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I shamelessly snagged this idea from here. This is a GREAT project for Webelos scouts working on their Craftsman Activity Badge. All that is needed is a 1 foot piece of 1″x3″ pine and 4 ea 2″ drywall screws. Total cost per scout shouldn’t be more than about $1.00.
Hello Dear Reader Why???? Ok before I get into this Friday rant, I would like to offer a big Thank you to Ben for his post yesterday it is good to have him on board and I hope you will enjoy reading his additions as much as I do.
Picture yourself in the location seen at left. Then ask yourself: "Where Am I?" If you know the answer, you could be the lucky winner of a $100 BSA Supply Group gift card, good at your local Scout Shop or at scoutstuff.org .
About 18 months or so ago (or was it longer?), I came across the website HalfEagle.com which gathers together news stories from all sorts of Scouting related websites and personal blogs. I thought it was a good idea and after picking up a lot more reading from it, I thought I'd submit this blog to…
An exciting time for Scouting here in Minnesota. The Base Camp open house happens tomorrow (Oct. 2). If you're in the area, or traveling through soon, you really should check it out. I got to tour the facility earlier this week and it is amazing !
Hey everyone! This is the first of a new weekly series where we'll be bringing you interesting news and stories from the world of Scouting. Our main goal is to keep you up to date on Scouting news, but we will also be sharing a collection of fun, interesting and motivating stories from news sources…
The adventure begins, and the best part is you get in on the action without even leaving your state! Join The North Face at select cities nationwide this Fall for the Speaker Series , as they share the best and most exciting stories of outdoor and environmental adventurism.
Whre does all that popcorn come from that scouts sell? Well, don't try finding it at any of these places - you'll most likely get lost in your efforts. There are corn mazes across the country this month and many of them have been designed with Boy Scout themes to commemorate the centennial.
I had two agenda items for this week's Troop meeting. One was to get the new Scout patrol working on their patrol identity. The second was getting some serious planning done as far as future events. As it was only …
Welcome Back to the SMM Podcast. In this show I had the priveledge of chatting with a great group of Scouters. We have decided to hold a monthly "BOY SCOUT" topic chat session here at PTCMedia. This was the first, and of course as the host, I hit the record button once the chat room…
Welcome Back to the SMM Podcast . In this show I had the privilege of chatting with a great group of Scouters. We have decided to hold a monthly "BOY SCOUT" topic chat session here at PTCMedia. This was the first, and of course as the host, I hit the record button once the chat room…
An exceptionally busy weekend, nationally and locally, which has seen Bear out and about in the London and South East Regions, the last of the IST selection weekends at Gilwell, Development and Support Day and DC/GSL Conference in Middlesbrough, national presentation to Queen Scouts in London activity assessor training and thousands of people out and…
An exceptionally busy weekend, nationally and locally.
I spent days 3 - 6 at my second weekend of Powderhorn. I now have many new resources and ideas for the troop. COPE was very challenging. Rappelling didn't hold the glamor for me it had in my youth. although it was cold a couple of nights, cold for South Texas that is.
A few years ago, I started posting videos about Boy Scouting to YouTube to share them with other Scouts and Scouters. I soon began seeing more people posting Scouting related videos and thought we should have a channel group to post our videos.
Baloo's Bugle for CITIZENSHIP is now posted. New format this month - One issue for Den Activities One issue for Pack Activities Check it out!!! Copyright - U.S. Scouting Service Project | Visit us at http://usscouts.org | News at http://usssp.blogspot.com
Hello Dear Reader Well toady's post was going to be about how I had contacted an American scouting website called halfeagle.com and how they had set up halfeagle.co.uk following my request to be on halfeagle.com. However Nick over at Nicks Ramblings beat me to it so rather than repeating everything, I am going to point…
We are in the closing 100 days of 2010! It has been an amazing year of celebration, but it's not over till it's over as they say. So what are you doing in the closing days of the Boy Scouts of America's Centennial year?
I had the recent pleasure of doing a fantastic loop hike out of Tuolumne Meadows. I showed up on Labor Day, and the Rangers in the Tuolumne Meadows Wilderness office were able to steer me on a great loop hike.
