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If you are looking for something related to May's Health and Fitness theme, check out the Nutrition belt loop from the Cub Scout Academics and Sports Program. A pack meeting with a cookout could incorporate the requirements for this belt loop.
photo from Suburban Journal article St. Louis's Strange Company (run by an Eagle Scout) produces Eagle Scout medals and pins. Here's an article in Suburban Journal: Scouts' honors Share/Bookmark
One of the things I've been trying to do to improve our Venturing activities is to close with a reflection. This is something that was mentioned in Brad Harris' book Trails to Testimony as a way to find spiritual lessons in our activities.
I look really squishy in the middle, need to do something about that
Not all Boy Scouts catch on to the OA. Are there other organizations within Scouting for older Scouts to be a part of? I'm not looking for a distinct program like Venturing for them to transition into, but an organization that still fits within Boy Scouts.
Spencer Zimmerman so badly wanted his friend with cerebral palsy to finish a triathlon that in 2010, the Arizona Eagle Scout pushed, pulled, and carried his buddy through a 500-meter swim, 3.2-mile run, and 12-mile bike ride. Spencer, then 13 years old, and his friend Dayton Hayward trained relentlessly - Spencer pulled Dayton in a raft…
The Words of Wisdom Wednesday series is composed of anecdotal segments to inspire and supplement a Scout's personal development, building core values and moral character. "An animal has been made by God just as you have been. He is therefore a fellowcreature.
While most people familiar with Leave No Trace generally do not burn trash, those who are uninformed occasionally (or perhaps more often) burn trash in their campfire. While this seemingly innocent act may not cause seemingly significant immediate impacts, there are impacts nonetheless.
Earlier this year the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics selected its first Hot Spot of the year, the Fourmile Area near Buena Vista, Colorado. Near both Denver and Colorado Springs, Fourmile is one of the most heavily used areas in central Colorado and recreation-related impacts are significant and growing.
Quinn on skis! At a yurt! Arriving in Tahoe after their best snow of the season, the e-tour made its way to Hope Valley Outdoors for an event with some local elementary school children. Hope Valley Outdoors is a backcountry ski yurt that provides rentals, guiding, and school outreach.
Ok so since I made the decision to expand on the Boy Scout Campout and Scout Summer Camp series I should probably correct some titles in order for things to make sense so there will be several different posts that need to have their title changed in order for me to clear up a mess…
One of the annual events in scouting and scouting-like activities around the world is the Pinewood Derby. Boys and girls build small gravity-powered racers to compete for the honor of being the fastest. This honor brings with it the temptation to "bend rules" to win.
I got two badges and the offer of a pint next time I am in Kenilworth NJ, sounded like a good deal to me.
An appropriate Cub Scout gathering activity for your den or pack will get your meeting off to a good start. This gathering activity works well with the April Cub Scout theme of Cub Scouts Give Thanks. The Cub Scouts Give Thanks theme is one of the supplemental Cub Scout program themes for the core...
Steve Karoly writes about Dutch oven bread revisited on his blog ‘Round the Chuck Box. This isn't quick bread, no, it's slow bread - bread that takes hours to make with kneading and rising and kneading and proofing and yeast.
I walked 44184 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 23 miles today. Got picked up in Tucson at 5am. Started hiking at 9am. Super windy on Miller Peak. Check out my current location on the map.
I walked 34654 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 16 miles today. Met Phil from FL yesterday. Hit by a desert snow storm today. Exciting hike!
I walked 39987 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 16 miles today. It feels like hiking in MN so far. Another day in snow and wind. At Patagonia tonite.
I walked 48492 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 22 miles today. Patagonia to Gardner Canyon thru snow around Mt. Wrightson - gorgeous day! Check out my current location on the map.
I walked 45794 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 21 miles today. First warm day in the desert. Found small pool of h2o in a creekbed - whew! Check out my current location on the map.
Ottawa, ON – March 21, 2012 – One "Good Turn" can make someone's day. Imagine what 100,000 "Good Turns" could do! Scouts Canada has designated April 14–22 as Good Turn Week and is calling on all Canadians to step up and join them by doing a "Good Turn" for a friend, family member, neighbour or the community.
