The Bloggers
Showing 301–350 of 415 · page 7 of 9. Each title opens the post in a new tab.
________________________________________ A Scout recently earned every merit badge Scouting has to offer. Here's the link… http://www.wrdw.com/home/headlines/Some-upset-Boy-Scout-earns-all-merit-badges-of-scouting-232276831.html#.UorHQPOWcPw.email It's interesting that this clip talks about some folks not "approving" of this-as if their lame-brained opinion had any weight or merit. To Scout Carter, GREAT GOING!
________________________________________ Dear Andy, (I am using my mom's email address and she is okay with me sending this.) I noticed today on my Webelos handbook that there is a mistake as there is only one bucket of water by the fire.
________________________________________ Dear Andy, There doesn't seem to be a requirement for two-deep leadership at troop meetings. There's only a requirement for trips and outings. The only additional rule is that of no one-on-one private contact between an adult and a Scout.
________________________________________ Here's an interesting question about the "Statement of ambitions and life purpose and a listing of positions held in your religious institution, school, camp, community, or other organizations, during which you demonstrated leadership skills. Include honors and awards received during this service."
________________________________________ ARE YOU READING ADVANCEMENT NEWS YET? To get yourself started, here's where to check it out (copy and paste this link)… http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/GuideToAdvancement/Advancement_News.aspx ADVANCEMENT NEWS is the official e-newsletter of the BSA's National Advancement Committee and National Advancement Team – It's written by volunteers for volunteers!
________________________________________ Dear Andy, Our troop's adult leaders have been at odds recently over the final determination of individual Scout accounts. Our troop does two major fundraisers each year-holiday wreaths and popcorn-and we split the profits with the Scouts (the troop keeps 50% and the Scouts get 50% of all profits they make from these sales).
________________________________________ The letter from the young Eagle Scout who became subject to a "bait-and-switch" by his own board of review that appeared in my October 20th column sparked any number of responses. Here are two… Dear Andy, I just read your October 20th column-in particular the letter from that young Eagle Scout whose council rep.
________________________________________ Dear Andy, I'm an Eagle Scout. I'm now 20. I'd earned Life rank when I was 13, but just couldn't find the right Eagle Scout Service Project that I wanted to do (I had lots of suggestions for the next more than four years about building shelves, making birdhouses, replanting shrubbery, repainting sheds, etc., but…
________________________________________ So here I am, with some time to spare between Scouting events, my family's goings-on, and business priorities. I'm happily reading another issue of a Scouting blog-an official one, in fact. I've been reading its issues for some time now.
________________________________________ Dear Andy, In a recent column you said there's no place for merit badges in the troop meeting program or on campouts. I thought there was a portion of troop meetings for skills instruction. In our troop, we have the Scouts arrange to do merit badges, and we set aside the skills instruction time during…
________________________________________ Dear Andy, I was a Scout in my troop and now that I've aged out I'm an Assistant Scoutmaster. I have some concerns about how the troop's being run and I'm hoping to get some clarifications from you on a few questions.
________________________________________ Dear Andy, I read your column with the question about Scoutmasters taking over the announcements really hit home-it could have been written about me! We have a good troop that's active, uniformed, and youth-run. Thanks to you, I just made a commitment that the Senior Patrol Leader will no longer stand on the sidelines while…
________________________________________ Dear Andy, How much involvement in troop meetings by the adults is too much? In our troop, for example, the Senior Patrol Leader may be describing the activities for an upcoming campout so that the Scouts will be able to pack accordingly, and the Scoutmaster may supplement the SPL's description with a lengthier one of…
________________________________________ Dear Andy, I'm re-reading "What Would You Do?" (page 22) in the May-June 2013 issue of SCOUTING Magazine. I'm troubled. There seems to be a disconnect between the contents of this feature and not only Scouting processes and procedures but with Scouting's fundamental principles as well.
________________________________________ "Okay," I began, "How many kids are there in a troop of perfect size?" I paused. Then, "Okay, everybody have a number in mind? Good. Now, here's the answer to 'how many kids are in a perfect-sized troop'… are you ready?
________________________________________ The NATIONAL JAMBOREE was a hoot! Over 27,000 Scouts and Venturers (the Venturing guys and gals looked great in green-wonderful additions!) supported by close to 3,000 volunteers. The venues, ranging from all sorts of shooting activities, dragon boats on the lake, five miles of zip lines, and spectacular arena shows, were all wonderful experiences for…
________________________________________ If you're going to be at the NATIONAL JAMBOREE, stop by the NESA exhibit tent at the Summit Center's Legacy Village. I'll be there on Monday or Tuesday, July 22-23, for short talks and some quality Q&A time with you!
