RememberSchiff

Got a knife kit for Christmas which is 95% knife scales carving and fitting. The scales material is black Micarta made from layers of hardened resin linen. Never worked with Micarta, should I just make my own wood scales?

The headline title is an understatement, I suspect Scoutmaster Nicholas Sincinito is the person of a lifetime for his scouts. https://www.liherald.com/stories/nicholas-sincinito-is-the-lynbrookeast-rockaway-heralds-2021-person-of-the-year,137386 Scout Salute and please say a prayer for him and his family,

or Popcorn Kernel.

@SR70 on behalf of the moderators, welcome to scouter.com

Yes that topic ran its course and wandered but the posts that followed were coherent and scoutlike. Probably should have split off to separate topics but didn't get around to it. Happens at the end of the year. But I will do some housekeeping with that topic. I look forward to more coherent and scoutlike posts from that former practicing attorney in you. RS

Lets stay on topic, Chapter 11 Voting and Confirmation. Thanks, RS

Some humor for @skeptic

Cat herding split to its own thread

Trying to be hopeful, but note link "The Youth Council will be staffed by two volunteers who serve on the National Scouts BSA Committee: Dwayne Fontenette, Jr. and Winnie Lee." My understanding, their focus at National appears to be membership and diversity. IMHO, I would rather have interim? Chief Scout @InquisitiveScouter as an advisor and a focus on program. Build the program and they will come. Another $0.02,

It would be great if a scout took lead. - We will be scout lead - We will be transparent. This is our website/Facebook... see our meeting agenda, minutes, proposals, contact info... - We will develop a plan to move forward, maybe call it the Willink-Babin Plan. - We will execute and succeed in bringing challenge and adventure back to Scouting. Tis the season of hope

I don't understand why create another scout leadership council when you have the Order of the Arrow? https://oa-bsa.org/about/mission-purpose

I hope the impact of the Purdue case is top of the list, e,g,, reorg plan releases for insurers and nonprofits that are not also in chapter 11 are illegal. Reference (behind a paywall) https://www.wsj.com/articles/boy-scouts-bankruptcy-plan-hinges-on-releases-deemed-illegal-in-purdue-case-11640214516

From the link “The goal of Scouting is to guide each Scout to reach First Class rank, which provides the Scout the basic first-aid skills, outdoor skills, and water safety in swimming skills and canoeing. This, plus memorizing the words of the Scout Oath and Scout Law with the gradual understanding that these are not just words to memorize but words to live by for life.”

A personal attack on other forum members is unscoutlike behavior. ~ RS

Lets keep the discussion scoutlike. Thanks, RS

Buy a lopper and maul combo kit, then use maul.

As I understand for many Christmases, Chicago area Scouts have assisted the crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw in delivering 1200+ trees to families in need. Do any members have more information? "There's just nothing like sitting around a Christmas tree with your family," said Jamal Malone, CEO of Ada S. McKinley Community Services. "And we just want to make sure that any family that wants to share in that experience isn't hindered by the cost or the logistics of getting a tree." The Ada S. McKinley Community Services organization is responsible for helping find homes for these trees this holiday season. "We have the honor and the charge of coordinating with about 100 other not-for-profits, local churches, the Boy Scouts, different groups," Malone said. "And we all sign up to connect families that need trees and want trees with the Coast Guard." https://www.newsy.com/stories/u-s-coast-guard-ship-brings-christmas-trees-to-chicago/

In teaching kids to use tools safely, I find many have an expectation that both easy and QUICK work will result. I cringe at speed competitions where tools are involved particularly at the beginner level. We can teach a beginner to use tools SAFELY, IMO QUICK requires experience and may never come by choice. After my 7th grade wood shop teacher taught us how to properly use handsaws, he held a sawing competition. I want each of you to cut your board to these lengths and these angle cuts... And we were off. The first one done yelled I win, so the rest of us stopped sawing. Our instructor yelled at us, I told each to you to cut your board. Get back to work! When the last student was done sawing, our instructor measured the lengths, the square and angle of the cuts. He explained he never said he wanted the cuts done quickly, rather he expected them done to spec - we are craftsmen. One of the slowest was closest to those specs, though not perfect. His point, take time to think the cut and PRACTICE. Advice I would hear again later at summer camp in a whittling class. My $0.02,