I've read about the idea of "New Scout" patrols, "Regular" patrols, and even "Venture" patrols within a troop. What's the right organizational method? What's the mechanics for choosing which Scout goes into which patrol? (Voting, PLC, SPL, Scoutmaster, etc.) Also, should a troop have distinct patrols that survive through the years or should patrol identities…
Meetings this week were more outward looking including the heads of St John, an adviser to the Government on the National Citizenship Service and finishing by joining the County Commissioners of South West England Region for their regular meeting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvqMqRbJ-vQ...
Create! Play! Win! Do you have, know or teach children between the ages of 6-12? If you do, please share this contest with them! Our corporate sponsor, Clif Bar , through Clif Kid is holding their "Backyard Game of the Year".
From THE SCOUT annual, August 19 1948 - page 27: This novel "Kitchen Sideboard" was erected by the 37th Dumfriesshire (Methodist) Troop at their permanent camp site, but is not a permanent gadget. It can easily be made and used by any Troop, as it unpacks for transport.
I was at an internet safety conference this week and a couple of things caught my eye with regard to Scouting and thought it would be worth sharing. Firstly is the Professionals Online Safety Helpdesk. This is for anyone who works with young people, whether voluntary or paid.
Here is an easy camp breakfast recipe for those who enjoy some eggs in the morning. I really enjoy Dutch oven recipes at camp because you can put all of your ingredients in and relax while it cooks. And relaxing and enjoying the moment is part of what really makes camping great.
I posted this ‘study' to Facebook earlier this week. The interest it created leads me to share news of research by hard-working yet little known Scouters who staff the Large Baden Collider at Philmont Scout Ranch. Some
Scouters and Scouts, start your engines. Then point your compass (or GPS device) toward the nearest speedway. Yes, after a long winter, it's finally racing time once again. Over the next seven months, the IZOD IndyCar Series will visit 12 American racetracks (plus stops in Brazil, China, and Canada).
This Wolf Cub Scout den meeting plan covers Wolf Achievement 5 - Tools for Fixing and Building. [ This is a content summary only. Click on the article title for full links, other content, and more! ]
Meet Eddie. Eddie is an Eagle Scout-turned-etiquette guru. A perfect citizen living in an imperfect society, Eddie's mission is to make the world a better place by sharing his vast knowledge about manners and etiquette with employees. As a Scouter, you might spend more time out of the office than in it.
One of the things I like to do in my spare time that isn't taken up by Scouting is to cook. The Food Network has a lot of shows that I enjoy watching, and one of them is Worst Cooks …
I walked 49644 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 20 miles today. This is the view all the way back to Mexico from Mica Mtn. A week ago, I was by the mountains way off to the left.
The Venturing Silver Award is available to all young men and women who are Venturers. Earning the Venturing Silver Award helps the Scout develop knowledge and leadership skills. [ This is a content summary only. Click on the article title for full links, other content, and more! ]
________________________________________ Rule No. 66: • Anything told to you "for your own good" isn't. ________________________________________ Dear Andy, We have a Scout whose Eagle project is re-building an animal enclosure that was destroyed during winter storms, for a petting zoo at a local day camp.
Click to open the Winter 2012 PDF After receiving numerous requests from the field, the winter 2012 issue of The Commissioner newsletter is now also available in a printable PDF version in addition to the new online format. Previous issues of the newsletter are available by following the links under the BSA Newsletters header at…
My first backpacking trip was a hike to a trail shelter in Shenandoah National Park in the early seventies. My brother and I carried frame-less canvas backpacks with webbing shoulder straps that my dad padded with upholstery foam. I don't recall the
The nation's demographics are changing, and understanding these new communities is going to be critical to our organization's future growth. The Multicultural Markets Membership Recruitment Team (formerly known as Scoutreach) has been specifically designed to provide relevant insights and tactical expertise to local councils, with the goal of increasing their capacity to grow and sustain…
Today the part of our website that pays tribute to the members of the Troop who were killed in World War 1 and World War 2 is being relaunched When it was originally set up in 2005, the site had the list of the names that are on our War Memorial in St.
Scouts from Humberside used their outdoor skills and first aid knowledge to aid the rescue of a stranded walker who had broken her leg on the Pennines.