________________________________________ Gonna be at the NATIONAL JAMBOREE? Be sure to stop by the NESA exhibit tent at the Summit Center's LEGACY VILLAGE on Monday or Tuesday, July 22-23. I'll be there both days for a couple of short talks each day and some quality Q&A time with you!
________________________________________ Want to visit the 2013 NATIONAL SCOUT JAMBOREE at Bechtel Summit in July with a group of other fine Scouters? Long-time Scouter David Cooper, of the Cradle of Liberty Council, PA, has put together a wonderful four-day special trip and tour that may be just what you're looking for!
________________________________________ Want to visit the 2013 NATIONAL SCOUT JAMBOREE at Bechtel Summit in July with a group of other fine Scouters? Long-time Scouter David Cooper, of the Cradle of Liberty Council, PA, has put together a wonderful four-day special trip and tour that may be just what you're looking for!
________________________________________ Dear Andy, Tonight we had a troop meeting. The Scoutmaster does shift work and his wife, the Assistant Scoutmaster, attended their son's band concert. So they asked a parent-who doesn't know much about Scouting-to run the meeting. Can you actually have a troop meeting without either the Scoutmaster or ASM being there, or should the…
________________________________________ Hi Andy, In your last column, you mentioned, "…By the way, your son gets to wear the God and Family religious "square knot" badge on his Boy Scout uniform." I've never seen a Scout with a square knot. Fer real?
________________________________________ Dear Andy, I'm a Cubmaster. Our pack is planning a camping trip for our Cub Scouts and one of the Webelos Den Leader who's also an Assistant Scoutmaster, wants the Boy Scouts of the troop he's associated with to come camping with the pack.
________________________________________ Dear Andy, How do I get my den's parents to understand the importance of turning in a Health & Medical Form for themselves and their sons for den and pack outings? I've stopped planning outings because I'm not sure who would pay if somebody got hurt or forgot their medicine, or needed away-from-home treatment.
________________________________________ Hi Andy, Does a Scoutmaster appoint the Assistant Scoutmaster, or does the troop committee do this? Related to that, can a Scoutmaster refuse to accept a new ASM? (Jerry Kazanjian, UC, Old Colony Council, MA) Ultimately, of course, the head of the chartered organization, or designee, the Chartered Organization Representative, has final authority over who…
________________________________________ THIS JUST IN: SCOUTMASTERS ELIGIBLE FOR THE SENIOR PATROL LEADER POSITION-FOR LIFE! The BSA has just announced that Scoutmasters are eligible to appoint themselves Senior Patrol Leader, thus acknowledging the superior leadership that comes with age and experience. Concurrent with this acknowledgement, the Scoutmaster-as-Senior Patrol leader position can be held for life, instead of merely…
________________________________________ Hi Andy, I'll be going to camp this summer with my son and his troop. The camp offers the Mile Swim award. According to both the BSA's "Scout Stuff" (www.scoutstuff.org) and "advancement" section of the U.S. Scouting Service Project (usssp.org) the Mile Swim is for both youth and adults.
________________________________________ Hi Andy, We have a fifth grade boy who joined our pack last October. He'd like to earn his Arrow of Light award before crossing over to Boy Scouts. He's just turned 11, and school gets out at the end of June.
________________________________________ We talk about "Scouts in Action"… How about a "Scouter in Action" in one of the least-probable locations on the planet!? Check out this video, sent to me by John Fox, of the Daniel Webster Council, NH. It's the story of Keith Blackey, a veteran of the Vietnam War with a lifelong involvement in Scouting.
________________________________________ Dear Andy, I'm supposedly a "hover" parent. I'm trying to learn not to be, even though my son's considered on the immature side. He's had a fear of the unknown since he was an infant, and it persists. Does this make him "immature"?
________________________________________ Hi Andy, I'm our troop's Committee Chair. We're trying to put together a "handbook" for Scouts and parents. We've been told there's one in existence, but none of us has ever seen it. We're wondering if troops are allowed to set their own standards on requirements that don't agree with BSA national standards.
________________________________________ Dear Andy, I recently heard about the "American Heritage Award." It states that Scouts helped in the curriculum and design of the medal and patch that can be earned. Is this medal authorized for wearing on the BSA uniform? (Bill McClain, District Advancement Chair, West Tennessee Council) The BSA does allow certain non-BSA recognitions to…
________________________________________ THE BADEN-POWELL INSTITUTE By the GREATER CLEVELAND COUNCIL-BSA SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9th – 8 AM to 3 PM. Your choice of 45 SCOUTING TOPICS in 50-minute sessions. o Dutch oven cooking o Fly fishing for Dummies o Philmont from a Ranger's perspective o Trail-building Eagle projects o Adding PIZZAZ to pack and den meetings o Myscouting.org: Navigating…
________________________________________ THE BADEN-POWELL INSTITUTE By the GREATER CLEVELAND COUNCIL-BSA SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9th – 8 AM to 3 PM. Your choice of 45 SCOUTING TOPICS in 50-minute sessions. o Dutch oven cooking o Fly fishing for Dummies o Philmont from a Ranger's perspective o Trail-building Eagle projects o Adding PIZZAZ to pack and den meetings o Myscouting.org: Navigating…
________________________________________ A SCOUTMASTER'S RESOLUTION FOR 2013… Tell the young men you serve that they're SCOUTS and THIS IS THEIR TROOP. Tell them nobody runs their troop but THEM. Show them by your actions what it means to believe in something greater than themselves and stand up for this.
