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For the Backpacking tip this week.. I want to share a recipe with you. Borrowed from http://blog.trailcooking.com/ , it is a great tasting, easy recipe that will warm you up while filling you up. Check out more recipes at this site.
After Meeting Review Well this meeting our SPL was absent from the meeting so our ASPL had to lead the meeting and I am please to say that the ASPL did a fairly good job, our Troop really does need to work out the kinks regarding how announcements are suppose to happen but other than…
Here's a great idea from The Trainers Corner blog: A game backpack is filled with games and various items for quick game ideas. As you can see from the picture, which has some of the contents of my backpack, there's a lot of things that can be turned into games.
The San Francisco Bay Area Council over the past two summers has invested $1,145,600 in capital improvements at their three camps. At Wente Scout Reservation these improvements have included new waterlines, the Wishbone shower house with flush toilets, renovation of the Handicraft building, replacement of ten tent platforms, building a new nature building and seating…
2 Vote On Idea I recently had 600 people needing various trainings in my district and training in two weeks. In order to email them their individual list of trainings needed I would have had to look up each of them in ScoutNET and write an email one at a time.
BSA National has announced a new plan that will feature standardized websites for all local councils . According to the December 3 press release, BSA has partnered with Sitecore Corporation and mindSHIFT Technologies Inc. for development of a Content Management System that will eventually operate across all BSA national and council websites.
What medicine works fast, cures the blues, lowers blood pressure and much more? What medicine can be found anywhere, can be shared with friends- you actually want to it to be addicting- and it's totally free? Laughter! Share a joke with your friends.
Last spring I went to Woodbadge, I thought about my ticket items for nearly a month between weekends. I have items that enhance me and ones that enhance the program. I'm not struggling with my ticket items but i'm not progressing really well either.
I've noticed a few of the items from Guyot Designs showing up on camping trips since we began using their Squishy Bowls last year. By the way, I really love my squishy bowl and it's holding up great! One of the coolest items (that I'd never buy for myself, so it would have to be…
11 Vote On Idea Many sports programs are beginning to offer leagues for preschool-aged children. While I don't agree that we should offer a full-blown Scouting program to preschoolers, I think we can not afford to ignore this market completely, as families are developing their activity involvement habits very early.
0 Vote On Idea For the 2008 Fall roundup we decided to give every new recruit an Estes Rocket (without engine). We promoted this through email, fall roundup training in August, and we purchased a full page in the local newspaper.
The most worth-while thing is to try to put happiness into the lives of others." ada Sir Robert Baden-Powell
3 Vote On Idea A great tool for managng your expenses and saving money that I learned from Charlie Rosser while at GNYC is something called the Fiscal Management Report. Essentially you lay out all of your accounts line by line in a spreadsheet and project for every line item where you think you will…
On December 3rd, 2008, Scouting News announced a contest to win a signed copy of We Are Americans, We Are Scouts , today we announce the winner! We Are Americans, We Are Scouts by David C. Scott highlights the words of Theodore Roosevelt that resonate with everything the Scouting movement stands for.
As with all the Webelos activity badges, the best resources for Handyman are the Webelos Handbook and the Webelos Leader Guide . Here are some other Handyman resources that may be helpful: Meritbadge.org Handyman Worksheet (pdf) SHAC Handyman Packet (pdf) [ via Buckeye ] Scouting the Net - Handyman Hendra's Handyman Packet (pdf) [ via MacScouter and scoutingthenet.com ] Pack 152…
Yesterday, Jerry over at The Scoutmaster Minute reminded us of the importance of Laughter! With that I would like to announce a new feature of Scouting News, the Friday Funny. Every Friday we will share a Scouting related joke with our readers.
1 Vote On Idea Put everything back in one (1) catalog. I just spent 15 minutes going through 3 catalogs trying to assist a volunteer and still could not find multi-digit unit numbers. I could not find unit numbers period!
0 Vote On Idea I think the new canvas pants are really nice looking. They seem to fit well and they are very popular. I have one suggestion. I hem them for our customers and the legs are not straight.
0 Vote On Idea The new catalogues are beautiful BUT, they just do not provide what we need. The volunteers and staff find it very difficult to find items they need. The old catalogues were a quick resource. And I find many volunteers come in the store looking for the old style catalogue.
0 Vote On Idea Please!!! Keep this site up todate. So many times I find something in the online Supply Line and try to order it and it is not on the web. Also when there is a "temp. discontinue" please post this on the website instead of taking the item off.
