CA_Scouter

We keep a spreadsheet of campout attendance and also list the main activity and/or significant events that occur.

We average 24-30 nights a year.

We have a couple of scouts over 100 nights. We just applied for the awards for the first time but haven't received them yet.

We've done patrol cooking competitions in the past but the patrols get to decide the entire menu individually. Scoutmasters are judges and we considered nutritional value, taste, presentation, etc. in our judging.

As I recall, we had a smoked trout dish, a beef stroganoff and something else I can't recall at the moment. The Beef Stroganoff won but not by much.

Winning patrol had all their cleanup done by the other patrols.

This last weekend, myself and one of my ASM's was invited to a surprise birthday party for one of my scouts. ( He's 19 and is helping out as a part time ASM between school assignments/when he can ). This scout was one whom I had some very significant discipline problems back when he was 15 resulting in a suspension from the troop for 3 months. However, he rebounded, became SPL, and earned his Eagle ( he turned in his paperwork 2 days before he turned 18, causing much of the gray in my beard ).

His girlfriend invited us. I'm just tickled as all heck that he would speak highly enough of us that his girlfriend felt that we should be there to join in the celebration. Besides his parents, we were the only 2 other adults in attendance with a bunch of 18/19 year olds.

To quote Barry, I love this Scouting Stuff!

Echoing SSScout point #2. Now that you are a scout it is GUARANTEED to rain on your outings!

Now THAT'S funny!

Perhaps they refused to participate because the Rose Parade discriminates against carnations.

"The trouble is most scouts come in with only the basics of cooking skills. Getting a patrol of 5-6 scouts to cook meals in a backpackers cookset just didn't work out for us. The scouts also were not ready to change their eating habits and pick Cuscus over noddles. Pancakes are almost always on at least on patrol's menu and getting twenty pancakes out of a six inch backpacker's pan takes about an hour. "

Gentle, non-threatening, non-judgemental comment:

Yes, low on the cooking skills but that when you teach 'em. Teach 'em to do more with less, to open their minds to new ideas, foods, etc... There is a wealth of information on great one-pot backpack meals that are easy to prepare and VERY tasty.

We don't cook breakfast on backpack trips. We heat water only ( oatmeal, coffee, hotchoc ) so we can do a quick cleanup and get on our way. The idea is to be out there on the trail, climbing mountains, fishing, etc.. we DO make a big deal out of dinner though.

Just, ahem... food for thought... ;-)

Group water container - don't need it, just refill everyone's water bottles... ( nothing extra to carry )

Stove - We have Coleman Powermax stoves - 2 per patrol - butane/propane fuel bottle mixture, got these rather than other canister type stoves because they sit closer to the ground and are more stable

Cook Kit - nada - REI has a 4 qt aluminum pot for about $12 bucks w or w/o teflon... they usually burn thru one of these a year or two but so what, its only $12 bucks. We adjust to one pot meals ( 2 if you bring both stoves )

Lantern - naaa... headlamps

Saw - what for? LNT principles mandate small fires ( if any at all ), should be able to build a large enough fire with twigs no bigger than an inch or so...

Dining fly - well, this is California and its actually against the law to rain out here in the summer. ;-) We don't need 'em.

Hope this helps.

AMEN Beav!

We have a lightweight stove, a pot, a water filter and first aid kit for each patrol. That's about it. Fits in a grocery bag.

Yea, we still have remnants from the previous administration - 2 burner coleman stoves, 5 gallon propane cylinders, lanterns, dutch ovens - and we'll occasionally pull them out for the annual family camp - but in general we are lightweight and Leave No Trace oriented.

Anyone can do 'seige' camping. IMHO - You bring too much gear and you are removing yourself from the outdoor experience. Yes, it takes more effort and isn't quite as cozy, but...... so what? ;-)

Yea, similar situation for me.. son aged out this summer and big promotion at work is taking a lot of my time ( why does work always get in the way of the important things? ), nevertheless I'm signed on until Jan 2011 and working on the succession trail. I've got a really good ASM in mind and a new CM moving up with his son, so I think we'll be covered ok.

Though we haven't had as much success as GWD, we've managed to get the troop mostly boy run. ( Actually I've found that its the ADULTS who need the training in this area, not so much the scouts. ) More work to do in this next year.

I too am sad, but Mrs. CA_Scouter has given her support for me to continue perhaps as a Committee member and to attend the outings I choose. She's been wonderfully supportive all these years ( she's the Troop Chaplain this year ) but now that we are empty nesters I owe her a little more time.

Yes, obviously. However, where in the world did you come up with the idea that the kid was smoking pot? ( He's not smoking pot btw... he is drinking a lot of di-hydrogen oxide, but again, that's not the point of this post).

I was approached by a new Mom this week who asked me about 'mentoring' or 'big brother' programs within the BSA. She indicated her son has recently become more withdrawn, having some trouble in school, etc.

