taamland

http://cubscoutideas.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Cub-Scout-Connections.pdf Here you go.

Kittatinny Mountain Scout Reservation run by the Central New Jersey Council in Branchville, NJ is my absolute favorite summer camp. Located right off the AT and real close to the Delaware River, they have continued to wow me through the years. Their staff is great, scenery is beautiful and have just about 40 merit badges and programs for scouts to take part in. The are a small camp so the staff really gets to know you personally by the end of the week. My troop has traveled all around the northeast (just came back from Rodney in North East, MD) but none of them hold a candle to our experiences at KMSR. Here's a link: http://www.cnjcbsa.org/camping.shtml

Here is an idea. Unless the actual geography of your council's camp is the problem, why not try to improve the camp you've got. Send a few boys to camp staff, a crew up for a beaver day to build a new program area, have a fundraiser to add something new or improve something allready at camp. Too often camps close down because of a lack of attendance and funding. Granted I don't know the particulars of your situation but I know that your council's camp belongs to you and your troop. And you have a responsibilty to your current scouts and all future scouts, that will come to said camp, to make things better.

I completely agree. I'm only 26 and I see the same thing happening to the kids in my town. It's summer vacation and the neighborhood used to be full of kids running about. But you might see a pair once a week. I'm from Central New Jersey and open space is hard to come by. That is why I loved scouting. It got me outside to places i could explore with my friends. But it is not only TV, Technology, or the parents fault. It is also our communities and our sense of priority and the irresponsible development that occurs. The small patch of woods I spent many years playing in behind my house are now a Walmart. In the name of "progress" we are always looking for the easy cheaper way out. We continue to populate the country with more and people who all need places to live and shop. I believe we must all take a more active role in the planning of our neighborhoods. The sprawl from the major cities will reach you soon so please I urge you to pay attention to what is happening in your towns before it is too late. Even our national and state forests are under threat to development and priviatization. Please open your eyes to the larger picture and set the example for our kids by preserving what little we have left. Most of the country is not like NJ or any other highly developed state but when people turn a blind eye to what is going on around them it soon will be.

I wholeheartedly agree with using the Patrol Method. 5 years ago my troop was using the troop method. We had 11 scouts, minimal participation, and a high attrition rate. The boys would sit around staring at the wall during meetings waiting for someone to tell them what to do. The did not have to plan anything all they had to do was pay their money and show up. Now after moving toward a more patrol method troop. We have 32 scouts, a 20% attrition rate for new scouts, and nearly 80% participation on every trip. It is easier to do fundraisers because the scouts see it as helping out thier troop. At troop run by adults is no troop at all. The boys get no sense of ownership, responsibility, and leadership if the adults treat them like inept babies instead of young men. I will admit we are not quite there but we have come a long way in 5 years. I wish the BSA would add more information about the Patrol Method to their training materials. Most things now just tend to gloss over it. There should probably be a whole course called: "Train 'em, Trust 'em, Let them Lead"

My troop is looking to incorporate itself. We would like to have a buffer in case anyone sues individual leaders, they would have to sue the coroporation first. Becomming incorporated we could file for nonprofit 501c3 status and accept donations from local corporations. We would also like to prevent ourself in the unlikely event it happens from our charter organization the church from taking our money and equipment. How would this work from a leagal standpoint? Doesn't BSA Liability insurance already protect individuals from being sued. As far as equipment and money goes wouln't we need to charter ourselves to the corporation for this to work? Or would we have to keep separate books? I'm not a lawyer or accountant nor do I play one on TV so I'm asking for advice what are the benefits of incorporating and is this even legal?

Just had our committee chair bail on us. And right before recharter time nonetheless. I was wondering who has the authority to select a new Committee Chair? Is it only the Institution Head and Chartered Org. Rep.? Or does the committee select by vote? How about the Scoutmaster? I'm just wondering who has the final say in "hiring" a new committee chair?

Don't Know if this is what you are looking for but Central New Jersey Council is Having a Joint Climbing instructor training program With Patriots Path at Camp Allamuchy. It says it is for Climbing Directors. http://www.doubleknot.com/Registration/CalendarDetail.asp?ActivityKey=108999&OrgKey=660

I don't think we as leaders should be chasing after each scout making sure he has everything done. I don't believe the scouts are babies. If they want something they need to realize that they must go out and get it. Doing it for them takes away from the experience. What will this teach them? That later in life I don't have to rely on myself for anything, someone else will always be there to do it for me. What is next have the parents do the work for them? I wonder if they do their homework too? I would advise strongly against doing any of the work for them. If they want to advance they will. We cannot push them we can only give advice.

