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Eagle1993

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Posts posted by Eagle1993

  1. Volunteers are the life blood of the program.  Too often, the same volunteers are asked for more and more support over and over.  If you look who has the least free time to volunteer, it is parents.  They are busy working to earn enough money to support their family, save for retirement, pay off mortgages and college loans etc.  They are also the ones who typically coach their kids little league games and serve as unit leaders. 

    Councils should focus on past scouts (18-30 year olds) and empty nest past scouters (55+) for the core of district/council leadership.  Instead, I am typically called multiple times a year to volunteer for district positions.  I simply cannot dedicate enough time.  I mentioned the idea of using NESA lists and was told that wasn't a great option.

     

    • Upvote 3
  2. For BSA sake and the sake of the victims of abuse, I hope this plan can remain intact.  However, I still struggle seeing bankruptcy abused in various ways (shell companies being created by J&J or non debtors like the Slackers avoiding the full weight of their horrible actions).  

    I think it is clearly time the SC weighs in on non debtor releases.  They continue to expand.  Given the courts conservative leaning, one could guess that they may not agree as Congress has never authorized non debtor releases (outside of asbestos) and it is clearly not in the constitution.  However, this is not a typical right vs left issue so who knows where the 9 members will fall.  This could make some odd bedfellows.

    I really hope the plan remains intact. If it doesn't, I see a decade of council and charter org lawsuits and bankruptcy with primarily lawyers getting rich.

  3. 1 hour ago, sierracharliescouter said:

    Pretty amazing statement to have to say about a scouting organization.

    I'd say there is a lot of blame to go around. As far as BSA is concerned, if I had the responsibility of sending 600 people to go camping in a foreign country, I'd like to think I'd have been asking more pressing questions ahead of sending the contingent. NCAP exists for a reason. It should be policy that when sending a contingent NCAP standards are compared to the event standards, and decisions can be made about what "good enough" would be, since holding World to US NCAP standards can reasonably be judged as too stringent.

    I have to wonder if there were any real written "standards" for this event.

    Fully agree. YPT barriers to abuse are not international, if the setup prevents those barriers then BSA should have identified that early. Just one of many examples.  

  4. A bit more info from FB:

    From Jeness Woodard #1

    This is a WOSM event and monies went to them, not BSA. Further, MANY other contingents are leaving, the issue is logistics. The US is extending their contract with the bus company previously used, which is why we are able to leave. This also takes time. 1200 people just cannot be moved in an instant, even if we would like them to. Also, whether or not you are having fun depends on the attitude of the leader toward the problem. The issue is not the having fun, it is safety, health, medical care, and lack of food. This would, frankly, be a health emergency in the US and be shut down. And it would still take time to get everyone off site. And others are correct, this is like a summer camp and it would not be judicious of a leader to keep a kid in this type of situation. Watch the recording from this morning's parent video, it has way more info. But for reference, statistically they were expecting 500-600 people in the medical tents daily, there has been 5000-10000 and they cannot track your kids if they go to a hospital.

    reasons we have to go: heat, not enough shade - too little, too late. proper storage of food. started at 600 calories of food, getting better - not enough. deplorable sanitation issues. would be a health emergency if it was in the US. YPT issues. weather - typhoon bands are coming. don't believe site can handle it. more torrential rain on Sun and Mon. clear we had to leave based on safety

    medical 5000-10000 patients in medical daily. predicted was about 500. Cannot provide enough care. specialist referrals not happening. Americans going to hospitals cannot be tracked. Health of ALL participants is at high risk. Our own medical folks cannot manage the needs without assistance

    Monday, depart base. neverland and lego store. Tuesday, baseball game. Wednesday, on base culture day, including water games, bounce house, snow cones, movies on site. Thursday off base- Suan fortress. Led special performance. Live viewing of the closing ceremony - virtual. Down time - use stuff on site. Hot meal in morning and evening. to go meals at lunch. reached out to other contingents to see if they are local and want to interac

    Sleeping in middle school gymnasiums, organized by unit, separated by gender, bathrooms too. not restricted this time and greater flexibility on base. Scouts proved to base that they can behave. bringing in games. schedule will be posted.

    quarantine for Covid did not exist because of change in gov't policy change. US kid came w/ Covid. Nowhere on site to house sick. US team told them quarantine in tent is not ok and quarantine site reopened. no rapid flu test because it is not flu season in Korea (is in other places). again, plan is to put person in their tent to quarantine. There are other, in my opinion, diseases folks bring - like TB, so no quarantine for those either

    medical care on base is being billed to insurance, like it would be if taken to urgent care or ER. Pulled out - UK (4000 scouts), US, many others are leaving and working on logisticsother groups are asking if they can come on our military base as well. that has to go through the embassy and the state department.