1 Vote On Idea Orlando's Corporate Dodgeball Tournament The Central Florida Council put together a highly successful dodgeball tournament fundraiser event on August 16, 2008. The sold out event raised over $40,000 for its first year. 64 dodgeball teams participated with 1,100 fans in attendance and over 4,000 fans watching the tournament live via an…
Announcing a Terrific Opportunity for Scouting Youth A Scout Is … has set up an essay contest that hopes to encourage scouts to look at their own lives and those of their fellow scouts. The essays focus on the living of the Scout Law and living Lives of Service.
1 Vote On Idea Early on when I got in my district I made a google map of my district that Included all of my Packs, Troops, Teams, and Crews meeting places, as well as Elementary Schools, School Admin Buildings, roundtable meeting places, etc...With troops getting one symbol, packs getting another, etc...For all of the…
Be always ready with your armor on, except when you are taking your rest at night." This statement from the Knights code in my opinion ties directly back to the Scout Motto which is "Be Prepared". When looking at the first part "Be Always ready" we can just replace Be Prepared and we still get…
If you have followed the blog for any length of time, you know a couple "Non Scouting" things about me. First, I am a huge Football fan, and second, I can't stand the way professional athletes throw their status around and set terrible examples.
ScoutingNews.Org reports that a memorial is being built in honor of the brave exhibition of scouting skills of so many and the tragic loss of life of four young scouts. In addition to paying homage to the boys, this fascinating article tells of the origin of the statue and it's symbolic details.
Over 190 youth from 18 high schools gathered at Tuolumne River Park in Stanislaus County on Nov. 15 for a service project. After four hours of intense work the youth had planted 20,000 grass plugs as well as shrubs and trees.
Here is the 2009 Scout Sunday participation patch ($1.49) available from BSA Supply Group. This is a very nice-looking dove-shaped emblem featuring a full color photo of a dove. Link Posted in CUB SCOUTS, Faith, Patches
1 Vote On Idea Some pros are asking for foreign language training. This is a waste of time and money in my opinion, I lived in Russia two years and now speak Russian. Our volunteers are a huge untapped resource to help us get into other language populations.
A week or so ago , I was asked to participate in a "Trivia Contest". This was a unique contest as it was to be part of a Scouting Podcast called The Leaders Campfire, hosted by Cubmaster Chris and his sidekick Scoutmaster Steve.
0 Vote On Idea There are way too many things that could be covered under the Technology tab in the innovation engine. It's hard to access and review the growing list. It should be subdivided. Comments (0) Category/Tags : Technology (71) Mark as duplicate
1 Vote On Idea I need to have an Excel spreadsheet of who is (and is not) trained at a unit level, with contact information (mailing address, phone number and email address) in order to selectively target those who need to be trained, so as to invite them to the next course.
In 1893, a bounty hunter named Ernest Thompson Seton journeyed to the untamed canyons of New Mexico on a mission to kill a dangerous outlaw. Feared by ranchers throughout the region, the outlaw wasn't a pistol-packing cowboy or train-robbing bandit.
One of the official suggested Webelos activity badges for July is Geologist . Here are the requirements for the Geologist Webelos activity badge : Do five of these: 1. Collect five geologic specimens that have important uses. 2. Rocks and minerals are used in metals, glass, jewelry, road-building products, and fertilizer.
There are different kinds of loyal. The most widely referred to is the loyalty of a dog. They'll fight to the end for us and protect us as best they can from danger. There is the loyal shopper who sticks with a brand.
Persevere and direct your energy towards your goals. If you do this and truly believe in what you're trying to achieve you will be given the power to succeed. Sometimes obstacles should be seen as a test - pass the test and overcome the obstacles and success will be in your grasp.
Tomorrow, December 16th is when our troop will have it's annual Christmas / Holiday / White Elephant event. Because our troop is diverse we have people who call our annual gift exchange a variety of different names. Whatever the individual family calls it, the boys all have a great time.
Nothing to profound just a simple request. We have had our first "Official" snow fall of the year, in fact as I sit and stare out of my window, the light dusting of Updates every 5 minutes...."THIS JUST IN... another snow flake has hit the ground"...
The Indian Waters Council is pleased to announce Mr. Douglas W. Stone was selected as their new Scout Executive. Mr. Stone started with the Council on Monday, December 1, 2008. Mr. Stone has been a Scouting professional for nearly 18 years and his most recent service was Director of Field Service for the Heart of…
BSA Supply Group now has official Pinewood Derby wheels and axles ($1.99/set) available in 5 colors : Black, Ragin' Red, Screamin' Yellow, Outrageous Orange, and Blazin' Blue. Pretty cool. Link Posted in CUB SCOUTS, Merchandise, Pinewood Derby
We are in the Cold Season and its time to dust off the snow shoes and pull out the poly pro underwear... get out there and go camping. There is nothing more exhilarating that challenging yourself in a harsh environment.
