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What makes a great skatepark? The folks at Spohn Ranch can tell you. They should know—they designed the skatepark at the X Games. And the skatepark at the Summit Bechtel Reserve. Sweet, right? Tim Burk, a staff member at Shakedown, thought so.
As we get into the colder weather of fall and then winter our packs will start to get a bit heavier. At least that is the norm. Winter gear is a little heavier and you tend to carry more. That is unless you have a rich uncle or top of the line winter gear or…
From time to time I find great gear deals and share them here. Today I noted that there's a special deal for $50 off your $200 Marmot Purchase at Amazon For a limited time when you spend at least $200 on Marmot brand product you'll receive a $50 discount at check-out.
Reblogged from Just Scouting: When my oldest son was a Webelos II and about to cross over to Boy Scouts, I wanted to do something special for him and his Den. They had earned their Arrow of Light award so we decided to make career arrows and plaques for each Scout that earned it. When
To stay afloat organizations , like ships on the ocean, are designed to be reasonably impenetrable and inflexible. Safety and stability is important to ships and organizations but that same safety and stability create drag when it comes to evolution and change.
Welcome back to the SMMPodcast, after a long break we are back at it and talking Scouting. In this episode, we talk about Recruiting and Retention. It's about that time of the year to start thinking recharter and recruiting for the coming year.
Welcome back to the SMMPodcast, after a long break in the podcast we are back at it and talking Scouting. In this episode, we talk about Recruiting and Retention. It's about that time of the year to start thinking recharter and recruiting for the coming year.
WARNING: Due to recent news and legal action directed towards the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) it is important to remind all readers that this blog may or may not represent official BSA policy. If you are looking for official policy and guidance please refer to the National Council Website at: http://www.scouting.org and then by…
tastefullyoffensive : Feline Baumgartner [ via ] Gotta admit: I giggled.
While I thought it was very cool to rappel from the 2nd tallest building in Portland this takes the cake. There has not been a lot of chatter about this incredible stunt in the Scouting world… but I think this is way to cool not to talk about.
I have posted over on G+ that our troop is moving charter orgs. Well, I figured that I would confirm that here, too. We started our troop in February of 2010. Our CO had a pack already, so we used that as a catalyst to start the troop.
Bertrand Russell's 10 Commandments of Education Commandment #1: Do not feel absolutely certain of anything. Commandment #2: Do not think it worth while to proceed by concealing evidence, for the evidence is sure to come to light. Commandment #3: Never try to discourage thinking for you are sure to succeed.
Murphy's Laws: (No copyright violations intended. Please if you are the original author and you do not like the use of your writings please contact the webmaster to have content removed as per the Creative Commons Fair Use Copyright System.)
We've recently discussed some situations you might run into on your troop or pack committee where members have a difference of opinion and you, the committee chair, need to step in and help resolve it. What happens when one or …
A dozen brand new Leave No Trace Trainers are available in the council after this weekend's Trainer course. I assisted in presenting LNT to 12 Scouting members on a 2-night outing at a local BSA camp. The coolest thing is that 6 of the participants are youth seeking the Leave No Trace Trainer troop position…
IN THIS PODCAST A few words about divisive times and answers to email questions that touch on positions of responsibility, what ‘active' means, keeping older boys involved, Den Chiefs, Webelos dens camping with troops, new scout patrols and how patrols are formed.
Back away from the snow shovel! If the thought of another winter shoveling snow numbs your toes, consider going south. Ditch the parka, pack a pair of Bermuda shorts, and head to the Florida Sea Base for one of its weeklong training conferences for volunteers.
Tackling an Eagle Project is like climbing a tower: It is done one step at a time. This is an actual photo from a workday on my Eagle Project. You may have noticed that I've been posting less than I usually do for the past week or so.
Opening a high ropes course in Guernsey and joining 'Team England' for one of their regular meetings in Leicester illustrated why teamwork is important at all levels.
Cub Scout Pack 68 of Melrose held their first meeting of the new program year last week Tuesday at the high school cafeteria. After the opening ceremony, Cubmaster Mark sat down with the new and older Cub Scouts for a short talk.
One of my favorite things to do as a Scoutmaster is sit with a Scout and have a Scoutmaster Conference. It is not only a requirement for the Scout to advance, but a great opportunity to learn. I learn so much each time I sit down with a Scout and listen to them during the…
Continuing on my last post… So, his side deals have cost him a troop, and probably a pack. In the past 3 years, he has held up the re-chartering process, too, by not completing his YPT. We called him, emailed him, stopped in and did everything to get him to complete it.
