thrifty

We're in Ohio! Thanks for the input everyone. I'll slap together a 'good enough' kit from what we have in the cars and house. We have more than most people. Borrowing the troop kit is not an option. He has no interest in awards but I'm aware of the National Outdoor Award Metal. He already has several of the requirements done without any intent towards the award but its unlikely he'll do the Backpacking MB.

My son is taking wilderness first aid in a few weeks. He wants to do this for his own knowledge, he's not doing any high adventure. He has to bring a wilderness first aid kit with him. I'm wondering what he will do with it in class and how thorough it needs to be? Will he be using his supplies in the class? We've got several first aid kits and I could combine them and probably make a decent size kit, more than enough gauze and misc. but he wouldn't have things like a tourniquet. The class isn't cheap. I don't really want to go out and buy a bunch of expensive stuff we are likely to neve

Our SM would never accept a BC that had the original class crossed out. He signed the card based on the original scout request for the BC. The intent is not to scratch it out and then do whatever you want (unless this has something to do with a scout being signed up for a specific class and then being forced to take a different one because of cancellation or similar).

Saw this today. The 2020 Explorers Law Enforcement National conference is being held at Summit Bechtel. This event is usually held at a college campus and alternates between east and west coast. https://www.exploring.org/nleec-experience/ This will be the first year that my son will be able to attend if his post goes so I don't have any prior experience to compare it to. We have been to Summit. I think that Summit may offer opportunities that the explorers may not have gotten in the past such as shotgun or climbing. I wonder how much the explorers will get to do these activities wit

I recommend getting scouts opinion on type of tents, they will be the ones using them. Our committee is in charge of funds to prevent overspending or misallocation. SM is in charge of the scouts. Our QMs have never been very good because of lack of training. No Equip. Coord.. Usually SM tells committee the scouts need tents. Budget would have been set aside for general equipment wear and tear replacement, usually enough to cover several tents or misc each year but even better if its not needed. SM says we need 3 tents, treasurer says ok we budgeted enough to cover those but any othe

WTH $70 for a yearbook? My wife is asleep or I'd be asking her right now what she paid for my son's. First thing tomorrow, I'm going to find out. I cant believe for a moment that she would pay anywhere near that amount and if she did, it wont happen again. What could possibly make a year book cost that much?

For your leftovers; in our area, one of the thrift store chains, Savers, has a fundraiser option. See link. The committee talked about doing this but never got it off the ground so I don't have any experience. https://fundrive.savers.com/ Easter Seals in our area also has some kind of 'fill a truck' fundraiser where everyone fills a cargo truck with goods and its weighed and they are given funds. I don't think most groups actually fill the truck full, just with whatever they can. You could plan and combine what you already have, if it meets their rules, and also put out a

Love this! We have a few different thrift stores in the area that I enjoy going to and I've found over 40 uniforms in the past three years. 2 or 3 that still had tags on them. takes time to get the badge magic off but not too important if someone is sewing new patches on top of it. I wonder what will happen to the majority of the LDS uniforms of the scouts that quit?

That's how some do it in our area. The counselors also determine how many scouts they are willing to instruct and what pre-reqs need done prior to the class.

Here's a link from another council that has posted a letter from National. https://www.jerseyshorescouts.org/nationalbsaletter?fbclid=IwAR2ck1uu2m-6KzrrBL3BMnELMBq4_4mEiiiwRWx950hAn6dDCTQ5X7KyRTA

This was posted to council facebook page 10 minutes ago. "I want to make you aware that late yesterday we were informed that the National Council, Boy Scouts of America, is considering a fee increase for 2020. While the fee increase would be effective beginning this recharter process, unfortunately, the amount of any increase will not be known until approximately November 1, 2019. We recognize the timing on this likely fee increase creates challenges as units have already begun communicating and collecting fees ...for their 2020 registration renewal process. As soon as we know more,

I realized my question might not have a simple answer but didn't intend for it to go so far off topic. I will just accept that GSUSA probably doesn't want to be involved with World Organization of the Scout Movement. I'm just curious about the dynamics of these various groups and how it all fits together. Seems like the GSUSA would fit well with the more liberal point of view I've been seeing from European scouts on Facebook for the past year. My family was only at WSJ on Sat. but we had a great time. No complaints for our one day. Arrival and departure were easy and everyone was nice

I wondered about this. I saw posts about Girl Guides being as WSJ and that is the equivalent of GSUSA correct? That's the whole reason for qwazse's comment. Can anyone explain to me the relationship, if any, between GSUSA and WS? I like all of qwazse's other ideas.

