Daped01

We have pretty good success with boy talks. But we just focus on the Tiger age classes. (no lions here)

We just got word that my district and our neighboring district are going to be merging. not much other information has been given to us volunteers yet.....

We are a relatively small community, but we visit our local ambulance service, We have a paramedic teach the skills and get to check out the back of an ambulance. It works great for us and the boys enjoy seeing the inside of an ambulance

http://www.parkrapidsenterprise.com/news/4107926-conservation-project-thrives-boy-scouts-camp-wilderness Bees, butterflies and dragonflies are enjoying new stomping grounds at a premier Boy Scout camp. Twenty-four acres of aspen forest was converted into pollinator habitat at Camp Wilderness, 17 miles north of Park Rapids and nestled in the heart of the Paul Bunyan State Forest. The 2,400-acre, nationally recognized Boy Scout camp celebrated its 70th anniversary this summer. The Scouts planted native prairie grasses and forbs to help improve critical habitat for pollinators. Forbs are broad-leafed, herbaceous, flowering plants. Three years ago, Camp Director Andy Kietzman voluntarily enrolled the land into the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), the largest conservation program in the U.S. Managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service, CSP offers financial and technical assistance to implement conservation practices. Some 70 million acres of productive agricultural and forest land are currently enrolled in CSP nationwide. CSP is an incentive program, Kietzman explained, that rewards landowners for joining. It's a five-year enrollment, with an option to renew for another five years. "We are always trying to come up with ideas to showcase with and for kids," Kietzman said. Both of his parents are active conservationists, so he was already familiar with USDA conservation programs. Camp Wilderness agreed to specific "enhancements." Enhancements are management activities that go above and beyond the minimum practice requirements, achieving a higher level of conservation. Boy Scouts promised to implement pollinator and beneficial insect habitat, install wildlife-friendly fencing and eradicate noxious weeds. "We chose enhancements that fit our goals," Kietzman said. "There were dozens of programs to choose from. Those just worked for us." The Northwest Minnesota Foundation then partnered with Camp Wilderness to support the project. "They really stepped up to the plate and helped," Kietzman said. The foundation's Natural Resources Grant Program helped pay for seed, diesel fuel, a mower and equipment rental. Camp Wilderness matched the grant with in-kind labor. Prairie grass, big bluestem, Canada wildrye, Indiangrass, sideoats grama and little bluestem—is expensive, noted Kietzman. Camp Wilderness dedicated one percent of the total acreage to native prairie grass. "That's a sizable portion to do," he said. Considerable work was necessary to prep the land for planting. Timber at the site was harvested in the winter of 2014, loggers Dale and Kevin Haverinen of Menahga assisting. Kietzman, Assistant Ranger Josh Swatzell and other adult Scout volunteers removed stumps. Ron Nohrenberg and Ordean Bentley operated heavy equipment for bulldozing and discing. Boy Scouts picked rocks out of the 24-acre plot. The Park Rapids Chapter of Minnesota Deer Hunters donated clover seed to create a firebreak around the field. A controlled burn will be necessary to regenerate the prairie grass, Kietzman said. Fire is part of the prairie's life cycle. Finally, the camp leased a prairie grass planter drill from the East Otter Tail Soil and Water District. Sixteen species of grass or forbs were planted in July 2014. An anonymous donor kicked in additional seed suitable for pollinators. It takes two to three years for prairie grass to become fully established, so the site is still a work in progress. Some seeds must sit in the soil for several years for the casing to soften, Kietzman explained. "It's pretty sand soil so we don't know what's going to grow," he said. The camp's long-term goal is to develop an interpretive center at the site for Boy Scouts and the Freshwater Festival. Signs will identify plants and explain why it's so important to support pollinators. "At this point it's a matter of letting the site grow into itself, then putting up interpretive signs and let the kids enjoy." In the meantime, forbs bloom in waves from spring through summer. "The field might be white in June, red in July and yellow in August. The site is more or less a continual growing season," Kietzman said. Aggressive, noxious weeds have proven to be the biggest problem. Each summer, Scouts are sent out with shovels to dig out invasive plants, like thistles and spotted knapweed. They also remove young aspen that persist in regrowing. These activities help Scouts meet community service requirements and earn merit badges for insect study, environmental science, soil and water conservation, among others. "This gives us one more outdoor classroom to teach conservation and stewardship. You are taking a fun activity and using it to disguise teaching responsibility, leadership, character," Kietzman said. By next summer, Kietzman hopes to place two or more bee hives at the site. Their honey could be sold at the camp's trading post. Local beekeeper Brett Kent has been offering advice, including how to deter black bears that roam the camp. "Enhancing pollinator habitat, removing invasive species and helping wildlife environment are things we'd like to think Scouts would do anyway. It's just the right thing to do," Kietzman said. "It's been a lot of fun to do. We're passing along the importance of wildlife conservation, teaching the next generation to be good stewards of the land."

We met with a local landscaper who talked to the boys about why its important to prune trees. After he showed them the whys and hows, they got to prune trees themselves. they absolutely loved it!

Thanks for the replies guys!

I don't..............BUT...........if I did. it would be more for bear/wolf defense than a crazed boy scout hating crazy person.

We just had a new DE Start last week. Young guy, fresh out of college. Earned Eagle Scout in 08. Anyone have any thoughts on if having an Eagle Scout DE makes any difference over a DE who either did not earn eagle, or was not involved with scouting as a youth?

Thanks

We use Ourgrouponline.org. We were actually the October Website of the month There has been some scuttlebutt about switching to scoutbook, but its only in the exploratory phase right now. Need to learn more about it.

I appreciate both those suggestions, unfortunately we are in northern minnesota and will be completing these adventures in January. Cold, dark, and snow are the 3 words that come to mind making those suggestions difficult to complete. however the birdhouse idea might be workable as its something that can be done inside.

Hello again fellow scouters! I am looking for advice on what you guys have done in the Council Fire Adventure for the Wolf Den. Specifically with the Service Project. We are drawing a blank on how to tie this into our den meeting. Can anyone give me examples of what you have done?

Hi Guys!

been a while since i peeked at this thread. Somehow between then and now, I was convinced otherwise regarding show and sell and we did particpate. We placed an initial order of half of what our total take order sales were last year, and went through nearly all of it at our first show and sell at a local hardware store. We placed a 2nd order just slightly smaller than the first, and sold almost half of that. our scouts also did take order sales and our total sales increased by over $2000. Pretty good for a small pack. Our affiliated troop doubled their sales from last year because of show and sell.

So, this happened while the site suffered its blow to the head