RememberSchiff

"The American Red Cross is celebrating partners in the Black community who have helped increase and diversify donations, specifically for patients with sickle cell disease, which primarily affects African-Americans." Scouts interviewed at 1:32

Feb 1, 2019-2024, 5 year anniversary of admitting girls into Scouts BSA. "This February marks five years since the Boy Scouts of America, now called Scouts BSA, first started admitting girls into the BSA program. Since 2019, around 6,000 female scouts have advanced to Eagle. ...Today there are more than 45,000 female scouts in the program across the country." "Girls have done a terrific job and shown that they can rock a 50-mile hike, just as their brothers can," says Kayleen Deatherage, a Scouts BSA National Executive Board (NEB) member. Deatherage leads the board's task force for diversity, equity, and inclusion." Source: https://www.mainepublic.org/maine/2024-02-22/5-years-after-admitting-girls-scouts-bsa-in-maine-faces-new-challenges-amid-achievements

4/1/2024: Greater Tampa Bay Council Membership fees (Your Council fees may vary.)

Spring, 1919: Here is a story about Scouts from Texas and Tennessee helping an old Civil War veteran. https://mainstreetmediatn.com/articles/community-mainstreetfairview/justin-spurlock-when-a-dickson-boy-scout-discovered-confederate-gold/

02/21/2024: Another summary of the current legal situation more detailed, yet balanced. Good reporting. https://news.bloomberglaw.com/bankruptcy-law/boy-scouts-settlement-pause-marks-shift-on-bankruptcy-doctrine

"They also serve who only stand and wait." John Milton

@MrJZhu welcome to scouter.com. Please tell us more about yourself and your troop and this troop "fine" you mentioned.

In order to "protect the integrity of young people in all circumstances," it is requested that activities "with or without a scout uniform" be canceled immediately, reports the Nicaraguan Scout Association. Translated from source: https://www.facebook.com/HolaPatioScout/?locale=en_GB

"Nicaragua’s government has shut down the country's scouting organization and seven other nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), state media La Gaceta reported Friday, the latest in an ongoing crackdown that has seen the government toss out religious orders, charities and civic groups. The Interior Minister, which regulates the operations of NGOs in the Central American country, said the Scouts Association of Nicaragua allegedly failed to report financial statements and accused them of having an “expired” board of directors the government had not renewed since September 2021. The assets of the eight organizations — four of them religious — will be confiscated by Nicaragua’s government, La Gaceta said. Since mass social protests erupted in 2018, Daniel Ortega’s government has shut down or outlawed more than 3,500 NGOs, most of which have been closed in the past two years. Mounting restrictions have spurred the flight of hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguans from their country, with many landing in the United States and neighboring Costa Rica." More at sources: https://apnews.com/article/nicaragua-crackdown-scouts-daniel-ortega-ceb7679bad9155e5f69d6cf34e16d606 https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/nicaragua-shuts-scouting-association-social-religious-groups-107309225 https://www.vaticannews.va/en/world/news/2024-02/nicaragua-scout-association-banned-ngos.html

Related, leadership position self-assessment. Reflection can be powerful. "This self-evaluation is a tool to help you reflect on your effectiveness as a Troop Leader and to help your Senior Leadership team and Scoutmaster improve supporting these positions. Please complete this form and return it to the Scoutmaster. The completion of this evaluation is MANDATORY in order to receive credit for having served in this position." Troop Position of Responsibility Self-Evaluation https://bsatroop713.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Troop-Leader-Self-Evaluation.pdf

Possibilities...BSA Troop 713 photo at link: (sorry no spoilers) https://bsatroop713.com/about-us/ "Troop 713 is a scout led troop. The Senior Patrol Leader and their Patrol Leaders Council set the events calendar for the year, plan the troop meetings, and run all of the events. Adults are present for health and safety concerns, to assist the scouts in developing their leadership skills, and to perform duties that require an adult in order to accomplish the task for legal or contractual reasons. The scouts occasionally stumble, but scouting is a a safe environment to learn from our mistakes." Recent news article regarding their adventures: "The group of very high adventure kids hiked volcanos and went white water rafting, zip lining, rappelling, rock climbing and drove ATVs. A total of 13 Scouts, both..." "The trip took over a year to plan and West said it was frequently changing as a committee of scouts came up with different things they wanted to do. Most of the things they requested they were able to do, including the rafting, rappelling, climbing mountains, zip lining, and celebrating New Year’s as a big family. The only thing they were unable to do was connect with local scouts from Chile." https://www.delmartimes.net/lifestyle/story/2024-02-13/adventures-in-scouting-local-troop-713-explores-patagonia-chile Scout Salute,

Similar experiences here, so I gave up waiting and I am renovating our first floor bath slooowly myself amid other sudden home repair interruptions.

02/17/2024: Short summary to date with embedded reference links: https://www.jurist.org/news/2024/02/us-supreme-court-pauses-bankruptcy-settlement-in-boy-scouts-of-america-sexual-abuse-cases/ Monday Feb 19, 2024 will mark the 4th Anniversary of BSA Bankruptcy.

Scrambled eggs on their faces? I wonder the reaction of the DOJ/US Trustee Office, in particular trial attorney David Buchbinder, who I believe is now retired.

If "all operations of Scout Settlement Trust are suspended" will Trust staff take an unpaid leave?

