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BSA Scout Troops, Packs, Crews and Teams are currently administered by separate committees under a chartering organization. (Chartering Organizations are the entity that 'owns' the unit such as a Church, Civic Organization or similar group). Scout Units, even under the same chartered organization, are required to have separate administrative infrastructure.
With all the recent good publicity that's been generated in the UK from Bear Grylls appointment as our next Chief Scout, it's been quite interesting to see the reactions generated. Looking at the forums on Escouts for example, the views from here in the UK are very positive (of course not everyone agrees, but why…
0 Vote On Idea I have been thinking that BSA needs a wellness program that encourages all employees to improve their fitness. This could be a great program and National could actually pay for it with all the savings in would see in medical cost reductions on an annual basis.
Requirement 8 of the Citizenship in the Nation merit badge asks boys to write a letter about an important issue to their U.S. congressperson. Just think of it. Thousands of Boy Scouts each year send these letters to elected officials who are probably too busy to care about a letter written by a boy working…
I got an email last night from one of the bloggers whose content is included on HalfEagle. It seems there maybe a problem with how HalfEagle checks your site for updated content. The problem? HalfEagle may be accessing your site far more often than necessary.
The June 2009 Cubcast from BSA National is available (free). Part 1 has ideas for den meetings and more utilizing the July " Be a Sport " theme. Part 2 has information on fall program planning and recruiting . Part 1 Part 2 [ Photo: Wikimedia.org ] Posted in Be a Sport, CUB SCOUTS, Games, Recruiting
A Scout Is.." by Todd Shaw Todd Shaw (Eagle Scout class of 1980) is writing a book based on the Scout law and the principles taught in Scouting. The goal of the book is to encourage Boy Scouts (both young & old) to apply the principles of Scouting to their life.
New Active Game for All scouts
I've been looking for some sort of fun memento for the troop. Something inexpensive that could be given away and might be held onto rather than tossed. I finally settled on creating a custom wooden nickel for the troop. My plan is to use these to promote the troop in a fun way: We hold…
Hello fellow Scouters, I am in the process of moving my RSS feeds to another service. If you subscribe to this blog via an RSS feed, can you update your subscription to read as follows: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/TheTrainersCornerBlog Please let me know if you have any troubles with this feed. Thanks! In Scouting, - Scouter Jeff
6 Vote On Idea ACE of Cakes - Chef Duffy could make the biggest cake to celebrate our 100th anniversary at the 2010 Jamboree. He has a TV show and is in Baltimore. Great publicity. Win Win for Ace of Cakes and the BSA. Comments (0) 100th Anniversary
An arrowhead-chipper might take all day; a hunter gets the job done in about 2 seconds. But each needs the other or they both go hungry. Which are you? Copyright - U.S. Scouting Service Project | Visit us at http://usscouts.org | News at http://usssp.blogspot.com
The Friday that I had been both dreading and excited about had arrived. It was time to go to the first weekend of Woodbadge training at Camp Stearns in central Minnesota. I was dreading it because I did not know if I would know anyone in attendance other than Paul, the culprit who signed me…
While shopping for a few graduation cards last weekend there was a Father's Day card that caught my eye that I just have to share with you. It features Snoopy, the Beagle Scout, and his trusty troop featuring Woodstock and his pals.
The details for the the 2010 National Scout Jamboree Emergency Preparedness award has be published on the bsajamboree.org website. The full information packet can be found the bsa jamboree website and then under the publications tab. This award was particularly designed for use by Jamboree Units Only.
This article from the New Your Times reports that children with ADHD benefited from short walks in natural settings. I wonder if there are even greater benefits to a weekend in the woods? A small study conducted at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign looked at how the environment influenced a child's concentration skills.
Ready for the next Name That Council challenge? If you recognize the area depicted in this week's patch, then don't delay in e-mailing us your guess . We want the council name, your name, your unit number, and your position within your unit.
0 Vote On Idea It's time to ban smoking on all BSA property and at all BSA events. Comments (1) Miscellaneous
The Northeastern Pennsylvania Boy Scout Council has recently launched an adventure video game based on its summer camp, Goose Pond Scout Reservation. The game, entitled "Goose Pond: A Timeless Adventure," is the first of its kind and runs on both Mac and PC computers with QuickTime.
6 Vote On Idea Let's pilot an alternative BSA Under Armour Field Uniform, as an alternative to the current uniform. This uniform will appeal to kids who represent a diverse, varied cross-section of America youth. This Field Uniform will have a look for today's 12 year old boy who may not want to be seen…
I recently had the opportunity to chat with Garrett Batty, the writer and director of the new film Scout Camp: The Movie , during a recording of the Leaders Campfire podcast. Garrett was nice enough to give us an hour and a half of his time.
