pbarriage

To some replies I just read: After dealing with the BSA for a few years, and a very short glimpse at GSA, I can see why they are not involved with one another. GSA has not impressed me with their in-fighting & less than trustworthy leadership. I put this here as a base for the rest. Venturing/or Venture Crew (yes, stop fighting about the spelling) IS very much a scouting program. Just consider what you call a scouting program. Following in true woodbadge spirit, it is a CONTINUATION in scouting. The problem I have seen in starting our crew is that EVERYONE wants to call it separate. Our troop had 3 boys in it when we moved here 9 years ago, and my son joined. It had been a great troop, I gathered from former scouts I have met. Since then, the scoutmaster and our recruited other leaders and I have fought, forced, pushed and shoved to be a crew of 6, troop of 18-20, and a pack (about 12 since the last internal fight). The reason we have a crew? One day, I asked the scoutmaster what training we should do with our older boys once they get to the ages of less required activity. He suggested we start a crew. My daughter was turning 14. Off we went. Not separate, not fighting, not STEALING boys from the troop. Heck, the initial requirement was having your eagle before joining the crew. Now we are becoming stable enough, our meetings can be short enough for our members to spread out & help train the troop. ( I think I read that somewhere ). Ah, yes, my point. For those that haven't grasped it, venturing is PART of the youth experience. Why are you an SM, ASM, Committee member, why are you OA? Is THAT it? Imagine your youth again. What would you feel like if you knew that at 18, they would DROP you from the troop. Then, magically, at 21 you would be a leader? Oh, by the way, the original topic? A Kodiak is one of my woodbadge ticket items. Why, because we didn't have one I could put on our schedule during my leader training. I said I would do one. Hmmm,.... ^5 guys FWIW. PB (This message has been edited by pbarriage)