SSScout

So a "Moderator " is someone that makes (or keeps?) things moderate? Rather than being an "extremetor"?

"SMF" = Back then , they called it ScoutMaster Fundamentals. "Layer Cake Stew" = Serves 6 to 8, depending on the time of year and size of Scout. Prep: 20 mins. Cook: 30 mins. The directions may seem overly precise, but they are intended for beginning cooks. Utensils: *MINIMUM size 10†x 3†deep cast iron skillet, ‘seasoned’ and oiled, or equivalent (dutch oven may be used, but do not ‘top heat’) * Cover for skillet. High top, if possible. *cutting board and knife * veggie washing brush *pancake tuner/spatula or big spoon (for serving) *big fork Ingredients: *½ lb. bacon, sliced 1/8†thin * 1 lb. ground beef, lean *1 fist size onion * 3 fist size potatoes *3 nice carrots * 1 or 2 sticks celery * salt and pepper to taste * catsup on the side * water, in big pot for rinsing and washing veggies. Directions: * Prepare nice, HOT fire. HOT coals preferred. Make preparations to support HEAVY skillet over HOT fire. Cook stove may be used. * Place skillet on table or prep area. Rub Soap on OUTSIDE and BOTTOM if using open fire. ***WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP AND WATER*** * Bacon: COVER inside bottom of skillet with bacon. Leave no bare spots. * Beef: Crumble ground beef evenly over bacon. * Onion: Remove skin , cut off ends and any bad spots. Rinse. Cut in quarters and slice ¼†thick. Spread evenly over beef. *Potatoes: Cut out eyes and bad spots. Do not peel. Scrub and wash well. Slice into ¼†slabs and spread evenly over onions. Salt and pepper to taste. * Carrots: Cut off ends and any bad spots. Do not peel. Scrub and wash well. Cut diagonally (fancy!) ¼†thick and spread evenly over onions. * Celery: Cut off ends and bad spots, leave leaves if green. Wash well. Cut diagonally (fancy!) into ¼ “ pieces (leaves too) and spread evenly over carrots. Try not to MOUND things up in the center. * Clean up prep area. Cuttings to compost , if possible, otherwise, “Leave No Trace†guidelines. **Place cover on skillet. If it sits a little on top of the “stewâ€, don’t worry, it’ll settle down as it cooks. **CAREFULLY lift the skillet and place on/over fire. Do not disturb for thirty (30) minutes. If there is no steam escaping after 10 minutes, the fire isn’t hot enough. *** After thirty minutes, remove from fire and lift lid. Poke potatoes with big fork. Should be soft. If not, replace cover and place back on fire for ten more minutes. Try again. ****Salivate at will. Serve with biscuits or toast and jam.

Absotively, welcome to the Forums.. "A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forums" Oh, what has been said. It is about the boys, not the parents. If you can make the Boys (Tigers) see fun and success in Scouts, they (the Boys) will make the parents participate. Scouts is one of the best things a parent can do with (or for?) their kid, boy or girl (problems with GSUSA not withstanding). I often tell folks , if they don't have a connection with their kid when they are 10 or 12, they won't have that connection when they are 18. I agree that if your ADL has an idea, for certain, you should make it work. Adapt it to have fun AND be Scouty. Anything a Scout does, anywhere he goes, it can be a Scout activity , assuming it does not disobey the Scout Promise or Law, or ignore the Guide to Safe Scouting! Use the Cub themes and BALOO'S BUGLE , and look up some of the old Cub Guides for ideas. After all, all you can do is offer. But do not give up on communication. Talk to the Cubs, leave the bookmark/sticky in their book. Ask them, what might be fun to fulfill this requirement? What might they do at home? Ask them what their dad/mom does for a living? Is it a possible Go and See? Does somebody have a pet at home? If you have an idea to pass the requirement for your Cubsonat your home, talk about that to his Cub Buds. Could they do that at their home? LIke Bob the Tomato says, "It's for the kids". And think about all YOU are learning along the way! It is, if you think about it, not only for THEIR benefit alone! See you on the trail!