I'm sorry I should've clarified that. I meant the actual Boy Scout Handbook. It seems to have been stripped of all useful information over the past 30 years. Has anyone ever tried to use the index in that thing? If you look up the word compass it will send you to every single page the word compass is mentioned not to the section on orienteering. I guess that is what you get when you let a computer program create your index. Yes I have heard about the new Troop leader training. I have been asking about it since I saw the little blurb on National's website. My council tells me national is in the process of reviewing all JLT material and they will recieve a copy soon. As far as the weekend goes I was hoping to use the videos I do have to demonstrate model meetings. BSA Fast Start for troop meetings, Scoutmaster's Program Planning Kit for PLC meetings, and the Old "Beaver Cleaver" version of Troop JLT. Anyone know of any other AV items that could be useful?

Our troop is doing a JLT weekend event next month. Got sick of the prepackaged one. I was looking for ideas regarding what to include in the weekend. We plan on watching two movies and disscussing the leadership themes in each. We plan on going through how to run each aspect of the troop. A Patrol meeting, a Troop Meeting and a PLC meeting. Most JLT courses that I have seen tend to bog down in the theoretical leadership techniques and stray from giving participants any concrete information. I was thinking about doing some team building games from cope. Anyone have any suggestions? Another idea that we've come up with is to train the scouts on what tasks are supposed to be handled by what position. Similar to Troop Committee Challenge. In a sense I suppose that we would be using the SPL & PL handbooks as our sylabus. Does anyone know why the BSA has removed most information about how a troop runs in the handbook? They seriously need to put actual useful information in there. I still keep my norman rockwell edition as reference.

It took me a while to figure out just what the roundtable meetings were supposed to be for. My districts Roundtables sometimes have been a bunch of announcements followed by everyone staring at the wall saying does anyone have anything to say. Just recently they have seemed to improve. It seemed like the cub roundtable was the only one that anyone paid any attention to. I'd love for a roundtable to have discussions just like the ones that take place here. Maybe this forum could be a resource for your monthly roundtables. Just grab a hot topic and bring it up at the meeting. It does seem like no one talks about how thier troops are run. That would be a great resource for new and old leaders alike.

Our troop has five assistant scoutmasters (myself included) that have made the jump from youth member to adult leader. It is truly an asset having leaders who fully understand the program from the scout's perspective and are fully trained in scouting skills. It usually takes most parents about a year to truly "get" the program and even begin learning scout skills. The way we have recruited our adult leaders is we include an adult application in the eagle award gift pack for our 17.5 yr old eagles and as one of our scouts ages out we ask them to stay on as ASM's. The trick to keeping them is to make sure they have defined responsibilities. Most of them become patrol advisors to the patrol leaders and our old QM now runs our equipment room as an adult. The only problems we've had is at times it is hard for young leaders to make the distinction between being an adult and being a scout. We usually remedy this on campouts by giving them lots of work for the adults. Call it the initiation process to becomming a full fledged ASM.

Our Troop will be headed down to Maryland to Rodney Scout Reservation on the Cheasapeake Bay. Great sailing program, The best first year scout program I have seen, and a great camp overall. We camped at Ockanickon last year. Beautiful facilities but it really takes the camp part out of summer camp and replaces it with resort. It seems to be run more like a coporation than a boy scout camp. Had some problems with merit badge mill style of camp. 20 to 30 scouts in one class is a bit much for any youth staffer to handle. Had some scouts sign up the first day never go to the class or hand anything in and at the end of the week we got a completed blue card back. I enjoyed myself (especially the air conditioning and hot tub) but I think the scouts lost some expierences that would be made available to them at other camps. Next Year we will be headed to Kittatiny Mountain Scout Reservation in Stokes State Forest. This is one of the most picturesque camps in the state. Their staff will bend over backwards to meet your program needs. The activites for adult leaders are great. The kids especially love the campwide KMSR Tin Man Competition. The older boy program is complete with High and Low Cope, Climbing, rafting trips on the delaware, mountain biking programs, and backpacks on the AT. Everyone seems to know eachother by name by the end of the week. I recommend this camp to anyone that has the chance to go. Have not had the chance to go to Treasure Island but hope to do that the year after next.