You've asked for them– Here they are! My "101 RULES" for Scouting and for Life. With personal thanks to Ken King, Diana Cilluffo, Mark Twain, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Douglas MacArthur, Laurence Peter, Oscar Wilde, and Murphy. No. 1: • Stupid has no cure.
________________________________________ NEWS FLASH! The BSA's SCOUTING ALUMNI ASSOCIATION now has a Facebook page! Be sure to check it out, "Like" it if you like, and pass the word! Here's where to go… http://www.facebook.com/ScoutingAlumniAssociation And tell 'em Andy sent you! ________________________________________ Hi Andy, I just read the letter in your column from the parent of a Scout whose…
________________________________________ Dear Andy, A troop I'm the Unit Commissioner for went to camp this past summer and, while there, held several boards of review for advancing Scouts. The problem is that several of the reviews had older Scouts as members. The troop's Committee Chair claims he was told by "someone" that older Scouts could sit on…
Rule No. 100 • Never leave the Scouting Movement with the regret that you might have served better the youth in your care had you just taken the time for training. ________________________________________ Dear Andy, I'm looking to build a supply cart for Cub Scout pack meetings (we have no storage at our sponsor's meeting place, but we…
Rule No. 99 o The difference between doing it right and doing it almost right is the same as the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. (Thanks, Mark Twain) ________________________________________ Dear Andy, Our council says that they allow Scouts to ring bells for the Salvation Army.
Rule No. 98 • "I think I can fix that" always solves more problems than "Somebody ought to do something…" (Thanks, Diana Cilluffo) ________________________________________ Dear Andy, Is it OK for pack leaders to decide not to attend a planned pack event and instead attend a neighborhood alcohol-laced Halloween party, including being photographed in lewd costumes with drinks…
Rule No. 97 • When doing it right collides with doing it the way we've always done it, the latter wins. Every time. ________________________________________ Old friends continue to write, as a result of that SCOUTING magazine article. Here are two worth sharing.
Rule No. 96 • Before contemplating your own self-importance, consider the lowly pigeon's reality check: Yesterday's heroes are today's targets. ________________________________________ Many readers and other Scouting friends spotted me in the October-November issue of SCOUTING magazine, and to all who wrote, THANK YOU!
Rule No. 95 • Productivity is inversely proportional to the size of the committee. ________________________________________ Dear Andy, Our troop just purchased a trailer. It would be a big help if other troops with trailers could give us some tips or even pictures and plans of what they did to outfit their trailer.
Rule No. 93 • When you demand that someone meet you halfway, be sure he doesn't use his fist to do it. ________________________________________ In my September 26th column, Scouter John Ruppe of the San Diego-Imperial Council asked how the BSA views outstanding military service.
Rule No. 94 • There's no such thing as "bad weather" for Scouting… only bad clothing or equipment decisions. (Thank you, Ken King!) ________________________________________ Hi Andy, Ever heard of "Jamboree Mulligan"? It's supposed to be some sort of stew-like meal Scouts cooked "back in the day."
Rule No. 92 • The unit with the fewest youth will be the one requiring the most attention by their commissioner. ________________________________________ Dear Andy, I've taken Safe Swim Defense training but I'll admit I'm still confused. Do the lifeguards have to be BSA Lifeguard certified, or can any responsible person be designated lifeguard?
Rule No. 91 o To avoid being elected to a volunteer position you don't want, chair the nominating committee. ________________________________________ Dear Andy, I went to a Roundtable the other night and received a stack of paperwork for our troop and crew.
Rule No. 90 • The Scouts who show up for every meeting are usually the ones who don't need to. ________________________________________ Dear Andy, I returned from Scout camp after spending six days with my son and his troop a couple of weeks ago, and I have to say is I'm shocked.
Rule No. 89 • All ninety-minute meetings last two hours; all thirty-minute meetings last two hours. ________________________________________ Thanks for your patience! For nearly three weeks, I've been in Alaska, with little time to respond to questions or put a column together. Most of this past week has been devoted to answering everyone who's written to me since…
