t158sm

The world brotherhood of Scouting. Many fires, one great light.

Welcome on in.

Welcome back.

Hope you have a great time second time around too.

Congratulations. Progress toward boy led is great, isn't it?

Yes gwd, it can be scary and hard to let go. But the rewards are worth it. Keep up the good work and hold the course. It's worth the effort in the end.

In our previous district I (SM) always tried to attend. After our council consolidated with two others and districts were realigned no one attends as roundtables are now held on the same night as our meeting.

Whoops, did I say that out loud?

Hey Junky:

Why don't you become the new SE. Then we'll really have something to complain about.

http://www.1bsa.org/default.asp?ID=114

Tim Cooper - Scout Executive

Greater Alabama Council, Boy Scouts of America

July 26, 2006

During the Greater Alabama Council Board Meeting in June, Board Members approved a motion that empowered Chairman of the Board, John Hayden to appoint a Scout Executive Selection Committee to work closely with the Southern Region Boy Scouts of America in the selection of a new Scout Executive for our council.

The Greater Alabama Council, Boy Scouts of America is pleased to announce the Selection Committee has has named Tim Cooper as their new scout executive. He will take over the top job at the Council beginning September 1, 2006.

Mr. Hayden carefully selected individuals who would represent a fair and balanced cross-section of Scouters throughout our council.

The entire selection committee was impressed with Tims desire to service Scouting in Alabama, said John Hayden, chairman of the board for the Council. His successful track record while at the Northeast Georgia Council convinced us that he would bring his strong team building skills and enthusiasm for scouting to our Council and help us as we build for the future.

Prior to joining the Greater Alabama Council, Cooper was deputy regional director of operation for the organizations Western region. He was responsible for all regional membership campaigns, which included 10 metro councils. In 2005, he became the only national field staff leader in America to achieve the Chief Scout Executives Winners Circle for balanced membership growth.

Cooper also served as the scout executive for the Northeast Georgia Council from 1993 to 2004. During that time, the Council achieved a growth of 53.5 percent, with 91% of the youth registered being traditional members.

I am looking forward to working with the great team of volunteers and professionals here at the Greater Alabama Council. My family and I are honored to be given this opportunity and we are excited to be part of a community and a council with such a rich Scouting tradition explained Tim Cooper.

Tims past councils have been honored with six National Marketing Presidents Awards, two Risk Management Awards and one Learning For Life National Marketing Presidents Award.

Following the independent audit and report given by Summerford Accountancy, the Greater Alabama Council began its search for a new scout executive to assist them in implementing the recommended changes.

According to the findings of the recent audit, the Council has put into place safeguards and procedures that will keep our membership numbers in full compliance with the BSA national standards, explained Hayden. Tim Cooper is committed to these BSA standards and has demonstrated that commitment throughout his career in Scouting.

The Boy Scouts of America began in 1910 and was chartered by Congress in 1916. Their goal is to provide an educational program for boys and young adults to build character, to train in the responsibilities of participating citizenship and to develop personal fitness. The Greater Council of Alabama serves Scouts and families throughout 22 counties in north-central Alabama.

Yes the admonition can be found on the jump start website.

Yellow Hammer wrote -

"In defense of the Greater Alabama Council (GAC), I'll point out that one reason that the Chocolocco [sic] Council was absorbed into GAC was because they had been running deeply in the red for several years. GAC had to absorb that debt along with the responsibilities for Comer."

Sorry, but the Greater Alabama Council did not absorb the Choccolocco Council. The GAC was created from the consolidation of the Choccolocco, Tennessee Valley, and Central Alabama Councils. For the first few years of the process each of the three even retained Scout Executives. At the time of the consolidation the debt the Choccolocco carried in previous years had been diminished substantially due to the efforts of the only Scout Executive that has truly earned my respect in almost thirty years of continuous Scouting. Had Bill remained I'm sure the state of Comer and my feelings therefore would also differ.

As for pine trees, the excuses may vary, but the trees are still gone. The question I ask is why is all the land around Comer (Desoto State Park) among others as of yet still unaffected by pine beetles? Also I remember several Achunanchi ordeals in the 1980's in which the camp had sustained storm damage to an extent that the question arose if it would even be possible to hold summer camp that summer. Each year the council pulled together and many peoples hard work made camp possible again.

Oh, what wonderful memories.

Ours was:

Some are old,

and some are bold

but wood badge owls

are good as gold.

Since two of my fellow owls were deaf the yell wasn't yelled at all, it was done in sign language.

SR - 33

1994 Comer Scout Reservation

Why Howdy back at you. Welcomw in and enjoy the campfire, a cup of coffee and some good discussion.

Here you can read Governor Riley's proclamation:

http://www.governorpress.alabama.gov/pr/proc-2006-07-05-scouting.asp

There are both good and bad things that will occur with a council merger. Some people won't like the changes and will simply quit Scouting. The loss of your council and OA lodge identity and "the way things were" will be a major outcome of the merger. I continually wish we could go back to "the way things were."

Our rural county moved districts into another micropolitan county instead of the metro county we were with. End result - I don't have to drive 50 - 60 miles for many district events. Banquets, camporees, etc.are now no more than 20 miles away.

Stick with it in the ship, try not to let the other things get in the way of what your doing for the Scouts themselves. That's what matters.

Sir_Scoutalot:

Comer used to be a great camp. It was a wonderful place full of atmosphere and a teriffic Scouting spirit. We'll have a new SE before too long, hope this one will care about Scouting more than about numbers and money.