I split off the recent discussion of saw and knife accidents to

An opinion from a long time Maine scouter who caught my attention with this Facebook comment https://m.facebook.com/Friends-of-Bomazeen-689282914851606/ I search further and found this opinion piece in a local paper. by Chris Bernier My name is Chris “Montawagon“ Bernier. I am a long time scouter from Winslow here in Pine Tree Council. I joined scouting in 1983. I received my Eagle Scout in 1994. Without scouting my life would have turned out drastically different. I was lucky to have both of my parents in our home growing up, however, my father worked a million hours a week it seemed. My two brothers and I got to see him often but not nearly as much as I wished growing up. I would say more than half of my male influences growing up came from scouting leaders. The other half my father. My fondest memories in scouting were from summer camp. For me that was Camp Bomazeen. For some of the other youth in my troop it was a combination of Bomazeen and Camp Hinds. I was lucky enough to have attended Camp Hinds in 1989 for a week. I got to see both camps and participate in programs at both camps, however, my heart will always lay at Camp Bomazeen. Many other youth, have made great memories at Camp Gustin, or Camp Nutter. Many at Camp Hinds. Pine Tree council is lucky enough for the moment to have four amazing non-replaceable assets. This is in danger of changing. The council has incurred some debts and the national Scouts BSA lawsuits are requiring councils to fork over costs of damages. Yet another debt to our council. It is the responsibility of our council board to figure out how to pay those debts. Unfortunately, the executive board feels selling property (even if protected as a trust) is an option to pay those debts. I, as a Scout of 38 years and an adult leader/volunteer of 27 years feels that Pine Tree Council is about to jump off the cliff by the sale of Bomazeen, with Nutter and Gustin to follow. That is why I am contacting you today. I would like to ask everyone in the district. Every Pack, Troop, and Crew member who wants to see this stay as a camp for Scouts in perpetuity, to write a personal letter stating why you think it is a bad idea to sell Camp Bomazeen, specifically. I would like to see leaders as well as youth include letters. I would ask you to personally sign it. Then either bring it to the roundtable where I will collect them and make sure they are used in a productive way to try to preserve our camps. If you cannot make it out to the roundtable, please mail them to me or you can scan them on your computer and mail them to me via email where I will print them out. However, a signature is still strongly advised. I would like to put a deadline of getting these letters in my hand by December 15. At that time, I will take all the letters and make sure they get down to Pine Tree Council. Addressed to every board member and council employee. Think of this as a petition but with more bite as you are not just signing your name, you are explaining why you are signing your name. I would urge you to contact me about how you feel about this via email at circleofone555@hotmai.com. I would ask that you contact your chartering organizational representatives. Encourage them to become active in what council does. Every Troop’s chartering organizational representative has the obligation to vote on who Pine Tree Councils board members are annually. The council hosts a January meeting with a list of board members. If a majority “Yes” vote is passed those people are that year’s board for council. If a majority “No” vote occurs council must wipe the slate clean and start over. I encourage a “No” vote. Our council is in desperate need of a new board of directors. Most people are not aware of this. It is crucial, even vital, now more than ever, that we let council know that selling irreplaceable property potentially protected in trust is not a good use of resources. A better use of their time should be focusing on membership, “quality” program at all four camps and capital campaigns. If done properly this council could easily recover from its debts. Something the current board clearly is not focused on. You may or may not be aware of it but the attorney general’s office along with the Bomazeen Oldtimers Association 501(c)(3) is suing Pine Tree Council in an effort to protect the property. The deed of Doctor Averill, who gave the camp for use to central Maine scouts, states that the trustees of Camp Bomazeen govern it. If for any reason a Camp Bomazeen Trustee member leaves said board, the council, who has jurisdiction over Camp Bomazeen, “Shall appoint a successor from the vicinity of where the former Trustee resided.” The deed also states that the original Trustees of Bomazeen were all from the Central Maine, Waterville, Madison, Skowhegan area. The last time I heard there was a Camp Bomazeen board of trustees was more than 20 years ago. The council has failed in its duty to put in place successors. The deed states “First: Said property is to be held by said Trustees for the use and benefit for members of the Boy Scouts of America, said premises to be at all times available for camping purposes to the troops and members of the Boy Scouts of America, and especially for the troops and members of the Boy Scouts of America in the central part of the State of Maine.” If the council were to sell, it is Pine Tree Council’s obligation that the money received be held in trust for Central Maine Scouting, not to pay debts for poor money management. Any sales of this trust are to be done to further the intention of the trust. In recent years scouting has been on the decline. Covid struck and rapidly helped to disrupt scouting. The answer to debt is not selling stuff and hope membership rises. The answer to debt is increased membership and give as many opportunities to children within scouting, at as many places as possible. Without our well distributed camps, providing outstanding programs becomes that much more challenging. The current board of directors at Pine Tree Council has clearly lost its way. We the leaders of the packs, troops and crews on the ground sometimes need to remind them what they are voting on. This is one of those times as our packs, troops and crews are the larger bases of income to the council. I want to thank you for your time and I hope you will consider sending before December 15. Please, let’s band together as a council and help to protect these four great properties for every youth of scouting to enjoy for the next 100 years of scouting. Send your letter to Preserve Camp Bomazeen Letter Drive, c/o Chris “Montawagon” Bernier, P.O. Box #2444, Waterville, ME 04903.

