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Hedgehog

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Everything posted by Hedgehog

  1. Hedgehog
    That's what got me. I've been approached by several parents and girls who are interested in starting a unit. Talked to the COR who talked to the head of our Chartered Organization who gave approval. Working with the Pack Committee and Cubmaster to start there and working with the COR to lay the groundwork with Scouts BSA in 2019. I can't be SM (due to being SM of current Troop and the Advisor of the Venturing Crew) but I'm going to do everything I can to see the new Troop succeed. The powers that be are in agreement the Troop will be Youth Led and patrol based That solves all t
  2. Hedgehog
    I've seen more ticks this year than ever in the past. My son and I were helping out on an Eagle project and found 10 ticks that hitched a ride -- including finding two in my car three days later.
  3. Hedgehog
    Look at the joining requirements for Boy Scout Troops. That is all you need. The daughter is functioning as a member of the Troop and that is not allowed. Also, from your posts, it sounds like the Troop is violating YPT guidelines which require a male and female leader on any overnight activity where there are youth of both genders. I suspect that there may be insurance issues. I was told by Council that insurance covers registered Scouts and potential members -- she is not a potential member and therefore may not be covered. We started our Venturing Crew with three friends
  4. Hedgehog
    I think that I come down on the side that the daughter shouldn't be on the campout. The program is for the boys. We have a bunch of daughters of SMs and ASMs in our Venturing Crew. Although the Crew has done some outings with Boy Scout units, they think that it is much more fun to be in the middle of the wildnerness by themselves.
  5. Hedgehog
    Interesting discussion. I would say our Crew does the patrol method better than our Troop. I've told them that "in Venturing everyone is a leader" and that means each of them have roles they are responsible for in helping the Crew suceed. They work together, take care of each other and have each other's backs. The best evidence that it is working is that they don't want to leave after meetings and would prefer to hang out together. I think two of my female Crew members will be doing NYLT this year with one of my male members on staff for a neighboring council. To me, that means that the
  6. Hedgehog
    Fear is heavy, knowledge is light. I have a 3 liter Platypus - full is 6 pounds. Two liters will get me from after breakfast up to dinner even on a really hot day. If you know where you are getting water from and how far it is, you can carry less. Good planning puts you at a water source right before dinner so you don't have to carry a full load all day or better yet, you can take a short hike from camp to get water once you put your pack down. We typically pass a water source at least once during the day and are near one at night. The Scouts typically carry 2 liters or less.
  7. Hedgehog
    NOBODY should be carrying a 40 pound pack, especially not youth. The maximum anyone needs is 28 pounds. You can easily drop some weight in the various catagories and get to 25 pounds (my numbers are in parenthesis after each entry) 4.0 Pack (2 pounds 2 ounces) 3.0 Sleeping Bag (2 pounds 2 ounces) 1.0 Sleeping Pad (1 pound 11 ounces - ok, so I'm over on this one...) 2.5 Tent (1 pound 8 ounces) 3.5 Clothes 2.0 Cooking Gear 1.5 Water Carring and Filtration 2.5 Rest of the Gear (2 pounds 1 ounce) 2.0 Water 6.0 Food ----------------- 28 pounds (my weight 25 pounds)
  8. Hedgehog
    In that line of thought - DON'T BRING cotton underwear. Ex-officio underwear is great for Scout camping and for any summer camp where kids (and adults) will be exercising in the outdoors.
  9. Hedgehog
    Also, there is no reason your son can't start LEARNIING about the merit badge topics he is interested in on his own this summer. I love it when a Scout comes to me and says, "i've worked through all the requirements on my own and I'd like to meet with you to discuss them." Granted, there are parts of merit badges that require approval by the counselor and parts that require doing things once you started the merit badge, but a large amount of the learning can (and should) be done independently. As a side note, get your son a copy of the BSA Fieldbook -- great summer reading. Focus o
  10. Hedgehog
    Additionally, we do a number of "shakedown" hikes before going backpacking. They are 4 to 5 mile hikes where the scouts pack their backpacks and take them on the hike. Our backpacking treks are pretty much 4 of those hikes over three days (4 to 5 on Friday, 4 to 5 on Saturday before lunch, 4 to 5 on Saturday after lunch, 4 to 5 on Sunday). The shakedown hikes allow scouts to evaluate the gear they have - and to shake down the weight of their pack by eliminating unnecessary items. It also gives them the confidence to go on the trip -- they know they can do 4 to 5 miles at a time because the
  11. Hedgehog
    Why do you need the trailer? All you need is one backpacking stove per three boys to boil some water and some freeze-dried (Mountain House / Backpacker's Pantry / etc.) or FBC (freezer-bag cooking - see trailcooking.com for recipes) meals. You could also make meals from things you find at the grocery store that you just add hot water - mashed potatoes (add precooked bacon and cheddar cheese), couscous (add some Romano cheese), Instant Polenta (add Parmesan cheese -- do you see a pattern?) or even Kraft Mac & Cheese (you could add more cheese if you would like). Add a "One-Egg Wonder"
  12. Hedgehog
    For your husband: Comfortable Camp Chair Big Coffee Cup Shirt that says "Do I Look Like a Boy Scout?" on the front and "Ask Your Patrol Leader" on the back A Hammock - making sure to have taken Nap On Safely" training
  13. Hedgehog
    How about using this one liner well before they think about quitting: "Are you having fun?"
