Hedgehog

Dues = $15 Ordeal = $60 Candidate / $35 Brother (both with a $10 discount for early registration) Conclave = $38 Fall Fellowship = $35

Don't feel bad.... I had the same question when I started as a MBC for cooking. It took me a while to figure out that what I consider a "lightweight" stove (i.e. an MSR Pocket Rocket) is not the same as the BSA's definition (i.e. a Coleman two burner) because a "lightweight" stove has to be different than an "approved trail stove" used for the backpacking or trail meals.

I think there is an "in-between" third way. For example, I do Personal Management during four one-hour session over four weeks which are mostly discussion. In between the classes the boys are supposed to prepare for the requirments discussed at the next session. Then, the boys are expected to meet with me separately when the get the various "doing" activities done and then to have a final discussion of what they learned for the badge. Camping is one four hour session on a Friday night with pizza, backpack show and tell and a tent setting up contest. The guys need to have at least 12 night

I'll echo the sentiments provided by others. You don't need to be an expert, just willing to put the effort into the merit badge to become an expert. I've always loved cooking (taught myself to cook in law school to save money). My wife and I used to spend weekends cooking gourmet meals -- before we had a kid and our jobs became increasingly demanding. However, I've never really cooked in the outdoors other than using a barbarque. Fast forward three years -- I have cooked everything in a dutch oven including babyback ribs, roast beef, baked ziti, Italian spareribs, chicken caccitore,

I'll be honest, the merit badges aren't that hard, especially for someone like your nephew. We've got guys who are earning every imaginable merit badge because the love learning the stuff. The outdoors and fun stuff is what your nephew NEEDS because it is a different experience from book learning. The BSA Fieldbook would be a great resource to bridge that gap. The camping and hiking won't get him the citizenship merit badges. However, my son is volunteering at the local watershed conservation organization for his Citizenship in the Community merit badge -- learning about nature while l

One of my favorite quotes from Richard Bach in his book Illusions: "You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it come true. You may have to work for it, however."

Our summer camp doesn't permit anything to be tied to the inside of the tents -- even if you tie it to the poles.

So as a Chartered Organization Representative, what would you do assuming that all the facts stated turn out to be true based on your investigation?

Who is "their"? In this thread, "their" would refer to the SM and the Chartered Organization who have created their own version of scouting which doesn't follow the rules of the BSA and puts additional burdens, if not roadblocks, on boys earning advancement. If my reccollection is correct, you work with a Catholic School. The school is under a Diocese. What would happen if a teacher failed a student who had earned 80s and above on all his work because the teacher felt "the student didn't really deserve a B" because he didn't do the extra credit assignments that the teacher had developed

Our dues are $125 (including BSA dues) per year. Those cover awards, three courts of honor, a holiday party and replacing troop gear. Our Troop earns around $40 per scout from popcorn (around 50 scouts x $40 = $2,000). The Troop is saving money currently to replace the Troop tents with some that are more suitable for backpacking. Each campout costs $14 for food ($3 breakfast, $3 lunch, $5 dinner and dessert and $3 breakfast), $1 for supplies (propane, firewood, paper towels), the cost of the campsite divided by 20 (25 tends to be the average number of guys on a campout) plus the cost of

The link is to the netting. I'll need to figure out how to post a picture.

We use this: http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12697317with a PVC poles that form a T lashed to either end of the bed. The cross section forming the T supports the ends of the net nicely. It is a lot easier to travel with then the frames that Krampus's Troop makes because it compacts down into two poles (the cross section making the T fits inside the upright section of the pole for travel. I'd be glad to e-mail the design to anyone who is interested (can't figure out how to post the pictures here).

The Coleman two burner stove is a lightweight stove (when compared to the four burner electric Kennmore version with the oven below it). The trail stoves are the MSRs or Snow Peak stoves that are 4 inches by 2 inches.

Then it becomes simple, revoke the charter. A scout is obedient and if the SM isn't following the BSA rules and making it up as he goes along he should be removed. If the chartered organization will not remove a SM that is blatenly disregarding the BSA rules and making his own, then the charter should be revoked.

