Posts in April 2009

E.R. - The Real Thing (opens in a new tab)

A Scoutmaster's Blog · archived copy

Last year, during one of our Boy Scout troop meetings, the whole troop ended up in the emergency room of our local hospital. Oh, don't worry. There were no serious injuries. Our theme for the month was first aid so our committee chairperson set up a tour of the hospital's emergency room and facilities.

Around The Scouting Campfire #4

A Scoutmaster's Blog ·

It is time for the fourth episode of Around The Scouting Campfire, a podcast about Boy Scouting with a bit of fun thrown in for good measure. Scoutmaster Steve and Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, have put together a full show for you.

Around The Scouting Campfire #4

Around The Scouting Campfire Podcast ·

Scoutmaster Steve and Buttons talk about fundraisers and a campfire song that does not go well. Then they listen to the summer camp staff sing the Ballad of Many Point before Buttons reads some feedback and introduces Michael, the Cub Scout. Finally, Steve tells us how to catch a greedy monkey. Share and Enjoy:

Tour Permits/MyScouting

BSA Innovation Engine ·

0 Vote On Idea Tour Permits Administration: After using the Search tool to look for a category (e.g. Submitted)and taking some action on the permit, the system reverts back to the listing of all tour permit applications for our council.

2009 Middle Tennessee Council Luncheon - Eagle Scout Speech Video

Scouting News ·

A motivational speech by Eagle Scout Daniel Wakefield, at the 2009 Middle Tennessee Council Boy Scout Luncheon.

Gov. Database

BSA Innovation Engine ·

3 Vote On Idea Findyouthinfo.gov has a database that has a program tool which provides you with information about program designs that successfully deal with risky behaviors. The Program Tool database contains risk factors, protective factors, and programs that have been evaluated and found to work.

Cyber Safety

BSA Innovation Engine ·

0 Vote On Idea Cyber Safety is a growing concern for children and adults alike. Internet child predators, child pornographers and other cyber criminals are exploiting children and engaging in online and various other forms of digital solicitation. Additionally, the security of personal information is critical to our safety and that of our children.

Ethics Merit Badge

BSA Innovation Engine ·

0 Vote On Idea The Boy Scout mission is "to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes." And while we educate Scouts in values via the Scout Law, nowhere in Boy Scout advancements do we offer the opportunity to explore what it means to "Be Prepared" in the area of…

Camp Staff Knot for Adults

BSA Innovation Engine ·

-1 Vote On Idea Have a new knot award for folks that have served on summer camp staff...maybe make it 3 tiered like the commissioner service knots: A Bachelor, masters, and Doctorate of summer camp science. I think it will be a good way to retain quality staff members for longer, and maybe recruit some…

Elect or Appoint? (opens in a new tab)

Scoutmaster Musings ·

I was asked if "electing" a Senior Patrol Leader and Patrol Leaders was a rule, or if a Scoutmaster could just appoint them. On page 13 of my 2001 Scoutmaster Handbook, it says " ... the senior patrol leader. He is elected by all members of the troop."

Tetanus shot? (opens in a new tab)

ScoutSigns ·

This is a picture of tetanus, in an advanced stage. Tetanus is not funny. Around the world it is preventable cause of death. Adults 50 and over (Scouters!) will account for 70% of all cases. Are you prepared for summer camp? Read more . H/T: sectionhiker.com

Girl Scout Gold Award Recipient Knot

BSA Innovation Engine ·

3 Vote On Idea It's been suggested in a couple of the Venturing threads, but not as a seperate idea for individual consideration. Yes, you can order a black market knot to recognize this accomplishment, but I would like to see this added as an officially recognized knot. Comments (0) Miscellaneous (2)

An Hour A Week? #180

An Hour A Week? ·

#180-So Let It Be Written… Scout Shabbat, rumor of BSA website for units, Blue & Gold, Second Life, dodgeball, executive pay, and Friends of Scouting. Links: Scouts molding future leaders - Tru County Leader- http://ow.ly/1b97

Arrowmen in Action (opens in a new tab)

Scouting Maniac ·

Arrowmen in Action: Blazing a Path Most Arrowmen love to spend time hiking trails through the backcountry. But for Charlie Morgan, nothing is more fun than spending a day working on those trails. Charlie-an Eagle Scout and Brotherhood member of Occoneeche Lodge in North Carolina-devotes a good portion of his time to trail maintenance with…

Room Full of Eagles (opens in a new tab)

Scoutmaster Musings ·

Northern Star Council holds a "Gathering of Eagles" each year - an evening for all Eagle Scouts to get together and recognize a few special people. Not being an eagle myself, I've never been to this event but last night I got to attend.

