InquisitiveScouter

10 minutes ago, Cburkhardt said:

Attending camp, volunteer hours and other “in-kind” contributions are not what I am talking about.

I will never give an unrestricted contribution.  For a myriad of reasons...

But I have given hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars of materials to maintain our camp, which reduces the overall burden on their operating costs, and simply must be included in any intellectually honest discussions about camp properties.

I have also given same to other non-profits in our area, and those efforts are much better received and appreciated than anything done for our council.

17 hours ago, Cburkhardt said:

Ultimately the Board has a fiduciary duty to take actions in the best interests of future Scouts.  Their views may or may not be in alignment with your thoughts. 

Ultimately the Board has a fiduciary duty to take actions in the best interests of the corporation.  The way the system is constructed invariably leads to decisions that have nothing to do with the best interests of future Scouts.

Money before people.

Read the thread.  The code of conduct is the Scout Oath and Law.  The idea is to set expectations and consequences.  Then stick to them.

21 minutes ago, skeptic said:

Many non profits run funding with token gifts for contributing, such as tickets to something or books and so on.  My understanding is that the donation is still tax deductible.  But, not a cpa.  Grey area perhaps?  

 

Only the portion of monies after you subtract the reasonable market value of the product you received.

See page 4.

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p526.pdf

So what is the reasonable market value?  You'd have to make a comparison to a similar product.  $3.00 for a 7 ounce bag in my local grocer. (That's retail.)

So, if @SiouxRanger could itemize, you'd be looking at a $22 donation.

Unless the council deems it a "Token Item" (also page 4)  (what does a 6 oz bag of kettle corn cost the council?)

"Token items. You don't have to reduce your contribution by the value of any benefit you receive if both of the following are true.

1. You receive only a small item or other benefit of token value.

2. The qualified organization correctly determines that the value of the item or benefit you received isn't substantial and informs you that you can deduct your payment in full.

The organization determines whether the value of an item or benefit is substantial by using Revenue Procedures 90-12 and 92–49 and the inflation adjustment in Revenue Procedure 2020-45."

LOL... would love to get rid of the tax code and go Flat Tax!!

1 hour ago, skeptic said:

You made a donstion to Scouting and got a bit of popcorn as a token of appreciation.

 

So that you could not claim it as a tax deduction...

Whenever you see Scouts selling popcorn, just give a donation.  100% of it goes to their unit.

And for games, here is a great resource.  Pick about 10 games your Scouts like, and build your resource box based on that.

https://troopresources.scouting.org/troop-games/

Many have videos that demo how to play the game!!

See main site for lots of other stuff

https://troopresources.scouting.org/

And another:

https://troopleader.scouting.org/

The syllabus linked above was updated.

Here is the current BSA syllabus for ILST:

https://www.scouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/721-07218-ILST-Facil-Training_WEB.pdf

Recommend you follow the syllabus for the first one you do.  After that, modify and adjust content of course.

Thanks for doing this!!

Here is the main page, and you can get Troop Position Description Cards there also.

https://www.scouting.org/training/youth/

5 minutes ago, BAJ said:

I hope that BSA is at least making some substantial money from the gaming companies for promoting their products.  If this event came with a substantial “contribution” that can help address some of the post-bankruptcy financial concerns…. Then….. well….. maybe.

A deal with the devil...

1 hour ago, 5thGenTexan said:

How many times have I told a Scout they can have all sorts of fun without a device.  And now BSA does this?

 

https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2022/09/29/calling-all-gamers-sign-up-for-the-bsa-esports-tournament-series/

Dare you to post this as as a comment on that forum:

Excerpt from a recent review of studies on video gaming:

Neural Basis of Video Gaming: A Systematic Review

Background: Video gaming is an increasingly popular activity in contemporary society, especially among young people, and video games are increasing in popularity not only as a research tool but also as a field of study. Many studies have focused on...

