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New Grace for All scouts
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January 2010
283 posts, oldest first.
Posts in January 2010
Choosing a Troop (opens in a new tab)
A recent email : My son and I are blessed to live in an area with a good deal of quality Troops nearby. We visited seven Troops, two of them twice for a total of nine visits. This was an invaluable experience and really allowed my son and I to get a great insight into the…
Locomotive (opens in a new tab)
Early to Mid Dec 2009 Time to carve: 5 hours Finishing: 2.5 After a couple of easy slides I tackled this on and boy was this a challenge. Now you would normally look at a project like this one and say 'that doesn't look that hard' well it is a lot more time consuming than…
Adventure Base 100, Vol. 3: Las Vegas, Nevada
Most people are drawn to Las Vegas for its glitzy hotels, casinos, and shops. But last weekend, a new Vegas hot spot stole some of the spotlight. That new entertainment venue was Adventure Base 100 , which is continuing its tour across America.
Scout Executives "Think Tank" Meeting
1 Vote On Idea From: Kenyon Sandy, Director of Field Service Northern New Jersey Council B.S.A., (201) 677-1000 x14 As a responsibility, the Area Directors should convene a Scout Executive (and perhaps their #2's) 'think tank' twice a year - perhaps in mid-May, as well as mid-November which forces council top professional leadership to get together…
Boy Scout YouTube Day - February 8th (opens in a new tab)
Unless you have been hiding in a cave somewhere you have probably heard that the Boy Scouts of America are celebrating their 100th anniversary this year. The United States of America Congress granted a charter to create the B.S.A. on February 8, 1910.
Larry Pritchard To Now Lead the National Scout Jamboree (opens in a new tab)
With the passing of John Alline , the Jamboree Division Director, the National Council appointed a new Jamboree Department Manager. Mr. Larry Pritchard, Scout Executive and Chief Executive Officer of the Seneca Waterways Council has been selected to fill this post.
Copper Foil (opens in a new tab)
Jan 2010 Time to carve:0 hours Metal Work: 1.5 hours Finishing: 1.5 hours Thin copper on a scrap piece of pine. The design is something call a Scout Knott which I printed out and glued to the copper. Taking a small blunt nail and tracing the design by taping the nail into the copper foil…
MSPP #80: Questions For Buttons
It has been nearly a year since Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, has been featured in a new video. He has been pretty busy with school, Scouting, and his podcast, Around The Scouting Campfire . He recently began to work on his Cinematography merit badge and decided to make a video in which he answers several…
'Boy Scouts of America: Today' National Photo Contest
As the Boy Scouts of America's members, alumni, and admirers prepare to celebrate the organization's 100th anniversary, they want to see what Scouting looks like in the communities across America. Anyone with a passion for photography is invited to submit photo entries for a new book, to be published in October 2010.
Webelos Woods 2010 (opens in a new tab)
It's Alive, it's alive, it's A L I V E!" to coin a phrase from Gene Wilder in "Young Frankenstein." I am very pleased to announce that the first annual Webelos Woods event will take place this coming Sept 11, 2010, which will replace the Webelos event held two years ago at the Bay Beach…
Announcement, Anouncement, Anouncements (opens in a new tab)
The following Leaders within the Voyageur District have been nominated for the National Scouters Hall of Fame: Roy La Pean, who currently serves as the Boy Scout Roundtable Commissioner (among other postions). Jerry Tilton, Scouter with 73 yrs. continuous experience in all facets of scouting. Wayne Gunville, Scoutmaster (retired). Keith Westergaard.
Bacon & Eggs (opens in a new tab)
Early Jan. 2010 Time to carve: 2 hours Finishing: 2 hours There is something about this slide (mmmmmm....Bacon) that I truly love. Carved from pine, it took a couple of tries to get the eggs and bacon right as I began to cut away the wood from the pan.
Speckled (rainbow) Trout (opens in a new tab)
Early Jan. 2010 Time to carve: 3 hours Finishing: 2 hours This is a one piece slide. Now what I mean by this is the loop is carved into the slide from the same piece of maple as used for the fish.
Giant Titanus Beetle (opens in a new tab)
Early Jan. 2010 Time to carve: 2.5 hours Finishing: 1.5 By far the largest slide in my collection measuring in at 6 inches from pincher to bottom (longer if you include the antennas). This slide has had mixed reactions. My son thinks this is "kwel" while my wife and daughter had the same reaction...