Ah, Merlyn! Mi amigo! I was afraid you were hospital bound, or moved off shore or something dire had occurred to you. So let us recap: A Catholic Bishop declares , apparently for himself and not on behalf of all Catholicism, that BSA, Girl Scouts USA and Amnesty International (among other organizations of note) are not up to Catholic standards of behavior and values. We are reminded that many Catholic priests and leaders have not themselves exhibited the epitome of good Christian behavior. GSUSA has become known for not being very welcoming of male Scout leaders (note to self: Contact friend Ted who was his Daisy Scout daughter's Troop leader and is now his Cadette daughter's Troop leader, with mucho other girls in Troop, who all apparently like to hike and get dirty). GS cookies are ubiquitous and of various types and elicit various opinions as to their desirability. GSUSA has no known "offishul;" policy on gender of approved leaders. That said, step up and see what the local service area (much like the BSA District/Council) leaders say to you individually. Many girls, as they grow up, will voice their desire to hike and get dirty by either joining the Venture Crew nearby or pushing the GS Troop leaders to allow "high adventure" activities. Anything left out? That about all?

" It depends"... When first wife abandoned our marriage, I had a four year old daughter to raise. I was helped by inlaws and Gmom. I was "visited" by my daughters school (it was a private school that I helped by being the maintenance man and "daddy with the pickup truck"). Daughter wanted to join Brownies, local GStroop was a tea party troop, not outdoorsy. When I offered to lead hikes, it didn't happen. Daughter dropped out in less than a year. A couple of parents at school did not want kids to visit our home. No reason given, just "no thank you" for birthday parties. Supervisors at work often asked me "how do I raise a daughter?" No accommodation, just the same expectations as everyone else. I was blessed by family and friends and paid babysitters and daycare that were there when I needed them. I got her to other birthday parties, we went for hikes, she was a whiz at soccer,I commiserated with a friend in the same situation, we even went vacationing together, he and I and out two five year old daughters and had a good time. I coached her soccer team (15 ten, eleven, twelve year old girls). We lost alot , then won the league championship. When she found her love and we planned her wedding, there was a misunderstanding and her mother refused to attend the wedding (I had remarried by then, new wife, two step sons, one new son, nice new family). Then, daughter said she finally understood where she stood with her mom, and what I had done for her. This discussion has rambled from Catholic church leadership problems, to church doctrine vs BSA and GSUSA, to church abuse of parishioners young and old, to GSUSA problems (cookies? To what purpose? Chef Ramsay says they look like dog biscuits), to fund raising as testimony against intolerance to gender intolerance, to Believer versus hypocracy, to Biblical inspiration to jealousy of experience as a Scouter to fear of expected possible perversive acts by opposite gender parent to where I had to relate my experience in the opposite parent guilty by inference situation. I hereby forgive all those unfortunate folks that I couldn't help in their angst at my daughters situation. See you on the trail.

There it is. I got into training when the District Training chair (who I knew from Cub Scout days) asked me if I had been an Eagle Scout? I said I still was (!). He said, could I teach camp cooking? I said what do you mean by that, he explained what IOLS was, and he needed some help, I said sure, what should I expect, he said talk about camp hygiene, demonstrate a breakfast, lunch and dinner meal, do I do a camp fire, he said no, just cooking, I asked on a stove, he said yeah, but talk about the difference, we'll have a camp fire ring to point at, I said well, okay. What he neglected to tell me was that the folks were expecting to EAT the dinner I cooked, so my layer cake stew was stretched a little thin, but they came away impressed none the less. AND the fellow who was to teach fire safety and building didn't show up, so I taught that too, that weekend. And then he gave me SMF, IOLS and BALOO training cards for my collection.

Sad but true: Cub Pack was very successful for many years. Chartered to a "hands off" Non profit CO. Came a year when some families had to move away, no Tigers were signed up, some Cubs quit. Cub master says, son is "bridging over next year, I'm going too". Pack needs new leadership. One man says, he will be Webelos Leader. One mom says she will be new CCh, Den leaders (2) stay on. Come June, no one is Cubmaster, everyone sees the handwriting on the wall, and transfer to other Packs. Of the remaining families, treasurer says, "let's have a REALLY BIG picnic to end the year." So they do, the Pack treasury is depleted, some awards are made to the Cubs, the Pack Committee (such as it was) votes to give the remainder of the treasury to the CO. the CO is told the Pack is folding , they say "OK, Good Luck" and that's the end of the Pack.

