bshealy

Thanks for the replies! We need to think about the middle management idea! Boomerscout - People would attibute our growth to a great program. Thanks! Beavah - No one would characterize us as having low participation We have around 85+ scouts who regularly go on outings and are advancing. I think the most we have taken on one trip is 65-70. We usually have 50+ at summer camp. Everyone just does not go every month. We use the Patrol Method strongly and work hard to be a boy-led troop and people would say we do a very good job with this aspect of scouting. From reading your responses, I think the middle management idea of Beavah and Ownthenight's is something we need to think hard about and try to get in place. I will share that with our committee. Thanks again!

Over that last couple of years we have grown to close to 100 scouts, average over 60 at weekly troop meetings, and 35-45 scouts on outings. We have monthly camping trips, an annual high adventure trip (32 to Philmont this year), additional high adventure training treks, a BSA 101 campout, service outings, OA, etc. Adult leadership is feeling overwhelmed at times! Any LARGE troops figured this out? Any advice? Issues we face - How to organize the troop meetings to involve and supervise 60+ scouts ranging from 12-18. Our numbers for camping ruling out trips we have traditionally enjoyed due to pioneer sites not being able to accommodate us. Managing SMCs and BORs for many advancing scouts. Struggle to find enough adult leaders for trips and meeting supervision. Adequate transportation for both people and equipment. The number and size of patrols lend themselves to patrols acting more independently (this leads to difficulty electing scouts to OA, since they need 50%+1 votes - thus, scouts have to really stand out in some way to be known by over half the troop - sometimes this just means being louder than others!). Managing an overwhelming number of advancements. Welcoming visiting families and potential scouts. Council's advice is to split the troop - but that would make it even more difficult to find enough adult leaders, plus that would overwhelm our charter organization who is very supportive but we stretch their facility already.(This message has been edited by bshealy)

I got my answer and as a couple of you mentioned it is 13 by December 31 the year you go. So 12-year-olds are eligible. So the next question is how to explain what is involved so that 12-year-olds and their dads understand why you think they should wait in most cases?

Thanks! I fully understand the physical and maturity challenge, resqman! I hope to make that clear to those who hope to go with us and find training treks to prepare. Basementdweller, you are thinking what I am thinking. I called NT and the person I spoke to was confused by the wording as well and was having someone else return my call. My issue is a parent who wants his scout to go to NT next year who turns 13 next January. If the requirement is 13 before 2013, he is going to ask if there is any leeway for someone who just missed the deadline (btw, the parent has been to NT with an older son). If the requirement is 13 during 2013, then I am going to have a bunch of 12-year-olds wanting to go and I am going to have to work to help scouts and parents understand what resqman is saying. I will post what I hear back from NT.

Northern Tier says scouts have to be 13 "by the year they participate." If they plan to participate in 2013, does that mean they have to turn 13 before 2013 or during 2013? Thanks!

10 Fri-Sun tent camping trips, summer and winter camps, a high adventure trip, 2-4 high adventure training treks for Philmont and Northern Tier years, and OA Conclave and ordeal weekends. We are kind of camping crazy! 52 nights last year and that was down from usual because we don't train for Sea Base!

I also interpret it as only one week at summer camp allowed. We have a very active troop so this is not generally a problem. BUT, here's a question -- If the summer camp had scouts in "Adirondacks," would it count for the Camping MB?

I try to schedule the SMC as soon as I can after the scout asks me for one. After the SMC, I direct the scout to our Adv Coord to ask for a BOR. The Adv Coord almost always knows it is coming. He gets a BOR together as soon as he has enoough adults available. Both the SMC and BOR can happen on the same evening, but are often a week apart.

Anybody else had this problem? A group of our scouts just completed the Carpentry MB. Our advancement chair was told at our Scout Service Center that the MBs were sold out and could not be reordered as they were no longer making them. So are the historic MBs really "while supplies last" or can they really be earned through the end of 2010? Will all scouts completing the MBs in 2010 be able to actually get the MB?

Leaders in our troop were discussing the nature of the conservation project for Camping MB. Does this project need to be done in the context of a camping trip? If not, does it at least need to be done on land that is used for camping? What do you see as the intent of this project? Thanks!!