Tepee (opens in a new tab)
Mid Dec. 2009, Early Jan. 2010 Time to carve: 1.5 Finishing: 2.5 I must admit that I really didn't like this slide when I started it and that is why I let it sit for several weeks before I finished the slide.
Take Flight – Official Theme Description (opens in a new tab)
The March 2010 Cub Scout Monthly Theme is " Take Flight ". Here is the official BSA theme description: "The Wright Brothers had a lot of courage to accomplish their dream to fly . Air has power to push and pull objects so that they can fly.
Gaff the Sailor (opens in a new tab)
Early Jan. 2010 Time to Carve: 2 hours Finishing: 1.5 hours Faces, oh how I hate to do faces! Carved from poplar, I struggled with this one as I tried to get the face looking like the pattern. When I finished the carving I discovered that I messed up the cap and the mouth.
Hoosier Trails Council Scout Executive Announces Retirement (opens in a new tab)
Boy Scouts of America Hoosier Trails Council announces that CEO and Scout Executive Randy Brown will retire from the Council, effective January 31, 2010. The Hoosier Trails Council will hold a retirement party for Brown on January 30, from 2 – 5pm, at Seasons Lodge in Nashville, Ind.
Scouting Video of the Week – January 24, 2010 (opens in a new tab)
This week's video is part three in a four-part series on the history of the BSA. Enjoy!
Day Trip vs Camp Out
Members of our Crew got the scouts so interested in learning Geo Caching, and the fact camping plans for January kept getting moved around we opted for a day trip to Spring Creek Park. The Crew went out a week earlier and planted 5 caches for the scouts.
Painted Turtle (opens in a new tab)
Early Jan. 2010 Time to carve:1.5 hours Finishing: 2 hours An interesting slide to do because it is the underside of the painted turtle and not the top that is being displayed. In fact, I was asked by my wife why I was doing the underside and my son was quick to answer the question.
The Value, The Rightness, The Truth of the Work Itself. (opens in a new tab)
Do not depend on the hope of results. When you are doing the sort of work you have taken on, essentially an apostolic work, you may have to face the fact that your work will be apparently worthless and even achieve no result at all, if not perhaps results opposite to what you expect.
Thomas Merton - The Truth of the Work Itself. (opens in a new tab)
Do not depend on the hope of results. When you are doing the sort of work you have taken on, essentially an apostolic work, you may have to face the fact that your work will be apparently worthless and even achieve no result at all, if not perhaps results opposite to what you expect.
BSA Motorsports will get your guys revved up for Scouting (opens in a new tab)
At speeds that surpass 200 miles per hour, IndyCar racing offers fans nonstop thrills. So it's a natural fit with the Boy Scouts of America, an organization that's been serving up fast-paced adventure for 100 years. That's the idea behind this month's launch of BSA Motorsports.
Scoutmaster Podcast Number 1 (opens in a new tab)
Scoutmaster Podcast 1 So here it is folks. I hope that this proves useful. (Click on the player above to hear the podcast) I listen to a number of podcasts and 'read' audiobooks regularly so publishing a podcast that compliments the blog seems like a reasonable next step.
An Hour A Week? #211 (opens in a new tab)
#211-Five Years Dead If you're looking for Scouting tips, this episode is not for you! It's our five year anniversary and we talk about everything AHAW related, play the entire first show, have lots of laughs and explain some plans for the future.
The 'Cost' of Scouting (opens in a new tab)
It's that time of year, where after the annual Census has been completed, it's now time to pay up! For each Scout (& Beaver etc.) and Leader, the Group has to pay an amount to the District, which is then passed onto the County and finally the Scout Association at Gilwell.
Recruiting youth and young adults via Text Messaging.
2 Vote On Idea At the request of NER Director, Mr. Don McChesney, I am submitting an idea that I proposed at our Staff Planning Conference at Bear Creek Resort, PA. My idea was to include Text Messaging as a way to recruit new youth members.
Scouting Celebrations Across the Nation
The BSA centennial is just around the corner. While there are many celebrations at the national BSA level, such as the National Jamboree and National Hall of Leadership , there are plenty of other galas and events being planned separately. Since the centennial falls on a Monday, many are holding their celebrations the following weekend.
Two Dallas-area Boy Scouts get Heroism Award
You tell your Scouts to "Be Prepared" for anything, but would they know what to do when a model rocket flies off course and into the chest of one of their peers? Josh Raynes and Chris Rogers did. For their actions in saving the life of 16-year-old Connor McNeil, the boys received the Heroism Award…
Lincoln Log Cabin (opens in a new tab)
Early Jan. 2010 Time to carve: 2 hours Finishing 2 hours After making the block house, I was happy to see this log cabin had notched logs like I would have expected. Pine forms the base to glue the pieces and I used simple wood glue.
