RememberSchiff

Over a year, four fundraisers and $13K gone... maybe the CO should replace the whole Troop Committee.

National can remove any employee and the SE is the top BSA employee in Council. In the past, National could either retire/fire an employee who could still be a volunteer member or revoke membership and begone. The latter seems more rare today. The Executive Board selects the SE. My experience is this is someone recommended by National (after all National trains them) and is rarely local talent but maybe that is a coincidence. What difference does it make? It shows there are consequences for disobeying, embarrassing, or surprising National. IMO, a joint announcement would have been more scout-like. Maybe National was offered and declined? The above is my understanding. Related official document: http://www.scouting.org/filestore/commissioner/pdf/33161.pdf

More sad details... http://www.cbsnews.com/news/boy-scout-leader-dies-on-fathers-day-hike-with-troop-2-sons-in-new-hampshire/ "It starts to gain elevation quite quickly," Saunders said of the trail, but the group hadn't been hiking that long. "It's one of those odd things. There wasn't any rhyme or reason to it, and it was fairly quickly," Saunders said. "He just sat down on a rock and collapsed." Gunnar Burdt, scoutmaster of Troop 735 of Gamber, just outside of Baltimore, said the nearly three-mile hike to an Appalachian Mountain Club hut was planned by Rippeon, a "high-adventure" outdoors trip in scouting, where "you go do something that's going to push your limits and tests your will," Burdt said. "He was our map guy, our GPS man," Burdt said. "We relied on him heavily for planning these adventures." The group has canoed 100 miles in upstate New York and backpacked in the Colorado Rockies. They chose the White Mountains this year; Rippeon, an avid hiker and scoutmaster before Burdt, had visited the area before with his older son, 17-year-old Ryan, about six years ago. "He was familiar with the area and the Appalachian Trail," Burdt said. "Our plan was to go hut to hut for four days and we would summit to Mount Washington on our last day." Burdt said half of the group had made it up, including Ryan. Others, including Rippeon, his son Patrick who is 11 or 12, and another leader were behind. When Rippeon collapsed, the other leader, an AMC employee coming down the mountain and two other hikers came to his aid, but Rippeon died. Rippeon, a Navy veteran and an engineer, "always lived by the Boy Scout oath and law," Burdt said. "It was very important to him. Boy Scouts was in his blood." Burdt said Ryan is about to earn his Eagle Scout honors, "which his dad is not going to see."

Likely the charter will remain and some heads will roll. Please meet your new SE (from 1000 miles away)...

http://www.wmur.com/news/boy-scout-leader-suffers-heart-attack-while-leading-troop-on-hike/33705776 http://www.necn.com/news/new-england/Boy-Scout-Leader-Dies-From-Heart-Attack-on-NH-Trail-309019451.html A Boy Scout leader Vernon Rippeon 51, of Westminster, Maryland died after suffering a heart attack on a hike Sunday morning (Father's Day). According to Fish and Game officials, Mr. Rippeon was one of four adults leading a scout troop on a five-day presidential mountain hike. They were on the Crawford Path in Bean's Purchase when he suffered a heart attack. CPR was started almost immediately, but it was unsuccessful. Rippeon's two sons were among the group. Scout salute and farewell.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gilwell-Park-Scout-Campsite-Beer-Tent/215956765124757 Wonder if the World Jambo down at Summit will have a beer tent?

1. "First be sure you are right, then go ahead" - Davy Crockett. Sort of the American way whether dumping tea in the harbor, sitting in the front of the bus, or shooting aquirt guns. 2. Yes, a historic re-enactment of the first rendezvous, 1825 McKinnon, WY. The 90th anniversary! James Beckwourth describes: "Mirth, songs, dancing, shouting, trading, running, jumping, singing, racing, target-shooting, yarns, frolic, with all sorts of extravagances that white men or Indians could invent The first rendezvous of white traders and trappers in the Rocky Mountains occurred in July 1825 just north of McKinnon along the Henrys Fork river. They joined members of William Henry Ashley's expedition. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mountain_Rendezvous My $0.02

