Bolo

Great advice, Knot Head! I am an Assistant Scoutmaster, female, and have been on two recent Philmont treks ('08 and '09). The BEST advice for any crew is to shakedown, shakedown, shakedown - at least three, ! It's here you learn what works and what doesn't. Best advice for Venture females: get comfortable p**ing in the woods. And bearbag everything that's smellable; mini-bears can be more destructable than the regular ones! You're going to have a blast!

Thanks all, for reminding me that "it's not all about the requirements." I need to get back in the "fun" mode of Cub Scouting and it's difficult to do when I've got 6 Life Scouts in my troop bearing down on Eagle projects! I'm sure these Cubs can get through their books in 5 months and will suggest that. I also want to suggest a Spring recruitment which may help, although our Council historically only recruits in the Fall. I'm the Dist Training Chair, not a DE, so may need to go there for approval. Any suggestions from your collective minds about conducting recruitment in the Spring?

Has anyone had experience in starting up a Pack in January? Seems like, unless they met through the summer, they'd only have 5 months to complete their requirements. The Pack is small; only have Tiger and Wolf dens.

My son joined a new Explorer Post last month and the DE has told them that Explorers will be back as part of the BSA beginning in January.

Our Council recently held a Camporee where the troops invited Webelos. Everyone camped out for 2 nights. Not to get off-topic here, but maybe Webelos Leaders could respond. At this recent Camporee, an Assistant Scoutmaster told me he was "having difficulty with some Webelos parents." Apparently they told this ASM that after their sons cross over, they "will not let their sons go camping with the Boy Scouts unless they (the parents)go." I told him, "great, let the parents camp and maybe you can get them to sign up as leaders." This ASM wants to try and discourage the parents from going

I wear my uniform to EVERY scouting event. Last year at our District Banquet, I decided to wear, uhummm, a rather short dress. A parent came up to me and said, "Oh, you have legs!"

Congratulations on your new position! All of the above posts have great suggestions! If you are not familiar with "Program Helps", use that as a guide as to how your pack meeting should be run. It will get you started and provide structure and continuity to the program. That got me started. We didn't follow the monthly themes religiously, but the book helped me organize the meeting. Pack meetings should be held once a month, regardless. If you start changing the dates, parents will forget. Same day of the month, same time. And yes, you (and the boys) should have FUN at the pack me

Cell phones at camp??? Nooooowayyyyyyy! One camp we attended actually had a tv/vcr in the health lodge available to homesick scouts for a few hours. This did seem to help one of ours who feigned sickness to go home. Parents' night (Wed) has been the hardest. I actually have met parents in the parking lot and told them, "Don't take him home, no matter what he says to you." This is always hard for the parents, but we've never had a scout go home on Wednesday. Homesickness disappears when boys 1) don't call home, 2) are kept busy, clean, etc and 3) recognized, praised for their accomplis

I find the words to most of these songs rude (A Scout is cheerful), crude (A Scout is kind) and impolite (A Scout is friendly). When Scouters attend meetings, training, etc., and there are always announcements at our meetings, do we start singing? No. Why should we encourage the boys to do this? I find, not only in Scouting, but in my workplace, that most announcements are valuable; leaders should just be encouraged to not let them drag on. Better yet, have someone drag them off the stage with a walking cane. -bolo

I have been asked to teach a class at our next Univ of Scouting training day. The subject (and I didn't make this up!) is, "And the uniform costs how much? Seems like the answer to this would be,"ask National, or production has gone up, etc." However I thought a more in-depth approach would be to discuss the history of the uniform and the importance of wearing it. I just came across Mike Walton's 'unofficial'BSA uniform site and looks like there is a wealth of information there, and I'll review some of last month's posts. I've been off line for a while. Any ideas from you fo

Props for TG presentations? Hadn't thought of that! Yeah, I'd be interested too. Bolo 'I used to be a fox...."

I participated in the Wood Badge course when I was a Cubmaster (after 3 years of being a den leader), and prior to signing up, I thought maybe it was "too early" for me. Boy was I WRONG!!! Do it! You won't be sorry and down the road you might even want to be on WB staff! Ditto all the above comments -- Most fun you'll ever have! Bolo

DL knot CM knot DAM knot Lodge flap WB beads (looking forward to receiving a third bead next year!) and... a Trained strip on all uniform shirts.

