blw2

I thought I would have all sorts of time to nap and read. not a bit of it. I never even set up my hammock! If I wasn't walking back, I was going forth if I wasn't teaching a scout to tie a knot, I was getting ready to follow the scouts up to the dining hall..... If I wasn't making rounds to take some pictures of our scouts, I was driving out to walmart for tarps (the tents were in bad shape and we had heavy weather) I barely had a chance to sit all week, let alone nap. I'm thinking I was doing it wrong....

update from my end.... went to Skymont last week. we had ten scouts that stuck with the traditional program all week (well really only nine), and an older six that went "high adventure" The nine were all 1st year, 2nd year, and I think 3rd year scouts Skymont has a deal worked up with, I think it was this outfit they went to http://www.ocoeeadventurecenter.com/ So the whole group was together for check-in and orientation Sunday, the older scouts had some training and such Monday, then bused off for the adventure, back on Friday afternoon. They had smiles coming off the bus and the younger and middle aged scouts had fun too. Really seems like a great way to do it from my perspective. and as a side note, it was fun to watch the group dynamics. Clearly the older scouts fit together well into their own group and the younger group mixed very well together..... with the sub group buddy pairs really peeling off by age and the older group mixed very well together in their own patrol..... AND stepped in and mixed extremely well with the younger scouts when/as needed helping, teaching, and mentoring them....or just hanging out with them but clearly the tighter buddy pairs are naturally "preferenced" by age. Our troop isn't doing a great job running from the patrol perspective and really seems to think more as a troop. and for this trip the patrols were barely a thought form what i could see..... except for the high adventure break out that had a clear age restriction. but it was interesting to see how naturally the scouts fell into groups by age naturally, while still mixing very well together from time to time....

two of us had ours on our SC trip last week. Mine spent time in my day pack, and also in my unlocked footlocker. Toward the end of camp once it was clear that I really didn't need it any longer I put it in my truck. I was not worried one bit about leaving my pack on an empty dining hall table while eating, or in the footlocker while I was out and about. It was a boy scout camp after all.... and if you can't trust a boy scout....

I have noticed the similar thing. stuff just not done to a level of retention. In a similar vain, i was just looking at something yesterday in regards to my son and the summer camp we just returned from.... another Committee member was riding back with me, and checking through the paperwork we got from camp re. completions.... so... My son and another new scout went through a first year scout program, and they worked on a bunch of the rank requirements + a few merit badges. the merit badges completed included 1st aid and swimming so in looking through the completed requirements, we were scratching our heads because the camp did not report the swimming and 1st aid requirements as done.... for TF/SC/FC puzzling, since I'm fairly certain that they would have at least completed most of those rank requirements in those MB classes. While in my thinking the spirit of it might be that they repeat these requirements for each rank to better set these skills, that is not what it says.... so in my thinking these new boys get a big chunk of three ranks done with two merit badges. I'm looking forward to seeing how the SM handles it.

or Navy Seals that were Eagles?

why not just pass a line around the pole frame? forgive me if that is a silly question, it has been many years since I have been in one of these wall tents.... but i have seen the pole frames often at our cub scout camps

probably on the order of 1,200 miles round trip

It seems that most folks in the troop let the troop pay for their gas money. I'm wondering which makes better sense to do that - let the troop pay for the gas or just buy the gas myself and submit the miles for a write off or submit for a reimbursement based on miles (used to be $0.29/ mile reimbursement, I believe the last time I knew about that stuff)

wow, some of those are quite elaborate TAHAWK! I think I'll just go with tying off to the tent frame and hope for the best.... that's a lot of PVC pipe to tote

I don't even remember what that 1st link was now.... just a random example. The ones i was talking about with the fabric infills in place of holes are these http://www.chacos.com/US/en/outcross-2/21862M.html?dwvar_21862M_color=J105365#cgid=men-footwear-shoes&start=1 I ended up finding them on sale and ordered a pair at a good price. I like them well enough, but I'd say the foot bed seems a little hard, and I doubt they would hold up well on rugged terrain. Very comfortable though, even without socks.

