InquisitiveScouter

Yes, I scratch my head at this one, too... It's like everyone wants their own ceremony, as if it was a wedding or something. We have a "very experienced Scouter" provide the script, the emcee and players (all Scouts, thru the SPL), and invite dignitaries. If the parents want to pick (and rent) the venue and provide refreshments, that's up to them. We always encourage families to combine ceremonies (multiple Eagles) or tack them on to Troop COH's, but the message doesn't always get through Thing is, when a family strongly wishes to have their own "day", and then the event is not well-attended (because the Scout and/or family was not well-regarded), it does tend to make it sour for them. You can lead the horse to water...

Then I recommend you bring up the matter at the next committee meeting. Express your concern that granting service hours to conduct or support unit-centric events may not meet the intent of service hours. Explain you talked with District Advancement Chair (?) and they are in concurrence. Discuss and vote. Inform the SM. SM is not a voting member of committee, but should give the committee his/her perspective.

We have the same, and yet, our summer events are still the most attended...

It's gone to his head And curious, but what is your role in this??

@Eagle94-A1, you have complete agreement from me, but I think what the OP was getting at is that 4.2.3.3 does not specifically say what you have cited from the ESSP verbiage, so the SM thinks anything goes...

You can "put your toes in the water" by trying out the Philmont Training Center first. This is a great experience for adults, or families! It is like a week at summer camp, but the Scouts do not work on merit badges. They simply do age appropriate activities. And my wife loved the spouses program...tours, shopping, and talks... Tent living, good meals, excursions, camaraderie, clean bathrooms, activities, campfires, etc. And the price is comparable, or cheaper, than summer camp. You could do an intensive training program. And, they build in plenty of family time in the curriculum. We plan to go back to PTC. Check it out: https://www.philmontscoutranch.org/ptc/

The "official" Cub Scout program cycle begins in June. https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/CubScoutMeetingGuide/PDF/Appendix/511-807.pdf However, most Cub Packs "take a break" over the Summer. IMHO, this is horrible Scouting is, and should be year round. This is also why, I believe, BSA created the Summertime Pack Awards, to encourage Packs to be active through the summer. https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/33748.pdf I think you should begin recruiting in April and May...saying "Hey, we have a great summer program for you and your Scout-aged youth." So, they start in June...there is no pressure from school activities, and you can get them into some kind of Summer Day Camp program. But, most Packs try to recruit in August and September, right at the beginning or the school year, and then they wind up competing with all kinds of other school preparations (parents feel like they are running crazy) and programs. BTW, many Scout Troops "take a break" in summer, too, and focus only on a summer camp program. This is hogwash. Not everyone vacations at the same time, so I have never bought the "we won't get any participation" argument. Our summer events are the most attended, and we have the most daylight to work with for all kinds of great program. Happy Hunting!

@Kamala, It is inappropriate for the SM to do this. But, no one is really going to enforce a "community service" standard, other than the unit committee themselves. If the SM approves it, the unit committee can, during their Board of Review, look at the Scout's service hour requirement and deem the requirement was not completed. The BoR recourse would then be to send the Scout back to finish that requirement, and tell the SM that it was inappropriate to award service hours for service to Scouting. By the way, verifying that a Scout completed the requirements is one of the MAIN purposes of a BoR. The SM works for the Committee. The Committee constructs and conducts BoRs, and those are, somewhat, a performance review for the SM, not the Scout If the Committee is unwilling to enforce it...not much anyone else is going to do.

I know two...

Lol...totally did not plan it that way

Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

What we really have here is a bevy of groups with different, yet sometimes aligned, goals: 1. Abused Scouts who are seeking justice 2. Fake abused Scouts trying to get a score money. 3. Lawyers who are genuinely concerned for their clients in seeking justice 4. Lawyers who are trying score money. 5. BSA Corporate types who want to preserve the organization, and genuinely care about abused Scouts, and are seeking some way to address both. 6. BSA Corporate types who want to preserve the organization at all costs, don't care about abused Scouts, and will say or do anything to make the organization look good. 7. Volunteers (the real lifeblood of the organization), who are saddened by the situation, and want this dealt with appropriately so we can "heal" and continue delivering a quality program. and this list goes on and on and on...

And I can see the good Lord smiling on the undertakings of others and justly rewarding their efforts.

