RememberSchiff

Emma Gatewood was quite Thrifty. Note at 2:28/3:10 comment about shower curtain, wool blanket, and Keds.

"As a female Life Scout, my experience with Scouts BSA has offered new perspectives on modern life, including how effective communication and leadership shape today's communities. These valuable lessons can guide teenagers to practice healthy habits and observe the world around them." She then details from her experience and perspective, the 10 lessons she has learned in scouting. Good read: https://www.theteenmagazine.com/10-lessons-i-ve-learned-as-a-bsa-scout Scout salute,

Yes, but how times have changed. Today, canvas and sewing would likely be replaced with poly (blue) tarp and duct tape and shower curtain poncho with 33gal plastic trash bags. Lighter, mostly single-use yes, durable not so much.

Then an 11-year-old Boy Scout, Orson saw an online advertisement from the local luge community inviting local kids to a “slider search” being hosted at the University of Utah. “I got into the sport when I was doing merit badges for Boy Scouts,” Orson Colby told Olympics.com. “During that time, they had a checklist of things I needed to do, and they did a thing called slider search for luge.” “My mom saw that thing, and she was like: 'Oh, free t-shirt and merit badge.' We went to the event, and I ended up enjoying it so much that they invited me back on the ice up in Park City, Utah to try it. That speed from the luge especially is what I enjoyed the most. The adrenaline rush is something I really like.” As part of the event, boys and girls were given an opportunity to sit on a wheeled luge sled and receive basic steering instructions. Then participants such as Orson could take their first trial luge “run” down a small hill. The “slider search” served a dual purpose: Would-be young lugers such as Orson could decide if they had an interested in pursuing the sport — and a team of coaches could make initial evaluations on whether a young man or young woman might possess the qualities needed in the highly-technical, physically demanding event. “But for me at the time, it was really just an opportunity to check-off an activity required for the Personal Fitness merit badge,” Orson told Church Ball Magazine, laughing. More at Sources including photos: https://olympics.com/en/news/gangwon-2024-orson-colby-luge-adventure-interview https://www.churchballmagazine.com/orsoncolbycb23

Update 01/17/2024: 2024 marks the end of an era for Catholic Boy Scouts in Hawaii The connection between the Boy Scouts of America and the Catholic parishes and schools in the Diocese of Honolulu officially came to an end Jan 1. The decision was made at the start of 2023 when Bishop Larry Silva announced the diocese would be parting ways with the Boy Scouts of America on the first day of the year 2024 due to sexual abuse allegations. In a letter released on Jan. 31, 2023, the bishop wrote, “Unfortunately, given the liability issues and our dissatisfaction with the BSA’s cooperation on the issue, we will no longer allow parishes and parish schools to charter a BSA unit, nor will BSA units be allowed to meet in our facilities.” “It is important that we continue to minister to our youth in various ways, but continuing our longstanding relationship with BSA has become more of a liability than we judge it prudent to bear,” he said. The 10 Boy Scout units sponsored by the diocese. have either found new charter organizations or have disbanded. More at source: https://hawaiicatholicherald.com/2024/01/17/2024-marks-the-end-of-an-era-for-catholic-boy-scouts-in-hawaii/

Burlington County (NJ) Commissioner (and Scouter! ) Allison Eckel has been selected to join a national panel that advises the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on environmental policy and issues. Eckel was one of 16 new members and 13 returning members who were appointed to serve on the EPA’s Local Government Advisory Committee. The panel was created in 1993 under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to provide independent and objective policy advice to the EPA Administrator on a broad range of issues affecting the environment and local governments. In 2024, the committee is expected to provide input on proposed lead and copper rule changes, a draft policy for reducing plastic pollution and strategies to improve community engagement on climate change issues. Prior to joining the (Burlington County, NJ) Board of Commissioners, Allison served as a member of the Lenape Regional High School District’s Board of Education and she has spent more than a decade volunteering as a scout leader, den leader, mentor and Advisor to Boy Scouts of America. She was honored as the 2019 Women Scouter of the Year by the Garden State Council in recognition of her volunteer service and support for the organization and for bringing the first all-girl Scouts BSA Troop to the Garden State Council. In addition to scouting, Allison’s volunteer service includes work with the Medford Education Foundation and the Medford Township Economic Development Commission. She also previously served as the Co-Leader of the Army’s 561st Medical Company Family Readiness Group. In that role, she helped coordinate support for the unit’s families while members were deployed in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Her departments are Public Safety, Resource Conservation and the Prosecutor's Office. She is also liaison to Military Affairs. Outstanding, Scout Salute, More at sources: https://www.co.burlington.nj.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2169 https://www.co.burlington.nj.us/directory.aspx?EID=449 P.S. She was also a Girl Scout Troop leader and Cookie Manager