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  5. I've seen mixed updates on FB by some who are present.  Complaints about lack of shade options, lack of water, lack of facilities (4 toilets for 200+), kids putting drinking hoses down their pants to keep cool, no garbage service, etc.  Also, reports that some of the doctors in the hospital supporting the camp have collapsed due to exhaustion.

    However, it appears not all sub camps are that bad and some want to stay. Some parents have said their kids told them it wasn't too bad and they want to stay.

    Tough call to make and given how much money was spent, I hope BSA finds a way to compensate. 

    It sounds like South Korea wasn't ready to host something this large.

  6. Posted to FB:

    The following was shared with all of the National Service Territories earlier today (31 July); I have been busy with other recovery tasks to fully read and vet the information provided. 

    ------------

     

    "from the BSA Volunteer Training Team

    **Changes to Cub Scout Pack Overnight Camping**

     

    Effective Sept. 1, 2023, Cub Scout packs who are conducting their own overnight camping activity may now camp up to two consecutive nights. 

     

    Cub Scout packs who are conducting their own overnight camping activities must continue to have at least one registered adult leader who is trained in Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO), oversees the planning, and is in attendance for the pack campout. 

     

    This updated policy also applies to Webelos and Arrow of Light dens who may conduct den-coordinated campouts. The policy will be updated in the Guide to Safe Scouting and other resources on Sept. 1. An updated version of the BALOO training will also be released at this time.

     

    ACTION: Reminder, Cub Scout camping is limited to their council’s designated locations with appropriate facilities. As councils prepare to communicate this change to their local packs, now is the time for the council to review the approved Cub Scout pack overnight sites and make any necessary updates. 

     

    As this announcement is communicated to your packs, it is important to ensure that your council’s list of approved pack overnight camping locations is easily accessible from your website and is included in your communications. For additional information regarding Cub Scout camping, including required youth protection policies, please review the Guide to Safe Scouting."

     

    (Mike Walton/Settummanque)

    • Thanks 3
  7. Cub Scout fees should be lower.  I don't see how you recruit many new scouts when those parents are looking at:

    $140 Council Fee

    $80 National Registration

    $25 New Scout Fee

    $15 Scouts Life

    $xx Pack Fee

    $75 Uniform/Book

    Total $335+ to join an organization to build a pinewood derby car, run around a room a few times a month and visit a local police station.

    • Upvote 4
  8. 6 hours ago, Owls_are_cool said:

    Hypothetical...If I am selling Scouts BSA to a prospective scout, would bringing up this merit badge increase or decrease the chances of them joining the program?

    It could help if they bring up anti inclusions stances BSA has had in the past; However, I don't think it sells the program at all.  I have never had no seen the need for it come up with prospective scouts.

    • Upvote 2
  9. 1 hour ago, mrjohns2 said:

    My wife just re-uped my middle daughter’s troop.
     

    Scout: $25/scout national dues, $5 local. 
    Adult: $25 only 

    Which is what should be used as BSA's comparison vs travel baseball.  

    I'll also mention that my GSUSA troop never charged for outings (including hotel rooms, camp sites, etc.). 

    Also, not one call about FOS. 

    • Upvote 1
  10. My camp appears to have less attendees than previous years.  Bad news as one of the bigger camps in the state closed, so attedance should be up.

