Basementdweller

I agree that the webelos attending for the entire meeting is too much........ Joining them for the opening is not that big a deal and helps them learn the oath law and outdoor code.... We leave the troop and do our own program.

BDT Let me see legally married adults, even if the BSA considers them youth, Sleeping with the rest of the adults as a married couple. I don't see a problem. or If they tent separately with their pals then no issue. So please explain to me the issue?????? I simply don't see it.

Thats why we have a church bus.....Even though most of my parents have cars most of them won't leave the neighborhood because they are unreliable or not all that safe. Far as sleeping bags......I get a yearly bonus, over the years I buy sleeping bags backpacks and other gear. First year I simply gave them to the boys with the instructions for them to keep and take care of them.....Well that failed, they were left outside in the rain, sold or siblings tore them up. Second year I kept them an tried to launder them...in the house, impossible. then then bedbug incident. So now I trash bag them and haul them to the laundry mat and wash and dry them their.......So far no unwelcome visitors have made it home. Third tried to give bags to the older boys.....still failed..... four try had a family of three boys move to North Carolina and never saw them again.....oh well. So I just loan them out and wash them after every trip......Just takes a couple of hours after the trip.....Go home set up the tents and then to the laundry mat......Sunday afternoon so I can use as many washers and dryers as I need. Sue.....I would try to make the meetings 2 hours.....You can accomplish a lot in that time. Safety inspections for the wolf badge, If your allowed to use the kitchen make cookies, or dinner......Lots of games to keep them interested.....Not every game has to have a lesson. Keep your approach low key, get a plan shirt with council strip and cubmaster patch. If you come in looking like an admiral you become unapproachable. Don't walk in and expect the boys to come running with open arms, remember these families have trust issues and are near the lowest point in their lives.... Under no circumstances give them your full name or phone number, or get a trac phone and use that number and turn it off at night and while your at work......They will call you at all hours looking for help, hand outs or just to talk.....Their world is significantly different than working folks.....Learned that lesson the hard way.....

Don't treat it like a service project...... Treat it just like a regular Pack that hopefully ends up with a lot of bobcats or scouts..... The other problem was returning from camping trips we had occasion where the parents had disappeared and a relative from out of town came to get the young man.... So would I recommend taking these youth out, absolutely.....make sure their medical form is filled out completely and make sure you call the second and third numbers on their medical form to make sure someone who knows them actually answers..... It is a lot of work.... but I find it rewarding.

My troop and Pack are part of the urban poor......The biggest problem with bringing scouting to these boys is they are very transient..... They will just not show up one day, family picked up and moved or custody changed. They deserve scouting as much as the next boy......their life situation makes it nearly impossible. So how do you deliver a meaningful scouting experience in single sessions???? Don't get wrapped up in uniforming, a "Pack" or "Troop" tshirt is adequate.....remember chances are you probably won't see them again. Don't bother with books, but word process up a colorful hand out with the Law, oath, motto on it. A thought, You could do single scouting activities......Single day Pinewood Derby, single day rain gutter regatta, Take a group to an event at a local camp.... Our boys love Pioneering projects..... Gear is a problem especially......I have purchased enough personal gear for the boys to use for camping trips.....Be aware of the bedbug problem.....All of the bags are laundered outside the house and dried on high heat before being brought into the house. Had some hard learned lessons regarding this......I have a workable solution.

Why can't they still be with the crew if they are married????? I see an odd circumstance and have no problem with them tenting with the adults as a married couple....or who knows they might want to tent with their friends instead of the ball and chain??????? The No PDA restriction still applies.....and I think that they should understand they need to restrain from animal urges even in their tent while with the crew....

Oh I take it easy good citizen patch is appropriate. Just be prepared when the parents start to come out of the wood work with why their little darling should get one too.... We have all sorts of folks on this board.....We have parents buying $500 dog sleds for webelos dens to participate in the local Klondike derby...... Lots of over the top stuff happening..... Just figured this was one of those cases.

Council certificate of merit?????? Shakin my head.....

No problem with a mention at the Pack meeting with some pictures of the event... But a national certificate of merit????? I hope he was joking or maybe trolling for a reaction.

thanks Lisa, kinda what I thought.... Wife and I hold hands when the trail is wide enough.......not intentional, it just happens. Been married for 25 years...... I don't have a problem with the kids holding hands, No arm in arm stuff is gonna be my thought, kissin is too much as well. God help them if we have that sneaking around stuff after lights out. Q where ya at...

national certificate of merit too much for getting a bird out of a drainage..... YES. Why does the cub need rewarded for doing the right thing????? They don't need a patch, badge, belt loop, bead or doodad for everything.