As I recall in 2003, the City of Philadelphia opposed the exclusionary policy of both gays and atheists. The COL Council news release specifically mentions "imposes no membership or employment restrictions based on an individual's sexual orientation." but does not specially mention religious orientation though I am encouraged by the invitation of "We welcome any person of good will". https://www.colbsa.org/news-and-information/news-and-information/cradle-of-liberty-council-announces-new-membership-and-employment-standards-policy.html

Yes mostly overdone. This "differences" mindset can be more destructive than forced-busing and perhaps with similar results - white flight from the public schools but maybe with vouchers this time. I agree with Morgan Freeman who said in an interview, the way to end racism is to stop talking about it (race). Mr. Freeman does not think of himself as a black man, rather "Morgan". Deliver the American culture of equality for all. My 2 aspirin

Yes. Checking after the fact by viewing online, statements at a TC meeting etc. can be problematic as people get busy or forget, that's why I favor a unit financial policy of two signatures on each check. Not foolproof.

Lets hope they resolve issues fairly when holding their fellow scouts accountable.

The bank didn't catch it, but likely the two unit authorized members who correctly signed the next check noticed that the previous check(s) was not properly authorized by two authorized members (carbon copy) and was for personal reasons. More proactive than reactive.

It is ironic that we realize background checks are not sufficient for youth safety, so we need and require adults watching adults - two deep leadership as the better way to keep our youth safe. Money safety is another matter, we trust $27K cash with a lone adult.

Former Deltona Cub Scout pack treasurer Eloisa "Ellie" C. Hilton, 37, a Volusia County high-school teacher, was arrested after reportedly stealing about $9,500 of the pack's money. A review of the pack's checking account showed $2,770 in unauthorized transactions, according to deputies, including electric-, cable- and phone-bill payments. There also were payments for grocery bills, gas-station charges and several nights at a Tampa hotel dating from May 2014 to March 2015. "Another $1,000.66 in funds raised by selling popcorn and discount cards was never deposited into the bank, investigators found," the news release said. The thefts totaled $9,456. Hilton was given $27,493.09 cash to deposit, but only $21,808.51 made it to the bank. ... In a teacher's profile on the school's website, Hilton described herself as a passionate teacher of 10 years and a married mother of three. She also said she enjoys traveling. "I have been to London, Wales, Paris and Dublin," Hilton wrote, "and I have plans to go to Greece, Italy and Spain in the future." http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-deltona-cub-scout-treasurer-arrest-20150527-story.html http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/former-volusia-cub-scout-treasurer-arrested-theft-/nmPW4/

Could a "federally chartered" organization such as the Boy Scouts be taken over by the federal government? Could the President step-up from Honorary President to become the Commander-in-Chief of the Boy Scouts as writer H.L.Menck satirically suggested in 1937? Say these Colorado brownies are great!

More sad truth than humor. Land of the free, home of the brave? I would support a range-free Boy Scout program. Philmont would be a good place to start. Scout-run patrols, no adults.

Identity theft, a terrible thing...somewhere someone is pretending to be you in that mess hall coffee line.

Which membership cards are we talking about - Bronze, Gold, or Silver? I have the basic Bronze which allows me access to the mess hall coffee line. If I upgrade to Gold I get unlimited visits from Silver card holders persuading me to upgrade ($$$) to Silver. With Silver, I get a lifetime supply of TP at camp commissary. A good deal right now, as until July 1, it is still 2-ply.

Meet with the SM, Troop Committee Chairman, and said ASM to discuss the troop's experience, good and bad, with this family and the way forward. If you remove her from your Troop Committee, her sons may leave your troop. If this family stays in your troop how many "positive" families are likely to leave? At the least, I think she should be retired from the Troop Committee. My $0.02

Second try posting to Scout History. Successful after editting in 3 small steps... FYI: The story behind the 1950 BSA stamp appears in the June issue of the American Philatelist. http://stamps.org/American-Philatelist

