SSScout

BSA bankruptcy. Bad publicity. Councils triple fees. Folks say they cannot afford Scouting. Can they afford soccer teams? Law suits to bring responsibility to consciousness. Camps sold for development. Past transgressions compared to present realizations. Mask vs social distance vs school vs religious services. Removal of historic figures. Job loss. Economy tanks. Inevitable death vs premature death. Cause vs effect . Loss of homes. Loss of trust. International finger pointing. Hunger. Help offered and needed. Future hurricanes and tornadoes expected. Global climate change. Rising ocean levels (islands in the Chesapeake soon covered). Organizational behavior standards betrayed by personal behavior. Hypocrisy rampant. Children's smiles. Contagion science understood. 1918 remembered and learned from. Disease prevented. Peach cobbler. Old friends remembered, found and memories shared . Children who want to learn family history. New work defined and pursued. Hands virtually shook, smiles exchanged. New possible Scout Unit sponsors found. Less traffic, less pollution. Scout Promise and Law remembered and taught. Sharp, accurate tools appreciated. Farms planted , food grown. Grandson will be visited, eventually. Facebook does have advantages. Home grown tomatoes. Birds and squirrels and chipmunks appreciate feed, but the groundhogs and opossums will be re-located. I need to take a hike in the woods.

Check with my wife.....she said she likes the omelets I make....

Wilderness Survival . . . First thing to do.... take inventory of what you have after the "Accident" that resulted in one's worry about surviving. Anyone read "Hatchet" lately? My first Jamboree at Da Summit , we were issued ID necklaces with cards attached for different purposes: Admission to the campsite, meal tickets, personal ID , and a small (maybe 3" square) brown plastic thingy. This thingy, we were told, was "IN CASE" we got lost in the woods. It was , they said, an infra-red reflector, meant to make it easy for rescue copters to find us . "What if we are injured, fell down a ravine (there were such things at Da Summit) ? " No problem, just wave the brown plastic thingy and they will find you.... Infra-red reflector? The State Police use Infra-red detectors to zero in on human body heat..... The thingy is in my Jamboree souvenir book, ready to save me. I have never seen or heard of anything similar since. Flares? Road fusee? If you got'em, smoke, er, use'em at the proper time. A short instruction on their use would not be out of order. Decap, locate the two strikers, strike the long end on the short end so the striking goes AWAY from yourself. The thousand degree flame will melt metal, be careful where you point it. Flare gun? Sure, same thing. Hand phaser to heat a rock to radiative glow? Absolutely, go for it...... Tramp10 feet high "SOS " in the sand/dirt, how droll.

Last time I was at Heritage, it was all but automatic. Yeah, we're not in it for the cloth bling....

Heritage up in PA has a Scouter Service Patch earned by helping in a Scout activity among other things. One of our neighboring Districts asked me to do WoodTools at their IOLS, which I did to good effect. The IOLS leadership said, "and of course, everyone will earn the Totin' Chip" and were surprised when I reminded them that Totin' Chip is a Scout award, not an adult award. I said folks would know how it is done, and have a chance to "practice" but there would be no TC patch awarded.... I have not been asked to help again.....

Good question. Doting all t's and crossing all i's is always important. Yes, project plan and proposal must be approved before fundraising commences. Fundraising plan should, of course, be a part of the approved project plan, yes? One Scout was renovating a charity's closet/bathroom/office space. Plans included the plumber supervising donating materials and time. Some lumber to buy, sold donuts at a city fair. Sonofagun, Plumbing Merit Badge came into play , too. Another Scout was rehabbing a barn at the County Fair. Barn Super helped with plans , Fair Office provided materials. Four H folks helped with incidentals. No extra funds necessary. County Parks Okayed the building of a bridge across a creek on a well traveled park trail. Materials vouchered from Park surplus yard, Scout arranged funds from the Park Foundation (privately supported), donations publicly encouraged to the foundation. There are ways to finance any worthy project.

