Basementdweller

What ever happened to just doing the right thing? A story....my father worked for SuperX drug stores, some of you may remember them. Well SuperX paid for the Camporee shirts for our Council one year. No where on them did it say anything about SuperX. The only way I knew was my Dad told me when I came home with it. The District manager payed for them because it was the right thing for them to do. My 100 year camporee shirt had 15 event sponsors on it and it still cost me $65 to attend. I just don't like it being smacked in my face. My son and I had a long talk about AT&T and Apple. The discussion went along the lines of "Doing the Right thing because it is right" and "doing the right thing and expecting to be rewarded". I likened AT&T's participation to buying an ad at the super bowl and not donating to the scouts because they are a worthy youth serving organization. Don't get me started on apple and the isheep.

We have several scouts who only earn advancements at summer camp. I remember going to camp to have fun, ya know I earned a couple of merit badges in the process.

I was not present in person but was at one of the shining light locations. I was really disappointed at the commercialism. The gave away an ipad and a smart phone of some sort.... What the heck were they thinking? I won't go as far as calling the guys who participated in the guitar hero idiots, but I was surprised that one was an adult, I would have given the qualifying shirt to one of the boys in the troop. I did not know either of the two bands, but as pointed out, that is ok it is for the boys. The boy scout history song was fun and I enjoyed that. While I appreciate the adventure base in West Virginia for $65 million, to this point, how many local camps could have been endowed? Mike Rowe did a fantastic Job, I was worried at first when he said he had 20 minutes to talk. We could really use him as a scouting spokesman.

Vicki In my personal experiences the parents who are active in their children's lives don't end up with pregnant daughters or son's who make a young lady pregnant. An example we have couple whom we are friends with that would leave their 10 and 12 year old at home alone to go out to Jazz in the park events. The kids would come home to an empty house after school and guess what the daughter was pregnant at 14. An acquaintance single mom daughter comes home to an empty house every day after school pregnant at 16. Yet another acquaintance couple. Parents would leave the early teen boys home alone on weekends so they could go to bed and breakfast and unwind. Yep both sons before graduation had young ladies pregnant. None of these were active in scouting, the boys played soccer and lacrosse. IMO these parents were negligent in their responsibilities. And every single one of the children are now receiving assistance from outside the family. Picking my children up from school the last day, I was amazed at the number of very pregnant 4-6th graders. Just makes a fellow shake his head. As I mentioned my wife and I have changed our lives to make sure our children are active and always have someone in the house when they get home from school. It has cost my wife and I time together and lost income. But our children are too important to risk for mere money.

We hand out a paper newsletter and calendar at the pack meeting and we also send emails. Our Database also sends out email reminders of up coming events.

Oh my children have made bad choices, but they are mistakes on a childs level. Broken windows, doors, fights, self hair cuts, broken arms, stitches, painting and markering walls, skateboard issues and on and on. This is not a child's mistake. If either of my children bring a child into the world before they are old enough to take care of it on their own there childhood is OVER. No scouting, no sports no toys. Job, Diapers and child care will be their life. I will full fill my family obligation and help take care of the baby but I will not be the primary care giver. Once born the baby deserves the same love and safe environment my own children were raised in and it will be available. If we had few more stern parents we wouldn't have one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the Industrialized world. just curious what do you blame this high pregnancy rate on??????? Lack of parenting? Lack of Religion? Too much free time? loose morals? MTV? utube?

scoutfish Got a summer camp story for you..... Took the webelos to resident camp last week. The BSA swimming test says "Swim 75 yards in a strong manner using one or more of the following strokes: side, breast, trudgen, or crawl. Swim 25 yards using an easy, resting backstroke. " The key is strong manner. IMO I only saw one of my scouts swim it in a Strong manner, 3 dog paddled the last lap including my son. The Lifeguard passed them all and I was concerned. Sure everyone whipped the end of the rope, but could they do it again? How about plant ID? Sure they could do it on the hike with the counciler but how about a week later???? I sat down with the list of requirements the camp said they completed and started putting them in the database. Wow, I must a been at a different camp, the requirement listed and what my scouts did was very different. I have emailed the Program Director with my concern. I understand that in cubs "doing your best" qualifys as completion. Swimming is a thing that should never be skimped or cheated at. Potentially it could cost a scout his life.

There are a lot of volunteers who forget about the boys. I know of a number of SM's who run their own program, not BSA's. Misappropriated money, SM/CM/DL laying hands, YP violations and on and on.

rice I disagree with your liberal attitude. When you make choices then you must live by them. Having a child is an adult choice. She forfeits her childhood and no it isn't ok to mix her with children whose parents did a better job. My wife and I have made job and personal choices to make sure we are at home for our kids, they have never come home to an empty house, they are both very active in sports and scouting. Neither have a cell or text device. Parenting isn't easy but it does mean having to act like one. Isn't it enough that the taxpayer is going to have to bear the burden for the baby.

