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An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer of his plans to leave the house-building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire.
Ok.. this may be taking the easy way out.. but when you hear something that makes you sit up and listen you need to pay attention... and share it. Rabbi Peter Hyman Chairman, National Jewish Committee on Scouting "The twelfth point of the Scout law is not just about theology.
The August Cubcast features ideas for activities related to September's New Buddies theme, and we'll also take an in-depth look at New Boy Events, which will come in handy during the upcoming fall recruiting season.
"...they start to see others beyond themselves and they see where they need other people and they also see where they fit in to the big picture..."
Aquatic activites are a huge part of Boy Scouting, at least here in the land of 10,000 lakes. The aquatics beach at summer camp is probably the busiest area of the camp. You will find Boy Scouts swimming, sailing, rowing, canoeing, and snorkeling.
Well, here is the final comic that I am aware of that features Calvin and Hobbes as members of a Cub Scout Pack. I think by this time they realize that Cubbing is not for them and they decide to leave the Cub Pack, never to return.
Authorities have now authorized the re-opening of the camp for full summer camp use. Those who are scheduled to attend Camp Maple Dell beginning on August 4 should continue with their plans to be at camp on Monday morning.
Japanese traditional architecture and crafts are a great source for inspiration about lashings and pioneered structures. The images above and below are from the book 'Structure and Form in Japan' (apparently out of print but possibly available from Amazon.com ) Flickr user Anthony Grimley took this beautiful photograph of a fence outside a tea house: And…
Just words... Right? If you have not listened to the two mp3 files in the previous posts.. STOP now and listen to them, then come back and read this one. There are times in your life that you hear something, smell something, see something, that causes you to pause and evaluate.
I have, very conscientiously, kept my politics out of Scouting and will continue to do so. That I have included the video below should not be interpreted as a political statement of any kind. I have posted it because I admire the thoughts it espouses - nothing more, nothing less.
Each day I examine myself on three counts: whether or not I am loyal to those in whose behalf I act; whether or not I am trustworthy in my dealings with friends; whether or not I practice what is imparted."
The BSA Leave No Trace Task Force announced that the National Council is sponsoring a new, optional Council level position: "Council Outdoor Ethics Advocate".
Information about 2009 camps updated
Scouting begins with an individual commitment expressed in the life of the Patrol and Troop. Troops form districts, districts form councils, councils form regions and regions form our national organization. Each step away from the Patrol is overlaid with an ever-burgeoning bureaucracy that obscures the real work of Scouting.
Arthur Robert "Bob" Hamilton, the model in Norman Rockwell's iconic painting "We, Too, Have a Job To Do" passed away at age 82.
National Capital Area Council officials decided to keep Goshen Scout Reservation closed after three more suspected cases of E. Coli were discovered.
Camp Pico Blanco, the oldest Boy Scout camp along the central coast, has not escaped the damage caused by the ongoing Basin Complex Fire.
Author Gerald Finley has put together a fine, no-nonsense book 'Rope Works Plus'. The expanded version of his original 1997 book 'Rope Works' features clearly illustrated directions for tying and using knots, splices and lashings, making rope (with plans for a geared rope making machine) and netting.
Show #152-Wishing You Were Here Tonight - my first time teaching Introduction to Cub Scouting and How To Have Fun, our Pack is off to a good start to the end of the Summer, relax - it's just camp, and uniform inspections.
Global communications leader becomes first centennial sponsor of Scouting's historic observance of service to youth.
I have written in earlier blogs about how I feel the Boy Scouts of America's national office should be doing more to promote the Scouting program to the American public. It the past, it seems as if they have relied more on the local units to promote the program then trying to do it nationally…
I have received some emails asking why I changed my "Tag line" from "Happy Scouting" to "Have a Great Scouting day". Well the simple answer is that someone else that is prominent in the online Scouting community already uses "Happy Scouting" and while it is not a trademark phrase...
I had dinner the other night with a very special friend of mine. Him and I spent some time together in the Army and he taught me a thing or two about leadership. We were in a discussion about work places and went back and forth about different types of leadership and the people that…
No batteries required Commercial-free Strengthens families Burns more calories Grows character, not potatoes Offers college scholarships Violence-free Develops leaders Prepares kids for real life #1: It's the Ultimate Reality Show! TV shows like Survivor, Fear Factor and the Human Race have nothing on Scouting. Just ask a Scout.