I see the "competition" is of three kinds. There are "games", used to teach and make you think. The prize here is more self awareness than anything else. The second kind is more of an exhibit of what old time Scouters would call "Scout Spirit". How loud can your Patrol do it's cheer/call? How much good natured groaning can you evoke in the other Patrols? And why would any flies settle on anybody's table, really? The third kind is to demonstrate how Patrol competitions (the "gang") can lead to learning skills, cooperation and confidence. I would agree with Q's advice and... Come with an open mind, and an expectation to enjoy yourself. Bring extra rope, duct tape and a silly hat. And aluminum foil. And read everything they give you.

""The Work Is Done By Whoever Shows Up"" is a Scout motto you won't find in any Wood Badge guide. You adapt. You use the resources that are available to you. If the TCCh is there to chair the BoR, but no other Registered Committee Members, so you quickly INSTRUCT ("train" is such a harsh term) some parents as to the purpose and expectations of the BoR and drag 'em in. Shanghai comes to mind. Most folks are only waiting to be asked, anyway. Get them involved. Q: You are present, you are experienced, your example in the BoR will only give inspiration to any newbies. Teach a knot, demo it's use, help a Scout Patrol along the way , same thing in the BoR. Sign the papers and become "offishul". The Troop will pay the registration fee, yes?

Sometimes you just have to help folks along the trail... I earned a reputation in doing "good" Woods Tools at IOLS, so a neighboring DIstrict asked me to help out at their IOLS. Brought all my gear and "toys" with me and set up. The Training Chair came over and said to let her know when the "trainees" had completed my part of the training and she would award the Totin' Chip at the Camp fire. I said they won't earn the Totin Chip, that's for the Boys to earn, I only tell the Adults how it should be / how it might be taught and earned. She said, but we always present the Totin Chip to them, I said no, I will not . They cannot earn it, they should not wear it on the adult uniform, but I do make sure they know HOW to earn it. I had the distinct impression she was quite disappointed in my attitude, and I found out later she had already bought 25 T/C patches and had to return them to the Scout Shop. I was asked to help out again the next year, no mention of Totin' Chip for Adults.

"Battleship"? Ha! When we visited Hawaii, Scoutson was all over the Missouri. When that waste of mylar came out, he was quick to point out the problems/inconsistancies: Aliens that can immobilize an entire battlegroup but can't land on land? Destruction of everything? They don't want slaves or "booty"? Tactics by Cartesian coordinates? He understood the EM pulse handicapping all the solid state stuff, but instantaneous re-upping a forty year old ship? Using how many gallons of how old bunker oil? And where did they instantaneously get those 16" shells and cordite bags? And the aliens waited while all this was happening? Nice to see all those old timers lauded as heroes again, and the boy gets the girl... "Godzilla". Absolutely, as entertainment, but include at least the American (if not the Japanese) original with Raymond Burr. Compare rationales. Double feature suggested: "In the Shadow of the Moon" (Ron Howard details the Apollo missions by interviewing the astronauts) and '"Destination Moon" (George Pal's animation/special effects were surprisingly accurate for the 1950's)

Like a lot in Scouting, "It Depends". Some MBs lend themselves well to the long Saturday idea, others definitely not. In my experience, I see Scouts in three categories: the Earners, the Collectors, and the Tryers. The Earners look at the MB and it's requirements, and work out what's necessary. They will look at a MB offered at the MBDay, and the posted pre-requisites, and make it happen. They will contact the MBCounselor before and after, if necessary, to complete things "right". The Collectors sign up and come in the hopes that just "being there", they can get the Blue Card signed off. I had three brothers arrive at the MBDay with three new bugles, and were noticeably surprised when I asked them to play the calls. I even said they could read the music, didn't have to memorize them. None of them could even make a sound on the horn the first time. They were "Collectors", and walked away with a small partial..... That was three months ago, none has called me back yet. The Tryers will come, knowing they probably won't earn it that day, but now they have a taste of the subject, they may come away with a "partial" and a contact with a real, live MBCounselor they WILL call later to complete things. MBD? MBCollege? MBFair? Plan for a long day (8am sign in, 8:30am opening ceremony (?) 8:45 first classes, Lunch Break 12:45, afternoon classes 1:15, close up at 5:15 or whenever the Counselor gets tired. ) , make sure you have signed up, council listed MBCounselors,, list prerequisites in your sign up routine,, have snacks available,, think long and hard about MBs like Camping, Cooking, Physical Fitness, etc. Herebouts, we have a college fraternity that sponsors a weekend long MBFair, on campus, some of them take both days (into the evening some of them) , HUNDREDS of Scout participate, and I have heard nothing but praise for the event. I conversation with other MBCounselors, they find pretty much the same thing. Doesn't matter if it's Coin Collecting or Cit in World, or Electronics or Scout Heritage. I once saw a really good Plumbing MB taught over a very long day. The Counselor had spoken to all the candidates previously, and got them to line up the stuff that didn't need a "safe area" and a union plumber to do. So, like I said, "it depends". Good Scouting to you!