we're going to Skymont Scout Reservation in SE Tennessee this year. They have an adventure program that includes some whitewater rafting. They do offer kayaking, but I'm not sure if it's whitewater kayaking or not??? might be worth a look looks like roughly 600-700 miles from southern MI http://www.skymont.org/

yep ....and yep. No arguments here.... except that this is a very adult driven idea at the root. It's a hill to skirmish over....The committee moms are the ones owning this thing. Sometimes they don't care so much as to what the scouts "want". They're the adults and they know best.... and yep, it is a very adult-run thing.... and it surely is nonsense, in a way. It's clearly adult at the root of it. I don't have to re-read anything to understand that! & Your counter proposal is really exactly where I'm trying to steer this thing..... or more precisely to steer it so that the scouts can run with it this way if they so choose..... and if they don't choose it'll be in a better position to make it go away.... OR to change things up with regards to how much to collect, how to report, how to bank it, etc.... And that's really at the base of my thinking.... to tactfully steer it out of the adult's hands and into the scouts' I think that is the point that I have gotten across very well here.... Remember, I'm a new committee member here. I'm not the SM, I'm not the CC. I've not been on the committee as long as those that like the practice. I can't just proclaim it and make it go away. I'm up against some key folks here that think this is a great idea as it is. What I can do though is to propose a way that gives the practice more teeth that should in my estimation make things even more attractive for the adults (except that I do predict there will be hesitation about letting the scouts hold "real money") ....and at the same time lets the scouts have something that they can actually work with.

I don't necessarily disagree with that approach Stosh.... about no dues and all BUT I don't really find myself in a place right now to consider such a thing. I doubt if I could have much success with even just doing away with this buck-a-meeting thing. So I'm just looking for a way to put some teeth in it and make it mean something .... to the adults AND to the scouts. I feel like the idea is a good one, but I'm sure there is room for tweaks or even other different directions and I'm looking for advice on how best to propose the idea..... first to the committee and then to the scouts.

IMO, there is a fine line here. The way I have looked at it, a MBC isn't really the teacher.... necessarily. Many times it seems like they have evolved into that though, with MB "classes" and all. If that's the goal, then I suppose it does become a teaching role. Some have requirements to "demonstrate", so there is an element of teaching going on.... but mostly a MBC is a mentor, a guide, and an examiner... that will advise an instruct a bit, depending on how much the scout needs to be spoon fed.... Look at SCUBA, as an example. Nothing says the MBC must be certified and current as a certified SCUBA Open Water Instructor, or any other kind of certified instructor for that matter. In this case, the MBC will help, mentor, and advise. The MBC will help the scout find an instructor. And the MBC will verify that the specific BSA requirements have been met. The MBC doesn't even really need to get into the water with the scout.

i was wondering about that.... I was planning on tying a couple of lines of para cord to the poles to hang from. I was kind of wondering if somewhere along the lines somebody came up some rule against doing that.... Well I don't see anything in the leader's handbook so there is hope