0 Vote On Idea We have sent personal e-mails to all the Eagles in the NESA list - both those currently living in our area and those who achieved their Eagle through our Council. The e-mail offered them our bi-weekly e-newsletter to reconnect them with Scouting activities.
1 Vote On Idea We used the NESA Eagle Directory, the accompanying CD ROM, and the council's excel database, to data mine 80 prospects from one district. We invited them to a Dec.1 alumni gathering, and had a lively event with 20 attending.
After the Scouting News We Are Americans, We Are Scouts Book contest was deemed a success , a few folks have asked for another one. Since its the holiday season and everyone is in a giving mood, why not? We will be giving away a Scouting for Adventure Season One DVD !
0 Vote On Idea The NFL has agreed to announce the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America ON AIR at the Super Bowl in Miami on Sunday, February 7, 2010, provided we get involved in promoting flag football.
0 Vote On Idea In our profession, we are expectd to quickly build relationships among many people from all walks of life. We are constantly meeting new people. If you are like me, often I meet someone and immediately forget their name.
-1 Vote On Idea I wondered if it would be possible to get a button on rechartering in ScoutNet that asks if you are sure you want to post yes, or no? Comments (0) Category/Tags : Applications & Registration (15) Mark as duplicate
0 Vote On Idea Recently the Innovation and Strategy Group conducted a survey to determine the level of interest in various high adventure activities. The survey was nationwide in scope and the respondents were 50.3% male and 49.7% female. Those responding to the survey were between the ages of 7 and 19 and lived, in…
0 Vote On Idea Recently the Innovation and Strategy Group conducted a survey to determine the level of interest in various high adventure activities. The survey was nationwide in scope and the respondents were 50.3% male and 49.7% female. Those responding to the survey were between the ages of 7 and 19 and lived, in…
0 Vote On Idea Recently the Innovation and Strategy Group conducted a survey to determine the level of interest in various high adventure activities. The survey was nationwide in scope and the respondents were 50.3% male and 49.7% female. Those responding to the survey were between the ages of 7 and 19 and lived, in…
-1 Vote On Idea Recently the Innovation and Strategy Group conducted a survey to determine the level of interest in various high adventure activities. The survey was nationwide in scope and the respondents were 50.3% male and 49.7% female. Those responding to the survey were between the ages of 7 and 19 and lived, in…
When we talk about being prepared and getting ready for treks and campouts, the newer scouts (and their parents) will sometimes ask HOW prepared scouts need to be, always in regards to gear and clothing. It's a great question and the answer depends on how much discomfort the scout is willing to endure.
I do not know if you have heard or not, but Christmas will be here next week. It is only ten days away. Boy, am I glad I have all my Christmas shopping done and all the gift wrapping completed.
0 Vote On Idea Each time I move after I change my address the post office sends me a confirmation/welcome letter filled with coupons and ads for various businesses. I understand that the Home Deport coupons likely help defray the cost of such mailings but I wonder if the BSA could leverage a deal with…
-2 Vote On Idea We've all seen the video or heard the phrase that goes something like 'We're not trying to steal your boys,' but I feel like some Scoutmasters need more coaxing. In my district I have a longtime leader who has erected such a wall even though he has an active 'Venture Patrol…
1 Vote On Idea Just as we require all of our leaders to abide by the Scout Oath and Law in order to set a good example for our young men I believe the time has come for the National Council to regulate its local councils when it comes to their environmental impact.
4 Vote On Idea Politics aside, Obama's campaign made a giant stride forward this year in terms of how he reinforced and solicited a connection from his constituents. One of the ways his campaign did this was by asking supporters to text their name to a certain number during mass gatherings.
Here are a few internet resources to help you find information about the 300-plus BSA local councils . Dave Hultberg is a Pennsylvania scouter who has put together an Excel spreadsheet listing all current and former BSA councils . It has the dates the council has been (or was) in existence as well as the current council…
0 Vote On Idea When looking up a Person in ScoutNet, why not iclude their membership ID # if they have established a MyScouting account. That way in Person Merge, we will know what ID should be picked to be the surviving ID. Comments (0) Category/Tags : Technology (77) Mark as duplicate
Hello fellow Scouters, If you are a Webelos II leader like me, cross-over is approaching and you are beginning to wind down your Cub Scout experience. Or maybe you're a Cubmaster or committee member and your son is about to graduate from the Cub Scout program.
