dennis99ss

Basement. Its not personal, its just business. I understand the kick you received, but, all scouts do not view the program through adult eyes. They have a lot of pressure on them from peers, coaches, etc. If you step back, scouts does have a bed rep. Unfortunately, your spl did not have the fortitude to stand up to the pressure. But, I would try to keep contact with him, through his parents possibly, just to keep him in the loop. Second, did he have a group of other scouts he hung with, or was he a bit of a loner. If he was with a group, see if they can convince him to come back some time. If he was a loner, use it as a learning tool for the rest of the troop to include everyone. Sounds like he may have found a group he wants to hang with, and didn't want to not fit in with them. If we are all honest, being on the football team does more for getting dates than does being in scouts. It is just something to deal with. Further, I don't see why you cannot set up a meeting with the coach, and very professionally explain to him what happened, and the value in scouting, and the fact that scouting and football can co-exist. On a side, anyone running for SPL where i am needs to committ that he will be at most of the meetings and events. During the fall, that knocks out the football and band guys. During the spring, it knocks out the Lacross and baseball guys. regarding paying for individual scouts, I don't do that. I do, however, do things for the troop as a whole, sometimes picking up equipment, or canoe rental, etc. But, i never tell the scouts, and never publicise it to the parents.

Lets see. amusement park. families, strollers on a bus to the hotel. different park the next day........Hope you enjoyed Disney!!!!

Hey basement--the stars and moon must be acting differently today. We Agree on something!!!!!!!! Bwahaha

If this is the link to the new Scout Exec comments that BSA needs to embrace technology, etc. I fully agree with everything he, and the others interviewed, stated.

sorry. edited for going off on a tangent.(This message has been edited by dennis99ss)

I would think that, if such an order is granted, wife needs to inform and provide copy of order to troop. Troop then has duty to make sure that kids don't go with hubby, just as you would not let kids go with someone you don't know. If hubby shows up, call the wife.

I have sent you a private message. But, in our situation, we had some physical altercations, that seemed to stem from non-scouting interactions. The issues arrose over years at school, and simply appeared at scout events. I met with the boys individually. I met with the parents individually. I had the parents come together and I played mediator. I had the boys come together and talk things out. It went on for weeks, but I think it was the right way to handle it. We then had some minor things go on, but nothing major. Until the campout from hell. I had to leave early because of some work committments. We then evolved (new word for any time things go opposite now in my vocabulary) into a group of boys who decided they would just go wild. There was some physical things, there was ignoring leaders, there was ignoring adults, and other things. I saw it as a "viral" situation. One things goes south, and then another goes further, and another, etc. I sent the letter to the parents, that is basically cut and pasted on the private message. I then met with the boys and had the spl, and some of our eagles assist, and used the incidents as a learning moment. Question and answer, etc. I had them answer that they wanted the environment that is appropriate, and they came up with the same rules as I had told the parents. I turned it from a single scout issue into a troop issue, where the troop has responsibility to address the situations as well as the scout himself. Not exactly your situation, but maybe it will help.

I prefer a summer camp that has offerings for both younger and older scouts. A well rounded trail to first class program, ample offerings of merit badges, and then high adventure offerings that allow older boys to travel with the troop, but once at camp, they go off for the week and do their thing. Customer service is key, as others have said. Have an open door policy before camp to address issues and questions, so that all is smooth at check in. Have enough supplies on hand to make sure bathrooms are clean, etc. Make sure you have bleach, towels, cleaner, etc. make sure kitchen workers are sanitary, and please put clean water and cleaner out for the meals. Have decent food. The best food I have had was a smaller camp, with less offerings, but they had a marriott head chef volunteer his time, with marriott's approval, for the summer when we were there. The food alone is reason to consider that camp every year. Is there something that you can offer that is different from others. Horses, personal watercraft, etc. that will gain some interest.

One of our guys has a nice fifth wheel, and a client has offered for me to use his 45 foot (+/-) fifth wheel. But, I can't see bringing the scouts to the infield at a nascar race....bwahahaha

Our chaplain sits in the background. But I do visit with our chaplains aide to make sure we have a prayer, etc. In a perfect world, i would like the chaplain to schedule scout sunday activities, and keep track of and work with the aide on religious awards, as well as working with the aide for prayer formulation, etc.

When things go viral....one little things builds into another, and builds into another, and builds into another, each increasing in severity, because the boys seem to build upon the bad things that happen, have a troop meeting, by the SM, assisted by the SPL, to "lay down the law" and set things straight. It can be used as a teaching moment as well. On one off things, see if the SPL can handle it, with some advise if necessary.

There is a guy that tailgates near me who has converted an old ambulance, with flip up sides, beer kegs, whiskey dispensers, tv's on the flip up sides, hanging speakers, bar stools, etc.; cooking at the back. Sweet. I may need to talk him into loaning it to me for the troop!!!!!!!!! Especially at a camporee. bwahahaha

thanks for the link

ditto-twocubdad

Good post mountaineer

Kudu when texas is playing oklahoma, or LSU is playing Alabama, I think the dish is a necessary piece of equipment for many of our adults and, smiley face people, we really are not troop beverly hills with campouts at the Ritz.

