EagleInKY

Semper dude is correct (again). For us, one time collections have been pretty dismal. Your best bet is getting some collection cans placed at strategic locations (dorms??), and a collection bin at your CO.

Welcome back to Scouting. It's great to have someone of your conviction and caliber involved. Your son and the boys you work with will be blessed by it. I love San Diego (but don't think I could afford to live there). Keep up the good fight down there. We've been watching your courts with the Balboa Park situation. Welcome to the forums!

You've gotten some good advice, the physical preparation is different between the two. Work on backpacking in hill country. Being in Illinois, there is nothing you will find that will adequately prepare you for what you'll encounter in Philmont. But do it anyway, it's a start. Develop a workout regimen. We would go for a jog during some of our troop meetings. We'd go to the Y and work on weight equipment once a month. Anything to build strength and stamina is good preparation. If your guys don't have experience at higher altitudes, work an extra day into the itenerary. We used to go into Colorado Springs and spend a day site-seeing. We'd work out and play basketball that evening. That extra day made the altitude problems virtually disappear. (We didn't do that on our first trek and had several guys suffer from it).

Here's a good example of one: http://www.scoutingresources.org.uk/downloads/cook_troop928.pdf'>http://www.scoutingresources.org.uk/downloads/cook_troop928.pdf Go to this link and click on the cookbooks link: http://www.scoutingresources.org.uk

Well, let's see. You've limited us to three. I'll give it a shot. 1. Active dens. These get together for meetings or activities at least 3 times per month, typically. They've got a good program led by well-trained leaders. 2. Active pack program. The pack provides monthly pack meetings as well as a number of well-planned, well-executed activities throughout the year (including the summer). 3. One person doesn't do it all. A trait of a good pack is one where you find lots of people doing lots of work. The CM is not also the CC and the Treasurer and the Trainer, etc. A variety of adults take responsibility for various aspects of running the pack program. Don't know if these are the top three, but they were the best ones tha came to my mind tonight.

There's no limit that I've ever heard of. I even saw a new scout wear one to his first Court of Honor without a single one on it!

Welcome Guzz or AT or Almost or... We'll accept you whatever you want to call yourself.

Welcome Josh! Hope you enjoy the show!

I'm involved with a similar situation - although it doesn't sound as bad as yours. Lots of people were not happy with the CM, but no one made it known. A few of the leaders got to talking off-line and low and behold, everyone was in agreement. An ACM who is good friends with him was brought into the conversation. Turns out he's been trying to get the CM to step down for a while now. Now, things are in motion, and hopefully we'll have a new CM by the Summer. My point, find out how the other leaders feel. You may not be alone, and it's much easier to accomplish if you have some others working with you.

When this post showed up the other day, I wrote this fantastic response. It was one of the most eloquent postings ever to be written in the history of scouter.com. Unfortunately, just as I clicked on "Submit your message", my potential Pulitizer Prize winning piece was lost as the site crashed. This morning, I saw the post again. I was thinking about recreating my marvelous masterpiece. I click on "Post Reply" and - you guessed it - the site had crashed again. Therefore, I'm not going to try to post my beautiful piece. However, the gist of it was this. Boys leave scouts. In over 10 years as a leader, I'd say we've lost at least one boy nearly every year. Some you lose to sports, some to girls, some to school or church groups. Most still turn out to be great kids. They just get their opportunities to grow via different ways. Some kids, however, break your heart when they leave. You know that Scouting is the best opportunity for them to grow as individuals, team members and leaders. Sadly, you know that very few organizations can offer this boy what scouting has to offer him. Talk to the parents, find out what's going on. If they are ambivolent, sell them on the importance of scouting and how it will benefit their son. Then talk to the boy. There's a really good chance that he's scared. If so, try to calm his fears. If he knows one of your scouts very well, take him to talk to him. Maybe he's bored. If so, talk about the fun things ahead. Some kids get bored in Cub scouts, because they are looking forward to the high adventure that is still ahead of them. Give him something to look forward to. Good luck, I hope you win him over.