Canoeing With Electric Fences

A Scoutmaster's Blog ·

The Sauk River runs through the city of Melrose, the home of Boy Scout Troop 68. This river nearly cuts the city in half. It is not very large. In fact, A teenager could through a football across most portions of the river.

District Committee Assessment Tool

BSA Innovation Engine ·

3 Vote On Idea I understand that there is an assessment tool for prospective council board members, to help match their talents with specific positions. How about creating a tool designed to help volunteers find which district committee they would fit best in and enjoy working with.

The Leader's Campfire #63

The Leader's Campfire Podcast ·

#63-Boy Scout Committee We cover the makeup of the Boy Scout Committee. We also reveal our contest winners and the answers to our trivia questions. Tonight's show sponsored by Badge Magic Share and Enjoy:

Scouting in the News: April 17, 2009

Bryan on Scouting / On Scouting ·

Great Scouting stories are just waiting to be told. Newspapers and other media outlets across the country are catching on. Check out these recent highlights: Ben Singer, a 14-year-old Life Scout from Fresno, Calif., has some advice for his fellow Scouts: "Pay attention in First Aid class."

Poison Prevention Merit Badge

BSA Innovation Engine ·

-12 Vote On Idea There is a group of dedicated Scouters who were working with Richard Bourlon to create a Poison Prevention Merit Badge, from Tampa General Hospital, in Tampa Florida. They have created the verbiage, pictures, written format, and organized pages as found in exisiting merit badge books.

Arrowmen in Action: Stepping Up To Help No One Else Did

Scouting News ·

Back in February we started pointing out a great feature in the NOAC Update Newsletters called "Arrowmen in Action". Past Arrowmen in Action Stories - Building houses in Mexico - New Hampshire House of Representatives - Runs an EMS Service The latest Arrowmen in Action, showcases an Arrowmen who jumped to action at an accident scene when no…

Scout Stuff Sale (opens in a new tab)

Scouting Maniac ·

There is a upcoming sale worth mentioning. It is a sale that will let you mix and match classic uniform parts while supplies still last, so if you need classic uniform items, get them before they run out. This sale will be on May 1.

Earth Hour Report (opens in a new tab)

Scouting Maniac ·

Scouts officially present Earth Hour results on behalf of world youth Scouts around the world switched off for Earth Hour on the 28th of March 2009 in a worldwide demonstration of a commitment to take action for the environment. Scouts in at least 44 countries participated in Earth Hour, engaging with their family, friends, classmates…

Connecticut Yankee Council Good Scout Award Banquet

Scouting News ·

Bob Macklin, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Milford Bank, and Robert "Bob" Scukas, Owner and President of Heritage Electrical Contractors, will receive the Milford/Orange Good Scout Award at a luncheon in their honor on Tuesday, May 5th, 2009 at Costa Azzurra Restaurant in Milford.

The Twerp Who Would Become Scoutmaster

A Scoutmaster's Blog ·

He was a small tenth grader. Many of the eighth graders were as big or bigger then he was. When he received his drivers license at 16 years old he was 5'-2" and weighed only 88 pounds. He was the weak skinny kid who would get pinned during wrestling in phy ed in less then…

A Scout Is Different - A Great Speech

A Scoutmaster's Blog ·

I have recently been guided to watch a video placed on Youtube by the Middle Tennessee Council - Boy Scouts of America. The council recently held its 17th Annual Patron Luncheon. One of the speakers at that luncheon was Eagle Scout Daniel Wakefield.

Section W2S OA Conclave April 24-26

Scouting News ·

Hundreds of Boy Scouts who have been elected to the honor society of scouting, are planning to attend a weekend of training classes, competitions, and games at the Davis County Fairgrounds April 24 - 26. Scouts who are members were elected to the Order of the Arrow are able to register to participate in the exciting…

Supporting Assessors - Project Team Member Recruitment

ScoutBaseUK ·

The Project Leader for Supporting Assessors within Activities is looking to recruit a volunteer project team to assist him with the delivery of his project. The role involves; delivering and supporting workshops for activity assessors and Nights Away Advisers, developing resources to support others in the delivery of assessor / NAA workshops, and looking at how…

Parents Talk About Scouting (opens in a new tab)

Scoutmaster Clarke Green · archived copy

Before you read any further please promise not to comment on this post as if I personally made any of the comments below. Promise? Okay, then read on. The comments listed here are responses to a question posted on an online parents forum: One of my brothers kids is now a Boy Scout.

