prof

I agree with captain Ron I would not want these people to serve as role models to my children. I would transfer to a new troop!

CRW, I think if I were in the same position as you, I would check with the adults in the troop (SM, ASMs, Parents, Committee) to see if anyone could serve as counselor for the badges that were unfinished. Then, I'd run the paperwork to make them official MBC. (They might want to be troop only MBCs) That should prevent any questions that may come about in the future! It also could spread the work out, giving the boys an opportunity to work with different adults! Prof.

Welcome to the virtul campfire!

Calico, That makes sense! Thanks for clearing it up! Steve

SctDad, Not trying to sidetrack this thread, especially as you are getting many good viewpoints, but I'm not sure what you mean by this his wife (who we just paid to be a den leader) Is your pack paying people to be den leaders? Prof.

The reverse happens as well. I once wore my uniform to a Girl scout function that my sister was having.

I like the campaign hat. I will likely add one to my uniform within the next year or so! A couple of adults had them when I was a youth. They were sharp individuals who really knew their stuff. I'd say, wear it with pride!

Silo, Welcome to the virtual campfire! Prof

Skeptic, I, too, was taken aback at first when I saw so many patches on ebay. However, I recognize that selling patches is a fund raising activity for some lodges. One which generally doesn't compete with what troops are doing for fundraising. As for the merits of OA, I would simply add that my experience was very similiar to that of shortridge. OA and camp staff and firecrafter (Local group similiar to OA) were the things that kept me interested in scouting. Especially, at times when my troop wasn't very active. Prof.

Ditto what has been said already. Change of place is needed. Find out if there is a more comfortable setting for the boy. My suggestion would be to consider trying a round of BORs at the next campout.

This is from the Martinsville (Indiana) Reporter-times. I thought you all might be interested. Prof. http://www.reporter-times.com/stories/2009/07/23/news.qp-1551180.sto LINTON Board member Mike Sallee Tuesday night helped explain how the Girl Scouts of Tulip Trace Council ended up $1 million in debt and on the verge of bankruptcy. He sat behind a table at the Scout Cabin in Lintons Humphreys Park facing about 25 Girl Scout volunteers who all wondered where the money went and what the future holds for members in south-central Indiana. Sallee said the volunteers concerns are valid and that channels of communication will improve. And that girl scouting will carry on. One tough reality: Camp Belmont, a longtime Girl Scout camp in Brown County, most likely will be sold to pay off the councils debt. Sallee, the boards treasurer, said the board invested more than $1 million for renovations to the new Girl Scout headquarters on 17 acres in the 5500 block of Ind. 46, a former John Deere farm implement dealership. He said it seemed prudent then to spend money on the building since the board believed Tulip Traces consolidation with councils in Terre Haute and Evansville would require a Bloomington base. The merger plans for Tulip Trace Council, which covered 15 counties in south-central Indiana, fell through. So it was then determined that Tulip Trace would consolidate with the Central Indiana Council based in Indianapolis. But when the local financial troubles came to light this month, that merger was canceled. Now, according to board members at Tuesday nights meeting in Linton, Tulip Trace must either sell its assets and dissolve, or declare bankruptcy. Either way, the scouts in the district will be served by the Indianapolis council. Sallee explained to the volunteers that the construction project at the new headquarters on Ind. 46 that will no longer be needed, a drop in donations and a struggling economy all combined to put the nearly 50-year-old council, based in Bloomington, into debt from which it cannot recover. Decisions that were made then would never be made today, Sallee said. At the time, we had a cash flow, donors willing to support us and a different economic environment. But now? We have a building and no money to pay it off. This is all brand-new to us. Interim Tulip Trace CEO Carol Keierleber, who came in April after the previous leader resigned, answered pointed questions and assured the women present that girl scouting will continue and that Tulip Traces leadership, as long as the council exists, will welcome their input and concerns. She said the council had not been trying to hide what was happening, but that instead they were not aware of the changes and the status of the consolidation. When talk turned to concern over the much-talked-about sale of the 283-acre Camp Belmont in Brown County, which Tulip Trace has owned since the 1960s, Sallee was honest. I think all of our properties will be sold, I do, he said. Keierleber said the merger with Indianapolis is inevitable and part of a predestined nationwide plan. Tulip Traces financial situation, though, makes it even more imminent. The council does not have enough cash to last until the end of the year, she said. You have to merge, or do something. The money will run out. Girl Scouts of Tulip Trace Council is an independent not-for-profit organization, chartered by Girl Scouts of the USA. According to its Web site, the council, in partnership with adult volunteers, serves nearly 3,000 girls ages 5-17 and 1,500 adult volunteers in 15 south-central Indiana counties. The jurisdiction has included Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Greene, Jackson, Jennings, Lawrence, Monroe, Orange, Owen, Ripley, Scott, Sullivan and Switzerland counties and parts of Morgan county. The council was chartered in 1962.

