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The Bigfoot Challenge's goal is to encourage simple acts of environmental activism and teach Leave No Trace principles. It's easy. From helping to clean up your local park after a Fireworks display to teaching a child to leave no trace and remove damage caused by others, Bigfoot is asking you to complete and report a…
Scouting activities are group activities. It doesn't do much good if the supervisor knows all the rules, regulations procedures but can't communicate those to the participants. And what good is that plan you spent so much time on if you didn't share it with others?
Most of our Scouts will leave the relative comfort of an air-conditioned house for a week in the out doors at camp where keeping cool can be a monumental challenge, or a physical impossibility. We perspire to dissipate heat through evaporation.
I am sure you will answer "No I treat all our scout equally" and to that I say "Bollocks", Privilege treatment occours at every level of scouting.
Martha Lane Fox will be the guest speaker at a reception for The Scout Association's supporters and benefactors this autumn
The two crews returned from Philmont just two weeks ago. The pictures look great. The stories are funny. The blisters are healing. OK, guys, time to sign up for Philmont, 2013. WHAT, we just got home!!!!! Troops can attend a BSA high adventure base every two years, at most.
A quick video about a Scout that is giving back. Thought I'd share this with you. Have a Great Scouting Day!
Great advice from Sectionhiker about choosing clothing for backpacking: A lot of backpackers bring extra clothing on trips that they never wear and end up carrying for no purpose. Doing this has a ripple effect, because it means you need a larger backpack to carry the extra clothing, which is probably going to weigh more.
Capture the Flag is a great game for a large group. Our Boy Scout troop plays it often as an interpatrol activity during meetings. Cub Scouts can play it also. We had a joint Pack/Troop flag retirement ceremony at a local park in the spring.
Climbing at Smith Rock, OR...
Tomorrow morning, I am joining the South African contingent to the World Scout Jamboree. We are meeting for a shake down camp outside Johannesburg for the weekend, then flying out to tour Germany and Denmark before heading to Sweden for the World Jamboree .
Join the Boy Scouts of Melrose Troop 68 as they attend Many Point Scout Camp during the week of July 10-16, 2011. This video of Melrose Scout Productions Podcast includes a look at their campsite in Buckskin Camp, along with a couple of the songs led by the staff before the Boy Scouts would go…
BSA provides den meeting plans for den leader on the Scouting.org website. Today, I am going to go through the second Wolf plan. If you don't already have the BSA den meeting plans, download BSA Wolf Den Meeting Plan 2 to follow along with this article.
Last year's Webelos Woods event, held at the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary, was the last one for Voyageur District after a successful second session. Originally called Webelos Outdoor Activity Day, in 2008, the event hosted 48 Webelos Scouts, Leaders and parents and again in 2010, the event successfully saw 100 % of the Webelos Scouts wishing…
While the world Scout jamboree is underway in Sweden this month, the world's largest Scouting event will happen the weekend of October 15–16 at an amateur radio station near you. The 54th Jamboree-on-the-Air (JOTA) is expected to top last year's attendance, which had just over 700,000 Scout participants from nearly 6,000 stations around the world.
Off to summer camp this morning. Taking 39 scouts for a tropical week at Camp Many Point in the great north woods. Forecast is for 90s all week so it's a good thing that most of them are signed up for Swimming, Sailing, or Lifesaving merit badges - plenty of waterfront time.
Scout leaders hear lots of interesting things over the course of a normal day (if there is such a thing) at Scout camp. Many times even the most contradictory versions of many of these phrases are heard minutes apart. Have you seen my (handbook, merit badge book, wallet, towel, water bottle)?
If you have Cub Scouts who like to read, write, and talk, then they might want to check out the Communicating Pin from the Cub Scout Academics and Sports Program. They will have to earn the Communicating belt loop first, and then they can choose five of the requirements from the twelve options for the…
Wayne kicked off a weekend focusing on learning lessons from analysing the census and other feedback, with a visit to Northallerton for North Yorkshire's Annual General Meeting…
Day Camp, Part 3: I talk about what activites we did during our Summer Cub Scout Day Camp. Tonight's show sponsored by ClassB.com Share with Others:
If you think 30 boys getting the Eagle Scout Award at once is impressive today, just imagine that feat happening 51 years ago. In 1960, the accomplishment was so amazing, in fact, that the President of the United States took notice.
