Tampa Turtle

This for the non-OA'ers: It can be hard to get the Lodge to respond to dues and questions because the structure of OA Lodges is (to my eyes) self-supporting and all volunteer by already busy scouters. There is no national database (thought that may change) and each Lodge keeps its own records--this makes transfers a pain by the way. Seems to me a Lodge is very much akin to a Cub Scout Pack though each 'Franchise' seems linked to a Council. In general if the Lodge is doing its job right it will be boy-run with some old Gray Beards sitting back and making sure nothing dangerous happens. If a Scout gets more involved in OA he will start networking with some really good youth leaders and pick up some skills. But he needs to get active and the time demands can make it really hard. In my experience only the more service oriented boys stay in.

The more you play up the "camping, service, and fun" angle the better the response. Not so much with the "Honor society of scouting". We are getting better participation by word of mouth by boys who go our Lodge and come back with reports "Its really boy led!". The rest go to get Ordeal and 'sash and dash'. I am working to have a little more OA visibility at the Troop level.

I have seen some of these alcohol permits pass by my desk, similar 'grown up' fundraising events for Council; not any youth around. A fellow scouter was working one as part of his job and said it was full of 'professionals' that he had never seen before at any District or Council events or the service center. This fellow has been at for 10 years as a cub scout/boy scout leader. Was sure he'd run into someone he knew.

Oct-Camporee Nov-Biking Campout Dec-Tree/COPE Campout Jan-Everglades Canoe Trip Feb-Survival Campot Mar-Backpacking

Surprised about the 3 OA Lodges...

Our Council gave us a PDF of a bunch of scripts while telling us to keep it simple. The best ones I have been to have been the simple ones. In my Troop I have seen some ceremonies clogged up by speakers who decided to include an unsolicited Eagle charge/History of the Eagle/Yet another John Wayne re-telling when all that was wanted was a little personal story.

Thanks for all the advice. Boys decided on Camp Raven Knob, NC and will take the train from Tampa to Raleigh (the camp said that was preferable than a closer location) and a bus to camp the last 2 hours. We looked at Camp Boddie was a close runner up but it looked a lot like here in the summer and the boys wanted mountains. It was not easy to look for the 'big' camps. Eventually I downloaded all the regional camp maps from the BSA website 'stitched' them together and overlaid them on a scanned Amtrak map. Then I could at least winnow out the camps near Amtrak stations, contact the local camps, Districts, and Councils for contacts and ask for help in getting from the train station to camp. Then I turned over the semi-digested info to the PLC and they debated the issues. I wish there was a one stop Summer Camp site; the lack of one makes it so difficult. The boys are still working out the new logistics (one backpack per boy, travel light, minimal Troop gear, best food to pack for early arrival) and have come up with some good (enough) ideas. We looked at the Campsite reservation table and it looks like we are the only Florida unit there this summer--so it should be a nice change from Woodruff and Daniel Boone. A lot of excitement about doing something new.

Pretty awesome

Our Troop the Eagle Kit and a grocery store sheet cake. PLC and Life Scouts expected to offer services. Typically CO provides use of venue, schedule permitting. Family pays for everything else. The Troop provides more organizational support when there are multiple scouts involved.

Trooptrack is really cheap and they run the website. On a handful of occasions it has gone down for a few hours but over 3 years that is pretty good. I'd at least look at it.

I'd disagree about Legoland. Cool as it is I doubt it is going to appeal to boys old enough to do Seabase. Just my opinion. Our Seabase Crews have squeezed in a day to go to Key West.

Well I think you get the kudos in Cubbing and blow back in Boy Scouts in my personal experience.

Good advice all! I agree about breaking up the Tiger Den. I had 20 cubs once. Never again. While the kids are off doing something explain this is not a drop off exercise. We used to: 1- Remind the Dad's how cool they will look in their boy's eyes. And you usually get some points with Mom. 2-The whole this time is fleeting speech. Spend the time now. 3-That no prior camping knowledge is required. I found this was a rather common fear among the younger parents we found. We recruited some campers/boy scout parents to give advice later in the year. 4-Everyone does something. Even when we managed a den leader and a co-leader we tried to assign a meeting activity to a parent each week. This made it easier on the leaders and less of an ask for the parent. The smart parents jump on the easy jobs first but get the ball rolling. Make sure you thank EVERYBODY. 5-I agree about putting new scouts on hold unless someone steps up. I have seen this again and again with Tigers and solutions where a non-parent scouter steps in as a temporary leader just never seems to solve the problem, just kicks the can down the road. 6-Play up how this so good for some boys and a good alternative to school. Remember that parents of young children feel harried and often are hitting the confusing and stressful years of the public school system. They may be wary of new demands on their time.

I like the concept; especially for including the newbies. Of course I do not think it would work in downtown Tampa (too much traffic, drinking adults, and homeless at night) but maybe someplace like Tarpon Springs..and the adults can hang out eating Greek food!

Alas since the SPL lives at my house we talked a great deal about next years Summer Camp. I pitched the old school DIY summer camp experience but the PLC was pretty clear. The boys want no cooking,a nice dining hall, a full slate of MB classes, and a few side trips. They like the FCFY programs--just to get rid of the newbies. No interest in basically cooking and camping as a Troop and planning our own MB activities.

We used to use Troopmaster (which was great for achievement tracking) but switched to TroopTrack a couple years ago (which is not as good at achievement tracking but much better at communication). A number of other Troops in area also use TroopTrack. Some of the boys organize activities through TroopTrack so I guess that is a good thing. I doubt anyone would be interested in using another application.

*sigh* For a while everything in my boy's school was "SMATH" (Science and Math--get it it). Teaching the War of 1812? Work in some cannon ball physics--it's not boring history--it's SMATH! Literature--work in some SMATH! Now we got STEM, STEAM, and probably PRESSURE is coming soon. Recently a new ASM just back from Roundtable was talking up a STEM event and the older boys started groaning. But I am sure there are funding opportunities for National to pursue. My sons love, love, love science but not at scouts. They are in school all day.

Welcome. May I ask where in "Middle Tennessee?"

Son#1 saw the light when he was 15 and one summer methodically banged out 4 merit badges, 3 Eagle required. Just took him a while to 'get it'. Before then a certain amount of nagging was required. Son#2 is more into doing the work than the paperwork. He hasn't bothered to get his POR credit for several jobs (OA Rep, QM) even though he did great jobs because there was some final Troop paperwork step required. He is now SPL and not interested in getting the past signed off (He really doesn't it for advancement). It is best for them to look up and do the Merit Badges on there own...and a lot harder than being spoon fed at a Merit Badge class setting. It helps build up skills that pay off in school too. Seems less boring too. I think we seemed to be raising a generation of worksheet filling automatons at times. That is another thing, have the boy read the requirements carefully...sometimes "explain" does not have to be a written essay. That can be a barrier too. A couple times when my boys had problems getting together with a busy MBC they introduced the old scouters to the wonders of video presentations and Skype calls.

I like Cambridgeskips' Duct Tape and Cardboard Canoe challenge if water was available.

Welcome!

EXCELLENT!

I have been tracking my scout expenses over the last few years for my two sons and it averages $500-750 a year not counting trips like Seabase, etc. Just uniform, some equipment, and 10 campout events. For all the fund raising we do it never seems to budge these down much. I think a thrifty Troop could get it down to average $400. There is a lot of wasted cost in equipment. I made some of my own gear.

I like the idea of trying to do it at the Unit level and let the boys organize one.

We will go to extremes to help a death-bed Eagle lad make it but we do, as Beavah suggests, let them sweat a bit.