1950's Boy Scout Survival Kit list from LitePac Camping Equipment (26-074) reprinted from Boy's Life Magazine. https://dankohn.info/~scouts/boys_life_reprints/litepac_camping_equipment.pdf

In 2023, LaSalle Council (Northern Indiana, Southern Michigan) ranked second of 245 councils in membership growth (Who's on First? I dunno.) with a 21% growth rate of Cub and scouts. Female scouts increased by 7% Credit was given to the $1.3M Lily Endowment for keeping scouting costs down, the Marines for building storm shelters and pavilions at Camp ToPeNeBee, and well as volunteers (500 new recruits). Sources (good PR release!) https://www.wbiw.com/2024/01/15/boy-scouts-lasalle-council-ranked-second-in-the-country-for-growth/ https://www.abc57.com/news/local-boy-scout-council-has-nationally-ranked-growth-in-2023 https://buildingindiana.com/boy-scouts-lasalle-council-isnt-just-growing-its-thriving/

CERT volunteers, Boy Scouts learn how to setup, run emergency shelters On Saturday, Rozelle, the Red Cross’ shelter lead for Fairfield and New Haven counties (CT), provided training on setting up, running and closing emergency shelters for Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) from Monroe and Trumbull and Monroe Boy Scout Troop 63. ... John Goyette, scoutmaster of Monroe’s Boy Scout Troop 63, said his scouts logged service hours, while working toward their Emergency Preparedness Badges. “And it’s good to give back to the community,” he said of their attending Saturday’s (4 hour) CERT training. More at source: https://themonroesun.com/cert-volunteers-boy-scouts-learn-how-to-setup-run-emergency-shelters/

I believe you are in Katahdin Council and if so here are their unit fundraising rules on their website. I found no mention of "Absolutely no other troop fundraising other than popcorn sales during popcorn season." https://www.katahdinareabsa.org/files/18266/KAC-Unit-Fundraising-Guidelines-pdf In my experience, if a statement sounds doubtful ask to be shown where it is written policy.

Georges Remi, aka Hergé, was born in Brussels in 1907. He found joy in scouting, earning the nickname Curious Fox. Hergé stated, "As I was a boy scout, I started telling the story of a little boy scout to other little boy scouts." "His artistic journey began with drawings in scouting magazines, eventually leading him to the subscription department of Le Vingtième Siècle magazine In 1928, as Chief Editor of Le Petit Vingtième, he introduced Tintin and Snowy on January 10, 1929, in Le Petit Vingtième, a weekly youth supplement, marking the birth of an iconic duo." "Scouting gave me a taste for friendship, for love of nature, animals and games. It is a good school. So much the better if it lives on through Tintin.” concluded Hergé. Scout Salute and Happy 95th to Tintin and Snowy, Source: https://www.msn.com/en-in/money/topstories/tintin-turns-95-but-remains-forever-young-15-facts-on-herge-s-timeless-legacy/ar-AA1mL3pk https://www.tintin.com/en/news/5608/herge-tribute-to-scouting#

