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taamland

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taamland

taamland 11

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Hi All,

 

I'm from a troop in central NJ. That has recently (last year) doubled in size as a result of a merger with another troop. Putting us at over 35 scouts. The troop that folded was run by one very dedicated mother who did not have the resources time or volunteers to keep her troop afloat. She now has been one of our greatest assests on the committee. The new influx has been a blessing and a curse. We have a lot of parents willing to pitch in and lend a hand but unfourtunately no strong committee chair to organize them. To top that off we only have 2 ASM's and a Scoutmaster who has been a bit sick lately so i have been picking up the slack.

Aside from those small troubles with the way our adult leadership is organized, We are beginning to really see a move toward great boy run program (more scouts have definately helped). 5 yrs ago when i first signed on for this crazyness the troop was dwindling down to about 8 scouts the previous scoutmaster had left picking a 2nd year father to take his place, he also left the program in a vaccum. He had run the entire show sans the books and the meetings except for berating and yelling at everyone. This left us with a bunch of old volunteers who still expected the program to magically run itself. After learning everything we possibly could we began to rebuild. Having PLC meetings, Planning conferences, Boards of Review, Committee Positions with real responsibility, training just about everything we could find that the program was lacking. The only problems that arose where it seemed like we were just running around putting out fires and not moving forward.

In the past year I've decided to stop trying to organize the adults and focus on the only thing that mattered the scouts. I decided that the scouts would set the needs of the troop and the committee should fufill those needs. And It has been working fairly well. The last trip I didn't have to make reservations, collect money, plan a program, buy food for the adults, all I had to do was suggest a plan to the boys have them make changes and run a pretty damn good weekend. Even put on a campfire complete with skits and all, which was actually entertaining. Granted there was alot of help from adults in planning for the weekend but the boys did have the final say in what went down. I barely had to address the troop as a whole only individuals, my SPL really did a job. Anyway I hope to continue with this boy run stuff. I'm really impressed so far. There still is lots of work to do. But I'm satisfied with the results so far. I wish the adults would quit arguring go to training and move ahead. But I'll keep my nose out of their business as long as they do not try and pack their sons gear, cook for him, and make sure their baby advances as quickly as possible. But most are good.

Anyway That is my troops story in 1000 words or less. I look forward to advice new ideas and hopefully not little fights reminiscient of schoolyard antics. Thanks in advance for the great help in know you all will be.

 

Yours in Scouting

taamland

(ASM who "thinks" he knows what he is doing)

 

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Eamonn

Eamonn 61

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Welcome.

It sounds as if things are happening.

When I was a young SM in the UK I was at times like a bull in a china shop. My old GSL (Group Scout Leader. - Kinda like a charter Rep) Would shake his head and say "Slowly, Slowly catchee monkey!" It seems that BP must have used this at one time? I think in English it means that Rome wasn't built in a day.

Eamonn.

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