I'm not surprised all of this "bad press" is spewing out of the liberal media. -B

Interesting, (a bit lengthy) journal from LTC Mike Walton of his Day on the Hill...(Tuesday, 07/26) Hey Scouters! Today was a very busy day for me, in more ways than one. It seems that some guy named Murphy was following me around most of the day today too. I woke up this morning, thinking that I had two hours before I was to be at my post in the Media Reception tent on the Jamboree grounds; turned out that instead, I had about 20 minutes to get to the post from the "Jamboree truck stop" where I was resting (and where I am posting from this morning). I didn't make it on tim

Account created to aid families Anchorage Daily News (Published: July 26, 2005) An Alaska credit union has set up an account to help the families of the four Scout leaders killed Monday at the Boy Scout Jamboree. Donations to the Scout Memorial Fund, account No. 80487, can be made at any Denali Alaskan Federal Credit Union branch, which are located in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau and Wasilla. Donations can be designated for any of the individual men, Ron Bitzer, Michael Lacroix, Michael Shibe and Scott Powell, or a general donation may be made to the fund that will be divide

Thanks, Morainemom, for your quick reply. I have a 13 yr old there, and we haven't heard from him since the accident. Meanwhile, I'm searching Scouts-L and Scouter for any and all info. If the mood is understandably somber, I hope the Jambo leaders can turn this unfortunate event around and create an event full of wonderful memories. It would sadden me if it was only remembered as, "the one where the people died." I can only imagine what the Alaskan scouts are going through and wish there was some way we could reach out to them. Please keep posting any reports from your son. Thanks.

Yes, we teach our boys to "look overhead first for something that might fall on you," as in a tree limb, etc. My guess, and this is merely a guess, is that perhaps they tried to squeeze in a circus tent in an area they thought would be large enough, or maybe they were all inside trying to erect the tent and didn't realize the center pole extended as far as it did. I hope they find a subcamp for those scouts, if they are staying, to integrate them back into the event and not keep them in barracks for the duration. I know our SMs have not yet told our boys about the deaths (they are on th

Brian, Google "Nasa Jamboree patch" for a picture. You might also email Nasa's Space Store www.manager@thespacestore.com or call them at 281-333-4030 for info on how to obtain the patch. It's cool.

Thanks, Eamonn! I always trust your advice! Our troop is going to two summer camps this year, plus Jambo and a few went to Philmont! Think we're taking on too much, hah, hah. With all that, our family managed to squeeze in a week in Florida for vacation. While I'm not going to APHill, I'd really love for my son to meet you. What subcamp are you in? Many thanks for the knowledge, humor and common sense you impart on these scouter threads! -B

My son has all his Jambo 'stuff' and is ready to go! Unfortunately he decided he wanted a Jambo belt & buckle AFTER the June 17th cutoff for online ordering. Well, I told him, he'll just have to get it at the Trading Post however the BSA distribution center tells me they sell out quick. Should I tell him to be the first in line? When will the TP be open and how soon do you think they will "sell out of the belts?" Thanks. Bolo

May God bless and keep safe all the fine young men and women who bravely continue to protect our freedoms and liberties.

My husband and I are both ASMs and we always sleep in separate tents... he snores and I don't like earplugs.

Thanks to the super suggestions and websites suggested by EagleInKY, our troop had a fun, successful JLT this weekend. We actually planned to use the video, however, due to 'adult' miscommunication, it was not packed. After traveling through a blinding thunderstorm Friday night to get to our campsite, arriving after dark, setting up tents in the rain, realizing we did not have the video did not make me, the trainer, a happy camper. We really had no "plan B" so I was determined to conduct the training over the weekend. After much improvisation and reliance on the many leadership course

Does anyone remember the quote attributed to John Wayne? "....my Dad always taught me to be polite and not to deliberately offend anyone....so, if I offend you, you can be darn sure I'm doing it deliberately." ...or something to that effect.