2/15/2024 update: BSA responded to the Supreme Court that blocking the settlement would "throw the Scouting program into chaos" and "potentially destroy BSA’s ability to carry out its 114-year-old charitable mission." "The Purdue case is "starkly different" because that company’s bankruptcy plan has not yet gone into effect, the Boy Scouts argued. The organization emerged from bankruptcy in April 2023 and its settlement has already paid more than $7 million to nearly 3,000 survivors of sexual abuse." More at source: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/boy-scouts-org-urges-supreme-court-not-stop-24-bln-abuse-settlement-2024-02-15/

Star Trek speculates that scouting will still exist in the 22nd century.

2/13/2024: ‘Lost on a Mountain in Maine’ film will finally hit cinemas this summer “Lost on a Mountain in Maine, filmed in 2022, was produced by Sylvester Stallone’s Balboa Productions, and this week was picked up by Blue Fox Entertainment for distribution. " The movie was shot in New York rather than Maine. Source: https://www.bangordailynews.com/2024/02/13/state/state-culture/lost-on-a-mountain-in-maine-film-will-finally-hit-cinemas-this-summer/ https://www.dailyfreeman.com/2022/06/23/film-lost-on-a-mountain-in-maine-casting-call-out-for-july-shooting-in-ulster-county/

02/12/2024 Scouting Settlement Trust to Advance Partial Payments to Survivors while Litigation is Pending "We have been asked repeatedly by Survivors if we can distribute some money while the claims process is under way and we have found a way," said Hon. Barbara J. Houser (Ret.), the Trustee overseeing the administration and distribution of the compensation fund. "A confluence of factors, mostly related to ongoing litigation, currently limits the amount of money we're able to distribute, so we have developed this program to put some money into the hands of Survivors who have been waiting for a long time for some measure of justice." Under the Advance Payment Program ("APP"), eligible claimants will be able to receive payments of $1,000 before their allowed claim amount is finally determined. Eligibility to participate in the APP will be determined based upon a rigorous application of criteria to the information provided to the Scouting Settlement Trust (the "Trust") by individual claimants. ... To date, approximately 2,914 payments totaling more than $7.3 million have been issued by the Trust to Claimants. An additional 252 payments totaling about $650,000 are scheduled to be sent Feb, 13. Judge Houser said the Advance Payment Program allows claimants to receive some money while their claim determination is being finalized. "As I have shared previously, the Trust is constrained from paying claims until various key issues are resolved," said Judge Houser. "The APP allows us to get some money to more Claimants, rather than getting an initial distribution to the smaller number of Claimants whose claims have been fully evaluated." ... Judge Houser has set a deadline of May 31 for all the remaining Matrix claims. Much more on factors affecting payments and APP at sources: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scouting-settlement-trust-to-advance-partial-payments-to-survivors-while-litigation-is-pending-302058886.html https://www.scoutingsettlementtrust.com/s/

Dan Beard at red dot top center of CalTopo map, approximate Rayado red dot at bottom right corner.

Other patrol competition ideas: Sasquatch sightings during the day, Bear bag station from recent Klondike article To build a fire , nice photos https://cdapress.com/news/2024/feb/11/to-build-a-fire/ “This is a really good way to put their scout skills to the test. They’re having fun and they don’t realize they’re even learning stuff. They adapt to change and overcome while having fun in the outdoors,” Jason Charland, program executive for the Inland Northwest Council

Feb 9, 2024 Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA-02) and Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA-15), co-chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Scouting Caucus, this week introduced a resolution celebrating the founding of the Boy Scouts of America. “For 114 years the Boy Scouts of America has provided the nation's premier program for character development and values-based leadership training for more than 130 million young men and women,” said Boy Scouts of America CEO and President Roger Krone. “As a Congressionally chartered organization with longstanding relationships on both sides of the aisle, we want to thank Representatives Thompson and Bishop for their continued bipartisan leadership of the Congressional Scouting Caucus, unwavering support for advancing the mission of Scouting, and introduction of this important resolution.” “Having spent more than 50 years in Scouting, including as a proud Eagle Scout and scoutmaster, I’ve witnessed firsthand the pivotal role Boy Scouts of America has in shaping the next generation of leaders,” Rep. Thompson said. “The invaluable skills, principles, and lessons taught in Scouting last a lifetime. I am proud to commemorate the 114th anniversary of the organization with this bipartisan resolution.” “I am proud to introduce this bipartisan resolution celebrating the Boy Scouts of America with my fellow Eagle Scout and colleague in Congress, “GT” Thompson,” Rep. Bishop said. “Scouting has been an integral part of my life, helping shape it and through scouting I have built relationships that have lasted a lifetime. It is a community that has engaged millions of youths across the world for over a century and instills the crucial principles of moral character, self-reliance, responsibility, leadership, human dignity, and service to others which are so important to our country's well-being.” Sources: https://thompson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/thompson-bishop-introduce-boy-scouts-america-day-resolution-0 https://bishop.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressmembers-bishop-and-thompson-introduce-bipartisan-boy-scouts-of-america-day-resolution

Happy 114th Anniversary video from Key 3 and Scouts.

Wildlife photographer "Daniel Dencescu spent hours following the starlings around the city and suburbs of Rome, Italy. Finally, on the cloudless winter's day, the murmuration, swirled into the shape of a giant bird." (Perhaps communicating to photographer to stop following them? ) He was a finalist in Wildlife Photographer of the Year People's Choice Award competition. More on "The Secrets and Science Behind Starling Murmurations". https://animals.howstuffworks.com/birds/starling-murmurations.htm An interesting read on the study of murmurations and application to animations (bats in Batman Returns) and swarm robotics (drones).