The New York Times recently wrote an article about the field of "soundscape ecology" and how the sounds of nature can be just as important as the sights. In the piece, titled " Whisper of the Wild ," the author emphasized how the quiet of nature, free from the sounds of humans and their engines, may be…
I walked 35462 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 16 miles today. Yet another change in plans - after the long haul over Mica Mtn yesterday and another hot day, we stopped at Molina Basin CG. This is also the most convenient stop for a zero day (or 2) in Tucson.
Perhaps you've been thinking about signing up for the 2013 National Scout Jamboree. But wait! Not sure if you're into all that high adventure, all the time? Well, have no fear-the 2013 National Scout Jamboree will indeed be packed full of fun … all kinds of fun!
Please encourage all commissioners to use the UVTS hotline if they experience any computer access issues, problems, or difficulties using UVTS. This useful support service can resolve problems much faster if they talk directly to the user/source with the UVTS issues.
This is a self contained camp stove which burns twigs, charcoal, wood pellets, etc. It has a small battery powered fan to draw air. [ This is a content summary only. Click on the article title for full links, other content, and more! ]
Lakeland, FL. This weekend we traveled to Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve to facilitate a two day Leave No Trace Trainer Course. With the help of Michelle Thompson, Wellness Programs Manager of Florida Southern College , we hiked to a beautiful campsite with 5 other eager participants that were excited to bring Leave No Trace education back…
The American Welding Society (AWS)-whose members helped write the requirements for the new Welding merit badge-is donating 50 student AWS memberships to Boy Scouts who earn their Welding badge in April. The Boy Scout/National Welding Month promotion will run from April 1–30. For more information, download the AWS BSA Student Membership flier .
At last, the Local Council Guide to the 2011 IRS Form 990 and 990-EZ has arrived! The new guide brings together what's new for 2011, with special instructions, an illustrative checklist, and actual 990 and 990-EZ forms into one handy reference manual to serve as a resource for practitioners and local councils alike.
IN THIS PODCAST Interview with Ultimate Hiker Andrew Skurka LINKS IN THIS PODCAST My review of The Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide Andrew Skurka's Website Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide available at Amazon KEEP IN TOUCH Contact Clarke Green Call
Kept busy today getting my hike schedule set for the next few weeks. Figuring how to minimize the food drops and stops along the way. Barring any more snow storms or other unforeseen obstacles, I should complete the trail right around May 1.
Click to open March issue The March issue of the Supply Line newsletter has been published and is available online. In this issue, you can read more about the recently shipped spring/summer catalog, which is packed with exciting new products that are perfect seasonal and summer-camp solutions.
Man oh man, its been a while since I was on the blog posting. Sorry about that, no excuses, just lots going on especially with all the new scouts that we have in the troop. This post I want to share a little about the last camp out.
Imagine, if you will, a "welding extravaganza." That's how the Heart of America Council recently cooked up the rollout of the BSA's Welding merit badge, with 24 Scouts becoming the first in the country to earn this award. I was in Kansas City recently to speak at the Mayor's Annual Prayer Breakfast, and had the…
I found this ceremony in some old program helps. I thought it would go well with the Cub Scouts Give Thanks supplemental program theme for April. Thank You Ceremony Let the Cub Scouts prepare eight large placards, each with a large letter painted on it to match the initial letter of each verse.
This announcement from the B.S.A. is nothing new but I've had questions about it recently – here's the way the college reserve works: Does your troop or team have a Scout who has turned 18
In the last year, the Center has initiated a new focus of incorporating Leave No Trace education into volunteer community-service projects. In 2011, Leave No Trace educators and volunteers facilitated 23 such projects resulting in almost 8000 man hours of trail work, invasive species removal, and clean-ups.
Remember Spencer Zimmerman, the Eagle Scout triathlete with the heart of a champion? It's impossible to forget the inspiring story of the young man who pushed, pulled, and carried his friend with cerebral palsy through a grueling three-hour triathlon. If you missed this tale of selflessness, grab a box of Kleenex and click here .
The Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers, as well as the Leave No Trace e-tour Team are conducting the following training events across the country in April. For more information about these or to attend, visit their calendars. We hope to see you on the road!
