HashTagScouts

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.

Virtually nothing has changed since last year- the troops are separate units. There is a troop 123B and a troop 123G. Linked troops are an option that streamlines the administration for a Chartering Organization for the Committee only. The BSA implemented the rule that each unit must have their own SM, and it can not be the same person for both units to emphasize that they are two units at the program level. We don't have the side of the story for your Committee to know if they are reacting to "something changed" today, or if it has been an ongoing discussion. I can only offer that I had

It most definitely would apply. With the concerns on mosquito's and zika virus this past fall, we gave all newly elected candidates an additional one year to complete their Ordeal, so that they did not have to feel forced to attend our September Ordeal weekend.

First and foremost, the necker was a tool, and it was taught that it served purpose as a sling for first aid. The standard BSA neckers sold by NS are smaller than they are in many other parts of the world. For most teens, and especially adults, it would be unusable for that. I am solidly behind letting the necker be of a larger size, and wearing it in the fashion that many other scouts around the world wear it.

Agreed the numbers in general were likely inflated. Our council definitely counted an individual in a troop and a crew and/or ship as two (three0 individuals in the year end membership numbers in the past.

After 7 years as adult, I still chalk it up at every outing I am going to get at best 1-2 hours of sleep on Friday. I was pretty much the same way as a kid too. By Saturday I am exhausted enough to sleep from midnight to 6-7 pretty soundly. Put me in a cabin with other people though, and I ain't sleeping until I am home- every rustle of people rolling over, coughing, etc. and I am wide awake.

Scoutbook is just one, of several, ways to record info and have it feed to the official advancement database. Troopmaster also synchs through Internet Advancement to do that. Being Scoutbook is now owned by BSA, and it is free to use, I can appreciate why so many see it as "official". We generally have a "no phone" policy at our meetings and outings, so the kids are generally getting rank requirements signed off in their HB. I think our unit is about average, that 75% of the youth have even linked themselves in SB. As far as how many actually access it beyond that first time- probab

Our council charges an annual activity fee of $30 to each youth registered, which gives the unit weekend tenting at our 3 council camps at "no cost". They charge out-of-council units $65/weekend. Other councils in our area charge between $35-$75/weekend.

I agree with @walk in the woods - this sounds like two friends getting together, not a Scouting event. I would not step in.

So much for living the Scout Law... a Scout being thrifty and all. You make $400k a year- if you want your spouse to travel with you, you pay for it. Many execs of Fortune 100 companies fly coach. I will miss a grand total of zero of them.

Council registrar would be my suggestion, but not sure of your council org structure (some leave this function to the DE). Short of that Field Director if you have one, otherwise go direct to the SE.

I am myself disappointed that there is no statement, no video of a "fireside chat", or anything from the leadership group. These horrific things happened, and without taking blame, there most definitely should be an acknowledgement that there are victims out there and that the organization shares a heartfelt regret that any child has been taken advantage of- in or out of Scouting. Rebuilding the image starts now- we can't wait for the end of a court case for it.

My son was in a troop that believed that patrols were formed at the time of crossover, and the membership in the patrol only changed if a new kid joined that wasn't previously in cubs, or came from another troop. So, all your first year kids were a patrol, and they stayed in that patrol until they aged out, or left Scouting. Patrols were also never merged... so, if after 4 years, only 3 of the original 9 were left, then they were just a patrol of three. The SM also kept them all together, so in your example if 16 kids crossed over, they became a patrol of 16. The problems in the philosophy

Eagle1993 is pointing out that if the settlement is at the low end, National is going to be faced with liquidating every asset they posses (and that is what the lawyers are seeking to do). Costs will be trimmed, but how long can they survive with no $ on hand? Sure, staff will likely be reduced for the short term, but if what we want to see is membership grow, eventually you have to add staff again, and pay them. More revenue will eventually be needed, especially if you are potentially cutting off income source from Philmont, Sea Base, etc. So, either they will eventually have to increase m