Aaron "Ike" Isaacson, an Eagle Scout, is one of 11 injured soldiers taking part in Soldiers to the Summit, an expedition to climb Lobuche East, a 20,075 foot peak at the foot of Everest. Isaacson and his fellow soldiers have already arrived in Nepal to begin their journey.
So, here's a trick question: What rank is required to attend Philmont, Northern Tier, or Sea Base? You can find many troop websites listing a minimum rank requirement of First Class. You can even find council requirements listing First Class as a requirement.
Iteration, LLC. is creating an iApp for Pinewood Derby® fans. This application will be available for the iPad, and will incorporate physics lessons with the thrill of competition. Additional details about the Pinewood Derby App will be posted when they are made available. Source: BSA Licensing Insider Vol. 3, No. 10
Chief Scout Bear Grylls flew, biked and hiked in stage two of his plan to visit the whole of the UK in the next four years. At a series of events in London and the south-east, Bear was on hand to inspire the current generation of young Scouts and say thank you to the thousands…
After waking up and stepping outside of our tent last Thursday in Bozeman, MT, we were greeted by 32 degree weather and our very first bout with frost this season. The cool, crisp air was a reminder that fall is certainly upon all that live in the Northwest.
Those of you who read this blog and follow me on Twitter (stevejb68) may have noticed that out troop has been having some rough times. Last month I sat down with the Boy Scouts during a troop meeting and discussed the future of the troop with them.
Scouting is a very dynamic activity, and you never know when you may find yourself in need of an extra light source. As Baden Powell said, you always need to, "be prepared." Whether you are camping out at night, stuck in a storm with no power, or you just need a few more minutes of…
This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of WD-40 . All opinions are 100% mine. There are a few tools and items in every great Scoutmaster's garage. You've probably got a handful of tent stakes, two half-full bottles of camp suds, and at least one can of WD-40 .
When I was a Scout the tradition of placing the Scout Badge on upside down until you did you first Good Turn was alive and well. Once you turned your badge our Scoutmaster would then give you a Good turn coin that you placed in your pocket and moved it to the opposite pocket once…
Last weekend we were at Fort McHenry National Monument for the Star Spangled Banner Camporee as guests of the Baltimore Area Council. The setting was absolutely perfect for the estimated 5500 visitors to enjoy learning more about American history and celebrating the centennial year of the Boy Scouts of America .
Thought I would share some photos from a recent Master Educator Course, courtesy of our South Carolina State Advocate , Stephen Wilson. Cue the pomp and circumstance , here's a group shot of the most recent Master Educator Course graduates from our partner, Landmark Learning : As part of the five-day curriculum, students are given a small service…
New Active Game for All scouts
Dallas-based Circle Ten Council announced yesterday that it received a $25 million gift from The Rees-Jones Foundation . The donation, one of the largest an individual council has ever received, will be used to help fund ScoutReach in the council and to improve Circle Ten's four camp properties.
Yesterday, I went to promote powder horn and the troop to a pack. I also picked up the keys to the church. Today I ran to the scout shop and picked up a copy of the TLT syllabus. I grabbed my son a copy of the Den Chief handbook.
21st Century Patrol System Scoutmaster Podcast 37 Feel free to send your questions and comments (you can rate the podcast on iTunes). Use the email link above left or the comments feature of the blog. SMM Podcast Working the Patrol Method book Subscribe on iTunes Music in Podcast 37 First Call - U.S.
Hello Dear Reader I would like to share with you a funny comic with a scouting link. It is from the desk of the talented Adam Huber, who writes the comic Bug. If you have not see it take a look Please go have a look at the much clear image the Bug Comic website…
Had an interesting discussion on Twitter today with several Scouters I know and respect. Started off with a question: can rank be denied to a Scout that does not wear a uniform? The short answer is: NO, that would be adding to the requirements for rank and Troops/Packs/Crews cannot do that.
Cub Scouts (Pack 19 and also possibly Pack 572) will be recruiting at Middletown Christian School on Thusrday October 6 at 7:30 PM. This will be the first recruitment at MCS since Pack 972 folded almost 3 years ago. There are about 100 boys in the school who are Cub Scout aged and our District…
Hundreds of Scouts engaged politicians on issues that matter to them during the three main party conferences.
Yesterday, we went back to college for the day! We were invited to speak during 3 of Professor Paul Marsh's courses. In the first class, Leisure and Society, we introduced the students to the PEAK program and the Frontcountry program .