Every Camp out our Chaplains aide conducts a Scouts own service. Recently he shared this. Not new.. but worth repeating. Dear Lord, Bless all those everywhere who contribute to shape the hearts, minds and bodies of young people. Let us remember what they have taught and apply it daily.
Every now and then people will contact me with a question about how I did this requirement or that. One question I have received a few times is "What are the rules for Tell It Like It Isn't for Tiger Achievement 4?"
So here I am at work today, for the first time in a week. Vacations are hard to come back from but they are especially hard when that vacation is Summer Camp. While I will be posting a Summer Camp Recap I figured it's been 2 days and I already miss several things: - camp water…
Adults on Scout camping trips part 2, The Paper Chase and Socratic questioning Subscribe to the Scoutmaster Newsletter Call and leave a voice mail comment or question at (484) 734-0002 Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes Podcast Music Eureka and Coleman Tents On Sale at Campmor!
It is usually not a problem keeping Boy Scouts busy when we go to summer camp. Between merit badge sessions, troop activities, and open programs there is plenty for them to do. Summer camp is designed to keep boys busy.
Trucks full of equipment and teams of volunteers are beginning to make their way to Sweden
Many observations from management training can be adapted in several ways so we can use them within Scouting. Perhaps this is why Wood Badge is so successful on both fronts: it's an excellent training program for Scouters but it also …
Here is another game for a large group of Scouts. This is fun for all age levels - from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts to Venturers. Your older Scouts might try to employ some strategy when playing this game.
Nobody complained about the Randy Travis song strumming out of the speakers. Sure, the 24 Scouts, Venturers, and Sea Scouts in the room would have preferred listening to, well, anything else. But they didn't speak up. That was exactly Sara Parker-Lacobee's point.
As a representative for ShelterBox I was recently asked to assist two Scout Troops that are collaborating on a disaster preparedness event. What they've come up with is very ambitious. The scenario they've chosen is that due to a local flood 40 families are now homeless. The Scouts will be setting up a tent city
The e-tour visited Stone Mountain, GA and took in the sights on a rather hazy hot day. We especially enjoyed the quality of the interpretive displays within the park's Confederate Hall. The exposed rock mountains (monadnocks) in this area of the country are the homes of some rare and interesting species of plants.
Tom Managan offers this guide to simple outdoor photography with a digital camera: It's not about the camera. It's how you use it. Waiting for the right light, shooting only memorable scenes, avoiding shutter-induced blur, cropping and editing the best images you bring home.
As the Lone Scout marching band took the field, the adult leaders honored the assembled dignitaries by giving the rarely seen two-tent salute. The caption that garnered the most votes this week comes from Ed Milman Assistant Scoutmaster in Troop 211 and Assistant Varsity Coach in Team 211 both in Olney, IL.
A badminton tournament would make a fun activity for a pack campout. This pin goes along well with my Classic Outdoor Games theme this month.
Last night was the last PLC Meeting for this group. After a long, busy Summer Camp the SPL told them no class A uniforms, just wear your Summer Camp shirt. The enjoyed the break from the heat (those uni's can get HOT) and got right down to work with planning 1 campout, 5 meetings, a…
Well we are back from summer camp and had our first PLC meeting last night. Those that did not go are seeing that they missed a great time. Those that did go are giving those that did not a hard time (jokingly) about it.
Detroit, OR. The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics is partnered with over 500 organizations. Partnerships with corporations, universities, retailers, nonprofit organizations, guide services, international agencies, youth programs, and many other groups are vital to spreading Leave No Trace skills and ethics.
The Order of the Arrow (OA) Summit Corps project being conducted in partnership with the National Park Service, is possible because of the outstanding support of the West Virginia National Guard. According to Captain Jamie Bowen, of the Glen Jean Armory, "The Armory serves as the Incident Command Center for the project, where classrooms utilized…
Monday night I had the pleasure of sitting down with a young man and talking with him about his up coming Eagle Board of Review. The Scoutmaster conference went well.. but then again, shouldn't it? After all this is his seventh conference, he has completed all the work and at seventeen years old, the Scout…
This weeks poll follows the discussion about the Age of Eagle Scouts. Vote in the poll and leave your thoughts in the comments section of this post. I am curious to hear what you all have to say about this issue. Have a Great Scouting Day!
