RememberSchiff

Two local opinions on logging Camp Easton and donating wilderness properties: Camp Easton, Safety First - Mike Aagesen extract: First and foremost, Camp Easton is a privately owned property that can be done with at the discretion of the owners, which just happens to be the Inland Northwest Council of the Boy Scouts of America. While stunning, it is not there solely for anyone’s personal viewing pleasure. This is not the National Forest but a functioning operating Camp that earns revenue from the youth that attend it!... One single wind event several years ago took down hundreds of trees at Camp Easton. No surprise, these trees fall indiscriminately. That means fire roads, parking lots, Scout camping areas, parade grounds, waterfront and structures are all at risk. If you have any doubts about the power of a falling tree, the recent fatal tragedy on Seltice Way should be a stark reminder. Allowing trees to fall as “nature intended” sounds ill-advised and, well, basically stupid for a Camp where young people are present. Just an FYI, there is no “old growth” on Camp Easton, but the older larger trees are much more susceptible to these events... If folks want Camp Easton to remain as is to satisfy their anti-development agenda, it needs to be maintained, sometimes aggressively, so that it is first and foremost safe. I suggest, park the drones and crack open the checkbook, that would go a lot further to preserving Camp Easton. I am a member of the Boy Scouts of America but not currently serving in any official capacity and views are my own. Full editorial link: https://cdapress.com/news/2024/jan/11/my-turn-camp-easton-safety-first/ Warning to Potential Land Donors - Bev Twillmann extract: ...When Camp Easton land was donated to the BSA by the Fitze family in the early 1900s, the intention was it be used “as a camp for boys, in perpetuity,” to benefit their growth and development. This statement is right out of the minutes of the meeting with the BSA and the Fitze family, prior to the donation being accepted. That document surfaced during the lawsuit that was filed in 2011 when the Inland Northwest Council of Boy Scouts, located in Spokane, tried to sell/swap Camp Easton for a less desirable location in Sunup Bay and allow Discovery Land Company to take over the present site for a development. “In perpetuity” means “forever,” yet the expensive lawyers for BSA were able to twist the words and convince the Court that by selling/swapping Camp Easton, they were using the proceeds to “benefit the boys,” so it did not go against original wishes for the donation. Public outcry was one of the main reasons the deal never went through. Mr. Fitze would never have wanted this land extensively logged as a “Cash Cow” for the BSA. The Camp Easton trees now being cut and being taken to the mill are beautiful virgin pieces of lumber; healthy, straight huge timber of old growth trees. In researching “old growth trees,” Wikipedia states old-growth forests are ... ”old-growth stands usually between 80 and 150 years …” Camp Easton was heavily timbered over a century ago, when it was donated; many of the trees there today were there then, and are what’s being presently logged. To state otherwise, that no old-growth trees are on this land is untrue. This is not forest management — it is forest slaughter for profit. Mr. Aagesen mentions in his letter the “risk” involved in having so many large trees in Camp Easton. What does he think a “Wilderness Camp” should be? A flat piece of ground with no trees bigger than 4 feet? In speaking to some of the past Camp Easton workers and Scouts, as well as many local old-timers, no one has ever heard of any individual attending Camp Easton having a tree fall on them... Full editorial link: https://cdapress.com/news/2024/jan/25/my-turn/

@CLC848 welcome to scouter.com

McCalister, 79, had been a scoutmaster for about 45 years. More than 240 scouts with Troop 285 in North-Central San Antonio achieved the rank of Eagle Scout during his tenure. He spearheaded fundraising for a scout lodge that now bears his name on the campus of Coker United Methodist Church on the North Side. He fought the allegation made by an anonymous accuser, who said the abuse occurred in the early 1990s. One day shy of the year anniversary of receiving the letter, McCalister sued the Boy Scouts of America, Alamo Area Council Inc. and his accuser — only known as John Doe — for defamation. On Jan. 12, McCalister's nearly two-year legal battle ended when state District Judge Marisa Flores granted his request for partial summary judgment, declaring in a written order that he is "hereby completely and fully exonerated of any allegations of abuse by John Doe." She was told the accuser had recanted. That same day, McCalister received another letter — this one welcoming him back to the Scouts. Boy Scouts of America CEO and President Roger Krone, who leads the National Council based in Irving, told McCalister that he had been in reinstated as a volunteer leader. "The BSA regrets the anguish you endured from this process and these procedures, which are designed to make the safety of children in our Scouting programs the BSA's top priority," BSA President and CEO Roger Krone said in his letter. More details at source: https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/scout-leader-exonerated-18615122.php