Council professional advisers, committee chairs, and committee members of alumni relations and NESA committees are invited (along with their families) to visit Philmont in the summertime and attend the Reconnecting Scouting's Alumni course June 17–23. This is our fourth year offering this course.
We are asking councils to contact their teachers in the Learning for Life program to take the teachers' program evaluation survey . Last year's results helped us improve the development of our programs. We once again have individual program surveys rather than one generic survey.
Let me give you the bad news first. Driver James Jakes and his No. 19 car crashed in Sunday's race after just 19 laps. So what's the good news? That St. Petersburg, Fla., event was the first of 15 races this season.
The Situation You are car camping at a park and have read the regulations, which clearly state that there is no disposal of greywater on the ground. Unfortunately, there is no literature telling what you should do otherwise. What would you do?
I'll be back to hiking bright and early tomorrow, keeping my eye open for other hikers to say "Howdy" to on the trail - maybe you'll cross my path? But, for one more evening, I'm really enjoying time to relax in a cool home, eating real food, and not worrying about how much water I need…
After covering the first foundational point of the SSD principles next up is that of "Personal Health Review" or according to the "SMALLBAD" nemonic it is known as "Medical". Many people really question why the health review or medical evaluation are a critical point to ensuring a as safe as possible aquatic outing just doesn't…
So in order to keep up and continue updating my regular readers I am posting another list of posts that are in the "Easiest Way To Cover Safe Swim Defense" series. So without wasting any further time or another long drafted explanation heres the list of posts including this 1 as of Tuesday March 27…
Spending time with your Scouts on C.O.P.E courses is a wonderful experience. Scouts are challenged to step away from what they know is comfortable. The team building exercises and challenging tasks push Scouts to push themselves, not only for the sake of pushing themselves, but for the sake of the team.
Click to open March issue The March issue of the Office of Development's Giving Times newsletter has been published and is available online. In this issue, you can read more about the Office of Development's 2012 goals, as well as the following articles: A Tribute to Harry E.
AT&T has launched a campaign to help more students graduate from high school ready for careers and college, and to ensure the country is better prepared to meet global competition. Among the most significant corporate educational initiatives in the U.S., the AT&T Aspire program has already invested more than $100 million in the four years…
Last week I came very close to removing the chief scout from my twitter feed and I have recently seen a couple of tweets from people who passed my point and actually binned Bear. I started this post poised to write a tarried and rant about twitter and in particular Bear Grylls, I ended posing…
Boy Scouts who enjoy building models from kits can challenge themselves further when they earn the Model Design and Building merit badge. For this badge they must build one model without starting from a kit. [ This is a content summary only. Click on the article title for full links, other content, and more! ]
Andrew Skurka guides us through his 4,700-mile, six-month trek around Alaska and the Yukon. Interview with Andrew Skurka on Scoutmaster Podcast 111 My review of Andrew's The Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide Andrew Skurka's Website Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide available
The Words of Wisdom Wednesday series is composed of anecdotal segments to inspire and supplement a Scout's personal development, building core values and moral character. Continuing down the Scout Law, it is apparent why "Friendly" is memorialized right below "Helpful".
Jamboree-on-the-Air for 2012 will be held October 20 and 21. Last year's effort saw a 600 percent increase in reported Scout participation in the U.S.; more than 3,000 Scouts were a part of exciting activities and a superb introduction to the science and technology of amateur radio.
For the second year, Council Operations will be hosting an All Markets Strategy Summit for council staff and key volunteers interested in analyzing, preparing, and executing plans to work with all markets in your community, specifically the Hispanic, African American, and Asian American markets.
My umbrella is really saving the day again. It's darn hot and an incredibly steep long climb, but having my own shade is super. It looks like I might make it to Summerhaven tonite, but it's still 8 miles away - all UP!
Projects in Cumbria, London and Hampshire are among the first recipients of a Youth On Board award to celebrate their youth participation work.
A full 8 days on the road including Dublin, London and Edinburgh led to a rather full-on Scouting week for Wayne with a multitude of meetings.
We're launching new designs suitable for Muslim girls
In the last few months a lot has been changing in the Information Delivery Group here at the national office. We have been working on providing clearer methods of communication and keeping everyone up to date on any changes that are made to our systems.
