blw2

this sort of thing is why I always used to roll my eyes (with them closed) just a bit when I'd hear scouters tout that they were scouts in a way of stating qualification....or when others such as CC's would pick folks to be SM just because they were eagles....or they were scouts as a kid..... as if that automatically makes them qualified.

does anyone have it? You just wrote it!!! My advice....keep it real. don't read a script. You just wrote out a very good way to do it. If you say it just a bit differently next time, so what? It's a perfect concept. For example, i can imagine with the number of keys...fumbling the number...even if I really know....then bounce it out to the audience....how many keys are there anyway? "86" form someone..... someone else says "88"....someone else shouts "a thousand".... I say, "well whatever....lets just say there are lots.....my point is this..." That sort of thing

maybe leftover Christmas decorations? reminds me of some of my work trips to small towns in Louisiana. Middle of the summer and lots of folks still had their Christmas lights hanging on their house! I've often thought about that very thing....but I suppose based on the lack of attention to it, that historically hasn't been too big of a problem I once took a 1 day class for work. Some company out of Deleware, I believe, where the corporation was based, came down complete with skid simulator rig on a rental car. rented out a big parking lot at a dog track, set up cone courses.

I wanted to bounce a few like that They were very obviously a pre-carved body store bought, and not from a block of wood in the kit.... I recognized some distinctive shapes from my web searches but no real way to prove it....and we have to take them at their word..... standing there parent and son next to each other at the sign in table...."did you make this car?" "Yes we did." You know they are crossing their fingers behind their back.... If it were up to me I think I would either do the build the day of the race, or at the meeting prior with all cars "sequestered" between m

....actually is was son quitting scouts and scouter was frustrated anyway.... but I don't see harm in the subject drift. that's the way conversations flow naturally. If it was a specific question to be answered specifically then drift may not be so appropriate, but it was just a rant....bantering around this virtual campfire....

I've been using a jetboil for a while recently bought a BRS stove but haven't used it yet, except for testing at home.... hard to beat the weight and price of that thing. But I do like the idea of alcohol stoves for the silence! I've considered it and still may either make or buy one some day.... but no more than I hike, the canister is just easy even when considering I may need to carry more fuel than i need

and then you have the manufactured ones, like Zelph's stoves http://www.woodgaz-stove.com/mega-starlyte-burner-with-lid.php He's apparently been making manufacturing and selling these things commercially a long time....proven designs. Would they be considered homemade?

I still am struggling with the fundamental semantics problem here..... how can they continue to brand it "Boy Scouts of America".....and why really would a girl strive to be a Boy Scout.... I just don't get it.

So I passed everything over to the new treasurer over the weekend, and we meet later this week to take me off the troop's bank account.....and at the end of the month my membership will lapse with the new charter. I'm sad and happy at the same time.....sad for the loss of opportunity for my son.....happy to be getting out from under the constant conflict between what is (adult run) and what could be. I no longer will get aggravated when receiving emails from adults about upcoming troop activities.... that clearly come from "the wrong" perspective.... But I'll still be checking in he

nice.... my mom had saved my old cub shirt from the early/mid 1970's and passed it on to me when my son started cubs. This was in the day of community strips and before the council shoulder patch. My son showed little interest & i seriously doubt he'll want it. I've been toying with the idea of sending it to the council where my pack was..... Dubuque IA either that or trying to sell it on ebay....

agreed....a committee member is not in any position of power to really make the change.... about all that can be done is suggest and hint every now and then when appropriate. Look for opportunities to encourage... I think the best thing a person in that position can do is to dig deep for the patients as previously pointed out. It can be very easy to get fruistrated also very easy to tick off the other adults (specifically the SM and the CC) when you step on their toes suggesting things that are opposed to what they are doing. A few years back, i asked a very simila

we use troopwebhost. I honestly haven't looked at scoutbook in quite a while but from what I recall it really didn't have tools for the treasury. I find troopwebhost fairly powerful for things like email and calendar. It's a bit clunky and dated looking, but it works well. From my perspective, the tools it offers for the money side alone are worth it though. Even if the unit decided to beg off using any of the other features, I'd still insist on using it for the money. If for nothing other than for transparency.... I like that any of the committee members (well any that

not because they are female, but because they are female.... I read your post as being more forward looking, but I'd argue it's the same looking at the present or in the past too. Almost all the female scouters bring in an experience that differs. It's just a fact that they are female and generally speaking they come in with differing paradigms. Some with a Girls Scout experience, some with a more feminine experience, most with a mom experience. I'm not saying that any or all of those are bad mind you, just different...and it does change the dynamic.

