Merit Badges

[evmori]

I just got this e-mail. It might be worth checking out.

 

Dear Scout Leader:

 

I am a recent Eagle Scout, and I am about to release the results of an exciting project that I believe will benefit your troop in many ways. My new website, allmeritbadges.com, will be the most comprehensive, informative resource for Boy Scouts when it is launched Friday, November 22.

 

allmeritbadges.com will feature colorful merit badge requirements for all 130 badges, including the new Fly Fishing badge, updated for 2002. Along with requirements, the site offers nearly one thousand links to external sites screened for their integrity in providing valuable information for each merit badge.

 

Among other features to be offered are rank requirements for all Scouting ranks, from Scout to Silver Palms, as well as requirements for each of the special BSA awards offered. Scouts will be able to chat in a live chat room, or post a message on a merit badge message board to discuss requirements. And in the near future, allmeritbadges.com will even offer audio transcipts of interviews with persons needed for merit badge requirements.

 

However, out of all the features on the new site, I believe the most revolutionary and exciting is our Merit Badge Counselor database. This nationwide service will allow any Scout, anywhere, to locate a counselor near him, and provide the counselor with a secure, easy to remember free email address to receive correspondence from boys. We are building our database in regions across the U.S., but would also love for you to help if you have counselors wishing to be listed on our site.

 

What I have described is hopefully the beginning of many great things to come, to benefit Scouts in the Information Age. I certainly hope you will give us a chance to help your troop for the months and years to come. To entice you to visit us, allmeritbadges.com is giving away a pizza camporee to the troop with the highest number of Scouts who sign up on our site. Complete rules are online.

 

I hope to see you November 22!

http://www.allmeritbadges.com

 

Yours in Scouting,

 

Andrew J. Henderson

Founder, allmeritbadges.com

 

P.S. To sign up for our merit badge counselor database, click onto http://www.allmeritbadges.com/htm/counselor/signup.htm

 

P.P.S. This is a one-time mailing. We collected your email address from Scouting forums on the internet, and have not or will not sell, rent, or distribute your information. Under recently enacted U.S. Code legislation, this message can not be considered unsolicited should we provide you with a method to "opt-out" from any additional mailings. To opt-out, send a blank email to opine@allmeritbadges.com with the email address you received this message at in the subject line.

 

I tried to sign-up but it's not working yet.

 

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

[Bob White]

I see this as a huge opportunity for child abuse. Scouts and scout leaders should not be getting MB counselors off of the internet.

 

MB counselors must be approved by the local council office and will only be considered after completing a BSA Adult Membership Application, and a MB counselor application form. A scout wanting to work on a merit badge MUST go to the scoutmaster to get a blue card AND the name of an approved MB counselor. Those names should be locally approved and not names submitted to, or posted by, an unknown name on the internet.

 

If a SM needs the names of approved counselors they should be communicating with their council office.

 

This offer has red flags all over it.

 

Bob White

[frankj]

I agree with Bob White. Correct me if I am wrong but I believe part of the merit badge experience is going through the procedures outlined: get the blue card, fill it out, get the name of a conselor, etc. That it takes a little time and planning on the part of the Scout is a good thing.

 

 

[DDHII]

There's already a website similar to this. It's www.meritbadge.com and I also agree with Bob White.

 

Dale