One of the reasons I enjoy Twitter is that I can keep in touch with Scout leaders from around the country, and around the world. Sometimes they post links to something that is pretty cool. Like today, for example, David Copeland posted a link to a thread about wearing the Scout uniform.
It's Fall! For the next few weeks, we've got perfect camping and scouting weather - at least up north here. In a couple weeks, we can have snow and that can really limit the opportunity for advancement for T-2-1 rank requirements.
OK, so last night, I tweeted that I was thinking about hanging up the blog, that I had nothing to say, that the other Scoutmasters took all the good stuff already. And then, I read a bunch of tweets, and a follow-up blog about uniforming...
#240-Hold Your Head Up We mostly discuss Roundtable and a small discussion of the new online training. Links: Emily's Pack- http://www.wsbtv.com/news/25196375/detail.html Tonight's show sponsored by The Boy Scout Store Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts Share with Others:
I recently wrote an article about recruiting parents to become involved in the pack and troop. I posted an interesting talk I found called the "adding machine tape presentation". I decided to use it during the Pack's recruitment drive and recorded it.
Earlier this week, we met with Tigers, Wolves, Bears, and even some Webelos from two seaside towns in Connecticut. For those not familiar with the Boy Scouts of America , these are the different levels of the Cub Scouts, the scouting program designed for boys in 1st - 5th grade.
This is a rather good new video from the Scout Association.
I've been reading a few of my American Scouting friends' blogs and they regularly talk about their Boy Led Troops. Also, there is this post from Lotta in Sweden about their Group and District Annual General Meetings. In both these cases, Scouts are given the considerable responsibility of either running their Troops or having a…
I saw a post today, kind of a rabbit trail from yesterday's uniforming discussion, where the topic was knives...fixed or folding. I prefer fixed...my friend, Cliff Jacobson , prefers fixed...so much that he designed his own He is the person that got me really thinking about knives, but not through a knife book or class, but…
This past weekend I was in Rocky Mountain National Park helping to build trails on Lumpy Ridge. At the Trail Day event I was discussing trash and the importance of keeping our lands clean. A gentleman overheard my conversation and told me how his daughter just learned about litter and offered an inspiring quote that…
Hello Dear Reader So what have you got planned this Weekend, I am heading to Manchester to participate in the Explorer Scout Leaders (Young Leader) Training weekend being run by the Scout Association. Umm…. but Chris your not a ESL(YL) are you??? And I you would be correct I am not, but I believe ...
Name That Council is back by popular demand. This week, we take you down the river a spell. Tell us which council wears the shoulder patch seen above, and you could win a prize. One lucky winner will add the patch seen above to their collection.
Have you read the Ethics column in this month's issue of Scouting magazine? This article is getting a lot of reactions online , particularly the following excerpt about not listening to legally burned CDs in front of Scouts: "So how can Scouters teach ethical behavior related to music downloading?
Hey everyone! There's a lot going on in Scouting all over the country this time of year. Here is a short list of some cool things we've found this week. If you have any news you'd like to share, feel free to leave it in the comments section below.
Sept. 2010 Time to carve: 3 hours Finishing: 1.5 hours Now if you follow my inconstant posts, you might have wondered where have I been? Well the answer is that I've been busy with Wood Badge. In fact I write this on the eve before my second weekend.
It is a new month and I guess that means it is time for a new book to read. The previous two ebooks I have posted have been well received. I would bet you probably have both read already, if you have an ebook reader, that is.
Scouting's Journey to Excellence is the new performance recognition program for Councils, Districts, and Units. This program replaces the Centennial Quality Recognition program. The BSA Journey to Excellence program uses a balanced approach and key performance indicators to measure performance versus process, encourage and reward success, and achieve the mission.
Hello Dear Reader At the end of September I announced that I would be conducting an e-mail interview with Wayne Bulpitt the UK Chief Commissioner. After collecting questions in from readers of Jabbering All Day Long, I put 13 questions to Wayne for him to answer.
As a dog owner, I'll never, ever understand the idea of bagging your dog's poop then leaving it on the trail. All too often I've heard the justification, "I'm hiking right back by here so I'll pick it up on my way back."
So the school night went pretty well. Had about 10 boys show up it looked like. One signed up last night, and most of the rest seemed pretty interested so we invited them to our Pack Meeting / Campfire next Tuesday night.