There's an old scoutmaster around here that handles it great. As Semper said, he shows up with his SPL & Troop Guide. He brings the epaulettes, neckerchief, slide, etc. While the boys are "re-outfitting" him, he shakes is hand and in a real quiet tone welcomes him to the troop and tells him how much he's looking forward to working with him. I've tried to emulate his ways, but feel I have some big shoes to fill.

I suspect that these troops are like ours, every adult has their cell phone, so we've got plenty of options in case of emergency. The point is to get the kids to focus on the outdoors and get away from the games and distractions from home. Personally, I believe these devices actually create more homesickness for younger scouts. It reminds them of the "comforts" of home and what they are missing.

Changing the dynamics of a troop without the Scoutmaster's blessing is a formidable task. Frankly, I just don't know if it can be done. I would suggest talking with the Scoutmaster privately. Invite him over for coffee and donuts (that always works for us Scoutmasters). Explain to him that you are concerned and know that changing is different. But, if he would like to see the program change, you are willing to help make it happen. If he's unwilling to make it change, you won't get anywhere. If he's willing to try, be prepared for a long transition. You don't just turn on a boy-leadership switch. It will take at least two years to get there. Good luck.

We do this in our troop, but not the pack. In our troop we ask every family to volunteer one parent as either an ASM or a committee member.

Cyndi, Welcome to the campfire. Hold it down Semper, you're making us hungry!

Our pack pays for them now, but that hasn't always been the case. (I think we still have some limits on our program, but I'm not sure what htey are). When we were rebuilding, we just didn't have the funds to support an unlimited program. We budgeted two per year per boy, and agreed to cover that much. We had one den leader really push them in their den. He pointed out that the majority of belt loops can be earned just by being involved in school programs. He walked in with a request for about 5 or 6 belt loops and several pins per boy in his den. It totaled nearly $200 (over 10% of the pack budget). We told him we couldn't do it, and it made him mad. But, if every den had done that, we would have been broke. Budget for it, and set expectations.

Many moons ago, I attended PTC with my parents. I was a Webelos and my brother was 14. He got to do the Mountain Man program, where he did a shortened expedition and earned his first arrowhead. I participated in the Webelos program and had a blast! It was certainly a highlight of my Cub Scouting years and really helped prepare me for Boy Scouts.

We've had businesses donate money for trophies, food and signage (racing themes), but we have not ever done this. You have to be careful about asking for donations. That's against BSA policy.

I'm with the "Big E" on this one. If the program is there and the boy is having fun, the uniform won't matter. It's an excuse for those that either don't want to be there in the first place, or aren't enjoying the program.

Camp Crooked Creek is offering a Venturing-oriented program this summer. Called "Pathfinders", It is described as "an intense leader developing challenge where Aquatics - Shooting Sports - Ecology - Handicrafts - High Adventure - Scout Crafts - Health & Safety skills are combined into a week long team building adventure." It is open to Scouts of Star rank or higher and Venturers. Female and co-ed venturers will be able to camp at Camp Lowe, which is on the same property as Camp Crooked Creek. http://www.campcrookedcreek.com Look at pages 25 & 26 of the Leaders Guide: http://www.campcrookedcreek.com/info/guide/leadersguide.pdf I know the guys putting this on and I can guarantee it will be an intense experience.(This message has been edited by EagleInKY)

I know of Eagle scholarships available at universities (University of Louisville gives out several Eagle scholarships from an endowment each year), but I've never heard of a state doing it. I'm sure it will not sit well with the left or the ACLU folks.

It is young, but it's up to the Scoutmaster to decide. Typically, most first year scouts haven't earned First Class by the time OA elections are held. (I'm assuming a crossover around March and OA elections taking place about 11-12 months later).

Yep - 2 & 2.

Any registered adult can purchase a uniform. If you had to be trained to wear it, they wouldn't have a "trained" patch. FYI, in our troop we ask (expect) the ASMs to wear the uniform. Committee members are not expected to wear it. Some of them do, however. And that's great, IMHO.

I would run it in a rotation format just like a two-lane PW Derby race.