It is important to remember that before any big adventure, one must be certain they are physically prepared for the tasks to follow. Simply said. Be prepared. This year's summer camp is going to involve a lot of fun. However, some of the scouts and leaders will need to do a little preparation.
Nine of us wanted to go canoeing, and we had three canoes. We piled in — three to a canoe — and headed out. We paddled past the calm inlet, and out into the Housatonic River to see what we might find.
Each day, Scouting magazine website features an Outdoor Tip of the Day . ( Link ) Here is the tip from June 12, 2009: " Never cook inside your tent : Fire , melted tent fabric , and carbon monoxide poisoning are all real risks." [ Bold added ] [ Photo: Flicker/lucdgbxl ] Posted in A Camping We Will Go, Camping, CUB SCOUTS, Safe Scouting
We gave you the whole weekend to figure out the council whose members wear the shoulder patch shown above. How did you do? Follow the jump to check your answer. There it is. The Steel City. Pittsburgh, Pa., and the Greater Pittsburgh Council .
In August 2008, the Boy Scouts of America introduced a new Boy Scout uniform to commemorate its upcoming 100th Anniversary. The material for new uniform broke new ground for the group — it had an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) rating of 40+.
9 Vote On Idea It would be very helpful if the adult emails would print on the unit rosters with the address and phone numbers. Currently you have to look the individual up in the system to get the email adress. Comments (0) Applications & Registration
The World Organization of Scout Movement [WOSM] honored The Kenya Scouts Association to host the 13th World Scout Moot from 27th July to 7th August 2010 on behalf of Africa Scout Region. The Fee for this event will be approximately $600 plus airfare.
The Rowallan National camp in situated in Nairobi city about 20 minutes drive from the Central Business District .This is where THE WORLD SCOUT BUREAU –AFRICA REGIONAL OFFICE, KENYA SCOUT ASSOCIATION HEAD QUARTERS and THE DEPORT (where we have team building activities being carried out) are located.
Moot participants will camp at the Kaiyaba Scouts Centre which is situated slightly before you reach Nyeri town. This is a three acre piece of land that can accommodate 1000 campers at any one given time It is one of the newest and most beautiful campsites in Kenya and participants who will chose here will…
Siaya Scout center is situated on 2 acre piece of land and is very suitable for camping .The place is next to the Municipals stadium and a police station, hence this makes it to be very safe .The hospitals nearby are Siaya District Hospital and Nyanza Provincial Hospital .You can easily access Lake Victoria From…
Machakos Scout camp is situated on a 10 acre piece of land .It has modern toilets and bathrooms and has a roof catchment natural rainwater .It is next to a prayer centre suitable for all religions .The security is perfect as it is next to a Administration police camp and because of the hilly terrain…
Mombasa city is the second largest city in Kenya and one of the Africa's major tourist destinations with some of the best beaches in the world. It is located in Kenya's Eastern coastline bordering the Indian Ocean. Mombasa is popular for its exotic beaches, diverse marine life, wild class hotels and friendly people.
As Scouts develop and grow they acquire skills and better their camping techniques. They learn through the Start, Stop, and Continue process and each and every camp out they get better and better. Right? Well, we would hope so. You all know that old adage, "You can lead a horse to water..."
A broken wrist, two flu victims, three scratchy throats, and less than 36 hours to go. But, I think we'll hobble along and make it ok. We're finally ready for our cross-country, week-long adventure to the Pacific Northwest and now we're bombarded with small calamities.
Our Troop had planned a canoe day trip down a local river last Saturday. Despite a rainy week Saturday looked like a fine one for a paddle. I had checked water levels and the river seemed to be back to normal after having been swollen by the weeks rains.
The August 2009 Cub Scout Monthly Theme is " Fun in the Sun ." Here is the official BSA theme description: "Let's go outside and have fun in the sun. Plan some outdoor activities this month that will encourage dens to meet and make preparations together for your pack event.
You don't mind if we toot our own horn for just a second, do you? Scouting magazine picked up two Distinguished Achievement awards over the weekend from the Association of Education Publishers . Our own John Clark, Scouting magazine's senior editor, won for his money-management article, " Shut Down the Parental ATM ," which appeared in our October…
Three Pearland Boy Scouts from BSA Troop 486 were awarded the rank of Eagle Scout in a Court of Honor ceremony conducted onboard the main deck of Battleship TEXAS. The Saturday, June 6 ceremony conferred the highest rank in Boy Scouts upon Jon-Michael Hensley, his brother Kirby Hensley, and Gavin Coulson.
