Basementdweller

I would like to thank a number of forumers who have guided me over the year. Dessertrat, Eamon, twocubs, Eagle99, Fish, Oldgreyeagle. goldwinger, Lets just say that with their advice, the inner city poor troop went from 6 members to over 50. Moving from adult led/run to boy led and run. I am proud of what that group of 6 have accomplished. Thank you. Sadly I have seen a significant shift in all scouting forums that I don't care for and simply will not stand for without speaking out. I see scouting moving from it's middle class base to the rich suburbs. Requirement short cutting, eagle chasing parents, High dollar trips and Family adventure being the norm. Lost is the boy sized adventures, the days exploring the creek or hanging with buds......My patrols are truly a band of brothers. It makes me smile every outing to watch them in action. I like to think that Dan Beard and Baden Powell are looking down on our program and smiling. I wish you the best Basement

Now I remember why I stopped coming here. Hedge a scout is honest and feedback is a gift. Let's just say your vision of scouting and mine are significantly different as is our socioeconomic situation. The backpacking equipment you view as cheap cost more than many of my scouts family monthly food budget.

Thx bro Under his skin I got. Funny stuff hog boy.. I think your very confused as to what scouting is and why we are here. Hint it isn't about that expensive pile of gear you are selling to cub scout parents.

Boy led is ded or dead as it were. Hedge, lots of me and I's in your posts. who plans the trips, buys the gear. So why are you doing the teaching about backpacking and gear? Why isn't your SPL or more importantly your youth QM doing it?

Haven't been around in a while. Thought I would stop by and kick the bear. Nice topic Eamon. Is it we who failed? I am not so sure. Granted, the economy and family situations have change very dramatically since many of us were youth scouts. I know of only one lad who had a single parent house, even in that case his dad would take him camping with the troop on weekends. Our troop has a stable population of 50, goes up and down and meeting and outings net about 75% of that. Yet out of 80 potential adult volunteers I have 2. Why is that? We had our summer court of honor a couple of weeks ago and I spent some time recruiting some new adult blood. Excuses Not to be a leader I don't camp I don't like bug I work weekends, sometime Single parent siblings I am too old, gotta laugh because they were younger than me I don't want too I am too busy, this fellow doesn't work on disabilty, cough cough I am not good in the outdoors, we will train you, NO i am not good in the outdoors Now this last one is made me want to throw up.......... I am not going to waste my free time I don;t believe we have failed, but the values of the country have shifted and being a good, independent and solid citizen aren't important any more. Narcissist, Facebook Twitter, snapchat,tinder, kik.....me me me Materialistic, Egocentric and Instant gratification. is what it is all about. I have a few more years in me as scoutmaster, there is no replacement on the horizon. Once the last group of boys I have watched grow from wolves to eagles ages out. I will retire, replacement or not. I will have 20 years as an direct contact leader at that point, I will have fulfilled my obligation at that point and retire even if there is no replacement, I will notify the troop a year out and try to recruit new leader and give a firm date.

Such nice flowery speak orange. So are you going to give up your familys christmas or vacation to support needy scouts?????? I have given up vacation for two years, spending the time and money on scouting. from the safety of your iphone you can be as self righteous as you like. The boy is still active with the troop and has paid for and attended the last three outings. water under the bridge and boy is no worse for wear. Mom and scout both know I am not playing games......Same for the rest of the troop.

And how many of those boys will still be scouts 6 months from now, a year from now.

I am late to game Poaching scouts......... It isn't Okay. If you don't have a feeder pack then you need to start one. I equate it to shoplifting. So, as big brother troop. We have hosted the cub family campout twice a year since they joined. We worked every pinewood derby, provided den chief and taught skills as requested. We host the webelos dens at the webelos woods events. On and on.......... Now at the 11th hour another troop swoops in and wows them with gifts and promises. Had it happen, a troop that folded despite poaching one years crossovers with gift that included a complete scout set up. backpack, sleeping bag and all. While I understand that our relationship isn't the norm, Poaching leaves a very bitter feelings. Oh btw, the boys that were poached are no longer in scouting.

This this effectively takes the outing out of scouting for my unit. While many of my family's have cars they are less road worthy than the CO's vans. Let's talk about insurance.....many of my family's do not have adequate insurance coverage Strangling the volunteers

Oh I see lecastor has a fan boi. Lots of likes for his warm fuzzy scouting. Nope these guys are jack asses to the third power. Zero result meetings and goal setting for units with no input from the units. then the coffee pot silent treatment. Just as an Eagle patch on the shirt is no judge of the man, Neither is a bunch of survival knots above the pocket.

As a fellow who has dealt with this before, write it off and institute the following policy. No popcorn ever leaves the troop stores till it is paid for in full. This leaves the burden on the parents. I wouldn't kick the boy out. But not trust the family again.

Par for the course.

You guys are absolutely ridiculous. So I am making the lad feel worthless? He let his mother drop him off in the hopes that I would pay his way anyway. HIs mother dropped him off hoping I would cave in. Till his mother failed to answer the phone and his emergency contact did as well I very well may have paid his way. But I understood what was at stake here. She was testing my resolve. I was a man of my word. while her boy was tended too while she did what ever she did that night. He did not participate in the scouting event. I fed him and made sure he was safe and that is my responsibility. He did not bowl, enjoy the movie or eat pizza with the troop, because he didn't pay for it. While many of you have six figure incomes, I do not and have sunk way too much personal cash into scouting for boys who are not my own to even begin to reconcile. Where is that line? $10 for a camp out, a pair of socks, a new scout shirt, book, summer camp. I will not pay for pizza, movies or bowling for a lad. compassion.....pssssst. Guess you haven't been taken advantage enough yet.

So drop them off you say? 14 boys in the old church van at 15 minutes per drop and unload is how much again. I do not have active and involved parents, and the troop is being used as a babysitting program. The familys involved are not going to participate in the next couple of outings. The mom with the dump and run has been asked to take her scout to another unit to continue his scouting career. I have received an email threat of being sued if he is kicked out. Well I didn't kick him out, troop committee did and he tried to steal an activity. His scouting career is over in our troop. Sue away, ya can't get blood from a turnip.

On going problem.