SSScout

(Ancient history). Hike in Washington State Park, Maryland. Bright sunny day. Troop of, oh, 20 Scouts. Point comes to a big fallen log and hops up on it and hops down, hikes on. Second hops onto the log, hops off and hikes on. Third hops on, SCREAMS ""BEEEES!!!!!"" and hops off and runslikehell. Yellow jacket nest under log. Point and Second look back (I'm maybe fifth), wonder what's up, quickly come to the realization of why their buddy screamed "BEEEES!!"" and take appropriate action. Swarm is flying forward, Fourth and me wake up, and turn to run, barging into the rest of the Troop, who soon , after picking themselves up, turn and run, too. Point, second , third are by now waaaaay up the trail, the rest of us are waaaaaay back the way we came. Scoutmaster(s) is/are following us back. It probably took us an hour to collect everybody, walking waaaay around the log. No one is stung (!!), I forget whether we left a warning for the other (if any) hikers.

I'm with jwest09. Look for alternative indoor stuff. Is there a local museum you might ask to have "lock in"? Archery in rain and high winds just ain't right. Gin rummy tournament? Bowling for Scouting? Indoor pool? Look at the map and see how close you can be to the original site and ask for help.... The name of "Boy Scouts" will open many doors.

Oh, one bit of personal experience. We planned the sort of thing you mention (with mixed results the first time) and thought, "hey, why don't we invite the Girl Scouts to share the gym with us? Brownies are good people too." So we got in touch with the GSUSA, and found the only GSTroop in our school was led by the PTA president! Wonderful! When we asked her, she said (quote) "oh no, we have enough Girl Scouts, we don't want any more. Thank you just the same." And that was my introduction to the difference in philosophy and operation between the BSA and the GSUSA....

As the ol' Scoutmaster said, "It depends". On the activities: Pinewood Derby? Campsite? Crafts? Cub races? Fish in a Bucket? Bike-a-Ree? On the date : No homework? No concerts or other competition? On the time: Right after school? Saturday afternoon? Morning? Evening after they go home and have to come back? If "right after school", is there supervision so the kids can stay and then get picked up? Do they need a note from mom? On the weather: 'nuf said. On the advance publicity and it's density and repetition. Back pack notices? PTA newsletter? Posters? Guidance office? PA announcements? Morning TV show? Word of mouth? Buddy invites? Room moms? Dedication of the Pack Scouters.... Who will do what when? Like the coach said, no one ever missed the shot they never took.

Yeah, talk about being chauvinistic. ""... our particular group isn't very outdoor/building oriented.... "" Just try to help a GSUSA Troop be that way. Sometimes a dad (or "outdoor oriented" mom) can affect a change, but IMHO, you need to get the girls in Daisy's first. My buddy Ted formed (after much internal GSUSA angst) a Daisy Troop for his then 6 year old daughter and ten of her friends. The local Council , I think, gritted it's metaphorical teeth, but the girls and their parents loved it. They went crawdad hunting in the streams, and cabin camping, and learned to "cook" outside of the usual kitchen. Most of the group is still together, even tho Ted and family had to move out of the area .

Once upon a time, I tried to register for a course that had a prerequisite. TPTB said I had not taken the prerequisite. I knew I had taken it, had the little card with the old Scouter's name on it. Phoned Council, asked to come in, we'll straighten it out. Went down to Council, sat with "registrar" ( they no longer use that title) for more than an hour. Turns out 1) there were (are?) FIVE people in the Council with the same first and last name as myself. Only one "junior" (me) and two with my middle initial (only me with the exact middle name). AND 2) I had course/training records under THREE BSA membership numbers . It seems some of my trainers had used different variations of my name thru the years (James E. Smith, J. E. Smith Jr. , Jimmy Smith, etc.). AND 3) Some of the cards I had (Ms Registrar even knew the old names of the trainers) weren't listed at all. At the end of the day, I had only ONE membership number, a freshly done list of trainings, experience and a new thing to tell people I taught in IOLS etc. INSIST THEY USE THE SAME NAME EACH TIME YOU TAKE A TRAINING.

When the Troop Meeting Room Is Sold..... http://citydadsgroup.com/nyc/2017/04/scout-office-closes-ridgewood/

Matt: I call it the "Wake" effect. Our passage thru life affects many others, and hopefully we have an effect that helps rather than hinders. The smile I give, the door I hold open, the branch I don't let slap back into the face of the fellow behind me on the trail... all do something to let that "other" go on their way without feeling worse than when they encountered me, because then the next person THEY encounter may get a better response, a better smile, a slower door closing and that may make THEIR passage more worth while and then they may stop and help with that flat tire.... One wave can affect many boats.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." = Yogi Berra = After a semi successful session teaching the Bowline to Cub Scouts, one smiling Cub holds up a tangle batch of cord and asks me, "What knot is THIS ?" "What's your name, Scout?" "Jesse! " "Well, I think that's a 'Jesse Knot' ! "

Are they still considering combining "Pet Care" and "Cooking"?

Somebody has way too much time available.... Only fair results. Maybe in my short perusal I missed these, but Did They Consider.... ** Tightness of knot? ** Skill of knot tier? (self actuated indeed...) Who pulled it how tight? ** Material used? Cotton stays tied better than synthetics. Roughness of surface, etc. Every sailor and "pioneer" knows a sisal or manila rope will hold a knot better than a nylon cord. ** While laces are snug around a foot at rest, the lace will stretch a mite and the foot will shrink a mite as it exercises and the fluid/blood collected in the foot at rest gets pumped out . Hence, a loose lace will untie easier than a tight lace. Because... ** A properly tied , snug SQUARE bow will stay tied. A GRANNY bow will loosen by dint of it's own construction. Pulling on a Granny will untie it. ** One of the reasons for the flat lace is it jams more effectively than the round kind. Which did they use? ** Can this be replicated with other cordage? Bet they lost their grant on this and couldn't continue....