Little Stinker (opens in a new tab)
Mid Jan. 2010 Time to carve 1.5 hours Finishing 2 hours The name fits this slide in so many ways but more on that latter. The body, made from poplar, of this slide was an easy carve but the head called for a chestnut.
Pirate Cannon (opens in a new tab)
Mid Jan. 2010 Time to carve: 1.5 hours Finishing: 1.5 hours Another fun slide to make!. The cannon is made from a 5/8 inch dowel, as is the wheels, and the case of the cannon is from scrap poplar. The cross piece, that swivels under the brass fittings, is a 1/8 dowel glued in place…
2009 Produces Record Number of Eagle Scouts in Occoneechee Council
The Occoneechee Council of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has announced that a total of 414 young men earned their Eagle Scout Award in 2009. That is a nine percent increase over 2008's total of 380. Earning the rank of Eagle is Scouting's highest achievement.
Scout Uniform Day (opens in a new tab)
Scoutmaster Ben Dibble wrote to us with a splendid idea: Scout Uniform Day! February 8, 2010 The 100th Birthday of Scouting On February 8th join us in celebrating the 100th Birthday of Scouting. On that day we would like everyone to wear their Scout uniform.
Online forms
2 Vote On Idea With the invention of the modern day computer and the internet. We have alot of volunteers and professionals that need the simplest route for getting paperwork turned into the Council office. In a process to turn in Centennial Quality Unit and District commitment forms it would be helpful to have the…
Commemorative Rifles by Henry (opens in a new tab)
Mike, a former member of Troop 68, recently posted a quick note of our troop's forum about something I thought was awesome, but mothers may not appreciate. Boy Scouts like guns. Every summer camp has rifle and shotgun ranges. Many Boy Scouts hunt for game when they are old enough.
Video of the Week (opens in a new tab)
Here is the video for AB100 promo for the Las Vegas Stop. The pattern lately seems that they are going to be about 1 stop behind on videos, which is fine with me, just thought I would let you guys know.
AB100 Austin Texas (opens in a new tab)
Here it comes, here it comes the 5th stop of the Adventure Base 100 it will be in Austin Texas on January 30 to January 31. Here are some more specifics of this event. Exact Location: The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum -- The Story of Texas -- is located at 1800 N.
Boy Scouts Youtube Day (opens in a new tab)
Lets try and get as many people on youtube as possible for the Birthday of the BSA. In case you did not know the birthday of the BSA falls on February 8. This year in particular is important because we are celebrating 100 years in case you didn't know already.
EXPLORING website
1 Vote On Idea How about an update to the Exploring website? I don't like seeing the outdated background and outdated pages from years ago. If I send a prospect there, I am sure it is not impressing them and this is a great program with lots of potential.
Second Chances (opens in a new tab)
Adolescence is an often difficult, unstable time and adolescents tend towards actions and attitudes that we find upsetting. Recent research points out that much of the chaos of adolescence is owing to a period physical brain development we are only now beginning to understand.
Eagle Scout Workbook
2 Vote On Idea The technology exists to create a total electronic Eagle Scout workbook. This change will teach use of technology and be a way to reduce paper waste. Comments (0) Boy Scouting , eagle scout
Competion Peer2Peer Recruiting w/TXT MSGS Facebook Twitter
1 Vote On Idea Maybe we can create a competition between the Boy Scout Troops and or Venturers that is based on peer to peer recruiting through Text Messaging, through Facebook,YouTube and Twitter. The competition could have different categories. A) The highest number of newly recruited members in a unit.
BSA extends National Hall of Leadership deadline
This just in: The deadline for nominating a worthy Scout or Scouter for the National Hall of Leadership is now April 2, 2010 . That gives you two extra months to recognize the people who have influenced Scouting the most. In deciding to extend the deadline, members of the 100th Anniversary Team said they have received…
DLTK Paper Bag Bald Eagle (opens in a new tab)
DLTK's Crafts for Kids website has instructions on doing this paper bag bald eagle craft which would probably be a fun project for your Tigers or Wolfs. The site has a template for the project. Theme: Take Flight Link Posted in Art Projects, CUB SCOUTS, Nature, Take Flight
Supporting Assessors Project Team Vacancies (opens in a new tab)
The Project Leader for Supporting Assessors within Activities is looking to add to his volunteer project team to assist him with the delivery of his project.