The other current thread on dues and the like made me think of posting this.... but didn't want to hijack I think I've posted about this before, but it's on my mind and I'm thinking of proposing this to the committee soon, before proposing it to the scouts. ok,this is a developing ideapartially dependent on what tools we have for it.... I'll try to explain.... first the back story Dues are paid annually. A big check, approx $100 every year up front. Covers dues + the troop "activity fee" Typical fund raising efforts, goes to general scout funds OR fundraising for a specific even will be spread equally into all participating scout accounts Additional payments from parents/scouts are credited to individual scout accounts to cover camp grub, summer camp fees, etc... Now for the part about the patrol accounts. Before my time, they started a practice where each scout is supposed to bring $1 to every meeting. Each patrol has a money pouch that is given to the patrol by a committee member for the meeting, and that $1 goes in it. The pouch is maintained by a committee member. When the total pot gets "big enough", the money is deposited into the bank, general troop account. This money might be used for a special troop activity such as a pizza party, or it may be used just as part of the general fund....TBD I was told this whole thing was just a way to "teach the scouts responsibility" I'm personally opposed to the whole idea, because it's redundant, and because it's not really giving the scouts any real responsibility or authority as it is now. It really isn't "owned" by the scouts. ..but I think it would rock the boat too much with the adults to propose stopping it. So instead, I want to propose that the money collected by each patrol, stays with the patrol. What I would like propose is this, or something like it perhaps: Each patrol get's their pouch. It is their responsibility to bring it to the meetings and keep up with it. (either the PL, or some other designee) Each scout continues to bring his $1 dues periodically (maybe every troop meeting, or once a month, or whatever is decided) the patrol will report the balance to the troop scribe, who will report it to me, the treasurer. Once the balance gets to whatever threshold is deemed appropriate... let's for example say when it gets to be $50, a deposit will be made to keep the money in the bank. The patrol, at their discretion, can decide on how to spend the money... based on approval of course.... This money can be used to pay for the monthly grubmaster's budget on camp outs. They can spend as much as as little of it as they wish Patrol might decide they want to buy themselves some new equipment with it. Patrol might decide that they want to save up and have a patrol outing at the indoor rock climbing gym patrol might decide they want to have themselves a pizza party etc... they can pull the money from the bag if they have enough (for the grub master on a camp out for example), or request through the scribe to get it from the committee As I said, this is a developing idea..... just a way to make this $1 per meeting thing have some teeth. I'm open to any ideas, suggestions, or re-directs you might have.... to help propose this in the best light possible!

Our troop currently charges $100 in the fall - dues (prorated for crossovers since national dues were paid to the pack) campouts are $10 per head for the grubmaster.... but I'm thinking of proposing a change to this one... maybe another thread topic Summer camp is cost I'm rolling in as treasurer too late to have a handle on fundraising results just yet.

I honestly wonder about the "indoor" parameter more. I know there's a huge variable from unit to unit.... but it seems a huge focus on "meetings" and "classroom". Even sitting round the campfire on a campout, the TG rounds up his pupils for a class..... just not fun. the meetings are indoors and almost always adult "oriented" or perhaps "modeled" is a better word.... not fun for me anyway.... And since Cubs is even worse on this front.....

ah haaaa... there you go. Now I get it. Now I can see that one being very useful for the theoretical survival situation, where one might need to fabricate a fishing rig using a paper clip or bit of wire!

I already have some of that permethrin, and was planing on treating the net, as well as some of our other camp gear before the trip Did I mention.... I really don't like the biting and itching?! You said you treat all camp clothes.... so you treat shirts, pants, socks,....everything.... before a trip?

perfect, thanks everyone I think I'll order up a couple of these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KXEDW26/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2VS4CI0HDYDC8 and bring along some paracord hopefully I'll be able to scare up some poles or bamboo if I need to lash together something....

Be Prepared. right? So in preparing to go along with our scouts to summer camp, I'm thinking of getting a mosquito net of some sort. As much as I love the outdoors I have little patience for the biting and itching. As I understand it, we'll be put up in wall tents on platforms, with cots. Wall tents means no screens.... and either hot close flaps, or letting in the bugs. Does anyone here have suggestions or experience with any particular net for this purpose? It looks like there are all sorts on teh market now. For simplicity sake, as well as for keeping the budget down, I was thinking of getting one of those simple pyramid type, like this one perhaps. http://www.seatosummit.com/product/?item=Nano+Mosquito+Pyramid+Net+Shelter&o1=0&o2=0&o3=131 I'm not really clear how well this would work with a cot.... & I'm guessing I would be able to find a tie off for it to the tent frame, even if its over to the side instead of above. I would rather pitch my little tent, but I figure that may not be in the cards....

I came up with those results myself.... he wrote for use without an eye. Those seem to show a way to the onto an eye, similar to the snell knot. but woithout an eye?

you'll not find a replacement as long as you are willing to keep on doing it. When you are done, say so. Someone will step up.... or not.

if I had been involved with the pack for a while longer, i might have worked on a track with a loop..... sorta like those old hotwheel tracks we had as kids. I think the scouts would have had some fun with it.