Video game use has been linked with reduced recruitment in the anterior cingulate cortex, associated with proactive cognitive control and possibly related to reduced attentional skills (Bailey et al., 2010). Likewise, exposure to violent content in video games is associated with lower activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, interfering with inhibitory control. The same team (Bailey and West, 2013) observed how video game play had beneficial effects on visuospatial cognition, but in turn had negative effects on social information processing. Lastly, video game exposition has been linked to delayed microstructure development in extensive brain regions and lower verbal IQ (Takeuchi et al., 2016).

Another article: Playing shooter video games damages the brain, study suggests

Playing shooter video games damages the brain, study suggests

Playing “shooter” video games weakens the brains of young people and puts them at greater risk of dementia in later life, new research suggests.

“Playing “shooter” video games weakens the brains of young people and puts them at greater risk of dementia in later life, new research suggests.”

And another: This is Your Child’s Brain on Video Games

This Is Your Child's Brain on Video Games

Video games leave kids revved up, stressed out, and primed for a meltdown.

“It’s not realistic to expect the brain to adapt to intense and artificial stimulation it was never meant to handle. It’s also not realistic to expect a child with still-developing frontal lobe to control their screen-time, whether that means managing how long they play a game, how they use or misuse social media, or how they behave afterward.”

Another article on electronics and effects on our kids:

The Mental Health Crisis is upon the Internet Generation

Three ways that modern internet technologies are tearing our young people apart

And one on limiting the use of social media:

No More FOMO: Limiting Social Media Decreases Loneliness and Depression |...

Introduction: Given the breadth of correlational research linking social media use to worse well-being, we undertook an experimental study to investigate the potential causal role that social media plays in this relationship. Method: After a week of...

And is that all programs?

My crystal ball says yes.  With many double counts.

So... I was on the phone with the Scout office the other day inquiring about an account balance in the store...

A professional gets on the phone and asks me "How many new Scouts do you plan on recruiting this fall?"

"None!" I say. Because, paraphrasing... 'We took on 18 crossovers this year because, for most of them, their traditional Troops have folded.  We gained three Scouts as transfers because their Troops folded (and are awaiting the decision from three more Scouts).  We have four youth newly recruited to Scouts, many driving a good distance because the Troops in their area folded.  We planned and budgeted for 8 crossovers and two new Scouts.  We've exceed our target by 150%!!!  How many units do you plan on starting up this fall?'

"Thanks for the info! See you around!"

LOL

12 hours ago, qwazse said:

For the record, I was speculating that the parent wanted the scout to be isolated. From what in particular? We have no idea. I’ve had more than a few parents who became increasingly worried about who their child was befriending as he/she moved into adolescence. As a parent I’ve had the opposite experience in that kids from outside our local circle actually were the best people I could ever wish to have in my children’s life.

The requirement as worded gives a tremendous amount of latitude. Maybe it does subvert the objective of the lesson. But, maybe for some scouts, a little step can be a big experience.

Considering the parents’ views a little bit more deeply, I can imagine holding a belief that they shouldn’t see anyone as being different. Thus, connecting with someone on the basis that they are different may fly in the face of that.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 200% 😛 

On 9/28/2022 at 9:12 AM, qwazse said:

There’s nothing wrong with aging out as a life scout on your integrity.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 100%

Going there this weekend, as our Scouts love TI!  

Glad you had a great experience.

Cradle of Liberty Council sold the Treasure Island portion (in NJ) of the property to a local businessman for $500K in 2018.  The local businessman allows the Friends of Treasure Island to coordinate FREE Scout camping on weekends outside of Memorial Day - Labor Day.

https://www.friendsoftreasureisland.org/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_Island_Scout_Reservation

If you live within a reasonable drive, sign up for their email blast to get notifications of open campsites.  The reservations go fast, and often a year in advance...

If you are agile, there are often short notice cancellations you could take advantage of.

Enjoy!

For those interested in the history... the Marshall Island portion (in PA) was sold for $1M to the Port of Philadelphia as an environmental credit offset to their pollution.

https://www.philaport.com/marshall-island/

2 hours ago, 1980Scouter said:

The LC that made the video had a link to the agreement form. It said it is mandatory to do FOS, popcorn, flowers and any other fundraiser at the council level. Camping is allowed at other council camps though. including for summer camp.