Grand Rapids, Michigan- Earlier this month Team East caught up with one of our longtime program partners, Chaco , to learn more about the ReChaco program . Check out the link above to see how you can keep your favorite Chaco footwear going strong with this innovative process!
The other night at our Troop meeting I was approached by a frustrated parent. He asked why I continuously gives the boys the "run around". I asked him what he meant, even though I kind of knew where he was going.
The hope is that after a few months, this will provide some consistency so that our youth leaders will do more planning and delegating without as much adult intervention. I think if we provide them with some help and training and they try it, they will see that the patrol method really does provide a…
This summer, ClassB had the pleasure of spending a day at impressive Camp La-No-Che , located on the North shore of Lake Norris in Paisley, Florida. Our morning started out with a guided tour of the 1,480 acre camp. Highlights included a trip down to the beautiful lakefront to check out all of the options for…
Three UK leaders are gearing up for an incredible four-wheel adventure at the 22nd World Scout Jamboree by driving there and back in a black taxicab.
Leaders aren't born they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that's the price we'll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal" – Vince Lombardi Every Coach I have ever met wants his team to win.
Tom Managan muses on one of the fringe benefits of a good walk or hike: An old Latin saying solvitur ambulando means "it is solved by walking." The phrase captures one of the immutable charms of hiking: it makes it easier for the brain to work things out.
This final section of the book looks at how parents and teachers can apply the advice presented earlier in the book in their own unique roles to teens. It includes some caveats. For example, a teacher might be limited in how much control he can really allow teens to have in a classroom.
Click to open the July issue The July issue of the Giving Times newsletter has been published, featuring articles about the founding of the BSA's new Alumni Association and the launch of a national online giving strategy to benefit local councils and to build the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve.
The Shooting Sports Task Force has just completed production on the new Boy Scouts of America National Shooting Sports Manual for Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, and Venturing. Reference material for all levels was put into one publication. All councils should make this available to their shooting sports committee, camp leadership, and unit leaders.
The BSA's newest merit badge, Chess, will be launched in September with some exciting events designed to raise interest and awareness. The kickoff event will take place at the grand opening of the new Chess Hall of Fame on Sept.
The BSA benefits website will have a new look starting Monday, Aug. 15. To prepare for the upgrade, the website will be down from Thursday, Aug. 11 though Sunday, Aug. 14. If you need assistance while the site is down, BSA Benefits Center representatives can be reached by calling 800-444-4416.
One of the best ways to positively affect membership levels-and, as a result, your Journey to Excellence membership numbers-is to prepare for the upcoming recruitment season. Take advantage of the professionally produced Words to Live By™ campaign. From radio and television PSAs to Web banners and e-blast templates, you can access customizable documents on Brand…
The 2011 National Outdoor Conference is set for Sept. 7-10 at Northern Tier in Ely, Minnesota. A discounted early-bird fee of $235 is available until midnight Aug. 7. The full registration fee of $300 becomes effective at 12:01 a.m. Aug.
The home page for Council Strategic Management has a new look. The change was created to simplify user access to training resources, contact information, and a council's strategic plan. A CSM website Word document has been created to briefly explain the changes.
Click to open the July 18 issue The July 18 issue of the FID e-Letter has been published and is now available on the Finance Impact site . This edition's lead article examines the effect that camping season can have on your council's Journey to Excellence score.
The former Penn's Woods Council, No. 508, in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, has merged with the former Greater Pittsburgh Council, No. 527, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to form the new Laurel Highlands Council , No. 527, headquartered in Pittsburgh. The effective date of this merger, as recorded with the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, was July 1.
Beginning Monday, Aug. 1, Scout Wire will be distributed to all employees on alternating Monday mornings. This will result in a slight change in publication deadlines. Please consult the updated schedule for new article submission and publication dates. You also can find the most recent copy of the production schedule by clicking "Contact Us" at…
Today was an odd day…I did my usual tour of the blogs and other sites. I am not going to point out the exact links where I ran into my conundrum, but today just seemed to be filled with a few more scouters who don't get it.
