Eamonn

Have you seen the video from the February 5th videoconference ? We held an Impact meeting last week, and I seen it for the first time. While I think it is very good and will act as a good tool to "Sell" the program. I do have to admit to being a little surprised, that while it does such a good job of showing how diverse we are, it left one very important section of the population out. There was not a woman in sight. We do have females who are the contact person for many of our chartered organizations. Seems a shame to leave them out. What are your thoughts ?

We have made reservations for two troops, and have set up a Jamboree Troop Committee, who have yet to meet. My hope is that we can keep the cost to under $1000.00 per boy.But as Bob White says there are so many things up in the air. I was talking to one of the people who will be in charge of an activity area, and he tells me that he is in need of lots of help to man the area. I think he said something like 500 volunteers.

I am the Scoutmaster. I was going to suggest a nice shade of chartreuse, but I'm unsure of the correct spelling !! However, the Spats idea does seem to have a lot of merit.

A primary purpose of the Wood Badge experience is to provide leadership for Scouting and leadership for America.Your ticket is a commitment to complete a set of goals that will aignificantly strengthen the BSA program in which you are involved.Additionally, the ticket provides an opportunity for you to practice leadership skills that will be of value in many areas of your life, both within and beyond Scouting. Your ticket will include five significant goals. -The goals will be writtenin support of your current Scouting responsibilities and should be designed to provide maximum positive impact for youth membership. -At least one of the five goals will incorporate some aspect of diversity. The goals written for your ticket should be SMART: - Specfic -Measurable -Attainable -Relevant -Time-Based For each goal, you will also indicate -Who -What -Where -When -How -Why -How verified. The troop guide assigned to your patrol will help you prepare your ticket. Scouting has always been an organization without secrets. This was taken from the Staff Guide. A Wood Badge ticket is: A commitment A vision of personal improvement A vision of how the Scouter will lead A seris of goals Your ticket should be guided by: Your personal values Your vision Your personal mission. That is all there is to it. Like Bob White, I have over the years written more then my fair share of tickets. I first took Wood Badge, back in 1975 at Gilwell Park. I was at the time a Scout Leader in England. The ticket was more about what you were doing to improve your troop. The final report was very long and took hours and hours to write. My next visit to the "Happy Land" was at the Cub Scout Leader Trainer Wood Badge, this time all the ticket items had to do with training. Over the years I have written tickets as a staff member, mainly on things that I could do to improve, how I could better live up to our Oath and Law. Last Summer, I served on the "New" course for the first time, as a Troop Guide for the Beavers. The six members were all great Scouts, and the ticket item that I was thinking would be really hard. The Diversity Goal, they put me to shame. They had goals that ranged from working with special olympics, to planning and running a Scouts Own Service. Please Don't let the Ticket put you off or deter you from what is really a great and worthwhile course.

I was looking over the participant Personal Equipment List for Wood Badge, taken out of the book. All which made good sense to me. Then I got to:" Shoes or Boots (not white please.)" I have always gone for Black or Brown. Maybe due to the fact that I always buy shoes and boots that are that way !! So if White is not ok, is red or how about a nice shade of green ?

Dear Old Grey Eagle, We can talk about the Wood Badge Ticket at great length.If you think back to the, Course Over view, that was given on day one after Lunch, it was mentioned. Then again on day one, it was part of Living The Values. What we need to do is not arrive at the course with a prepared ticket. Hopefully the ticket we do end up with will make use of the new "Tools"and skills that we have picked up at the course. I do agree that it does seem to be a bit of a rush. But if we have done the ground work at the course, it really ought not be that tough. In the "Old Wood Badge" the staff had to write a ticket, and now even though it is no longer a requirement,I still do it.I have recommended to my staff, who will serve on NE-IV-153, that they too write a ticket.No one will ever see it unless they want to share it with a participant, or each other. I too am a Bear, who at times can Bear no more!! Details of NE-IV-153 be found on the Wood Badge site.

I would think in keeping with the spirit of this Badge, one would earn extra credit for having all the toys. A wide screen TV, so as to keep up with important events, such as Soap Operas, and Game Shows. Cell Phones that play "Back To Giwell" in the middle of grace. And of course there would have to be a pot of the most evil tasting coffee, ever made. Thanks in part to the fact that the pot hasn't been cleaned in over twenty years, and the egg shells do so much to make taste the way it does.

Bob 58 is right, you don't have to talk nice to anyone if you don't want to. However, the poor training committee does have their work cut out for them, not only presenting the training, but also keeping the records. There was at one time codes that could be entered into Scoutnet, which would track all the training an adult leader, had taken. I'm not sure if they are up and running in other councils. I do know in my council,that it's not. I rely on the Training Attendance Report, and then keep a record for each person. I'm very lucky we are a small council with only 3000 adults. But this does take a lot of time. Things tend to get out of control, when the attendance report, is not handed in or is used as the sign in sheet, and can't be read. At times even the simple task of recording the information can entail a lot of time on the phone. So while talking nice, is not requierd, we do belong to an organization that does stress "Cheerful."