John:

The SE situation is a bit difficult right now. Ours is the one who got busted for overinflating membership numbers and resigned due to that. We are Still waiting to hear what the FBI investigation has to say about the matter.

540 Beav:

The Scouts have already told me that they don't want to go back to Comer next year. I've already been looking into other camps to present to the Scouts so they can choose one. Rainey Mountain looks like it might be a good one. Have read good things about it on here. Boxwell is supposed to be good too. May find out we opt for something totally different. Well see what happens.

Here's the rundown on what may be the problem. Late 90's Choccolocco Council - Anniston HQ, Tennessee Valley - Huntsville HQ and Birmingham Area/Central Alabama consolidated into The Greater Alabama Council (GAC). Comer was the Choccolocco camp (My little part of the world). It was a wonderful place. Jackson was the Tennessee Valley camp, and Sequoyah was the Birmingham camp. In total now we have six camps of various sizes and uses. Since the consolidation Jackson has been practically abandoned. Sequoyah gets the preferential treatment and Comer has gone downhill.

At the time of the consolidation the three OA lodges Achunanchi - Choccolocco, Cherokee - Birmingham, and Kaskanampo - Tennessee Valley were promised that they would retain their independence. Today there is only the Coosa lodge. Many people feel they were lied to about this in order to gain their support for the consolidation. Since that time the Anniston office has been closed. The Achunanchi lodge building burned down - with all the records and a patch display dating from the lodge founding in 1938. From appearances it seems that systematically the heritage of Choccolocco and Achunanchi, Tennessee Valley and Kaskanmpo are being erased. Things no longer run smoothly and there are more problems now than ever. People have complained about the way they have been treated at the Birmingham office if they are not from the city (refusing to take out of city checks drawn on Scout accounts) (lost and misplaced paperwork and records) and a multitude of other problems.

What we were should be celebrated and make up a vital part of who we are now. Instead there seems to be an effort to eradicate the past and make it seem as if it never were.

What do you do now?

So as not to seem overly critical let me start out with a few positives.

Programs appeared to be well run and interesting.

Lots of variety in the days activities - rappelling, caving, white water rafting, patrol contests, free swim, troop swim-boating opportunities, no time to get bored.

Now for the rest of the story.

On Monday night there was a murder at the state park next to camp. (Well beyond camp control) Taps was hastily called at 9pm and the event was hidden from campers. I only found out what had happened because I mentioned that I had been a police officer. The newspapers that they given out daily were kept from us the next two days because it mentioned the murder.

Sure was strange to see deputies with shotguns guarding the front entrance to camp.

The murderer was caught on Tuesday.

On Thursday camp was inexplicably locked down. Phones were locked and the gates were blocked off, no one was allowed to leave. No explanation was given. Don't know what happened then.

Staff members all had stupid nicknames because they were told upon hiring not to give out their real names in case they did something that embarrassed the BSA. What kind of Scouts were they hiring?

Meals were cold and skimpy. Meals were typically an entree and a side ( taco and corn, chicken fingers and peas, pizza and corn) Most meals we learned were prepared after the end of the previous meal and were not reheated. Every time we were served bread it had just been taken out of the refrigerator. Simple things like ketchup and milk ran consistently short.

The only choice of beverage at lunch was water.

Before the end of the week the Scouts were saying that they didn't want to come back there again.

This was my tenth summer at Comer Scout Reservation and by far the worst.

Seems like the Greater Alabama Council is systematically trying to erase all remnants of the old Choccolocco Council. Before the consolidation Comer was a very good camp. It had an atmosphere that made people love being there. Now things are different.

Pine trees gone - sold for timber with an excuse of pine beetles. (Yet healthy pines abound outside of camp.)

Campsites moved and rearranged awkwardly.

Change can be good, but in this case it sure hasen't.

Just what I was thinking, emb.

Even yards around my neighborhood where I know kids live don't look the same. No swingsets, no basketball goals, no bikes. A kid today most likely wouldn't even know about forts and treehouses.

I think we have all just gotten back from summer camp - sounds like it from the posts.

Scouts had a good time - program wise. Was a strange week all around - more later. Food was the worst ever - cold and skimpy. Good to be home.

I ain't never heard of a coke being a dope ya'll

The problem with cell phones lies in a person's lack of humility. To interject yourself and your life upon other people via the constant use (abuse) of the cell phone is simple an attempt to validate one's self worth. In as much as society has changed the past several decades, people no longer value themselves by simple being who they are. Accessories make the person - heard that before. The more you have, the more "in touch" you are - the more important you make your psyche feel.

Just my ramblings - Take it or Leave it.

We will be going to Comer Scout Reservation in a few days, haven't been there in several years. Near Fort Payne - NE corner of Alabama. Beautiful camp, Rappelling, whitewater rafting, extreme adventure base, COPE, and much more. Will let you know how it goes this year.

www.1bsa.org is the link to the Greater Alabama Council.

Welcome in Christina. Glad to have you join us.

Try to get some of those parents involved more and have then help out. Even more fun when there are others to spread the work around. Doing everything yourself will make for one burnt out Scouter in a hurry.

Why Jeepers Creepers welcome in, glad to have you join with us.

This is indeed a great place to find ideas and help. Lots of dedicated Scouters around here.

Reverberation with the last post-

I used to be an OWL, a good old OWL too.

But now I'm finished OWLING I don't know what to do.

I'm growing old and feeble, and I can OWL no more.

So I'm going to work my ticket if I can.

Back to Gilwell, happy land, I'm going to work my ticket if I can.

HOOT, HOOT...