InquisitiveScouter

@DuctTape for National Commissioner! Totally agree. Well, I'd go a bit further and say use boiling water as a "sterilizer".

Ask you for more money and treat you like dirt?

I had this "discussion" with Michael Johnson some years back (2018). I still have the email... my question was about MBCs attending an event over 72 hours (back when that rule was in place). My question was this: Given the following: 1. BSA requires registration for MBC's in order to complete a background check 2. The state of PA also requires a PA State Police Criminal Record check, a PA Department of Human Services Child Abuse History check, and an Affidavit of Residence Over 10 Years in the State (or an FBI Fingerprint Check if not in PA 10 years or more) 3.

This one baffles me. Except from the COR standpoint. That is, your COR has an absolute say over who participates in their Scouting program. But, if you clear it with your COR, then I don't see the issue.

Our solution: have adults in the unit register as the counselor for as many MBs as they . Then, have Scouts invite "guest" instructors in when you are having that piece of program. When complete, you sign off the reqs as MBC. This still does not quite meet the "Adult Association" method you were talking about... having the Scout learn to make arrangements for a MB with a new person. (Because we usually do these in small group settings, so only one Scout is making the guest arrangements.) Also, I have talked with several leaders in other units who say they just invite the "guests"

I think BSA does not really know what side their bread is buttered on. IMO, fewer adult volunteers will only mean fewer Scouts for the membership rolls.

BTF Chlor Tabs https://www.webstaurantstore.com/national-chemicals-inc-13002-btf-chlor-tab-bar-glass-sanitizer-tablet-100-count/99913002A.html We have a volunteer who runs a restaurant supply... he gets them wholesale, and donates when needed. Check with your local restaurant supply... they might sell them at cost to a Scout Troop. One tablet per wash basin of rinse water, marked to two gallons, which gives more than 100 ppm minimum for recommended (depends on which source you use) chlorine concentration. I think the bottle says 1 tab per 2 1/2 gal water gives 100 ppm. Sc

Ahhh... I see how I got things crossed up for you... @DannyG mentioned Steramine specifically.... so I was responding to that. And yes @T2Eagle, Steramine is a quaternary ammonium product, so do not use with chlorine bleach. We bring bleach tablets. Apologize for the disorganized thoughts...

Word of advice... Use one or the other in your Troop kit... never bring both. You are asking for trouble if Scouts mix bleach tablets with ammonia products. Ever hear of chloramine?? https://www.healthline.com/health/bleach-and-ammonia

Be advised, with either tablets or liquid bleach, you must make sure you are using it in accordance with the label. For example, this product, Evolve, available at WalMart, https://www.evolveproducts.com/product/evolve-ultra-concentrated-bleach-tablets-32-count/ specifically says, "NOT FOR SANITIZATION OR DISINFECTION" Steramine, however, https://www.sanitize.com/products/ says "For Sanitizing Food Contact Surfaces" Do your homework... Also, make sure you are using a product consistent with the manufacturers instructions. With liquid bleach, for example, a

Washing dishes and washing hands... two of the most difficult habits to inculcate in youth AND ADULTS!! I could tell you horror stories of military units in the field who didn't do these properly, either.

I can confirm they were recalled by National. Three different supply shop managers confirmed this. And, you could not order one from scoutstuff.org until within the last few days. The current picture posted at scoutstuff is the same as old medal... except old medal stock number was 610646. There is a new stock number now. https://www.scoutshop.org/national-medal-for-outdoor-achievement-award-660210.html Has anyone ordered one of the new, to see what change was made, if any? If they did not make any changes, then it begs the question, why was it recalled, and unavailable

It isn't necessarily about your fitness. It's about others having to haul you out of a remote location if you are injured.

Not a legal responsibility, but a moral one.

What is the optimum speed in knots for that smack from a nautical implement? 😜

Get a Special Power of Attorney... many are free to download. Or, just find an example for your state on the interweb thingy... Get parent signature notarized. Two copies. One for you, one for unit. Bob's your uncle... Might save you a headache down the road. Here's a free one... so they say... https://www.rocketlawyer.com/sem/power-of-attorney-for-child

I am so sorry... In my haste, I completely excluded the paramount result: more kids were abused!! Please forgive my oversight.

This is the real crux of the issue. BSA executives, at the time, knew they had a problem within the organization, but did not make a clarion call for policies to intervene. They chose to keep the trends they were seeing private, and protect the image and posterity of the organization, rather than take aggressive action to protect the children under their umbrella. The IVF files, then, became the double-edged sword. While it was a method for excluding perpetrators, it was a mechanism to keep the trends "in house", instead of bringing them into the light of day. Their fear was that by b

Yes, I think this will lead to a little more isolation of Scouting from the community at large. We have several MBCs locally that have nothing to do with Scouting other than being a MBC. We do have a few parents who signed up to counsel who are now dropping, after their kid finished Eagle. At least they counseled several other Scouts on the badges the were signed up for, instead of only for their own kid. Still think the optics on that will be really bad if word gets around, but it won't come from me 😜

What is the purpose of the community bike event? Was it to raise money to support environmental efforts in the community? These things are often a judgement call on the part of the leader approving the service. Or, better yet, take it to the PLC. Happy Scouting!

The Chartering Organizations are embedded in their local community. They agree to use the Scouting program as part of their outreach in their community. They also agree to provide support for the Troop, and be voting members of the council. They are supposed to be the ones vetting leaders for the Scouting units they own. Many did not, and many do not, take these responsibilities seriously. https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/04-113.pdf

Point by point: 1. This is unusual. What is the reasoning behind the request? What is the problem they are trying to solve with this? Does the CO wish to monitor the emails? What if the Key 3 get these email addresses and still keep using their personal addresses for "unit correspondence"? Does the CO really want to read the hundreds of emails that go around amongst the Key 3? - My gut says no, but only for this reason: The COR is the "trusted agent" of the CO. It is the COR's job to keep the CO informed of what is going on with the unit. The COR acts as a filter between the

That's the piece that kills it... If this new organization signs a Charter Agreement with the Council, and acts as the CO, then no. Well, at least not without some coordination with council. Para II.A.4. of Chartering Agreement states the CO must "Refrain from soliciting financial support except as authorized for the benefit of the Unit or the Local Council." https://www.scouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Annual-Charter-Agreement-Charter-Organizations_Short-Version_8.26.2022.pdf So, the "as authorized" part there (I believe) means you'd have to follow all the BSA Unit Mon

??? You mean more than $25??