RememberSchiff

Two reasons come quickly to mind: the loss of local control/influence and the selling of camps. If you want to just merge or eliminate Councils, okay but leave the camps under local control. Merging and downsizing have done much harm to the American worker and his/her family and with less competition, consumers have seen higher prices and reduced quality and service. Some companies are now just names, does Maytag make Maytags? On the bright side CEO's are doing quite well. My $0.01

Thanks that was fun to watch. Fairly common over here for schools to do this type of video and post.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865603779/Boy-Scout-numbers-grow-in-Utah-defying-national-trend.html?pg=all Over a year ago, in a survey by the Utah Great Salt Lake Council, 83 percent opposed the membership policy change and 70 percent of local Utah Scouting leaders indicated they would either end or decrease their participation in Scouting if openly gay youths were allowed to participate. Since the policy change and despite that survey, all 3 Utah councils have seen membership growth - Great Salt Lake Council increased 1.5%, Utah National Parks Council increased 4.56%, and Trapper Trails Council increased 2.1 %. Nationwide membership dropped 6%. LDS is credited for the growth and the article also notes there are no competing Trail Life units in Utah.

Yes. I think you called it right. Sharp eyes there NJCubScouter.

Regarding a Camp Fire Girl, more outdoorsy seems likely. In all my years, I have only been involved in one joint outdoor activity with Girl Scouts, a day hike (walk). It was comical. Never took so many breaks and long ones at that. Each girl had a small picnic cloth which was spread out and set at each break. Boys were eager to get moving, girls content to sit and talk. Anyway, I have also heard this explanation: "The Camp Fire Girls organization was begun in the United States with the joint efforts of some of the very people who were instrumental in founding Boy Scouts of America, and by the sisters and wives of the men who built BSA in this country. James E. West, first Chief Scout for BSA, always made clear that Camp Fire Girls was the "sister" organization to BSA; West served as the top executive officer of BSA from 1911 to 1943. " http://www.alicemariebeard.com/campfire/bsacfg.htm Camp Fire Girls is now Camp Fire, an inclusive youth organization.

Why is there a Camp Fire Girl instead of a Girl Scout in this poster?

Oops. Smokey Bear it is. Thanks.

Like he did as Secretary of Defense, Mr Gates needs to get in the field to talk and listen with the troops - scouts and us. . And if he could come in a Black Hawk copter that would be very cool. My $0.02

Well if only we had someone with experience in working with government. Oh wait, we do, Robert Gates.

http://www.scouter.com/forum/open-discussion-program/7350-e-chit http://www.scouter.com/forum/open-discussion-program/7647-e-chit http://www.boyscouttrail.com/docs/techchiptraining.pdf Hope that helps.

Smokey turns 70 this August! We used to do a lot more PR and education with Smokey and the U.S. Forest Service. We need to reconnect. Maybe summer camps can run with this - fire prevention program with Forest Rangers, a Smokey whittling contest,... Happy Birthday Smokey, we switched to all LED lanterns.

Yes, we called it "teaching" and it had been around long, long before Wood Badge. Later, others felt a need to rename, repackage, or otherwise over-complicate what usually comes natural for most. Show-Tell-Do, EDGE

Good luck finding what the intent was then. (here's when Kudu comes to the rescue) There is no mention of duty to family in the BSA Scout Oath. I have been puzzled about that omission.

How so? If by listing order then Cheerful takes precedence over Reverent. For me, the priority would be Family, Friends, Community (might be town, country, or world), and God. Mostly I figure God can take care of himself, but I'm available to write new Commandments. My $0.02

Sentinel947 WHAT? Someone UNDER 21 is allowed to be moderator of this forum? This is more jolting than my morning caffeine. What next, the Top 3 at National under 40? Super Moderator...And you outed yourself man...Wearing suspenders ain't gonna fool us anymore. Following BSA conventions, at most, maybe, Junior Assistant Moderator (JAM) or maybe a Moderator In Training (MIT, but then you would have to pay $100 for privilege to be refunded when old enough to be a Moderator) , disclaimer the above was meant to be humorous. Sentinel947 thanks for volunteering as a moderator of Camp Runamuck here.

Does anyone have any news on release date and requirements? Thanks.

Perhaps after this intermission, we can return to the OP topic?

Generally for three day weekends (Columbus Day, Veterans' Day, Memorial Day,...), we plan scout activities

"To do my duty to God and my country" I think that second part is overlooked. We all have the First Amendment right of freedom of religion. Maybe if we move away from "we are a private organization and can do what we want" mindset and think about our duty to respect the constitutional rights of others,,,be more in step with current American values and laws. My $0.02

Is the camp still in the black and is it still being utilized? When I hear about attendance fluctuations, my first thoughts are about programming and facilities, not selling the camp(s). Local control methinks, not distant larger super-councils.

Hacker scouts wannabees? I would like to see a breakout of Council expenses/revenues vs Camp(s) expenses/revenues. I am skeptical when a council bureaucrat says a camp(s) is 20, 25, 35% under-utilized, that usually means the camp revenue can't cover Council overhead expenses. My $0.02

I wonder if this will "Light a Fire" at the National Annual Meeting in Nashville this week? http://www.scouting.org/nationalannualmeeting.aspx

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/2...ews/140518337/ National is considering restructuring four councils -- " the Northwest Suburban Council, headquartered in Mount Prospect; the Des Plaines Valley Council, headquartered in La Grange; the Chicago Area Council, headquartered in Chicago; and the Calumet Council, headquartered in Munster, Indiana -- into one. There's also separate merger discussions between staff members at the Des Plaines Valley Council and the Three Fires Council, based in St. Charles. The Northeast Illinois Council, headquartered in Highland Park, was involved in consolidation discussions, but officials there decided to withdraw from those talks." Northwest Suburban Council will operate a recruitment center inside Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg. "Called the Discovery Outpost, the storefront will contain displays and videos about all Scouting activities, but much of the focus will be on Scouting's connection with science, technology, engineering and mathematics, officials said." Anyway interesting details, in particular the section on Camps "In an April 24 email sent to Scouts and leaders, Boy Scout officials said "the issue of land management and camp properties is not relevant to" the discussion over council consolidation."

Over the years I have often wished that Council owned, stored, and rented the PWD track. Maybe have OA setup track (instead of selling candy bars!!!!). A win-win? We have no space to store and piggyback on those packs with a track. Seems odd that we have a mindset to regionalize schools and other public services but our pack has to have its own track! (BTW, I disagree with the former) My $0.02

Yes.