more D/T where the grommets are to reinforce the area. To create the "Explorer" style tent, from one corner, measure about 2 feet along each side and find the lines intersection with the tarps diagonal. This will be about 32 1/2" down the diagonal from the corner. Place an 12" "X" of D/T here. Do the same on the other side. Punch a grommet here at the center of the "X". Your 4 or 5' tent pole goes here. Now you have a very adaptable tent. Join two together for a dining fly. Be careful not to step on it, it can get holes in it. With care, it will last two or more seasons. The sun's UV light will degrade it and eventually make it brittle. When it has served it's purpose, use it as a ground cloth.

Choices:**Go to your local ( I know that is a relative term) Scout Shop, and see what they have on the shelf. **Check out Scoutstuff.org and see their catalogue. ** Visit any number of private patch companies and have your own made. **Our Troop went on a canoe trip that did not end up meeting the original travel plans (don't ask). We went to the Scout Shop, bought sufficient leather Scout Fler-de-lis. Turn 'em upside down, cut off two ears & a point, a little pen work, and we had a canoe with a paddle in the back. Write the data on it, punch ahole for a hanger, presto, a unique souvenir.

""Will work for colorful scraps of cloth"" (bumper sticker)

Ditto about "visiting" the NJsite. There will be stuff to see along the main mdway, but unless you wear the wristband, it might be embarrassing to stand in the line and not be let in the activities. I did hear of some Scouts who "visited" only for the chance to patch trade... Do a site search here for "visiting DC" Lots of collected tips about things to do, places to camp, good/cheap eats, etc.

Check http://www.bsajamboree.org/ and see the Scout requirements are FC and 12 year old before 1 July 2010. BUT some councils might tack on a time limit for applications to their Council provisonal Troops. I don't think there's anything like a "provisional" provisional Troop, gotta go thru the local Council. Last time, 2005, there was a Silver Bay exhibit about the first "official" Scout camp, and Scout history in general. You might try to contact Irving and see if there will be a similar exhibit, mebbe couldbe perchance he could participate in that.

American Heritage Merit Badge, check that. I think your boy has a wonderful calling, and the doing of it will do him good. If you can, locate " Matching Mountains with the Boy Scout Uniform" by Edward F. Reimer E.P. Dutton & Co. 1929. Lots of color pictures and diagrams and quotes from folks, famous and not so. There was a Scout at the '05 Jamboree that was known for wearing vintage uniforms. Don't forget the campaign hat. And stave.

Oh, ze ideas, boiling in ze grey matter... Many good ones so far... Publicity. TV, print , web, all over the spectrum. Publish a souvenir program, with listings of past Cub masters, any "famous" ex Cubs. Ask the governor, Senator, State legislators to send congrat letters to include. Include old photos, as far back as you can research of the Pack. Sell page space (!fundraising!) to local businesses and folk. Make it a weekend thing, start friday with a Cub Pinewood Derby meeting, then Saturday a Cub Fair (invite the public), lots of fun games and stuff and food. Have your B&G in the evening, with the special cake, food and entertainment. Fireworks?? And invite me!

NWScouter, lots of good history. Thanks. I took all the badges off and made a 'shadow' box display which I show sometimes when I Commish a Cub Pack or Troop. Question: Like so much of the 'poor quality' stuff that BSA put out, have your old uniforms shrunk like mine did, hanging in the closet? (;>) ?

All very true, but I'm asking for >specific< things/activities/answers applied/skills learned/tricks tried that were obtained from these forums. What "AHA" moments have happened here? HOW have your Scout times been improved from these epages? No need to be personal, or embarrass anyone... Frinstance, early on, I learned that one can start a camp fire with a "plunger" and Hand Cleaner, that Webelos can join Boy Scouts even earlier than I originally thought, and that old canvas tents can be rejuvenated (which I have done).

I feel moved to play devil's advocate here. Of late I have seen/read alot (ALOT) of opinion, personal experience shared, policy and rules quoted, and suggestions made for solving problems and answering various conundrums. What I'd like to ask of our ecampfire attendees is: Can you vouch any personal experience whereby you have actually applied or used SOMETHING gleaned from these epages? I don't necessarily mean where you asked a specific question and obtained a specific answer, but just from someone else's query, you gained thereby. Ummmmm?

Umpteen and eleven years ago, because he knew I led trips for AYH, a friend gave me an item to "test". He was a dealer for them, it was a new thing, never saw it before. It was a portable strobe light, VERY bright, powered by two C cells, water proof, it would float upright, clip to your belt, very rugged ( I dropped it on purpose a couple of times). Flashed about once a second, VERY bright. Came with a request stuck on the case to call this number (pre online) if it EVER SAVED YOUR LIFE WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT!!. I used it alot as the tale end of many bike trips, night rides, etc. Never saw it in a store tho. Nice unit, I thought, but it eventually burned out. Can't say it saved my life, but it was bright. Anything to give another layer of safety, but leave the adventure in, yes? Woody Allen and "Sleeper", anyone?

Okay, let's see now... Pocket knives fold up and go in the pocket. Usually. Yeah, there are belt hung pockets one can use. Sheath knives are kept in a special sheath, ostensably hanging on one's belt. Could be a problem with backpack hip belts, or be nasty if one falls down. The sheaths can sometimes hold the sharpening stone. Depending on the size, hanging on a small Scout's belt, it might remind one of a machete or Roman soldier's gladius. When not in use, cooking knives are kept in the Patrol box or wrapped up in the cooking kit. The BIG knives are not carried around in your pocket or on one's belt, unless you cook for a Japanese Steak House. Their knife sheaths also hone the edge eachtime the knife is drawn out. Good Whittlin' Chip and Totin' Chip instructors talk about all of them. The choice often is... what is the boy going to do? Cut down trees? Field dress a deer? Make twizzle sticks to start a fire? Protect against grizzly bear attacks? Carve necker slides? Scare away pirates? Impress his friends? Again, the good instructor will mention all possibilities and get the Scout to realize the responsibilities and consequences of his actions. Does he really NEED an 8" chrome vanadium polished Bowie knife? At summer camp? Yes, only so much "official" guidelines and policy can be promulgated. The rest is up to us Scouters.

Scoutson did not mention this when he returned from P/M. Handsome patch. I would suggest two things. First, call and ask P/M. Second, I would treat it as a "tempo" patch, which means that it can be worn on the right uni pocket, OR on the back of the MB sash, OR (perhaps... depends on the proximity of the unipolitzie) on your red shirtjac. Mucho congrats. Dis the rest of your crew earn it also?

For the Scout: Hatchet by Paulson, yes. And... Diary of an Early American Boy by Eric Sloan. A reprint of a real Colonial era diary, illustrated and annotated by Sloan, who is a historian of old tools and skills and no mean artist. What I didn't learn about hand tools from MY father, I learned from Sloan's books. For the Scoutmaster. Baden=Powell's Aids to Scoutmastership. A real challenge to the modern Scoutmaster. Any adult? Any of Mr. Samuel Clemens work.

#522.It is a sad Reflection, that many Men hardly have any Religion at all; and most Men have none of their own: For that which is the Religion of their Education, and not of their Judgment, is the Religion of Another, and not Theirs. William Penn, "Some Fruits of Solitude"