SSScout

Prof: I keep reminding folks, this is not a campfire! Fires melt electronics! Campfires have skits! They are fun and inspirational! (how often is this place fun AND inspirational!?? ) This is better typified as a cracker barrel! We nibble on ideas and suggestions , and sometimes remind each other of how things were in the (sometimes) good (much) old(er) days..... Oh, and welcome, Ann F. KiS MiF !

My response to such a note: " Dear Ms Scoutmom: I am always willing to meet with any Scout at any time for any topic. He may have his parent with him if he wishes. We will follow Youth protection Guidelines, and meet in the hall way by the back door. If your desire is to meet with me privately , I am certainly willing to meet with you , at the same place. Mr. Baker, our ASM will be there too. Regards....." (cc: Mr. Baker, Mr. ComChair, )

Well, yeah, BSA has run Scout PSAs . Council /local driven. Get up early sunday morning, you can see'm. The local TV stations, if not owned by a national company (?Gannett?) will try to fulfill their "public service" requirement, but they are not "required" to show them in "prime time", just averaged out over the week. That South African ad is certainly the best I've seen in a long time. How many of us use our Scout training in our adult lives? I tell my Scouts, they may never need the ideas and knowledge and skills they learn in Scouting, but when it is needed, they will be glad they have it. Knot tieing, survival skills when the power goes out, cooking, spare tire changing, first aid, much less CPR.... From the first Artificial Respiration training I had as a Scout, I say I have learned at least 6 new, improved variations. The science of life saving has evolved and improved. I was not called upon to utilize that skill until I was in my mid fifties. It all came back to me very quickly, as I was the only one in the crowd that was NOT standing around hoping someone would DO something, and the only one that TOLD someone to call the rescue squad. Download it. Screensaver it. Stream it. Show it at your Roundtable. Show it at your Troop meeting.

"Paddle Boarding" You do realize that corporale punishment is against BSA rules? Oh , wait... Well, maybe for some of us older folks it would be ...

I knew a Troop that set up shop in a shopping mall and sold "Flag Folding" . For a price, they would fold "your" American flag. (and then, behind a screen, unfold it). They said they made some money at it... But I have to say, my favorite fund raiser was my own Troop of my yoooth: On a given Saturday morning, we would gather at the church parking lot about 6am. Soon, one of the Troop dads would arrive in his station wagon FULL of freshly minted Krispy Kreme glazed donuts, maybe 300 dozen. We would divvy them up, Scouts and moms and dads, and go out to knock on neighborhood doors and sell'em . People started to expect this ("where were you last month?"). We'd sell three, four dozen to some folks, they said they wrapped them in plastic and froze them. My dad and I and my buddy Paul would easily sell 30 dozen by 11am. We had regular routes. Ah, those were the daze...

An organization around here holds a "virtual" Mother's Day Tea ". Around May 1st, they send out a letter with a tea bag attached, asking folks to make a cup of tea, consider all the things Mom did for them ("M is for the many things ...) , and send in a donation in honor of their mother.

Don't you just love this new Faith and Chaplaincy Forum?

BDPT: Well, yes, that too, but I was thinking more of Mathew 25:35.... and maybe Luke 10:33.....

B&O Railroad Museum offers Merit Badge Day! If you're in the neighborhood..... Railroading and Scouts: B&O Museum Welcomes Scouts for Railroading MB, Electronics MB and Inventing MB. Cub Scout Stuff, Too! Saturday 26 September, 10a to 4p For one day only the B&O welcomes all Boy Scouts to meet merit badge requirements toward Railroading, Inventing, and Electronics. Hands-on activities that are age appropriate from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts will be offered throughout the day. Contact the B&O Museum: http://www.borail.org/Calendar-bo.aspx AND.... STEAM IS NOT GONE…. October is Steam Month at the B&O Museum… http://www.borail.org/railfest.aspx " Even if you're on the right track, but you'll get run over if you just sit there!" = Will Rogers =

This is an issue to form antagonistic attitudes from? The PoA is a tradition, and in all traditions, there are YOUR way and the RIGHT way. So it has always been. The camp I attended two years ago, the Troops form up with their Troop flags at the edges of the "parade" field, and the Scouts line up in ranks, mostly horizontal to the flag poles, rather than vertical to them, facing the flag. Staff members do the flag ceremony, either up or down. They march in from the side of the mess hall (west side of parade field) and march back that way. Neither around the formation, if you can call it that, nor thru it, nor up the middle, but in from the corner. "That's the right way to do it!!"

One's duty to your neighbor IS your duty to God.... How are they different?

