krikkitbot

Yep, I went back to the pictures and the trailer seems to be a camper.  34' camper will not have the weight of a fairly loaded cargo trailer and will work like a sail in a cross-wind. 

 

Why does a scouter need a huge camper on a scout activity?

Well, It does say he was 78. Maybe he should have had a smaller camper or maybe he should have had a bigger pop-up tent. I feel bad questioning him since he was still giving back to scouting but... I'll leave it at that. 

Maybe and maybe not .  The wind in Texas can be fearsome at times.  

Driving near Philmont a couple of weeks ago my SUV (no trailer) was blown into the left lane. I think you can still see my grip marks on the steering wheel. 

All three meals at the camp we attend involve cooking.  Even with young inexperienced scouts we didn't have a problem.... except for Monday the grilled cheese sandwiches were cheese sandwiches.  Didn't kill them, but they learned a good lesson about not goofing off when they were supposed to be cooking.

Grilled cheese sandwiches would have been fine. I'm talking sloppy joes, meatball subs, raw chicken breasts for tacos, etc.  We have been to other camps where we do patrol cooking. This was just more complex meals at lunch time than usual... and cheese, did I mention the vast supplies of cheese? Some of the boys decided to make grilled cheese sandwiches with the leftover cheese. 

I think the scouts did a good job managing things. There were a few who ran late for some classes because they didn't get things done but I think that was more on the scouts than on the program.

It is a bit of a full schedule. I personally would recommend scouts giving themselves at least one block off so that they can goof off and be kids. That would also help with the cooking and the cleaning. 

Our troop recently returned from Medicine Mountain Scout Ranch in the Black Hills. I had never been there before but I had heard, and read, a lot about it. I was a little leery given what I had heard and read. Here are my impressions:

1. Food: Great selection and quantities. We never ran out of food. The scouts ate until they burst. Lots of protein, lots of vegetables, lots of fruit, and lots of cheese. Seriously, South Dakota must be a dairy state given how much cheese we received for every meal. My only criticism, and this was also expressed by the scouts, was that the lunch meals involved true cooking instead of simple meals like sandwiches. This made lunch kind of a rush to cook and clean before going on to the afternoon activities. 
2. Facilities: New shower houses, flush toilets. This was one of the nicest camps I've ever attended. We were downhill from the Kybo (latrine) and there were no odor issues like at the other scout camps I've attended. 
3. Merit Badges: The scouts really liked their instructors. The majority of the scouts completed the badges that they started. There are a few with additional requirements that will have to complete at home. They had plenty of new canoes. The rifles must be brand new given the groupings the scouts were achieving. The scouts doing the ATV program couldn't wipe the grins of their faces. They had lots of poles to check out and the lake was well stocked. 
4. Adult Activities: This would be the only area that was lacking. There were no adult training opportunities. It seems their council training coordinator had left recently and they didn't have a program. 
5. Staff: Wonderful staff who bent over backwards to help troops have a great time. A major storm came through soaking some troops' gear. They provided loaner tents and sleeping bags. They took clothing to the staff quarters to throw into driers. 
6. Program: Chock full of activities. Best cracker barrels I've seen put on. Great call out ceremony. Just great all around. One thing that I'm on the fence about is the Wednesday off. There is no program on Wednesdays so troops will go to all of the area attractions (Crazy Horse, Mt. Rushmore, Custer State Park, Bear Country, etc.). It is a great opportunity to see the local sights and it comes at a time when most first year campers are starting to get homesick or antsy. It breaks up the routine. It also takes a way some from the opportunity to make up work on merit badges. So there is good and bad there. I still haven't made up my mind about it yet. 

Overall, I would give the camp an A. Scouts had a great time and the adults had a good time. I understand that as recently as a couple of years ago, things were not so good at this camp but it really seems like they've worked hard to make corrections. One thing that would push it to A+ would be training for adults.

If you have been before and didn't like it, give it another shot, you might be surprised. If you've never been, I'd encourage your PLC to consider it in the near future. 

In my troop I see palms as almost a rubber stamp. The kids who have eagled and want palms but are not engaged, show up have a BOR and get their palm. They are not working towards any additional MBs other that the ones they had already completed before getting to Eagle. 

On the other hand, I see a few Eagles who don't care about palms but are there every week still providing leadership. The SM will usually arrange a BOR for them and tell them to go sit for it. It comes as a surprise to them that they are up for a palm. 

I like the second group better because they are still engaged. They got their eagle and now it's about giving back. I don't think that we would lose this group even if they got all of their hardware at once. 

Even amongst eagles you have some that are true leaders and some for whom the rank was a checkmark on their (parents') agendas. 

Congrats! May the odds be ever in your favor!

oh wait, that's a different tap out. 

Our troop has troop tents for the scouts and adults usually provide their own. We seem to be of the philosophy that bigger is better. Heck, if the scoutmaster could, we would have a 15-man tent to put all the scouts under one roof... almost did too. 

I tried to propose that we have small 2-man tents and I was met with major resistance because that could lead to higher instances of inappropriate behavior (read between the lines), so the committee wants nothing smaller than a 4-man tent. 

I should have clarified: big lunky summer camp and Jamboree dining flies, roughly 10x16 or maybe 10x18.

I would say line up the long side with the sun's path. You can use tarps to create walls that you move from side to side. 

Instead of the dorky pants tucked into socks look, some say using flea/tick collars work as sock garters. I just go with cheap dorky so I don't know how well the collars work.