I came back to the Scouter to look for movies to satisfy (1) Satisfy Merit Badge Requirements (American Heritage , Citizenship in Community, Movie Making (no requirement to watch a movie?? ) (2) Suitable for "lock in" or Cabin Camping viewing, (3) Just because there really are movies worth watching. Great list of movies mentioning/about Scouting: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scouting_in_popular_culture Boys Life list of 100 Boy Movies (I like the notation: "some suggestions will require parental guidance"): http://boyslife.org/hobbies-projects/funstuff/18651/100-movies-for-boys/ Scouter dot com : http://scouter.com/index.php/topic/10805-movie-ideas-for-american-heritage/ Did not see "The Martian" listed, or "The Life of Emile Zola" or " Lincoln" Any more out there?

Yep. Pull up a virtual log and fill your virtual camp cup with virtual coffee and take some virtual crackers and cheese off the virtual picnic table of this virtual cracker barrel (campfires don't do well with electronics). ""I am a pretty new Scoutmaster"" Waaaaal, never thought of my SM as being pretty (he smoked a pipe) , but to each his own.... As for the "one hour a week", that gets multiplied by per Scout, per adult per day per paper form to fill out per .... But it will be worth it, trust me. Is being closer to Irving an advantage?

"Opportunities"... In Cub Scouts, the adults arrange, plan, teach, encourage, insist, herd, example, determine, transport, feed, clean-up after, point fingers at each other and reward the Cubs with little scraps of colorful cloth. . It takes awhile for adults to un-learn all that stuff. Most times, we expect Boy Scouts to pick up on most of the above subjects. As they mature, we hope they will pick up more and more. Eventually, they will be doing ALL of the above, and you and I will be headed for the retirement / assisted living facility . I like the idea of the Tempo patrols , but how to "assign" the Patrol Leader position? Any Boy Scout/DenChiefs out there? In our Scout Niche, Webelos Weekend is usually a Troop run, Webelos invited Camporee type thing. Individual Troops staff an activity for the individual Webs, or Dens to try their hand at. Map & compass, fire building, lashing & knots, nature trail, more advanced archery, even fishing . When awards are passed out at the end, it is individual patches and ribbons and beads. Your Patrol idea is good, but who keeps the awards for being good at something? I'm with Stosh: You can be my ASM right now.... Good luck with your WB.. Don't forget your extra duck tape, rope and silly hat...

*sigh* How things do change when we forget it is (should be) about the boys... 'Round 'bout these parts, it goes like this: Up to Life, Scout can ask (ask!) for a SMC any time the SM is present and available and willing. BoR is arranged when the Scout asks (asks! Not prescheduled) and the CCh is available and a couple of adults are willing to do the sitting. Most adults in the Troop are experienced in the duties, or will learn. We might even use a ASM if no one else is available (contrary to BSA rules, ahem), but always the CCh is in charge. Results are transmitted to the AdvCh, who is usually there too. Eagle: The SM is the "Eagle Advisor" . TCommittee sits and reviews his proposed project. When everything is done, accepted, signed off, the workbook goes to the District Eagle Coordinator for review, then to the Council for review. The Troop AdvCh has already sent the Scouts record to Council for review of the MB dates, etc. The District Eagle Coord schedules the District (!) Eagle BoR, which happens twice a month , same Tuesdays every month. Scout goes, SM and parent(s). Parent(s) are asked to sit as Eagle BoR members with District Ecoord or DAdvCh as chair, for someone other than their Scout's BoR. And, yep, sometimes there is a problem, but not often. Your kilometerage may vary .

Rick: Around NCAC, the SFF in MD supplies at least HALF of the total supply for the local foodbank. They tout it, BSA touts it, local TV time... November it happens. Our local Safeway parking lot has a semi trailer parked on the subject saturday and it gets FULL. OA loads it, Troops bring in the bags....