Well, I like the idea. Consider his acceptance speech for the Distinguished Eagle medal.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKie47V2lLY

Going back to tEaglewiththree's original post: Again, welcome to the virtual cracker barrel.... You will find good cheer and teeth gnashing as you prefer... The idea that you are not welcome in "their " Troop may well be true. But that does not mean it is any less "your" Troop, due to your son's entre there in. You have two choices, as I see it. One, stand back and let your son make his own way in the Troop. Watch and see what happens. Make it known , politely, to the Troop Leadership (the SPL and the SM) and your Scoutson that you are available for whatever is needed in support of Scouting: driving, training (what is your expertise?), chaperoning (take the YPT!) , or just applause from the sidelines. And be on the sidelines.... Two, Make application to be a ASM or maybe a Committee Member, Take the appropriate training ("they" can't stop you from taking training! You MIGHT even enjoy it!) and then see what they make of that. They MUST either accept you or not and TELL you why. Then you can have a say in what happens or at least be more visible from the sidelines. You will have some presence and have a better reason to note that "well, maybe we should do THIS rather than THAT. ". And, your action might give other previously reticent ("I'm not welcome or able to participate") Scout parents the impetus to involve themselves, too. And, there is , after all, a THIRD choice. If Scoutson is having a good time and you and he are satisfied with the Troop's activities etc., then YOU could move on and utitlize your Scout experience and enthusiasm as a District person. Become a Commissioner. From there, you can do a lot to encourage and help Scout folks. Join the Training Committee. Help with Cub Scout Day Camp. Help with the RoundTable. Encourage a new unit (that was my duty as a "Deputy District Commissioner". ( I think the title of "Deputy" has been retired)). Are you OA? They might could use a Chapter Advisor, or Ordeal Cook, or Ceremony Advisor.... My point is, I guess, to not just accept "their" judgement that you are not welcome and therefore not appropriate in any fashion (?) to be a Scout parent/leader/helper. Smile and wave as you go by.....

As the Unit Commish/old timer from my home Troop, they let me do a little presentation about the neckerchief during our February CoH . I sponsor a small contest to create necker slides (woggles) . For prizes, I solicit coupons from local shops for ice cream, donuts, burgers and fries, etc. Many shops are very willing to support Scouting that way. Some years I get some real creative entries, sometimes circles of duck tape. Each year, I set up a display of the slides I have created and collected, and the neckers I have collected over the years. I always make note of the difference between the necker the Troop uses now and the one I had away back when. Mine is noticeably bigger, the patch on it (which reads "Always On The Go!" ) was designed by the Scouts and made up by a local seamstress. It is noticeably worn from being used as a signal flag and (practice!) first aid arm sling. The present one is bought in quantity at the ScoutShop, and is smaller. The Scouts notice this. Maybe someday they will want to design their own.

"Where did ""TWO"" come from?" Stosh answered his own question: ""....and return to Attention (Order Arms)..." It is short hand/abbreviation. That is how it was explained to me , many moon ago by Ancient Wise CPO....

Congrats and have fun. Rule number three: Find and train your replacement EARLY. Rule number four: Find the CChair replacement EARLY (no offense to your lovely, but if the both of you end up doing everything and the Pack folds when you graduate, don't come running to us for resuscitation instructions). Oh, Rule number one: "It's for the boys", and Rule number two: Both you and them should have fun. If this is not visibly happening, reconsider rule number one.... Cub Mantra: KiSMiF, KiSMiF, KiSMiF.

"Let me pitch this new show idea....."

Rabbit barn at the County Fair (wife is sorry I chose to come in later rather than earlier today, but choices in life. House needs cleaning too). Signs everywhere: "Do Not Stick Fingers In Cages. Rabbits May Bite!" And in espaniol... I approach a woman using right index finger to stroke bunny thru wire, she responds "I have rabbits, I am a rabbit person. I know rabbits". and stalks off. Boy, perhaps 6 years old, RUNS into barn, CLIMBS on cage and rabbit reacts by nipping his fingers. We retrieve boy, apply first aid to fingers. Where's your mommy? "She's over there" and he gestures out the door. We call the office, animal control lady comes down, and assesses the situation. Mommy shows up, "oh, Johnny what happened? How could you people be so NEGLEGENT in ALLOWING my boy to be INJURED??!! (her insistence showing). She threatens to sue. Animal control lady says. " you are certainly free to act as you see fit, but your boy is not hurt, and I am about to report you to the police for child abandonment. May I see your identification for my report?" Mom and boy walk off and are not seen again.....