I'm pretty sure I know the reasons why this occuring as the kid has had some big changes in his family life recently, however that's not the point of this post.

I'd like to know if the BSA has any programs/instructions/training etc to address behavioral or emotional issues with kids. I hit scouting.org and did some searches but am not coming up with much. Any advice?

I would submit that its not just the scout that has issues, but the parent(s) as well. Echoing SSScout to some degree, how have the parent(s) been involved with these issues and how the pack has dealt with them? If no involvement, then there is your main issue and the Scoutmaster should be told. If there is involvement then that's a good sign and again the Scoutmaster should be brought into the loop so there is continuity with the parent(s).

re: "A boy might enjoy seeing another get the blame for something, but what does that indicate?" Ding! Ding! Ding! Red Flag! Trouble on the horizen, 'shields up, Scotty!' That's what it indicates. I had one of those kids.. I told him that I was going to hold him responsible for his actions and that I expected good behavior from him... then he hit another scout, that scout hit him back, and he came to me complaining about being hit back. I told him because he instigated the action that he was responsible for the response. He had a fit, called Mama to pick him up and quit 2 weeks later.

Ya, if I had my druthers ( and my families the $$ ) , we'd be doing more than one outdoor activity a month, but don't tell Mrs CA_Scouter I said that! ;-)

Hey M,

Are you implying that if a public school has a club for theists and another club for atheists that its now ok for the public school to have a club for theists?

I wonder if having a club for atheists that requires a statement of atheism discriminates against theists.

I think I'm 'eisted out. Gnite.

IMHO - The actions as described are certainly worthy of a National Certificate of Merit.

Forgive me, I'm thinking that the victim's family also feels the same way and based on what I read in your post you are pushing for more than anyone is willing to give and you are upset that they aren't in agreement with you.

This statement also raises a flag: "In effect he lied about it and now no one wants to admit to the truth of it". So its a conspiracy against you now?

It also kinda reads like you are pushing for an award for your son. Mebbe I'm wrong though.

re-reading my response, it looks more harsh than I intended it to be....

Apologies. It struck a nerve because I had a similar situation that I was not able to resolve successfully so I'm perhaps a bit frustrated. I hate to lose a scout... ;-(

Yar. A brat say I. Reminds of the kid we had who got all pushed out of shape because he hit another kid and the other kid had the audacity to hit him back! I told him that he was responsible for the incident then he had a fit and Mommy had to come pick him up. I was not going to make accomodations for him, so good riddance say I.

Based on what's been reported, I would make no accomodations for his brattiness. He learned this behavior from SOMEWHERE, eh? Trying to get attention from his genious PHD parent who doesn't spend enough time with him ( ohh, did I say that, um... shame on me!)

Word of advice. GROW UP! ( said to the parent, not the kid )

Guess I'm not in a conciliatory mood tonight.....

Congratulations! To BOTH Scout and Mentor!

Yo. Been there. I had one scout turn in his paperwork on a Friday and turn 18 on a Sunday.

I'm sure you'll be as proud of #10 as #1!

Pack: haven't set official dates yet, but likley last week of July or the first week of August.

Ken: Ya, heard about the restrooms. Lysol is on the list now!

Meet us there!

The troop is considering backpacking in Glacier National Park next summer. We are planing on taking the train from Sacramento thru Portland to Glacier, due to lower transporatino costs and baggage fees charged by the airlines.

Any tips/tricks/experiences you've had either in Glacier or traveling via train you'd be willing to share?

( things like transporting the stoves, fuel, bear spray etc we already have a handle on, btw )

Why?

Cause they really like us, I suppose.

We're all good friends both in and outside of Scouting.

Two Fridays ago myself, 2 ASM's ( including this guy ) went to see Ronnie Montrose ( there I've dated myself ). Woohoo what a blast.

Sctdad,

All I would have to do is to ask him.

Calico,

yea, I hear ya. We've been out there several times over the years, this is a short 3miler introductory hike for our newer scouts, the 'active' zone is another coupla miles up the trail but yes, we've got some of those orange hats...

We have a backpack trip scheduled for later this month. One of my ASM's wants to take his son and go deer hunting while we are out there. Hunt during the day, spend the evening with the troop.

My reaction is to tell him no, that its a scout outing ( I know there are BSA rules about this, no need to state the obvious ). Taking his kid away from the troop doesn't bode well for the patrol method, teamwork, yada yada. If he wants to go hunting then do it separately from the troop.

So if he goes separately, he may still want to spend the night either with us or nearby, but then he'll have firearms in camp.

Comments? Advice?

( please don't criticize my ASM, he is VERY active and a great asset to the troop )

Oh yea Brent. Let's take the rank away. Let's not focus on their accomplishment, let's focus on their pants.

woohoo