An owner was sorting through a box of her deceased mother’s antiques. Among the items was a 1936 Girl Scout first aid kit which contained two picric acid gauze pads. ... Orovile, CA police were called for proper disposal. https://www.facebook.com/OrovillePDOfficial/ Friday, January 5th, 2024, at approximately 1:19 pm, the Oroville Police Department received a call for service regarding a possibly explosive substance in the downtown area. The business owner advised they were going through antique items, which they had been handling for several days, and located two picric acid gauze pads in a first aid kit from the 1930s. The chemical picric acid was used as an explosive in large quantities and an antiseptic in small quantities in the past. If the chemical becomes dry, it becomes unstable and has the possibility of spontaneously combusting. As a safety precaution, the bomb squad was called out to the scene, and safety measures were taken. Residents and businesses in the east portion of the block of Huntoon Street and Montgomery Street were contacted and advised to evacuate if possible. The roadway of Huntoon Street at that block was also barricaded to limit vehicles and pedestrians from traveling in the area. Butte EMS were staged as well. The bomb squad personnel arrived on scene and, within minutes, were able to collect the two gauze pads without incident. Source with audio: https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/09/old-first-aid-kit-leads-to-an-explosion-of-activity-in-downtown-oroville/

Article is now posted on official BSA scouting newsroom site (link below). Apparently, the BSA sent this important press release to Globe NewsWire earlier which Google Search found first posted at a Chinese (Hong Kong) news website and then later on Yahoo Financial where I linked and backtracked to authenticate. Odd to me. Anyway, https://www.scoutingnewsroom.org/press-releases/bsas-new-ceo-visits-the-national-center-for-missing-exploited-children/ Reference: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/press-release-distribution

Members of Baton Rouge EMS Explorer Post 912 attended Winterfest last Jan, 2023. From the Baton Rouge The Advocate They got to showcase what they know as part of a four-member team from Baton Rouge that competed last January (2023) in Winterfest. The Explorers program is an offshoot of the Boy Scouts of America, but members don’t have to be scouts to participate. Winterfest is an annual competition sponsored by BSA that attracts teams from across the country, going head-to-head in a variety of disciplines. It was the first time in the post’s 40-year history that it competed in Winterfest, and it came away with a second-place trophy in Advanced Trauma Assessment. Short and Calloni plan to return to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, where the event returns Feb. 9 to 11. For the Advanced Trauma competition, the Baton Rouge team was presented with an emergency scenario in which they had 10 minutes to administer care to a patient, in the form of a mannequin, and explain aloud everything they were doing. Shorts recalled that carrying out the scenario was “very nerve-wracking.” However, Calloni and Shorts say they learned a lot, which is helping them prepare for the next Winterfest. “This year, we’re training even harder,” Shorts said. Calloni is currently applying to colleges and plans to major in biological science and later attend medical school. 👍 Shorts said she plans to take a course this summer to become an emergency medical technician and then seek a job with Baton Rouge EMS. She said she’s not sure if she plans to stay in EMS for good or perhaps go to medical school like Calloni. “I want to, hopefully, run the Explorers program one day,” she said. 👍 👍 More about EMS Explorer Post 912 at source: https://www.theadvocate.com/louisiana_inspired/teen-ems-explorers-spend-weekends-responding-to-emergencies/article_d888b35e-a4fc-11ee-ab60-d301f3b68ebc.html But she hasn’t forgotten about the Explorers.

Winterfest is an exciting, fun-filled, and competitive event for Explorers, Venturers, Sea Scouts & older Scouts BSA troops. Winterfest is an action-packed 2-day event filled with competitions, aquatic and STEM events, shooting sports, climbing, sports tournaments and more! Many events are related to various career fields such as Fire Service, Law Enforcement, and EMS. Participants can also enjoy snow skiing, shopping, and sightseeing in the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains of eastern Tennessee. Winterfest is open to all currently registered Venturers, Explorers, Sea Scouts, and Scouts BSA of Venturing age (14+ or completed the eighth grade). 2024 Master Event Guide Go To Advisors Corner

