BigMac

$50 for Scouts $12 for Scouters

The blue on black background is hard to see

Let me tell you a little story about my eldest son: He was a boy that needed constant reminding from the start. But we had a pretty Gung Ho troop and it really carried him along, well then we moved 300 miles for 9 months and then moved again. When we arrived in Spokane he was a star scout with well honed camping skills, but with an attitude, the attitude was that he saw the meetings as useless because he was not getting requirements (merit badges), I tried ever so much to lead him to the revelation that he was entering into the next phase of scouting and it was now time to give back more to scouting than he had received. At the time I was involved with cubs and his younger brother (by 6 years). All I heard was complaints about the troop and how useless the meetings were, I just could not get across that he was the troop. Well I finally got tired of his complaints and we had a come to Jesus moment and he switched troops and from then on just would not participate. Well he made Life at 16, and was mostly complete on his merit badges, but just would not step up to leadership positions. At age 17 I just quit nagging him about leadership and his project, I came to that thought through many hours of contemplation. To put it simple I believe that part of becoming an Eagle Scout is that the boy has taken charge of his life, given back to scouting more than he has received, and is the pillar of virtue (even if they do not realize that). He wasted that year and tried to rush his project and he BS'd his way through POR. I reclused myself even though I was an ASM. I really did not want to give my honest opinion. Well he bet on getting an extension and that failed. The only issue that I raised was that I wanted him treated no different than any other Scout in the council. I wanted nothing more than for him to become an Eagle Scout, for his sake. But that did not happen. He graduated HS and had very poor grades (C ave) with a very easy schedule. But this story has a bright ending, in Sept of his junior year he signed up for the Marine Corps Reserve and by Nov he changed to the Regular Marine Corps. He is now an avionics mech stationed in Okinawa. Hopefully his mental and physical laziness will be corrected service to his country. Let me be clear he was never any trouble on a personal level. He gave his younger brother a fine example on how not to provide himself with options. His brother is the complete opposite. I relate this story because the behavior you described in the prospective Eagle Scout is totally unacceptable, and you would be doing a great dis-service to scouting and the boy if you let him pass. He has proven he can behave for a while, scouting behavior is not something you turn off and on, and it is a lifelong pursuit. If I,a wanting father can not endorse my own son for being lazy, then an abuser certainly can not be advanced. (This message has been edited by BigMac)(This message has been edited by BigMac)

When planning an annual event great care needs to be taken to avoid conflicts. Find out when the succer season is over etc. What has not been said is the problem with divorced parents and the other parent's weekend is the camp out. It is very difficult to inject a discussion with the parent who is not involved with scouting. Great care must be the rule or you will be pulled into a very ugly situation in a hurry. As to sports-VS-scouts it greatly depends on the individual scout and where he is in the program. My 14 year old who is very solid in his scouting skills is also a runner with a chance to go to Nationals this year, I have to back the running in the near term, but scouts will come back to #1 soon.

Take her camping, your buddy must know some killer spots. There he can show her all the neat skills that he has aquired. Then that night he can show her his knot tying ability in some hanky panky session. I am sure that he could show her wonderful meals, and scenery, pick a time and place where the weather is good, scenery is good.

You would have to paint an extreme picture to get to hyponatremia. It is most common with out of shape marithon runners who take over 3 hours to run, eat nothing and drink too much water. I know of no first aid for the condition other than dialing 911, even then if the case is bad then nothing can be done. 1/2 gatoraid will reduce cramping.

Parent break in is a requirement these days, especially with single parent families, and families without scouting experiance. We had a camp-out that yielded all kinds of wild stories and while the parents were complaining they tacked on the lack of advancement. Well after a session of explaining that this is not cub scouts and their is responsibility of the scout to always have his book and initiate the requirement to be signed off. Additionally I included a talk about equipment, too often the parents wasted their money and bought junk which had impact to our program. Also there was another session just before Klondike, that gave us a chance to educate allot of folks abou dehydration, layers, the evils of cotton, nutrition and of course hypothermia. It comforted them especially since we were going to well below zero temps.(This message has been edited by BigMac)

Eamonn Why don't you update your profile? This thread is usless

Living Now in PNW, Spokane Wa Eagle BP 1973 active on and off since. 1 Son in the Marines Another 14 and Star- He will Eagle Former Marine Flight Officer Have Backpacked from Rainy Pass to Lake of the woods on 4 trips. Last Summer went on 50 miler and summited South Sister. Currently a "Commitee Member" have been ASM and SM in other troops, councils