pchadbo

While posting in the 4th of July topic, I was thinking of several conversations I had with staffers this past week at our local Cub Scout Camp. I have heard them tell stories of thier being treated as the baby-sitter or even worse by the adult leaders in the Packs. I heard several tell me that when the go to camp sites for Pack Out night (The Pack cooks dinner in the camp site for the boys) they are often ignored by the leaders or expected to cook dinner for and entertain the boys while the adults relax. Is this normal? Is this your experience? We treat our staffers that show up as honored guests, they are served dinner with the boys (before the leaders) and are welcome to participate in the evening's fun as their spirit moves them. Now we are known as a fun bunch and attract a bunch of staffers for that reason but I feel we just treat them nice, nothing special, is this now "special treatment?"

It was Wednesday of Cub Scout camp, so Flags, activities, lunch, activities, flags then, what out camp calls pack out night, the packs cook dinner in the sites for the boys, they supply hot dogs, chips and one s'more per person, we brought the cheeseburgers, pasta salad, LOTS more s'more fixins and steak tips for the leaders once the boys went to sleep. Had half the camp staff show up to share the bounty as they typically get left out when the packs serve the s'mores. They also came flocking when word spread that we had ice cold bottled water (the camp water while luke-warm, does have a nice iron taste to it) so we handed out water and s'mores to the staff and to us it seemed like they were getting steak and lobster. Then the camp fire and the fellowship. A Great way to spend the Fourth of July. . .The Pursuit of happiness. . .I think I got close.

we are planning our second annual inter-pack field day. We have a couple of packs in our area that the leaders are friends and we have camped at summer camp together, so a field day of kickball, frisbee golf, water baloon tosses, water baloon fights, snacks and freeze pops and LOTS OF WATER!!!!! was born, the boys have so much fun and it is in one of our local parks so we hang the Pack banner and have a couple apps. . . Just before freeze pops, we line up the boys in the designated water baloon area, do a patrol line so cleanup takes 5-10 minutes and they find more than just the broken water baloons.

I am with SSScout on this one, I am a Pack Committe Chair and a district committee member, if I have my blue loops on, it is the CS salute for me, if the loops are sliver, it it the BS salute for me. In civilian clothes, hat off, hand over heart.

Thank you all for the advice. ED I have tried to delegate but I look at people and they run away. SP thank you I think I can find someone (and have one in mind!!) Sasha I have been beating my head against this wall for almost a year and while my organizational skills have improved, there wasn't much place else to go. . . Oak, I am frustrated enough to do that, however, the structure of the Pack at this point would leave one person in the same shoes I am now filling with me helping. I am just venting and looking for suggestions such as the great ones above, thank you. Paul

So, I was an ACM in my Pack and happy at that. Our committee chair stepped aside to be his son's WebII leader and the cross over with him as an ASM. NOBODY wanted the position, partly because we have some hands off parents and partly because he ran a one man show. I stepped up only because it was obvious no one else would. Now, I know my strengths and weakness well. I am really great with long term planning and ideas, and I am a really great worker bee on the day of the event. The inbetween detail stuff I am not good at mainly because of a life-long lack of organization and way too many irons in the fire to tend each one properly. I am building the committe and trying to delegate the one-man show but it is not going swimmingly. I think I have the next committe chair identified, but do not want to push him too far too fast. I am drowning and am looking for a lifeline. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Welcome to the virtual campfire! Enjoy the warm glow of the "fire", grab a chair and a cup of your favorite beverage, hang out here with no bugs and above all keep your sense of humor!

I know two people on here IRL (yes I will admit it in Public Moosetracker) and would like to meet others. . .

This was brought up at our District Committee meeting tonight, the gentleman in the video Dr Tom Andrew is and world class expert on this subject and Medical Examiner for the State of NH. He has seen these cases in his professional life and has published studies on this subject. He also happens to be an ASM and our District Membership Chair. THOSE MOST AT RISK ARE BOYS FROM 9 TO 17 Please be aware and find out more about this dangerous "game" http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/choking-youtube-game-teens-parenting-16105664

http://www.ksee24.com/news/local/Boy-Scouts-Border-Patrol-Patch-Depicting-Fleeing-Immigrants-Causes-Uproar-146452525.html Has anyone else seen this? Thoughts? I see this as the PC Police starting to involve themselves in the naming of the Troop's Patrols.

I have been very happy with both the quality and price of Opinel knives. http://opinel-usa.com/products.asp?cat=Opinel+Carbon+Knives and the solve the locking/not locking debate by having a manual rather tan an automatic lock. Hope it helps. pchadbo

"It appears that I own a fairly small number of uniform shirts (3)." Don't feel bad, I too have 3, 1 short sleeve poplin with my Pack CC stuff, 1 short sleev microfiber also CC, and 1 long sleeve microfiber for my District Committe position.

Lets not forget the little guys: TIGERS!!!

