mashmaster

Our scouts paddled the Buffalo River in Arkansas two years ago.  They had a great time.

23 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

We do not do masks in any aquatic activity.  You go in the water with one on, and your breathing is immediately impaired.  Not a good idea, IMHO.

We only wear them on land or on a boat where you can't social distance.  On a the boats that you can't social distance there is a keel, so you aren't going in the water.  You are wearing a PFD at all times, so you pop out of the water pretty quick in the very small chance you enter the water.  When you are sailing a Sunfish or Laser, you are alone and social distanced: you don't wear a mask.

3 hours ago, scoutldr said:

I would prefer the Norman Rockwell Museum at his home in Stockbridge, Mass.  We went there over Christmas two years ago...beautiful town.  The highlights of my trip were the museum and the original "Alice's Restaurant", now the Guthrie Center.

That would be nice as well.  The reason I mentioned the Getty, is that their museum is free.  It is huge, they have a really nice facility and are in a major metroplex so it could be seen by so many people.

It is such a fine line.  We do lots of sailing with masks and when they are on a single person dinghy, they remove the masks.  At meetings we are outdoors with masks.  Only complaints we get are from Adults trying to make a political point. I shut those down.

One of our local schools recently forced all students to come into school to take a standardized test.  The cheerleading team apparently all had covid and spread it to 26 kids.  ugh

I would prefer it would go to the Getty museum.  They can really display it well.  A private party won't have them available for people to see.

That is great news.  We need these little positive moments in our lives.

You might want to look into recruitment activities since you are a small troop.  You might find that there are activities with helping your troop grow by reaching out to packs, schools, neighborhood cookouts, 4th of july parades.....  Growth is super important.

How is your troop Website?  Newsletter?

The project isn't finished yet, he has one more "feature" at the end of the trail.  Also a missing hand rail at the start.  He hopes to have it completed by next month.  

It started as total woods, so the project started as making the trail. The rest was to make the downhill Slopestyle mountain bike course.  He built this for a local mountain biking non-profit.  The community responded to his fundraising efforts (raised almost $4000, wood prices went up exponentially this year) and calls for help on workdays

Before:

After (almost complete)

1 minute ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

I would rather see the bench and birdfeeders than the Lego Model. https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2017/12/08/eagle-scout-creates-lego-models-of-historic-hotels-for-his-eagle-project-and-for-fun/

 

WOW

Good luck, glad he is making progress and has an Eagle Coach

I don't know the time periods of things.

Well, I think the difference would be if a Y camp councilor who your care was in charge of molested you.   You were embarrassed but not molested.  Sadly, this isn't because lawyers are acting out of order.  It is because BSA leaders did horrible things.  I have an adult friend who was molested as a scout by his Scoutmaster.  I don't know if he is part of the suit, but it isn't something that should have ever happened and has long lasting effects.

I don't know what the rules were for the BSA in the 70's.  But I distinctly remember as a teenager being asked to change in my swimming merit badge councilors living room with him there.  Alone.  I never thought twice about it, but hopefully something that doesn't happen today.

I know I am nervous about the outcome.

The square knot, which symbolizes the unity and brotherhood of the movement throughout the world. Even as one cannot undo a reef knot no matter how hard one pulls on it, so, as it expands, the movement remains united.

The District/Division Award of Merit is unique is that it is a national award which honors Scouters for their service to youth at the District or Division level over a period of time.

The District Award of Merit (DAM) knot is the only one not a square knot.  I never knew there was an orientation of it. I need to check my uniform.

The symbology of the award is also unique. The silver border and overhand knot (which by the way, should be worn with the ends DOWNWARD) is symbolic of the District and local Council service to youth. The dark blue background represents the dark blue of the local Council’s flag and refers to the fact that it is awarded at the local Council — District — level. The overhand knot. Those who are familiar with how a square knot is “made” — right over left, then left over right — understands that the overhand knot is “half” or a “part” of the complete square knot emblem. In a likewised manner, a District or Division is “half” or “a part of” the local Council; and that Scouters who receive this award still have “work to do” to “complete the process” (or in other words, receive down the road the Silver Beaver/Fawn (when we had it as a BSA local Council award) ) for their continued service to youth through Scouting.

Understood.   Now let's be honest.  The scouts and their parents aren't looking at the number of knots on the uniform.  That is only something that other leaders will look at.  I have plenty of knots and know other leaders with none and with a ton.  It doesn't affect me and if that is what people are focusing on, they need a reset.

1 hour ago, Navybone said:

What message indeed.  But if you step back and look at the individual wearing the uniform.  If the leader is grossly overweight, but has three knots, is that any better or worse than leader who follows the Scout oath to keep himself physically strong but is wearing 15?  What is the more important message that the scout should be getting from the leader?  And what is the message that the is really being sent to the scout.  Performance, leadership, living up to the Scout oath and law should always trump a minor uniform infraction.

 

I would also say, why would you just the overweight leader when you don't know the details and reasons behind it.  I am officially "obese" according to BMI number but I run multiple marathons a year.  people need to get beyond those first impressions.  

In Sea Scouts they recommend two rows of three,  That is a very hard decision about which to put on.  