Hey, that was me! What makes you think flea/tick collars around one's ankles are not dorky as well?

Since it's hard to prove a negative, we will never know for sure but I never had a tick as a youth. 

I decided to get a pair of closed toe sandals for summer camp. I opted for KEEN even though Merrell makes something that looks like a running shoe in the front half and a sandal in the back half. I was concerned about having burrs stick to it or pebbles that could not be shaken out. 

I know, I know, sticks and stones... I'm so used to sandals that I have even worn sandals when climbing things up to a 5.7 or so. 

Now to find out who will make a stink out of my "closed toe shoes" first, camp staff or other parents. 

The thread about ticks made me remember, when I was a scout in the South, we used to put dog tick collars around our ankles. Depending on where you are camping, it might not be a bad idea. 

Correct. And showing up to football practice every day is meeting the minumum, but that does not guarantee a starting role or even the right to play.

 

The point being that Scouts is one of the only things I can think of where you can achieve the pinnacle of the program doing just the bare minimum. Even attendance in Scouting is not required, so in effect one could meet the "alternate test" in the GTA for showing activity, complete the bare minimum and still make Eagle. Can't do that in any other program I am aware of.

It's a little more complicated than that, isn't it? Because the bare minimum for Eagle Scout is probably the equivalent of a starter role in a sport. Look at how many kids start scouting that chose to not even do the "bare minimum." If the bare minimum was just showing up, we would all have troops full of eagles. Hell, I'd be an eagle scout too but no such luck. 

True.

 

But a troop that allows a somewhat active Scout to barely complete the minimum set of requirements to become Eagle does not strengthen the Eagle or Scouting brand. Such Scouts are the Scouting equivalent of bench-warmers. They still show up, do the bare minimum and yet still get the ultimate prize...many times with mom or dad bulldozing the way for them.

I remember reading somewhere that one cannot add or subtract from the requirements so doing the bare minimum is meeting the standards set.

 

Then there's the issue of char cloth.  One doesn't need a large can to pull this off.  A small shoe polish can works just as well as does any small seal-tight tin/steel container.

 

I like to use a tin of Altoids with a nail hole punched in the lid. 

Wow, I am running out of popcorn reading this thread. I may need to break open a bag of marshmallows.

Belladona, congratulations to your son. 

Steel wool and a battery. My son amazed non-scout friends by starting a backyard fire with that. One of them tried to pretend that he knew that worked but it was clear he was impressed too. 

I like to carry a film canister (how quaint) filled with cotton balls smeared with vaseline. Those work great too. 

From a scouter perspective, not necessarily scoutmaster. I have seen some parents/sons who are together all the time while at scout activities. I had to recently ask my sons if they feel like I'm around too much or if I give them enough space to do their own things. They both said they feel comfortable with how much space I give them. So that was a comfort. 

To qwaze's point. I think they are both used to being first at the meetings and events and last to leave. 

I'm going to be the voice of doom here.  IMHO, your son doesn't like camping, and IMHO, he shouldn't be an Eagle.  Camping is the centerpiece of Scouting, and having less than 20 nights of camping in a tent or under the stars after being in the program for almost 7 years is unacceptable.  

Judgemental much? How is that any different from the countless Eagle Scouts who got to 20 nights and stopped going camping after earning their camping merit badge? Should they give back their badge if they don't get tp 100 nights by the time they turn 18?

Let this kid get his nights camping. I'm sure he can find a way. Is he OA? Maybe he can Elangomat a couple of weekends and get more nights. Has he gone through NYLT or NAYLE? More opportunities there. 

We are here to help scouts achieve their goals even if their goal is to do the minimum required at the last possible moment. We are not here to throw roadblocks because we deem them less than worthy.

Well, the troop committee decided to call off the event. The DE was trying to take too much control (funds, troops involved) so the committee decided it wasn't worth the effort. Fortunately, we were not counting on this money so all we lost was a few months of planning. 

Our troop has nearly a 1:1 ratio of scouts to adults. I'd like to change that but I can't. SM insists that an adult be at each class that the scouts have. Last year I didn't go because of the high number of parents going. The year before I made sure I was in training classes that were offered by the camp.

This year, I am going because there was the possibility that I would be taking over the troop but that seems less and less likely. I plan on making myself as scarce as possible while at camp since I already paid and there are no refunds but given the high number of adults and all of the adult scouting that goes on. Since I believe in boy-led patrol method and the SM does not, I will probably be seen as an aloof guy who is not interested in working with the scouts.  I'd rather not be there and save my little vacation time for other stuff. 

Let kids be kids, for crying out loud. Scouts in our area are making them themselves. Some they are 3D printing and talking about how they do it. Some others are carving them out of wood. Like all fads, this too shall pass. 

Depending on your weight, it might not worth it. Some folks I know bought a thermarest one and ended up basically sleeping on the ground. Probably about 215# people. 

Has anyone mentioned that it is written one way in one publication and another way in a different publication?

What about that there are 2 clauses, not 3? Just checking.

//I present my horse for sacrifice

Your strategy goes around the requirement that Council approve all independent Unit fund-raising projects

But it is no longer a unit fundraiser. It is a group of friends who happen to love our troop and will do all of this work and give it to the scouts in the troop for their needs. 

That's my idea, anyway. It's either that or drop the whole thing and let the district do it on their own.