  14. Hedgehog
    My favorite is the wax wrapper of a Baby Bel cheese and a piece of cotton string. Makes a nice candle. Teaching how to make the candle it is a great way to demonstrate the EDGE method, especially because eating the cheese is one step in the process. For practical use, I always carry cotton balls with Vaseline and keep a Zippo emergency sparker with tinder in my pack. What the Scouts have termed my "pyro bag" includes Cotton Balls with Vaseline, Chapstick, fatwood, pine cones, cat-o-nine tails, natural fiber rope, paper birch bark and magnesium. I've never had luck with dryer lint -
  15. Hedgehog
    Please don't judge this group by @@David CO's response. He always sides with the adult leaders because they were appointed by the Chartered Organization. There are those of us who understand that BSA Advancement is guided by the rules and that a Scoutmaster or Committee cannot change or add requirements. It is the BSA's program, not the Adults, not the CO's. The adult leaders are there to implement the program and help the boys. Best of luck to you Eagle. Congratulate him for me.
  16. Hedgehog
    According to the research, the percentage of times that the sexual assault victim in a college situation knows the attacker is 75% (although that number may be skewed due to the broad definition of sexual assault used as discussed above). As I teach Scouts when I'm doing Wilderness Survival Merit Badge, the best way to make it out of a difficult situation is not to get in the difficult situation in the first place. Stay Mentally Awake - pay attention to your surroundings and don't do anything to impair your judgment. Stay Morally Straight - have a strong moral compass and use it to avoid
  17. Hedgehog
    If the scouts are distracted by the spinners, that just tells me that what is going on in the meeting isn't that interesting.
  18. Hedgehog
    @@MerleneMir - If you dig deeper into a lot of the statistics on campus assaults, you find a lot of interesting information. The major studies have used a very broad definition of "sexual assault" to include unwanted touching or kissing and forced oral sex, attempted rape and rape. Althought the unwanted touching and kissing is wrong, I have a problem in grouping it in the same catagory as the later actions which involve force, coercion or a person unable to consent. As a result, some of the numbers are misleading without further breakdown. Nonetheless, most of the later catagory isn't a r
  19. Hedgehog
    I'm curious, where is the flood plain rule? I've never heard of that one and it isn't on the LNT website that I could find. The plastic bag, kitty litter and white PVC Tube with endcaps works well.
  20. Hedgehog
    That is not an official BSA publication and based on reading it, it seems to be VERY outdated. Wow. I guess even talking to the opposite sex should be banned because you can't get to holding hands without talking. As @@qwazse said, there is a difference between affection and sexual conduct. You could conclude that even if they weren't holding hands. And, if they are drawing that inference, it is a lot better for them to infer sexual relations as part of a consecrated, legally-sanctioned, committed, loving and monogomous relationship which includes affection and r
  21. Hedgehog
    I've never seen anything in regards to Crews except for prohibiting relationships which span the various ages (I don't recall if it is over/under 18 or over/under 21). If those types of relationships are banned, you could infer that other relationships are permitted. My understanding is that crews set their own guidelines on that issue. Can you provide a reference for your statement on Crews? Also, I don't see ANYWHERE where it says that holding hands with, putting an arm around, hugging or kissing your spouse is PROHIBITED.
  22. Hedgehog
    That was a council level issue with CNJ. The units were all doing fine and very little changed on the ground except the shoulder patches and lodge flaps. If you ever find yourself in New Jersey... we'd love to have you. This is some of the best advice given on this forum. I've spent the last four years getting buy in from adult leaders and parents. As I'm poised to take over as SM for the Troop, I have the the backing of the other current adult leaders which allows me to go forward with my vision.
  23. Hedgehog
    Strange, I was actually thinking that there wasn't nearly enough lawyers. There is a difference between the issued in the original post and what @@Stosh is talking about. I agree with the responses to the original post that the actions of the unmarried couple seem inappropriate. Similarly, I agree with @@Stosh that the typical displays of affection among married couples are helpful in setting a good example for the Scouts. Was on a shakedown hike on Thursday holding the hand of my wife of almost 25 years. Will kiss, hug and give back rubs in the presence of Scouts and will share a
  24. Hedgehog
    Six month update... Crew is up to 12, with 3 more likely to join over the next two months as they turn 14 or graduate 8th grade. That will make 15 (8 young woman 7 young men - 4 of whom are double registerd with a Troop) ranging from 8th grade through 11th grade. Crew has done bicycling, COPE camping, indoor rock climbing, two service projects, rustic cabin camping and several 5 mile shakedown hikes with packs. For the next six months, the plans include the West Point Camporee (backpacking in), a canoeing campout with the local Troops, whitewater rafting, sailing, backpacking, camping a
  25. Hedgehog
    Hammock!!! Your back will thank you. If there aren't trees around, get an REI AirRail Mattress. It is more comfortable than my bed at home.
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