Interesting background story from the Newtown (CT) Bee about the development of a new merit badge, Signs, Signal, and Codes. Link with text and photos http://newtownbee.com/node/267324 Emoticons, Braille, and Morse code are among the various forms of language featured in the Boy Scouts of America’s newest merit badge, Signs, Signals, and Codes. Introduced in February by Boy Scouts of America (BSA), the badge is the 135th addition to the merit badge program. Whether Scouts are hiking a trail, signaling for help in an emergency, or texting their friends, some form of communication is involved. Newtown resident Catherine Summ, a Boy Scout Troop 270 committee member who has been involved with local troop for about a decade, recently shared some of her expertise in a specialized communications field to help create the latest merit badge introduced by the national organization. Ms Summer was selected in 2013 to be part of the ten-person Development Team for the new badge. The badge merges the use of technology, including text messages and emojis, with plenty of tradition. Scouts are also introduced, while earning this badge, to emergency signaling, Morse code, American Sign Language, Braille, trail signs, sports officiating hand signals, traffic signs, and what Ms Summ describes as “a lot of nonverbal communication.†Ms Summ discovered the project about 18 months ago. “I was flipping through an issue of Scouting magazine back in late 2013, and saw this small ad that said Boy Scouts of America was looking for people to help develop a new badge,†Ms Summ said. “I couldn’t believe I saw this tiny blurb, in the upper left hand corner of the page, that basically said ‘We’re working on a new merit badge. If you know Braille or American Sign Language, and would be interested in contributing to this badge, please get in touch.’†Ms Summ, who is a teacher for the visually impaired, was interested. “I thought this would be a great way for me to contribute to Boy Scouts,†she said. After sending an e-mail to BSA showing her interest and sharing some of her professional credentials, Ms Summ was eventually connected to Pat Mitchell, of Billings, Mont., who is also a teacher of the visually impaired who became involved in the project. The full committee, with members spread from Connecticut to Hawaii, began working on the new badge in January 2014. The group’s first deadline was within a few months. “BSA wanted to fast-track this,†said Ms Summ. “They were hoping to have it by the time summer camps started last year. “We worked really hard, and had about 80 percent of the work done, but just couldn’t finish in time for that,†she said. Instead, committee members continued contacting each other. Ms Summ and her committee counterpart were in contact regularly, on the phone and through e-mail correspondence, “sometimes daily,†she said. The full committee had also weekly meetings via telephone and e-mails. “My colleague in Montana and I were corresponding quite frequently,†she said. “We were working on a draft, or we were researching, and we would just correspond via e-mail or by phone, at least once a week for a period of four or five months.†Their task, she pointed out, was to take the equivalent of a full-year graduate course and boil it down into six pages devoted to Braille, plus an insert with examples of the Braille alphabet and numbers, and a few simple phrases. The insert, a sheet of tough cardboard stock, allows Scouts to go hands-on for this section of their merit badge. “That insert was important,†said Ms Summ. “We were thinking about the fact that there are boys who might be in troops in more remote or rural locations, or in areas where you don’t have a teacher for the visually impaired, or you don’t know someone who reads Braille,†she said. “How would they get that exposure? Now, they’ve got it right here.†The badge was formally released by BSA earlier this year. “As the largest youth-serving organization, the Boy Scouts of America strives to create new programs and opportunities for youth members that speak to their evolving interests,†Steve Bowen, chair of the Merit Badge Development Committee, said via press release when the new badge was announced a few months ago. “By pursuing this merit badge, Scouts will learn to translate other forms of nonverbal communications, such as emojis, which is a productive skill they can use both in and out of Scouting.†To earn this merit badge, Scouts are required to demonstrate their practical knowledge of their newly acquired skills by completing the following requirements: (Odd, these are NOT the released MB requirements. -RS) *Be able to communicate with another person by spelling their first name using Morse code, American Sign Language, and semaphore; *Identify the letters of the Braille alphabet that spell their name by either sight or touch, decode a six- to ten-word Braille message and create a Braille message to share with their counselor/troop- leader; *On a Scouting outing, lay out a trail for their patrol or troop to follow, using only the trail signs and markers provided by troop leaders; *Test their parents, friends, or troop leader by giving them examples of their favorite text symbols or emoticons, and identify the meaning or usage of each symbol. Tim Malaney, who served as the lead volunteer for the merit badge committee, said via press release that introducing Scouts to a variety of nonverbal techniques, “we’re giving them the tools they need to develop into effective communicators. “We hope the merit badge program continues to grow alongside advancements in technology and learning so we can continue to provide value to our youth members,†Mr Malaney added. Ms Summ is pleased with the work she and the entire committee did. “We really wanted to create a fun merit badge,†she said. “It was a really good experience. I would not mind doing this again.†She also called BSA’s process “a truly democratic process.†“They really wanted everyone’s input,†she added. “Everyone had equal say, from the design of the badge, the requirements, and even the cover of the badge guide.†Her one regret was that those who worked on the badge are so far spread that not only did they never meet, but there was never a commemoration of their work. “We cannot celebrate this achievement together,†she said. Introduced In Newtown Local Scouts had an unusual honor last month, when one of the creators of the newest merit badge introduced it to them in person. On April 22, Troop 270 held a Merit Badge College, an event when Scouts work on the requirements for a merit badge. Ms Summ and her husband, Peter Björknäs, divided the troop into two groups. Each adult worked on different aspects of the badge. (The couple has two sons: Henry, an Eagle Scout finishing his first year of college; and Felix, a junior at Newtown High School who is developing his Eagle Scout Project.) While she said the presentations, which continued the following week, were fun, Ms Summ also admitted she and her husband were initially a little nervous. “It was great,†she said. “The boys were focused, and so curious. I brought them some worksheets that a beginning Braille reader might use when they’re learning the Braille code, some story books. “We had 60 active boys, and it was so much fun,†she said. Ms Summ took her Braille typewriter with her for the Merit Badge College last month, as well as a slate and stylist, which she describes as “really low tech. It’s just a metal frame, and you hold a piece of Braille paper in the frame and punch dots in the frame.†Her goal, said Ms Summ, is that all members of Troop 370 have earned their Signs, Signals, and Codes merit badge by the time the troop’s Court of Honor is held in late May or early June.

