Big_Dog 10 Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 It seems we hear so much negative lately! From Councils having to sell camps, United Way organizations dropping Scouting, San Diego and Philly jumping on us, enrollment down, so on and so on. It's time to share good news. One year ago, this District was in pretty bad shape. We now have a DE who works his rear off and the district is starting to get the volunteers to run it like it should. (new round table commissioner) Had the best roundtable last month I've been to. New cub leaders starting to show up. We met at a council camp in a bldg that volunteers had just remodeled, it was great. Troop is now 8 months old. We started with 7 lads, now have 14 registered. 4 leaders going to SM fundamentals in a few weeks. JLT coming up. Our CO just Monday gave us a building for a new scout hut. Excitement high here in the heart of Texas. The Pack in our town wasn't dead, but the heartbeat was very faint! Now have a full committee of people excited about a program that can involve the whole family. Quote from one parent: "We don't have to sit on a sideline, the family can be involved!" Pack committee is committed to doubling the size of the pack next year. Now it's your turn, share with us good things you see happening! YiS BD Link to post Share on other sites
eisely 13 Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 After missing a summer because of lack of volunteer support, our district will have a cub scout day camp this coming summer. Link to post Share on other sites
evmori 11 Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 I just saved a ton on my car insurance! Link to post Share on other sites
Laurie 10 Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 I just posted what I consider to be good news on the following thread about adding to existing program: http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=53296 There's plenty more too. And just for the record, Cradle of Liberty (with one office in Philly) is delivering some awesome programs. The Valley Forge Pilgrimage is this coming Saturday, and a small group from our pack is going and getting very excited about it! We just began planning our district day camp, and it's shaping up to look like a lot of fun--again. The council camps are adding programs, and in meeting with the camp directors during Powwow, it looks like the already awesome camp programs are getting better still. Ed, LOL! Link to post Share on other sites
dan 10 Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 Last weekend winterall had 720 participants! JLTC first meeting last weekend, 22 scouts showed up for staff, 6 more due for the next meeting in March. The 3 SPLs really did a great job with the meeting. 42 new scouts are joining the troop! (lets save the issues of this for another discussion) Going to Double H ranch in July! Troop going to Philmont in 2005, 1st time in 7 years. The new email register worked for us where the phone call in did not! Scouts are getting the new SM trained! and vice of versa! The new parents are starting to wear the committee down a little bit to see both sides of the issues! Link to post Share on other sites
dsteele 20 Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 Great thread! I think it's too easy to let a bad headline allow us to forget that life is mostly good. I don't have any specific good news to share at the moment, but I honestly believe that around the country (and, in deference to our BSA friends in other countries, around the world:) Today and in the recent past and soon-to-come future: A new family joined Scouting for the very first time-- what an entrance to adventure! A Cub Scout, Boy Scout or Venturer (s) learned a new skill or put an old one to use. The Scout Oath and Law were recited hundreds of thousands of times by very sincere young men who are doing their best to live up to it. Some leaders are going to go home this evening knowing they are doing great things to help their local youth. Somewhere out there, this very evening, Scouts are taking Boards of Review and will pass . . . but they don't know that yet. What a sweet feeling they will have as they go to bed one rank higher than when they awoke this morning. There's no way to prove or disprove this one -- but I think some Boy Scouts are going to learn to tie a bowline tonight that never would have learned if it weren't for the BSA. In short, there's lots of good news. All we have to do is wave away the thundercloud and look for the sunshine. DS Link to post Share on other sites