Welcome from the only state that borders yours! Grab a cuppa and a chair, keep your sense of humor and enjoy the virtual campfire.

OK, I have read all sides and as someone who knows the player in "real" life, I have some observations, MIB, Moosetracker and their respective other halves are a great bunch of Scouters who all have a scarcastic sense of humor when dealing with each other and those they know can "take the heat". Having been on the receiving end I can attest to the great fun and sense of humor in the family. My suggestion would be similar to what qwazse suggested, remember that even though she is "Mom" she is still the MBC and the District Training chair. In her professional capacity she deserves your respect and deference to her "authority", for lack of a better term. If you disagree with her way of handling a situation, it should be brought up in private, not in front of everyone. Thank you for all you do and Keep on Scouting!!

OK Now the Cub leader is going to weigh in, throw a grenade and run for cover. . .Is the issue the fact that they are holding the camp in the first place (regardless of when or where) or is it that is air conditioned? To me, a visitor from the northern climes to Florida's oven like sweatbox in July, the air conditioning seems as natural as us in New Hampshire advertising the training in mid-January as heated. Just makes sense if you want 'em awake and paying attention to what you are teaching.

Not sure about the uniform other than the previous suggestions but I, being a size 3XL guy myself, I wish you the best of luck on the weight loss. I am 16 lbs into my journey. . .

Welcome to the virtual campfire, grab a chair, a cuppa and enjoy thye glow. No Skeeters around this campfire!!

I own one of each and like them each for differnt reasons, the polin is thicker and is warmer when wet as it does not breathe as well as the supplex. That is also the precise reason I prefer the supplex for the summer as it breathes and dries much more quickly. for hot humid, I would go with the supplex (that is our summers in the upper right corner of the country) for cooler, damper weather (in your corner from what I'm told) the polplin may be the better choice.

For me it depends on if you know me or not. If I am e-mailing the local schools to get into them for a recruiting night I sign them Paul XXX Committe Chair Pack XXX, If I am sending an email to the Pack, or someone that I know outside the pack (that would be you Moosetracker) I sign it Paul.

OK tonight I made the announcement moving the date of our PWD back a week, scheduling conflicts to a fare-thee-well on the original date, and I had a question asked of me. Can a Scout run a car in the PWD if he is not present? I am inclined to say yes, as it is the car itself and how well it was built not skill that determines the outcome, but am asking the collective wisdom for experience and advice.

" trying to try to stop the fact that giving gays equality for marriage is slowly becoming a popular trend.) " If this is so popular, then why has it been defeated repeatedly at the polls? Why is the movement looking to do this through the courts rather than the legislatures where law making belongs? "Still think Catholics are making a mountain out of a molehill, with the contraception insurance" What is an acceptable response of the government forcing people to do that they feel is morally and ethically wrong? Moose, what would your resonse if the government said that you had to teach (as part of your BSA training) the value of adult/child relationships as presented by NAMBLA? Yes an extreme example but for the Catholics a similar moral spot.

"So, correct me if I am wrong" Ok, you are confusing two seperate arguments that are not the same. One is an attempt to codify the popular belief that mariage is an institution that should be reserved for couples of the opposite gender, the other is the government trying to force institutions with religious convictions to provide services that they believe are morally wrong. Literally, the proposed legislation is trying to force the Catholic church to provide health coverage to its employees for birth control and abortion. I for one, do not believe that we (the government of the people) should be forcing anyone to do anything diametrically opposed to their convictions, as long as it does not interfere with the rights of others. "will have a hissy fit and cry foul because the government just wants them to provide fair and equal insurance coverage to all people" I would support the plan if all it did was provide ACCESS to coverage not MANDATE coverage. This is America and people have the right to be stupid. However forcing people to do something "for their own good" because the government said so seems a little. . .I don't know. . .oppressive, totalitarian, imperious, despotic, take your pick. And, not for nothing Scoutfish, do you really think healthcare brought to you by the same people who brought you the IRS, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and banking regulations is a good idea?(This message has been edited by pchadbo)

Not sure where you are but Camp Bell on the Griswold Scout Reservation in NH offers horseback riding (and some MB associated with) and is a patrol style camp, this may be what you want.

"WHY must the 'Uniform Method' require the orificial Scout Pants?" uniform    [yoo-nuh-fawrm] adjective 1. identical or consistent, as from example to example, place to place, or moment to moment: uniform spelling; a uniform building code. 2. without variations in detail: uniform output; a uniform surface. 3. constant; unvarying; undeviating: uniform kindness; uniform velocity. 4. constituting part of a uniform: to be issued uniform shoes. The answer to your question, is in the question. Uniforms are the SAME, hence, the word "uniform" if BSA did not want the scouts and Scouters to look the same, it would nt be called a uniform. It could be called a Scout costume or Scout outfit but not a uniform as to be uniform, they must all be the same