A Shakopee teen who seems always to go above and beyond has been named the top Eagle Scout in the country by the American Legion. By JOY POWELL , Star Tribune Last update: August 5, 2008 - 4:50 PM He was only 13, but Boy Scout Paul Banwart listened intently to the talk at a Jackson Town…
JUNK is a raft made from recycled and discarded materials, that is sailing from California to Hawaii to highlight the problems caused in the ocean by discarded plastics. Built only from discarded materials, and held together using knots, this is a perfect example of modern pioneering,even if the materials used might not what we traditionally…
The Yearly Planning Session (YPS) is an activity held by the Patrol Leader Council of Troop 68 the first weekend of each August. During this session the PLC, under the supervision of the scoutmaster, will plan the troop's program for the next twelve months.
A familiar phase heard around my Troop. The universal sign to quiet down and pay attention in Scouting is when someone raises their hand with the Scout sign. It usually takes a second or two.. but then the roar dulls, the whispers stop, and all eyes are focused on the leader that is standing quietly…
Howdy. Stop by the KNOTS cartoon for August. This month we look at the rifle shooing merit badge! Copyright - U.S. Scouting Service Project | Visit us at http://usscouts.org | News at http://usssp.blogspot.com
In response to a comment left for the post "Manager v. Leader" by a reader of the Blog Bryan- I thought it would be fair to let everyone in on the email that went back and forth after the comment.
For those of you that have not yet taken the plunge to the world of podcasts, and in particular my shows.. also called the Scoutmaster minute.. you can subscribe to the shows real easy... And here is how. You can use itunes .
One of the official suggested Webelos activity badges for August is Naturalist . Here are the requirements for the Naturalist Webelos activity badge : Do these: 1. With your parent, guardian, or Webelos den leader, complete the Respect Character Connection. a. Know: Tell what interested you most when completing the requirements for this activity badge.
Here are some news releases about Scouting that have been recently found online. It is great to see Scouts making a positive impact on their community, and the financial support from some major corporations. Eagle Scout Paul Banwart from Shakopee, Minnesota, awarded American Legion Award: And now, this Shakopee teen is being honored nationally this…
What time is it?" , is a question asked in a song during the hit television movie High School Musical 2 . But in today's addition to the Melrose Scouting Productions Podcast the Boy Scouts of Melrose ask the question, "Is it time yet?"
Updated link to ConnectYouth website
The National Council of the Boy Scouts of America released a video highlighting the Scouting program for the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts.
I was hoping to avoid this, but life has officially gotten in the way. No live show this week. There MAY be a recorded one, if everything runs perfectly. If not, I'll see you in the chat room in a couple of weeks… If you still want to chat, go Click HERE.
Supplying 6 days of food for eighteen people in two crews for a canoe trip (that's 18 meals, 324 servings) with traditionally packaged freeze-dried food is a real budget breaker. One can shop at the average supermarket for reasonably lightweight, nutritious and easily prepared food but freeze-dried foods really expand the menu for very little…
BSA National has issued a new adult leader application form (28-501F). The new form contains a separate background check disclosure/authorization page which must be signed by the applicant. As always, the application must be signed by the pack committee chair and the chartered organization head or representative before it is turned in to the local…
As with all the Webelos activity badges, the best resources for Naturalist are the Webelos Handbook and the Webelos Leader Guide . Here are some other Naturalist resources that may be helpful: Meritbadge.org Naturalist Worksheet (pdf) Buckeye Naturalist Packet (pdf) Hendra's Naturalist Packet [ via MacScouter ] (pdf) Scouting the Net - Naturalist
Today, we have two crews on their way to the Boundary Waters for 5 days of canoeing. I don't get to go since I'll be around here helping with a weekend campout for the younger scouts working on scout skills for advancement.
An experienced Scoutmaster knows a lot. They have seen perhaps ten, perhaps twenty groups of Scouts through their Scouting careers. Training and experience have virtually turned them into Scouting experts, they can spot difficulties and errors before they are made.
Here are 3 things that Cub Scout families want from their son's pack: 1. Active Fun. Most parents will not bring their boys to Cub Scouts if they are not having fun. They just won't. Make sure that the boys in your pack get to do games and other active fun stuff.