BE PREPARED.. Not just words
This weekend before we hiked out of camp, our chaplains aid delivered a real nice Scouts Own service. His message to the Troop was to develop good habits. He challenged the Troop to stay away from bad habits, especially when camping.
Buttons vs Barney?
Wow. I just saw the scathing review of Around The Scouting Campfire that was left on iTunes. Plus, the reviewer left a one star (out of five) rating. It seems he does not like Buttons and finds him distracting. He also does not think the show contains much useful information.
Reinvention
Within the next several hours of my writing this a few hundred, or perhaps a few thousand, people will comment on this Manifesto written by Seth Godin . Godin is a leading voice in what he characterizes as 'the new industrial revolution'.
Guest blog: Judge Bill Sessions shares his passion for Scouting
[Editor's note: What follows is a guest blog post written exclusively for Cracker Barrel readers by Judge William S. Sessions . Sessions, a Distinguished Eagle Scout, is a former United States District Court Judge and the former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Tech Chip (opens in a new tab)
New Award for All scouts
The Last Eagle Scout Movie
1 Vote On Idea From a volunteer: Is this a good thing or bad thing. Is there an official position? Please cut and paste this link. http://lasteaglescout.com/video.aspx Comments (0) Other
100th Anniversary logo on Google February 8th
2 Vote On Idea Google does all kinds of artwork on their search page to recognize different holidays and causes. How about aksing them to put our 100th Anniversary logo on for February 8th - or any day in 2010 Comments (1) 100th Anniversary
2010 Centennial Rank Advancement Badges
The National Council has announced that all rank patches for Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts for 2010 will feature special designs. The patches called the ‘2010 Centennial Rank Advancement Badges' feature 2010, Boy Scouts of America, and the rank in text.
Tech Chip (opens in a new tab)
How are electronics handled in your troop, pack, or crew? Are they banned, allowed only at certain times, or permitted? just scouts, or adults too? All electronics, including GPS, flashlights, watches? A specific list of devices that are illegal? I noticed quite a bit of online discussion about electronic devices on scout outings over the…
It's a Grand Ole Flag!
1 Vote On Idea I met someone recently at a conference who works at the new Harley museum in Wisconsin. She is very concerned about the way people treat the American flag - especially the disposal of them. The idea we came up with was that each Harley dealer would have a donation center for "used…
A New Video (opens in a new tab)
I've recently found a few short videos of activities the Group has done in the past, so I've put them together and here they are. They are not that great and not to be taken seriously, but are quite funny to watch!
2010 Commemorative Rank Badges (opens in a new tab)
According to reports on Cub Scout Talk (Yahoo group), BSA Supply Group has come out with a set of 2010 commemorative Cub Scout (and Boy Scout) rank badges . Apparently each badge has notations around the perimeter referring to the 100th anniversary of Scouting .
Tech Chip Card - a Good Start!
Here's an interesting resource that offers a way to integrate Scouting with portable technology: Tech Chip Based on the Tote'n Chip concept. It was created by Troop 479 in Eden Prairie, MN. The troop has designed a training outline and has wallet cards for purchase - see Tech Chip Training Plan for details.
MB Counselors managed by Units
5 Vote On Idea Perhaps we could create a system by which units manage their own Merit Badge Counselor listings for their Troop and recharter them as a unit. Thereby a District Merit Badge Coordinator would only be responsible for tracking and rechartering those Counselors that are district-only.
Chartered/Community Orgs
2 Vote On Idea I would like to see listed on a report the number of chartering organizations we have in the council. Or, make this number easily available. I was asked how many chartering organizations our council has. There is no easy answer.
Lunch with Others at BSA Cafe
0 Vote On Idea The Idea of Having Lunch with Others in the BSA Cafe Would Really be Nice, because you get to Relax and Eat and Chat with Others about Various Topics Whether they are Scout Related or about Something Else!
Merit Badge Corner – Emergency Preparedness (opens in a new tab)
This week's merit badge focuses on skills that are vital in being ready for emergency situations. The Emergency Preparedness merit badge or the lifesaving merit badge can be used for the eagle required merit badge but you must only earn one.
Pancake Batter in Ketchup Bottles? (opens in a new tab)
Hello fellow Scouters, Recently, MSN.com ran an article on new uses for old items . One of the things they showcased was using ketchup bottles for pancake batter (see #5 on their list). When I saw this, I immediately wondered if that would be useful in a camping situation.