Umpteen years ago, my first wife decided she wanted her "freedom". I won't go into the details, but I eventually had full custody of our then four year old daughter. A single adult male. In the ensuing years, I was visited by my daughter's school staff, her best friend's father ,after allowing his daughter to visit our home, refused to let his daughter come again, I coached (with a male partner, out in fields) my daughter's soccer team (after three seasons, we were the league champs), daughter first wanted to join Brownies, but TPTB decided I would NOT be a GSUSA Leader. Daughter decided she did not want to be a "fashion and cookie" Scout (her words). I came to understand our unique situation, my unique situation. With help of other family, we progressed. There was always , it seemed, something hanging over me, us. But I think my previous reputation certainly did help, in judicial, social, and familial considerations. Now, the daughter is grown, the stepsons (second good marriage) are grown . All , I believe, have come to see the past situations as "learning" to benefit from. The youngest, Scoutson, is grown and almost on his own :-) . As a now "single " male in Scouting, I do what is appropriate in this climate. As a Jamboree Chaplain, I was called on to counsel some troubled Scouts. I would invite them to "step into my office", which was the hillside outside their camp, in view of a ASM. We would talk there. I was asked to speak to an adult Scouter, we stepped to the far end of the Dining tent, and he vented. I copy all emails to others. I was once asked by a ASM in our Troop to NOT cc him in every email, he was "tired of deleting my uninteresting stuff". I explained to him my need to apply YP standards to my communications, and he ultimately apologized. He had not considered that idea. I counsel Bugling MB. Folks have asked, couldn't you CLOSE the Band Room door?? I tell them no, I have to leave it open... And smile....

"His own genetic tree"? Scoutson's project was rehabbing the Rabbit Barn at the County Fair. He did have some Scout folks in helping, but in reality, the majority (in numbers, anyway) were Four H and Rabbit Breeders Club people. As has been said, the only Scout required to be there, is the Eagle Candidate.

Must be a loooooong way to go for meetings. And that makes HOW many Districts in the Council? Our County here in Murlin had three, then ONE big one, then six small ones then one big one with three service areas and now three Districts. Looks like the BIG Council is really four "Service Areas". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scouting_in_Michigan . "Stay tuned", I guess.

No COBAL? No FORTRAN? Why did I waste my time in college....

Does this mean we shouldn't plan when we tour :-) ???

So far, the one thing we humans seem to have in common, around the world, is our inability to learn from our mistakes. Now, that is assuming we all admit to being human....

"EMERGENCY< EMERGENCY... Everybody to get from street........" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TszIJX-F4U

Thank you NJ and Vclose. Perhaps the blood's use is a "lasting" effect, for sure. I realize the official guide assures us that the Eagle Service Project need not be "permanent" in nature. I am only trying to suggest that the Scout be shown the possibility that his well organized and publicized and promoted Blood Donation Drive COULD be more than just one Saturday afternoon.

It is the "lasting impact" that should be considered. Is it a "once-and-done" blood drive or the creation of the realization of the ongoing need for blood collection, that the venue (church, community center, service club ) will do this again, as the Scout showed them the way?

It comes when the SM , in his role as a "suggester" and "coach" insists on WAITING for an answer when he asks the SPL , "well, what do you want to do?" My favorite quote , ever, was from a nascent SPL who, at his first PLC, asked the SM, "you mean I can decide that?"

"JASMTech". Sounds like a Second Assistant Quarter Master to me. Don't get me wrong, there are "no small parts, only small actors". You may well be the fellow that knows where the fuse box is.... I was an AQM, and had a good time. I had to know where anything was, in what box, on what shelf, AND tag along with the CD as the Bugler....

Our council has a Tour Plan Coordinator. He name is Helen Weight. That is who we tell folks to go to.

Yep, another example of my #1 adage, "the work is done by whoever shows up". The most one can do is point to the BSA printed requirements. Proposal? Plan? If the Troop Committee/Eagle Mentor/Eagle Advisory Board/DAChair/ reads and hears the Eagle candidate explain his idea, they/he/she can advise (more word HERE, more duct tape HERE) and point out (will you have a first aid kit on site?) and question (is it really wise to back fill before you lay the pipe? ) . If the DAC is a problem to some folks, maybe the District Committee and District Chair (they showed up, right?) should be approached.

Great Allegheny Passage : (it's all down hill !) hike or bike. 280 plus miles.... https://gaptrail.org/ lots of history. hostels and campgrounds along the way. Go off trail to replenish. Appalachian Trail: Maine to Georgia, take your pick. http://www.appalachiantrail.org/ use their maps, the best. 90% in the woods. And you might want to see "A Walk In The Woods" and the AT in 5 minutes: The Green Tunnel = https://vimeo.com/20218520 Real Adventure? Habla espaniol? Look to the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain. Canoe/kayak/ the Allagash in Maine http://www.maine.gov/dacf/parks/water_activities/aww-river-conditions.shtml Or closer to home: Little Miami comes to mind: http://www.ohio.org/blogs/2014/06/paddle-ohio-the-top-five-places-to-kayak-and-canoe Like the man said, don't TAKE the scouts, let them LEAD YOU to the adventure !