#51-Feedback Feedback on getting your unit online, summertime activities, the Iowa accident and old show archives. Links: AT&T Donates $3 Million to BSA’s 100th Anniversary Celebration NAACP Partners with Boy Scouts of America School Presentation for Recruiting Sixth-Graders Tonight's show sponsored by ScoutData.com
Packs are encouraged to have a new-boy outdoor event soon after their fall recruiting has been completed. Most boys who join Cub Scouts are expecting to get to do cool stuff in the outdoors like hiking and camping . Don't disappoint them.
The post I wrote a week ago about how our troop plans its yearly program seems to have created a little buzz with some of you. I have received a few comments and emails asking about the form we use to rate our troop.
The Crew has planned a road trip to end the summer with some fun before they start back to school. We are leaving tonight for Arkansas. We will be doing some rock climbing, hiking, and site seeing along the way.
De Vleermuis " (Bat) Scout Group from Belgium built this tower, a relative of the Hourglass Tower , during December of last year. Klipdas sent me these photos, and you can see them and many more in the Flickr group here .
Today 18 Scouts and adults are off to our annual high adventure trip to Ontario's Algonquin Provincial Park. Canoer Chris Lawson, in writing about his Bonnechere river trip in Algonquin, has developed a lexicon for some of the conditions he encountered while portaging: The Armadillo: wherein the clear line through the bush becomes suddenly a…
Here are the official 12 Cub Scouting Core Values : 1. Citizenship 2. Compassion 3. Cooperation 4. Courage 5. Faith 6. Health and fitness 7. Honesty 8. Perseverance 9. Positive attitude 10. Resourcefulness 11. Respect 12. Responsibility Character development in Cub Scouting is about encouraging our Cubs to foster these values.
The new Centennial Uniform for Boy Scouts, adult Scouters, and Webelos Scouts can now be ordered from BSA National. Click here ( link ) to order the new Webelos Scout uniform (above) or here ( link ) to order the new adult Scouter uniform (below).
On January 9, 2006, I began what was to become a new hobby when I posted a Scouting video on YouTube. It was the BSA's " Scout Zone " video, which has been viewed 51,000 times since it was posted. The YouTube bug had bitten me, and I began to look for other videos to post online.
I'm not much for apologies, but I definitely owe one to everyone who has stuck by HalfEagle.com. I built this site about nine months ago and have had little opportunities to improve it. That situation is improving and I'd like to share with you some of what's going on.
One of the official suggested Webelos activity badges for August is Forester . Here are the requirements for the Forester Webelos activity badge : Do five of these: 1. Make a map of the United States. Show the types of forests growing in different parts of the country.
Every now again you need to step back and plug in to have your batteries recharged. In Scouting you can get your batteries recharged in many ways, attending a great training event like Wood badge is one way, a 50 miler will get you focused and often recharges the Scouting cells.
If you're like me and you think the new Centennial Uniform looks pretty cool but you aren't sure you want to spend the money for a whole new uniform right now, remember, you don't have to buy all the uniform pieces at once.
That's right! Today, August 17, Button the radical Boy Scout celebrates the two year anniversary of his first appearance in an online video that appeared on Youtube. It has been quite a ride since then. When I look back at those first videos it almost makes me cringe.
If you visit HalfEagle.com you should notice the page looks quite a bit different. I've just finished cleaning up a lot of the backend code associated with fetching the different blog feeds. While I was at it, I did a much needed redesign of the page.
Two recent events remind us all of the importance of correct sanitation practices when camping: In Virginia Goshen Scout Reservation closed early due to an outbreak of E. Coli illnesses traced to contaminated, undercooked ground beef (reportedly in foil dinners).
The September 2008 (” New Buddies “) Program Helps pages from BSA National are now available (free) for download. Program Helps is a great resource for crafts, games, activities and more for pack meetings and Tiger, Wolf, and Bear den meetings. Link
At the beginning, HalfEagle.com had to pass only one test: It had to be useful to me. After all, I'm part of the "target audience" for this site, so if I don't even like it, why should you? And second, if I don't want to use a site I made, I won't be very motivated…
Gas prices a problem? Any Questions?...