Sounds as if this is something that you need to bring up with your Training Chair. Every Boy Deserves A Trained Leader, is more then a catch phrase. In both my District and Council, we will do everything possible to get these Leaders trained.

Much as I hate to admit it, Venturing is really taking a long time to take off in both my District and Council. I have friends in other areas that tell me in their Councils, they have hired a full time person to help get this program up and running. Other Councils have made the position of Vice President for Venturing. We have left Venturing in the hands of the District. I would love to hear how things are going else where.Particulary from places and people who have managed to get this very important area of our program running well. Thanks

I do agree, that a Eagle Court of honor, belongs to the Scout, and is not the place for a "Beading" While I have never seen one or done one at a troop court of honor, I think if the Patrol Leaders Council, said it was fine with them, I wouldn't have a problem, after all it is a Troop Court of Honor. It does give the parents a chance to see that the Leaders they entrust with their sons are doing everything that they can to do the best job possible.

Man, Oh Man, there is some great stuff here. Wise Words if ever I saw them. I am very lucky that my district is great. We have a hard working District Executive, who has been with us for six years. Most of our Scoutmasters, but not all have been in Scouting and with the same unit for ever !! Our percentage of the total available youth, is really high. If I had to point a finger and say that there is one area that needs a lot of work, it is our District Committee. We do need to bring more community people on board, and add more diversity to the committee. One other area that is in need of some TLC, is Venturing. I'm thinking of posting a question on that one. But as a District Chairman, I thank the good Lord, for allowing me the opportunity to work with people who really do care, and work so hard.

I have no idea how Councils are /were formed. I belong to a very small Council, four districts, which serve just over 10,000 youth, including Learning for Life programs. The Council budget this year is just under 1.3 Million dollars. We do have a big Metro Council"Next Door" and some of our members do live in fear that one day we will become part of them. Have to admit, that I do like belonging to a small council, where most of the people know each other. As for being spread out, we are part of the North East Region, which also includes Germany,England, and Puerto Rico. I'm not sure if it also includes the Virgin Islands.

There are lot of Wood Badge Ceremonies on the net. I have attended a good many. My thinking is that it is your Wood Badge, so you plan the Ceremony. I do like the boys to see that the leaders are still taking Training and learning, even if they are really, really old, some of them are 40!!

Who ever wrote it had at one time been a Camp Staff Member. He forgot to mention anything about the Food. I attend some of the Scoutmasters meetings held at our Camp, it is neat to hear that the complaints haven't changed much in the last 25 years. When I worked at Camp. Come to think of it the Staff Members are almost as nuts, as we were?

Have just posted this some place else. Leadership Training Committee Guide (No.34169E) This guide which is for Council Training Committees. District Training Committees and Council Staff, does have a full set of the Progress Record Cards, Which can be copied. As our Council Training Chair, I have made sure that our District people are aware of this. They are at most of the Round Tables, with copies in hand.

If you talk nice to your Training Committee, they ought to have a copy of: Leadership Training Committee Guide.(No.34169E) It has a full set of Progress Record Cards, which can be reproduced.

Not sure if we are doing it right, but in our Council, the Knots are the responsibility of the District Training Chair. District Awards Of Merit, are awarded at the District dinner, after everyone has had the chance to nominate someone, sad thing is that we don't get that many names. A committee is set up to go over the names, and make the awards. As a benchmark, we tend to look for people who have done work on a District Level. Of course it can be said that a unit leader who has ran a good unit, over the years has in turn worked for the District. The Silver Beaver, is in our council only given to people who have worked to serve the council. You might want to consider getting a James E.West. We have over the past few years bought this award for people who may already have the Silver Beaver, and are still after many years, working away. In the past we have sent letters out to everyone, requesting a donation. What has been really nice is not only do they send checks, but the letters are very heart warming. These we put in a book and present that at the same time. This has worked out well. We have also taken $1000.00 a year from our District Golf outing to pay for these.

I'm not sure how this happened, but twice in one night, I have to agree with Bob White. Knots tied and not used are soon forgot. Many years back we tried giving each patrol a pound of fettuccini. They had to light a fire, cook the pasta and tie it into one long "Rope" using only square knots. That was a lot of fun. But to get your Scouts doing pioneering and building Towers and Bridges, will bring those "Boring Old Knots" Alive.

The Lad has earned his Eagle, who cares what color his hair is. Also it is HIS Eagle court of honor. Let him plan it.

Bob White, is so right. Don't try and rush it.However, one thing that you might want to do is take a long hard look at the Pre-Course Assignment. The Twenty Questions. No one but you will see the answers, but these are a very important part of what will become your ticket. The Magic word is YOUR. On the course there will be a lot of people who can help you on your way, but the end result is Your Ticket. And guess what? Who is going to work your ticket? YOU GOT IT, YOU ARE. Please don't worry or lose sleep about it. Go to the course, have fun,keep your eyes, ears and mind open, and this part of the course will fall into place.

