SSScout

Short answer is NO. If the Scout sold Popcorn for his unit, all the proceeds go to the Unit. The unit, in it's wisdom, can allocate an appropriate portion to the Scout in the form of a "Scout Account" that may ONLY be used for Scout things. If the Scout raised the money for "Scout " support, he/she cannot send the money off to another entity no matter how worthy. It's got to be used for Scouty things, not personal things, not charitable things. The BSA has been all over this, the IRS has been all over this. The local Council should (if they have not been apprised of it already) should take this up and see what's what. As happens sometime, the news may not have the correct facts, only the slightly garbled ones. It also raises the "Not as a Scout" flag. BSA policy is clear on this too. The Scout uniform may not be used directly to raise money for any other organization. Not your church, not the Salvation Army (no bell ringing in BSA livery), not a worthy elder care facility. Sorry, ,,, Anyone have the Idaho Council Phone number?

*sigh* The ultimate question is: Was the person who signed the Blue Card, Approved The Merit Badge, a bona fide registered in the Council Merit Badge Counselor when the card was signed? Make the phone call(s). If the answer to the question is "Yes", shake the Scout's hand and wish him well. If "No", then smile, hand him some more Blue Cards and give him a list of approved/registered Merit Badge Counselors for his desired subjects. See you on the trail....

The BSA is very clear. The individual Unit may NOT "ask" for money. "A Scout pays his/her way". Something of value (a product, a service, some useful exertion) must be exchanged for any money "earned". Yes, there are organizations that will give (grant?) money to other worthy people/organizations if they deem your efforts in agreement with their aims and goals. College scholarships come to mind. Meet the agency's requirements, fulfill their expectations (keep a "C" or better average grade) and receive their largesse. Charity? "Send this Scout to camp". "Sponsor our speaker series". "We'd like to buy your Scout Troop a Camping Trailer" (it will be titled in the XYZ Church's name, give it to them and they will let us use it). But simply to ask for and accept a "Grant" to aid Scouting, sorry, I can't agree to that. Does the agency have any windows to wash? Busses to clean? Perhaps something might be worked out? Make it a definite, one time event or purpose, maybe. But not a general donation...…

E-yeah,,, ya get the feelin' , do ya?

Ah, memories. I once dated a lovely, intelligent, fun to be with girl. I first picked her up for our dates in a car, then asked her if she'd mind traveling by motorcycle, as I had just bought a Suzuki GT550. Nice machine, smooth, comfortable with the fairing.... She said her brother had been badly injured in a motorcycle accident, no, she wanted nothing to do with motorcycles, far too dangerous. The next time I asked her out, she demurred, because she had signed up to take skydiving lessons...…

Ch Ch Ch Chaplaincy and f f f f faith Thread ? I have seen special arrangements made. Catholic folks over There.... LDS folks over There.... Sensitivity is the watch word, as always. Sabbath sensitive courses on occasion, start Saturday evening, include Monday...

Yep. As a Sub Teacher in Middle School, I've often seen the general reticence of kids to stick their necks out, ask questions, be "up front". Some schools insist on the kid waiting on instructions (that's okay) but then when they wait to see what the teacher wants them to say, rather than saying what THEY want to say.... Even in the drama classes, being able to speak up, take a chance, insist on something, can be rare. Correct an adult ? Please, if I'm wrong , correct me , politely, courteously, but prove me wrong.

Yes we can. But, again, I find it interesting how "outside" folks like to view the "inside" folks. In Utah, is there a "LDS Legacy Corridor" ? Mmmmmmaybe not. When I noted to the MD SHA folks that one of their new QLC signs pointed in the wrong direction, they thanked me. That was three weeks ago, the sign still points AWAY from us. Oh well. Freezing rain tonight, gotta cancel the big potluck amateur talent show.....

Phone? Que es Phone ? I get emails, and have to remind the Scout to copy to another Scouter for YP requirements...

The fellow was catching fat trout after fat bass. An onlooker asked him how he was so successful, The fellow handed him a pampthlet that advised using worms and to " keep the worms warm." The onlooker asked, "and how do you keep the worms warm?" the fisherman smiled and said " thath eathy. Keep'em in yer mouf."

