HashTagScouts

Trying to setup video conferencing with many folks in nursing homes or rehab hospitals would probably be difficult- big question if the residents have the technology. Less from an individual "service hours" perspective, but from a group service project, nursing homes and rehab hospitals might be able to setup a smart-TV in a central location (i.e. dining room) that the residents may be able to gather, and you do a group conference with your unit over Zoom, and have the kids take turns sharing pictures they have drawn about what they most are looking forward to doing once the stay-at-home rest

Correct- the day they turn 18, they should have YPT and submit adult app with background check authorization. They are an adult at that point.

Considering 1/2 million retail workers from many various companies were put on furlough this week, I would say that anyone who isn't essential right now from National Supply straight on through the National office will also be furloughed.

That was my take as well. it's like they are arguing with themselves.

The likely scenario for some areas is it will come down to local authority as well. Here in MA, we've had some statewide mandates, but the Governor has given local health agents some flexibility for modification on what is "essential". Some towns/cities have closed parks, others have not. The state has closed some public parks, but not all. There is the other potential that our camps might be able to open, but with some modifications. Local Board of Health could allow the camp to open but require X # of sinks with hot water to maintain handwashing protocols for example.

Disposal is beginning to become an issue in my area. Local news and newspapers are ripe with reporting on people leaving used gloves and masks in shopping carts, or discarding in parking lots.

Our position for the past two weeks was to give everyone a break as we adjust to our new realities, whether it parents working from home that have not ever done that, to schools being relegated to online, etc. We let scouting not be on their priority list at this point, just gave them encouragement that if they had partials they could work on, they can feel free to do so. Going into next week, we will have a virtual meeting, but mostly for the scouts and/or parents to socialize for a bit, and ask questions on who the right person to help them with X MB is, which of our older scouts is availa

Agreed. The practicality of trying to keep them distanced and not touching each others items doesn't seem realistic. New York right now is an extreme, but it is the model that will likely be necessary in many other places, at any given time. Our understandings of this virus are changing by the minute, and secondary outbreaks are going to be the concern going forward.

Please do not go forward with this. The loss of scouting activities is hard on many of us, but the right thing to do is stay at home and social distance as much as possible. Areas like NY are now employing extreme social distancing- "groups" no larger than 2, maintaining 10 feet distance whenever possible. We are in for months of this, especially as more people do not comply. An activity such as what your SM is considering would require sterilizing rake or shovel handles between users, wearing masks, etc. Then there is the other aspect that for everyone to get there, that likely means usin

That is a good idea to hold off on payments. Camps/Councils are going to likely delay any ordering/invoice payment as much as possible until they feel very certain events will take place, so continue on with the discussion and the sign-ups, but money should not be the priority right now. Having family and friends in Florida, I know the situation there may not be quite on the same timeline as other parts of the US, and it could change very much very soon. Stay safe.

The biggest headaches to the process, for me at least, are: 1) the "online re-chartering" was/is nothing more than a form generator, that I have to print and obtain signatures on. In other words, it might save me some ink in my pen, but it still requires a lot of typing and clicking and so doesn't save me any real time. 2) the biggest one- the processes today assume that the COR and/or IH is daily involved (or at least regularly involved) in the scouting units business. I feel we've established enough through other threads that this is quite often not the case, and it is the challe

It would be unfortunate for some that they had the double whammy. I hold my fingers crossed that we are not all going to be locked indoors through the summer. If we are, I am hopeful that these kids are going to be so bent on finally being outdoors when this is over that we are going to have them begging to go camping every weekend as long as the weather holds out!

Have you seen the news reports of all the college students who have still showed up in Florida for Spring Break? At some point, major scaling back of services like the USPS, FedEx etc. may have to happen to alleviate the spread from one area to another. While in many areas restaurants are "take out only", that doesn't end the prospect of transmission, it just lessens it. Like I say, until a vaccine is developed, this will run a long course until humankind develops an immunity to this naturally.

Based on the number of yahoo college students that are still spending Spring Break in Florida, I think the situation there is going to grow exponentially in the next week. We all need to start putting our contingency plans together with a reality that life is not going back to normal for several months, and it may get even more restricted for a while during that time. Until a vaccine is developed, there will continue to be flares of this virus in places until our bodies naturally develop an immunity.