An unenforceable edict??

3 minutes ago, Armymutt said:

Why would they be learning the skills with younger Scouts?  That sounds like a new scout patrol.  My troop had two patrols, mostly because we had two lines of tables in the chapel hall.  As new Scouts came into the troop they could pick which side of the room to sit on, and that was their patrol.  We had everything from Life Scouts to new Scouts in the same patrol.  It was the job of the older Scouts to teach the younger ones in the patrol.  We operated similarly to the description in the 5th edition of the Scoutmasters Handbook, though with less formality, as it was the early 90s.  The PLs evaluated the skills of their patrol and focused on ensuring everyone was up-to-snuff.  

The gold standard 😛

44 minutes ago, medic077 said:

We have just joined a new Pack with my daughter at the Bear level.  She is the only female in her Den.  I know that the standard requirement is one YPT trained Adult Female over the age of 21 for any activity where a female scout is present.  Is that requirement waived if I am present as her father?  There are other Dens that have more female scouts where it is critical that they have a Female Adult since there are multiple girls in that Den and there are a limited number of willing female adults that the Pack has in a YPT trained role. 

Welcome!

No, it is not. 

But check with your local Scout Executive regarding a "waiver" to policy.  YMMV.

32 minutes ago, qwazse said:

That said, there were some state parks with impertinent neighbors, and we hadn't gained the maturity to know that park rangers are there for those of us who like peace and quiet late in the evening.

Yeah, we just were camping in a PA State park two weekends ago.  Some organization had a father-daughter thing going on about two campsites down.  (Another Troop in between us.)  Friday night, they were hooting and hollering after quiet hours, so I politely asked them to quiet down.  They did for about 5 minutes, and then continued.  (Dads had alcohol, btw...) I called the camp office and left a voicemail.  They had no contact number for Ranger.  I put in my ear plugs, but that wasn't enough.  They finally went to bed about 2 AM.

Next morning, I went to camp office to inquire about a Ranger contact number.  The office said I should call 911 and ask dispatch to send a ranger out.  I questioned this, and they confirmed that is what they wanted done.  I smiled.

When we went back by their campsite, noticed the ground was littered with trash, and coolers and totes overturned.  Apparently, they did not know to secure all foodstuffs.  Bears had ripped into everything.  Schadenfreude.

After we finished our day's activities, we had a discussion with PLC about the situation with neighbors, and now bears who were most likely to come back that evening.  After a wonderful dinner, Dutch Oven dessert contest, and clean up, we packed up and went home.

If they brought alcohol into a State Park (against the law), there's no telling what else might happen.  Best to walk away from that kind of situation.

43 minutes ago, Ojoman said:

This is why a quality district staff including commissioners, trainers and program support volunteers is critical along with solid district/council staff support.

NOOOOOO!!!! This is why a quality UNIT staff including TRAINED and KNOWLEDGABLE volunteers is critical along with solid so that, ultimately, you have no need of district/council staff support.

This should be the gold standard!  Growing up unit volunteers so they do not need commissioners, district, council, national!!!!!

Just now, cmd said:

Troops aren't broken down by rank the way a pack is, so having the necker change wouldn't be as useful as it is for cubs.  It's nice to be able to find at a glance that one kid who has wandered off with his brother's den.

Our pack solved the cost problem of the multiple neckerchiefs by asking parents to donate back any old neckerchiefs and slides they didn't want, then buying enough more to have a complete set.  Now all neckerchiefs are owned by the pack and loaned out for the year.   We always end up short a few slides at the end of the year, but that's a manageable expense for the pack to cover if it lets us shave $20 off the start up cost for new scouts.

 

Hey, do  den activity to make your own slide!!! A few pieces of cut PVC, glue, paint, and googly eyes... whammy!!!  den creative activity and cost savings.  Find some belt loop that counts for!!  Ditch the BSA sliide!!!

Yes, we need a little more rigor in outdoor skills...