2 Vote On Idea To help in the preparation of our Boy, Varsity, or Venture Scouts as they enter the job market, perhaps we should consider a requirement to review and practice interviewing skills. As a parent, it has become clear that our schools do not do a fantastic job of working with the kids…
2 Vote On Idea Allow ADCs DCs and staff to post visit information on units that are within their service area. UCs will then be able to see contact that staff and their commissioner leadership has had with their units. Comments (1) Category/Tags : Technology (77) commissioners Mark as duplicate
Ok so I have gone over the roster. I know where everyone is. I have talked to the current leaders and know who wants to keep on, who is going to try something new, and who is just moving on.
For over twenty years the Boy Scouts of Troop 68 have held a Christmas Party. Our community is predominately Christian, and all of our Scouts during the years have been Christian, so it was no problem adding this to our yearly program.
It is easy to say that adults are important in scouting. That's obvious. Without us, the boys couldn't get to campouts. There's way more though. Adult volunteers serve their troops as leaders, drivers, mentors, merit badge counselors, chaperons, guides, and emotional counselors.
0 Vote On Idea Please work to upgrade our system to work with Internet Explorer 7. Comments (1) Category/Tags : Technology (78) Mark as duplicate
A baker's dozen of scouts visited with seniors at a local assisted care facility this past week. What a great time for generations to interact, fulfilling the 'Associate with Adults' method of Scouting. The scouts and seniors played bingo and chatted for about 90 minutes.
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When I was a kid, I thought mazes (and puzzles in general) were really cool. So January's " A-MAZE-ing Games " theme brings back some fond memories for me. If you would like to make some mazes for a January den meeting, here are some websites that allow you to create computer-generated mazes for free .
As Christmas approaches I have tried to find a new Boy Scout related Christmas story for you to read. There does not seem to be very many of them, which is not too surprising. But I did find one for you, thanks to the Cumberland Times of West Virginia.
0 Vote On Idea Golden Eagle Dinner Community Event Fund Raising Best Practice The Okefenokee Area Council, located in Southeast Georgia, conducts its Community FOS Campaign early with the end of April as an annual completion goal. The Community FOS Campaign is based on several events called "Golden Eagle Dinners".
0 Vote On Idea How does MyBSA calculate retention? It's been a mystery to explain to volunteers. Do folks that move to a new community count against the percentage? How about youth that "age out" of the program? I suspect that in some cases folks might not want to serve a Scout Reach or some…
2 Vote On Idea Why does someone make the decision to make the membership year longer that it really is? I can see why in the old days you needed a couple extra days when someone had to mail the membership to the National Office by Pony Express but we can now see what it…
Hat Tip: BoyandGirlScouts.com: Jostens Enters Eagle Ring Battle Jostens will now help Eagle Scouts® celebrate and recognize their significant achievement with customized and personalized rings under license from the Boy Scouts of America®. Eagle Scout is the highest rank that can be achieved as a Boy Scout and only 5% of all Scouts have attained…
6th Interamerican Scout Summit When: February 27 to February 28 2009 Where: Hotel Dorado Plaza Cartagena de Indias, Colombia Description: All executive Directors, National Chief Scouts of the Scout Associations of our Region, and all Regional Scout authorities are invited to this location to discuss and implement various regional and NSO initiatives that are csondiered…
Defend the poor and help them that cannot defend themselves" This is next part to the Knights Code and I think this fits very well with the Scout Law word of Help and the Scout Slogan which is "Do A Good Turn Daily".
Here's the perfect item to add to your troop's equipment list if you do any backpacking, hiking, canoeing, or other high adventure activities - well that should be ALL of you, right? It's the SPOT Messenger satellite tracker and emergency beacon.
Do nothing to hurt or offend anyone else" Hurting and offending others is just a wrong and hateful thing to do. Yes it is much easier to be hateful and rude but you shouldn't as a Scout because you are held to a higher standard of ethical and moral behavior.
By the way, I did not write this. It was written by Sam Bogan. I do not know if this is a true story or a fictional one, but to tell the truth, it really does not matter. The Christmas Scout In spite of the fun and laughter, 13 yr.
Every boy likes snow on Christmas Day, but there is such a thing as too much of it. Henry Ives, alone in the long railroad coach, stared out of the clouded windows at the whirling mass of snow with feelings of dismay.
To his delight he got along without the slightest difficulty although he strode with great care. He gained the level and in ten minutes found himself on the top of the hill, where he could see miles and miles of rolling prairie.