Yeah it is hard on my son.  Being a small unit 10 active scouts, I am always being pulled this way and that way.  I do my best to be fair to all scouts and give them the attention that they need.  I am sure I am hardest on my own son because I know what he knows and what he can do.  So when he avoids things, I am able to follow up later with "Why did you say XYZ?"  .  He like many other youth his age get pulled by other activities and gets pulled into those activities and doesn't see the bigger picture.  I am also in the position where I don't have a successor yet.  I have someone fairly new that I hope will grow into the role and I can bring him up to speed to partner with me and take over.  But the is a bit further down the road. 

And he hears about scouting around the house because we are all trapped in Covid house.  

16 minutes ago, mrjohns2 said:

2% of all youth registered. Pretty much a failure as a movement goes. This is NOT something that should be used as a model of co-ed success.  I hope national only spends 2% of its resources on it (or less since many youth & adults are dual enrolled and thus not paying extra for it). 

Given from what I have seen, they don't even spend 1% of resources on it.

13 minutes ago, mrjohns2 said:

Even before COVID, the numbers would say by at least that measurement, Venturing and Sea Scouting are not successful. This is from a national viability perspective. I bet there are many (hundreds) very successful crews and ships, so from the "on the ground" perspective it is great. 

If you measure by numbers nationally then maybe it could be not successful.  If I look at the many ships I work with in our region, it is a huge success.  Latin, I would be more than happy to discuss what you think is not successful with them but from our prior disagreement about our views on scouting, we will never agree.  I have worked closely with scouts in our district, region, and national, they have impressed me greatly.  I call that success.

1 hour ago, TAHAWK said:

Venturing started out well here in NE Ohio and then, over the years, mostly disappeared.  The five closest crews, with which I helped as asked, all closed as of two years ago.  But, then, between finances and management, this has been a weak area.  All the five defunct crews mentioned are shown as active today oblue n the Council website, but the closest has not met in six years.  Nothing has been posted on their website since 2011.

That sucks.  Here in central Texas our Venturing crews seem to be still going strong.

21 hours ago, The Latin Scot said:

I agree; the idea of fully co-ed Scouting is, in my eyes and in my opinion, the worst possible thing that could happen to the BSA; it flies utterly in the face of what Scouting for boys is supposed to be, to do, and to accomplish, and all the good it is intended to do for boys will be lost when they are forced to share this program with girls. If they can no longer even have their own, separate troops without girls being part of them, the program loses the very sense of ownership that empowers, emboldens, and encourages boys to try new things, stretch themselves, and push their limits without the crushing self-awareness that, as anybody who has ever been human can attest, affects young boys when girls are present. 

The day the BSA decides to fully integrate a co-ed model into Scouting must, so help me, be the day I finally hang up my hat. There are some principles with which we can bend, but others, against which we must stand. Robbing our youth of their separate-gender privileges is one of the latter in my eyes.

Well I suggest you don't look into Venturing or Sea Scouting.  They are co-ed and are very successful.

I am a Skipper which is equivalent to the Scoutmaster. I used to be a Scoutmaster.  I have found that my son gets totally burnt out and wanting to quit and is partially related to my role in the unit.  How do other unit leaders deal with this.  I am sure it is a toll on the leaders kids more than others.  Like making the meetings and events since "Dad" is there,  why isn't the son?  I would love to hear what others have done to deal with this.

8 minutes ago, CynicalScouter said:

As I said, when BSA starts to answer questions, then perhaps I'll be inclined to participate and help. But I cannot, in clear conscious and a straight face, help promote Safe Scouting when my own questions don't get answered and my emails don't get returned.

It very, very much seems as if engagement means "Do what your told. Don't ask questions. Don't expect answers."

EDIT: So I'll ask once again (and if it takes a letter to the bankruptcy court, maybe that is what it takes to get you/BSA to take this seriously).

What is the SAFETY reason for not allowing an adult to tent with his/her own child? Not the PROGRAM reason, the SAFETY reason?

If you throw me another PROGRAM answer I'll know you and BSA National are not serious about this.

Are you concerned that parents will sexually abuse their children? Ok, that's a SAFETY reason. I may agree/disagree, but I can see that could be a SAFETY concern, sure.

But simply throwing up the FAQ that talks about PROGRAM is not a SAFETY reason.

Deciding not to answer my emails regarding a SAFETY is not a best practice, either, but that's another story. Perhaps one the court and claimants attorneys need to know?

I didn't know that was not allowed per YP.  I agree for a safety aspect, a parent should be able to tent together.  If possible, I think it is best for the scouts to share with other scouts but that isn't a safety concern.  

I would love to know the answer as well about why it isn't allowed under the safety guideline.  If it is program based, then it should be a recommendation not a requirement. 

Regarding the malase at National.

I had the opportunity recently to speak with the professional at National that is in charge of the program for Venturing and Sea Scouts.  We talked about the limitation of them not able to earn Merit Badges unless they had already attained first class in a troop.  We actually have requirements in our programs are to have scouts earn the merit badge for a few requirements.  To me, it seemed obvious that all Sea Scouts and Venturers should be allowed to earn the merit badge if they complete the requirements.  The response I got was that this would hurt Troops.  That made no sense to me.  If the ability to earn a merit badge is the reason why a scout is in a Troop then they are focusing on the wrong thing.  If they have already attained 1st class in a troop then they can earn it.

I know the National Commodore for Sea Scouts and we chatted, he said it was a commonly held believe that Troops think Sea Scouts and Venturers are a threat to their program.  The scouts move onto these other units because the program is more interesting for them.