11 minutes ago, HashTagScouts said:

The whole intent of the Scouts BSA program is kids teaching kids. If your 12 year old First Class Scout can't teach another 12 year old the Tenderfoot requirements, you may want to re-evaluate what your 12 year First Class Scout learned getting to that rank.   

With a one-and-done scheme of advancement, this is, in fact, what you see now.  Scout skills are dying out.  

Heck, most adults I meet don't know how to do requirements up to First Class.  Most don't even bother reading or learning from the Scout Handbook.  Anymore, few, and very few, are adept at Navigation, First Aid, Swimming and Water Rescue, Plant and Animal ID, basic Citizenship stuff, Wood Tools usage, Ropework & Pioneering, etc. etc. etc...  it is disheartening...

5 minutes ago, mrjohns2 said:

I thought I just read about this. From the national “advancement news” newsletter. I knew there was a should in there. Check it out. It “should” clear this up for you that the signature isn’t a firm requirement, but is part of the process. 
 

“GTA topic 7.0.0.3 states in part that “before working with a coun- selor or attending a group or virtual merit badge opportunity, a Scout should meet with his or her unit leader.” While this does not mean the merit badge will be denied if they do not, it does mean that, if at all possible, the Scout and scoutmaster should discuss in advance the merit badge and the presentation envi- ronment (in-person/online, group/individual, etc.). ”

https://www.scouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/PUB-doc-JUL-AUG-2022-June-29.pdf

And from the same newsletter...

"Each interaction with a registered adult is an opportunity for personal growth and learning on the part of the Scout. It is through this interaction and association with adults—the conversations, the counseling, the instruction and learning experiences—that mission-oriented Scouting takes place. (GTA 7.0.0.2) Shortcutting this process in the interest of efficiency robs the Scout of the opportunity to grow, which is the heart of the merit badge program."

Emphasis added.

Spirit of the law, rather than the letter...

1 hour ago, mrjohns2 said:

Please cite the source. I believe it says “should” not “shall”. So, maybe the must is just in your mind, but not part of the program. 

Guide to Advancement, Section 7 (emphasis added)

"Since blue cards support the merit badge process as it is intended to function, the Guide to Advancement continues to reference and recommend them. It is expected that when blue cards are not used, advancement administrators at all levels will find ways to carry on the processes, interactions, documentation, and other nuances that make the process such a critical element in BSA mission achievement."

"The blue card has three parts: the “Application for Merit Badge” portion, the “Applicant’s Record,” and the “Counselor’s Record.” It requires a total of four signatures—two each from the unit leader and a merit badge counselor. The unit leader signs first on the front of the Application for Merit Badge portion and gives the entire blue card to the Scout. Each signature represents interaction with a registered adult. It is through this interaction and association with adults— the conversations, the counseling, the instruction and learning experiences—that mission-oriented Scouting takes place. This association must occur even if blue cards are not used."

10 minutes ago, SiouxRanger said:

My recollection is that the Scoutmaster's signature represents the SM's acknowledgment that the Scout is mature enough(and has the required rank)  to work the selected merit badge.

Used to be that way.  Old blue cards said "approval" as well, iirc.  Nowadays, it is simply a discussion betwixt Scout and Unit Leader, with the signature acknowledging that the conversation occurred and an MBC contact was provided.  A Unit Leader cannot deny the opportunity to a Scout.

21 hours ago, mrjohns2 said:

Having the unit leader signature before starting isn't a must, it is a should. I guess it would be nice if it enforced it, but again, it isn't a showstopper. 

Correction... not a must before starting!  A Scout can start working on any merit badge at any time.  However, he cannot meet with a counselor until after having the discussion with the unit leader.  That is the "must" and the "showstopper."

If a Scout comes to me with no blue card, and says everything is being tracked in Scoutbook, I check the unit leader signature block in SB.  If it is not checked, then the merit badge session is on hold until I verify with the unit leader.  If the until leader gives me a verbal acknowledgement, then we continue, and I ask the unit leader to put the date in Scoutbook.