Now I want something to stretch on these things, so as to let the sled ride over the snow, instead of digging into it," he said to the girl. She brought him her father's old "slicker." Henry cut it into suitable shape and nailed and lashed it securely to the runners and to the table…
He opened the bag and brought out three stockings, one for each of his guests. He fastened them to the baggage racks above the seats and watched the two boys contentedly close their eyes and go to sleep. "They will be awfully disappointed when they wake up in the morning and do not find anything…
Got an email and a comment posted to the blog from a reader that has a great site on winter camping. Please check the site out at http://www.wintercampers.com/ . Some real good stuff there. Thanks Jim for the info about the site. Have a Great Scouting Day!
How many times have you chuckled when you heard someone tell a new scouting parent that? Everytime I hear it, I follow it with, "per scout". Whomever started the illusion (or is it dilusion?) that scout leadership can be done in one hour per week had a very slow watch but that's ok.
Hello fellow scouters, Here's a great idea for a snowman Christmas ornament that can be made by your scouts. This would work well for a den meeting craft, pack meeting activity, or even a last-minute Christmas gift! We had our den Christmas party this week, and the mom hosting the event brought this craft, and…
Troop 150, located in the Village of Deerfield, Illinois is celebrating its 50th Anniversary. Troop 150, chartered by the Zion Lutheran Church in Deerfeild, was chartered in 1958 by Vern Swanson, and is part of the Northeast Illinois Council, Boy Scouts of America.
The February 2009 Cub Scout Monthly Theme is " American ABC's ." Here is the official BSA theme description: " Take a personalized tour of the USA by the letters: Austin, Baton Rouge and Cambridge to Xenia, York and Zion. Our country contains an endless variety of scenic and historic places .
The National Council Boy Scouts of America has made available another great supplemental training module: Leave No Trace: Preserving the Beauty and Maintaining Our Access to the Land If you haven't checked out the supplemental training modules section of the National Council's website you are missing some great opportunities: Disc Golf in Support of Scouting…
This year Iwas in the mood to have more Christmas spirit. So how do I get and show more Christmas spirit? I thought to myself. I finally decided aftera trip to Party City, I must get a Santa hat. I have seen 100 different regular red and white Santa hats, verying from a 1.50 to…
I was asked which patches, medals, and awards from a Cub Scout uniform can be displayed on a Boy Scout uniform. Here's my list - any additions or deletions? Council shoulder patch Patrol patch - if same one for patrol as for Webelos den Numerals - if troop is same as pack numerals US Flag World Crest badge…
3 Vote On Idea The advancement system should be set up to check with registration to make sure all boys are registered with the local council. There should be an alert that comes up in advancement that tells the unit that the scout is not registered with the council and should be as soon as…
THE COSTS OF SCOUTING Make no mistake about it, Scouting can be expensive. When you consider the costs of a uniform, patches, personal items, camping equipment, dues, travel, costumes (for skits, OA Indian dance regalia, special uniforming, etc.), not to mention monthly camping and outing costs, the money spent for Scouting can add up in…
The Boy Scouts of America has released a new Annual Health and Medical Record , a new one stop medical record for your use. This new form will replace the former Class 1, 2, and 3 forms, which will be phased out during 2009.
2 Vote On Idea I was talking to a volunteer today about why his charter was so late. He said it was because he was having a hard time getting his people to complete their application. He told me that he works in a bank, and that people can complete applications, for all kinds of…
As with all the Webelos activity badges, the best resources for Geologist are the Webelos Handbook and the Webelos Leader Guide . Here are some other Geologist resources that may be helpful: Meritbadge.org Geologist Worksheet (pdf) SHAC Geologist Packet (pdf) [ via Buckeye ] Scouting the Net - Geologist Hendra's Geologist Packet (pdf) [ via MacScouter and scoutingthenet.com ] Pack 152…
Len of Pack 15 recently sent out a mailing to those of us in the Yahoo "Cub Scout Talk" group that included a couple of poems about Pinewood derbies. I thought they were pretty good and thought you might enjoy reading them.
4 Vote On Idea We could use a National teleconference forum to address many areas and topics on the Innovation Engine. This could also be used as a tutoring service to help with best practices and new technology. Prior to working for the BSA I was a Field Consultant/District Manager for a Top-25 retailer in…
Welcome to Friday Funny! Every Friday, Scouting News will share a Scouting related joke with our readers. Hopefully you find it just as funny as we did! An Eagle Scout, a Star Scout, and a Tenderfoot Scout get lost in the woods.
1 Vote On Idea I suggest we do like other companies have done for years. I notice that the BSA world stops when someone who has signature authority is on vacation, out of town, sick. No one has authority to sit in for them while they are gone, to make decisions for them, to sign…
