Weekender

Backpacker magazine has a companion web site (backpacker.com). The forum is a good place to ask questions about gear before you buy it. There are a lot of folks there with a lot of experience on the trail. WARNING: Some of the threads there can get a little raw...They don't always play nice in that sandbox...Of course we've gotten a little hot under the collar ourselves once or twice. God Bless.

SCOUTER-Terry

You're Awesome

Scouter-Terry,

With 1Meg of space is there enough room for much in the way of pictures? I would like to put up a couple galleries of campout pictures so folks could see what we are doing.

Eagle90,

Sorry, no info on Laguna, haven't been there but may go int he not too distant future.

Where do you hail from?

Thanks for all the input everyone. I love having this group of folks to come about scout stuff!!

Chippewa29,

My email is p_coupal@hotmail.com...Thanks.

Scouter-terry,

Thanks for the info on socuter.com. That will be the first place I check out.

Thanks again everybody.

God Bless,

YIS

I'm considering starting a web page for our troop. Does anyone know of a web page host that would let Scouts put a page on line free of charge?

Thanks

Mike Long,

Hope you don't mind if I post an adendum to your last post. When asked directly, Christ said that the most important commandment was to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all you mind, and all your strength, and all your soul, and the second equally important commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself.

I know there have been a lot of differing views on who and what God is and I'm sure my beliefs are not necessarily the same as others on the board. But I do believe that if a person diligently seeks the Lord and is willing to listen to Him and let go of anything the Lord points out to him as improper that God will teach that person who He truly is. God says if we "earnestly seek" Him we will find Him.

Well,

It seems like you picked an appropriate name.

I would think that if several key pack people joined the troop committe and then told the pack committee chair that they would resign from the pack committee if necessary, the pack might reconsider their position on dual committee membership.

What do you know, I got the first vote. Homeschooling and wouldn't have it any other way.

They will drag their feet if you let them. Set a date after which you will no longer do the job. It's sounds like you are bing reasonable in that respect. If the committee doesn't find someone new I wouldn't bail them out. And I would make sure there was no doubt about that. I'm not sure I would even attend the first several meetings after that date. It probably sounds a little harsh but if you have made a decision to leave they need to show you the respect you've earned for your service over the last 6 years.

DD,

You're absolutely right. It's always a good idea to close the loop. That's how we do recalls in the military...last man in the chain calls to thh top to say all is done.

Shortly after our elections I call the new SPL and the two patrol leaders together and talk with them about their new positions. I make it very clear that the chain of command/communication runs from the SM and designated assistants to the SPL to the PLs and to the troop. I make sure they have the phone numbers they need (a roster for each youth leader is a good idea even if you have to make it). We also have monthly meetings with the PLC and me to plan activities and coordinate with each other. I NEVER call troop members personally, that would reduce the effectiveness of the SPL/PL authority. Occassionally things don't get done right...I bet you can guess who I "talk" to...and who he talks to...and who they talk to. Structure starts at the top...set up the system, make sure everyone knows how to use it and then make sure they use it. It'll take about 6 months before it becomes a working system and seems to be the way it's always been done.

Youngblood (Rooster7 Jr., RJ, Rooster8), (just pullin your leg), Glad to have you aboard. As has been said already, your dad is well respected around here...I think even by those who don't always agree with him.

DC, You nailed it. Social engineering is one of the top reasons we are now homeschooling, poor educational standards and safety are two other big ones. I don't find public schools to be an acceptable environment for children anymore.

It sounds to me like we've reached a point that perhaps some of us can agree on. The BSA, in it's current form, is an organization of brotherhood with a common purpose and a common history going back nearly 100 years. Those who agree with the way things have always been should stay. Those who feel the rules are too liberal should join the Royal Rangers or some other more religiously grounded organization, and those who find the current rules too conservative should find or found an organization that will welcome homosexuals and athiests with open arms (so to speak). Everyone is free to associate with those of similar convictions. If I don't play tennis I wouldn't join a tennis club. Why join scouting if you don't agree with it's basic tenets? I'm here because I believe in the stand the BSA has taken. If I didn't, I be somewhere else.

BTW: I was being facetious about us agreeing (wishful thinking). I know better. But I do feel that if someone disagrees strongly enough with the BSA's stand on this issue then perhaps they are in the wrong organization. Not that they don't have just as much right to be here as I or anyone else I just don't see why you would want to be here. I think there are far to many of us who like things the way they are for them to change in the near future...and Yes, I thank God for that.

And mesiah did away with the need for any further sacrifice. However, he did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. The "heart" issues remain but the sacrificial duties are no longer needed. Jesus said as much.

Levitcus 18:22 Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.

How much clearer can God make it?

