Stosh

It applies to any organization or situation. Take 3 months off in the summer and see how much educational retention is lost..... Take a two-week vacation and see how hard it is to get back in the routine when one returns..... Frequency directly correlates to familiarity.

Timing of the rechartering is up to the council. We recharter at the end of March.

If someone is in your yard, sets up a tent in your front yard and builds a fire and starts eating his supper, and you point out that he is trespassing, it doesn't mean you are having a tantrum, it means you are speaking of an infraction occurring which needs to be corrected. Maybe it could be clearer if we pointed out that if over 18, it means one is exercising due process and if under 18, it's just a tantrum. Nope, I'm 100% with this boy and as long as he doesn't go into a road rage fit, he handled it in a mature manner.

One of the parents put out an email this past week that the parents have been discussing the Boy Scout troop going to an every other week meeting. They will be voting on it to make it "official" this next week. This gives one insight into how much or how little the parents know about the scouting program. After the vote, it will be announced that the SM will be there every week to work with the boys wishing to insure the program continues. Any boy that misses one meeting will go a whole month without scouting because there is no need to plan any other outings because the infrequent meetings will be filled with housekeeping chores rather than program planning. I can see where this will lead very quickly to an adult led program. After all they are calling the shots with their "official" voting processes.

....and what about anti-Christian bigotry? Or maybe anti-Jewish bigotry? Or maybe anti-racial bigotry? Or maybe anti-(fill in the blank) bigotry? Until people get over their own self importance and need to see the world through the myopic vision of us and them, nothing's going to really change. One changes the world one person at a time. Either they teach them to hate or to love. It's always a choice.

I see a bit of "leadership" floating in the last two posts. @@qwazse sees the boy's self improvement and organizational skills as an improvement in leadership, whereas @@SSScout sees the boy's efforts as a way of improving the world around him, i.e. his patrol, etc. One of the "leadership" lessons that always goes along with my teaching of scout skills is why the boys is learning the skill in the first place. Is it for his own edification or it is so he's prepared to use that skill to help others. Our BOR's have become too focused on knowing the personal skill of the scout and not on what that skill can do for others around him in his exercising of leadership. Because of this I see why the boys tend to end up seeing their Eagle as a personal accomplishment rather than a rank signifying a level of leadership to be employed in the world around them.

I teach the bowline because it is required for advancement. It's the only time I ever "use" the knot. If I want a knot that doesn't slip I tie the figure-8 loop or double it if 2 loops are necessary. Both are easier to teach than the bowline. The loop also doesn't need an end of the rope, but can be tied multiple times on a bite. Far more useful than the bowline. Every canoe that gets tied to the trailer or roof rack is tightened down with the trucker's hitch using the figure-8 loop and a double half-hitch.

I do believe the JTE is a unit award and is to be worn by the members of that unit. Just my opinion...... I strive for good uniforming, but if a boy is wearing the patch incorrectly, it's not the end of the world, it's something he can be proud of for his work during Cubs, same for the AOL patch if he earned that. But remember, that's an individual's award, not a unit award.

It's the same as any other scout budget. I have individual patrol accounts the same way as troops have individual scout accounts. What's the difference other than it's a lot easier with a half dozen patrols than 60 scouts....... How is having individual den accounts any different. If Joey puts $10 in his individual scout account to hold for Philmont expense, does that money belong to the CO? Nope! No tax write-off! If Joey puts $1 in his den/patrol account to hold for some of his craft supplies, does that money belong to the CO? Nope! No tax write-of! If Joey puts $10 of his money as a donation to his troop to use for anything it wants, does that money belong to the CO? Yep! No problem with taking it as a tax write-off.

it won't be a museum as much as it will be a storehouse of scouting paraphernalia, I really don't think BSA is seriously into the museum business or they would have put more thought into this unfortunate decision.

Paying dues is a requirement of the program, it does not fall under any charitable contribution for the CO and is therefore not part of the CO's money under their not-for-profit status. It is no different than paying for summer Bible camp through a church or YMCA membership. One cannot take a tax deduction for such activity. This funds are held differently than charitable contributions.

A landlord can enforce only what is in the lease/rental agreement. If they don't mention alcohol, then it's fair game. We might be talking big bucks here, that might be a game changer.