There are 10 types of people, those that understand binary

BSA Scout Districts. An artificial construct meant to facilitate inter unit activities and relegate official stuff (Eagle Board of Review, Merit Badge Counselor lists, ) to willing volunteer Scouters. I have lived in the same house going on 30 years now, and the first 20 lived in six (6) BSA Districts, When I was a Scout, the County served as "the District", if there was such a thing. When Scoutson joined and I came back to Scouting and lovely wife became a Scout Leader (much to her surprise), I discovered that the COunty was divvied into 3 Districts. Just after I became comfortable and knowledgeable with how the BSA was now organized, "they" announced the County would be re-organized into 6(six ) smaller Districts , allowing "more intimate and closer service by the DEs." Made sense, less units per DE, better connection. The older Scouters shook their heads. New names, new connections, Then, "They" announced, owing to the paucity of suitable DE candidates, the County would be our "service area" under a Regional Director, with four "service areas", (DEs). Then, "they" announced the County would have three (3) "Service Areas" under the Senior Regional Director and three Assistant RDs. Guess what the Service Areas looked like? THEN, "they " announced that in order to "improve communication and facilitate service to the Units" , the County would be organized into three (3) Districts. Guess what the Scouters did? Exactly what they had been doing, running Camporees, Eagle Boards, Merit Badge Counselor Lists....,,,,, These 3 Districts have survived and thrived for the last ten or so years without further "reorganization".

“Underneath, We’re All the Same” “He prayed -- It wasn’t my religion. He ate -- It wasn’t what I ate. He spoke -- It wasn’t my language. He dressed -- It wasn’t what I wore. He took my hand -- It wasn’t the color of mine. But when he laughed -- it was how I laughed, And when he cried -- it was how I cried.” = Amy Maddox, age 16, Franklin Community High School, Bargerville IN =

'"""Hath not a (insert human group) hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a (insert your own human group) is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? """ = W. Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice (adapted) =

Absolutely. But after you have the Troop up and hiking , so to speak, then one must be "visible" and "available". Word of mouth? Certainly the femScouts need to be out there doing stuff, helping people, wearing Scout shirts and caps. Need a sign out front of the Meeting Place. Article in the local paper, community Facebook pages, posters up in school... oh wait.... But I totally agree. The founding of the Troop needs girls out for the adventure, the "Game". The " Purpose" is not necessarily their view, their desire, that's from the parents perspective initially. The Scout may see the "Purpose" later as they mature. After the Troop is doing the Scout Thing, then you need the recruiting stuff for the continuity. .

"""The Humble, Meek, Merciful, Just, Pious and Devout Souls, are everywhere of one Religion; and when Death has taken off the Mask, they will know one another, tho' the divers Liveries they wear here make them Strangers."""" #519. from “Some Fruits of Solitude” 1682 = William Penn (1644-1718) -

Yep. Been there had to do that. Anything that a Scout wears, could wear , is REQUIRED to wear, that is small, metallic and "pretty" is considered "Children's Jewelry" by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. They require that any such stuff be tested and certified that the item(s) be free of lead and other toxins. "Because they are small and pretty and might go in the mouth and be chewed on by the child." (that is the explanation we were once given). This involves an expensive procedure for either each individual item, or the total production run of the item. Religious Awards, Eagle medals, year stars, activity pins, beltloops, Awards of Merit, summer activity cub pack pins, metal necker woggles, you name it. Our Scout Faith Committee had to trash a bunch of older medals rather than have each one tested SEPERATELY, and opted for a new, certified production run. Sometimes the CPSC catches up with folks (like BSA and our Faith Committee) that deal in "children's jewelry" and request the certification paperwork. If it is not forthcoming, Bam, the woggle/pin/medal gets pulled from the shelf and somebody is called on the carpet. The manufacturer hopefully. Presto, a new collectable with a back story is created. Don't worry, Silver Beaver medals are "adult jewelry" and are not considered hazardous. Adults don't chew on their jewelry (?) .....

Sleeping on a cot is fine, summer time the air flow is good. cold weather, put a foam pad on the cot, there's your insulation. Sleep bag on the pad. Bob's yer uncle.

