LPasn

I wonder if the problem is awareness. If you can hear thunder, you should seek shelter. If you do not hear thunder again for thirty minutes, it is safe to leave the shelter. Every group should have a weather-alert radio in case of emergency. NOAA is broadcasting other special alerts also. These radios can be found with new technology that will detect the area that is alerted. You input the areas that you want to receive alerts and only those come through. Keep safe.

I just graduated from Cub Scouts. Our pack had scheduled one major event per month. For Sept., Oct., Nov. the event was a campout. For March, April and May, the schedule called for campouts. The parents complained about the price of food on the campouts so fewer campouts were held this spring. At graduation the boys and their parents complained about the lack of campouts. Go figure. For me, Scouting is all about the outdoors and camping. Camping teaches the boys to take care of their world. They keep the tent clean and they wash their own dishes. The adults guide the younger boys. The boys develop confidence by doing these things. I believe that camping is imperative in Cub Scouts. The boys that go camping stay in scouts. That is the bottom line. They can look forward to camping without their parents as Boy Scouts.

Excellent question. Is it overkill to have a battery charger in your vehicle? I happened to be on a campout with the pack this weekend. I had used my personal battery charger at work and it was in my vehicle when I left for camp. We had a problem with some equipment and thought that the 12 volt battery was low. Out came the charger and when it was hooked up the battery showed a full charge. We continued until we found a loose connection. OA ceremonial music at full volume up close inspires folks to move. I usually carry a full three day kit in my vehicle. I work in Emergency Management and I teach Preparedness. I have taken some classes lately that have caused me to think about my kit. It might be prudent to add to what I have.

ALL organizations should have to have this warning label in this case. Every organization discriminates in some way. I would bet that the ACLU would not have Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell as members. Atheists cannot join my church. The Democrat Party would not let George W. Bush join them. We all discriminate in some way. I like Chevrolet vehicles. I have a friend who really has a separate area at his home for folks who drive anything other than a Dodge. That is discrimination. BTW, his son refuses to allow a Dodge to park in his driveway. I believe that discussions of sexual orientation have no place in Scouts. If a leader has to discuss sexual orientation with a Scout, there is a problem that needs to be reported under Youth Protection. Would I sign the statement? In blood.

This is why I love this forum. You all teach me so much. "You might want to check and see if your COR is attending the District Meetings? And attending the Council AGM. " I have been associated with four COs and this is the first time I have heard about the District Meeting. The current CO was not told about this. Eamonn, I will take your advice and focus on the boys. Thanks.

I work in emergency management and the office participates in the surplus property program. I have not found much there that the boys can use but I keep looking. That Zodiac for $25 sounds really good though for the Explorers who are on the Search and Rescue unit.

Scoutldr, the awards that we were discussing were for Cub Scouts. I have not heard about this problem with the Troop. Oak Tree, there are lots of ways to make it work. I will pass along your suggestion.

ScoutNut, the person who told me was the CM from our pack. I have not called to confirm this. I plan to contact the CM from another pack about this also. The Troop CO is a volunteer group in the county. We could move the organization by changing the mailing address to a different member's house. The Pack is a different matter. They cannot move as easily. Of course I really do not want to move but I want to send a message to this Council. If they are in such financial condition that they have to sell camps, maybe they should scale back on the new offices.

We have had another change in DE's. The last DE was here for about three years. Prior to his tenure, there were two in about eighteen months. Council has sold one of the local camps and cut a million dollars of timber from another camp. They are remodelling the council offices. The new DE insists that we should attend summer camp at the council camp of choice. That camp is about three hours drive and the service last year was so bad that many of the scouters have refused to consider attending again. Tonight, I was told that the local scout shop is refusing to record advancement and other awards if the pack or troop does not buy the award locally. We have tried to buy our patches from the local shop but sometimes they are out and have no idea when the patches will arrive. If we buy the patch from a nearby council shop, the local shop does not recognize the award. One pack bought a quantity from another source and none of their awards are recorded this year. (I have not confirmed this with the CM.) I am disgusted with the local council on several issues. I do realize that Scouts is a business to them but in my eyes they are stealing from the boys. I have considered seeking a charter from another council that covers an area less than twenty miles away. Has anyone else had this kind of problem develop?

I have taken the BALOO training with most other adult leaders in my pack. I applaud anyone who takes the training. I believe that the UC will benefit from the training because there will be a common reference point. Without this training, how can the UC advise anyone regarding it?

This sounds like the District Chairman needs to ask why the unit did not come to the District Camporee. It sounds like HE is the problem.

TPLady, what position do you have with your camp? How is it that you deal with third graders?

Five years ago I bought a pair of Hi-Tec Magnums from Botach Tactical. It was an end of the year special and I paid $28. About a year later I purchased an identical pair that are waterproof and insulated for the same price. Last year I started working in the field more and I wear my boots almost every day. I have hiked with the Cubs and walked many miles in the woods in them. I am about to replace the oldest pair. I will probably have to pay more for these boots. These boots felt like tennis shoes when I first put them on but they support and wear really well. You may have to wait for a good deal. If you can anticipate when you will need a new pair, start browsing for a pair on sale. I think that I bought these boots in the late spring or early summer.

I saw an episode of "Our Gang" yesterday that had scouts in it. They were showing camping skills to the kids prior to going camping. The gang wanted to go along but they are too young to join. They strike out on their own and have several mis-adventures. They end up in a patch of poison ivy. As they head back to town, the scouts come along and treat the poison ivy for them. The gang decides there is more to this camping thing than they thought.

If this boy really is a special needs case, he should be in a pack or troop that works with special needs boys. We are really amateurs here. This child sounds like he needs professional help. I have to say that I have asked the parent and grandparents of one boy to keep him home until he learned better behavior. He tried to provoke an older scout to a fight. He destroyed another scouts property. He did not take care of his messkit. He repeatedly violated camp rules. He referred to another pack as "ghetto people" because they were racially mixed. When the SM and I sat down to discuss these problems with him, he looked me in the eyes and told me that he and my son had been discussing how they would like to kill me for the way I was acting. This all happened in one day. We returned him to his grandparents along with the committee decision.