Eagle007

I can assure anyone reading these threads that should that happen in the troop or district in which I am associated with that the parties involved will be dealt with swiftly and surely including dismissal from the function being attended. I take a zero tolerance stand on illicit drug use and am an equal opportunity employer of that stand. You use, you deal, you condone, you leave - the function and the troop. Scouting has no place for this kind of activity.

Just a side note. Their was nothing in the camp brochure about age requirements for the lifeguard course. I guess we could say this all boils down to be prepared always and never depend on anyone but yourself, ever. Prior preparation and planning could have prevented the heartache these scouts had to face and they could have taken other couses instead. They can chalk that up to experience I guess. Thanks for everyone's comments.

I caught word of some scouts returning from summer camp that took the lifeguard class. It turns out that a small number of these boys may have paid for a week of fun and adventure with nothing to gain because the instructor failed to tell them until Thursday afternoon that they had to be 15 to get their certifications to become lifeguards. Now I'm sure not all scouts, scouters and parents are always necessarily the sharpest tools in the shed, including me. And some research should have gone into what each scout from the respective troop was signed up for. I also believe that the instructor should have probably asked at the begining of the class if each scout had reached the age of 15 so they could get certified if they passed all other requirements. So where does the blame get put and what could get done about it? Should the scouts be reimbursed for summer camp? Or should the scouts and parents chalk it up to experience for not doing their homework prior to going to camp?

PC can be taken and thrown out the window as far as I'm concerned. I call a spade a spade.

I aplaud Ann's sensitiviy to the needs of her scouts, especially the need to make them feel comfortable. I have recently often had those thoughts of making people feel comfortable when I open roundtable meetings with the Pledge of Allegiance, Scout Law, Scout Oath and a prayer. The prayer is what has had me perplexed as I have members of LDS come to the meetings and am ignorant of their beliefs. But I don't want to people to mistake my kindness and sensitivity for my weakness. As RT Commish I will continue to open the meetings in this way and if one doesn't wish to participate in a Christian prayer or has no belief in being reverent with prayer then I respect their right to express themself in their own way. I ask a different attendee to offer a prayer no matter what background they have and haven't been refused to this date. As to Ann's quandry, I agree with Packsaddle. If the estblishment doesn't fit one's needs and it is contrary to what one believes then find an accommodating establishment or organization. In my opinion we don't need to cater to every whim and need nor walk on egg shells for opposing individuals.

If one can't leave their vices alone for a weekend of camping or other activities with boys then they have no business being involved in any shape, form or fashion with scouting. If one can't control their habits then stay at home. The offenders would: 1) Told to leave the premises - no alcohol means no alcohol whether on you or in you. 2) Be brought before the troop committee or SE, if need be, and have their membership revoked

How Does this Change the War on Terror? It changes absolutely nothing! Who is next - Quack Daffi, Kim Jong Il...? The world police will continue to fight the fight.

Scoutfish, I'm an AHA Instructor but on any public listing. What I would suggest is to call your local hospital and ask for their education department. They should be able to put you in touch with their CPR instructor or the area AHA Training Site Coordinator. FYI, the new guidelines for CPR started being taught as of April 1st. Any instructor who didn't update their certification and get the new teaching materials won't be able to teach any new classes until they do so.

I'm a Lifetime NESA Member and I didn't vote to raise the membership dues. It seems like in the hard economic times that we are in that people would use a little more common sense about raising prices on things. Don't get me started on gas prices.

I agree with OakTree. Listen to your wife. I listen to mine - most of the time; he, he. I may wear the pants in the family but she picks them out. All joking aside, she may be asking for more time from you. Even if you've been married for 100 years, continue to grow and nurture that marriage. Your wife and son will thank you for it.

I've had friends of mine with multiple learning disorders such as dyslexia. And if that was what was holding them back from taking a mandatory course like YPT in order to become a scouter and offer other skills and knowledge that they have, I'd be all over them with help. One particular friend with dyslexia has graduated from college with an associates in forestry/horticulture. He could run circles around folks teaching LNT and forestry/horticulture/irrigation associated MBs.

KISS Method says you have that cuppa joe with the person and bend over backwards to help them get through YPT if they truly have any type learning disability. Or if it is they are just mule-headed and refuse to take the course "just because" then they aren't a registered scouter. This stuff isn't that hard to figure out.

Troop equipment includes tents, backpacks, stoves and a troop trailer. Most events revolve around hiking/packing your equipment in and out. Car campouts are seriously frowned upon although a few may be scheduled during the year to satisfy those that have issues about the constant hiking. The troop does its best to absorb a great deal of the equipment cost. A comment was made that our unit is one of high adventure and if your thing is car campouts then another unit may suit your needs more appropriately.

Elites and any other group that people are put into are no better or worse than me. They put their pants on one leg at a time as I do and they wipe their backside as I do.

I actually heard of someone address a group of scouts during a meeting and tell them that if they, meaning individually, didn't want to be with this group and participate in the activities/act right then they needed to find another unit that would better suit their needs. I think that was putting it pretty bluntly. I believe the point was well taken.