Books . . . . I was once asked to suggest an activity for Lion or Tiger Den. I suggested, why not read a story to them, say a chapter a meeting? A classic adventure story, Treasure Island, Jungle Book, even Profiles in Courage. The Den leader looked at me like I was speaking Chinese...…. I can think of no better way to quiet down a class (Den?) then to read to them. Appropriate voices and inflections as one is able. Pictures optional. Make it worth while, a reward for accomplishing the cleanup. Ten, maybe even 15 minutes of sit down and rapt attention, it is worth practicing. I have no fast statistics about this, but I just feel that today's parent doesn't read to their kids like our mom and pop did to us. Or at least to me. When I was judged old enough, I received a BIG GOLDEN BOOK of the Illiad and the Odyssey. What words I did not know, I learned. That book lies on the shelf downstairs waiting for the Gchild to be old enough. I was read to , eveynight before bed, and at odd times and to help with school work. I remember my elementary teachers, Mrs. Thomas, Mrs. Wetzel, Mr. Prentiss.... even in 6th grade, we were read to, as a reward of sorts, to relax after the hard play of recess to help settle in for Math.... Why not read to your Scout? "Twas seven o'clock of a very warm evening in the Seeonee hills when Father Wolf woke up from his day's rest, scratched himself, yawned, and spread out his paws one after the other to get rid of the sleepy feeling in the tips. Mother Wolf lay with her big gray nose dropped across her four tumbling, squealing cubs, and the moon shone into the mouth of the cave where they all lived. "Augrh!" said Father Wolf, "it is time to hunt again"; and he was going to spring downhill when a little shadow with a bushy tail crossed the threshold and whined: "Good luck go with you, O Chief of the Wolves; and good luck and strong white teeth go with the noble children, that they may never forget the hungry in this world."

Books.... see the other CUB thread....

Again, ""the work is done by whoever shows up". What I hear is the drum beat of the present age. Service clubs (Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, etc. ) are seeing fewer young folk show up, see the NEED to show up. PTAs often see/hear the parents want the "best" for their kids, but that's for the teacher, the coach , the youth pastor to take care of. I think the souls active on this electronic typing practice page for the most part came from families , parents, that jumped in and saw the need to BE parents, to set an example of community activity for their kids. I still meet folks who knew me growing up, and who are/were the Lions, Kiwanis, that ran the annual fundraising festivals, dinners, movie nights,,,, Our hospital was built on ham and turkey and fried chicken dinners,, and the chicken didn't have far to walk to get to the dinner table. Our VFire dept was built by waffles and creamed chicken. Such things are mostly funded now by regular fees and tax money (the volunteers and pro-fire fighters have learned to respect each other, grudgingly). The Woman's Board for the hospital raised millions (with an M) of dollars with the annual Bazaar and Picnic. When the new hospital (which replaced the old one that had been thrown up thru community efforts with the 1918 flu epidemic) was opened, and the new Director announced proudly that they should be justly proud of their efforts and accomplishments, he was loudly lauded. When he suggested that the Woman's Board and it's picnic was therefor no longer needed, he was "resigned" within 6 months. The new new DIrector said he "liked fried chicken". The annual Hospital Bazaar is still a "big thing" around here, but the service clubs and such scratch for the folks to make it run. Tons of fried chicken and corn are still served up, but very little (if any) comes from close by and the cooks are all from the hospital kitchens. It is the children and grand children of the original folks that make it run and recruit the more to make it run. It doesn't seem "automatic" anymore. The Scouts and kids that help EXPECT Student Service Hours, it's not done because it's "fun" or done to be seen or meet your friends and feel good about being a help. It seems the few kids that learn to make change selling snow cones and sodas have come with the parents who came with THEIR parents, many years ago. I still look for my old friends, but when they come, their kids don't.

Usta be Summer camp: Camp Director , on wednesday, requires anyone who wants dessert (special peach pie ! and Ice cream !) MUST present themselves at dinner bell with at least wet hair, betoken of having taken a shower before. Name list on shower house porch is checked by a Counselor as the kids come out...… So at least, the camper came "close" to the water and soap.

I am sure the chart exists but I learned it by listening : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7w_ZqF2wpU and from Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion. : Because of the limited range and at the Bugler's discretion, such can be played "businesslike" (get it over with, time to go home) or can be made as evocative and thoughtful as the player is capable of. Quick and dirty, or displaying the talent . Melancholy? Absolutely. Nothing wrong with that , appropriately so. I remind my "students" that Buglers are musicians too. AND,,,, they are learning a "foreign language", it communicates ideas, emotions. How conversant can one become in this "language"? Echo it thru the woods some time and listen . . .

