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OK, we admit that this week's Name That Council quiz is pretty easy. It basically amounts to this question: Which U.S. state is made up of a series of islands? They can't all be head-scratchers. If you know that name of the council that wears the above depiction of a whale and three islands on…
The new Boy Scout Handbook is great, but its title is somewhat misleading. It's not just useful for boys or Scouts-anyone can find a wealth of information inside. That's where our Learn from the Handbook series comes in. Each week we're bringing you great tips straight from the handbook to enhance both your Scouting life…
If you're planning a trip to Texas, what should you see? For the boys of Troop 229 of Winamac, Ind., the answer was simple: everything! Twenty-one Scouts and 12 Scouters took off on the 11-day trip that sent the group through seven different states, with most of their time spent in the Lone Star State.
You know those iPhone commercials where familiar life situations are made easier with the iPhone? For example: "If you're an avid baseball fan and want to catch a game-winning run, live, there's an app for that." Or: "If you need to find a cab in a strange city, there's an app for that."
Taken separately, the hodgepodge of regional items on Friday's Name That Council patch doesn't mean a whole lot. There's a menacing alligator on one side, and a flock of birds on the other-nothing out of the ordinary. But consider all of these clues together, and you might have come up with the missing council.
You're sitting near a river about to cook some yellow liquid in a huge black kettle. You're sharing a view of the sunset-and an oil derrick-with a larger-than-life lobster when an alligator waddles up to ruin all of the fun.
On an airplane, you're reminded that your seat cushion can be used as a flotation device. But what if there's no Boeing 737 nearby to help you stay afloat in the water? How do you stay alive when stranded at sea?
Add another name to the lengthy list of partners who help the BSA deliver a great program to America's youth: the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). The two organizations made the alliance official last month in a Memorandum of Mutual Support signed by BSA Chief Scout Executive Robert J.
The stars of a Broadway show get the credit. But the people working in the wings deserve a chunk of the praise. So this week we're pulling back the curtain to reveal someone who does his work behind the scenes so that the stars of Scouting-the Scouts, of course-can shine.
Where can you go in the United States to find delicious crab cakes, an impressive harbor, and orioles-both kinds, with wings and with baseball gloves? If you know the answer to that, you probably knew the answer to Friday's Name That Council test.
You can't complain that this week's Name That Council test doesn't contain plenty of clues. From the city's skyline and the historic ship to the state bird and the state crustacean, there's no shortage of hints. So if you think you know the name of the council that wears the patch above, e-mail us with…
You can't complain that this week's Name That Council test doesn't contain plenty of clues. From the city's skyline and the historic ship to the state bird and the state crustacean, there's no shortage of hints. So if you think you know the name of the council that wears the patch above, e-mail us with…
For all of the efforts you take to keep your group safe on weekend trips, one of the greatest dangers to you and your family might be waiting when you get home: carbon monoxide. The most commonly inhaled poison, carbon monoxide is a gas given off by car engines, appliances, charcoal grills, furnaces, and fireplaces.
When walking along a trail at your favorite national park, brown trail signs mark your progress every few miles. These signs serve as a helpful reminder that you're on the right track as you move toward your goal. As a Scouting volunteer, the Scouter's Key serves a similar purpose.
We received e-mail recently from a Cracker Barrel reader asking why the flag on the right sleeve of the Boy Scout uniform shirt differs from the one worn by the U.S. military. Here's an excerpt: This has been bothering me for the longest time.
Last week's challenge featured a council that shares its name with a massive lake. It's so big, we told you, that it ranks in the top 10 of the world's deepest lakes. Did you figure out the council's name from those clues?
You'll find the lake pictured in the patch above in a national park somewhere in the United States. We can't tell you where, because the name of the national park is also the name of the council. Need more clues?
This week, we're introducing a new feature here at Cracker Barrel in honor of the recent release of the Boy Scout Handbook . We call it Learn from the Handbook . Yes, technically the handbook is meant for boys. But it's hard to resist cracking it open and taking a look for yourself.
No matter which faith you choose, being Reverent is Law in Scouting. Leaders who practice what their religion preaches are eligible to earn the silver-and-purple adult religious emblem pictured above. Rather than a separate square knot for each of Scouting's 30-plus religious emblems, this knot represents them all.
Recognizing fine Scouters is a favorite pastime here at Cracker Barrel. In fact, we just can't get enough of it. So this week we'll share another Scouting volunteer with you. Meet Sherri Moravec , a Venturing crew advisor, assistant Scoutmaster, and district vice chairman from Houston, Tex.
We hope that Friday's council patch challenge wasn't too much of a bear to figure out. After all, for the first time in Name That Council history, the patch actually had the flag of the council's home state pictured on it.
Let's hope you remembered to put all your food and other smellables in a bear-proof container away from your tent before going to bed last night. If not, you might find yourself face-to-face with the image seen in this week's Name That Council patch.
Last week we told you about the new Boy Scout Handbook , available now online or at your local Scout Shop. We detailed the new book's firm embrace of the Internet to provide Scouts with extra resources and interactivity beyond what's in the 480-page book.
The Venturing program gives young women and men new opportunities they can't find in other programs. And with those new opportunities comes a new set of awards they can earn. The highest of these is the Venturing Silver Award , this week's Knot of the Week.
The Scouting program relies on volunteers like you to succeed. We at Cracker Barrel recognize this and enjoy showing off some of the nation's best adult volunteers. It's a feature we call Scouter Spotlight, and this week it shines on a great volunteer from New Mexico.