For the first post of the "personal health review" principle in the SSD program we covered information forming a basic level introduction to the "Personal Health Review" principle and then gave examples of medical conditions that could depending on the situation require you as the qualified supervisor to adjust plans to ensure the adequate safety…
Click to open April 1 issue The April issue of the Finance Impact e-Letter has been published and is available on the Finance Impact website. Be Prepared
Even though this may seem repetitive the purpose is to keep people up to date and informed about where I currently am in regards to moving through my post series that is all about SSD. Before I start rambling again as is habit heres the official list of posts now and they include: The Easiest…
For regular readers: WARNING: This is not intended to serve as a actual continuation post for this "Camping Options" series but will be related to that subject! Well now that I got that warning out of the way I just wanted to update readers on why this has series has gotten the attention it deserves…
One of the methods for Boy Scouts is "the outdoors". Being outdoors presents Boy Scouts with challenges and adventures. Boys enjoy the independence of getting away from home and taking care of themselves. [ This is a content summary only. Click on the article title for full links, other content, and more! ]
I am not sure why but gnarly trees and the shapes they make always intrest me and I do like to take photos of them.
The heart of the Scout Law is Helpful, Friendly, Courteous and Kind. All the points of the Law are equally important and vitally important to Scouting. These four points, however, define the basics of how
I walked 53867 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 23 miles today. BIG Thank You to Janet and John for letting me rest up with them. And to John for the ride to Molino Basin CG to restart my hike.
Does your council need more volunteers, adult members, and contributions? Find out how to dive into a pool of 50 million potential prospects and find some Scouting pearls. Attend a one-day seminar provided in five locations by members of the national Alumni Relations Committee.
The Council Operations Breakfast Club meeting on April 4 is titled "Cool Innovations Under Way in the BSA!" Please join host Assistant Chief Scout Executive Gary Butler once again as he features another club meeting chock-full of interesting information. For April, we have four segments, each one demonstrating some innovative approaches to program enhancements and…
Want to be able to see the stars for once within the city limits? Want to show that you are concerned about the environment? Well, Earth Hour 2012 will give you that opportunity to do just that. Scouts and people alike from around the world are called upon to participate in Earth Hour 2012.
I walked 50480 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 21 miles today. I spent most of the day walking across a very hot, dry desert after I descended the Oracle Ridge from Summerhaven. I also had a 1m backhike for h2o first thing and 3m hike into Oracle, so a pretty long day.
Students sketching Lower Yosemite Falls A Leave No Trace mindset tip from the e-tour : Heading to a National Park, State Park, or National Forest? Don't just think of yourself as a visitor -- think of yourself as a host! Everyone who visits these incredible areas after you will enjoy your hospitality.
From my home troop's ( 9th Benoni ) logbook - the troop's raft featured in a photo from The Citizen , a national newspaper, covering Gauteng (then Transvaal) Kontiki .
In 2010, BSA announced that it was going to discontinue the Bugling merit badge and merge it into the Music merit badge. The response to this announcement was so overwhelming that BSA reversed this decision and Bugling remains a separate badge.
Are shooting sports one of your favorite Scouting activities? If so, you are positively, 100 percent going to want to check out the activity area for shooting sports at the 2013 jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Reserve. Why, you ask?
I get to be a troop guide for Wood Badge again this year and I've been reviewing my presentations from last year. One that I needed to modify a bit was the presentation on Leave No Trace. One thing I worry about with this presentation is that it can be a pretty sensitive topic in…
Sometimes I just have to wonder if journalists even read press releases properly before writing a story based on them. Just look at the headlines from reputable news sources below: The problem with these stories? They're wrong. There is no change to the Scout uniform at all – that remains the same.
I NEED YOUR HELP!! I do not want a penny from you for personal use. I have never used this blog as a fundraising tool.. but the time is NOW to help Scouts and help me do something real cool.
Following on from my last post about something from the past of my Group, comes something very up to date! Last night our Drum Corps had their first annual Band Inspection. All Scout Bands have a yearly inspection to ensure that they uphold the correct standards for a Scout band which performs in public.