The girls that join ScoutsBSA do so because 1) GSUSA do not provide what they want. 2) Their friends (already in ScoutsBSA ) invite them, they give the newbies the "example" to look at. 3) their parents suggest/insist/lead them to ScoutsBSA as the parents are already in/have been Scouts before. 4) they have a sibling/cousin that is in ScoutsBSA and the prospective newbie looks and thinks "that's what I'd like to do and be.... OUTDOORS, getting dirty, learning about ropes and tents and poison ivy and boating and.... THEREFORE: ** What is YOUR ScoutsBSA program? Do you do tea party/fashionista/cookie selling ? Or do you go out and "get dirty" hiking, canoeing, camping, rock climbing? Sure, GSUSA promotes leadership etc. and if they have the right female (!) leaders, the girls might get outside more (it is a difference in philosophy, ultimately), but THIS is what the ScoutsBSA is about, always was should always be. THAT is what your adult leadership should promote and offer. And then step back and let the girls respond like I heard in a newly minted PLC one time : " You mean I can make that decision ?" Well, yes, YOU can. Recruitment ideas ? there they are . . . And like my previous Scouter noted, the parent and the kid often see Scouting in two ways... fun, adventure, accomplishment, self confidence, skill //// Leadership, citizenship, career application checkbox, responsibility learned, .... Scout Promise, Scout Law is taught , often unconsciously along the way. All the better. See you and yours on the trail.

Here's is where to order your Peach Cobbler: Curb side pick up, mask and social distant inside: http://dempseysofashtonmd.com/

""That which we call a Trek Leader by any other name would smell as much after the Trek."""

There ya go, make the effort, local paper, local TV station, County Cable channel, Community Facebook page, Neighborhood link,,,,, How's the "reporter" going to come if you don't tell them ? Brilliant ! Absolutely Brilliant ! That is the local point I mean... Might even invite Jane Pauley and "Sunday Morning" from CBS to come by !

I think it's great that BSA, in the midst of all the rest of the problems we/BSA face, wants to give our adult leaders some outdoor experience. I am sure alot of the new ALs need it. outdoor experience. F'rinstance: Scoutson had been out camping/hiking with family, with church camp (very primitive and challenging), then went with his Troop to Philmont. He became the Asst. Trek Leader. By the next time the Troop wanted to go to Philmont, the adult escorts (!) were almost clueless as to camping/high adventure stuff, so one of them approached Scoutson to be their TrekLeader. By this time, he had earned his Eagle, was 18 and ready to move into adult life. They made it worth his while, paid his way, and a bit more, just to have his expertise. The shake down trips were fun, he said, He came back with lots of smiling pictures and stories of how the Scouts were all "tenderfeet" and the adults were all "smartphone addicted". One of the adults, a stockbroker by trade, actually brought a solar power charging set for his phone. One of his stories involved insisting one of the first nights on the trail, the Scouts did NOT crawl into the tents until they had come with him, and sat some distance from the camp and fire and JUST LOOK UP.