I've blogged a few times about the way cool SPOT Messenger that our troop uses when we go camping. It's a one-way communication device to let people know where you are and to call for help in emergencies. The unit costs around $150 and an annual subscription is $100 and up, depending on the services…
As a movement we are very prone to stereotyping in people's minds. Some people still believe that Scouts dress in the traditional Baden Powell style (some do, but most don't), we are lying in wait to help old ladies cross the road (again nothing wrong there, see the BSA ad !)
The Otetiana and Finger Lakes councils of the Boy Scouts of America voted last night to merge, with the new council overseeing the five-county region of Monroe, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne, and Yates. The new council will maintain its current offices in both Rochester and Geneva.
This in itself is not a very unusual news item. Indeed we invested three new Scouts at the weekend on camp. However, our newest member won't be joining us every week as it is a bit far for him to travel!
A recent advisory from BSA National warns that any ceremonies (e.g., some Webelos graduation ceremonies ) that involve a flaming neckerchief are prohibited . As stated in the Guide to Safe Scouting and elsewhere: " The use of liquid fuels for starting any type of fire is prohibited ."
Scouting is universal. No matter where you go in the country, you'll see Scouts of every religion, race, and socioeconomic level. In honor of the BSA's desire to encourage development of Scouting programs in Hispanic communities, the ¡ Scouting… Vale La Pena!
I've just read the awful news that a Beaver Scout died last night while walking along a river in Suffolk with the rest of his Colony. There is no news on how this tragedy happened at the moment, and I will make no speculation or comment.
0 Vote On Idea I've received repeated requests from Council & District Commissioners to have the Online Recharter be available 90 days out instead of just 60 days. Their rationale is that they prefer to give out the recharter kits out 3 months in advance.
Hello fellow Scouters, I was fortunate to belong to a pack that spent a lot of time outdoors. We had around six outdoor activities a year, with 2 or 3 of them being pack campouts. And we would usually participate as a pack twice a year in council family campouts.
10 Vote On Idea In an effort to increase our Family FOS, we decided to share our unified story with our parents. We created a script for our presenters to use at Family presentations which shares how the donor's money is being used to improve the Scouting program at the Jersey Shore Council, make improvements…
9 Vote On Idea To kick-off our Friends of Scouting Campaign we host a free luncheon, Friends of Scouting Kick-Off Luncheon, in December. We invite all our Community, Leadership, and Family Donors (Units) to attend the event. If folks are unable to attend, we ask if they would consider making an investment and it will…
9 Vote On Idea To be able to maximize our revenue and minimize our expenses, the Jersey Shore Council uses an internal Fiscal Management Report which is reviewed once a month at a staff meeting. The report lists all the cost center, who is responsible for the cost center, what is budgeted, what is projected…
10 Vote On Idea The Jersey Shore Council has completely revamped its Product Sale (Popcorn). We have motivated our sales force, our Scouts, with additional prizes based on their sales in addition to their normal, created to Sales clubs ($500 and $750) were they will get recognized with a special CSP, a voucher to be…
0 Vote On Idea As we all strive for a healthier lifestyle, it would like to suggest that the vending machine downstairs offers healthier selections than the ones currently offered. Some suggestions: apples, bananas, nuts, yogurt, celery sticks, carrot sticks, cheese sticks, and beef jerky.
2 Vote On Idea It would be greatly appreciated by the parents I come in contact with every day if the Cub Scout uniform was a simple T-shirt. Besides the "wear factor", meaning a T-shirt is easier to care for, the expense of the traditional uniform is getting to be beyond many folks.
Wondering what the title means? The Sam Houston Area Council is promoting this very heavy. Those scout savvy may recognize this as the date for BSA's 100th. anniversary. The Council is planning a Council wide campout on this date at Texas World Speedway near College Station.
2 Vote On Idea It's not a big deal, but I know it really confuses a unit when they see a letter other than a "Y" or a "N" under the Boys Life column on rosters and recharters. Right now there are often "I" under that column.
DLTK's Crafts for Kids website has instructions on doing this "Sunny the Sunflower" craft which would probably be a fun project for your Tigers or Wolfs. The site has a template for the project. Theme: Fun in the Sun Link Posted in Crafts, CUB SCOUTS, Fun in the Sun
Here in Wisconsin, times seem to slow down quite a bit when it comes to activities. Why? I dunno. It may be due to folks just wanting to enjoy the sunshine and warmth, or because folks seem to go 100 MPH during the school year.
If you're seeking extra protection from the sun's harmful UV rays-and really, who isn't-listen up. What you wear is as important as the sunscreen you put on. And by wearing any of the items in the new Centennial uniform you'll help block out damaging rays.