I'm mixed on this one. I normally don't have any problem with webelos going with our troop. In this case though I don't see why they would want to. If they have already made their decision, why not go with the troop they will be joining. This said, I would still let them go as long as it did not interfere with the activities I have planned for the troop members or cost our troop any extra money. I would allow it for two reasons. First, I think it is a good experience for both webelos and boy scouts. Second, You never know how set they are on going to the other troop...you may get some unexpected members.

One other thing...I wouldn't play babysitter, they would still need their own leaders.

Last night we had four webelos and their dads visit our troop. We knew they would be coming so we did some prep. For the last year our so I have buying disposable camaras (1 for every two campouts) and making posters out of the pictures. We put those up on the walls for the visiters to take a look at what we have been doing.

We had our normal opening...pledge of allegience, scout law, oath, motto, slogan. We did a uniform inspection and then headed to our outdoor area. We are lucky in that the school where we meet has a lot of land and some river frontage. We went down to the river and spent about 20 minutes going over different kinds of fire starters with the webelos. We used cotton balls (plain, waxed, and vasilined), cedar bark, magnesium (sp), Purple magic (a military fire starter), the wax-filled egg cartons, and char-cloth. Our scouts explained each one and then let the webelos light them. We also taught them how to make the char-cloth and gave them a sheet with the instructions.

After the demo the boys teamed up for 30 minutes of capture the flag in our field. We supplied light sticks for the game.

Following the game we called one of our scouts up who had missed the last court of honor and awarded him 4 merit badges and his Life rank by firelight and lanterns.

I think it was a pretty good evening and the webelos seemed to have a good time. Our SPL did a good job and the adults only participated directly in the awards portion. Everything else was completely run by the boys. I'm hoping the webelos and their folks choose to cross over to us in March when they make the move. We could use them.

Anyway, we had a great time and I wanted to share it with y'all.

I'm sure that many of you are old enough to remember these. I was a scout in the '70s and we had skill award belt loops. I think that perhaps they were too similar to the ones the cubscouts do now and that led to their demise. Personally, I really like the idea of having a mini version of camping, cooking, hiking, First Aid merit badges etc. Where this really helped was that scouts could teach these. On nearly every campout we had time set aside for a few older scouts to teach skill awards. This helped the younger scouts progress more rapidly and the older scouts retain their skills longer. I wouldn't mind seeing them come back.

Do any of you know where I might be able to find a list of skill award requirements...I wouldn't make them current requirements but it would be a good basis for lesson plans on campouts.

Well, I don't know if it would make hands softer but it should would take care of hairy nuckles...ouch

Our scoutmaster has been in that position for a bit over 30 years also. He is considering stepping down and having me take over. I don't think I could ever live up to his reputation. Some of the boys int he troop now are the sons of boys who made their eagle under the same scoutmaster.

The BSA is morally correct to maintain their stance on homosexuals. Homosexuals are not people who should be held up as examples for children of how to live a moral life . Whether they think they are a good person or not they are living a lifestyle that is an abomination to their creator and they have no right to pervert a child.

As luck would have it, I was just melting some parafin today. Buy it at the grocery store in the canning section. My double boiler consisted of a camping pot and a soup can (clean and paper removed). Fill the pot half way or so with water, put the wax in the clean soup can. When the water boils use a pair of channel lock pliers to hold the soup can in the boiling water. It took about 4-5 minutes to melt one bar of wax. I was making egg carton firestarters for a webelo visit tomorrow night.

If interested:

you need a cardboard egg carton not the styrofoam type. fill each cup about 1/3 full of saw dust (I stopped by the hardware store and they gladly gave me all I wanted and then some) pour the melted wax into the cup until it almost crests to the next cell...sort of like filling an ice cube tray with water. One block of wax made ten firestarters. The wax will soak through the cardboard but should not leak. After the wax cools cut into individual cups. I put one in a 4 inch square of foil and lit it. It burned a solid 5 minutes and the flames covered the whole area of the foil.

How honest is it to join an organization with a set of moral standards that you refuse to comply with and then to lie about your position. And lets not split hairs...remaining silent to remain a member is lying. If homosexuals want to be part of an organization that promotes a perverse lifestyle let them start one. Don't take a moral institution and try turn it into something filthy.

A little sensitive??

I was merely suggesting that if we want to know the opinion of the people who are actually in the organization and doing all the work to make the organization run...Maybe we should ask them.

I'd like to know what my fellow scouters think...not NAMBLA's position. And not the position of someone who is not even part of the organization.

While non-scouters are certainly welcome to their opinion I would like to know where SCOUTERS stand. If that means proving that I am a scouter so be it. If that doesn't sit well with outsiders who simply want to troll...well, that's life.