RememberSchiff

@EastCst welcome to scouter.com

Consider the expense of an unqualified, untrained, non-medical person MIShandling your confidential medical and insurance information. But more to my point regarding adult participants, IMO a BSA event need only have a signed doctor authorization for activity and contact info. If BSA thinks otherwise, get HIPAA trained, compliant. My $0.02

IMHO, there will be a move towards a stronger association with the US Park Service which we already have a relationship - Scout Rangers. My $0.02

Some more than others. At chance meetings, they usually advise me to get on FB so they can "friend" me, to which I respond they "friended" me when they joined Scouting.

March 15, 2019: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Priesthood and Family Department sent a list of four new instructions effective June 1, for the Dec 31, transition to general and local church leaders around the world. First, boys are encouraged to remain in their Latter-day-Saint-sponsored Scouting unit through Dec. 31, after which no church units will sponsor any Scouting BSA units. Second, BSA volunteers may provide a church-approved flyer for recruiting Latter-day Saints boys to their packs and troops beginning on June 1. The flyers must be provided to bishops and branch presidents, who will direct them to be posted on bulletin boards in church meetinghouses from June 1 through Dec. 31. Third, BSA recruiting of church members should be done directly with families and not in church meetinghouses. "Bishops and others should not provide BSA with member information," the notice said. Finally, youth registered in Scouting through church-sponsored units who choose to join a community Scouting unit before Dec. 31 will be registered in both units through that date. More at Source link: https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900060718/new-rules-about-how-boy-scouts-can-recruit-latter-day-saints-issued-by-church.html

I am interested in hearing from those whose scouts sold/distributed sandbags or sandbagged to mitigate flood damage.

@Dave188LakeVillaIL welcome to scouter.com

@willray welcome to scouter.com. This should be an interesting discussion.

Yes what a contrast to see how securely my health form is handled at my doctor exam , yet that same form and information is so carelessly handled by the BSA.

Regarding keeping LDS families, in Scouting From Utah Public Radio: Mark Francis, the relationships director for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints/Boy Scouts of America partnership, explained an event called Vision 2020 will give those with a strong interest in scouting the information they need to continue utilizing the program. “Vision 2020 is simply one of many tools that were using to try and encourage families to still be involved in scouting," Francis said. "It’s not our only method but it’s one of the primary ones to be able to gather as many people as we can across the country to talk about how we will support and strengthen scouting into the future.” ...Vision 2020 will be a weeklong (June 15-22,2019) fellowship held at the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. Alan Endicott, the scout executive for the Trapper Trails Council, expressed that this will be the beginning of a new era for Utah and the Boy Scouts of America. https://www.upr.org/post/vision-2020-will-start-new-era-utah-and-boy-scouts-america http://www.ldsbsa.org/blog/vision-2020-a-new-philmont-opportunity-for-latter-day-saint-families/

@Tenderfoot7083 welcome to scouter.com

Not sure, not much info online. Was the Dorchester Troop 28? Troop 11? Boys & Girls Clubs are at least 3 locations in Dorchester.

The original article stated the 3 girls were not available so maybe the are not in the troop? I hope this unit succeeds. The article stated "Troop 906 is one of only two majority-minority troops in eastern Massachusetts — the other is an inactive one in Dorchester." IMO, Council may need to make a long term commitment. i.e., hope these scouts, the next generation, come back as adults to lead troop. Another $0.02

Thanks for checking. Both links are about the same inner city K-8 pilot school. The second link was to give background regarding that school.

"About 20 scouts, including three girls ..." IMO the news, this appears to be a coed, Council staffed troop, chartered by a public pilot school which I had not heard before. More obstacles but also a greater need? From an December news article https://patch.com/massachusetts/boston/what-parents-orchard-gardens-school-are-protesting Orchard Gardens is a public pilot school for kindergarten through grade 8, serving more than 800 students. It was selected by Obama's President's Commission on the Arts & Humanities for using the arts to dramatically improve instruction. But it's also not far from "Methadone Mile," a one-mile stretch of Mass Avenue near Boston Medical Center where there are three methadone clinics, homeless shelters and drug treatment programs in the area. Students have even had to learn what to do if they see needles. My $0.02

Neckerchief slide, also called a woggle. 1. square knot: Simple and quick: cut a short llength of paracaord or 1/4in diameter rope, form a closed loop by tying ends with square knot 2. turk's head knot mentioned in above posts Other beginner or quick slides, decorated or not, which I have seen: - cardboard tube (TP roll) - nylon tie wrap - wire from bent paper clip to shower ring to Romex. Back in the day, I used a 1/2 - 1W color-coded carbon resistor (my Dad was not happy)

Perhaps we should have , as some schools have, a separation between personal medical information and activity permission. Authorized, trained medical personnel, i.e. those rendering care beyond first aid, may have secured access to our personnel medical information, untrained such as a 14yr old CIT would not. A doctor and patient would complete both forms. The personal medical information form would have the results of the most recent exam, medical history, prescriptions, vaccinations, and insurance. This would be securely held and handled by patient and trained medical personnel. IMO in the 21st century, this info should always be with or on the patient - Medic alert flash drive, microchip, ... The activity permission form would list permitted, restricted, prohibited activities, as well as allergy, contact and pickup information. Non-medical personnel could have access to this form. My $0.02

"Neither the BSA nor the Annual Health and Medical Record are subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). A Scout is Trustworthy: Records and sensitive information should be maintained in a private manner." Maybe if they were, adults would be more trusting in providing health forms. https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/HealthSafety/pdf/680-055(16)_AHMR.pdf My $0.02,

@Samuel welcome to scouter.com

Heard on NPR: A year after appointing a chief diversity officer, Spirit of Adventure Council (MA) is opening new pathways via the Beacon of Freedom program for inner city youth. The latest example is the creation of Scouts BSA Troop 906, formed last September and headquartered at Orchard Gardens Pilot School in Roxbury. ... More content including audio link at source: https://www.wgbh.org/news/local-news/2019/03/07/with-an-eye-towards-diversity-scouts-bsa-form-troop-in-roxbury

3/12/19 : "Today, President Donald J. Trump will receive the Boy Scouts’ Report to the Nation and meet with Scouts from across the Nation as they participate in this century-old Scouting tradition." https://www.thepavlovictoday.com/en/trump-will-meet-the-boy-scouts-from-across-the-nation/

@Matthew_Mahgrefteh welcome to scouter.com.

oops, good to know someone reads what I write even if I don't.

Update 3/8/2019: Texas state Representative Chris Paddie has filed House Bill 4150 to address utility safety issues after three boy scouts were killed in a tragic accident in 2017 on Lake O' the Pines. https://www.cbs19.tv/article/news/east-texas-state-representative-files-bill-relating-to-utilities-safety-after-scouts-killed-at-lake-o-the-pines-in-2017/501-2b92ce7d-ad9f-41e0-bf0a-d2541875abfa

Some sea scouts walk on water... "The Sea Scouts ( Ship 5001 Akron,OH) were out on Portage Lakes during the cold weather, not as they are usually seen in sailboats, kayaks, canoes or paddle boards, rather on cross country skies." ... One of the programs the scouts have is “leave no trace”. That is what the Sea Scouts did on the weekend was ski on the lakes and collect trash, leaving no trace behind except for ski tracks. https://www.thesuburbanite.com/news/20190307/sea-scouts-brave-cold-to-stay-on-lakes-year-round