2 Vote On Idea Often I have to print just one label or envelope for a cubmaster or scoutmaster. But, in order to do so I have to open the person's record, write down the address, open up Word, type the address, and print the label/envelope.
2 Vote On Idea I believe a lot of our issues could be solved if we teach volunteers how to identify, recruit and train other volunteers. Part of the process should include recognition/incentives (I know that we have a recruiter patch already-but the following idea goes a little further).
1 Vote On Idea If we're supposed to be turning out the best of the best as Eagle Scouts, can anyone tell me why Scholarship Merit Badge and Public Speaking Merit Badges are not required for Eagle rank? Scholarship goes without saying.
2 Vote On Idea It would be create if you could search through your incidents for the answer you got before. I look and there is no history under my incidents Comments (0) Technology
I have been a part of scouting for most of my life or should I say scouting has been a part of most of my life. Growing up in a family that has seen its share of scout leaders, both grandfathers and my father, we scout leaders, and an uncle that was a scout himself…
One of the things that i keep getting complaints about in my Troop is how the adult leaders are always nagging the youth leaders to get something done. I guess in part it is the adults fault because we should be reminding youth leaders of the jobs in more polite ways but after a while…
The one thing that matters is the effort. It continues, whereas the end to be attained is but an illusion of the climber, as he fares on and on from crest to crest; and once the goal is reached it has no meaning.
Arrowmen In Action: Living Life To The Fullest For many Arrowmen, giving back to the community means picking and completing one project or working closely with a few groups. But for Russell Harrison-an Eagle Scout and Arrowman from Colonneh Lodge in Houston, Texas-giving back means helping many groups with a variety of tasks both big…
This week we take Name That Council out to the high seas. The traditional-looking ship pictured is essentially your only clue. There's no skyline, well-known landmark, or state flag to assist you this week. If you think you know which council wears the patch pictured above, e-mail us with your choice along with your name…
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This week at least three Scout Camps report outbreaks of the H1N1 swine flu virus; In Asheville North Carolina Camp Daniel Boone Camp Daniel Boone workers will continue monitoring campers and staff throughout the summer after 47 people came down with symptoms of the H1N1 flu virus, or swine flu.
Hello fellow Scouters, I had a real positive response to my dutch oven dessert recipe, so I thought I'd share one more. Our Cub Scout den's favorite breakfast was a breakfast one-pot casserole. A portion of it was prepared at home, so it was easy to make at a campout.
2 Vote On Idea This is not a high priority item except for when you are the employee just hired and you have no checklist who to call to get set up correctly. A centralized tool with staff assigned for each process in place would help make sure the employee's transition is smooth.
1 Vote On Idea There are a number of people making suggestions for things they would like to see added to the unit roster list. I on the other hand find that many times I wish it had less. With Youth Protection concerns and Identity Theft becoming such prevalent issues today, our Council has had…
The Beavers and Cubs have spent this evening walking round Westport Lake to raise money for the animal charity the PDSA. Of course, there was a bit of concern doing this today in light of the tragedy on Tuesday, where a Beaver drowned in a river.
A payment reminder was recently sent out via email to those individuals who have applied to be on staff. If you haven't seen it, check your spam filters! Here are a few highlights: Payment Reminder: The second 2010 National Scout Jamboree payment in the amount of $400 per person is due on or before July…
Maybe that Scouter's blowin' his own trumpet about all the Scouting "hats" he wears and how important he is... but you'd better check to see if the valves are movin' before you start marchin' to the tune... Copyright - U.S. Scouting Service Project | Visit us at http://usscouts.org | News at http://usssp.blogspot.com
If you are here, and you are a male scout leader… Happy Father's Day. It includes all of you; whether or not you actually have a child. If you are an adult scout leader, and you are a male, you are a father to them all.
I'm in the process of sorting out some of my photographs so they are better organised and backed up in more then one place, which is always a sensible precaution. Doing this, I've come across some of the oldest digital photos I have of the Scout Group, so I've put them into our Gallery.
Today is Fathers day , ties will be given, maybe a new tool or handy gadget, a gift hand made by loving hands. Today we honor our fathers. Have a BBQ and be nice to dear old dad. I tend to look at fathers day this year from the prospective of the father.
I love this one. Our Founder truly was a man of vision and insight. "We only have a short time to live, so it is essential to do things that are worthwhile and to do them now." ~ Lord Robert Baden-Powell Have a Great Scouting Day!
