Tampa Turtle

Cooking, not reheating in a microwave, is a real life skill. Locally cooking classes are full for kids, especially boys in part of TV chef shows and in part because of the economy. Cooking is again seen as a valuable skill. I do not think it is nostalgic at all. I know my boys after cooking over a fire or camp stove find cooking in a kitchen with an electric oven a breeze. I agree that summer camp is an excellent opportunity for a patrol to learn to work together cooking as a team.

When we sold we got a lot of $5 and $10 cash donations instead.

Yes it has been pretty hot this summer but Tampa was not as hot as most of the SE. I think we get some ocean affect. I think aquatics are good in the summer, though even with the heat. I don't think I would do anything super-ambitious like a 10 mile hike in the afternoon. When I had by Webes we did twice a month summer activities. One was just a glorified field trip (the dump, evil laser tag, bowling) just an excuse to stay connected. The other we worked on the physical fitness/swimming requirements that seemed hard to do during a busy school year. Those were usually pizza and pool parties. We also worked on a few individual activities with a few boys who were out of sync with the rest; we had a few late joiners who wanted their AOL and we used the summer for catch up. People here also travel a lot in the summer, but not everyone does. More staycations the last few years as well.

Qwazse, I agree. We have had few boys have such disabilities that they couldn't get it eventually; usually they are no more than a year or two behind on some issues and if they show up at the events and campouts they usually will master it on their own. We had a few kids that were terrified of the swim test and literally had a ring of adult swimmers around him to get him do it the first time. I have done some knots with some guys dozens of times. It sure is rewarding when they get it.

I have seen some boys with low self esteem really get discouraged when they get shown up at these things. Also some with disabilities. So I wouldn't want to write them off as "too bad, so sad". These are the guys we really need to reach. Need to work with them more (and their Patrol's to help them learn as well)

Eamonn, I recall my mom when I was 10 teaching me how to make a grilled cheese sandwich saying "every bachelor needs to be able to at least cook a grilled cheese sandwich for himself; learn to do an omelet and you'll impress a girl someday."

50 year Scouter...bad way to go and no reason for it. Only bright spot was he was last doing something he loved. Awful for boys to witness that. Senseless.

My sons were and always up for something during the summer. They will even volunteer for adult work days if it is scouting related... Over the years my attitude has changed. I say offer a summer program and not worry who shows up. Make it something you enjoy anyway and celebrate those who come. Don't get a chip on your shoulder over who does not. Best cub meeting ever was only me and my co-leader and our sons. We almost cancelled but decided to go on. It was like a father-son play-date. My boy still remembers it 5 years later as one of his favorite times. By doing an activity and going forward even with a few boys you send a clear message to those boys: you are important enough to do this with. I think barriers to Summer Program is the parents.

Basement, This is my seventh year in scouting and I only had one year where I could even muster interest in a monthly summer activity. So while it can be done it is a tough slog. Toward the last few weeks before school interest always seems to pick up. Maybe mom's want to get the boys out for a while, or interest peeks with the coming of a new scout season, or whatever. Our Pack always did a fairly successful fishing derby (about 50% participation) a weekend or two before school starts. Kind of a get reacquainted. A local vet offered a Vet MB class (complete with surgery!) at the beginning and end of summer. Expected eight boys each time. Beginning of summer got two. End of summer got twenty-six.

Great job for pulling it off. I second the comment on advice...you are the man on the spot. But the forum is great for getting ideas. I have heard pros and cons to the free time argument. I hate to regiment the boys but some times too much free time has devolved into some pretty hairy situations. Our Troop seems to have evolved into providing boys 2 or 3 choices during "open time" so they can choose to whittle, swim, play a game or whatever but they need to commit to something to stay out of trouble. Just a thought. How did the parents of the boys react? It was a big step for some of them as well I am sure.

Yeah in Florida it is usually the heat and sweat that I cannot stand. I don't do compression shorts cause they just feel too hot. I have had good luck with ExOfficio underwear. It is very lightweight, breathable, and anti-microbial to boot. I have gone on trips for a week with just two pairs and you can hand wash and they dry out in 20-30 minutes. They are not cheap at about $10 a pair but seem to be very well made. Because they are lightweight (keep away from velcro hooks) I wash them in my wife's lingerie bag so they don't cling to something and I lose them. I wore one pair 96 hours straight without washing during a hurricane and they did not smell. So I can vouch for them.