Update 12/18/2021: Colonel (Ret.) Ralph Puckett will receive the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award on January 19, 2022 during the Columbus Rotary Meeting at 12 p.m. at the Columbus Convention and Trade Center. He was nominated by the Chattahoochee Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Colonel Puckett served 22 years of active duty as a United States Army office. He was also the National Programs Director for Outward Bound, Inc., Founder of Discovery, Inc. in Herndon, Virginia, and Discovery Director at the Westminster Schools in Atlanta, Georgia. Scout Salute https://www.wtvm.com/2021/12/17/col-ralph-puckett-receive-eagle-scout-award-2022/

Seems related to the Monday press release regarding Century Insurance $800M contribution. the Boy Scouts said in a prepared statement. “In addition to our continued negotiations with other insurers, the BSA has worked diligently to create a structure that will allow the Roman Catholic-affiliated churches and United Methodist-affiliated churches who sponsored Scouting units to contribute to the proposed settlement trust to compensate survivors.” IMHO, they really wanted to announce their two largest CO's were on board ahead of the voting deadline. This was their best spin. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/12/13/boy-scouts-bankruptcy-case-800-million-dollars-fund-victims/6504441001/ My $0.02,

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — In the wake of tragedy comes volunteers; hundreds if not thousands of them. You might not think of cooking as your typical volunteer work, but it’s necessary. “We’ve purchased 300 hot dogs!” scoutmaster Ladonna Harmon said. ... She and her husband, scoutmaster Chris Harmon, teamed up with B.G. First Church to give out food, water and whatever else they could help with. More details at source: https://spectrumnews1.com/ky/louisville/news/2021/12/13/bowling-green-scouts-church-goers-cook-lunch-for-volunteers-tornado-aftermath Scout Salute,

When I was CC, I stuck around to herd parents away from scouts and SM and towards volunteering for committee positions or tasks.

“This is an extremely important step forward in the BSA’s efforts to equitably compensate survivors, and our hope is that this will lead to further settlement agreements from other parties,” the Boy Scouts said in a prepared statement. “In addition to our continued negotiations with other insurers, the BSA has worked diligently to create a structure that will allow the Roman Catholic-affiliated churches and United Methodist-affiliated churches who sponsored Scouting units to contribute to the proposed settlement trust to compensate survivors.” Attorneys with an ad hoc group called the Coalition of Abused Scouts for Justice, which represents about 18,000 abuse claimants, said in a news release that the Century settlement is another reason for claimants to vote for the BSA’s reorganization plan. “Not only is the coalition creating the biggest possible compensation fund for survivors — it’s the only fund on the table, and it vanishes with a ‘no’ vote,” said attorney and coalition co-founder Anne Andrews. “The coalition also continues to work with the Boy Scouts of America on accountability and safety measures to ensure that no child will have to endure the horrific harm and abuse our clients have suffered.” More at sources: https://www.wkyt.com/2021/12/13/insurer-agrees-800m-settlement-boy-scouts-bankruptcy/ https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/coalition-of-abused-scouts-for-justice-increases-largest-sexual-abuse-settlement-fund-in-history-to-more-than-2-6-billion-301443521.html "The next virtual meeting will take place Tuesday, December 14, 2021, at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT. For information on the benefits of the plan, instructions on how to vote, or access to the next virtual meeting, visit scoutingabusesurvivors.com. "