RememberSchiff

Are you missing a sentimental ornament? Did you, perhaps, accidentally leave it on a Christmas tree before handing it off to Scouts to be chipped into bark? If you happen to have donated the tree -- along with about $10 -- to Boy Scout Troop 728, you might be in luck. Over the years, as the boys cut tree branches off, if they discovered a personalized ornament, they kept it, hoping to reunite family photo orbs and handmade dough decorations with their original owners. Many more recovered ornament photos at source: https://www.oregonlive.com/expo/life-and-culture/g66l-2019/01/cdd33b381d3076/missing-a-sentimental-ornament.html

Camp Geiger's Tribe of Mic-O-Say had its 2019 Conclave in Savannah, Missouri on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. About 500 Scouts came from about ten different states to reconnect with one another, practice their dance moves, work on their costumes and play fun games with each other. “We drive all the way up here from Texas, and we come up here to our conclave, which is our winter festival, to have friendships and fellowships with all the other tribesmen in the Mic-O-Say program,” Richard Covington, Mic-O-Say Medicine Man, said. Mic-O-Say is an honor camping society. Scouts are tapped into the tribe during the camping season for advancing in scout rank. As the scouts continue to move up in scouting, they go through paint stations in the tribe. The scouts start as braves, then advance to warriors, tom-tom beaters, fire builders, runners, keepers of the sacred bundle, sachem, medicine men, chieftain and chief. The above is much more than the little I know about Tribe Mic-O-Say. Will their Native American program be impacted like Order of Arrow ? -RS Sources: http://www.newspressnow.com/news/local_news/scouts-gather-from-multiple-states-in-savannah/article_5db2e9be-e677-5ce0-80a0-abd066bd1d0b.html

Fewer pots less cleanup - time, water.

Retired Maryland state trooper Russell Williams suffered a heart attack while Christmas shopping with his daughter. Troop 355 ASM Wes Thatcher responded and started CPR - chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth followed by two shocks from the mall's defibrillator before EMTs arrived. Recovered, Mr. Williams attended a Troop 355 meeting to tell scouts personally the importance of CPR training and thank scouter Wes Thatcher. Video and sources: https://foxbaltimore.com/news/local/miracle-at-the-mall-scoutmaster-meets-heart-attack-victim-he-helped-save https://foxbaltimore.com/news/local/christmas-miracle-boy-scoutmaster-saves-heart-attack-victim-at-white-marsh-mall Scout Salute

@rnorman345 welcome to scouter.com

As reported, Mom, not the CO, unit leaders.or Council, "ran a quick check online and found the man on California Megan Law" website. Cost free. Instead of background checks, perhaps just a list check. Each month or week, Council could compare their employee and member list against the Megan list. They likely have scouts who could write the software. Or units have a designated Mom check? https://www.meganslaw.ca.gov

Why had this been possible? parents asked. The article points to one of the five YP strategy points, "Establishing leader selection procedures to prevent offenders from entering the BSA leadership ranks" going awry, but was that correct? BSA’s Youth Protection program follows a five-point strategy: Educating Scouting volunteers, parents, and Scouts to aid in the detection and prevention of child abuse Establishing leader selection procedures to prevent offenders from entering the BSA leadership ranks Establishing policies that create barriers to child abuse within the program Encouraging Scouts to report improper behavior in order to identify offenders quickly Swift removal and reporting of alleged offenders. From the article , except for the mentioned (helicopter?) parent, it appears little of the above was followed. And now scouts have left , some adult leaders too, the unit is gone, the CO is no longer a CO but another was found, the Council SE and CEO remains. And yet, I think we too often see a volunteer stepping in BEFORE vetted and trained. And yes, often there is no issue with a volunteer. The volunteer in this article may have been exonerated as he claimed and just wanted to help. IMO, as demanded by a parent in the article, this disturbing case should be covered in YP training. My $0.02,

Dec 1, 2017, a 60 year old troop disbands, after its leaders and Council approved adult leader membership of a registered sex offender and failed to notify parents. The SM stated that to avoid personal attacks against the adult leaders and Charter Organization, he and three other leaders stepped down. No one stepped up to replace them and so the CO decided against rechartering. The disbandment was precipitated by a Scout parent who did a California Megan Law (website, which I believe many state have) check on an adult volunteer who with another ASM drove her son home. The volunteer appeared on the Megan Law list with a conviction ... Rest of story at source link: https://kernvalleysun.com/boy-scout-troop-690-disbands/

@Gilwell_1919 welcome to scouter.com

@Hystrung welcome to scouter.com , please add writing posts to your to-do list.