Walt Disney and Camp Tesomas (opens in a new tab)
Walt Disney and Camp Tesomas Posted using ShareThis
Ten Best Scouting Moments (opens in a new tab)
Here, in no particular order, are ten moments that mark some of the best times I've spent as a Scoutmaster: One early spring night we all got up at three in the morning and hiked our sleeping bags and pads down to a field at camp and watched a meteor shower.
Adventure Base 100, Vol. 4: Sacramento, Calif.
The fourth installment in the excellent Adventure Base 100 series takes you to Sacramento, Calif., to meet Eagle Scout Mitchell Harry. It's quite inspiring. Next up: It's off to the Lone Star State with a stop in Austin, Tex. Previous Adventure Base 100 videos: Vol 3: Las Vegas, Nev.
2010 Advancement Requirements Changes (opens in a new tab)
Last evening I completed a review of the new BOY SCOUT REQUIREMENTS 2010 booklet and uploaded information on all of the known changes to Merit Badge and Rank requirements. I also included the new definition and explanation of he procedure to be used for identifying "ACTIVE" Scouts.
Gear Head Friday – The X-Plate (opens in a new tab)
Last Saturday I took a trip to Eastern Mountain Sports ( ems.com ) to pick up some new gear. While I was looking around a certain piece of gear caught my eye. This was the x-plate. The x-plate is collapsible plate that is made of a rigid hard plastic base and soft, squishy plastic sides.
BSA Adventure Base 100 in Sacramento
BSA Adventure Base 100 is in Sacramento. Take a peek inside the exhibit and meet Eagle Scout Mitchell Harry. Mitchell describes his service leadership project, building a stainless steel playground to meet the special needs of hearing-impaired children at the CCHAT Center in Sacramento.
Plaque Slides (opens in a new tab)
Mid Jan. 2010 Time to Carve: 0 hours Finishing: 2 Hours Really there was no carving involved in these two slides. Now normally I like to spend time carving because it relaxes me but this project was all scroll saw, sandpaper, and paint.
ProSpeak
1 Vote On Idea Perhaps the digital ProSpeak could have a feature to print out the ProSpeak so that a person could read it in hard copy at another time. The links within ProSpeak currently do not allow this. John Richers Comments (0) Miscellaneous
Surfboard
The last time I saw a surfboard like this one was back in the 60's on some TV show (maybe The Monkees). I doubt you would find one like this long board anywhere on the waves anymore. Carved from pine the board is a quick carve.
Pueblo Indian Pottery
Mid Jan. 2010 Time to carve: 1.5 hours Finishing: 2 hours It's been a very long week at work and this is the third slide I've carved. (Late to bed and early to rise make it so you can't open your eyes-unknown.)
2010 Commemorative Cub Rank Images (opens in a new tab)
As I noted yesterday , it appears that BSA Supply Group has issued 2010 commemorative Cub Scout (and Boy Scout) rank badges. These are images of the 2010 commemorative Cub Scout rank badges (via a pdf posted at Scoutingnews.org ) which should soon be available at a scout shop near you. Link
Training Reports
1 Vote On Idea Please correct the training reports on mybsa. The report that lists every units and the number of trained leaders is missing units. I tried to run a report that lists every Scoutmaster and if they are trained has a bug and will not let select program levels today.
Commissioner Awards Criteria
2 Vote On Idea At our staff planning conference we discussed how to encourage better performance of commissioners. When reviewing the award criteria for Commissioners we noticed that they were not really supporting the requirements for Quality District and Council.
Local Scouts Honored for Actions after Accident (opens in a new tab)
It's not everyday that scouts from my area are honored for heroic actions. An excerpt of the article that ran in our local paper is below: Two Boy Scouts were honored Thursday evening for their swift, intelligent actions when a 14-year-old Perry Jr.
40 Developmental Assets
1 Vote On Idea The Search Institute's "40 Developmental Assets for Healthy Children" is widely recognized in educational, child development, and funding organizations (such as United Way and many foundations) as the gold standard for impacting youth development and achievement.
Scouting Video of the Week – January 31, 2010 (opens in a new tab)
This week's video is part four in a four part series about the history of the Boy scout's of America made by the BSA. Enjoy!
5 Star College (opens in a new tab)
Yesterday, I received my Master's Degree in Scouting by completing my second year attending 5 Star University in Delafield, WI. 5 Star University is a one day training session that will give you additional training for scouters, (specifically designed for Commissioners) and adult volunteers within the BSA program.