Riddle me this Joker..... If a small troop members are all working together to get the job done with good team work and the boys are pretty much hassle free of the politics and/or personality conflicts that might arise in a small group, why is an election necessary? Could it be nothing more than some learning experience for the boys and they don't really take it seriously in the first place? Or maybe it's Johnny needs POR, he can wear the patch, but Pete's the real go-to-PL. How much, if it ain't broken, don't fix it with some sort of BSA rules and regulations process is necessary?

"While a Star Scout, serve actively in your troop for six months in one or more of the following troop positions of responsibility (or carry out a Scoutmaster-approved leadership project to help the troop)" Okay.... where does it say the boy needs to be elected, selected, appointed, coerced, or whatever to gain accomplishment of the requirement?????? If the boy serves actively as the troop QM, he has fulfilled the requirement whether or not he was elected/selected/appointed to the position and wore a patch. In my troop, if the boy does the work, he gets the requirement fulfilled. Boys do not get elected or appointed in order to fulfill rank requirements and no boy should be held back because he wasn't popular enough. A lot of troops need to review their policies along these lines to make sure they are not abusing the requirement. Sounds like they are. After all, how many troops elect boys to the POR and then whine because the boy didn't do the job? Why not just let the boy who wants to do the job do it and then there is no need for all the extra headache of deciding whether or not the job got done after the fact!

Like the police officer said at the scene of a horrific car accident, "Move on, people, there's nothing here to see."

Welcome to the forum! As mentioned, this isn't something for you to worry about, just the CM and DL's. If there's a restraining order in effect, the only thing one need do is dial 911 and that's the end of it. BSA is not the caretaker or mediator of the situation any more than a school or church would be. If there's a legal issue, i.e. restraining order, then it's entirely in the realm of law enforcement. I wouldn't put myself or any other scout personnel in the middle of this, but I would encourage and protect the boy as a scout in the scout program just like any other scout.

I'm an ordained minister, worked with Scouting for 40+ years, got knots for many of my boys, but don't have the knot for myself. I was told that to seek the nomination would be awkward for all concerned.

Any First Class scout can earn Eagle in a crew and does not need to be registered in the troop after attaining FC. http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/GuideToAdvancement/MechanicsofAdvancement/Venturing.aspx

Unfortunately, the boy is correct and if standing up for what is right is "immature" then one needs to consider calling the kettle black. I totally agree with the boy and if his book is checked off, he's done with the requirements. Now if that means he needs to progress through rank in a different troop or crew, so be it. To me it shows a certain amount of grit to stand one's ground. On the other hand, it might not be the most tactful way of approaching the subject, but that's another story. I have pushed a few buttons of the boys over the years and those that stand toe to to with me and call me out on it, rank pretty high on my respect chart. I guess I wouldn't identify it as having any respect for the adults on the Board, but there's a thin veil of bullying going on with this board. Instead of congratulating him on achieving the Life rank, they are taking a passive aggressive stance to block it with a retest of a Second Class (2g) requirement? It's time for those board members to show a bit more maturity.

Hmmm, I own a WW II army surplus pup tent. I've been known to leave it at home and do the meadow crash option, but I also own a Class-B camper. (No, that's not a camper with a T-shirt on it) Depending on what's going on, I have just about every combination in between. And no, I can't blame the Mrs. for the Class-B camper, she prefers tenting. We travel a lot and the camper simply cuts down on the restaurant and hotel expense. There's a time and place for everything. When all else fails, a poncho and blanket will do just fine.

When I was single and after my divorce, I had a difficult time trying to remember my own phone number....... I never called myself. Duh!

When I was at the museum, i was the only visitor. There was a museum guide and a sales clerk in the store.

I got 18 of 20, but I don't darn socks, it's easier and cheaper just to go to Walmart. If I have to, the new spiral light bulbs just don't do justice to a good darn. The wife knits. So I have that covered. Got one of those Alaskan fisherman sweaters for Christmas, I'm good to go! I do okay with pounds to kg's and kph vs mph, but I don't get my practice on the rest. And getting accused one's whole life that they "write like a girl" isn't a big ego builder for a guy. As far as grammar goes, I do know the difference between there, stuff, their "stuff" and they're "stuff"..... Than of course is the Your "Stuff" and You're "Stuff".

My sympathies for your loss. Memorializing the derby track. Having a overall trophy winner for the Derby i.e. Super Bowl's Lombardi Trophy, or Hockey's Stanley Cup type of thing.

So why is my post still there?