Have to agree about the two different organizations. I read the stories of great DE, active districts and fantastic camps and dream of such luxuries. I envy those with great councils and Districts.

OGE you can lead a horse to water, but...... The level of training needed isn't going to be covered in a weekend or single day. Heck it is hard enough to get everyone trained for their position. Sherminator......Right by who or what???? The SM's I have been involved with will generally do the best thing for the troop and the scouts. Which is in direct conflict with the DE? I have first hand knowledge of DE's abusing lfl funds and registering fictitious scouts and units. And nobody cares, as it turns out everyone already knew what he was doing.

The problem I have with it with in scouting is that it removed the knife from tool status to toy status. The second issue I have is that your son maybe responsible and never have a problem with it. But the second he shows up with one, the troop problem child will get one too and accidentally end up destroying your $200 timberline. Of course mom and/or Dad can't pay for the tent.

The BSA is a bunch of Rich white guys in Texas that do what is right for them. When profits are down they change a couple of requirements for rank and sell a bunch of new books or change the uniform to sell more and increase profits. I have absolutely no use for DE or SE's. Probably less use for the crew in texas. They have both failed to deliver the goods when asked. Missed boy talks, not returning phone calls, mis spending the boys money on fancy new service centers. We have had 3 DE in the last 2 years all of them horrible. This one should be leaving hear shortly. I no longer believe in the BSA program at the District, Council or National Level. I will continue to work with the Troop, Packs and Crews I am involved with and nothing more. Why is the BSA slipping from being relevant? Poor unskilled volunteers and greed executives.

I am guessing the boys were playing with them in this manner http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUeCrHNk8-k http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe-SCNPHz7w&feature=related I probably would not get my son one because he is a young man and he will make bad choices from time to time.

It depends on how the Pack finances are set up. Most packs just dump the money in the general fund and everyone uses it. We just switched to individual scout accounts and created a Budgeted amount per scout. So once the budget amount for the pack is met then the rest of the money belongs to the boy. Our plan and account info is in writing and parents do not have to participate. Write a single check for the budgeted amount. Remember a scout pays his own way.

Gifts to an instructor???????? Please I paid $300 for the blasted course.

If you have to ask about liability then I would pass on the project. That park could be around for years and it would be a bad surprise to be served with a lawsuit for an injury 10 years from now. Irregardless of release from liability you will be named in the lawsuit. Everyone gets named and the courts sort it out.

That is complete bull hockey. There is a wolf den leader in my Patrol. She doesn't have a clue about scouting. She merely picked up a brochure and signed up. I guess she is trained for her position. If that is truely the case then BS outdoor leadership skills should be a prerequisite.

Having a great summer of Cub Scouting, I have attended BS resident Camp, Webelos Resident camp and Day camp.......Well, I had a lot of help with the Day camp with den leaders being walkers. What would be an appropriate thank you for their help????? I cannot think of anything that is heartfelt and meaningful. I really appreciate their help and would like to make sure they know it.

I bought a bunch of the look a like wool socks from Walmart last fall/summer. They are absolutely identical except for the BSA logo on the instep. I wear the wool hiking socks exclusively......

thx for the link to the ABLE course document. Kinda disappointed in the length. One single day of class room with one weekend of practical. Without experiencing it first hand hard to tell if it is adequate. Missed it for this year, I will keep an eye out for next year. The entire and sole reason I took WB was to remove the roadblock to improving our districts outdoor program. As stated many times in earlier threads my current lack of Beads presents The Good old Wood Badge boys concern and an easy path to dismiss my requests.....of course their beads are no longer valid for Jambo.

acco I am interested in the ABLE training your talking about. Could you forward some addition information, if your comfortable. I would be interested in attending the course and seeing what it is about.

acco what your saying makes perfect sense. teen development training. It is something that I would be interested in as well. Scouting is a huge time commitment anything to make myself more efficient and effective.

1st, IOLs is inadequate. You don't even need to demonstrate skill to receive your card. Seen participants unable to identify poison ivy get their card......how do I know they were sitting in it at graduation. Amazing....... Powder horn, from the outside, appears to be Adult scouts having fun. Nothing wrong with that, but not exactly what we are after. "Much like the new Powder Horn course can change the life of the Venturing crew advisor. It gives that advisor the opportunity to taste high adventure. It gives them confidence they need to find experts and resources to help them provide experiences for their youth. " Correct me if I am wrong or misinformed but Powder horn is how to conduct a high adventure program. Not exactly what is being proposed. We are talking intermediate to advance outdoor skills.(This message has been edited by Basementdweller)

So why would profession scouters not like it????? Dragging scouting back outdoors?????? I can see the 21st woodbadger not wanting this. The people I meet are not comfortable in the outdoors. I could never see any of them cowboy camping.