morainemom

Eammon, I saw that report last night. Very, very sad. I was quite shocked to learn that he had been charged, I would not have guessed that one in a million years. I thought the news report was very slanted - more focus on the Scout emblem, the statue of the Boy Scout, even the doors of the Scout office - and just a mention that this had happened at his house.

Laura, On the other thread you posted someone said that National has the original copy of the Merit Badges worked on at Jamboree scanned into their computers. I would call National's office and explain your problem to them. Hopefully they can send you a copy of the paperwork.(This message has been edited by morainemom)

When I hadn't heard from you, I was guessing that maybe the patches returned! That's great - but if that's what the other Scouts are doing - they need to quit pulling those kinds of tricks.

I read this piece on their website a few days ago. I wonder why it took so long for the writer to share his views. Why didn't he immediately file this story after the President's visit to the Jamboree? Instead he and the newspaper waited until AFTER the scouts had departed Fort AP Hill, after the majority of the parents quit perusing the website on a daily basis, after I order several prints from them (at a greatly inflated price, I might add!). There's another story from a female reporter - this one just went up yesterday - regarding her thoughts on Jamboree, which mainly seemed to consist of her view that the Scouts stunk (No? Really? Walking around in 100+ weather for 12 hours a day should have those boys smelling fresh as a daisy.... ) She also thought the boys were a little cheeky or fresh (so did my daughter when we went to Jambo in '01, but wow did she and her friend score the swaps!!!) And the reporter seemed to be amazed that one Scout actually shot a bus driver the bird. Again - this story also never hit the website until almost a week after the Scouts departed. I guess there are a lot of Geraldo Riveras wannabes out there.....

I have alway been under the assumption that any Scout convicted of a felony crime cannot earn the Eagle Rank. I did several google searches and can't find exact facts to back this up, though. However, I did find some info over at : www.netcommish.com/AskAndy41.asp (This message has been edited by morainemom)

You may be a Merit Badge Counselor if you are age 18 or older.

My 17 yr. old Eagle Scout son just got back from his 2nd Jamboree. He also did a Philmont Trek in '03. He personally has paid for ALL of these trips, including 4 years of summer camp. Each Jamboree and Philmot Trek cost $1,000.00. He sells a lot of popcorn. A lot..... He also has sold T-shirts, and helped operate a Troop Lemondade stand at a festival. They've sld Christmas trees. He also works many truck shows passing out newspapers. His Troop has individual accounts set up for the Scouts and everything they earn is put in their name. He's always been proud of the fact that he earned and paid his way to these events on his own. It also motivated him to go out there and do all that he could, activity wise. He just bought a Mustang Convertible, and yes, he paid for that himself as well and is responsible for half the insurance (we'll pay the other half as long as he continues to be on the honor roll and do school and outside activities.)

Pack391, The NASA patch you were wanting is now up for sale on eBay. Here's the link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7705204105&ssPageName=MERC_BC_ReBay_Pr4_PcY_BID_W0

There's one of these patches now up for sale on eBay. Here's the link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7705204105&ssPageName=MERC_BC_ReBay_Pr4_PcY_BID_W0

Eamonn, I think you are correct in the statement about the 2nd time around. The first time he was an eager, starry-eyed 13 year old First Class Scout. I had all of the Scoutmasters come up to me after the '01 Jambo and tell me that he was the Scout who set the example of the Troop - he trudged out to all the events and shows every day, dragging that cast around. (That was one thick cast, the Army did a bang-up job of making it to last through all the physical activities at Jambo!) He and the other OA Scouts did make it down to the Section Meet. He loves the OA! He's gearing up for the Conclave and also NOAC next year. He went to last year's NOAC at Iowa State. You should go, you'd have a great time. That gateway was pretty nifty, huh?!

Oops! I read the first page and then posted my opinion. I just read Scoutnut's post and his thoughts were very much on the lines of what I asked.

Let me begin by saying that I am personally anti-alcohol. Don't like it - I'mm 44 and have never tasted alcohol. My question to the OP is have you actually observed this Scout drinking? From what I havve read, you or other members of the Scouting organization haven't. It's pretty unsettling to read that the parents of the Scout permit him to drink - but some of my kids' friends have done so as well, with the parents giving them wine at dinner or turning their heads when they see the kid sucking on the keg at a family reunion. Again - I don't approve, but that's none of my business. Now - a question to all - there's been much quoted about Scouts not drinking (and rightly so) - but do the Scouters also take an oath to be clean, healthy, etc? Would this apply to them as well? Should they abstain from drinking, smoking, and swearing? I'm not being nasty, really - just very curious.

Eamonn, My son said he really enjoyed meeting you at your camp. (He didn't mention seeing any mess.... ) He arrived home around 4:00 pm on Wed. They unloaded the truck, put away tents, washed dishes, etc. We pulled out of camp around 5:45. His thoughts on this year's Jambo (his 2nd): had fun - but not quite as much as in '01; heat was horrid - but he survived and never got sick; liked the Action Centers (earned a special patch for his air rifle shooting); wishes there was a better system at the Outback Centers - long, long waits for the water activities; he remarked, much like you, that parts of the Arena Show lagged - of course in '01 there was the unforgettable performance of Allan DeLay performing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" on his saw when the Closing Show got delayed and the President couldn't make it. That was a truly spectacular show! He enjoyed patch trading in the evening - he met a lot of scouts in the different subcamps and came home not only with some great patches, but some friendship swaps and stories as well. The deaths of the Alaskan Scouters was unsettling and very sad. He got along very well with his Scoutmasters and had many stories to tell us once he got home! It appears that there was a lot of laughter in the camp and on the bus rides. He also earned all of his rockers (did so as well in '01). In 2001 he broke his arm on the 2nd day of activities. This time around the only mishap was getting stunk by a wasp during the 5K Run. He said he was about a mile into the Run when he got stung, he finished the Race out - although he slowed to a walk towards the end when his arm started to swell from the sting. Laundry is all done and put away in the drawers, I have been oogling and admiring his patches, he passed out the souvenirs he bought all of us, the 250 photos he took have been downloaded from the digital camera and printed, gear is pretty much put away - until next week's OA Big Three Weekend. Agian, thanks for being so cordial and nice to my son when he visited you. He's lookin forward to seeing OJ at the various Conclaves.

I have been reading over on the official Jamboree website about bags and bags of patches being turned into Losst & Found. If you can contact your sons, I would suggest that they pop over to the Lost & Found tent and see if their patches have been turned in. It's a longshot - but worth trying.

My son was 13 also when he went to his first Jambo in '01. He fell on an obstacle course the 2nd day there and broke his arm! He stayed and still had a great time. I had told him to lock everything up - he does this at summer camps, even troop camporees -- sad to say, not every Scout is Trustworthy! :9 I can definitely send your son one of our Council patches. I'll see if my son has an extra Blues Brothers one - and if so, I'll send that also. Just PM me with your son's name and address and after my son gets home from Jambo I'll get the patch (es) out to you. I hope that he gets his collection back - sure sounds like it is a Scout from his Troop who is the thief.