At least several people did try to take the tent with stakes and poles as a carry on because there was a warning not to do this posted on the WSJ Facebook page after some people had to leave their tents behind.

can't comment on Jack Links but I bought one of each variety Country Meats from a local troop and thought they were disgusting. Would not buy again but probably a good fundraiser b/c it's only $1.

Our troop does them and I don't care for them. As a PL, my son had several interactions with scouts that could not afford pants that would quickly be outgrown, over priced socks or a belt that would be worn once a week for an hour. He'd tell them to be as prepared as they could and that's what they did. But when the SM has everyone line up by patrol like a military drill and the PL's check off boxes on the uniform sheet, all that does is bring attention to the fact that some scouts did not have the entire uniform. Well guess what, those scouts aren't with the troop anymore. I was the only

I don't like it when labels are thrown around. Unless someone is familiar with the troop and scouts, it's impossible to know what the personality of a specific troop is like. Maybe the scouts are motivated and having so much fun that Eagle comes naturally. That being said, I know many adults, including leaders, who believe that Eagle should be the end result of scouting. SM told my son that the MB he wanted to do wasn't important because it wasn't an Eagle. I agree with DuctTape and he said it better then I could.

I could talk about this topic all day if given the chance. Lots of negative opinions about this type of activity from scouters, doesn't matter if it is in this forum or many other places. My son has been to a lot of these all over the state because he has a desire to do so and I see it as a learning opportunity. Learning not only the MB but also how people, scouting and regions of our state are different. We've had nothing but great experiences. Every complaint I've read about these events, I have also witnessed at summer camps and even in our own troop. Adults will either take the

does the troop ask that a specific woggle be used? if not, some creativity could turn it into one.

I was at a wake tonight. It was very informal, I was probably the only person in a suit and maybe one of eight that had a tie on. Most were in t-shirts and jeans because that's what they own and no one expected anything else. The wife and son told me later that someone actually wore pajama pants. The three of us agreed that maybe that was crossing a line even for this easy going family situation. But at least she came to honor the deceased and that is more important. I hate the JC Penny sketch just because I've seen it more than any other skit. There have been scouts in underwear an

The Velcro I buy at Joann Fabric has adhesive on the back of both parts. No sewing required. That adhesive has never come off the uniform or the patches even after several years. Soft side goes on the uniform, plastic goes on the patch. It can also be pealed off the uniform but will leave a residue. The residue can also be removed with a lot of work but there will always be a discoloration on that area of the uniform.

I try to always refer to the scouts as such when in their presence. I usually call them boys if I'm at home and they can't hear me. I've known many of them as cubs and I didn't call them cubs at that time but I try to be a little more respectful as they are older. Same with the girls now. in March my son was leading the campfire program and said Boy Scouts during his presentation. He was quickly corrected that it was now Scouts BSA by an ASM that is also participating in our girl troop. There were no girls at this campout. My son said it didn't bother him. I wasn't there but hearin

My Life scout has 44 MBs from all over the state and I can tell you that each counselor will do things differently. It can be frustrating sometimes but it's not the scout's fault and I don't think it's the scout's responsibility to demand a blue card is filled out in a certain manner as long as the counselor signature and the date it was completed are included or in this case noted that requirement #4 still needs done. Was the counselor info filled out? Your example is odd. Usually when my son had a partial, the counselors put initials on the requirements he's done and leave the counselor

I joined an international scouting facebook page months ago because I was curious and because international scouting is constantly used as an example of why girls should be in the BSA and why it will work. I have a lot of good and bad opinions about what has been posted on that page. I just read a comment a few days ago and wish I would have kept a screen shot. It didn't originate because of any co-ed argument but was just a UK leader's nonchalant comment about her group. I am paraphrasing but she said something to the effect of "I'm glad that scouting is coed, the girls are the first to v

we are going for just Saturday. Got a room, so driving down the night before. I believe visitors are kicked out at 5pm so we'll just drive home then. I just want my son to have a chance to experience WSJ without spending thousands of dollars so the one day should be enough. We've never been to the Summit either so it's two birds with one stone. He obviously won't get that summer camp type experience but we're getting what we paid for. I'm wondering if there will be any opportunity to trade with other scouts during the day while we are there. Visitors aren't allowed in the campi