    1,749 total scouts & adults are registered over 6 weeks of camp, averaging 292 per week with 130 Troops (average 13.5 scouts/adults per Troop)

    Pareto of Troop size (including adults) below.  Just 22% of Troops are at least 20 scouts & adults

     

    0?ui=2&ik=df476fb6c4&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-f:1769144836004634221&th=188d43dae245de6d&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ_K1kbCbDzIwffHIdNrDMVzpctc0AditfBoUrMAUm84YyDbF8KEcdWZDbeedSy-m1tXJbji80KBdPiwzmcbwEdedywTOehtxo6qI9bEcMyMBURY7J7B9QgGXKo&disp=emb

  11. 2 hours ago, mrjohns2 said:

    One would have thought they would have been working on the plan when not in court and would have unleashed this at the meeting. Instead, they unleashed the fee increases. 😞

    I expect they do have a plan, but it sounds like they didn't make it public in NAM.  We have seen some snippets during the bankruptcy hearing, and those snippets were from late 2021.  Anyone with any competence would have a detailed plan ready to save BSA.  I was hoping they would release it during NAM but based on what has come out, nothing was really released.

    If those were the top 15 items at NAM, I'm happy I didn't attend.

    • Upvote 2
  12. 20 minutes ago, HashTagScouts said:

    Would love to be privy to whatever that master plan suggested is. Can't imagine that someone you are paying to come up with that plan is only going to suggest things that are little/no cost or that can be done only with volunteer labor. 

    Supposedly they received over $6M for the camp sale so have ~$3M to spend on this camp.  The camp has very few cabins, toilets, a small dining hall and is very underdeveloped.  

    Definitely hope they listen to local scouters.  When I talked with the council leadership, they emphasized they want to ensure they have good plans before adding anything.  We will see...

    • Upvote 1
  13. Indian Mounds Reservation was sold to a NA Tribe.... Probably the best buyer of the land.

     

     

    Dear Scout Leaders:

     

    Earlier today, the Trustees of the Milwaukee Boy Scout Fund completed the sale of Indian Mound Scout Reservation (IMR) to the Forest County Potawatomi Community. The camp sale follows Three Harbors Council’s decision to end camp operations at IMR last fall. This difficult decision was reached following a comprehensive review of our two camps while taking into consideration the significant contribution of $3.685 million requested from our council to support the Settlement Trust, a compensation fund for survivors of abuse in Scouting, established through the BSA’s financial restructuring process. Selling the camp was a necessary and important step as we support survivors of abuse and ensure that we are in the best position to serve youth and families in southeastern Wisconsin for many years to come. 

     

    Following the board’s decision, the Trustees of the Milwaukee Boy Scout Fund, who owned the camp, entertained multiple offers to purchase IMR. The property went under contract at the asking price in the fall, and following a due diligence period, the sale closed on June 1st. The buyers are still determining the future usage of the property. The property is zoned as “Institutional” and therefore the current permitted usage is restricted to camps, parks, schools, hospitals, or similar uses. 

     

    The proceeds from the camp sale will be invested in the Milwaukee Boy Scout Fund, a separate Trust that serves as the council’s endowment fund, providing annual support for Scouting operations. The sale proceeds will allow the Trust to recoup the $3,075,000 it provided to Three Harbors Council as a special grant to assist in the council’s contribution to the Settlement Fund. At the discretion of the Trustees and pending the completion of a new camp master plan, funds from the sale of IMR may be made available for future investment in Camp Oh-Da-Ko-Ta.

     

    While we are pleased to have the sale completed, today is also a time to reflect on Indian Mound Scout Reservation’s legacy. The camp was founded in 1917 on the shores of Silver Lake near Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. IMR served thousands of Scouts throughout its 105-year history. We are truly grateful to the Scouting volunteers, donors, and community leaders who donated their time, talent, and treasure to support the program at IMR. The camp had an incredibly positive, lifelong impact on Scouts, leaders, and families across our council. 

     

    As we move forward, the Council’s focus will be on strengthening camp facilities and programs offered at Camp Oh-Da-Ko-Ta, located on Dyer Lake near Burlington, Wisconsin. Past Council President, Dr. R. Scott Pierce, is chairing a committee of camp volunteers charged with developing a new master plan for Camp Oh-Da-Ko-Ta. The council has hired Domokur Architects, a national leader in camp planning, to help guide the master plan process, and opportunities for Scout leader input will be shared in the coming months.

     

    Please reach out to Camping@ThreeHarborsScouting.org with any questions about the camp sale. Any inquiries from local news media should be directed to Scout Executive Andrew Hardin.

     

    Thank you for your continued support of Scouting in Three Harbors Council.

     

    In Scouting,

     

    Kimberly Kane

    Council President Andrew Hardin

    Scout Executive

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