This seems to be more of a discussion about what the "proper" program is, rather than whether the trailer is "necessary". since I am one of the rebels here, that believes the trailer is necessary, let me explain what my troop does. The patrols camp as a patrol, cook as a patrol, decide what they are doing at a campout as a patrol. Each patrol (7 of them) has a patrol box (the typical wooden box with removeable legs). in the box, there is a stove, pots and pans, cooking utensils, dry spice, rags, sponge, soap, lighter. Each patrol is responsible for their own box and its contents. Each patrol is responsible to make sure they have the appropriate gear, and make sure it is clean. If it is not clean, they are not allowed to use it until it is clean for safety/health reasons. QM, SPL, etc. do inspect/look at the gear during the campouts. Each patrol then has a secondary patrol box (plastic tote). In this box, the patrols tents are kept. each patrol has assigned tents, and the patrols are responsible for them, and need to deal with them if they are not cleaned, broken, etc. Also in the box, are tarps for the patrol, washing supplies, dish buckets, etc. The scouts themselves bring their own mess kits, and sleeping gear, clothes, lighting, etc in a duffle. The patrols, at most campouts, have their own campsite (as long as the campsites are in close proximity to each other) and it is their site. They can and do interact with other patrols, but, they pick a site, and are responsible for that site. The troop has a canopy, which can be used as a central gathering point, if the scouts want it. We also have some ez ups, screened rooms, etc. Again, we bring them if the scouts want it. These are generally used for longer campouts, or where shade would be minimal, i.e. the beach. We also have tables, and picnic tables they can bring if they want to. We supply the propane, wood, charcoal. dutch ovens, larger burners and pots if they want to do things like crawfish, etc. We don't pull all of our gear out of storage, and place it in the trailer for every campout. But, we do not limit ourselves to a specific activity. We are not a backpacking troop. But, we do backpack, and when we do, we do not bring the patrol boxes, and other heavy gear. When we are at the beach, or tubing on the river, or using a park's resources, or rock climbing, etc, we do bring the heavy gear. Frankly, I don't see how one way is "better" than another. I prefer a rounded approach, where the scouts experience a wide range of activities that they choose, in a range of environments. I believe the goal of scouting is to place the boys into situations where they must make a decision, deal with its outcome, and adapt in the future. By learning leadership, and decision making skills, and interpersonal relationship skills at a campout, the knowledge that they gain can be transferred to their life outside of campiong. I am not teaching them how to camp so when they grow old, they can hike the AT without problem. I am teaching them to deal with difficulty, allow them to gain confidence, which can then be relied upon in non-scouting situations. To say that using cooking as a lesson source is much better when using backpacking stoves as opposed to camp stoves, is, in my mind, missing the underlying goal of the program. It is using what is available, and necessary, and dealing with the issues that each direction gives you. So, for what we do as a troop, yes, the trailer is a necessity. For those who want to be minimalistic, all the time, we would not be the troop for you. Likewise, for the scout who does not want to backpack all of the time, you are probably not a good fit for him.

wow first time a thread was spun off of me. I don't know if I should feel honored or afraid!!!

No pool table. We tell the boys no pin ball machines as well. but we do bring the generator, tv and dish if our campout is on football weekends, playoffs, etc. Us adults have to be happy to!! Just the way we do it for about 3/4 of our campouts. On our backpacking ones, we don't bring the boxes, etc. I must disagree, however, that the trailer is a luxury. In our troop, it is far from it, and, frankly, we are good with it.

this weekend we have 39 going. scouts from 7 patrols. 7 cooking boxes; 7 patrol gear boxes--tents, tarps, etc. 39 plus duffle bags or backpacks, chairs, and adult gear. Trailer is getting heavier as we grow. Soon, i will need a bigger truck to pull it.

I am kind of lost on the op's thoughts or questions. I don't understand if there is a problem with the boy being told to sleep with the scouts or not. If that is the issue, then, yes, the scout should not sleep with the parent, but, if there is a need for it, i.e. anxiety attackes, etc., then I wholeheartedly want the scout to stay with the parent, if that will get the scout out to the campout. Maybe being in the group will help the scout, etc. But, on terms of endearment, I am know to greet droopy eyed scouts in the morning, after they stay up past lights out in their tents playing cards, etc. with "GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE!!"

I want everyone registered, and require it if they go on campouts, if for no other reason than to have the background check run, and to add just yet another level of protection for myself in case the unthinkable occurs.

In our neck of the woods, high gas prices mean high oil prices mean more jobs mean better economy, etc. (At least that is what I say to myself whenever the pump stops because it hits the majic $100 mark. But, in our troop any driver can turn in gas receipts to the troop for reimbursement. The troop then allocates that amongst all of the scouts attending. However, while I do not know for sure, most of our parents do not turn in the receipts. I have thought about it when the trailer puts my mileage down to about 8mpg, but, like the poster abover, just another donation to the troop.

bumping on eagle92, "offer or make available" is a better term in my last sentence.

No. Our thought is that we will not feel guilty because some can do more than others. That being said, if any scout would need such, we do some fundraising that goes into scout accounts, and our bylaws do have a discretionary fund to be used by the committee if any scout could not do something because of financial reasons. However, i think it is a disservice to those scouts who can attend a HA base to not plan such because of some in the troop that cannot.