Except, in this case, the subjects (us), left to fend for themselves, go on happily scouting because there are no "marauders" after us. The marauders then launch maritime salvage operations and learn to deep sea dive (extended legal actions against local councils?)

LOL, my daughter's Crew did not recharter this year. They sent the form to my wife to fill out. She asked me what to do. I said, "Are you a current registered member of the BSA?" "No." "Here, let me open the garbage can for you."

Every unit has its own culture... In the Air Force, every headquarters has a Standardization and Evaluation section. All flight crewmembers must take periodic "checkrides" to ensure adherence to flight and safety standards. No current checkride? You are grounded. When you take a checkride, there is a write up of your performance. If any areas are substandard, there is prescribed corrective action which must be followed. I believe the Commissioner Corps was supposed to perform this sort of function. But, I have never seen any forcing function for units to comply with all of the BSA standards out there. It is totally up to the goodwill and integrity of the volunteers to ensure compliance. So, some units begin doing things that are outright forbidden; adults with alcohol on trips, fireworks, inappropriate adult supervision, hazing, ignoring safety standards for aquatics activities, etc.) Basically, if something happens, then the adults get sued for negligence or something else. In most cases, I have heard of BSA offering settlements for cases. Anyone have real stories to share of adults being held to account? Here's a case of a lightning death: https://www.poconorecord.com/article/20060609/NEWS/606090357 https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:Bsrk6zqXN68J:https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-jun-16-na-scouts16-story.html+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us And another lightning: https://etvnews.com/rayborn-boy-scouts-reach-settlement-in-wrongful-death-suit/ And a fall (ongoing case??): https://www.opb.org/news/article/corvallis-mother-sues-boy-scouts-of-america-for-sons-death-during-camping-trip/

Unfortunately, this is my experience as well...

If you want to increase your knowledge and skills, check in at your local Scout camp this summer and complete two courses: Aquatics Supervision: Swimming and Water Rescue - a day or two Aquatics Supervision: Paddle Craft Safety - a day or two Next level is BSA Lifeguard... takes a week at a Summer Camp, if offered Next level is go to National Camp School, Aquatics Director program. Week long intensive course... Lifeguard cert required before starting...

All online... You will need to do Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat. On my.scouting Training, they are under "Expanded Learning" "Program Safety" While you are there, recommend you go ahead and complete Hazardous Weather training. Then, please read and comply with applicable sections of Guide to Safe Scouting "Aquatics Safety" section. https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss/gss02/ Three biggest gotchas: 1. Anyone not classified as a Swimmer must be in a boat with an adult classified as Swimmer. 2. Cub Scouts may not do boating on moving water. 3. Participants must wear a life jacket for all afloat activities, including tubing. Have a blast!!

No need for a PM... The Scout Strong awards were retired on 31 Dec 2020. My guess is due to lack of popularity... But, as with any retired award, you may give them out as long as you can find a source for the patches. They are still for sale... https://www.scoutshop.org/nsearch/?q=ScoutStrong These will probably show in Scoutbook for several more years, but that's a guess. I pitched these to our Patrol Leaders Council for program, and they were, "No, thanks!" There is so much other program material to do... As you are picking a program for Lions and Tigers (and Bears, oh, my!! Sorry...that slipped), you'd have to really work to put it on their level. If you choose to do one, recommend the Healthy Unit Award option... Happy Hunting

BTW, busts are anything where someone just talks or reads from a book... "A boy is not a sitting-down animal." BP

Absolutely! The adults with our Troop have just as much fun as the Scouts! Who doesn't love crossing the monkey bridge, fishing, swimming in the river, or acting silly at a campfire? Gotta be a Scout at heart

Is this one of the main reasons National chooses who the SE's are? To protect their "reversionary interests"? And before you say National doesn't choose...they choose the small pool from whom the SE comes, so, in effect, they choose.

That is the nature of war It is always a different one than what you wanted...the enemy has a vote

- Local wildlife rehabilitation center (if they allow visitors, this is an awesome trip where young Scouts get to see native wildlife.) - Planetarium - Anything with dinosaurs...I mean, anything! - Local "commercial" cave - Local quarry - A farm (with animals, big machines, and something they can pick and eat) - Playing in a mud puddle!!! (You know you'd love it, too. )