Eagle94-A1

1) WELCOME TO DA FORUMS! 2) Occonneechee Council is a really good one that offers lots of opportunities.

I would ask who is in charge at the event. As long as you are allowed, yes. As @ParkMan stated, photographers tend to get a pass. HOWEVER if it is posted or you are told no photography, then don't. I have been to events where they don't want photography, and when people do it anyway, it screws it up for everyone else. I couldn't see one of my son's receive First Communion because of folks taking pictures. And I wasn't the only one. One of my Eagles stated no photography except for the professional, at his wedding, and then posted pictures taken by the pro that had been ruined by people taking photos at some of the wedding she did.

THAT'S IT!

@RememberSchiff, It was from the 1940s. When I get a chance at home, I will see if I have the item saved.

If memory serves, SCOUTS IN ACTION did the story way back when. I found the story, or a very similar one, back in 2010 when I was doing a Scouting History project for the district banquet.

The way to recruit new Scouts is to build a program they want to join. Currently that is on local units and the district/council. Local units need energetic and active programs. Training with knowledgeable volunteer willing to work with and mentor new Scouters is key. Online training does not allow for the interaction and explanation on why things are done a certain way. I have seen Scouters take online training, think they know better, and do their own thing which hurts the program, and retention. Districts and Council need to have support mechanisms to promote program; training, camps, specialized equipment for rent, activities, etc. More later.

It has been bad since I was a DE.

I think it varies from council to council. The only folks given a seat without a donation is the OA Lodge Chief, and when we have one, the VOA president. And of course the CORs, if they even know they have a seat, which in my neck of the woods they tend not to know. Grant you some of the folks are "worker bees," but there is a minimum $ donation.

Former Pro here. Do you want theory or reality? In theory The national office will select several professionals that will be interviewed and selected by a volunteer committee of the council executive board members. The selected SE is then responsible to the council executive committee, and they can get rid of of the SE if they don't perform. In actuality, once an SE is selected, they are in until they retire or move, unless they really screw up, i.e getting caught doing something illegal. The SE has ways to manipulate who is a member of the council executive board, and stay in his position. As for DE's, @InquisitiveScouter is correct, anyone with a pulse and college degree can get the job that is ultimately up to the SE. I interviewed in 3 councils. First council had me meet with several volunteers in addition to the SE and council staff. I liked that council, and at the time wished I went there. Second council had me meet with the DFS only. Third council, the one I ended up at, brought me in to their Winter Planning Conference for the interview. I thought it was unusual and talked to one of my friends who was a pro. He stated that if they were bringing me in for a 4 day interview at their planning conference I had the job in the bag.

Respectfully disagree. If they didn't learn when FOS donations started dwindling because of lack of service, what makes you think they will do any better when a mandatory fee is added? That is guaranteed money. My council has had problems for over 20 years. They have lost all kinds of stuff: day camp registration forms and check, youth and adult applications, Popcorn checks and paperwork, advancement reports, eagle applications, ad nauseum. They have tried to blame the local post office, but even when things were hand delivered, the items at the office got lost. Long story short, because of my council's issues, FOS started dropping, and units no longer participate in popcorn sales. We had two units at the same CO that paid for popcorn, and turned in unsold popcorn with the requisite paperwork, only to have the paperwork lost, although the checks were cashed. That CO had to pay to prove they paid for popcorn sold, and also had to pay for the popcorn they turned in. They have never touched another kernal. The Troop in the matter also had an Eagle Scouts paperwork, which was hand-delivered tot he office lost. Thankfully the district advancement chair give the Eagle a copy of the signed application, and we had to email that copy to the office. And this didn't happen just to units I was in. Every unit in my district has had issues. And some of the units I have talked to outside of my district have had the same issues as well. When asked why units do not want to do sales or allow FOS presentations, the council told exactly why, and nothing has been done. So I do not think this will hold the council more accountable. You put much more succinctly my thoughts.

I was told that info was not supposed to be made public until closer to those dates. But I guess enough people found out, and that council decided o take the bull by the horns. Glad oldest turns 18 next year and will be an adult, so I get break in fees. That is if he continues past 18.

But to many $15-$20/ month for dues alone IS a lot of money. Only thing that helped me out was camps being cancelled. Between summer camp deposits and budgeted food saved, I got enough to pay for 2020 recharter.

Friend of mine has an Ursack. He even had it tested by a bear. He recommends the aluminum insert. Food was still edible, but it was mashed up. https://ursack.com/

I wonder if the BSA can now file a counter-suit against GSUSA?

