Double Eagle Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 Since it seems many summer camps are being cancelled, reduced, or greatly changed, I wanted to see if your council or camp offers a Scoutmaster Merit Badge. There is no official BSA MB for Scoutmasters, but many camps offer the program to get adults attending summer camp a chance to get out of camp, maybe learn a skill, and show scouts you never stop learning. I blew the dust off mine today from 2000 in Camp Freedom, Germany. At that time, we earned a button pin, certificate and patch. I don't have anything that tell the requirements from then, but can remember a few. I am interested if you camp offers this to adults and the requirements. Lets here what you have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred8033 Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 Ours offered a special patch for scoutmasters who can certify that during summer camp week they accomplished certain goals including not losing their temper during the week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David CO Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 5 hours ago, Double Eagle said: I am interested if you camp offers this to adults and the requirements. No. Our unit leaders have all reached a degree of maturity, and have achieved many adult accomplishments in their lives, so they aren't motivated by beads, pins, patches, and other childish stuff. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoutldr Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 The last few years that I attended camp, they would bring trainers in to conduct basic training for adults who had not yet completed it...back in the stone age before everything went online. During the week I was in camp with my troop, we would teach YP, Safe Swim Defense, Safety Afloat, and volunteered to open the pool at 0500 for "Polar Bear Swim" and mile swim workups. The rest of our "free time" in camp, we would utilize skills for the Ranger's projects...such as re-roofing the dining hall in 95 degree heat, replacing toilets in staff cabins, running the bush hog to cut the fields, rebuilding the OA amphitheater...things like that. Never got a badge for it....just a cheer at the closing campfire. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwazse Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 There is something for adults to visit every program area (and take a nap in camp). But nothing specific to SMs. I'm usually too busy to bother with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattR Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 The style of ours is mainly to get the adults out of camp. Examples are do a polar plunge, go to an adult shoot, visit the canteen for coffee, do one of the hikes, do some adult meetings, go fishing and, while not getting out of camp, take a nap. 7 hours ago, David CO said: No. Our unit leaders have all reached a degree of maturity, and have achieved many adult accomplishments in their lives, so they aren't motivated by beads, pins, patches, and other childish stuff. I believe there's another patch for that, the Grinch Master. 😀 I enjoyed being childish around the scouts. It's the same reason that I'd kneel down to get at their height when talking to them about something serious. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David CO Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 3 hours ago, MattR said: I believe there's another patch for that, the Grinch Master. 😀 I'd actually like that one. I would put it right next to my Curmudgeon Award. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
69RoadRunner Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 Until this year, I only got the Mile Swim patch. During pandemic, I managed to get the Social Distancing, Toilet Paper Gathering, Mask Wearing and Weight Gain merit badges. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Eagle Posted July 8, 2020 Author Share Posted July 8, 2020 (edited) For the Grinches that don't have the desire to participate, I would say stay home and let other less seasoned adults attend camp. If you have decades of scouting and think you have done all that with a woodbadge cluster, how about you volunteer to manage the program for new adults. Maybe my unit was a bit weird, but we always seemed to have a new parent from a newly joined scout that liked to come. More often than not, that lure of a program like MattR mentioned sparked the scouter commitment of an adult. I see a ton of fun and sharing at every woodbadge event and there aren't many grinches. If you aren't going to have fun at camp as a SM, why would you go? Edited July 8, 2020 by Double Eagle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walk in the woods Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 3 hours ago, Double Eagle said: If you aren't going to have fun at camp as a SM, why would you go? To get away from my now ex-wife! :). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Eagle Posted July 8, 2020 Author Share Posted July 8, 2020 Imagine the surprise if you went to camp and found your ex-wife as a leader in an adjacent campsite. If you need to get away, go on staff. That is a longer stay and better yet, go out of council. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSScout Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Heritage up in PA has a Scouter Service Patch earned by helping in a Scout activity among other things. One of our neighboring Districts asked me to do WoodTools at their IOLS, which I did to good effect. The IOLS leadership said, "and of course, everyone will earn the Totin' Chip" and were surprised when I reminded them that Totin' Chip is a Scout award, not an adult award. I said folks would know how it is done, and have a chance to "practice" but there would be no TC patch awarded.... I have not been asked to help again..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwazse Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 12 hours ago, SSScout said: Heritage up in PA has a Scouter Service Patch earned by helping in a Scout activity among other things. ..... Yeah, when I'm at Heritage, I'm too busy helping in scout activities to waste time with a Scouter Service Patch. With that 1 hour paper-chase to report 10 hours of service, I could put in 11 hours of service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSScout Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Last time I was at Heritage, it was all but automatic. Yeah, we're not in it for the cloth bling.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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