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The troop did a real cool thing last night, taking advantage of a great sale at the scout shop. Using TroopKit.com as our event and meeting planner, the SPL set up a Moccasin Making Meeting . Scouts signed up for the moccasin size they wanted to make.
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Are you a Boy Scout? Would you like to do something different this year, the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America? How about earning a merit badge from the early days of Scouting that have been off the books for years?
20 Vote On Idea Being a mother of a young son, I know first hand that when you go to any restaurant, they give your kid a coloring page as a menu. Could the BSA possibly get in contact with one of the more popular breakfast, lunch, and dinner restaurants (IHOP, Denny's)??
This weeks merit badge is one of the most important subjects to have good knowledge about to succeed in the great outdoors. This is the Camping merit badge. This is an Eagle required badge. Here are the Requirements: Show that you know first aid for and how to prevent injuries or illnesses that could occur…
The time has come to announce the winner of the $25.00 Coleman gift card. (Drum roll please...) The winner is Kevin, known as scoutdude on Twitter. Congratulations Kevin. I will need you to write me with your address so that Coleman can mail the gift card to you.
Last week, we showed you a video of Adventure Base 100's first stop in Pasadena, Calif. Now it's time for another look inside the base with Eagle Scout and Survivor contestant Burton Roberts . In the video above, introduced by Roberts and narrated by Scouts from across the country, you'll get a closer look at the…
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Unlike the previous 2 stops of the AB100 tour this stop in Las Vegas Nevada will be held in conjunction with a event called Scout Quest. If you need a complete description of AB100 activities and what is available please click here.
A new partnership has formed between Dale Coyne Racing and the Boy Scouts of America. The Deal is that Dale Coyne Racing will use a Boy Scout themed Race Car in Indy Racing Series. The car this year along will be feature in 17 different races.
Four old-time merit badges are being resurrected for the BSA Centennial celebration. In 2010 ONLY, scouts can earn Carpentry, Pathfinding, Signaling, and Tracking - the last three being dormant since the 1950s! Of all the planned hoopla, I think this is about the coolest - not many scouts will be able to show off these few patches.
The Adventure Base 100 nationwide tour is just a few weeks old, but it's already creating lifelong memories across the country. The latest dispatch from AB 100 comes from sunny San Diego, home of a great zoo and even greater weather.
The Flaming Arrow Scout Reservation is a Boy Scout camp located just outside of Lake Wales, Florida. It serves as the largest camping and training facility owned and operated by Gulf Ridge Council. The camp's 1,200 acres are used by Boy Scouts, Boy Scout Troops, the Order of the Arrow, and many other organizations to…
Late Early in Sept. 2009 Time to Carve: 3 hours? Finishing: 4 hours OK, I'm pumped now and looking for other patterns that I like. The first out of the group is the Carved Fist. This is my first attempt using Basswood... I like it! Finished it with shellac.
Early in Sept. 2009 Time to Carve: 3 hours? Wood: Basswood Finishing: 24 hours Old Zek seemed to go fine... I wonder if I could do the Old Vet pattern? (I thought) Well this proved to be a lot more challenging and not because of the facial features but I really had a time getting…
Early in Sept. 2009 Time to Carve: 3 hours? Finishing: 24 hours Basswood, basswood, basswood...Man do I love to work with this stuff. Old Zek presented me with one of my phobias when it comes to carving. I hate doing anything with a pattern using a face.
3 Vote On Idea Can there be a category in the Innovation Engine set up specifically for improvement suggestions at National Supply? It would be great to have a central area to share suggestions for new products, recommend product eliminations, make suggestions for improved communications between National Supply and the people who order and market…
Mid Sept. 2009 Time to Carve: 6 hours? Finishing: 48 hours No Stitches Ever do something you knew the second you did it you had made a mistake? Boy this came through loud and clear with this project. After a really rough day at work I began this project using a piece of pine.
2 Vote On Idea Since the "Summit" will be within driving distance of large population areas, offer intense weekend trek programs for local troops/boys/councils. We could give more experiences to our youth and make the base more profitable. For instance, the "Summit" could host weekend ski events (will there be a ski slope there?
Did you miss your chance to enter Scouting magazine's recent photo contest? We sympathize. So we're going to give you another chance to win recognition for your photographic prowess. We're talking about the Boy Scouts of America: Today photo contest.