The core value for Cub Scouts for the month of August is Honesty. According to the program helps honest is: Telling the truth and being worthy of trust. A Scout is honest. As boys have fun and interact in their den and pack, they learn that honesty can simply be defined as a refusal to…
The National Shooting Sports Task Force has just completed the new Boy Scouts of America National Shooting Sports Manual for Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, and Venturing. Reference material for all levels were put into this one Shooting Sports Manual. This manual will be a great resource for Council Shooting Sports Committees, Camp Leadership, and Unit…
Cub Scouts like to make scrapbooks with pictures and mementos. But you don't need to go buy expensive scrapbooking supplies to do this activity with your den of active boys. Remember, their idea of a fun activity doesn't always translate into a neat, perfect looking project.
We all got home safely yesterday from a terrific week at Many Poing Scout Camp. Here's some numbers from camp: 37 - scouts at camp 111 - completed merit badges 11 - incomplete merit badges 2 - embedded ticks removed 1 - weather evacuations 3 - record-setting heat index days 20 - NRA shooting certificates earned 1 - BSA Snorkeling awards I'll post…
I posted a response to a post that my good friend Adam wrote on his blog. Check out his blog here . In his post, and many other posts of his and not surprisingly other Scouting bloggers out there is a recurring theme of separation between the "Scouting life" and the "Normal or Family Life".
Day Camp, Part 4: I talk about some of the problems and special kids that were at camp. Tonight's show sponsored by The Boy Scout Store Join the forum discussion on this post Share with Others:
I am back from an epic 5-day, fifteen-mile solo hike on the Appalachian Trail. That is correct: I made about 3 miles a day. Damned impressive, I know. I consider this an accomplishment–and here is why: along the way I looked at everything that interested me.
One of the requirements for the Marbles Belt Loop from the Cub Scout Academics and Sports Program is to explain the rules of Ringer and play a game. When you think of kids playing marbles, you are probably picturing Ringer in your mind - a circle on the ground and kids shooting at the marbles within.
I have battled with my weight for a while now. I put on the lbs in college and have been going up and down for years (mostly up). I've tried many programs, fads, diets, etc. Some worked, some failed but I always ended up back up where I started..needing to lose the weight.
On July 16th the e-tour had the great pleasure of being part of the first ever 'Leave No Trace Day' in Brunswick, GA. The proclamation, signed by Mayor Bryan Thompson kicked off festivities during our Back Yard Session at the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Costal Resource Division Headquarters.
On July 16th the e-tour had the great pleasure of being part of the first ever 'Leave No Trace Day' in Brunswick, GA. The proclamation, signed by Mayor Bryan Thompson kicked off festivities during our Back Yard Session at the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Costal Resource Division Headquarters.
Troop 474 Scoutmaster recounts his climb time on Mount Rainier. If your troop harbors a bunch of avid hikers-turned-mountaineers, summiting Mount Rainier could represent a lifetime achievement. But how about 30 consecutive years spent leading Scouts to the summit of Rainier?
Another look at the patrol method, Scoutmaster's Minute, Clean Camp Story. Subscribe to the Scoutmaster Newsletter Call and leave a voice mail comment or question at (484) 734-0002 Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes Podcast Music Eureka and Coleman Tents On Sale at Campmor!
Many of the comments about Wayne's blog last week have focused on Explorer Scouts in Groups, but Wayne explains why he thinks this is too simplistic a view�
Many of the comments about Wayne's blog last week have focused on Explorer Scouts in Groups, but Wayne explains why he thinks this is too simplistic a view.
I'm about to date myself. Seriously date myself. One of my fondest childhood memories was sitting down in front of the Zenith black & white television set in the living room with a glass of milk and a cookie and watching …
Although if you've been looking here recently, you wouldn't have thought so! The last couple of weeks have had me smoothing a lot of ruffled feathers in the Group and sorting a big problem out due to some 'misunderstandings' with another party.
What weighs an ounce in the morning, weighs a pound at night. An old soldier's proverb, also mentioned in Earnest Thompson Seton's "The Birch Bark Roll"
Knoxville, IA - Nine individuals from Iowa and Nebraska braved record high temperatures and a heat index of 129 °F to learn, teach, and practice Leave No Trace on the largest lake in Iowa, Lake Red Rock. The nine participants on the course represented several different organizations including the Story and Warren County Conservation Departments, the…
New Supper Recipe for Boy Scouts
Summer camp can really wear you out. The fresh air, exercise swatting at insects, hard ground to sleep on, and no air conditioning means you need to get your vitamin R (Rest) whenever you can. The first three days of camp set heat index records and it wiped out some scouts and adults.