Bigfoot is at it again! Lately, it would appear that the illusive Bigfoot has been coming out of the woods to join in on getting the communities in the Sierra Nevadas to rally around outdoor activities and more importantly to Leave No Trace while enjoying the outdoors.
With readers like you, who needs a map? We presented you with the mystery location seen at left in the September-October 2010 edition of Where Am I? We also gave a few clues, such as telling you that the site is located on the border of the 45th and 48th states (that's Utah and Arizona)…
You've got the requirements . Now, check out the design of the Geocaching merit badge pamphlet and circular badge, released today by the Boy Scouts of America. For Boy Scouts who are geocaching enthusiasts, a merit badge that rewards their passion is icing on the cake.
Are you looking to get trained in Leave No Trace? Are you a member of a club or group who would like to have a presentation on Leave No Trace ? Are you interested in having the Subaru/Leave No Traveling Trainers come to you?
Interview with Scoutmaster Larry Geiger Scoutmaster Podcast 38 Feel free to send your questions and comments (you can rate the podcast on iTunes). Use the email link above left or the comments feature of the blog. Music in Podcast 38 First Call - U.S.
A reminder of the importance of the Buddy system! (If comic is cut off, click on the comic for it to be opened in a new window) Hat Tip: @Scoutsigns
I was sent this list over 8 years ago and found the email again the other day. See how many ring true to you - I. The number of matches it takes to get the fire going is inversely proportional to the number that were in the box when you started.
A Beaver Scout called Poppy has helped to launch Poppy People, the Royal British Legion's campaign to recruit 300,000 volunteers to collect for the Poppy Appeal this year.
Today I was glad to see that Scouting Magazine announced that production of the Geocaching merit badge pamphlet (and patch) will begin soon and hopefully we'll see them available by the end of the year. A near final draft of …
The first thing I noticed when I opened the box of the Huntsman is that this is no everyday pocket knife! Measuring over 3 inches long, this sturdy yet elegant knife is loaded with tools! We chose the Huntsman Boy Scout Swiss Army Knife as our first knife to review because of its overall ability…
I've had a couple of requests over the past week for a simple way to download previous Scoutmaster Podcasts so I've set up an archive page . Other ways to keep up with the podcast: Subscribe on iTunes Follow me on Facebook Follow me on Twitter
The concept is simple. We use Photoshop to remove all text from a council shoulder patch, and then your job is to identify the missing council name. That's where it gets tricky. Some council shoulder strips have so few clues that it takes some serious detective work to find the right answer.
This past weekend we spent a few chilly days enjoying the sunshine and mesmerizing colors of autumn in Maine. In the photo below, Agata shares some of the free educational materials available at an outreach event at the flagship L.L.
Boy's Life Magazine is accepting pre-orders for its Boy's Life Jamboree Souvenir DVD. Relive the excitement of the 2010 National Scout Jamboree everytime you watch your sovenir DVD. Visit http://boyslife.org/jambodvd to learn more and place your pre-order. DVDs are $15.95 each or you can save 20% by ordering 12 or more.
New Active Game for All scouts
Custom Leave No Trace Courses Can Meet Specific Needs and Offer Savings In the past decade, Leave No Trace Master Educator Course offerings have increased substantially. Not only are training options much more diverse but now the five-day Leave No Trace Master Educator course boasts seven organizations that offer this unique training.
Life as Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers necessitates gear that is comfortable, dependable, and of high-quality. During our two seasons on the road, spanning 20 months with over 400 nights spent camping, we would be remiss if we didn't acknowledge our gratitude to the very partners that aid in our comfort and help us to…
It was off to Slough in Berkshire for the latest of our regional weekends, starting with the Development Advice and Support (DAS) day on the Saturday and the latest of the DC and GSL conferences on Sunday.
Again this year Troop 11 has unloaded pumpkins as their Fall service project for our Chartering Organization. Bright and early on a beautiful Saturday morning, Scouts and church members worked side by side getting the pumpkins out of a tractor trailer truck and displayed for sale.
Tahoe Mountain Sports - an online, specialty outdoor gear store based in Lake Tahoe - is donating $1 to Leave No Trace for every new Facebook fan they get between October 13 and 27. By liking them, you're making a quick and easy donation to Leave No Trace efforts.
