PACAN

The no swimming required in "being deferred" for what could be years.    Still 4 and 6 months from 1st to Life and at least 6 more months before a scout is even eligible to Eagle.  Haven't seen or heard of a 6 month Life having their EBOR since the 11 year old in California.

As said...a little effort can get all of these deferrals done on time.

https://ocscouts.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Scouts-BSA-COVID19-Updates-20200826.pdf

This is evidently official.    So you can make Life Scout without being able to demonstrate you can swim 25 FEET.

No one is even has to try to program.  It took us a 2 minute call to a pool to get our guys to do their rank and MB requirements and another creek float trip to do the boating ones.

The camping one is silly...unless you are only virtually camping in your backyard you can get 2 of these done.

These types of stories are so cool.  Post as many as you can find.

I'll see if I can find the 1920s story about a troop who did a fundraiser collecting rats for their town.

Charlie Brown's injury was attributed to Covid-19.

I am stunned and in awe of the Churchill project.   Do nothing hard.  Punt on the major decisions.  The three priority items are ones that should have already been done as a part of regular business practices.

Sorry about those folks affected but I'm not sure any of us should be surprised by this.   By the numbers of lost just youth membership (of about 1/3)  and at $60 pp that is around $30M+ in lost revenue paid directly to National.    

We have also seen large scale staff reductions at the council levels and a few mergers folks have listed on this forum. 

My understanding is that the National Directors of Sea Scouts, Ventures and STEM were axed.  So what does that tell us about the future of these programs?

@Eagle94-A1

Once you realize that you are not your council's customer, they are yours it will come clear to you.

Their web site shows they have 4 camps in the council.  Don't know anything about any of them but the 35% reduction in youth takes the total youth to right at 2000.   Hard to see how they can maintain that many properties. 

@mashmaster 

What does the National Commodore think or know the true membership of the Sea Scouts is?

Again...how many are post 18? 

Are the over 18 primary registration Ventures?

What is the need or ramifications of the Sea Scouts not being attached to the BSA?

Thanks for any info he is willing to provide.

The capping of Sea Scouts, Ventures, OA at 18 is an interesting discussion.

Sea Scouts...there are less than 2000 in the program..any idea of the numbers of 18 and under youth.    The old Air Scouts program is now really the Civil Air Patrol.   The Sea Scouts could be the same under the USCG.  Does being under the BSA banner really do anything for them?

Ventures..there are less than 22000 in the program..same question.  Use to be over 260000. 

OA...since once elected to the OA you are a member for as long as you keep your registration and dues current does it matter where the youth/adult cut off is.   The senior regional leadership all wear Eagle Scout knots and all over 18. 

Just wondering out loud on a friday.

@David CO

There are certainly scouting professionals that leave a lot to be desired.  The Peter Principle applies in many cases at the SE level.   This happens in lots of organizations including Congress for sure.  There are many issues with professional scouters.  One I've seen over and over is zero training in Customer Service and how to trust volunteers to do jobs.    "No you can't collect the $5.00 fee for the Pinewood Derby...I have to sit here for 4 hours writing out $5 receipts to the 50 scouts who are here".    The Executive Boards are neutered either by design or they just give up.

Council or Unit Assets Upon Dissolution Consistent with the Bylaws, in the event of the dissolution of a council or the revocation or lapse of its charter, the Executive Committee may, at its option, authorize the National Council to assume charge of the affairs of the council and continue operation pending reorganization or re-establishment of the council or wind up the business of the council. All funds and property in the possession or control of such council must be applied to the payment of the council’s obligations. Any surplus funds or property may thereafter be administered as deemed to be in the best interest of Scouting. In the event of the dissolution of a unit or the revocation or lapse of its charter, unit funds and assets must be used to first satisfy any outstanding unit obligations. Any remaining assets obtained with funds raised in the name of Scouting must be redeployed for Scouting use in the local area. Any assets obtained with funds from the chartered organization or parents of registered members may be redeployed as agreed upon by the chartered organization and local council. Any property or funds acquired by the National Council upon the dissolution of a Scouting unit or local council will be administered so as to make effective, as far as possible, the intentions and wishes of the donors.

@CynicalScouter PM me

One standard might be total youth served...after the significant membership losses in which all councils were affected,  there are 75 councils with less than 2000 youth and 29 of these less than 1000 and as low as 200. 

5 hours ago, RememberSchiff said:

Whatever minimum you want but allow units to select their council service center. Councils become market driven to meet that minimum and service to customers (units) improves.

Community strip (from back in the day) or CO patch replaces Council patch.

My $0.02,

Been saying this for years....Allow units to go to the best provider.   The franchise model we are locked into has failed.

I forgot JTE Gold is all we need!!🤣

Trying to find the LEAD part in this consultant produced PLAN.

Members of this forum could do better than this but the folk in Texas wouldn't like what we came up with.  

Are there no minimum standards now?   

Citizenship in the community (7c) requires 8 hours of service that requires the scout to do the volunteer work for the charitable organization the scout has researched as part of the first two requirements of number 7.  This requirement is not intended for random service projects in multiple areas.   The rank service requirements are better suited for those.

On 7/1/2020 at 3:19 PM, carebear3895 said:

Ah, the ole "phone book" method. My SE told me stories about the old days. Makes you wonder if Scouting truly ever was as big as the old records show. 

This program still exists today...now called scout reach and/or urban scouting.  😉

What are your thoughts about councils running Virtual Summer camps which are really MB events ?

Prices?   I've heard of $5 up to $25 per badge .  Also seen where they charge for Totem Chip and Fireman Chits and early scout skills.

A few other evening events such as a campfire and OA socials.

So what happened with this ?