It is time to join Scoutmaster Steve and Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, as they host another episode of Around The Scouting Campfire , a podcast for Scouts, adult leaders, and families. During this episode the guys talk about the new year and look back at 2009.
It is time to join Scoutmaster Steve and Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, as they host another episode of Around The Scouting Campfire , a podcast for Scouts, adult leaders, and families. During this episode the guys talk about the new year and look back at 2009.
2 Vote On Idea Training has moved to one of our top priorities and rightly so. So to help the process, could we not offer - in addition to our leader trainings - several modules helpful to the charter organizations? These could include (not in order of priority): 1.
Trailhead (formerly "News Briefs") in the January-February 2010 issue of Scouting magazine includes the following news stories of interest to Cub Scouters: Philmont Training Conferences; Local Council Approval No Longer Required New Cub Scout Belt Loops Link Nov-Dec 2009 Magazine News Briefs Posted in CUB SCOUTS, Training
Hello fellow Internet Scouts and Scouters. At the March Roundtable I have been volunteered to give the presentation. The theme for the month is Scouting On The Internet. I have tons of resources (podcasts, blogs, websites, twitter, etc). But am still looking for more.
There is a national photo contest going on in celebration of the upcoming Boy Scouts of America centennial. But this isn't just your normal national photo contest. Winners of this photo contest will actually have their entries printed in a new book to be published in October 2010.
1 Vote On Idea Conflict is normal between and among people. Conflict resolution helps build character and responsible citizens. This Merit Badge would allow scouts to learn practical skills on how to recognize it, different types, strategies, and how to resolve conflict.
1 Vote On Idea Learn about the application of science during investigations into accidents and crimes. Explore what an accident reconstruction expert does and how such a person could benefit a case in Court. Find out how the experts collect and maintain evidence, their role in investigations, and criteria for admissibility of evidence in Court.
The other day I got a comment on the post I made in February last year about International Scouting . As those of you who come by here often are aware, I am fascinated by the fact we're a worldwide movement and there are Scouts in virtually every country in the world.
1 Vote On Idea Over 7 billion lasers are found in homes and businesses today. Lasers are in devices used on a daily basis like DVD players, printers, video game consoles, power tools, security systems, bar code scanners, speed radars, and surgical devices.
-1 Vote On Idea See the world through the eyes of a miner! Learn about drilling, heavy equipment used in mining, and the minerals that are mined. Find out what minerals are in products you use every day. Learn how mining companies restore the land for future use after mining ends.
1 Vote On Idea Learn the complexity associated with the management of renewable natural resources. Understand how one eco-system impacts another and how you can change the environment by what you do. Learn how different industries and professions, like foresters and wildlife biologists, work together to maximize benefits for the environment and the economy.
1 Vote On Idea Learn the process of predicting how an action will influence other things. Systems thinking is a problem solving approach that looks at how changing one element influences other parts of the whole over time. Use tools, games, and activities to collaborate on solving real-world problems using a Systems Thinking approach.
2 Vote On Idea Add a leadership development component to each rank advancement. We currently have leadership opportunities, but do not have a lot of training. Each rank could focus on a different aspect of leadership: visioning or goal casting, conflict management, character of a leader, time-management, team communication, team development, etc.
3 Vote On Idea Discovering strengths is a big buzz topic. One of the things that we as an organization can best do to develop our youth is help them discover their natural strengths, manual talents and interests. Could we develop a course that explores this area and create a follow-up way to help guide…
This week's Patrol Box begins with a wash stand. I found this great image of a wash stand to share. Do any troop still build these things? or has this been swept off to the faint embers of memory? Many camp gadgets are still a great idea--and really help to reinforce knots and lashings.
Late in Sept. 2009 Time to Carve: 1 hours Metal work: 1.5 hours Finishing: 4 hours Gun (knife) shy but healed up, I decided to try something with a little less carving. I got to say the Brass Pipe Tomahawk pattern really caught my eye.
We're still learning the full extent of the devastation caused by Tuesday's earthquake in Haiti, but we do know one thing: the people of Haiti need the world's help to recover from this tragedy. We're sure that many of you in the Scouting community have already stepped up, but if you're still looking for the…
It is funny that the first response is from the Scouter that gave me the idea for the post in the first place. While March is some time away I needed to start thinking about that Roundtable presentation. Between now and then I have 3 classes to teach at University of Scouting, WoodBadge Staff meetings…
Late in Sept. 2009 Time to Carve: 0 hours Metal work: 1.5 hours Finishing: 1 hours Coming off a personal victory with the Brass Pipe Tomahawk, I decided to try another brass project (since I still had some brass left).