The last words are key and a good speakers will tell you the not matter how short of long your talk is, people will usually only really remember your opening joke and your parting line. Knock knock ………. (Ok maybe …
Posted in Fitness Volleyball Belt Loop for Cub Scouts We are right in the middle of volleyball season. If you have a Cub Scout who plays on a volleyball team, he has probably already met the requirements for the Volleyball belt loop from the Cub Scout Academics and Sports program.
The track stretched 335 feet, 6 inches. That's 111 yards, for you football fans out there. If most pinewood derbies are sprints, consider this one the Boston Marathon. Earlier this month, the Boston Minuteman Council broke the Guinness World Record with a pinewood derby track stretching 335 feet, 6 inches.
On my honor, I will do my best To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight Be Prepared Do a good turn daily How do Scouts advance ?
I just got an email from our District Commissioner: Dear COR: The LDSBSA relations committee have taken the program helps and have formatted them into the Duty to God Program. These will be a great help to our scoutmasters as they implement the Duty To God program with their scouting activities.
It happens every year. A scout reaches his 18th birthday and is no longer a Boy Scout. The younger scouts keep the troop functioning and he moves on to other things. But when that last scout of a bunch of guys that started together as Tiger Cubs finally ages out, the legacy of that den…
Posted in Aims of Scouting November Cub Scout Theme – Fifty Great States (Citizenship) This Cub Scout theme revolves around the ideas of flag etiquette and service to the community, with a little geography thrown in. Find some ways to form your pack and den programs around this theme in...
In Scouting, as in life, change is inevitable. You've got new merit badges, new locations for campouts, new roles in your unit, new health and safety regulations, and more. That makes change the only fact of life guaranteed to never change.
William "Green Bar Bill" Hillcourt is the man who wrote the book on Scouting, literally. His Patrol Leader's Handbook is, without a doubt, his best and most influential work. His understanding of scouting was simple, but not simplistic. To an outsider, Scouting must at first appear to be a very complex matter.
It's official: The resolution to move to one Oath and Law for Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Varsity, Sea Scouts, and Venturing was approved this morning by the Boy Scouts of America's executive board. I first told you about the volunteer-led proposal in a blog post in August .
If you don't have any traditions in your Scouting unit, establish some! Give the boys something to build stories around. Those stories then spread to younger scouts who get excited and look forward to when it's their turn to experience that tradition.
In this episode, I address a few of the questions I receive about the rapidly approaching 2013 National Scout Jamboree : Will the Summit be ready by next summer? Is it too late to register? What if my council's contingent is already full?
Beginning Jan. 1, 2014, this badge will get a silver border. Moms and dads, prepare the needle and thread! Sustainability and Cooking merit badges will join the list of Eagle-required merit badges over the next 14 months, the Boy Scouts of America's National Executive Board announced today.
A massive thank you to all the runners who tackled the Royal Parks Half Marathon on 7 October to raise money for Scouting.
Frank Maynard is a blogging troop committee chairman, he recently published this excellent article outlining how to work with Scout parents; Parents who aren't as involved in Scouting as you are sometimes don't understand the program as well, and can see a unit working normally as being dysfunctional.
Posted in Fitness Climbing Merit Badge for Boy Scouts Boy Scouts might be able to earn the Climbing merit badge in their own neighborhood. Our local climbing gym gives Scouts the opportunity to earn this badge. Copyright Scouter Mom - A resource for adults and youth involved in Cub Scouting, Boy...
Say good bye to separate oaths and laws for each program within Boy Scouts of America (BSA). A resolution to use the Boy Scout Oath and Boy Scout Law for Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Varsity, Sea Scouts, and Venturing was approved yesterday morning by the BSA's executive board.
Some Members of the Movement may have seen reports in the media over the last twenty four hours about the membership criteria for the Movement and seek clarification of the Policy.
There are a few key training resources that are currently out of stock from Scout Shops.
His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, President of The Scout Association, visited Scouts in Bradford on 17 October.
Are you interested in volunteering for Scouting? We have a wide range of vacancies available so you can help support the development of Scouting.
Just watch and understand. (If you view on Youtube you can see the captioning if set-up correctly) I am just blown away by this.
We couldn't resist posting more reactions from recent visits to the Summit. As we rolled through the grounds of the future home of the 2013 National Jamboree with council members from all over the United States, we heard lots of excited talk and saw many fingers pointing out various sights.
Posted in Scoutcraft BSA Bear Den Meeting Plan 15 – Build a Model (Pinewood Derby Car) BSA provides Bear den meeting ideas for den leaders. This plan covers Bear Achievement 21 - Build a Model by making a Pinewood Derby car with the Scouts.