The gist of the matter is this: The Scout is earning money for THE UNIT , not for him/herself. The Unit's bankroll (checking account, etc.) ultimately belongs to the Charter Organization. Any money collected selling popcorn/mulch/candy/lightbulbs or earned by parking cars/raking leaves/flipping pancakes goes into the units bank account. There can be NO seperate bank accounts, but if the treasurer thinks it appropriate, a paper accounting is made: columns for Johnny, Timmy, Susie, etc.. This money CANNOT be used to buy personal stuff (boots, backpacks, wool socks, uniforms, tshirts). It can be used to buy the Unit's general stuff (awards, Troop neckers, Class B tshirts that everyone gets, flags, trailers, spare tires for the trailers, Troop Tents that everyone can "borrow", Merit Badge Books for the Troop Library,,,,), It can be used to offset Scout Dues, Boys' Life, or even summer camp fees.. This is not to say that the Troop Committee can't decide to use it's money for a "charitable" reason, ie., a uniform or Campership for a deserving Scout whose family is in hard times, say. How the income is divvied up per Scout( Columns ?) is up to the Troop Committee, GAAP..... (generally accepted accounting practices....) Since the money really belongs to the CO (who is sponsoring the Scout Unit , and the CO knows the money is being used for "Scouting") it should NOT be passed on to another entity without the CO's permission. This includes the Scout transferring to another Scout Unit: Cub Pack to ScoutsBSA Troop, one Troop to another Troop, like that, altho this is done "all the time", it shouldn't be. . The Unit's money is the Unit's money. Back in paleo-Scout time, my Troop would sell donuts (explained elsewhere here), but the idea of "Scout Accounts" never occurred to anyone. You wanted to go to camp? The whole Patrol might do a carwash at the church just for summer camp fees among the Patrol. One worked and saved up by doing extra chores at home. The Bank of Dadandmom held the account. The Troop Bank (!) might help discount the personal fees, but that meant just about the whole Troop was going to camp and each Scout (family?) still had to cover the rest. I do remember a story from another Troop whereby the Scout family applied for a campership, it was granted, the Scout went to SummerCamp , and when a problem arose, and the Scout's family had to be contacted, it was discovered they were at Disneyworld.... Please bear in mind, I am not an CPA, nor do I play one on TV . What I described above is how it was explained to me by Scout financial people. I hope I helped.....

""Show mw what a man makes with his hands that I may know his heart" = Amish adage = We are what we do, or don't do. No, I am NOT going to mention a fictional bi-pedal being......

I did not know that was a "doctor"....

Of course it matters. If the BSA isn't following it's own guidelines , there's a problem.. We got pandemic size lawsuits that attest to that. If the guvmint ain't following it's own guidelines, that's another problem. Both problems are problems. The BSA means well, it's goals and mission and methods have been proven worthwhile , if the carrying out has been faulty at times. Humanity has been proven consistant in only one thing: That it cannot, as a group, as a species,,,, learn from its historical mistakes; bad, cruel, destructive history , as the philosopher has said, WILL be repeated, if it is not learned from. Religion? Atheism ? Both human inventions. Both are therefore not perfect, but we try. Like Marcellus Gallio (Richard Burton) says in "The Robe", Jesus cured the sick, made the blind to see, at least (implying Caesar Caligula's implicit guilt) He didn't cripple or blind anyone. So one's loyalty can be to The State, to your own humanity, and/or to some supernatural source for stuff we cannot ultimately explain, but darn it, small miracles (if not big ones) do happen..... Merlyn, you want whipped cream with your Peach Cobbler?

What friend Merlyn is saying is that, evidently, the BSA isn't following it's own guidelines. That appears to be the base problem. As much as I think it is wonderful that the Sea Scout program is a perfect fit with the USCGAux, it needs a bit of tweeking.... Perhaps the United States Power Squadron might be a better choice? https://www.usps.org/ Perhaps

Well, here we are again in the Faith and Chaplaincy forummmmmm. I suppose the big question is, is the Coast Guard Auxiliary really a US Government agency? (Named under the Homeland Security Department, appears yes) *Do the folks there receive a federal pay check? (yes and no. Upper organizers do, local folks are volunteers). **Or is the Aux agency only supported with federal "stuff".? (Appears, yes and no. ) ***Are dues paid by "members" for the USCGAux activities? ( most definitely. But for the volunteers and their support, there would not be a USCGAux. ) > > > > For instance, ScoutsBSA troops regularly visit and camp on federal property (parks, army bases, naval vessels, etc.) but that does not equate with the Scout units being "chartered" by any gov't entity. The US Coast Guard (semper paratus) is not the sponsoring agency.... It's the Auxiliary. But, the Aux is very closely linked . . . . It is NOT expected to be a Coast Guard Reserve, that is a different thing entirely. Then too, we can discuss whether atheism is a religion ( a belief system?) unto itself..... If so, then there is no reason why the BSA can't recognize the Humanist Society Youth Awards.... Howdy , Merlyn, glad to see you still up and around..... https://americanhumanist.org/get-involved/events-and-conferences/