EagleInKY

Looks like the posting problems may be fixed. Scouter Terry must have burnt the midnight oil this weekend.

In our council, it's 13 by the first day of camp. Interestingly, we have 3 boys in that age group. The one that doesn't meet the deadline is the most physically developed of the boys (but perhaps not as mentally mature). I personally think 13 is a little young for JLTC (NYLT). But, again, that depends a lot upon the maturity of the boy.

Hi back at you OGE! I assume your testing the posting problem?

There have been some other threads on JLT. Here are some links: http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=64950#id_65011 http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=80933#id_81319 I like to modify JLT each time so that it teaches something fresh and new to the boys who have been before. While, at the same time, hitting the key points for the first-timers and as a refresher for the repeaters. I've found some information on the points you raise. I'll see if I can dig it up.

I've seen pics of McKee's new dining hall. It does look nice. I worked on staff there back in the 80s. I always loved the camp. I've never been to Manchester, but I grew up near there. LBL is an awesome place. Our troop is going out of council next year, and those are two of the top contenders.

We put together a "parents handbook" that sort of explains scouting and how our troop works. It's not perfect, and I've re-written it a couple of times (and probably will again before next year). An annual calendar is a must. Show the boys what your troop does. Sell the adventure to the boys. Sell the values to the parents.

Sorry, my last rant kept getting errors when I tried to post. Bottom line, I get very frustrated with adults trying to tweak the program because it doesn't fit what they think it should be. This part of the program is very clear. Let the boys learn, lead and grow, and stay out of the way.

The problem here is a failure to understand the program. I see this with some of our parents. They think Scouting supposed to turn them into great leaders. They don't understand why a 13 year old mis-communicated with the boys, or why a 14 year old SPL didn't make the right decision. Maturing and growing is part of the program. Two important points in that sentence. First, the ing on maturing and growing. They are never 'there', they are working to get there. Second, it's part of the program. The program has not failed if Johnny didn't turn out to be the most mature one of the bunch. Perhaps Johnny spent more time doing outdoor stuff and having fun with his friends. I sat on an Eagle BOR for a young man who had never been a PL or a SPL . He did not like to lead in front of the group. But he did like to serve. He served in several positions. Outside of the troop, he had his own business. But, according to some parents, he hasn't been a "real" leader.(This message has been edited by EagleInKY)

Hunt - Two years ago I would agree with you. Now, my mind has changed somewhat. Our first year guys went to camp and pocketed a ton of MBs two years ago. Again, last year, pocketed a bunch more. Now, the non-Eagle MBs they work on are counting toward palms! They have very little incentive or drive to go out on their own and work on earning merit badges the "traditional way". It is definitely a trend I've seen with our guys.

FS - Interesting concept. I wonder it would work. Propose it to Dallas, maybe they'll implement it by our second centinial!

Welcome to the campfire. Throw another log on while you're up.

ProudEagle - "In Louisville they had an old camp that found itself in a major, fast developing area. This caused the value of the land to rise very quickly, and it also ment the camp was no longer out in a prestine wilderness. So they decided to look into new options. They were able to sell the old camp for enough money that they could buy a new camp, and pay for a good portion of the cost of developing the new facilities on the new camp." I live near the aforementioned camp that was sold. In ways I miss the old place. But, whenever I see the facilities and the beauty of the new camp, I realize it was worth it. The old place was run down. In fact, our troop had started going out of council more than staying at home because of it.

I'm a big supporter of the uniform, but I find it interesting that I can scan the room at a troop meeting and see about three shades of boy scout green. And these are all official pants. Plus, I've got a pair of the poly/wool trousers, and they are a different shade as well. It makes it difficult for me to argue against the "generic" olive dockers.

Lots of good ideas. We also have sold Krispy Kreme Donuts. You sell them for $5/dozen and keep 1/2. Pretty good deal. Some restaurants around here have specials where they will sponsor a group for a night. You provide some "free labor" to them (bus tables, etc.) and also commit to bringing in some business. They then give a percentage of sales back to the group (10-20%). This is usually done on Mondays, which are slow nights in the restaurant business.

I'm sorry you were turned off by some of the ramblings and rumblings on this forum. Unfortunately, we're all people and deal with human shortfallings. I've visited many scouting forums, and this is the best one I've found by far. Fortunately, you were looking at some old posts, and most of the troublemakers you found have gone the way of the dodo bird. Most of the conversation here is respectible and insightful. That is, if you avoid the politics section.

Actually, the propane canisters can be refilled. Some troops are doing that. We haven't as of yet. I understand that you only get about 2/3 of it refilled. It involves putting the empty canister in a freezer, and then refilling it from a large propane canister. If anyone has the exact specs and actual experience doing it, I'm sure they'll share.

Ditto for Kentucky.

I would first sit down with the PL and the SPL. I'd talk to him (PL) about how his patrol acted. What parts of the Scout Law were they upholding? What points were they breaking? Is there anything in the Scout Oath that addresses what they did? After that conversation, I'd work with them to decide what actions needed to be taken. Maybe the whole patrol needs to have this conversation... Maybe it's just one boy that is an instigator... Whatever the case, I would make sure they all understood that this was not what Scouting is about. I'd probably wrap it up with them apologizing to the other patrol and the ASM.

Back in my cubbie days, we didn't re-issue a belt loop. The boy knew he was completing it for an activity pin.

I agree with the prior posters - You're better off finding a family member who is either upgrading at home, or at their small company. Most large companies pay for services to come and reclaim their computers. They wipe off the hard drives and usually just use them for parts. And, it's true that the unit are not supposed to accept donations. The CO can. That's a fine line, but worth noting.

Welcome to the campfire, Jim.

I work for a very large company that also uses Choicepoint (So I guess I'm doubly-exposed). The liability is not on us (or the BSA).

I was getting ready to post and saw Gag's reply. I was going to make the same observations. Canoeing (1st & 2nd year's usually don't have the upper-body strength), Lifesaving (ditto), and Rifle Shooting can easily be a 2nd year badge (if the boy has experience and/or they use scopes).

Uh oh... something tells me you didn't get the secret handshake right. Did you at least learn the password?

Camp Crooked Creek (KY - Lincoln Heritage Council) offers COPE, TOWER (Climbing) and Pathfinders, a Venturing-oriented, multi-skills course. www.campcrookedcreek.com