mashmaster Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 We got a slot, June 25-July 7. My son and I are very excited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 And our council has extended signing up to go 3 times now because they can't fill the crew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jameson76 Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 Philmont extended the "sign-up" lottery a couple of times. Are they not filling up as in past years? Also had several communications on 2018 availability Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwazse Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 (edited) Typically, with the HA bases, preferred slots are filled by the lottery winners. Then, the less preferred slots are offered to the units who participated in the lottery, who may or may not accept those slots because, well, they weren't their preference. Then, the remaining slots are announced publicly in an "extended lottery." I expect the expense of last year's Jamboree and the ambiguity of who will be accepted to the US contingent at World Jamboree are contributing to a lack of commitment to reserving spots in the HA bases. Needless to say, SBR in WV now directly "competes" with the other HA bases ... especially with offerings like Venturing Fest and other programs. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Oh, and for a lot of scouts and their families, the economy still is hitting them hard. A falling tide grounds all boats. Edited December 6, 2017 by qwazse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mashmaster Posted December 6, 2017 Author Share Posted December 6, 2017 I know of a troop here that applied in the lottery the 4th day for 2 slots and got waitlisted. I certainly hope that the lottery was chosen based on the original set of people then additional lotteries for the people that filled in during the extensions. In just my district, I know of at least 4 expeditions in 2019 and then there is our council contingent. We are going to open up youth spots to the troop that didn't get a spot so 3 of the their boys will be able to join us. It will be a bit harder logistically but not too bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mashmaster Posted December 6, 2017 Author Share Posted December 6, 2017 1 hour ago, Stosh said: And our council has extended signing up to go 3 times now because they can't fill the crew. I know our council contingent is slower to fill up than the crews from troops or crews here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tampa Turtle Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 I heard last night the crews filling up slowly as I sat through an excellent presentation. With spending money and air fare it would cost me $2,000+ to go through cancel. I am sure Philmont is great --from everyone has gone has raved--but as Mrs Turtle said 'How many once in a lifetime experiences are we responsible for?'. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RememberSchiff Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 (edited) 8 minutes ago, Tampa Turtle said: as Mrs Turtle said 'How many once in a lifetime experiences are we responsible for?'. A good thought-provoking question. Edited December 6, 2017 by RememberSchiff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tampa Turtle Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 37 minutes ago, RememberSchiff said: A good thought-provoking question. I threw it back to my son "how much do you want it? Sell something? Get a job? Go on an OA Crew?". He might be able to accumulate the cost over a year of part time work and go year after that. But he wants to go with his buddies and I get that. We have major, major expenses looming next year so the timing is bad. In general he has lamented how so many scout activities seem to be getting more and more expensive and as families with less money get forced out the ones remaining seem less concerned with trip costs. Still I wish he could go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mashmaster Posted December 6, 2017 Author Share Posted December 6, 2017 17 minutes ago, Tampa Turtle said: I threw it back to my son "how much do you want it? Sell something? Get a job? Go on an OA Crew?". He might be able to accumulate the cost over a year of part time work and go year after that. But he wants to go with his buddies and I get that. We have major, major expenses looming next year so the timing is bad. In general he has lamented how so many scout activities seem to be getting more and more expensive and as families with less money get forced out the ones remaining seem less concerned with trip costs. Still I wish he could go. Sorry :-( being in Texas we are more central to get there. I am hoping that the boys can work together to raise some of the funds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 9 hours ago, mashmaster said: I know our council contingent is slower to fill up than the crews from troops or crews here. @mashmaster Our council offered the whole contingent to any unit that wanted it and still couldn't get any takers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mashmaster Posted December 7, 2017 Author Share Posted December 7, 2017 3 hours ago, Stosh said: @mashmaster Our council offered the whole contingent to any unit that wanted it and still couldn't get any takers. wow, it is interesting to see how different the councils are from each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 Units in this council work hard at getting a spot at Philmont and don't always get one. They have kinda given up over the years. I guess councils get spots or are entitled to get spots, and try and fill them. One or two boys will jump on board right away Units really don't want others on their treks so they only go when they get a full contingent. Thus the council's contingent gets left out in the cold to where they even go to surrounding councils looking to pick up a scout or two. If they would offer the whole council contingent upfront to a unit, maybe they could get it filled. Poorly handled and a spot wasted for the most part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krikkitbot Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 We gave up trying to get a spot a couple of years ago. I have heard about troops that do an annual rotation between all the HA bases and wonder how they manage to get spots year in and year out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sentinel947 Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 (edited) My troop is going in 2018, I am not, having gone in 2011 and 2015. Edited December 7, 2017 by Sentinel947 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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