The e-tour took in the sights at Cumberland Island National Seashore. With all the wildlife and vista viewing opportunities afforded by this short trip we had a LOT of photo fodder to work through and this is one of our favorites.
For anyone who has ever wished that they could read the mail of the men who founded the BSA, The Scouting Party will be of great interest. This well-researched book uses the backdrop of America during the Progressive Movement in the early 1900′s to focus on the often strained relationships of men like Ernest Thompson…
Here's another song which LC sang at Boy Scout camp and ZM sang at Webelos camp. This silly song actully has some real history behind it. Princess Patricia was a member of the British royal family. A Canadian infantry unit was named in her honor.
With summertime recreation in full swing, it's exciting to see the variety of resources available to support outdoor programs, specifically those focused on youth. The Center offers a number of successful programs that promote responsible recreation to all ages and recreation groups.
Copenhagen has been awash with UK Units gearing up for the experience of a lifetime.
Wayne was lucky enough to spend Tuesday with the UK contingent in Copenhagen as they explored the city, got know each other and prepared for the experience of a lifetime at the World Scout Jamboree across the border in Sweden
We asked all of you to help shape the Summit. In response, we received more than 1,000 survey and Facebook comments from Scouts, Venturers, Scouters, volunteers and many more. Thanks to all of the participation, we are now better suited to build a site where it’s easy to get from point A to B.
If you don't know it, I was never a Boy Scout. I never got a chance to go to summer camp, I never got a chance to do Scoutcrafts or learn ScoutSkills…I learned outdoor skills from my Grandpa and from other resources.
Here's an innovative take on patrol box design; Our troop wanted a patrol cook kit that could be carried by one scout (or two small scouts), and the old traditional patrol box just could not be scaled down to work.
The Little Brown Box I mentioned in an earlier post has become common knowledge now. There are a few scouts that dip into it nearly every meeting, but many are still missing out. The SPL and ASPL now take care of the uniform inspecting and management of the box now that they are trained in…
I have said this so many times it is almost becoming cliche'.. but I'll say it again… TRAIN ‘EM, TRUST ‘EM, AND LET THEM LEAD! Last night the SPL of our Troop held the Patrol Leaders Council meeting. Because of a work conflict, I knew that I was not going to be able to be…
New Funny Skit for All scouts
Here is a game which works well for a group of 8 to 10 Scouts. This goes with my Classic Outdoor Games theme for this month. I'm sure many of us played this as children. Playing games helps Cub Scouts run off energy. learn to cooperate, and understand sportsmanship.
How do you prepare for 29,000 Scouts from 150 different countries? I quickly found out. I arrived in Sweden on Monday to serve on the International Service Team at the 22nd World Scout Jamboree. About 5,000 of us have been preparing the past two days for an unforgettable 10-day experience.
The entire UK Contingent has safely arrived at the 22nd World Scout Jamboree.
Arrowmen at SummitCorps are busy building over 40 miles of mountain bike trails as we speak, but they aren’t doing it alone. Members of I-Corps came prior to SummitCorps to learn what it takes to build a perfect MTB trail.
This is show 91.. the countdown to 100 has begun! In this show we talk about Sports and Scouting, Young Eagles, A new merit badge, and taking a Scouting break. This show is sponsored by the Other Scoutmaster's Handbook . Have a Great Scouting Day! Join the forum discussion on this post Share with Others:
Show 91 is out and ready for your ear buds. In this show we carry over some topics from the blog. We talk about Young Eagle Scouts, a discussion on Sports and Scouting. I introduce the new Chess merit badge, and we wrap up with taking a break from Scouting.
Headed to a National Park? Check out these National Park Service Programs For Boy Scouts: Scout Ranger Program Scouts who complete 10 hours of educational programs and/or service work at a National Park qualify for a Scout Ranger patch. Scouts who complete 5 hours of educational programs and/or service work at a National Park qualify…
