VentureCrew116

Also agree with purcelce. The youth want events, not meetings. Disguise the training / communication / organization as a party or overnight or trip. Only excpetions to this I can think of are officer elections and youth protection. When BSA polled dropped Scouts as to why they left, the #1 reason was "boring meetings".

A fleet of canoes.... a portable climbing wall??....and a place to store them? We can only dream of such things.

Our Troop had a "Venture Patrol" but initially the only thing different about it was that it was for Star / Life / Eagle scouts. When it grew to 24 boys in '96, the "standing around bored at meetings" syndrome was reaching critical mass. Being the world's second oldest teenager, I got along great with this group and asked the Scoutmaster if I could start doing a "Venture only" program. "Whaddyayoukiddingme? Go do it!" was the response. We started doing our own thing: backpacking, rafting, Appalachian Wilderness Adventure, and wore red berets in parades, etc. The envy in the other patrols was huge, and many stayed in just to get into Venture. When Venturing started, this became our core group for the Crew. We moved the Crew meetings to a different night than the Troop meetings, and the sisters of the guys in the Troop (who were hanging around at Troop meetings anyway) joined. We're on our third generation of Venturers in C116 - the original group graduated out, as did their younger sisters & brothers. Until Scoutmasters really understand that Venturing does the opposite of "stealing their boys", I think there's still a place for Venture Patrols. YIV, Bob

National is thinking of getting rid of Venture Patrols? AAARGGGHHH! When done as a special program with its own ASM, the Venture Patrol program rocks! Absolute best method for keeping the older boys in the Troop and getting those Life Scouts to make Eagle. I ran one for 3 years - my most memorable experience in Scouting. Still trying to match it with my Crew. YIV, Bob

Madkins, went to see real live Venturers doing Venturing? go to www.venturetrc.org Look at the Gallery page or go to the News page and click on the link to the videos. Except for the Venturing "commercial", it's all real Venturers from Theodore Roosevelt Council doing Venturing - mohawk haircuts (gasp!), guitars and all. Got questions? Email the webmaster - his email address is at the bottom of the page. He'll get back to you promptly - I'll make sure of that when I see him in the mirror in the morning. YIV, Bob