CubScoutJo

I'm trying to find contact info for Paul of the metalworking booth. My sons left there projects there to cool on tues and by the time they were able to make it back the booth was closed. Would like to see if it would be possible to track them down Jo

Now to speak to the other issue now in this thread: Patch trading In our council, I believe it was focused on too much beforehand in our contingents pre-jambo meetings. Special sets ordered that were included in our jambo fee (whether we wanted them or not) and then more sets offered to purchase so the boys could trade. There wasn't one meeting where patch trading wasn't brought up and encouraged. So probably boys who would never have even had any interest in patch trading, started to think it was the thing to do. Multiply this by hundreds of councils across the USA with adults probably doing the same thing, and you can see how this monster was created. (This message has been edited by CubScoutJo)

Well, you've got two issues going in this thread now. I'll speak to the one in your thread title 1st, the patch of the day. On the Trading Posts FB page, whenever there was a complaint about this, they posted this stock answer over and over again: >> Jamboree Trading Post While we understand your frustration, the Patch of the Day was designed to be just part of a series of events honoring this historic Jamboree. The number of patches was limited to 2010 to mark the anniversary year. We know that collectibles... uniquely commemorate the event so we offered a wide variety of exclusive items. However, we hope your Jamboree experience was wonderful and can override this specific issue. Thank you for sharing your concerns.

Our council had boys fill out an application of sorts, and they originally said that they would do interviews and select based on having a good mix of ranks and experience. However, when my sons "applied" they were immediately accepted, so there was no screening. Incidently, my younger son's patrol ended up being one of those "dysfunctional" ones. He said many of them didn't step up and take responsibilities even if they were on the duty roster. He said that meals sometimes took more than 2 hours from start to cleanup! They also seemed to have little experience with cooking, and even though my son said they had step by step directions, they did things like cut open the bag for the boil in the bag rice. The older son's patrol meshed better though.(This message has been edited by CubScoutJo)(This message has been edited by CubScoutJo)

Two Questions: Question A. 17 year old Eagle Scout Elected and "tapped out" in July; 18th birthday in August; Plans on registering as ASM; Ordeal is after his birthday later in August. Can he still participate in this ordeal and join OA as an adult member? Question B. Same guy, 17 year old Eagle Scout Elected and "tapped out" in July; 18th birthday in August; Plans on registering as ASM; May not be able to attend the Ordeal in August Can he be re-elected as an Adult candidate at the next election in order to go to the next Ordeal in May? Jo

We, too, had a good experience as visitors (with some boys from the troop) to Jamboree yesterday. We arrived around 8:00am, and first tried to go through the Villeboro Gate. At that gate we were told that they couldn't let anyone through that gate until 11:00am. So I think that gate was for staff only until that time. We headed down to the main gate expecting the worst, but turns out, it was smooth sailing. We probably were in and parked in less than 1/2 hour. We did a lot of things in the Armed Forces Adventure area,which was awesome and had lots of freebees, then headed up past one of the action Centers to observe and continued to the Conservation area. I stopped in one of the trading posts. The line was long, but not unbearable. I believe I was a total of 1/2 hour from line to check out. At 11:00am our two scouts who are attending Jamboree met up with us, and we spent a long time in the conservation area because all of our scouts wanted to earn the patch by completed 10 of the exhibit activities. The only thing I wish I had known was just how far back that area went. There were tons of things to do and we stopped at the very first ones, which ended up being more crowded. Had we knows the conservation trail went as far back as it did, we'd probably have gone further down to do our 10 activities. But it was overall a good experience (and they all earned the patch!) Next the visiting scouts went to Brownsea Island and Disabilities awareness, while my husband and I joined our sons to go to an action area. We got to watch them do climbing, rapelling and buckskin games. they also got their hat "branded" in that area. They really wanted to do mountain boarding, but the line was already cut off at 4:15 or so. So we ended up just going back via the bus. After we said goodbye to the boys, we went in the Visitors center trading post which had ZERO lines (not as much merchandise, but they had the Tshirts that I needed to get). Maybe because it was the second to last day and also a weekday, it didn't seem too unbearably crowded to me. It was a great visit and all the scouts want to go in 2013 either as participants or staff. Jo(This message has been edited by CubScoutJo)

Incidently, the guy who won the phone for the ScoutQuest thing in DC was an adult leader as well. Jo

I hope you won't leave us hanging after you get some sleep! We are leaving now for DC and then Tommorrow (Monday) Jamboree. Thanks, Jo

From what I've been reading from others posts on FB, it's kind of hit or miss as far as going earlier than the gates open. If you go too early, they make you drive around some loop (which I have yet to find out the roads this loop takes you) until the gates open. So it is possible that if you arrive at 5:00am you may have to drive around this infinite loop until 9:00am and then depending on where you are in this loop, when they open the gate, you may still have to wait until after 9 to get in. If anyone has more information as to what "driving around" means (which roads must you drive around if gate is closed), please post. Jo

I really thought we should have just stayed with Keystone Council, which really fits more, since Pennsylvania is the Keystone State, and the Keystone is a very recognizable symbol. It's just a great name for a council. Just as United and Continental airlines are going to merge, and yet chose to use the name "United Airlines" sometimes the best name is one you already have. I'm not sure what happened with this naming. First, they held a contest. However, the units weren't given a vote in this contest. Then they said they were going to announce the new name at our program launch in June. But when it came time to announce it, instead, they said that they had picked a name, but the name went all the way to National and was disapproved because it sounded too much like another name. Now, I am not sure if this New Birth of Freedom name was the one that was first disapproved, or if it was one of the other choices submitted for the contest, or if it was just some entirely new name that someone came up with. It would have been nice if the units did have a say, maybe one vote each. Because so far, everyone I've talked to about the new name, has not been in favor of it.

double post(This message has been edited by CubScoutJo)

Does anyone know if a local council can require the medical form to be turned in earlier than the Jamboree requires? My son's contingent says they have to be turned in in January. My son's last physical was in February 2008, so I would need to wait until February 2009 in order to have my insurance pay. QUOTE from JAMBO SITE: All applicants will be required to submit a complete and detailed health history, meet immunization requirements, and undergo a thorough physical fitness examination between July 27, 2009 and March 1, 2010. Physical

Maybe if the families are expecting them ALL to be READ or presented, that's where other people have a problem with them. That could make for a pretty long, dull COH.

Two special ones for my son were one from his former cubmaster and one from his first Scoutmaster (we moved). It's funny how strong the opinions are on these. (kind of similar to people's opinions on mass-Christmas letters) I am guilty of requesting letters for my son. He had a lot of fun opening them and actually, his younger brother made a big deal out of it any time he got one. The most amusing one we got was from George Lucas's secretary! He didn't have his secretary write it and then him sign it, but it is signed by his secretary. LOL. Now whenever we see his name on movie credits, our whole family teases "Hey you got a letter from that guy's secretary!"

On the tag on my son's new uniform, the pocket was labeled as a "technology pocket"