Early Oct. 2009 Time to Carve: 1 hours Metal work: 1.5 hours Finishing: 1.5 hours OK I admit it ... I saved some bits of brass from the other projects. Back to the patterns I go to find another project that uses brass and there it is ...
Early in Oct. 2009 Time to Carve: 2 hours Finishing: 4 hours I'm tired of brass and trying to think of what to carve next. While in my son's room one morning, I notice some plastic Easter Island Heads he has on a shelf and I remember a pattern for a similar slide.
I am currently at an Apple store in Cribbs, so I thought I would take advantage of the free wifi and make a post. I am here with my good friend Jess, who use to have a blog but never posts on it anymore. Well, that is enough silliness, back to shopping. TTFN K
-1 Vote On Idea There's no better way to celebrate 100 years. Let's have a parade. We've all seen our favorite sports teams celebrate their championships with parades and celebrations. Now it's our time. So let's celebrate 100 yrs of Scouting by having a ticker tape parade down the Canyon of Heroes in NYC.
Mid Oct. 2009 Time to Carve: 3 hours Metal work: .5 hours Finishing: 2 hours My is really into Archery and I wanted to make him a slide about this great hobby. I was also asked by our committee chair if I would consider making a slide for a prize at the Scout meeting.
Mid Oct. 2009 Time to Carve: 3 hours Finishing: 2.5 hours Carved Eagle was my next project and I decided to try something new. I enlarged the drawing in the pattern so it would be the size of the slide.
Mid Oct. 2009 Time to Carve: 3 hours Finishing: 2 hours Back to poplar, after my experience with the Carved Eagle, for the Flying Mallard side. The body and wing are made with two different pieces of wood and the grain runs differently for each to take advantage of the strength.
Mid Oct. 2009 Time to Carve: 10 hours Finishing: 2 hours The Peachstone Monkey was one of the hardest slides I had made to date. I started to make this slide using a hardwood "egg" found at Michaels. This proved to be disastrous and almost made me give up on this slide.
Last weekend my council held our Gawasa winter camping training outdoor session at out council's cub scout camp. Gawasa is our council's okpik based winter camping training course that is open to youth and adults. The training is broken up into two sessions, an indoor session and an outdoor session.
Mid Oct. 2009 Time to Carve: 1 hours Finishing: 3 hours I saw this pattern in the packet I have and thought 'Wow I remember my old scout book had directions on how to build pack frames'. This would be a great addition to my slides.
End Oct. 2009 Time to Carve: 1 hours Finishing: 2.5 hours A two part slide, the African Masai Shield was easy to make and challenging to paint. The shield was made with a scrap piece of basswood and the spear is some left over 1/8th wooden dowel with a brass point.
End Oct. 2009 Time to Carve: 1 hours Gluing: 4 hours Finishing: .5 hours I liked making the block house because it was a change from what I have been doing so far. Behind the "logs" you see on the slide is a piece of pine that forms the base of the slide.
End Oct. 2009 Time to Carve: 1 hours Finishing: 2 hours Basswood was my choice for this one and it proved once again to be a good one for carving the details. Unfortunately, it was not a good choice for the loop and the back broke while I was carving the slide.
Amanda Vogt, former National Venturing President, wrote the following on January 16: ------------------- The Venturing Officer Association of the Greater St. Louis Area Council is proud to announce that the Fall Fun Rally has been designated as the first National Venturing Event.
A Tenderfoot has been trying to find time to complete his Second Class 5-mile hike requirement since September. With his involvement in sports, poor weather, and whatnot, we finally got it done yesterday. None of his buddies needed the requirement and he couldn't get any to join him, so it was him, his dad, and…
You have new friends. In Dece mber, our Venture Crew went to the Atlanta area and I had a great opportunity to introduce them to caching. The boys who went are all over this new activity. As always, the first hunt, they wonder if its like a snipe hunt, but as soon as they find…
6 Vote On Idea Is there any way that we can get a guide to safe scouting app for the iphone like you did with the new handbook. Comments (0) Technology
Every once in a while you need to check your compass and determine whether or not you are heading in the right direction, you need to detour a bit, or just confirm that all is well and you keep on hiking.