Was nominated to OA this year. As it was explained to me at the Ordeal, "you have been nominated not because of what you have done, but what we hope you will do in the future." My son was also elected this year. I'm actually surprised at his level of excitement. He signed up for Conclave, he wants to go to the monthly chapter meetings (which are at the same time as the Roundtable). He loves the idea of doing OA high adventure for Philmont. Best of all, last week he was commenting on how other guys didn't help out with a project. He acknowledged that he used to be that way and then sa

@@Stosh, your numbers seem to be typical of my experience. In my son's den, it was 50% even with a lot of adult involvement and a lot of fun. We knew the guys that would cross over -- three of them earned the Webelos Super Achiever award, one of them loved camping and the other was really into all the activities. The guys who didn't were not a surprise - they didn't like to camp, weren't that into it, had other interests and you could tell they were just seeing Cub Scouts through to the end. Over the past two years, I've seen a similar trend -- I know a lot of the boys from being the forme

I think @@UncleP meant to encourage him to continue when he wants to quit.

Your nephew will meet a lot of guys like my son in scouts. How do I know, because our Troop has a lot of guys like your nephew and at least one adult leader that was like your nephew growing up. None of us really like the schoolwork merit badges. However, each of those involves him doing something -- attending a public meeting, visiting a national park or monument, volunteering at a local community organization, etc. The schoolwork really is a small part of it.. Helping him with the costs seems to be a good way for you to be a positive influence. One additional book I woul

Awesome clip. The Troop (along with the two Cub Scout Packs and two other troops) are marching in the Memorial Day parade. Last Tuesday, the boys put American Flags on the graves of veterans in our CO's cemetery. I've always thought that it would be cool to have a public campfire where the boys do a ceremony for retiring flags (we do it on campouts, but never as a public demonstration). That would be something interesting to do on Sunday night before memorial day.

My 65L pack weighs under 4 pounds. Have more than enough room for a 6 day trek. Go lighter if you can. In contrast, the Osprey Ace 50 weighs 2 POUNDS 15 OUNCES and the Granite Gear V.C. 60 weighs 2 POUNDS, 4 OUNCES I tell my scouts to think in terms of pound miles. The difference between the Kelty Kids pack and the Osprey Ace on a 20 mile trek is over 8 pound miles. The difference between the Grantie Gear V.C. 60 and the Kelty Trekker 65 is 61 pound miles.

I think Scouting might just be exactly what your nephew needs. Our troop is a bunch of misfits and goofballs -- the best type of guys around. It ranges from the kids who talk about video games on hikes to the kids who bring books along on campouts. The boys that join our troop become part of it. I've picked up @@Stosh's advice to teach the boys that what is important in scouting is to take care of each other. I've seen lots of boys find self confidence and independence in going to summer camp for a week. I'll never forget the look on one kids face when his mom picked him up from his firs

@@Stosh, I did misunderstand. It seemed to me that you were challenging a requirement that patols cook and eat as patrols as being an unnecessary adult rule. In your response, we seem to be agreeing. We don't cook as patrol's on backpacking trips because it is too difficult with the backpacking stoves to cook for more than two or three people. When we do plop camping, the boys are required to cook and eat as patrols. The younger boys serve as grubmasters to fulfill the advancement requirements. The patrols craft the menu together and the patrol leaders make sure that everyone is taken ca

The most recent posts are very similar to the discussions that I hear among the scouts. I try to turn them away from the politics of personality, blame and attacks toward the politics of values and ideals. Sometimes, simple questions of "what should we do?" and "how would that work?" and "what do you think the other side values?" generates some critical thinking. I know, it's a losing battle but maybe, just maybe, the next generation will vote not based on personality but based on policy and ideals.

So in our Troop the only adult dictates regarding cooking are that: 1) you need to cook and eat as a patrol; 2) there needs to be some "cooking" (except for lunch) and 3) the boy leaders "take care of their boys." The boys discuss the menu and the boy leaders make sure that everyone has enough to eat taking into account preferences, religious prohibitions and allergies. The result is the boys make sure there is enough for the vegetarians to eat, there is an alternative for those allergic to gluten and the rest of the boys like what is cooked (including one boy taking his pasta before the mot

For cooking good foil meals, there are two requirements: 1. Sufficient moisture. In the foil hobo burgers, you need carrots, canned potatoes, some butter, salt, pepper and some water. The moisture helps it cook and keeps it from burning. 2. Proper folding. The folds need to be so that no moisture escapes even if the packet is turned upside down. You need to have a piece of foil that is substantially longer and wider then the final size of the packet. Bring the side pieces up to the top and make a 1/2 inch fold, continue to fold until you can fold no more -- at least 4 folds. Th