Tripod lashing (Scout Pioneering camp gadget requirement) tripod about 5 feet tall. . Gallon milk jug dangle from tripod with appropriately long rope. On other end of rope, dangling is a nylon mesh bag (kneehigh stocking? Cherry tomato bag? ) of soap chips collected from Whitlin' Chip instruction/earning (camp out activity?) . draped over tripod is old, big colorful beach towel (mine is the Suncrest Raisins, always a hit). Tip jug, rub hands, tip jug, wipe hands. Fun. Place someplace where the drainage is not a problem, NOT adjacent to the hydrant, outside the latrine. Assign/rotate duty to refill jug. Den Chief project? Good in any but freezing weather.

Oh, it definitely has other value. Scoutcamp will often pay you more if you are a Bugler. Bugles Across America is a clearing house for Buglers needed for ceremonies (taps over veteran's burials, for instance) where there is an honorarium paid. Local notoriety can lead to being asked to play at various ceremonies. Being able to play "open valve" leads to greater skill on your original (trumpet? cornet? trombone? baritone?) instrument. I played for my Wood Badge course , and I had folks thank me directly for playing "Tatoo" in the evening. Taps , it seems, was expected.

Our Aussie Scout brothers and sisters have a new patch. Proceeds to go to fire victims support and rebuilding. READ THE FINE PRINT ! Postage/delivery cost internationally is the same whether you order 1 patch or 100. Package/courier delivery fee is expensive, but I am told it is to guarantee the package gets to you. Might ask your Scoutshop to order a supply? Gather a bunch of orders? https://scoutshop.com.au/products/bushfire-badge

A DE’s Lot (with apologies to Msrs. Gilbert and Sullivan) When a DE’s not engaged in his employment (his employment) or planning to go camping with his Troop (with his Troop) his capacity for innocent enjoyment (-cent enjoyment) Can easily be knocked off for a loop (for a loop) Our feelings we with difficulty smother (-culty smother) When a DE duty’s to be done (to be done) Ah, take one consideration with another, (with another) A DE’s lot is not a happy one. Ooooohhhhh… When a DE’s duty’s to be done, to be done, Then a DE’s lot is not a happy one. When the helicopter parent is not hov’ring (is not a hov’ring) When the Scout is not a-cutting off their thumb (-off their thumb) He loves to hear the bug-a-ler a-bugling (bugler bugling) And enjoy his tea while sitting on his bum (on his bum) When the District has finally decided (has decided) Where the Camporee should sit on weekends yet to come (yet to come) Ah, take one consideration with another (with another) A DE’s lot is not a happy one. Ooooooohhhhh, When a DE’s duty’s to be done, to be done, , His duty , sure, is often not a happy one. (happy one).

There ya go. It is my opinion that THAT is the reason most DEs become DEs. They originally want to be SCOUT Scouters, to help give the (youth) Scouts opportunities, to be examples and role models for the vast number of volunteer Scouters. When they discover they are judged on things other than that, and being paid less than they are (we hope) worth, they move on. We have a "real DE" in our District and we treat him as such. He answers emails, phone calls, visits our Roundtable, camporees and even IOLS sometimes. AND he is about to be married !

Cautionary tale: Before I retired from County Gov service, I met and was inspired by a man who I will call "Dave". Dave was in charge of planning and was the go to fellow for just about everything. What he said got done, what he signed off on was Okay, He negotiated contracts with private entities, oversaw mapping of routes and was not above calling folks "out in the field" to get eyeball information and opinions. He had a staff of three, and they were kept busy. When he retired, TPTB revamped his section, added THREE section heads, maybe 8 more staff, and totally redefined who did what when. Made things a lot harder to get things corrected or done. It became hard to find who was responsible for what duty or project. I came away thinking it was because we had just had a new Department Head named, and he felt somehow jealous of Dave's respect and personal assumed responsibility .

Oldscout and I turns out we were sort of neighbors. Met at a local place, Dempsey's, to get acquainted. Coffee and peach cobbler is always good. Scouty stuff makes it easy to recognize a brother Scouter.

About ten years ago, I once witnessed a DE being asked by a new Cub leader if he (the DE) would come to their meeting and speak to the new parents. His response was (quote) "I don't do that. I have people who do that. " He meant the District Commissioner(s), of which I was at the time one. The Cub leader was angry, rightfully so, and we talked later. That DE was gone in about 6 months. Is this National's attitude in a nutshell?

Tag this a Faaaaith and Chaaaaaplaincy issue, eh? There is at least one fair sized church nearby that was named the "XYZ United Methodist Church", long history in the community, charters a very well known and active Scout Pack and Troop . Only a few years ago, the signs quietly changed to read "The XYZ Church" . Still Scout friendly.....