I had to deal with a similar situation. Long story short, if a volunteer, or applicant in the case I dealt with, is denied, the council is suppose to send a letter to the COR or IH ( sorry forgot which) who then informs the ineligible volunteer. Sometimes The IH or COR does not inform the ineligible volunteer, and leaves them hanging. If another volunteer inquires, the council will just tell them Approved or Not Approved.

Going from Memory here, COR can sign off in CC's place. They can do that since A) they appoint the CC and B) they represent the owners of the troop. Also they have a vote ont he district and council committees.

It was the District Commissioner asking folks, not council level folks. And in all honesty the current District Chairman was pretty much appointed by the 2 registered AND active members of the committee, myself and the commissioner. He is an experienced ASM, and had some ties to the local business community before announcing he was leaving. I second this. A longtime outstanding Sulver Beaver recipient volunteer was removed because he ticked of the DFS and SE. 20+ years later, I still do not know the entire story as to why he was removed. Rumor has it he found some financial irregularities he uncovered. I was the DE right after he was removed, and he sued the BSA and was temporarily reinstated. My SE didn't even give me tell me he was reinstated until I called him to confirm that I needed to call the cops on him for trespassing at an event. Glad I made that call.

I found out the local camp is no longer in a trust, but outright owned by the council. Ditto two other camps. The one camp that is not owned by the council is the one least used. All infrastructure, waterlines, shelters, building, etc, were done by individual units and volunteers. Troops are very protective of their campsites there because the unit dug the ditches, laid the waterlines, and paid for connection to the water main. I know of 2 troops that had a long time arguement over a campsite. The original unit disbanded for a few years, and a new unit took over the campsite. When the original unit was restarted, with several of of the folks who dug those ditches, laid the pipes, etc came back, they wanted their campsite back It was a mess.

Yes, we have had a conditional charter for several years now (no one seems to know how many) and Dec. 31st is the deadline to fix all issues or merger talks begin with several councils. Council is large geographically, but has a small population .

Some good news from my neck of the woods, son's Eagle Court of Honor was today. Weather held up and we had more people attending than anticipated. I think this COVID mess had a ltoto do with it because it gave an excuse to see friends, even if wearing masks and being socially distant. Ceremony went well, and lots of stories shared about him after the ceremony. He plans to stick around until he hopefully moves to college next fall, or turns 18 and becomes an ASM. Life is good.

Update on both council and district. I attended a council program committee meeting last week. Out of at least 3 dozen invitees, only a handful attended. Program is not looking good. Events are being cancelled or turning virtual. As was noted, a lot of Scouts are getting tired of the virtual, they want the outing. Also they were asking for folks to run these events. What concernd me is that some of these events should already have people in charge and do not. As for the district WOW! Found out the DE quit. They are not replacing him with a DE, but are trying to hire a a parapro to work 29 hours/week. For the moment 3 DEs are covering 9 districts. Mergers will probably happen after December 31st. Also found out our current District Chairman is stepping down due to job move. So once again we are without a chairman. Two people have been asked to take the position and said no. One because she would not take any crap from the council and has had dealing with pros in the past. The other does not see how he can influence the changes he views need to be made to be successful. He tried it once and was pushed out. I think he was asked out of desperation to have the position filled until the merger

Definitely Older, but do not know how wiser Seriously though, I can tell you from experience and observation over the years, ScoutReach programs are extremely hard to do. As a DE, I tried to start ScoutReach units. I cannot remember how many visits and meetings I went to to try and start ScoutReach units. I do remember the one meeting that NO ONE showed up to, despite repeated calls and visits and being told they were coming. I also remember the one meeting where one young energetic Adult attended, and started off as an ASM with the one ScoutReach unit I was able to start. I left the area and when I came back that same guy was the SM for 3 ScoutReach Troops. But he burned himself out, and there was no one to replace him. All three troops folded when he stepped down. Here are my thoughts. 1) PRAY! It works. 2) How much influence do you have with the SM and the CO? It sounds like you have a vision of what you want, but can you get support to implement it. Especially since you are the ASM? 3) How emphatic are you with the Scouts? You got to have the ability to relate to your Scouts. More later.

My strategy is to identify the current problems at the top of my voice and hope that enough people realize what is going on that it gets fixed. Kinda like what happened with the Churchill Plan. It got leaked, and there was enough outrage that several issues are "paused for consideration" and "are not moving forward with these recommendations," but " we will continue the dialog that prompted the recommendations." Although with National's history of ignoring the rank and file, how long those ideas will not move forward remains to be seen. Making the National LFL director also in charge of Sea Scouts and Venturing looks like it is a matter of time.

That's what I am worried about.

It may get contentious, and folks have strong disagreements on this site. But I do see a great deal of respect from those here. Unfortunately that is not always the case elsewhere.