As I said "I hate to admit it !!!" Of course one ounce of prevention is better then the cure. Yes, I agree that smoking is a dirty, anti-social habit, that causes nothing but harm. But I'm hooked. So far my son has shown no signs of wanting to smoke, in fact he gives me almost as hard a time as my wife. I keep saying that it will happen one of these days. But 30 years is a long time. Having said that, smoking where it is allowed, is still legal. The people who smoke where I work, do so on their own time, only when they have a break. The company that I work for has programs, for people who abuse Drugs and programs, for people who abuse alcohol. Not so for smokers. There is a trend, that we don't accept responsibility for what we have done. Who is to blame ? Is it the tobacco industry ? Maybe Sister Mary Margaret, could have done more ? Maybe James Bond 007 ? I know, that I made a bad choice, and own up to it. But Who Knows, One Of These Days.....

I don't think that I, in any way threatened. I said if the BSA didn't want me I would go. I fail to see a threat in that. As to drinking, I thank the good Lord, that going without drugs and alcohol, is something that I can handle. I would hope that those that can't would get the help they need. I would also hope that these poor souls would not engage in drinking or drug taking anywhere near children.Which on reflection,is much the same as the BSA policy on smoking.However,on drinking and drugs there is a clear line, that can not be crossed. I feel, that I may be at fault in that, I didn't say: " The use of tobacco product at any Scouting activity where children are present, is wrong. So don't do it, and don't allow others to do it." Many of the activities that I attend, while they are Scouting activities, do not have children present. Also some of these are not uniformed, or held on property owned or run by the BSA. Reading through this thread, it seemed to me that we were trying to hold Adult Leaders in Scouting to a standard that just isn't realistic. We are human, and do have failings. Sad to say, some like myself have many.Still just like everything both in and out of Scouting, I live by the promise that I made to do my best. However, there are times when I can't hide behind just doing my best, these times are when there is a rule. I don't do my best, to wear the entire uniform, I wear it, and I expect others to do the same. The same goes for smoking. I don't smoke in the presensce of children, and expect you to do the same. We could find lots of rules, which were made to be kept, and to my mind if you can't accept the rules, then maybe you need to look at your membership of this organization. If the BSA, turned around tomorrow and said that only Adults that don't smoke could be involved. There would be no threat, I would go, because that would be the rule

Dear Mr.Le Roy, I started reading this forum yesterday, and have to admit that it upset me. So I "Walked Away." To be honest, I was a little unsure of what was the cause of this feeling. Today in the light of a new day, I now know that you are the cause. I have a hard time believing, that I can dislike someone that I have never met. But you sir; I don't like. I can respect, the rights of people, who think that when things are not as they ought to be have to file whatever lawsuit, they want. I can respect people who have different; Views, Lifestyles, and who disagree with me. But you seem to be happy, trying to visit these pages, with only the worst intentions. If you were to enter my home with such intentions, please know that I would show you the door. However, in many ways all these lawsuits, are in fact helping this Organization, that you despise. Here is southwestern Pennsylvania, there was an uproar when people thought that the United Way, was cutting money from the Boy Scouts Of America, so much much of an uproar, that the United Way issued a press release, to say it wasn't so.As I go around my district, more and more people are happy to donate to the BSA. At times, not because they think so much of the Boy Scouts, but more to show how little they think of the ACLU. Sir, while I wish you no ill, I would think that your time would be better spent elsewhere.

Haveto admit to not liking body piercing, and tattos. OJ, my son really wants to have his ear/ears done. But not on my watch. However, sometime back we were preparing for the Jamboree, with yours truly as Scoutmaster. One lad turned up with a ring in his eyebrow, both ears pierced. His hair was, blue, red and pink. Someone had spent a lot of time on the hair, as it was somehow done so it formed little squares. The Jamboree Troop Committee Chair. Looked at me, and I at him. "You can't let him go looking like that." He said. Unsure of what to do, I did nothing. But went home and gave it some thought. Here I had a boy who at that time was close to becoming an Eagle Scout, he was the Senior Patrol Leader in his home troop and his parents were ready to spent close to a thousand dollars, to send him to the Jamboree. There are a lot of wise and well informed people in this forum, but I couldn't think of one "Rule" that would prevent this lad from going to the jamboree. As time passed, we as a troop met and worked on our gateway, I got to know this lad. He is a super nice kid. I did tease him, about his hair. But it was all in fun. When he would phone me, I would ask what color his hair was today, and we would laugh, I know that there were times when the color of the day was for my benifit. Before the event, I asked him if he was planning on wearing all the "Rings." He looked at me and said "No, I'd only lose them." As for the hair, he went to the jamboree with it dark with bleached highlights. It looked good, far better then my nice shade of grey. Sometimes it is hard to get past the things that we don't like or understand. But I would hope that we are all in Scouting for all the kids, not just the ones that we like, or look good. I have said that OJ, can get his ear pierced,when he is 18, but if he is at home then, he can't wear his ear ring in the house. So for now he is happy with his necklace !!!