Show #153-Life's Been Good We had our Leader Meeting and are starting our Show & Sell popcorn. Tonight, we have a report from Philmont, the passing of the Pinewood Derby creator, the Pack Trainer, Fast Tracks, uniform inspections, campout organization, a Girl Scout podcast?, suggestions on more shows, and Pack newsletters.
Used well, fonts can add a lot of fun to the look of a schedule or flyer . Creamundo.com is a great website if you want to take a look at a lot of different fonts. Creamundo.com has 9,800 fonts that are free to preview and download . Link
Each year when we plan for our program, the Scouts and I discuss what we want the Troop to look like the following year. Stuff like, more members, better skills, certain awards, Scouts achieving a higher level of advancement. We set measurable goals to achieve our picture of the Troop.
The September 2008 ( New Buddies ) Den Meeting in a Box is now available from BSA National for Tiger, Wolf, or Bear den meetings. It is $37.49 and includes ten "Cub Scout Best Buddies" booklets, ten Cub Scout Buddy name tag kits, ten monthly theme patches, and more. (Photo not yet available.) Link
The National Order of the Arrow Web Site is featuring a new design to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the OA's website.
The June outing for the Boy Scouts of Troop 68 was canceled due to a lack of transportation, so the Scouts came up with a Plan B. They would go on a one day bicycle ride on the Lake Wobegon Trail which happens to run through Melrose.
As with all the Webelos activity badges, the best resources for Forester are the Webelos Handbook and the Webelos Leader Guide . Here are some other Forester resources that may be helpful: Meritbadge.org Forester Worksheet (pdf) Buckeye Forester Packet (pdf) Hendra’s Forester Packet [ via MacSco uter and Scoutingthenet.com ] (pdf) Scouting the Net - Forester Arborday.org Tree Identification…
Did you see Usain Bolt set a World Record in the 200M yesterday? He was so far ahead of the field, it wasn't even funny. The race itself wasn't that exciting but what happened afterward was interesting. The 3rd place finisher (Wallace Spearman for USA) stepped on the line on the turn and was disqualified…
These projects are all built by troops in the Northern District in Gauteng, South Africa. This district holds regular inter-troop Pioneering competitions, as well as a Scouter's competition. The above photo shows the winning Scouters from 2008, 1st Athol, in front of their 35ft-span suspension bridge, built in 4.5 hours.
The Dallas Morning News has an August 12, 2008 article on a new marketing campaign that BSA National is launching to boost interest in scouting. The campaign will feature advertising on youth-oriented media outlets such as MTV and Facebook. BSA National is also streamlining some of its document distribution.
I dropped by the scout shop after a talk with my District Executive, just to see what's new to throw my money at. I was immediately drawn to the merit badge display looking more like a rainbow than the usual red/white/grey tower.
One of the official suggested Webelos activity badges for September and October is Citizen . Here are the requirements for the Citizen Webelos activity badge Do this: 1. With your parent, guardian, or Webelos den leader, complete the Citizenship Character Connection.
A benchmark show .. we made it to number twenty. Join me and my Special guests, Chris and Steve from PTC media as we discuss Scouting Traditions and Traditional Scouting. There's a few stories from Summer camp in there too. Just use the link to the right to get there. Have a great Scouting Day!
Twenty years ago I joined the board of directors for our local television cable access channel, Mel-TV. Earlier that year, several other people and I were learning how to properly use a camcorder. We decided to produce an interview-style show for the station featuring local men who were involved with the Scouting program to develop…
An Hour A Week? is now LIVE! Come listen to Cubmaster Chris as he talks about Cub Scouting and takes your questions and phone calls. Click HERE to open the live stream of the show. The show is live every Sunday between 9 and 10 pm Central Standard Time (GMT -5) E-Mail , chat , or call…
When your pack has an overnight campout, at least one of the leaders in charge must have completed Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO) training (No. 34162). BALOO training includes an introduction to outdoor camping skills as well as important BSA rules and policies to be followed on any Cub Scout campout.
Ahhh... don't let the title fool ya! I'm not wanting money...right now. I had a great discussion with some of my friends in the Scouting world the other night. They were there to join me on my podcast, but we got into the discussion about how many great people you meet in Scouting.
Much of what I write in this blog is a search for the essential qualities of great Scoutmastership. In truth these qualities are so simple that they can prove to be elusive and so transparent that we are in constant danger of missing them.