1/8/2024(GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In one of his first official visits, BSA CEO Roger Krone met with Derrick Driscoll, Chief Operating Officer of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) at their headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. He was accompanied by the BSA’s Youth Protection Executive, Glen Pounder, Chief Marketing Officer Michael Ramsey, and the BSA’s General Counsel, Joseph Zirkman. In addition to Driscoll, the team met with NCMEC’s Stacy Garrett, Vice President of Content and Community Engagement, Staca Shehan, Vice President of Analytical Services and John Shehan, Senior Vice President of the Exploited Children Division and International Engagement. “The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is the nation’s leading voice in fighting child sexual abuse and exploitation,” said Krone. “The BSA has some of the most vigorous youth safety protocols of any youth-serving organization, and I believe NCMEC’s experience and insight can be indispensable in our continuing efforts to create safe spaces for youth inside and outside of Scouting.” “Both of our organizations are committed, first and foremost, to the safety of children, so it is fitting that we collaborate to share perspectives and ideas as we walk this path together,” said Krone. Krone said relationships with organizations like The Center for Missing and Exploited Children are critical because of the insight and resources they offer can strengthen efforts nationwide. “One of the purposes of this visit is to discuss how we can work together to ensure that our youth safety policies remain cutting edge and effective in a world where the tactics that abusers use to access kids get more sophisticated every day,” said Krone. “We’re not standing still. We want to evolve and advance our policies for our Scouts, families, and communities, and we strongly believe NCMEC’s resources can be an important part of that.” ... “Right now, there is no database of banned individuals,” said Dr. Michael Bourke, retired Chief Psychologist for the United States Marshals Service and chair of the BSA Youth Protection Committee. “In other words, there is no official way for organizations to share the names of individuals banned for breaking key youth protection policies." More at sources: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/01/08/2805671/0/en/BSA-s-New-CEO-Visits-the-National-Center-for-Missing-and-Exploited-Children.html https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bsa-ceo-visits-national-center-163600105.html (full article link below with audio) https://www.elpasoinc.com/bsa-s-new-ceo-visits-the-national-center-for-missing-and-exploited-children/article_b7500c9c-f4fa-5131-948a-6d2bd8c9e677.html

From the Scouting Settlement Trust website: Fourth Town Hall – January 10, 2024: As I have noted during prior Town Halls, the Scouting Settlement Trust is committed to transparency and open dialogue – including periodic Town Halls. Please join Claims Administrator Randi Ilyse Roth and me for our next Town Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 8 p.m. EDT / 5 p.m. PDT. During this hourlong online session, we plan to cover the following: · Update on claims processing; · Upcoming deadlines; · How to avoid common issues with Trust Matrix Claims; · Q&A from attendees. You can register for the Town Hall at this link. All attendees must register prior to the Town Hall. Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmation email from PwC Webcasting with a link to the Town Hall. Please note, there are capacity limits to the number of participants that can join the webcast. Therefore, we kindly ask that you only register if you truly plan to attend. Additionally, a replay of the Town Hall will be available at www.scoutingsettlementtrust.com after the Town Hall. I look forward to speaking with you on Wednesday, Jan. 10. Respectfully, Hon. Barbara J. Houser (Ret.) Trustee

Thanks for the kind comments. Moderating is a group effort by a team of moderators and thoughtful members. ~RS P.S. Moderators cannot Schiff votes from one member to another.

@Scouter1962 welcome to scouter.com

Roger Krone reporting from Northern Tier... another well done.

@Maboot38 welcome to scouter.com.

Another example "Julia Totora, a 12 year old from Pitman,NJ keeps a passion for environmentalism behind her shy smile and soft-spoken voice. Most recently, Julia became the youngest recipient of New Jersey's James J. Florio Emerging Environmental Leader award. The James J. Florio Emerging Environmental Leader Award, which was introduced last year, recognizes a New Jersey resident currently in high school or college who demonstrates exceptional leadership and has experience coordinating environmental sustainability events. At only 12, she'd already successfully ran a petition to have plastic foam lunch trays replaced in her school, participated in making leaf packs for school groups to investigate macroinvertebrates and volunteered with her Boy Scout troop on Earth Day to educate her neighbors about water testing and waterway health in Pitman, home to an infamous Superfund site. This emerging leader has always had a passion for exploring and improving the world around her, something that led to her choosing to join Cub Scouts, and eventually Boy Scouts, over other options like Girl Scouts. (ouch) "I noticed there were a lot more chances to be outdoors," Julia explained, also mentioning her attraction to the various merit badges that were available for Boy Scouts. She is one of three girls in her troop." Scout Salute, More at source, including photos, https://www.courierpostonline.com/story/news/local/south-jersey/2024/01/04/pitman-tween-named-emerging-leader-by-murphy-administration/72038422007/

