Hal_Crawford Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Cub Scouts could be described as a "character development and activities group" but how many would join based on that description? "She said she enjoyed the outdoor activities as well." That gives a sense of where the emphasis is... daddy-daughter dances and mother-daughter teas. How about Yucky Brother campouts? This doesn't sound like an activity that is going to hold a lot of girls' interest bast age 11 or 12. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutNut Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 We never had "mother/daughter teas", thank goodness. Daughter was never a big fan of tea. Maybe the cookies/sweets, but not tea. Daddy/daughter dances were the property of our Catholic parish elementary school, not the Scouting program. While not a lot of dancing was done by dad, silly photos with daughter was always a big hit. Most of the evening was the girls dancing with each other while the dads chatted. Our local GSUSA council held a Leader/Daughter camping weekend every year that our girls liked to attend. One of my daughter's favorite memories of Girl Scouts was not teas, or dances, it was (aside from the regular camping/hiking/horseback riding/canoeing) of the summer she teamed up with her Leader/Dad to do a series of space themed council camps. She still has photos of her dad, and other leader dads (note - Men CAN be GSUSA leaders), saving the Girl Scout camp from Klingons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZMike Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 "One of my daughter's favorite memories of Girl Scouts was not teas, or dances, it was (aside from the regular camping/hiking/horseback riding/canoeing) of the summer she teamed up with her Leader/Dad to do a series of space themed council camps. She still has photos of her dad, and other leader dads (note - Men CAN be GSUSA leaders), saving the Girl Scout camp from Klingons. " That sounds like the GSA activity that only a "Dad" could come up with! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDPT00 Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Too many "ifs" for me. Some posters who seem to be afraid or resentful of the AHG have stated that they have no personal knowledge or contact with any AHG troops, yet they speak like they know what they're talking about. Stick to facts and what you know personally. Here's my thought. Both BSA and AHG units are owned by the charter partner. If the charter partner wants to merge the programs in some fashion, that's their choice... not yours or mine. I doubt that many would marry the two together, but that's up to the charter partner and the families who choose to participate. Seems like a nice option for some families. For others, it may be way off base. If so, simply join a different unit. Personally, I like the idea of choice. BDPT00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howarthe Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 I don't know about partnership opportunities, but I noticed that several American Heritage Girl troops will be attending the Washington Jamboree this weekend. The Jamboree is sponsored by the local BSA council. 3,000 scouts are attending. I am attending with my Cub Scout and his sister. She is a Girl Scout. I really like it when the Cub Scout program invites siblings to tag along. Something happened at Fall Camp this year, and my daughter didn't get the chance to shoot arrows. Now she will get that chance. BB-guns, too! Of course, what she really wants to do is ride a horse, but that will have to wait until next summer when we go to Gilbert Ranch, the local Webelos camp. They offer one week for girls, same program as the boys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basementdweller Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Just as gays and atheist are local option in the bsa.... Men are the local option for the GSA. That sounds like a great camp idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tgrimstead Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 First time poster, My 3 daughters started Girl Scouts in a Home-School troop. They met during the day and I entertained the brothers. Our GSA leader asked if I would be interested in starting a Home-school Den that would be part of the Pack at the church. We spoke with the BSA leaders and they were receptive. Our CS Den and the GSA Troop meet at the same time at the church, then we do Pack events with the rest of the dens. Both the Troop and Den has grown in size. We now have 2 Dens and a Juniors and Cadette group. We offer "one stop shopping" for the family. We do a lot of activities together and it works for us. My older daughters are now looking at Venturing because they feel GSA is girly and they want more high adventure. I personally am tired of buying all the journey and badge books. I see the inclusion of AHG in the scouting program as an answer for younger girl activities before they are Venture age. I think BSA going Co-Ed like their "over seas" counter parts would be a positive and offer much more family friendly events. -Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutNut Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 >>"Just as gays and atheist are local option in the bsa.... Men are the local option for the GSA." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basementdweller Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Bottom line is the complaint that the BSA views a number of Gods and religious beliefs are ok. Divorce or marital status is not judge at the national level. Locally LDS units only let LDS boys join.....We have troops the same way, only boys from the catholic school can join.....But that is a local decision... While the Anti gay and atheist things line up......The rest does not..... Just that simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDPT00 Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 "BSA specifically states that gays and atheists are not eligible to be members. At all, in any way." *** Not true. I know some gay members, and I wouldn't doubt that you do too. Specifically not eligible in any way? Not. BDPT00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeattlePioneer Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 > Around here, LDS units are making an effort to recruit non LDS families into their Scout units. Not to convert the non LDS families, but just to increase the size of their units to improve the program. The LDS church pays the cost of BSA membership and program fees for LDS and non LDS Scouts and Scouters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDPT00 Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Not to convert them to LDS? I seriously doubt that. It's a full time job! I've seen it in action, and I'd stay away from it. By the way, we've drifted from the original topic. BDPT00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalicoPenn Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 It wouldn't surprise me if the LDS started opening their units to non-church members to improve their program. Based on the BSA's 2011 end of year membership breakdown, Mormon units average 11 members per unit. Yes, they are first in members in the BSA (420,977) but they also have the most units (37,882) which gives them the lowest average number of Scouts per unit. But I think most of us recognize that it's hard to sustain a good, quality program with low unit membership numbers (and please note, for those that are working with small units now my use of the word SUSTAIN - I recognize that small units can have a good, quality program - but we should also recognize that small units are more likely to fold after a few years and they drivers of the unit leave). The next highest numbers of members is through the United Methodist Church (3741,491) - but with only approx 50,000 fewer total members than the Mormons, they still have an average of 33 members per unit (only 11,078 units). The next lowest average members per unit is the Baptists, but even they are at 25 members per unit average. The highest average number of members per unit at 42? PTA's and PTO's. The second highest average at 41? Parent Groups other than PTA's and PTO's. If I were to try to take something away from this, I think I'd be looking at the average number of Scouts per unit for PTA's and PTO's and trying to figure out what I could do to make it easier and allowable for more PTA's and PTO's to charter a scout unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basementdweller Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Sorry the No coffee thing is a deal breaker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bando Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Until the inevitable moment when someone starts a thread devoted to busting the myth that LDS units don't serve regular coffee... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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