drmbear

I've seen pictures of all the cars with modified wheel locations, lengthening the wheel base, shaping the wheels, etc. Even on the national level, these cars compete in an Open Division, a kinda no rules kind of competition. To compete with all the boys in the pack, we use the same rules that are required to compete at the district or council level. No moving axle locations, parts from the box, only wheel modification removing seams or burrs, 5oz., etc. That's the way it should be, something any of the boys in the pack can do, puts everyone on the same playing field. Of course run an open

For everything that really needs to be maintained at the pack level, why not just use the Online Advancement, which is the way they are going for reporting to councils and national. The link is at MyScouting.org. If you can get it updated and correct, it will go a long way toward helping keep your boy's records straight.

I have the supplex nylon shirt, and I think it is great. I still have some of my original normal cotton/polyester blend shirts from years ago, and I definitely prefer the Supplex for durrability and use regardless of the activity. A few of our leaders purchased other versions of the shirts, and I don't even think they look right. For me, the supplex switchbacks are a great pants, again regardless of the activity. I can wear these things on the trail or at meetings. I can wear them as shorts or long pants. My brother has been complaining a lot about the most recent versions because th

Our elementary school has boys all the way through fifth grade - why would we think we have to separate them? Cub Scouts is run as a den program anyway. Tigers actually DO Cub Scouting with other Tigers. Bears DO Cub Scouts with Bears. Webelos DO Cub Scouts with other Webelos. We just get together as a pack for ONE monthly meeting for recognition, craziness and fun. I'm usually using the Webelos to support pack activities, since they should have a little more experience, to help kick off anything new or different. Doesn't a Scout troop also count on the older boys, who actually know stu

At the end of the school year, we alway do a "bridging" in the woods behind the school where we meet for ALL the boys in the pack to move into their new rank. They get their new neckerchiefs and slides, if there are still advancements made they are awarded at that time. On occasion we've also had flag retirements (burning) at this ceremony as well. It is a really special time to end the school year and kick off the summer program with the boys in their "new" dens. We also have a boy that registered as a Web2 just this year, is in 5th grade, and actually won't even turn eleven until next Oc

My first Boy Scout camp experience was at Camp Pipsico (Lions) in Surry, VA, 1974 - 1975. I went to Philmont in 1976. We moved over to Camp Pipsico (Kiwanis) in 1976 (I believe), after which Camp Pipsico was closed for a while because of the toxin Kepone in the James River and no pool or alternatives for waterfront activities. We then went to Camp Brady Saunders in VA for a year, then a couple of years at Chickahominey near Williamsburg, VA. In 1996 I went with a crew up to Maine and went down the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. I'm promoting with our Webelos to go to Pipsico again

Proud, I like what you had to say here. I'm a Cubmaster that started out really not knowing anything about Cub Scouts about a two years ago. On the other hand, I really know everything about working the patrol method. As a youth, I was Senior Patrol Leader and ran our council's week long Troop Leadership Training Course for three years in a row, working both to teach leadership skills and model ideal Scouting in the patrol method. Of course the best part about being a Cub leader is that I get to be in a position as an adult that I actually got to do as a SPL. Who knows, even when I w

You can do your own research, but it really is a horrible idea to use Ziploc-type bags for cooking. Here's one of the articles from Outdoors magazine: "Toxic Ziploc Omelet Procedure Published on February 24, 2008 by Joseph Parish in Outdoors A while ago it was the rage to make omelets in a Zip-Lock bag. Here are the reasons it isnt such a good idea. In several of my previous articles I have highly praised all the various benefits associated with the popular Zip-lock storage bags. These points commending the zip-locks usefulness are still valid however several readers of my

What would you do in this situation if the young woman was 19 and engaged to be married? Or already married? She could still be part of the crew up to 21, correct? Is there a value in what we do in Scouting that goes beyond whether she is pregnant or not?

About the only place I see value in this training is with parents and leaders that essentially have no real camping or backpacking experience. The place where there is an abundance of that is in Cub Scouts, where I even have leaders that have very little or no experience in camping. I know I will get absolutely no value out of the OWL/IOLS that I'll do in April just to say I've done it as I move into being a Webelos leader, as I know without hesitation that I have far more outdoor and camping experience than most anyone in our district. In a Cub Scout Setting, though, where the adult leader

I would make sure they have their pocket knife (so long as they have their Whittling Chip). An essential survival component.

I would do what we always called "Boy Scout Eggs." Tear a hole in the center of the pieces of bread, about 2" across. Place 2 pieces of the bread in the hot buttered frying pan and crack the eggs in the holes. Flip when they are halfway through to cook the other side. Serve with syrup, if you like. Quick, easy, and less mess than trying to do regular French toast, though essentially the same thing. My son, at eight, already knows how to cook these at home.

I see Scouters out without neckerchiefs fairly regularly, but I can honestly say that I do not feel I am in uniform until I put on my neckerchief. I wouldn't go out without it.

