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The Mighty Chief

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Posts posted by The Mighty Chief

  1. I'm not too sure about the other regions; however, the Northeast Region of the Order of the Arrow recently published a "Where to go camping" booklet. That's been quite useful in deciding what each camp in the region has to offer: facilities, acreage,

    lake(s)/swimming, etc.

  2. Land of Bananas,

    Home of the beaver,

    Where Jim the Moose

    Tells all his jokes- HAHAHAHA!

     

    Blue skies, and sandy shores:

    I WILL RETURN ONCE MORE

    To Sandy Beach, Beach, Beach, Beach,

    Sandy Beach, Beach, Beach, Beach.

     

    --That's the "Anthem" of Camp Sandy Beach of Yawgoog Scout Reservation (Narragansett Council)...

    Yawgoog also has an Alumni Society for those "veteran" campers who come back each year, for many years to come.

  3. The way I see it, a camp is only as good as its staff who run the program. All camps have their own unique aspects and charm, so it would be nearly impossible to rank one above another without applying one's own personal experience at that camp.

     

    Personally, I think that the council's Order of the Arrow lodge's involvment in maintaining the camp makes a tremendous impact on enhancing the "charm" of the camp. I recently attended summer camp at a camp whose yearly "endowment" (from the council I suppose) was about 16 million dollars, and individual troops "adopted" campsites to maintain them. Though the facilities and area of the camp were quite impressive, I can say that the best camp I've been to is one that doesn't have much of a yearly endowment and its campsites and facilities are maintained mostly by the OA lodge. That's just my opinion though...

     

    Disregarding what I just said and just taking into considering the camp facilities and the program run, I would say that the best camp I've been to would be Yawgoog Scout Reservation in Rhode Island.

     

  4. If a scout had lost his portion to a blue card for an eagle-required merit badge of which the troop had recorded his completing that badge, would it be much of a problem for the scout to earn the rank of eagle later on down the road?

     

     

  5. What really "charged my batteries" today was reading all these posts--and being able to relate to all of them. The kind of brotherhood that scouts develop over years by sharing many good and bad experiences through outdoor experiences really says a lot about this organization. I've been in scouting for a long time, and I can say that I'm still very good friends with some of my fellow scouts, and we enjoy recalling past scouting experiences. They were, and still are, my brothers.

     

    Still, there just isn't enough I can possibly say about my appreciation of the brotherhood achieved through scouting. What charges my batteries on every camping trip I attend with my troop is seeing the boys working together cheerfully to get the job done.

     

    So what charges my batteries?

    When scouts manage to sit around an unlit fire and share the same warmth and cheerfulness as they would with a fire lit.

     

    When scouts help other scouts--set up a tent, build a fire, complete a merit badge--without being asked.

     

    When younger scouts who have never camped in a rural area away from "civilization" look up at the stars and say "WOW".

     

    When I take part in an Ordeal weekend, and watch the ceremonies.

     

    These--and many, many other personal experiences--are what charge my batteries.

  6. My condolences and deepest sympathy go out to the family and friends of all the scouts who have died untimely deaths.

     

    Apropos, there is a ceremony for lost arrowmen (members of the Order of the Arrow) called the "broken arrow ceremony." I strongly suggest anyone who has lost a fellow arrowman to read this ceremony. Go to www.scoutresources.org to view the ceremony.

     

    Once again, my deepest sympathy goes out to all who have experienced such a loss.

  7. Reverence simply means a respect for other religions and beliefs. A scout shouldn't in any way disrespect anyone because of their religious convictions. Therefore, scouting should be open to people of all religions.

     

    As for one's duty to God and country, this phrase is one of which has been around for a long time, and with the coming of agnostic and atheist and deist religions of our time, this may raise some controversy. The way I see it is that as long as one follows a set of ideals and beliefs similar to that of the scouting movement, and doing so RESPECTS other religions, he/she should be considered a scout. Duty to God should be interpreted loosely to fit all people's beliefs, so long as they are not sadistic or hateful in any way.

  8. Eamonn and BobWhite, your unselfish offering of experience and insights have been invaluable to the many scouters who participate in these forums, and indeed it has been more than appreciated. You've guided many less experienced scouts and scouters to improve their scouting experience and thereby become better scouts, better people.

    Don't let politics and debates and insults hamper you from expressing your sincerest opinions and from sharing your experiences with scouts everywhere. It is only right that you continue to be active in this forum: to devote your time and leadership to those less experienced, to offer advice to those who need it, to embrace your right to free speech, and to celebrate scouting and its ideals. Through your participation in these forums, you've helped and guided so many other people to do just that. Don't stop now.

  9. Great advice given here...

     

    I realize that it's necessary that a troop is boy-run, and indeed it shall work--IF the adults as well as the boys of the troop cooperate.

     

    My troop has been around for more than 20 years, and some of the "veteran" scouts of the troop are now adult leaders (committee members, assistant scoutmasters, etc.). I don't think this troop has ever been "boy-run," and the adult leadership of the troop has much difficulty understanding/acknowledging that the troop should be boy-run. Often the committee or scoutmaster makes unpopular decisions as to where to go on camping trips, what to do at meetings, and other things that should be left up to the youth members of the troop to decide. Suggestions and criticisms have been put forth in the past, but nothing seems to sway the minds of the adult leadership of the troop. It's not a matter of trust or of skill (or lack thereof) regarding the patrol leaders, as they're often complimented for outstanding leadership of their respective patrols; likewise, the patrol members are often commendeded for working well together.

     

    It seems to me that the adults in the troop are "control freaks" (for lack of better words), and they assume that whatever they say or decide upon goes, and that the youth members should always go along with it. Because of this type of administration, the program of the troop hasn't been going so well, and troop morale is often lowered by unfavorable decisions made by the adult leaders. This type of troop adult leadership shouldn't be, and it cannot go on any longer.

    How can I try to revolutionize this troop into a boy-run unit if the adult leadership isn't quite willing?

  10. Could someone please define "patrol spirit?" I know most people think of it as the patrol's positive attitude demonstrated through partol yells cheerful spirit and whatnot, but I once participated in a camporee where one stationmaster clearly said that he doesn't want a patrol cheer, because scout spirit is a matter of the patrol's participation in the event.

     

    All too often patrol cheers do not reflect any of the patrol's morale, and I personally agree with the stationmaster on this topic...

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