Yes! Congratulations. Especially on the cooking -- the boys must have felt 10 feet tall when they got home. I am envious.

What no pop-tarts, or Pringles, or morning Doritos? No Pizza runs or Mickey D's brought in by Mom. I know for a fact that boys can't cook! My parents have told me so!

I have a boy like that. Just loves to help for the love of helping.

I would seriously consider joining a nearby Pack instead. The energy you expend running the Pack will come from time you could spending with the boys.

You need to train your guys to just to service not for the rank advancement, not for any perks, not for high school graduation but because service is what scouts do. Not grudging, here sign off my service hours on this form service, but cheerful and reverent service. Do some guys complain? Yes. Do some guys get it. Certainly. And when they grow up some will be jerks and some will be good guys. You're a scout...do the right thing.

I hate, hate, hate popcorn. I am embarrassed by it's high cost. It is not a unique product and I do not like my son's doing so. I know this (vs Girlscout Cookies) is a well traveled road on this forum. At the price of product is seems a bit like begging. It was a good fundraiser for my old Pack less so for the Troop. We have other fund raisers so in our Troop the boys keep the "profit" for scout accounts. A few boys are great salesman. Most of the good sellers are actually kids of attorney's, etc who buy a big bunch and give them out as gifts. My sons have had to work really really hard for whatever they sold. They finally figured out this year that they make more per hour mowing lawns, etc.

We got 1/3 of money in pure donations NO popcorn. I think a lot of folks just gave what they thought was fair. Not sure how the credit card thing would affect things.

I would have some "back up" activities in case you go through them faster or circumstances change. Weather for example. Does sound about right. Have extra games for sure. Not sure how big your backyard is. Make sure you keep it fun!

I came from a family of accountants. My dad was a CFO of a large airline. He always said "Deposits payments as possible, delay payment, hold on to cash." I always think a treasurer should not hold on to a bunch of checks for weeks. I think there are plenty of good Excel templates for this sort of thing. We also always have 2 people doing the treasurer job, the main one and a back up. Always have (at least) 2 sets of eyes on your books.

I think at times that I was so dense/innocent that I walked right into a couple of stupid situations or days later thought "I think she was making a pass at me." I have been married almost 30 years so I think of myself "off the market". Some woman seem to think that makes you more attractive for some perverse reason. I figure that if I ever acted on anything my wife would kill me outright. One of many reasons we have no guns in the house.

Sorry for the digression. Yes friendly competition is essential to get the skills learned.

We have several accountants as our treasurers. They know Quickbooks but they already know Quickbooks. I have heard them say they can do it all in Excel. I have found Excel used more than Google Docs amongst the parents.

I admit I have chomped at the bait and hard. I have really lost my temper and yelled. I had a group of "rascals" harass my special needs son and camp and had a papa grizzly reaction. At times like that I know I am not SM material. I really admire you guys that can achieve a level of zen-like control. What I have learned is that every-time I yell I feel I take a big withdrawal in the trust department. It takes a long time to build back up. I do not know how you guys do it.

Hal, I still feel clueless. I recall when I was 30 and an adjunct professor (and a very married one at that) teaching HTML in the ancient days of the internet. I had a very small class of 5 students (it was a 3 hour lab class 3 times a week) so everyone got a lot of individual attention. One day one of my female students wanted to show me her website "I made it just to show you professor _" On the screen were lots of *ahem* naked pictures, etc. Of course I advised her that was inappropriate especially on a State university network. I later realized that she had misconstrued my attention as something more and it was a bit of a come-on. I did not have tenure and saw my academic career flash before my eyes. I ran to my Dean and told him what happened just to get it in on the record. He had a good chuckle and nothing ever came of it. I tried not to hurt the feelings of the girl who seemed a little confused and neglected to me. I told my wife too just in case this girl ever sent anything home. My wife got pretty mad at me anyway. Comely co-eds were always a occupational hazard. I was always very careful around the female students after that which made me angry at that girl; it messed up my teaching. Males got most of the attention from the faculty and I saw a lot of brilliant females who needed more academic support. (The older faculty mocked me for not sleeping with her when they found out. They never took the sexual harassment stuff very seriously. My nickname was "Boy Scout". LOL) So when I saw the old YPT video "it happened to me" I have always taken it to heart. So I guess this subject always makes me touchy.