Last night we had the first of our Webelos Recruiting meetings. The first part of the meeting we meet with the Webelos and Parents. Then the SPL takes the Webelos away and they are part of the Troop for the rest of the meeting.
How far back do you go? Did you have a Little Orphan Annie or Captain Midnight decoder ring? Did you marvel at Dick Tracy's two way wrist T.V.? Were you amazed by the communicator on Star Trek? How about Dr.
[Author’s note: Throughout this article I am not referring to any specific Troop, this is more general.] I’ve had the opportunity to visit several Boy Scout troops during my time in Scouts, and the one thing I know for sure is that each one operates differently.
New Game for Boy Scouts
The Boy Scout troops and Cub Scout packs of the Central Minnesota Council held their annual Scouting For Food Drive on Saturday, October 9. Thousands of Scouts, leaders, and parents assisted in making this event a success. It is hard to believe that this "national good turn" began way back in 1988, twenty two years…
I, like many Scouters, read several Scouting related blogs. One of them, Scoutmaster, found at http://scoutmaster.typepad.com/my_weblog/ , recently posted a survey featuring questions about the Scout program in this electronic age. How does your troop use computers, cell phones, and mp3 players?
In 1989, several women who were involved with the Scouting program in Melrose, met at the local community access television studio to do a talk show about Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting in Melrose. The show was titled The Women Of Scouting .
With the next round of the Major League Baseball playoffs set to begin tomorrow, we thought it would be fun to think about some ways that baseball and the Boy Scouts of America are alike. With the help of some of our 7,000-plus friends on Facebook , we came up with 10 ways that baseball and…
Leave No Trace Window Decal Looking for a new way to help spread the word on Leave No Trace? Get this white die cut vinyl sticker to sport on your car, helmet, hard case, or any window. Make sure to rub the letters on really well before pulling the second side.
New Activity for All scouts
On Wednesday evening this week we had the chance to catch up with with world class climber and professional photographer Jimmy Chin in Burlington, Vermont. Jimmy was presenting as a part of the Never Stop Exploring Speaker Series sponsored by our friends at The North Face.
Welcome back to the SMM Podcast, in this show we talk about the Order of the Arrow. Scouting National Honor Society has been an official program of the BSA since 1948 and promotes leadership, service, and Brotherhood within the Scoutin program.
Followed eight scouts on a 5-mile hike yesterday around the town. Each one successfully oriented their map, showed our direction 3 times, and led the gang for over a half mile with at least 3 intersections and changes in direction.
This weekend, more than half a million Scouts worldwide will come together for the annual Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) and Jamboree on the Internet (JOTI).
Half Price Books partnered with an Eagle Scout candidate Thursday to donate more than 1,000 DVD movies to the VA Medical Center in Milwaukee. Hat Tip: @ScottKWalker – Candidate for governor of Wisconsin. (and on Milwaukee County Council Executive Board)
Hello Jabbering, I am Rob Gregory AESL with Centaurus ESU, Chesterfield, Derbyshire. I am also the Founder of www.skowt.com – a nifty new website for Scouting. Chris has asked me to write a quick post about Skowt, so here we go.
Last week's Name That Council featured a patch with an orange border and lots of water. This week, it's more of the same. If you know the location embroidered above, the patch could be yours. Here are the rules: Guess the name of the council whose members wear the patch shown.
Hi Scouts! The Boy Scouts of America released a brand new merit badge pamphlet and circular badge this week and they should be in Scout shops by December. It's all about Geocaching, and if you haven't tried this new techno-version of "hide and seek" then you really need to give it a shot.
If you know me then you know my Troop. I am the Scoutmaster for 121 Scouts, some will shrink away at those numbers and others jump at the chance to be part of such a large organization. Some clarifications before we go on: - It is Scout-Led all the way - I do not run a Troop…
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed delivered invocation from Sanskrit scriptures before an assembly of leaders and parents from various Scouting programs on this day. After Sanskrit delivery, he then read the English translation of the prayer. Sanskrit is considered a sacred language in Hinduism and root language of Indo-European languages.
Back in the 1980′s, when the troop was attending Crow Wing Scout Reservation for summer camp, the camp staff performed a skit that would become one of the Scouts, and one of mine, favorite skits. We call it the Radio Skit.