In the discussions about the World Jamboree, the National BSA Jamboree, attending Philmont/Northern Tier/the Summit/Seabase, NOAC, the local Camporee, even merely JOINING Scouting, both on this site and in Bryan's Blog, I am impressed by the common comment/concern/complaint about the COST. If you go to Hawaii for a vacation, or even around the corner to buy a gallon of milk, there is a financial cost. We choose to spend those hard earned shekels , and exchange our work, whatever it may be, for those Dollars/Euros/Pounds for that privilege. Somehow, even Don Trump has made such exchanges and decisions . The benefits and experiences of Scouting that we work to provide our children, no matter what their age, will be at the expense of our time and eventually our money. I like the idea of spending what small amount I have at my disposal (and sometimes it seems that is all I am doing with it, disposing of it) on such things. The time with my family and friends becomes more valuable the older I get. I wish I had the money available to attend the World Jamboree and shake the hand of a Scout I might never see again, but had the opportunity to wish them well. I am now off the County Fair, where I will "staff" the Rabbit Barn, rubbing shoulders with folks who like rabbits (despite my allergies, I like rabbits) and enjoying the look on the faces of the kids and parents as they meet a REAL animal , sometimes for the first time close up and personal. Believe it or not, I don't think I will ever tire of hearing folks say "oh, it's so soft!" and "oh, it's so cute!" when they touch a Mini Rex. Yes, raising rabbits cost . We could've saved and spent that somewhere else (retire the mortgage earlier?) , but that's where ScoutSon worked in 4H, learned about life and genetics, and where we metaphorically and fiscally chose to put our treasure. See Mathew 6:21 Now, YOU get out to YOUR County Fair! Good Scouting to you!

Herr Schlecht Wolfe: Ein, zwei, drei, g'suffa! Mein Lederhosen ,noch einmal, so klein nicht ist.. Ein andere, bitte.... (Erlauben sie mal... Keine Umlaut....)

The first goal should be your "PROGRAM", regardless of anything else. That is what Scouting (Cub or Boy) is about, what will keep the boys in Scouting, what will gain them the benefits. As to uniforms, in the mean time, if you have a hard time getting them uniformly uniformed, try this: Get everyone a neckerchief and a standard Tshirt. Make it two. They can wear them to school., too. This is not too expensive, the necker is , after all, the one iconic thing a Scout wears. You do not need to buy a new necker for each rank, don't let the BSA tell you different. . You can even design your own and some talented parent can make them ! As the Pack saves up their money, get everyone their uniform shirt at the same time. If you tie the fund raisers (no, you don't HAVE to sell popcorn) to uniform and badge buying, I bet the boys and their parents will support it. Car washes, community yard work, bake sales, hotdog cookouts after church, whatever works. Along the way, celebrate the successes, correct the problems. Keep on Scouting!

Both above good ideas. Be there. Don't TELL him, let him tell you.

""We made too many wrong mistakes."" = Yogi Berra = ""The more you observe politics, the more you have to admit that the only thing worse than the other party is your own"" = Will Rogers = "" Camp, hike, carry water , chop wood. Repeat as necessary"" = me =

Local Option.... It was there alllllong time ago. I know of a RCatholic Church that will refuse membership to anyone not of their type of RCatholicism. I know of a Muslim Troop that has openly said they will accept anyone into their membership so long as they realize that this is a Muslim , observant group, in all things. Both are very Scout oriented, but from Their view point. There have been COs and Units that have used Scouting for their Youth Ministry (sound familiar?), and adjusted the program to fit. Did anyone in Irving complain about that? There have been COs and Units (and Scouters on this website!) that believed in the Truth of the Scout Promise and Law, and pointed out to Irving when the words did not agree with the actions. What has been the result of that? Is the image of The Scout tarnished as a result of this or that re-interpretation of our Promise and Law? Those haven't changed. They still stand. Compare the wording of the explanation of each point of the SP and the SL in the New SHB and FB to those in the older versions, say from the forties and fifties. What has changed in those definitions? I see only some adaptations to "modern" language. And, we are not asked to "hand over" one's Scout badge if the Scout did not do exactly as he was asked to do.... The "new" standards are , if you think about it, not so new, but only admissions as to what we really mean by our SP and SL. What happened when folks really thought about that phrase "all men are created equal".... It basically came down to admitting who was a man, after all, not whether some were more equal than others......

Another World Jamboree come and gone... http://www.23wsj.jp/index_e.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsG9JTMWYdg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFoM7jHcUtg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doJr0P8QoFg http://www.scout.org/wsj2015/content/91401