cristipdx

I have been involved in scouting, venturing, and now sea scouts for over 20 years. All arguments for and against new units start and end with district volunteers and professionals serving youth. It doesn't matter how many units or how many adults or how much FOS is done... if you lose sight of why you are there, you'll get hung up on the minutae that will kill your interest in keeping it moving. When we got mixed up in the council issues and district goals, we lost sight of the purpose: YOUTH! Our sea scout ship is the largest in our council, second largest in the area. It began f

In my opinion, Venturing truly _is_ Scouting but on steroids, so to speak. It's built on a leadership team that develops and runs program, same as a patrol leaders council. It's built on outdoor/specialty program, same as a troop. It's got the emphasis on a crew, which is the same as a patrol, and if the crew (or ship) is big enough, it typically breaks down into patrol sized groups. In a ship, traditional program is built around rank advancement, just like in a troop. In a Venturing crew, it's based on experiences, and if it's done well, the advancement/awards program happens witho

Specialized Venturing Commissioners would be great for serving Venturing units, however, as Commissioners, we need to make sure we understand all program opportunities in order to help bridge the gaps. Yes, Venturing is a unique and misunderstood program, however, separating it away from the more traditional programs we have grown to know so well will only help to further understanding and growth. The three units I spent the last seven years with have been exploring (then venturing crew) that specialized as a high school competition snowboard team, a venturing crew chartered by a r

The Venturing Leaders Manual is a step by step written for YOUTH primarily and adults secondarily. Almost all materials from the Venturing division are written for teens first. Most Venturing units do not have the resources to purchase several copies of manuals, handbooks, etc. They spend their money on program. The Sea Scout manual does not serve to provide all the answers and support material for the program. It's a small fortune for a skipper (like me!) to own and keep the resources necessary to support my ship! I rely on professional mariners and avid boaters to assist in

Ok, I'm gonna pipe up here. Point of reference for those that don't know me: i'm a dedicated scouter with 20+ years experience in all phases of BSA and GSUSA. Today, my most active role is that of a Sea Scout Skipper... now, don't discount me based on that statement. For those that know me, they can vouch for my next statement --> I run a Venturing program through the Sea Scout arm! It's an amazing mix of resources that no one should miss! Outstanding opportunities exist here. Ok, about what Venturing Is and Isn't: Put what you "know" about Scouting aside an

This is an outstanding fundraiser! Think of it like this: You order a bouquet of roses, and pay for delivery. Nice feelings all around (until you get the bill!) Roses get delivered and enjoyed for a few days, then off to the compost pile. Wouldn't it be nice to share the roses with someone else? So, you get 20 pink flamingos delivered with a note from us that says: "You've been flocked!" with an entry telling you who the sender is. There are many options going along with this gift: You can choose to forward migration instructions for someone else (or the sender) to rece