Stitch Supply Co., a sewing shop in Altoona, WI decided to make quilts to comfort Troop 3055 scouts mourning. They asked people to stitch a block in Girl Scout green, with the hopes of getting enough blocks to make about 30 quilts. The effort quickly picked up steam and the shop ended up getting more than a thousand blocks from people across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and even a Girl Scout troop from Singapore. Source and video https://kstp.com/news/after-mourning-girl-scout-troop-uplifted-by-support-around-the-world/5189270/

As it is, I carry many of fruitcake ingredients - dried fruits, nuts,. I usually stay away from breads, cakes...bloat-food for me .

Jack Haskel works for the Pacific Crest Trail. He's part of a growing number of hikers who prefer to have fruitcakes as a seasonal break from protein and granola bars. "It's not the energy bar, it's not some goop. It's real food, not hiking food," he said. "You've got a perfect food for a hiker that's trying to go the distance," said Brenda Braaten, a nutritionist who discovered that fruitcake could be more than just a doorstop. "You're close to the same calories per gram in a fruitcake compared to a Snickers bar or a trail bar, but you're miles ahead on iron, magnesium, calcium," she said. "The mineral content is higher." From CBS Sunday Morning: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fruitcake-the-classic-festive-christmas-dessert-is-the-perfect-energy-food/ https://www.wsj.com/articles/finally-a-use-for-that-leftover-holiday-fruitcake-exercise-fuel-1514474908

@IndyScouter welcome to scouter.com

“…honoring all the officers who have died in 2018 by putting their name and rank on a ball and hanging it on the tree,” said Reid Saugstad, Boy Scout. They had a list of 146 officers from across the nation who have died. “I was kind of feeling bad for the families. Because I was seeing all the officers and they just looked like normal people,” voiced Spencer Dellett, Boy Scout. ... Video interview and more content at source link: https://www.kctv5.com/news/a-lesson-in-loss-for-boy-scouts/article_657040e2-04d1-11e9-9e00-a7303767d9b8.html

Merry Christmas @JoeBob and family. May your post remind National to send out their annual, Big Three ahem... Holiday message. RS

Yeah, I learned a lot from that guy.

My understanding and I could be wrong, in GSUSA units their Council has more control over units in particular the unit bank account, not so with British units.

Perhaps adopt the British model which I believe @Cambridgeskip described - no CO's, rather parent groups?

The Hartford Accident and Indemnity Co. and First State Insurance Co. in Texas have both turned their back on the BSA, arguing that the “ineligible volunteer files” show the organization hasn’t done enough to protect children against sexual abuse and misconduct, and hasn’t done enough to warn parents of the risks. Both insurers are arguing in court that they shouldn’t have to pay claims related to abuse that the BSA could have reasonably prevented. The BSA and several councils sued both insurers for $13.5 million in June. In a separate legal battle, insurers are refusing to cover sex-abuse settlements and legal defense fees for the BSA, arguing that the events were not accidents and could have been prevented. https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/breaking-news/boy-scouts-of-america-battle-insurers-over-coverage-for-sex-abuse-scandal-119599.aspx

The vast majority of CO's are still churches and they do care, so much that they are forming their own youth groups. The program and duration of Confirmation in our local Catholic Diocese resembles the journey of Scouting more each year with outdoor activities, community service, character-building, coed, oh and Duty to God. Hardly time for one youth program let alone both. So, the BSA now has to find CO's without competing youth programs. Remember the forum discussions regarding whether the CO or the scout were the BSA's customer? Schools? Too late around here, most middle and high schools already have more adventurous outdoor clubs and more exciting STEM clubs and their programs fit student schedules. VFW's, Fire Depts, and Parent groups are still likely. My $0.02

Would that the BSA would be more respectful towards members/families who ask for privacy in matters they consider personal.

If we are going to have "Family Scouting" then it seems to me if a family will not follow the troop program, they will be told to leave and the SE will be contacted. If they transfer to another troop, that troop should be forewarned. My $0.02

I found this which appears to be an updated version: http://svmbc.org/svmbc/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Scouts-BSA-Program-Information-and-FAQ-10.8.18-Update.pdf

As for the Summit, it has booked outside events, e.g. the Spartan Race, since it has not been financially sustainable as promised. Before booking outside groups, the BSA had to lobby for a referendum to West Virgina constitution to exclusively not tax the BSA (a non-profit) for renting to commercial groups. Also, the BSA dropped the alcohol prohibition on BSA property.