This weeks video is part two of a four part series of videos released by the BSA about the centennial of the Boy Scouts of America. Enjoy!
4 Vote On Idea I have had several Scoutmasters inquire if there is any possible way the Scoutmaster Handbook could be made available in a "pocket" version? The current edition is a bit cumbersome to have with you on campouts and other outings. Comments (0) Boy Scouting
West points cadets serve as the honor guard for sundays closing parade Our troop in Sunday's closing parade. Our troop attended the west point camporee last year in 2009 and we applied with hopes of getting in again this year but unfortunately we received an email from the Scoutmaster's Council at west point stating that…
End Oct. 2009 Time to Carve: 2.5 hours Finishing: 2 hours I was a little torn on making this one. On one hand this looks too much like a hand grenade (at a quick glance) for comfort. On the other hand ...
End Oct. 2009 Time to Carve: 1.5 hours Finishing: 2 hours I was using a large dowel for something else and had some left over. What can I do with this ... Totem Pole! Carving the basic shape of the heads didn't take much time but cutting the mouths now that is another story.
Early Nov. 2009 Time to Carve: 2.5 hours Finishing: 1.5 hours Carved from basswood the Old Oil Lamp kept me busy trying not to break the lamp handles. The filler cap was added after the lamp was carved and is nothing more than a round tooth pick glued into a hole I drilled.
Early Nov. 2009 Time to Carve: .5 hours Finishing: 2 hours Not much to carve here but an interesting slide just the same. The bow was a live branch from a maple tree that I stripped of the bark and bent ahead of time.
Mid Nov. I doubt there is anyone who is carved who hasn't at some point cut themselves. Now by this time I have had my share including one very bad cut a while ago. With this in mind I got an early birthday from my family...
Mid Nov. 2009 Time to Carve: 3 hours Finishing: 2.5 hours Another carving in basswood with unsual angles and places to hollow out. Painted with a textured (black stone) spray paint and then hand painted details with a small paint brush.
Mid Nov. 2009 Time to Carve: .5 hours Metal work: 1.5 Finishing: 2 hours One of the things I enjoy about making these slides is the many different methods used to create wonderful projects. This is one of those projects that I am just amazed with the simple methods used to make what looks like…
Mid Nov. 2009 Time to carve: 2 hours Finishing: 1.5 hours So simple and yet what a great looking slide! The pick is two pieces (handle and head) and the shovel is one piece. The loop is braided mason cord. I painted the piece with craft paint and coated with poly.
Empowered, autonomous and responsible youth leadership is the heart of Scouting. Our job as Scoutmasters is to maintain a safe environment where the youth leadership is free to function with full responsibility. To encourage , coach and mentor rather than manage, delegate and compel.
BSA Supply Group has available this new 2009 police station visit participation patch ($1.19). This could be a neat way to encourage boys to attend your den or pack's police station field trip . Link Posted in CUB SCOUTS, Field Trips, Patches
Ladies and Gentlmen, I am please to announced the location of the 4th of 40 stops around the country of AB100 or Adventure Base 100. The newest tool in the ever expanding tool box of the BSA to recruit and grow our membership ranks throughout 2010.
Mid Nov. 2009 Time to carve: 2 hours Finishing: 2 hours Somewhere in the back of my mind there is a special place for thoes B-movies I watched as a child. For all of you too young to have seen these make sure to rent "When Worlds Collide", "Plan 9 from Outer Space", or "Abbott…
Mid Nov. 2009 Time to carve: 2.5 hours Finishing: 1.5 hours A motor boat? Hmmmm...this looks intresting. The boat itself is carved from pine and the motor is made from poplar.
Early Dec. 2009 Time to carve: 2 hours Finishing: 2.5 hours An interesting project combining some tricky carving with a different kind of finish. The mutable levels integrate to form the knot of the pretzel. The slide has a yellow base coat, brown wash, and a coat of poly.
Like all Troops, at this point in time, we are actively recruiting those 2nd year Webelos. We have a Webelos Transition Chair, the former SM and other Volunteers all working with the Webelos. We had several campouts and one meeting a month dedicated to bring in Webelos and their families in and expose them to…
When I hike or hit the trail on a nice backpacking trip I always use trekking poles. They are great little tools that help climb hills, steady myself through rocky terrain, ease the load when descending and generally, they keep me balanced.