I was about to write that I'm not so sure I agree with the idea that scouters that were scouts as boys have the advantage my thinking being that a scout coming up through an adult lead program really has no advantage....except maybe that they have first hand knowledge of a sub-par program. But do they know how to fix it? Do they even know that they need to fix it? Most folks just re[peat what they know. but your point about being a scout in the day that we roamed the neighborhood on our own probably adds a twist that i wasn't considering. I was a cub scout back in those d

Amen Stosh! of course I have never been blessed to see a really well "scout lead, adults out of it" sort of troop...... so the conundrum I've always had is how to keep the scouts on track WITHIN the game of scouting. I was talking the other day with the 1st year parent/scouter/former den leader that was going to be my replacement treasurer. That scouter really seems to have a strong desire of wanting to keep the scouts in line and such, teach them "the way", make them tow the line, yes sir, and all of that...... I was trying to make the point that I feel that the scouts and troop

yes, very nice year I'd say, by the looks of it. I especially like that there seems to be a lot of scouts actually doing.... the team building problem solving stuff the pioneering stuff

Over the last few years, we've owned an RV and have enjoyed it. i never used to picture myself as being one of those retired full time RV people.... but now I can in a way. I've thought a few times that I could picture myself volunteering at a BSA camp for a few months over the summer if they gave me a place to park the RV. I enjoy scouts....but.... My son isn't aging out. he's quit.... and so I find myself resigning my post. I'm currently training my replacement and my BSA registration will expire at recharter. As I told the committee I feel the troop will be better served by s

Old Guard.... oh that brings back memories. I used the same term. We had an old guard cadre in the pack that was coming through the pack with younger sons after having "done it all" with the older sons. They were burned out and didn't want to do it anymore.....but somehow they could not let it go. Even later when they did let go and I agreed to help, they still didn't really let it go... and continued to not really help that much....and in my view their toxicity even hindered finding my replacement as CM when I was finally done.... some people wanted no part of it.....smart folks, thos

in a pure sense, the way it's "supposed to be", as I understand it is pack and troop are each their own independent unit.....like separate companies. They are each responsible for and each control their own coffers, maintain their own "bank" accounts, pay their own bills the charter org's "ownership" comes into play more in a situation where a unit dissolves....closes shop. In such a case, the unit's committee is still responsible to use that unit's assets to pay off any debts, etc.... then hand over any remaining assets to the CO for future scouting use. Now, that being

great question! For me.... primary draw was to do my share. My son joined scouting and I'm not so inclined to just let others do for me. Just like at the end of the meeting when it's time to put away the chairs, I'm usually among the first to jump up and start stacking..... while others are leaving the room. Secondarily.... I enjoy "doing the things that scouts do" to borrow a phrase from Clarke Green, so naturally I'd like to do those things with my son (doing those things that scouts do to me, means the camping, hiking, backpacking, canoeing, etc.... not so much the classroo

I'd guess the answer might be whoever it is that actually owns this board. Who is that anyway?

to the original post.... way too funny. I had the EXACT same thoughts about both mags this month when I looked through them the other night....

I haven't been to our council's camp in a couple years now, but the way it was..... there's a small shelter at each site, just barely big enough for one picnic table under a roof. There's an outlet there. Not uncommon to see extension cords spread from there to nearby tents. As I understand it, they have remodeled so that every site has a screened in shelter, with some sort of bunk house in the back for Scouters...basically a room big enough for a few bunks. I would assume there's power. No such thing at the last place I went to summer camp. One of our ASM's brings a marine batte

I was thinkink about this thread yesterday, and how hard it is to know these sorts of things....gear being a very individual thing but I was thinking that one of those small swiss army knives (a name brand quality one)or maybe a small multi-tool I would think would likely be a hit regardless. Even if i have one or more I'd still appreciate another...and even if I was a knife collector and preferred some completely different kind of knife, it's still handy to throw into a day pack or sopmeplace as another backup.

Backpack what you describe (The scouts themselves taking ownership and saying what they want to do I mean....) is what I'd guess is missing in a large majority of troops. I know it is at least in our case...and a big reason my son has dropped. Instead, what I have seen is more of a cub scouts on steroids approach Meetings are boring They don't really want to come.... and I'd venture a guess that a high number of our scouts, if pressed, would likely give a similar answer about being "made to come". Some are just better about making the most of it than others ar