Yes, IMHO this could integrate with a national volunteer database being discussed with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). 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

I like that idea. Get a single background check and YP certificate and one is good to volunteer at any youth organization - scouts, FIRST, sports...

Update 1/24/2024: Volunteers sought for trail work Executive summary: At least 5 organizations - National Park Service, American Hiking Soceity, Conservation Fund, NYDEC, GNYBSA,... are looking for 6-8 volunteer trail workers to move a trail at a former scout camp . National Park Service Superintendent Lindsey Kurnath, Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River, reported that they were selected as a host site for the American Hiking Society Volunteer Vacations program. National Park Service will be working with six to eight volunteers in September to assist with trail work to re-route the Tusten Mountain Trail, on the former Ten Mile River Boy Scout Camp property. NPS has an agreement with The Conservation Fund to do light maintenance on this trail if NPS chooses. The Conservation Fund purchased a parcel of the Ten Mile River Boy Scout Camp, which also includes the river access, from the Greater New York Councils of the Boy Scouts of America in recent years. The Fund also allows the NPS to continue providing public river access. The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has also been involved to ensure it supports any work done on the trail, since DEC may eventually manage the site. Kurnath said that the one footbridge over a natural drainage area is unstable, and the plan is to shift the trail slightly north. "I don't think anyone really likes that bridge and if we can figure out how to eliminate it, that is less trail maintenance for everybody concerned," she said. The Greater New York Councils of the Boy Scouts of America allows the public to hike the 2.9-mile loop trail. The popular trail, which is rated "moderately difficult" by Trailkeeper.org, is noted for stunning views of the Upper Delaware River. To volunteer for this project, contact the American Hiking Society at americanhiking.org/volunteer-vacations. Source: https://www.tricountyindependent.com/story/news/local/2024/01/24/nps-udc-car-upper-delaware-river/72268584007/

Any more details of this new process? Specially what company/agency will be doing the CBC. And if rejected will email include reason(s) along with appeal process? Related:

There is the Philmont Trail Race on Aug 3, 2024. Runners can register for the Marathon circuit or the Tooth Ridge Sprint (8 miles), Half Marathon, or 50-miler. Online registration opens Feb 2, 2024. Reference link for 2023 races: https://www.philmontscoutranch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2023-Philmont-Trail-Race-Information-Packet.pdf From above packet, map of the 2022 Marathon

@AirForceMom welcome to scouter.com.

@BIC welcome to scouter.com

Back to OP, This month, the National Advancement Committee revised requirements for Coin Collecting Merit Badge. "These are the first major revisions to the requirements since the mid-2000s. These revisions expand a scout’s collecting experience by keeping pace with recent U.S. mint circulating coin series in addition to taking into account older coins found in circulation. Expanded use of the internet is encouraged as well (with adult approval). George Cuhaj led a team that included Tom Dodson and Jeffrey Swindling. These Scouters also worked with Cuhaj on the previous revision and formerly staffed the merit badge midway booth at several past national jamborees. The Coin Collecting merit badge was introduced in 1938." New 2024 Requirements at source link: https://www.numismaticnews.net/collecting-101/boy-scouts-revise-coin-collecting-merit-badge-requirements Related link: https://www.numismaticnews.net/collecting-101/bringing-the-hobby-to-younger-generations No mention of bitcoins or wooden nickels. My $0.02,

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.