Tampa Turtle

I am just passing this along. Our local Fire Dept has a declining Explorer post and is in need of finding funding. The police explorers seems to have no problem coughing up cash but the fire men not so much. Anyone have any ideas on how to (1) How some units keep themselves going financially and (2) Recruiting new boys

One soon likes ultralight the other one military surplus. There are some very nice (heavy but durable) ALICE type gear available now--especially European armies that are downsizing. Lots of Swiss, Swedish, and Austrian Gear abound. We have recycled some of those JanSport externals and they seem pretty good. One bad thing of externals is that folks always want to tie one more thing on your handy frame than pack it themselves. Seems like the external frame always end up hauling the garbage!

My favorite PWD was when a Tiger, crying, came up with a kit and his car was not ready 30 minutes before the race. His newly divorced Dad was supposed to help but went AWOL. We told the mom have his color the block with crayons, slap on the wheels and race. He did. He won the Tigers and came in 3rd out of 78 in the Pack for speed and went to District. There his wheels fell off...but hey.

I have the larger adult size of this one and have been reasonably pleased with it. Do not like the pack but the frame is pretty good. I have not carried more than 40 pounds --typically 25-30 including food and water. The pack itself weighs over 5 pounds so I do not know how "lightweight" it is. I would consider making a Sgt Rock rucksack of laundrybag, etc.

I never have seen many entries for the Outlaw races; sometimes a leader and a boyscout. I think the reasons may be: (1) The ones who are going to skirt the intent and build their boys cars aren't going to bother--they want a "real" trophy. (2) The ones who keep in the intent and only supervise their boys can get burn't out by it. I know there were cars with my boys that took 3 or 4 sessions to get done. What with work, etc I didn't have much extra time to play around with an extra car.

We still might use the Patrol boxes; it depends on the boys and the campout. I suppose if a patrol wanted to opt for it we would let them do it. I found the adults pushed for the Patrol boxes far more than the boys.

We sometimes have served adult beverages with the Steak dinner IF they were not working the event the next day...

In our Troop: Boys own personal packs tents, tarps, and hammocks according to taste. Troop owns a few back-ups. Patrols "own" patrol box with stove, lamp, food cooler, drink cooler, propane tank and tree. We may add dining fly. If it is lost or damaged it is their responsibility. Each Patrol has a Patrol QM with a lot of responsibility. Troop owns dutch ovens, chimneys, tongs, flags, trumpet, message board, special cookers, trailers, and (rarely used) large awning. Troop QM handles this stuff and coordinates with Patrol QM on equipment issues. Adults function as own patrol. We have shifted from the Troop model to the Patrol model and more and more to a backpacking model.

Works for adults as well. I know I am not SM material but a darn good ASM within my limits. If this was the Navy I would be "staff" and not "line".

pChadbo, I think it is a good idea if it works. It can be a lot of work. Around here the leaders and scouts who help set up get treated with a late night steak dinner.

Beavah, yes yes. We had a new boy join us (inevitably named "newbie") and his main function seemed to be getting the storming leader types to see the other position and to take turns leading. ("Come on, let Billy lead the hike he's the best navigator. Phil seems strong while don't you let him carry the tent) My function was to not hold them up too much and occasionally, when asked for an opinion, to say "make a decision".

The Girl Scouts I have interacted with on the trail have all been very good campers and highly organized. A much higher emphasis on keeping the camp clean--lot of sweeping going on. Went on a scout museum outing that had a Girl Scout centennial display. While disparaging of the other gender they spent more time in there than looking at the dinosaur exhibits. Including putting on the play uniforms. Fascinating.

While I think there are more boys who are natural leaders than natural managers I disagree that *all* boys are natural leaders. Some just aint--ant that is OK. Takes all kinds. What I think Kudu is getting at is that the kind of boy the adults would want -- Early Eagle Scout, All-A's, etc might not be a great leader at all for the other boys. And yes it is situational. A great leader on a long hike may not be the same skill set for organizing the Patrol Box. Most people have a mix of skill and I feel our job is to provide a mix of situations so that a lot of boys get a chance to do what they do best. That usually works best in the Patrol system where complementary skills and personalities can balance out and less so in the Troop level ones. IMHO.

Hypothermia Lost Gear Full Pack No City Lights Coyotes

Sorry, I am pn;y gone camping for a few days and now I miss a conversation about the Scoutfish family latex catsuit.

Should be a cold weekend for Florida...we will be out too. Going up to the panhandle.

I agree this is not a den activity though I think you can do some leg work to facilitate it by running down info and local contacts for thos e interested.

Hey, Hey, Hey, We're the Buccaneers. . . Ho, Ho, Ho, We're the Buccaneers. . . Offense!! Defense!! Now, we're here to say. . . Make the (opponent) walk the plank. . . Throw 'em in Tampa Bay! Well we threw the coaching staff in...

I think Seattle nailed it. Webelos is both and neither. You get to do stuff that the cubs can't do but don't spoil it for them by making 'em into mini-boy scouts. I think concentrate on giving the best Webe program you can because for some of them this is it. If you do a great job most of them will give Boy Scouts a try. I always remember a trainer telling me "remember for some of these boys this might be the best moments in a bad life."

I agree with Two Cub. The existing is not working; it is either reboot or go.

I am always amazed at how these things snowball. Last year a Patrol tried a double entendre NSP Patrol name. It eventually got squashed but not before I as NSP "advisor" had alienated the parents that were outraged and the folks who thought boys will be boys. The first group was mad when I let it happen the 2nd group when I said no. I followed up with a "cute" email that pleased no one. I really took a lot of heat and there was talk of removal. The SM later pulled me aside and said (1) some things are best ignored and (2) should have bumped it to the SPL who would have probably said no. Now I back the SM and SPL as much as possible. I am polite and firmer in dealing with parents ("we have to let the boy make mistakes, etc" speech) and explain how the committee etc works. But what a mess over such a stupid matter. It is so hard to get the parties to step back and see the big picture. I real feel for you and wish you and the SM luck; I do agree you need to throw your weight around more as suggested. Facebook, cyber-bullying, camera phones have all been new issues we have had to wrestle with in our Troop and Church Youth Group as well. While none of the behaviors are exactly new the technology disseminates things so much faster and widely that incidents get blown up so much faster. If you meet once a week a "crisis" can brew up in that short time. We are growing men of character but do not expect them to be angels. It can be a crooked path. A lot of parents do not understand this. The SPL is 16! What do they expect?

Funny our boy who has the ultra-healthy nutrition parent and nags the other scouts about how everything in their diet will them always wants to load up on fast food on way home. Eats up like there is no tommorow and then goes back to lecturing.

I am not an accountant either* BUT IMHO there is something that does not "feel" right about a Scout Accountant->FOS transfer. I understand the convenience but I think it would be viewed badly by the scouts. * I come from a family of accountants, Dad, Brother, Sister and ran SCREAMING into the arts. I'll say this...they always managed to stay employed.

No junk food bribery. The Adults do occasionally do a Dutch Oven Cobbler for the Patrol that wins a certain competition...

Yeah my wife still has some code on an 8" floppy LOL. I got a DOS box I still use. Format change is a serious issue; I am pretty sure there is some resources online that discuss it. Maybe some archivist at the Library of Congress could help; I have emailed a few questions there on paper and print preservation and they were very nice and helpful.