A Busy Saturday (opens in a new tab)

From the Committee Chair ·

Wakeup came early on Saturday. I was up at 6:30am, getting ready for the final day of our big fundraising event … mulch delivery. Sales were up this year, with quite a few repeat customers. I arrived at the church to meet the rest of the Troop at 7:45 and we quickly got under way loading…

Needing More Boy Scouts

A Scoutmaster's Blog ·

During lunch today I read an article that was linked in an email to the Boy-Scout-Talk Yahoo group. It was a link to an article written by Rebecca Hagelin titled simply "Boy Scouts". Here is a small portion of the article: " Turn on the television for 30 minutes and show me how boys and men…

What Scouting is all about (opens in a new tab)

Scouting Maniac ·

Normally I try to steer clear of Scout articles that come from news sources or other public sources that are highly political in nature because of the fact that even though a Scout is suppose to be patriotic I do not believe that scouts and politics should mix together.

SPL SOP Update Two (opens in a new tab)

Scouting Maniac ·

Okay I know that I said that I would have had this document about how a SPL should do his job completed but unfortunately due to life and how everything is going I have not had the time to finish the document.

Interamerican Rgion WOSM News (opens in a new tab)

Scouting Maniac ·

Scouts of Peru in the time of the Planet Brought together about 500 people, a group of scouts from the Peruvian city of Lima held the "March of the Light", a day that I seek to draw attention from neighbors and businesses about the importance of saving energy for the good of the planet and…

A lesson in liquids

Bryan on Scouting / On Scouting ·

Wherever you read Cracker Barrel-at your office (we won't tell your boss) or in front of the home PC-you're probably not thirsty. You can find plenty of water nearby. But even if you're not thinking about dehydration now, it's a danger that could harm you later.

Discover The Adventure

A Scoutmaster's Blog ·

That is the slogan Boy Scout Troop 68 will be using during a spring recruitment drive to be held on Saturday, May 9th. The Boy Scouts, troop leadership, and committee are planning an afternoon of fun at the city park to introduce new boys and their parents to the adventure of Scouting.

Pioneered sculptures on the 49th floor (opens in a new tab)

Ropes and Poles ·

Dor Posner has reported on some enormous Scouting structure before (like these ), and has been busy again, this time to celebrate the 90th year of Scouting in Israel, and the centenary of the founding of the city of Tel Aviv: 40 scouts (ages 16-18) built a model of the land of Israel on the roof…

NSJ 2010 Bulletin (opens in a new tab)

Scouting Maniac ·

April-May 2009 Bulletin Council Checklist: Where Do You Stand? Should Be Done: Start monthly committee meetings Complete selection of troop leaders (include in monthly committee meetings) Transportation and tour arrangements confirmed District jamboree promotion rallies (jamboree troop leaders promote and conduct) In Progress: Promote jamboree at all council events Promote jamboree at all district events…

Double Your Troop? (opens in a new tab)

Scoutmaster Clarke Green · archived copy

The current question at Scouting Magazine’s Front Line Stuff How Would You Manage Rapid Growth in Your Troop? Over the past few years our troop has doubled in size due to good programming and good promotion by our committee chair.

Knot of the Week: Scoutmaster/Venturing Advisor Award of Merit

Bryan on Scouting / On Scouting ·

About a month ago we discussed in this space the National Eagle Scout Association. We were introducing you to the new NESA Life Membership Award . You remember, of course. What we didn't tell you then is that when NESA first started in 1972, another knot was available for leaders: the NESA Scoutmaster Award.