Parents who sign up their daughters to sell Girl Scout cookies are on the hook to pay for them, according to recent lawsuits aimed to collect arrears. One set of parents named as defendants deny the claims of GSHPA and are fighting back in court. A GSHPA lawsuit filed Sept. 26, 2023 against George and Kristen Sweder of Avoca claims that in 2022 Kristen ordered 352 boxes of Girl Scout cookies totaling $1,760, by signing the agreement form. The lawsuit seeks to recoup $1,760 plus $522 in collection fees incurred by the GSHPA, for a total sought of $2,282. In a statement, GSHPA spokeswoman Cathy Hirko replied, “We understand the public’s interest in this matter, and we appreciate your inquiries. However, as this is an ongoing legal issue, Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania will not provide comments or discuss details at this time. However, we can note that as a steward to our nonprofit organization, we sometimes need to take legal steps to recoup financial losses.” More about lawsuits at source (with audio): https://www.standardspeaker.com/girl-scouts-in-the-heart-of-pennsylvania-sues-parents-to-recoup-cash-never-turned-in/article_f772f4d4-4598-5099-8587-57b63d4b3e8b.html

"At the beginning of 1943, a scout group from the city of Perpignan (southern France), including the guide Jo Tasias, undertook a crazy initiative: to erect a cross on the summit of Mount Canigou, which towers 2,783 m (9,134 ft) above the French Catalonian countryside. The idea was to make a pilgrimage to pray for occupied France and for the return of prisoners. To build the cross, the scouts enlisted the help of a friend of their chaplain, Georges Margouet, a blacksmith. He completed the cross in July 1943. (Cross weighed 247 pounds) Under cloudy skies, the scouts climbed the more than 6,000 feet of ascent from the town of Prades to reach the Cortalets refuge nearer to the peak. The necessary equipment — mortar, shovels, and ropes — was hauled in a handcart. The refuge served as a base camp for the ten days of work ahead." Rest of their amazing story and photos at sources: https://aleteia.org/2024/01/03/during-nazi-occupation-scouts-put-a-cross-on-a-french-peak/ Link below has more photos, text in French. https://marmotton66.e-monsite.com/pages/mythes-et-legendes/les-deux-croix-du-canigou.html

The New Zealand Scouts Jamboree is underway in Waikato with over 4000 scouts setting up camp. The spacious surrounds of the Mystery Creek Events Centre have been transformed into a vast "tent city" for the duration of the nine-day event which has attracted scouting enthusiasts from as far away as the United States and United Kingdom. Most of the scouts are aged between 11 and 14, but a group of 14 and a half, and 15 and a half-year-olds were also invited because the last Jamboree was disrupted by the pandemic. ... The range of activities on offer includes water slides, an adventure course with a large mud bath, quad biking and water sports. For the first time this year, scouts are also able to try their hand at driving a digger. This activity is strictly supervised to high safety standards to ensure the wellbeing of both scouts and their one-on-one instructors. (Wow teaching how to safely use tools instead of outright banning their use!) Source: https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/01/02/over-4000-scouts-gather-in-waikato-for-jamboree/ P.S. 1/7/2024: Around 30 scouts at a jamboree in Hamilton have come down with Covid-19..."With today being the last day of the event, participants were reminded of the importance of isolating, travelling home via the most direct route and remaining masked for the duration of their journey home." https://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/334693-dozens-of-scouts-catch-covid-at-jamboree.html