I have discovered two new Scouting blogs that I thought you might like to check out. One is written by a commissioner, the other is written by a pack committee chairman. Both blogs have just started up recently. The first blog is written by Shawn Cleary of Wisconsin.
Here is the September 2008 “ New Buddies ” monthly theme patch. It is $1.19 from BSA National. Link
Show #154-Rockin' Down The Highway Tonight -Our Pack's really ramping back up now. Day Camps, Cub Floats, handling money, campfire planning, a new patch from national, school access, pack overnighters, and Cub games. Tonight’s show sponsored by Badge Magic
They say that character can be defined as "What you do when no one is looking"... well the fact is it seems that someone is always looking. Someone is always there to let you know how you are doing or to be critical of that which you did.
I belong to several internet groups and forums that deal with Scouting topics. Once in a while I someone posts something that is a true gem. Recently, CrewMomma posted a article on the Scouter.com forums that I thought was awesome, and I want to share it with you: A different way to view the BSA……
If you've got scouts or leaders looking for a few bucks to fund their scouting addiction, or just something cool to win, here's a bunch of items that might interest you. Did you notice there's a Monthly Contest on Boy Scout Trail?
We are in the midst of our recruiting drive for Fall 2008. As I have been sidelined in one of my recruiting schools, I had to make a presence at a pre-rally night event or "Meet the Teacher" night. My objective at this event was to soothe my parents who have kids attending the school.
Information added about UK Contingent for Roverway 2009
One of the official suggested Webelos activity badges for September is Citizen . As with all the Webelos activity badges, the best resources for Citizen are the Webelos Handbook and the Webelos Leader Guide . Here are some other Citizen resources that may be helpful: Meritbadge.org Citizen Worksheet (pdf) Buckeye Citizen Packet (pdf) Hendra’s Citizen Packet [ via…
A great friend of mine shared a story with me the other day, I thought it may be worth passing on because I believe like he does that there is value in our program and that value starts and ends with the Scouts in it.
Resources for Merit Badges are available on the Merit Badge requirements page. You'll find lists of publications, organizations, websites, and more listed with requirements for each badge.
I've moved over the fetching of new Flickr images to the new and improved caching mechanism. Originally, there were only three groups to which HalfEagle subscribed: Scout Pioneering scouting 50 States of Scouting This was mostly because each new group slowed down the loading of the home page even further.
Our pack has grown quite a bit over the past year. To make it easier to keep track of who is in attendance at our pack events, we use these attendance sheets. All the boys' names from the attendance are entered into an Excel spreadsheet which is then emailed out to all our leaders.
I posted a couple of weeks back wondering whether any Scouts could build one of Theo Jansen's walking creatures out of ropes and poles. As you can see in the video above, it has been done- be Shevet Hanasi in Tel Aviv.
I can't seem to get the vision of the Camp Director at Camp Baldwin as she talked to the Scoutmasters early one morning out of my head. Was it her appearance, could be, but I know it is all because of what she said.
I just finished reading Legacy of Honor by Alvin Townley. A parent in the troop let me read his copy. It's a fun book to read with lots of short stories to ponder. Mr. Townley spent many months interviewing Eagle Scouts across the country and compiling their stories into his book.
BSA Supply Group has a 2008 Uniform Guide pdf which outlines all the parts of official Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Venturer uniforms as well as adult male and female uniforms. For Webelos Scouts, Boy Scouts, and adult leaders, the new Centennial Uniform is featured. Link (pdf) [ Via John H./Cub Scout Talk ]
Now I am not a big "Social page" guy on the internet... but I recently got turned on to Facebook. I suppose its like Myspace, but I hear it is a bit better, who knows, it all looks alike to me.
Dehydrated and freeze-dried foods are hard to beat for nutritional value, light weight and ease of preparation. As I have mentioned before prepackaged meals are expensive and hit-or miss in the taste department. Harmony House Foods offers vegetables, fruits, textured vegetable protein (a soy based meat substitute) in small or large quantities so you can…
One of the official suggested Webelos activity badges for September is Communicator . Here are the requirements for the Communicator Webelos activity badge. Do seven of these: 1. Play the Body Language Game with your den. 2. Prepare and give a three-minute talk to your den on a subject of your choice.