ManyIrons 10 Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 Good to see the Man o' Steel back on the air! Here's my good news story. It happened last November after our last campout of the year. When we awoke on Sunday morning it was obvious that rain was on the way so the boys made quick work of stowing the tents and packing the trailer. The fact that we were heading to MacDonalds on the way home probably had nothing to do with their haste . The sky literally opened up just as we were climbing into the vehicles. If it had happened a few minutes earlier we would have been soaked to the skin. Anyway . . . . . There we were standing in line at Micky Ds (everyone in uniform) when a gentleman walked up to the Scoutmaster and said "Take this for the Scouts". He then handed him a $20 and walked away. We were stunned and speechless (we did manage a thankyou). The SM quickly chased him down to thank him again and talk with him. Turns out the man and his wife were simply traveling through the area. They had stopped (like we did) for breakfast, saw us and decided to help the boys pay for their food. The boys had a chance to talk with the couple before they left and also thanked them. What a great experience. We had an awesome campout, we missed the rain, and then we experienced a random act of kindness from someone who appreciates Scouts and the Scouting movement. That's good news to me! Link to post Share on other sites
Fuzzy Bear 12 Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 Let's see, a group of Scouts standing under the Golden Arches get assistance from the unknown man. Things can really change over the years. It is so nice to know that the Good Turn is still the same. Fuzzy Link to post Share on other sites
ozemu 10 Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 Our parent committee has gone from basically non-functionaing over the last three years to a full committee and four extra leaders to boot. The extras joined the Troop with at least one more due soon. We had to have the parent crisis meeting for this to happen. You know -turn up or we close. Tried to give it a good spin; money is okay - no debts and plenty in bank, leaders are okay but could use a few extra..and it worked. Link to post Share on other sites
dancinfox 10 Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 I went to our council Pow Wow yesterday to man a booth in the midway for Wood Badge and the 2005 Jamboree. Used Powerpoint presentations with 2 laptops and 2 large flat screem lcd monitors. The great thing, my crew of myself, and two other staffers signed up 15 participants during the day. We now have 30+ registered and can now concentrate on filling up the course with 56. I felt like a car salesman talking with potential participants, asking what can I do to get you signed up today. What fun, networking and talking with friends. Dancin Link to post Share on other sites
fotoscout 15 Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 My good news is that we got a new Scout Executive and he seems to be a winner! Link to post Share on other sites
purcelce 11 Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 Revamp of the Camp Joy FYCP is coming along great! Our troop has COR, SM, and 3 Committee members going to the District Dinner next weekend. (A first time appearance for Troop 5). Link to post Share on other sites
Chippewa29 13 Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 My troop is getting 2-4 Scouts crossing over from a pack where we've never gotten Scouts before, but have recruited off and on for years. We have a troop in our area that usually gets 30+ Webelos crossing over from 6-8 different packs. The other five troops in the same area have to fight for the other 7-8 packs. The Webelos from this pack usually go to the mega-troop. We're also getting a couple of Webelos from another pack that has fed into us in the past. Their Webelos leader is friends with another SM and wanted the kids to go to that troop, but after coming to our troop meeting, a couple of them decided to join us instead. We have one other pack that will cross over in early April. No word yet on how many new Scouts we'll get from there. If things go well, we'll be over twenty active Scouts in the troop. Quite a change from the three we had four years ago at this time (all of which have aged out by now). Link to post Share on other sites
Twocubdad 665 Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 We had a great Webelos-Troop visit last week. The tone was set druing the opening ceremony when the Webelos could be heard reciting both louder and somewhat faster than all the other Scouts. At the end of the Law, the Boy Scouts all turned and applauded the Webelos. They're not accustomed to the Webelos coming in so well prepared. It was a neat moment for the Webelos. The rest of the meeting went well, especially the parent's session with the SM and troop committees. (I didn't really get to see what the boys did.) On the basis of the troop visit, a couple families to were convinced to join who were leaning toward another troop. Link to post Share on other sites
matuawarrior 10 Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 One of my 19-year old Venturers/Assistant Scoutmaster is being nominated for a Heroism Award by our Unit Committee Chairman for saving the lives of two new Scouts from a near drowning in 8 feet of water and pulling them to safety during a Troop Campout in September 2003. My district is ready for this year. We did really well in FOS and Membership last year. Matua Link to post Share on other sites
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