"" What's going on that is "burning out" our people?"" It 's not so much doing too much Scouting ,as too much everything else. Folks have each their own level of complexity, the number of spinning plates one can keep spinning is an individual thing. For instance, not everyone "gets" being a Den Leader, or should be one. I do see the new program as an answer to the success of the GSUSA's Daisy program. It will lead more kids to the benefits of Scouting. As in all kids programs, it will depend on the in loco parentis involved. Parents involved? Good results. Parents not involved, seeking kid sitting and "soccer " syndrome (drop off and come back), not so good results. I coached my daughter's soccer team four seasons. We worked our way up from no wins to being the league champs. On the fifth season, I just couldn't fit it in to my work and everything else schedule. She told me it was the worst season she ever had, (age 15) and she dropped out of any more soccer. Oh well.

Check with your local used book seller. Also check Second Story Books, local to me, nice folks: http://www.secondstorybooks.com/ search "chess" and "chess history", many titles.

Phone numbers. Notebook. DE's private line. DCommisher's private line. Park Ranger's private line. Topo map of site. Someone ELSE to keep track of finances. Patch design. Lots of "caution" tape. Line up the Archery ROs early on. Also BBs and (?) Tomahawk throw. State police helicopter? Nat Guard Humvees? Construction crane from the builder who you know from your wife's cousin's church social? State Park service Scales and Tales presenter? Those Civil War Re-enactors you saw last year? That local antique car club that puts together the Model T from loose parts? Talk to the Cub Scout Day Camp Director and maybe coordinate things/site/equipment. Also the District Camporee.... Line up the OA to help. AND.... have fun. Part of the job, yes?

Seldon: All good advice above. If your unit(s) are BSA chartered to a "secular non-profit" org, then the all the tax ids need to be its, with it's permission, natch.. No worry about being "self" chartered. Popcorn is as described by T2Eagle. Your unit can certainly do your own fundraising, Contact the DE or Commissioner or go to your Council website for the Unit Money Earning Permission Form (looks like this: http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34427.pdf ) , which gives good guidance about such things. No raffles, gambling, can't just ask for money, have to give "value for the price". Christmas wreaths, spaghetti dinners, car washes, flag raising, flamingo elimination, yard raking, all good. See the other forum/thread. Be careful about political things: You can help at the polls, but cannot ,as a Scout, advocate for any given candidate or issue, or raise money AS A SCOUT for another organization. You can, however, go hiking and camping. Now, go!

KiS MiF! Delegate! Keep the phone list handy! Talk to your Committee Chair often! Kiss the wife! Plan the Pack Meetings around the Dens activities and the Monthly Themes! Go to RoundTable, or send a rep who will talk to you later! Get your Cubs to Day Camp! Learn some fun cheers and claps! When it is no longer fun for you , admit to that and talk to the ComChair and Committee. Trust your training (get trained)! Good Scouting to you!

"Do or do not" = Yoda = "To be or not to be" = Shakespeare = " Do be do be do " = Sinatra =

"They help fund the units"" Huh?? Tradition::: (your DE can help with the printed legalities) In most cases, the Unit "makes" the money, "spends" the money, and keeps their own books (monthly report to the Committee by the Unit Treasurer). But the CO realizes they are the overarching cover / owner of the operation. Unit uses CO tax ID, sales tax forgiveness ID #. In some cases, the Unit "makes" the money, the money goes into a splinter account of the CO, the CO Treasurer keeps track of expenses and issues checks to whomever in the unit spent it, the Unit Treasurer (if any. The unit DID make the money, wouldn't the Unit want to keep track of it too?) works with the CO Treasurer to keep things straight. "A Scout is Trustworthy". Ditto tax ID, etc. In some cases, the Unit makes the money, the Unit is it's own entity, has it's own tax ID and does whatever it wants with "it's" money. Unit Treasurer reports to Unit Committee about things. Policy is made by the Committee. Unit has to apply for it's own sales tax forgiveness doohickey. Mostly, Scouts is a low priority with the IRS and state tax folks, unless they find out that one of your Scouts sold $50K worth of popcorn. (Scout in our Council sold $28K). Hence the recent interest in K-Oing Scout Accounts. Seldon: Welcome to the forums! Glad to see you are giving us reason to post! Specificity on your own situation will make for interesting reading by other folks, yes?