I've recently been bombarded with spam emails on my Scout Group's email account. Some of these have been particularly devious as they pretend to contain new settings for my email account. And one of these nearly caught me out! Now I'd like to think that I'm fairly savvy about these kind of things, but I…
Stephanie asks: I just became the Scoutmaster of my troop a couple of months ago, so needless to say I am very new at this. Our charter is having their Blue & Gold Banquet this coming week, along with the bridging ceremony.
A book? How would that look? End Nov. 2009 Time to carve: 2 hours Finishing: 2.5 hours Well, I carved this one out of poplar and when I was finished I hated to paint this one because it looked so good.
End Nov. 2009 Time to carve: 1.5 hours Leather work 1 hour Finishing 1 hour While it was an easy task to carve a quick axe the task of making a small leather sheath for the axe was something quite different.
End Nov. 2009 Time to Carve: 1 hour Leather work: 1.5 hours Finishing: 1.5 hours The base of the slide is pine with a 3/4 in hole drilled through it and painted white. The leather drum top and bottom is made from some thin leather sewed with some waxed thread.
Late Nov. 2009 Time to Carve: 2 hours Finishing: 2 Hours Yo, ho, hum and a bottle of...well in my case a bottle of Diet Coke. (I really should drink Coke before bed.) Carved in pine with a 1/4 inch dowel glued to the flag.
Late Nov. 2009 Time to carve: 2 hours Finishing: 1 hour Funny story about this slide. I carved it out of pine and gave it a couple of coats of gloss black paint. But when I went to attach the "coat hanger" slide back into the holes I drilled in the back of the slide…
In Show 48 I talk a little about an amazing weekend I recently spent with the Assistant Scoutmasters of my Troop. A Camp out spent on majestic Mt. Hood, with great friends. We learned a lot this weekend, and this show recaps the highlights of the weekend.
11 Vote On Idea While participating in an Eagle Ceremony rehearsal, the mother of two Eagle Scouts approached me with a concern with the design of the Eagle Scout Mother's Pin. Here are her comments... "As you can see...they all match until you get to the most important last one...the Eagle parent pin.
We already know what the BSA 100th Anniversary coin will look like . And now we know when we can get our hands on one (or several) of the 350,000 set to be minted in Philadelphia. The date to circle on your calendar?
Late Nov. 2009 Time to Carve: 1 hour Finishing: 1 hour Really an easy slide to carve and paint. (There is really not much more to say on this one.)
The BSA recently released four historic merit badges that were around when scouting was founded for scouts to earn during 2010. These merit badges will allow scouts to learn things that some of the first scouts learned. The requirements will be the same as the originals except were safety or social standards dictate otherwise.
BSA National has posted a statement calling on everyone who can to support ongoing humanitarian relief efforts following the January 12 Haiti earthquak e . The statement suggests making donations through the American Red Cross or via the World Organization of Scouting Movement website . Link Posted in CUB SCOUTS
The U.S. Mint has updated information about the 2010 Boy Scouts of America Centennial Commemorative Coin and updated the release date to March 23, 2010. Unfortunately all other details other than the 350,000 mintage limit are still to be determined.
#210-Daydream Believer Lots going on in the Scouting world lately! Some Scouting news, a new Pinewood Derby website, balancing Scouting and other parts of life, some Webelos discussion, and more feedback tonight. Links: Boy Scouts of America: Today Photo Contest!- http://bit.ly/8bydLS Official PWD Website- http://bit.ly/8tpkTg Take Me Fishing Website- http://bit.ly/8LJTiQ Tonight's show sponsored by The…
Most of us can recall being part of an unusually motivating and effective team or group when the dynamics of people, purpose and situation fell together in a particularly rewarding way. During my time as a Camp Director and Commissioner we very consciously built our staff on the principles enumerated below.
1 Vote On Idea The new Venturing pants are not a hit with Venturing youth and volunteers, in my neck of the woods anyway. The previous style was not a real hit either, with their angled back pockets that made you look like you had put them on backwards.
New Activity for All scouts
Early Dec. 2009 Time to carve: .5 Hours Finishing: 1 hour Well even less carving with this one (just notching the dowels) but the interesting part of this slide was stretching the piece of leather on the frame. After making the frame and cutting the leather to look like an animal hide, the sewing took…
New Game for All scouts
