gsdad

If she is qualified, and respected by the troop membership and leadership I see no problem with it. Her age is irrelevant. Some hardliners would argure against her as to not upset the way things used to be, but she is volunteering her time to the troop.

I am the same way. I buy it everytime, last year I bought it twice in one day. We were shopping near Christmas and I bought some as we headed into Cabelas, and then again when we hit WalMart. Then again I buy Girl Scout cookies from kids outside of stores although my girls sell them too. I also only buy Chritsmas trees from Boy Scout troops.

It's not a bear issue, and I undertand about the other critters. My first tentmate at Cub Camp had peanut butter in his bag under his cot and we had racoons and skunks in our tent first night. I thought it was cool, but he nearly crapped himself. I can see the nutrional aspect, our dining hall always had PB&J for the kids that wouldn't eat camp food. I never understood why, because camp food was pretty good. I was just hoping I could stash some goodies in a tupperware container and put them in her foot locker. I wasn't going to tell her, but now I don't want her to get in trouble. I'll put some notes from home in there for her to find.

My daughter is going for her first ever week at summer camp Sunday and I was going over the list of what to, and what not to pack and it states any snack foods will be confiscated. I can understand, and agree with no cell phones, spray cans, flammables, etc.. but snack foods? Granted, the majority of my Scouting experience is from Boy Scouts, and I regurlarly scratch my head at some of the GSUSA policies, and organizational structure(or lack thereof), but care packages from home with your favorite snacks, is in my opinion, part of the summer camp experience. Heck, my old troop encouraged parents to send some comfort food especially for first year scouts.

My boyhood troop always wore the uniform TO, but not from weekend camping trips. But we did wear it to and from summer camp. We too, have a unique troop neckerchief and everyone knew our troop by it, so there was a sense of pride in wearing it. I am trying to get my wife to institute some sort of uniform policy other than just the vest in her GS troop, but it is a losing battle.

I would cut them no slack. When I worked on camp staff we approached every week like it was the first week, because for the troops attending it was their first week. That is why the staff arrives a week or more earlier.

My childhood troop had a strict uniform policy. We were expected to wear full "Class A" uniform to Troop meetings, when departing for a camping trip, dinner at summer camp, and other functions like Scout shows, Troop Retreat etc.. If a Scout showed up without it, he went home. Some guys grumbled because they thought it to be dorky, but that didn't last long.

If your wife is concerned with it taking too much family time, and you're concerned with it taking time away from your daughter, maybe you should graciously decline. Continue to serve as an ASM and support the new SM. As important as Scouting may be, family comes first. Happy wife, happy life.(This message has been edited by gsdad)

How does one get the point of DC and not have already been inducted in the OA?

I normally don't feed trolls, but I will make an exception. If all you got out of Boy Scouts was how to make huge flames out of a lighter than you didn't put much into it. You're not going to change anyone's opinion here so please move on to "enlighten" others eslewhere. You are probably sad and lonely and have self esteem issues and could have benefited from Scouting. Have a nice life and may God Bless You.

Believe it or not, there is no cabin in the site where they are staying. They are staying in tree house tents.

First summer camp was a Cub- Hart Scout Reservation, Green Lane, PA. As a Boy Scout and staff member Treasure Island Scout Reservation, Pipersville, PA. Sadly, neither are opeating as Boy Scout Summer camps any longer.

My wife has this issue in her GS troop. When half the troop moved up my wife took the Junior troop. The Brownies leader wants to mother them and cook the food before the camping trips, have every mother come along on the outings and doesn't let the girls plan, fail, or struggle. My wife on the other hand is of the philosophy that it called Girl Scouts because the girls should run it. Now that the other leader and many of the girls are moved up there is a constant struggle. My wife told the parents and the other leader staright out, this the girls troop, we are only here to advise and teach. They do the planning, will do the cooking(supervised), and if parents are needed to keep the correct ratio they will be selected via lottery. The girls love it in spite of the parents.

I like the making the ice cream at camp idea. Thanks.

Congrats to both of you. Scoutmomma, from you location I assume your son is in my old Lodge, Unami 1.

Don't get me started, I coach or have coached most of the girls in the troop for close to five years now. Many of them have stayed over my house. I even took one of the to the gun club last weekend with my daughter. I guess I re-hijacked my own thread.

The most important thing to have on camp staff is a good attitude. Camp staff can make or break a Scout's summer camp, or Scouting life in general. Be sure to bring plenty of uniform socks, and a few pairs of extra shoes. Your shoes will get wet. I worked at Treasure Island and we were housed in quads, each bunk had drawers under it and a closet between them, so two guys shared a closet. Don't take anything that you can't replace. Have fun, you will not regret it. I haven't worked at camp in 20 years and wish I still could.

I was thinking of going the dry ice route, but the wife is a little leary of it. I am not going on this trip since there are no provisions for male leaders at this camp.

My first camping experience was provisional Cub Week at Camp Hart in PA. My first night there my tentmate realized why they told us no outside food was to be kept in our tents. We were awakened by a raccoon dragging his bag out of the tent for the peanut butter and cookies his mom packed for him. He cried himself to sleep for the first three nights, his parents picked him up on the fourth night. I remember every camping trip I ever attended with my troop (Troop 109 in Philly). The summers I spent on Camp Staff at Treasure Island, our troop had at least one member on staff every summer for 45 years or more. We were the biggest troop in the city taking 60 boys to summer camp, camping every month, it is the shining light of my childhood.

My wife is taking her GS troop camping in June and they want to have waffles and ice cream. Does anyone have any methods of keeping the ice cream frozen for 12-18 hours? I was thinking of putting in a deep freezer a week ahead of time then into the cooler right before they leave. We have a couple coolers that will keep meat frozen for 24 hours if packed with enough ice and kept in the shade.