Well our crew is alive and kicking again. we basically have 4 couples, yes they are all hetero, 8 youth from 15-17. They have planned a car camping trip, we talked about tenting separately and expectations on conduct....they are excited about the campfire and spending time with their sweetie...... Ya know this isn't Mr. B's romantic weekend excursions...... So PDA,Public Displays of Affection,.....I am not an old fuddy duddy, and I understand they are young men and women in love and all....... So what is your crews boundaries?????

Ya know Pack, I could give a rats behind what she thinks of me or how she treats me......Well what I was doin wasn't about me......Fine example she set for my daughter. I have been treated that way by other BSA Scouters.....but those are district folks who I understand couldn't soil their hand by shaking mine. Did I tell ya about the GSA Troop that would not let her visit until she filled out an application?????? At the end of the night handed it back to me to tell me she was too old for their troop.....

that is exactly what we do.... The troop meets at the same time and place as the Pack.... Webelos join for opening and then off to their own program. Our crossover went from 1 or 2 a year to 8-10 So Scoutnut, did the troop your associated with have a feeder Pack?????(This message has been edited by Basementdweller)

Pushing my buttons aren't ya..... Hell will freeze over before I support AHG. Those I serve are more than just Christians. We are working on a Baden Powell Group.....Just trying to recruit some decent leadership.....We have enough interested girls......

Pack my daughter still wants to join...... The last group we visited, walked in she introduced herself to the leader. I offered my hand and was told I could leave now and they are done at 8:30..... So do you leave her or take her.....I walked out not saying a word and she followed me....Said "Daddy that woman was just plain nasty" those were her words.....

Kinda what I thought.... Seattle would never jeopardize his status in his district and council. Moose would never start the conversation in a large group... Bando, your membership can be revoked by anyone from your local unit thru National. Happens fairly regularly if ya rock the boat.

So why does the Girls scout program stink???? The leaders run units like their own little kingdom. Unit leaders run the units based on age, neighborhood, race and circle of friends. Don't necessarily have the best interest of the girls in mind. Parents get zero return on the money spent on the program Units form and disappear monthly. You think the BSA leaders are cliquey. nothing worse than a bunch of man hating catty Type A women....Experienced that a couple of times with GS leaders as a parent wanting to have my daughter join. Listen ladies, my daughter wants to join girl scouts, you are correct we don't go to your school, you are correct she isn't the same ethnicity as your daughters, Your right we don't make $100k a year..... that's right we live on the other side of the beltway, yes she is younger, older, a tom boy and not the prettiest thing in the world. But she is my daughter and would like to join.

My point when it was suggested was that we have a lot of anonymous people on the internet whining. I Challenged BSA24 to stand up at his sacred roundtable and in front of his Scouting Friends open a dialog regarding his support of gay membership...... I doubt anyone on this forum has the guts to do it. I read what moose and seattle are spewing, So what do you think the folks would say at roundtable???? Unit level, how many have had a heart to heart with your COR, He has voting power at the council level right?????? A district or too of COR could beginning the change.... Or would he throw you out for such talk... So how many of you have written a letter signed your real name and dropped it in the mail to national????? Did you sign the online petition??? How valuable is that???? Not very I am told. I get tired of all the whining about it.......... It is put up or shut up time folks......

Almost as bad when scouters teach myth and lore about flag etiquette as fact. An adult scouter telling a den of cubs that if the flag touches the ground it must be burnt...... or That to properly retire a flag all of the colors must be separated and burned alone. or That the United State Flag is required to be folded in the triangle. Ya, he was pretty clueless.

While others are too arrogant to realize there will be fallout and consequences for the decision. BTW I support gays and atheist being permitted membership.

Seattle is right... Boys can join girl scouts

I understand the thought behind the pricing strategy. Girl scouts make their money because everyone loves their product and will by 10 boxes.... Popcorn in horrible......The BSA must make it's money with one box. So prepopped diet popcorn????? is it a buck a bag???? if it is more than that it is too much. The price point is $5 and $10

So Eric have you contacted Scouter.com and pay for advertising?????? It is one thing for users to discuss a program......It is something else for someone who stands to benefit from its promotion to post about it..... Moderators I ask the previous advertisement be removed.

Seattle.....I disagree with your promoting AHG along with Cubs.........As pointed out If your caught promoting a religious affiliated program you will probably never be allowed in again and possibly get all of scouting removed from the schools...... I wonder if the school system is made aware if you would be allowed in?????? Please don't interject AHG into the discussion regarding the BSA. Most think it would be a good thing... But how do you think it would change?????