This is Lightning Safety Week. Dangerous yet fascinating lightning demands respect and inspires reverence. Here are three important lightning safety resources and three interesting lightning phenomena: If you haven't already do complete the Weather Hazards training offered at MyScouting Lightning Safety Week Information from NOAA Summer is the peak season for one of the nation's…
BSA Supply Group's Spring/Summer 2009 catalog is now available. It appears that they have heeded some of the complaints about the small catalogs . At 52 pages , this one is twice as big as the Spring 2008 catalog . You can download the pdf here ( link ) or view the catalog online here ( link ).
OK, last week's Name That Council was tough. But you might have gotten it-if you looked closely at the most-prominent element of the patch (shown above). Follow the jump for the correct answer. That's it. The Yankee Clipper Council , based in Haverhill, Mass., about 40 miles north of Boston.
Boy Scouts from Coronado, Calif., received survival training from some of the Navy's best survival training instructors at the Warner Springs Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) training facility May 30-31. The Boy Scouts of Troop 806 got a glimpse into the wilderness survival training military members learn while at the survival course.
1 Vote On Idea There is a trend w/ companies adopting a "Green Friday" policy that would make sense for the BSA, too. For Green Friday, the company closes on selected Fridays throughout the year to conserve resources. During the designated Green Friday weeks, employees are expected to complete the week's work in four days.
8 Vote On Idea On-line tour permits have been a welcome addition, but why are leaders able to submit their tour permits without having Youth Protection and Hazardous Weather training? We get a lot of tour permits without this information and we are left to follow-up and resolve these issues immediately, because after all tour…
Yesterday was Father's Day. To be honest, I've often thought that it was nothing more than a ' Hallmark Holiday' ! This is because it doesn't seem to have any historical context, unlike Mother's Day, which is based on the Christian Church's Mothering Sunday (at least in the UK).
There is only a week left to register for the drawing to win dvd's or posters for Scout Camp: The Movie . You do need a Twitter account to enter. Details are found at http://tinyurl.com/kksp3z Subscribe to "A Scoutmaster's Blog" at http://www.blogger.com/feeds/28330606/posts/default
I have heard from several sources that Fast Tracks is being adopted as part of the official BSA Cub Scout program beginning with the 2010-2011 school year . My guess is there will be a public announcement in the not-too-distant future. Stay tuned. Posted in CUB SCOUTS, Fast Tracks
What's the best way to keep up with Scouting news, information, and tips on the go? That's easy. Load the BSA's official podcasts, audio or video files that you can download to listen to or watch, into your MP3 player.
-3 Vote On Idea Technology series merit badges . Also, make this a whole group, like the citizenship group. Scouting Heritage Merit Badge. Studying history of our organization will develop greater meaning and appreciation for those who are interested. Comments (0) Boy Scouting
6 Vote On Idea Training Completed/Training Not Completed Reports Yes, if these reports had email addresses we could more easily contact people et cetera. In addition, this could be one way of getting email addresses into the council system without having our people manually entering in data, which consumes so much valuable time.
Hello fellow Scouters, This past weekend, I made a cake with my son, who's enjoying his first year in Boy Scouts. We got a delicious Dr. Pepper and cake mix recipe from Scoutmaster Cleary , and since it had several ingredients my son loved (including his favorite soda), it was easy to talk him into making…
4 Vote On Idea I've noticed that there is a distinct lack of mention of Varsity program. Just here in the Ideas site alone there isn't a category for it. To my knowledge there hasn't been any recent literature or training to support it.
The July 2009 ( Be a Sport ) 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 activities and Tiger, Wolf, and Bear den meetings. Link (pdf) Posted in Be a Sport, CUB SCOUTS, Games
I've just come across an excellent site called Scouting Resources . This site is run by an Assistant Cub Leader from North East London and has LOADS of useful information and resources on it (hence the name). And while it has a UK slant, there is lots of stuff on there which will be of use…
Take a break from corralling your den full of energized 7- to 10-year-olds, and listen up. We know you work hard as a den leader, and we want give you a hint on how you can get your just rewards.
Boys are pragmatic vestiges of our hunter-gatherer past who see little reason to linger lovingly over the preparation or consumption of food. Left to themselves I believe they would gravitate towards gobbling down whatever fistful of uncooked food was most convenient.
11 Vote On Idea When entering/creating a new record for a leader (or youth) there is no field to enter the cell phone number on the screen. In order to add the cell phone number you must get to the point where you can 'maintain person' and then go through the steps needed to add…
The final of the three part series on Leave no Trace, Scoutmaster Jerry discusses the last three principles of Leave no Trace. Minimizing?campfire impact, Respecting Wildlife and being Considerate of others. I hope you have enjoyed this series on leave no trace and hope that it has inspired you to think about how you impact…