Turning the Corner (opens in a new tab)

Commissioner Keith Comments ·

Tonight I had the pleasure of presenting the Trained patches to a cub pack that is now 100% trained and this was special as getting the unit leaders to step up for training was a feat in itself. This unit's experience with the support from our District and Council staff had left a bitter taste…

An Hour A Week? #181

An Hour A Week? ·

#181-Round and Round A new Scouting blog, Online Climb On Safely & Trek Safely Training, an innovation update, Pack communication, Pack campouts, scholarships, and a (sad) Philmont update. Links: Meet Rick Bragga- http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2009/04/scouter-spotlight-meet-rick-bragga.html Newsletter Templates- http://www.scouting.org/CubScouts/resources/ BSA Publication Reference- http://scouting.org/filestore/xls/filemap.xls Tonight's show sponsored by Badge Magic

The Leader's Campfire #64

The Leader's Campfire Podcast ·

#64-Pack Committee Positions Tonight, we cover the Pack's Committee positions. What does your Pack do differently? Let us know what you think of the list. Share and Enjoy:

Boy Scouts Help Mission Viejo's Water Conservation Efforts

Scouting News ·

Armed with measuring devices and sunscreen, a group of Boy Scouts and volunteers, are helping the city gather field data from more than 175 water meters in town. The project is part of a proactive effort designed to conserve water and save the city money.

Name That Council: April 24, 2009

Bryan on Scouting / On Scouting ·

It's Friday, so how about a little fun? This week we're introducing Name That Council , a weekly game that tests your knowledge of council shoulder patches. The first CSP is above. As you can see, we've blurred out all of the relevant words.

Tour Permits/MyScouting

BSA Innovation Engine ·

11 Vote On Idea In Tour Permits Administration, can a column be added with the date of submittal? Comments (0) Technology (78)

Community Online Bulletin Boards

BSA Innovation Engine ·

8 Vote On Idea I like to make posts on Online Community Bulletin Boards about Join Scouting Night, or that it's never too late to Join Scouting, etc... I usually put it in the "parents" section, or the "school info" section with our office phone number.

T-shirt Swap at Jamboree

BSA Innovation Engine ·

7 Vote On Idea Create a T-shirt swap event at Jamboree. Inform Scouts in advance that it will be happening and suggest the bring several "extra" t-shirts from thier troop to swap (used is okay?). Kids love t-shirts from other locations!

First Assistant Scoutmaster Optional Position Code

BSA Innovation Engine ·

2 Vote On Idea Over my careers I have served many troops with numerous Assistant Scoutmasters. There are times it would be nice to know who is the second in command after the Scoutmaster. Can we develop a new position code for the First Assistant Scoutmaster as an optional leadership position for those troops who…

Weekly Patrol Box #15 (opens in a new tab)

ScoutSigns ·

I've spent a lot of time this week working with Scouters on the Internet. That is, helping them to get it . There are so many tools available to us to help make our jobs easier, yet I bet half of all Scouters don't even use email on a regular basis.

Insurance and Internet Re-Chartering

BSA Innovation Engine ·

-2 Vote On Idea Our council has been gradually making the transition to online re-chartering and a problem that we have run into is that when the site calculates the unit fees the total does not include their annual insurance fee.

Slight name Change

The Scoutmaster Minute ·

As you may see the sight is now.. www.thescoutmasterminute.net I have been fighting what seems to be tooth and nail with the domain host and finally just caved in and went a new route. Sometimes that is just the best course of action.

Boys are Boys

The Scoutmaster Minute ·

While on a recent Backpack trip with my Troop I had the opportunity to do something that I really love... Learn. Yes, I learned something about young men. The bottom line up front is that Boys are Boys. Let me explain.

SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE

The Scoutmaster Minute ·

Alvin Townley , author of Legacy of Honor has completed his second book. I was fortunate enough to be contacted and received an advanced copy (proof) and then a completed copy. Let me tell you that Alvin wrote a winner here.

WSJ 2011 Update One (opens in a new tab)

Scouting Maniac ·

BSA National Council has just recently released some new information regarding the 2011 World Scout Jamboree which is going to be held in Sweden. The recently just put a registration system up for the Jamboree. The registration system is similar to the online system used for the 2010 National Jamboree.

Scout Recognized by Governor Kaine, House of Delegates, and NASCAR

Scouting News ·

Eleven year old Forrest Taylor was returning home from shopping in February and saw one of a number of brush fires that started that day. He told his brother to stop the car and dialed 911, and Forrest and his brother and father got out and battled the flames with T-shirts.

Boys' Life Magazine Promotes Environmental Leadership With Sustainable Forestry Initiative(R) Forest Certification (opens in a new tab)

Scouting News · archived copy

Boys' Life magazine, the youth monthly published by the Boy Scouts of America, has become certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, an organization dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management. From the forest to BSA headquarters to the pressroom to the mailboxes of more than 1 million subscribers each month, Boys' Life adheres to a strict…