I'm fully expecting that this is going to happen here in the US very soon. Flattening the curve is the only way we can deal with this virus. Unless a vaccine can be found and put into mass production, it is going continue to be a pandemic for several months. Keep safe.

As much I feel strongly that kids gain more in terms of bonding out of spending a week each summer with their patrol/troop members than they do from a handful of weekend campouts, I also appreciate that for some kids it just isn't a possibility. For some it may be about $, for others it just may be they have other activities that are important to them that they set summer aside for (working at a local Y or town day camp, for example). Based on our council membership #, and the numbers we know came to our council camp (and throwing in all the staff members, though some are over 18 and no

MA schools are closed through the first week of April, but friends that our teachers and administrators are all telling me that it is expected that a deal will be reached to extend that. The teachers unions will want some assurances for their members to be considered, etc. Our camps had not been at 100% capacity last year, so I could theoretically see a point in April where it may be announced that the summer camp season will be reduced to the final 3 weeks only and units that normally attend the first 3 weeks will get squeezed into the later. Here's hoping that by mid-July this is still a p

While I respect that changing is unsettling, especially with the work and expense that has gone into existing regalia. Iroquois regalia does give a lot of pretty awesome options though. Chris from the Wandering Bull has lineage from Iroquois, so you'll find some really great ideas from his website. Wampum beading, gustoweh's, etc. Our Lodge Chief did speak with contacts from Region/National when this February update was released- it was not intended to wipe away the release from last year, but was to emphasize for those who have resisted that they do need to change their regalia to

Curious to what others think: should IH/COR's have access to this database? I would say the intent right now is that new applicants will be screened by the Council office to the National database, but, what is the timeframe for that to occur? Say you have an adult approach the unit to become a volunteer. They hang around the unit meeting, then fill out an application. The unit submits the application say a week later to Council, and Council takes a week to screen it. Conceivably the unit has had this person around the youth for two weeks before you get any notification that this person is p

I would say all the facts were not laid bare is a good way to put it. The original cost estimates to build the place were way off, and the BSA had put way too much stock into donations being received that had never been guaranteed. I hate to disparage the place, especially never having been there, but what they offer looks to be things our scouts can get here in New England (and I would say that is true for most of the US- there are some fantastic mountains, rivers, and zip lines elsewhere, with many guide outfits ready to work with you). If we were to think about rolling out of New E

While National and/or Council can't control unit activities, I think it is a good idea that we all consult our local and/or state public health statements. If the local officials are asking folks to avoid gatherings over a certain size, I would say it is best to not ruffle their feathers. Not worth staining your units reputation with your local community.

At the time of the release on details of "Scouts BSA", infographics like this were released: https://i9peu1ikn3a16vg4e45rqi17-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Family-Scouting_Infographic_v11.pdf As I recall National didn't put out a whole heck of a lot materials and left it up to councils to create their own. Our council put something similar to the one linked below, but I did not save it: Unfortunately, it was these council created items that ticked GSUSA off and brought about the lawsuit, and the BSA branding guides about how to refer to female BSA scouts. h

similar notice for us, but only through the end of March, with re-evaluation to come for possible extension. I've suggested to the units they should think about having at least one virtual meeting before the end of the month, just to check in with each other and think about planning for April. Not sure what they will do, but I'd rather pay for a month of Webex that try and get Skype overloaded with too many users on at once.

https://i9peu1ikn3a16vg4e45rqi17-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Family-Scouting-Program-Update.pdf https://i9peu1ikn3a16vg4e45rqi17-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/UPDATED-Family-Scouting-FAQ-2-11-191.pdf "BSA is single gender – all girl troops or all boy troops. Chartered organizations may choose to have an all boy troop and all girl troop “linked” with a common adult volunteer troop committee." Zero mention of a common youth leadership... https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/familyscouting/pdf/Program-for-Older-Girl-Update-and-FAQ-

Just, why? Let the two SPLs discuss plans and make decisions for themselves who will be the primary leader for the events. Handcuff yourself and the other adults from stepping into this. It is their choices to make for their units.