You had all weekend to consider the mystery patch shown below. Did you figure out the missing council? Make like a dolphin and jump to find out. It was the Bay Area Council , with headquarters in Galveston, Tex. The council's proximity to the Gulf of Mexico's abundant industrial, recreational, and environmental opportunities is beautifully rendered…
Hmm, let's see. There's a seagull, an oilrig, a bottlenose dolphin. That combination could only be found in the site of this week's Name That Council challenge. We've removed all text from the patch above. It's up to you to use the clues found in the patch's images to choose the missing council.
All week, Arrowmen from across the country have been living it up at the National Order of the Arrow Conference in Bloomington, Ind., that ends today. What were they up to? The agenda included leadership development, sports, games, ceremonies, dance competitions, shows, and lots of pizza.
When the number of recipients of a particular square knot is so small that the BSA can publish the list in its entirety, you know you're dealing with a prestigious award. Such is the case with the Order of the Arrow Distinguished Service Award , a knot given to men and women who serve the OA…
Here's a book that should be at the top of your summer reading list. No, it's not the latest legal thriller by John Grisham or romance novel from Danielle Steel. It's the new Boy Scout Handbook , and it's available now.
The trees are green. The fish are jumping. The water is pleasant. It must be summer in the land of Friday's patch. Friday's patch featured the pleasant green-and-blue hues that people in cooler climes associate with summer. But notice that it didn't feature the scorching reds and oranges the rest of us deal with during…
Flying fish, a tree-lined shore, and a snow-capped mountain-what sounds like a scene from an L.L. Bean catalog is actually the content of this week's Name That Council challenge. We've altered the patch above to remove the council's name and location.
Dedicated Scouting volunteers, such as yourself, get their BSA news and information from Scouting magazine and, we hope, right here at the Cracker Barrel blog. But for the uninitiated, the mainstream media often are the only sources of the Scouting story.
Scouting's diversity helps boys learn what it means to be an American. And the BSA embraces that fact by encouraging the growth of the program in underserved communities. That commitment became even more noticeable in 2004 with the Asian-American Spirit of Scouting Service Award .
Two weeks ago, we blogged about troops that ban or limit cell phone use by their Scouts. Several of you responded with your reasons for forbidding their use at camp-from the wall of isolation they create to the risk of losing or breaking the pricey gadgets.
We told you that Friday's Name That Council patch belongs to the home council of a VIS-very important Scouter-and that was no exaggeration. In fact, none other than Chief Scout Executive Robert Mazzuca himself calls this council home. Read on to Name That Council.
We've got a special council for you this week. It's the home council of a VIS (very important Scouter). We can't tell you who it is, because we know you'd click over to Google and find the answer in a few seconds.
We at Cracker Barrel can't wait for the 2010 National Scout Jamboree, and we've literally been counting down the seconds till it gets here. For those of you who haven't been watching the clock as diligently as we, it's time to start.
When representatives from the vast network of chartered Scouting organizations speak, the BSA listens. Want proof? Look no further than the Community Organization Award . It began when a group of delegates from several chartered organizations told the BSA how they wanted to recognize adult leaders-with an award similar to the religious knots that represent the…
While you've been busy taking your troop to summer camp, preparing for next year's jamboree, or getting Cub Scouts ready for an exciting program year, we've been kinda busy ourselves. What has occupied our time? Oh, just a complete redesign of Scouting magazine.
On Friday, the Name That Council patch featured a prominent Midwest landmark that should have been a nice gateway toward identifying the secret council. Plus, the sports clue was practically a slow pitch right down the middle. So, how'd you do?
Sports fans might recognize the location depicted on this week's patch as the site of a recent major athletic event. If not, the landmark is recognizable enough that it shouldn't throw you too much of a curveball. Think you know the answer?
Sorry to tell you this, but you probably can't earn this week's Knot of the Week. That's because the Silver World Award is only available to Scouters who are not registered members of the BSA. So why is it this week's featured knot?
Scouter Spotlight returns this week with a volunteer who wears many hats-a phrase we hear a lot with so many active Scouters out there. This week we're introducing you to Jamie Niss Dunn , from the Northern Star Council in Minnesota.
Technology: You gotta love it. It allows Scouters to stay connected and helps the BSA reach new audiences in interesting ways. Most importantly, without technology this blog wouldn't exist. But when it comes to enjoying the outdoors, many packs, troops, and crews choose to limit or ban most high-tech items.
How'd you do with Friday's Name That Council challenge? Hopefully, you noticed the green witch flying off the patch on the left side. That clue was all you needed, really. Follow the jump for the correct answer. "Green witch" sounds a lot like Greenwich, doesn't it?
We've been impressed with the amateur sleuths who've responded to our previous nine Name That Council challenges. You've tracked down some pretty obscure council locations just from the patch designs. So we're digging into our archives and looking for even tougher challenges for you Cracker Barrelites.
When the boys in your troop start spreading the word about how much fun they're having, the influx of new members can be exciting-and overwhelming. Though a nice problem to have, rapid growth still requires some smart solutions to ensure that every boy has a great Scouting experience.
You spent the weekend celebrating the nation's founders. Now, we at Cracker Barrel pay our respects to founders of a different kind. We're talking about volunteers who organize Scouting units. And instead of a fireworks-filled holiday, the BSA uses the William D.
With our award-winning writers, photographers, and illustrations, Scouting magazine has so many ways to tell you about great Scouting weekends. But what you don't typically see on our pages, or on our Web pages, is poetry. But when Cracker Barrel received an e-mail from Bill Kirk last week, that's exactly what we saw.