Yes I thought that too. Bathing in a river just didn't seem, I dunno, British to me. Americans yes.

This can't be right can it? Zoom the image. Left margin has word "Bathroom" with arrow pointed to river.

http://www.nationaltrailsday.org/ A reminder. Some troops, packs, and OA have registered their respective events. Other units likely are already outdoor-committed, scouting as usual. Many folks are outdoors this first June weekend. In Northeast this is also a free (no license) fishing weekend. And then there are all those high school graduations gumming up our planning. My $0.02

May, 2015 Federal Wildlife Officer Matt Belew came to the rescue for Boy Scouts camping at Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, OK, when a tornado blew through Saturday night (May 16). The tornado traveled 10 to 12 miles across refuge land, causing major damage to the Fawn Creek Youth Campground on the refuge and destroying nearly all tents. The campground was occupied by Boy Scout Troop 955 from Broken Arrow, OK, as the severe storm was approaching. Anticipating the storm, Belew evacuated all 65 Scouts and their leaders to the refuge headquarters basement about 30 minutes before the tornado hit. All Scouts are safe. One Scout father told headquarters staff that “one of those blue tents that was totally smashed by a large tree was the one my son was in. We had no idea a severe storm was approaching when your officer came and had us evacuate for shelter at the headquarters basement. I fear my son and others would have died had we not left. So, thank you.†The tornado touched down about a quarter mile from the campground. One refuge residence and a camper trailer were damaged but there were no injuries. Deputy refuge manager Ralph Bryant says nesting birds were certainly affected but the large mammal populations on the refuge - elk, bison, deer and longhorn cattle - appear to have escaped unhurt. http://www.fws.gov/refuges/news/FedWildOfficerActsQuicklySaveBoyScouts.html Good video in this news link: http://kfor.com/2015/05/28/they-responded-like-scouts-do-officer-moves-camping-boy-scouts-into-shelter-as-tornado-approaches/ Scout salute and our thanks,