Basementdweller

I am guessing a whole bunch of money is involved.

So Oak.....when we see something we don't like, disagree with or have an alternate opinion on we are supposed to just set there quietly????

Guess our unit might be the exception....we typically get 4 or 5 hours a month just for the troop and pack. Delivering food boxes and working the CO's food pantry.

I believe if troops stopped the merit badge classes during meetings then we would see the eagle numbers drop and the Rank would return to what it once was. Met a 14 year old eagle last weekend that could not pitch his tent. This was after step dad was bragging him up about his skills and the best scout he had ever seen. hmmmmmmm. My second class scout set up his own tent.

My youth don't go to private schools and don't have any requirement for service hours for their education.

So why are you doing 5 weekends of popcorn sales????? It is a simple enough fix. Cut it back to 3 and you have two free weekends. University of scouting is optional. another free weekend. Scouting for food is kinda fixed so no help there. All activities in scouting are optional. You can say no.

Irsap.....yep wallyword or most big box store gear was never meant to stand up to that kind of wind.

A little bleach from the cook kit would have been sufficient to take care of it in a pinch. I always care aqua mira. Rather be safe than sorry. I have drank from springs untreated, but never from creeks or an open well.

Clears his throat..... so what is the lesson we are teaching by double dipping??? So is it about short cuts????? In my opinion, it is not ok. I have several parents that disagree, of course in their opinion their 12 year old has earned his eagle.

The reality of my world is my scouts are home alone alot at the age of 7. The pretty standard instructions are not to answer the phone or door. Single parent homes without the ability to pay for child care. If something were to go wrong then they call mom's cell phone for instructions. They most definitely would not call 911. I wonder if this may have been the case.

we have never canceled an event......we have modified the outing or trip....Mainly because of flooding rivers and water in the caves. Ended up doing some hiking instead and going museums.

"Then I'm outta here." This statement says it all

Moose, I have no idea what his ticket was or is........But he was the first and a huge braggart about it. Stood up at roundtable and announced it. He did it in less than 4 months.

They won't redraw boundaries. But we can completely withdraw from our assigned district and participate with a neighboring district.

Our district merged with a neighboring distict.........To be very blunt it is City folks verse Country folks. Country folks are mostly two parent wealth scouters. They drive huge crew cab diesel trucks to round table and moved round table 20 miles south of the scouting population center for the council. Even though we are all scouts. They make it very clear that us folks from the city and our scouts are far inferior to their program and the way of doing business. I have had enough of district BS. I am going to attend a neighboring district program from now on, It is 15 miles closer, well financed because it is a rich suburb and well organized. I have chatted with the COR about seeing if we can change districts. My FOS donation is already going to a different council and I joined a friends of organization to work at a camp that treated my scouts well. We are leaving our council to participate in a Beaver Day at that camp.

Jugger..... I am wondering if we had the same woodbadge trainers?????? Our council just completed this years version a month or two ago, roughly the same time or your original post. I am in Ohio.

jugger More and more people are stepping forward and giving woodbadge less than stellar reviews. Just like you I spent the entire course looking for that "Moment", well it just never happened. I am about two weeks from completing my ticket. I took the course 14 months ago. I will NEVER recommend woodbadge and have already talked a couple of folks locally out of taking it. Both were professionals and had taken a bunch of corporate leader training that was fair superior to amateur night at woodbadge. A funny side story, The first person to complete his ticket has all but destroyed his Pack completing his ticket.....I had 18 of his 24 scout transfer one complete den and parts of the others to my Pack......He has become one of those woodbadgers......

Now I spun this thread not to dilute the other.

I gotta ask Jay what was/is your experience in scouting

I dislike merit badge boot camps as well. How about educating your parents on the Merit badge program and how it was intended to work????? And then follow up with your dislike as well. The national website has a pretty decent explanation. I really had citizen merit badges being offered at summer camp.....But generally don't like any indoor merit badges being offered at summer camp.

That is all well and good. But in reality does all that really happen? My DE does little for me but sniff around for money and new youth application. He has been sending me a large number of "refugee" scouts, who are being displaced by poorly run Packs and troops. I believe this is simply about his retention numbers.

I completely disagree with offering an in Troop merit badge colleges or in Troop merit badge programs. If you are worried about the quality of the work, then get to know the MBC's you are sending your youth too. In my opinion it completely removes a couple of elements of the program. The association with adults he does not know. Making and keeping appointments and delivering the work expected to an unknown impartial adult. Back to the original discussion, there are merit badges like personal finance that most scout would benefit more when they are tolds.

Hey you wouldn't happen to be talking about me would you....... I frequently butt heads with the folks at the district level. Have a meeting with the opposing voices and organize an event to their liking in an agreeable location.. Pretty simple in my book. In the past we have organized our own webelos woods event, and day camp.

Got to thinking about the other thread, no sense diluting the discussion over there. Soooooooo, I know a number of DE's that have a god complex and stomp all over volunteers for in my opinion minor things. So other than answering questions regarding procedure and policy , maybe the occasional boy talk......does the DE have the authority to remove volunteers, fire people on the district committee?????? I guess I am looking for a better understanding for what HE IS SUPPOSED to be doing. Our guy notified us that the district needs to make a profit, 50%, on every event. What the #@$%$#@. Can he force that????

I don't see anything wrong with a movie night at a lock in. But a camp out probably not. Our guys enjoy godzilla movies. What is learned, not much. but it is a lot of fun. We also enjoy Johnny socko and the flying robot. They are terrible but a lot of fun. We have seen follow me boys a number of times,