Does anyone have chapter and verse on that? When I had proposed it to the other adults in my troop, I nearly had my head bitten off. Taamland

I was reading the COR Training on national's website and it said that the COR's are voting members of the council. Does anyone know what committees they are a member of? I assume the District Committee but is there a council committee or a large meeting of COR's somewhere out there. My council isn't the best with communication. TA

My troop has just seemed to really begin to utilize the new scout program. In the past there was a troop guide and a group of 1st year scouts but that was about it they began to function just as a regular patrol and they usually stayed together. But this year with our five brand new crossovers, a bang up Troop guide, and an experienced ASM to oversee the whole thing it seems to be going in the right direction. Granted it's only been a few weeks but they seem to have gotten off on the right foot. I do have a problem if the program becomes too classroom-like, the scout just sit and listen and then get signed off. In that i see the possiblity of it becomming a Webelos III program. What have other troops expirenced (pros/cons) with this program taamland

My troop has had equipment woes for quite sometime. We have had a quartermaster but unfortunately he has only functioned as a scout who oversees loading equipment. In the past an adult has come to the equipment room before the campout and pulled all the gear we will need. The quartermaster then packs up our troop bus or cars. I think the troop quartermaster is an essential position as well as patrol quartermasters. My plan for our equipment is to have a well organized equipment room (sometimes you can not even walk in ours), have troop issued patrol equipment contained within plastic totes or something, Then have each patrol plan out what gear is needed for the weekend and sign it out with the troop quartermaster. They then are responsible for transporting, packing and setting up only their own gear / campsite. It has seemed in the past everything becomes troop gear and things get mixed up. I believe that with an organized system that complements the patrol method is the key. If there is no need for someone to oversee equipment and care for it there will be no real quartermaster. Along those lines if there isn't an ASM or adult to guide the quartermaster things will be a snafu. The trick to the quartermaster in my opinion is having a system that needs a scout to run (and can be run by a scout) I say yes get a quartermaster. But don't force anyone to do it. Convince them that it is a necessary position and give them as much responsibility as possible under the guidance of an well trained adult. taamland

I'm not sure if anyone is from the NJ area but my troop is participating in an invitational camporee known as Snuffy Hollow. From what i gather it is a more "traditional" camporee largely stressing the patrol method and some classic scout skills. The patrol equipment list requires semaphore flags. There is no real scoutmaster crackerbarrel only an SPL meeting/critique. From what i gather the Junior Leaders (SPL, ASPL, and JASM) are not allowed to compete. They must supervise and run Troop operations. The campsites must be set up to particular standards. i.e. distinct patrol campsites, no plastic fire buckets, gear must be suspended off the ground, gateway constructed, latrine dug, etc. I think it is an excellent approach to encouraging the Patrol Method in the scouts. Lots of work to be done and lots of oppourtunities for leadership and teachable moments. I was wondering if anyone out there have had similar events in their areas and cares to share their experiences. And of course if anyone has gone or heard anything about this event and might have any advice I can pass on to my SPL. Thanks, taamland

Hi All, I'm from a troop in central NJ. That has recently (last year) doubled in size as a result of a merger with another troop. Putting us at over 35 scouts. The troop that folded was run by one very dedicated mother who did not have the resources time or volunteers to keep her troop afloat. She now has been one of our greatest assests on the committee. The new influx has been a blessing and a curse. We have a lot of parents willing to pitch in and lend a hand but unfourtunately no strong committee chair to organize them. To top that off we only have 2 ASM's and a Scoutmaster who has been a bit sick lately so i have been picking up the slack. Aside from those small troubles with the way our adult leadership is organized, We are beginning to really see a move toward great boy run program (more scouts have definately helped). 5 yrs ago when i first signed on for this crazyness the troop was dwindling down to about 8 scouts the previous scoutmaster had left picking a 2nd year father to take his place, he also left the program in a vaccum. He had run the entire show sans the books and the meetings except for berating and yelling at everyone. This left us with a bunch of old volunteers who still expected the program to magically run itself. After learning everything we possibly could we began to rebuild. Having PLC meetings, Planning conferences, Boards of Review, Committee Positions with real responsibility, training just about everything we could find that the program was lacking. The only problems that arose where it seemed like we were just running around putting out fires and not moving forward. In the past year I've decided to stop trying to organize the adults and focus on the only thing that mattered the scouts. I decided that the scouts would set the needs of the troop and the committee should fufill those needs. And It has been working fairly well. The last trip I didn't have to make reservations, collect money, plan a program, buy food for the adults, all I had to do was suggest a plan to the boys have them make changes and run a pretty damn good weekend. Even put on a campfire complete with skits and all, which was actually entertaining. Granted there was alot of help from adults in planning for the weekend but the boys did have the final say in what went down. I barely had to address the troop as a whole only individuals, my SPL really did a job. Anyway I hope to continue with this boy run stuff. I'm really impressed so far. There still is lots of work to do. But I'm satisfied with the results so far. I wish the adults would quit arguring go to training and move ahead. But I'll keep my nose out of their business as long as they do not try and pack their sons gear, cook for him, and make sure their baby advances as quickly as possible. But most are good. Anyway That is my troops story in 1000 words or less. I look forward to advice new ideas and hopefully not little fights reminiscient of schoolyard antics. Thanks in advance for the great help in know you all will be. Yours in Scouting taamland (ASM who "thinks" he knows what he is doing)