If you really want to see the significance and importance of the things we've done in this country to reduce our impact on our environment, all you need to do is spend some time travelling and camping in some other countries around the world. I've now been camping and hiking in the Altai Region of south central Siberia several times, most recently this past summer for eight days. Each of these trips has been with my wife's family and friends, so it is not just my own actions that affect me. Some of the most amazing wilderness, forest, and more, that I've ever seen is there, comparable t

By summer, I'm transitioning to a Webelos Leader. All I see as I look to what we will be doing for the next year and a half is a really cool opportunity to get into a whole lot of fun. We can camp, get out to local trails, Scouting events, and other places, create adventures, build things, and get into all sorts of trouble that boys like to get into. I think I'm going to be finding ways to send these boys home dirty, if you get what I mean. It just sounds like a blast to me, removing a lot of the restrictions and controls that we've had as a Wolf and Bear. We'll still need parent involvem

We are all associated with "BOY" Scouts, are we not? I've found that one of the ways boys and men interact is to give each other a hard time, particularly if they like each other. I don't know if it is all a test or some other strange freak of nature. It doesn't tend to work as well when interacting with women. My son is only eight, and he gets it. We now regularly tease and give each other a hard time when we are playing, and we know we are playing. We don't do that with mom, at least not in the ame way. It is strange that as we get comfortable with using this forum, in the normal Scou

I agree with you, NJCubScouter, and I think that was the point I was trying to make. I was saying that it is nonsense that there are folks that are wanting to remove TJ's name from the district because he once owned slaves. For all he did to insure tolerance and freedom, it is rediculous anyone would want to knock him. And I'm saying that as a graduate of THE University! (of Virginia)

I've also heard said that Roundtable is supposed to be the perfect example of a Pack Meeting (for the Cub Scouts)in general form. The first requirement of a Pack Meeting is that it is fun. The second requirement is that everyone gets involved in some way. The only difference is that we're targeting adult Scouters rather than 8YO boys, and there is some general information we're trying to get across, but it should be worthwhile in helping us do our jobs better.

Make it worthwhile for folks to attend. If it is boring or they only are getting information they can download themselves, then of course no one will attend. Is it really worthwhile, and does it make their jobs easier if they attend regularly? If not, communicate by email and don't waste your time holding them.

At our church service yesterday, the talk was about Thomas Jefferson and his religious freedom principles that ended up as part of our Bill of Rights. I guess there is some talk about removing Thomas Jefferson's name from our district name because of his slave-holding legacy or some such nonsense. Anyway, it made me think of some of the principles that I personally picked up, beginning with my time in Scouting as a youth. In religion and in politics it seems we seek to find ways to divide rather than bring together. In Scouting, I learned that we should strive to find ways to bring people

We did this last spring. We also had tenst already set up and fully equipped, had them setting up tents (it's fun to just have the tent rolled up and in it's bag, tell the boys we need to come up with some shelter, let them figure out(with a little prodding) what to do, until they get it to set up the tent - and let them work together as a den to get it set up - a real challenge for them), we had them involved in cooking things outside(at the school)- hot dogs & s'mores, we included a Kim's Game with various camping and hiking pocket items at one station, and then we had another station

Although I like the idea of the bag omelets, when researching this last year I found some not so pleasant issues with using typical plastic bags for cooking. Ziploc and other storage bags are designed for storage, not cooking, and there are toxins produced when you use them for cooking. Do your own research, though.

I absolutely see no place whatsoever for Coleman type lanterns while out camping, whether Scout camping or even campground family camping. I've even felt the urge to destroy them when someone is using them, though I've never acted on that urge. Why go out camping if you are just going to make it as bright as the indoors? When family camping I've used a small kerosene wick lantern, and I even have one of the small candle lanterns I use for Scout camping, but I like most this small LED lantern/flashlight that is amazing. In nine months of using this thing regularly, I haven't had to change t

At my Woodbadge final night, I brought my DO to make a simple cobbler. In the fire circle, I made a big pile of charcoal, and when the fixings were in the DO I put a good pile of the charcoal on top and set the DO on top of a good pile of hot coals as well. Thirty minutes later, just as we finished dinner, the cobbler was ready and perfect. I even had a leftover piece in a plastic container that ended up in the cooler and taken home that my wife ate and loved - now she's demanding I make them at home!! One of the other patrols was sharing the fire ring, and they were also attempting a

I picked up a nice red fleece jacket, warm, fits right, easily washable, works wet or dry. Exactly the same color as the old wool jacket I had as a kid. I picked up one of the oval jacket patches at the Scout shop, sewed it on, and I'm good to go. I even sewed on my Philmont Bull. I like wearing this a whole lot more than the wool jacket that needed dry cleaning if I leaned against something. Anyone that has seen it just assumes it is a Scout jacket, and it is because I made it one.