Congrats to your son on the miler. Moreover, congrats to both you and him on the lesson he has learned on decision making! I agree with DG98, the miler is good choice, especially at camp. Prof

Twocub wrote: Around here opportunities for Ordeal and Brotherhood are fairly tight. If a Scout's is enthusiastic about being in the Order and his best opportunity to complete Brotherhood shaves a few weeks off the 10 months I wouldn't sweat it. I would tend to agree with him for exactly the same reasons! When I was a scout, we had a fall ordeal and a spring ordeal. If a scout went through in the fall, they might be a few weeks short for Brotherhood the next Spring. If they have been active, I wouldn't sweat a few weeks. ASM915: Is that the case? Are we talking weeks or months? How active is th Arrowman? Prof.

Chai, Welcome to the forum! I look forward to reading your ideas as you start your crew! Prof.

Nice site! Has anyone out there done summer camp at both Ransburg and Maumee? I would be interested in a head to head comparison of the 2. Given how close they are to each other, my troop will likely consider both next year. I staffed Ransburg many years ago, but it seems to have changed considerably. Steve

Imasoonerfan, I am curious as I haven't done one of these online yet. What kinds of things caused it to be kicked back? Missing dates? Incorrect dates for training?... Just curious, as I haven't done one yet? Steve

Relapse, I hope the threat of the $5.00 fee was just a nudge to get me to go online and won't actually happen.I'm not sure. This was the first time it was brought up to me. Has anyone else encountered it? I am in hoosier trails council. Imasooner fan, I encountered the same thing. The link lloked dead. I had to go in to my profile and add my membership number. After that, there was a way to get to the tour permits. The link is on the left with my scouting, my profile, elearning..... Might work for you. Prof.

side rant I turned in a tour permit yesterday (paper copy) and was told that in the future, online submissions would be required. Using a paper copy would require a fee of $5.00. Kinda rubbed me the wrong way. Sorry to hijack the thread. Steve

ilduncans, You also might check with the websites of the local OA lodges. They often produce where to go camping guides, often posted on their site. I would advise that you check with your lodge as well as some of the others neighboring lodges in your state! Prof

Rene Scout, Welcome to the virtual fire! Let me ditto Buffalo Skipper in saying its good to her from the youth members! Prof

Cardinal, A big welcome from a neighbor in the Hoosier state! Steve

Brandon, Welcome to the virtual campfire! Steve

Welcome to the virtual campfire!

Prayers and best wishes for a quick recovery! Prof

In the parent thread, Shortridge make a good point about the economics of a troop conducting summer camp on its own. He wrote: It seems to me that the time is ripe for units that want to create their own summer camp experience. Where I live, you can still get a state park pass for $27. Tent camping is $2 per night per person - $14 for a week, plus a $20 group reservation fee. For a troop of 40, that's about $16 per person, leaving a lot of room in the budget for equipment and food while still bringing it in for much cheaper than a council-run camp. My troop is currently considering what Shortridge proposes. I'd be interested in knowing how well it has worked out from anyone who has done this before. I've seen some comments in the past from large troops who have done this. Has anyone from a small troop (10 or so boys)tried this with much success? Thanks, Steve