As the contents of the ineligible volunteer files released recently come to light Scouting volunteers and the families that they serve will be justifiably upset and unsettled. They will ask questions. They will want to know that their children are safe.
With all the files being released today, yesterday and the media spinning everything this way and that, I wanted to offer up this report that I found on the subject. As a Scout Volunteer , Father and a Human, I find the actions of a few disturbing beyond belief to say the least. If your
I thought it was a Ceremony? Traditionally, when Scouting first started in England, the term "Court of Honor" had a different meaning than it has today in the Boy Scouts of America. These days, "Court of Honor" refers to an award ceremony held every so often to award merit badges and rank advancements.
I had a dandy dream this morning. I paid an "out of season" visit to the Buckskin Camp of Many Point Scout Camp to check in on the campsite Troop 68 has been using for a number of years. I was quite surprised to find the camp staff at the Seton campsite preparing to set…
Phew, it's been a busy week for this Group Scout Leader. On Tuesday, I went to Scouts to see LOADS of badges awarded and to invest a new Scout and an Assistant Scout Leader. On Friday, I saw all the Beavers give presentations to the whole Colony about their hobbies – very impressive for 6 – 8…
October 20th (today) was another Cubmaster Hike. It was slated for Powell Butte in Portland, Oregon. These hikes are geared to get people out of the house, on the trail and in a place they have never been. All of that was accomplished. We had one Wolf, two Bears and two Webelos II. Along with
Health Special Risk (HSR), the Boy Scouts of America's accident and sickness insurance provider, will provide local councils the option for online enrollment in the Council Accident and Sickness Plan. This online service is available only for enrolling in the Council Accident and Sickness Plan.
300,000 hours of community service, nine counties, five days. Sound like an ambitious goal? Well, next summer at the 2013 National Scout Jamboree, it will become a reality. Think of it as Scouting's way to give back to the Summit's neighbors and do a Good Turn.
Rule No. 94 • There's no such thing as "bad weather" for Scouting… only bad clothing or equipment decisions. (Thank you, Ken King!) ________________________________________ Hi Andy, Ever heard of "Jamboree Mulligan"? It's supposed to be some sort of stew-like meal Scouts cooked "back in the day."
OK. Everyone take a deep breath and step away from the ledge. There is way to much chatter about files being released and who is going to have to answer questions in the media etc. Relax. Once again, I have been poked and prodded to give my opinion on the subject and true to form…
The BSA and American Baptist Men recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the ABM Parchment Valley Encampment in West Virginia. Under the agreement, ABM will begin to use the Scouting program as part of its youth ministry and outreach.
Posted in A Game with a Purpose Halloween Craft, Snack, and Game Ideas Craft, game, and snack ideas for your Halloween party or meeting. While some work best for younger kids, others are also appropriate for the older Scouts. Copyright Scouter Mom - A resource for adults and youth involved in Cub...
Say goodbye to the Law of the Pack. By now, you may have heard about the BSA executive board's approval of the resolution to have all programs – Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Venturing and Varsity Scouting – use the Boy …
On Saturday I had the privilege of helping one of the young men in my ward work on his Eagle Project. We met at the cemetery and cleaned up headstones. This particular cemetery used to have a policy that all headstones had to lay flat so that it would be easier to mow the grass.
What a view! And it's one that doesn't come without a little effort, either. If you want to perch atop this rock wall, you've got to rope up and climb nearly 75 feet of vertical rock. The location? Sam's Throne, a secluded rock-climbing spot near Mt.
IN THIS PODCAST The first installment of a three part series on Youth Leader Development, email answers about the Unit College Scouter Reserve designation and what to do when we miss the mark. All this and your messages in the mailbag.
In your unit, is a Scout's contact info freely available or guarded like nuclear launch codes? Two forces are competing here: Effective, efficient communication between families - and privacy. How do you straddle the thin line dividing the two? That's what assistant Scoutmaster Leon wondered in an e-mail to me last week.
Mark your calendars for an upcoming webinar that outlines the slate of merit badges being introduced this year and how to use the pre-launch excitement around them to promote Scouting. Oct. 30, 2012 – 9 a.m. or 3 p.m. (Central) – Register Online See the complete 2012 schedule of Marketing webinars here .
How do you expand the reach of an event that's already global? Find something out of this world. This weekend, the National Scouting Museum became the only Jamboree on the Air location on earth to enable 10 Scouts to directly communicate with the International Space Station as it hovered 255 miles above Earth.
Rule No. 93 • When you demand that someone meet you halfway, be sure he doesn't use his fist to do it. ________________________________________ In my September 26th column, Scouter John Ruppe of the San Diego-Imperial Council asked how the BSA views outstanding military service.
This week, Wayne considers the appointments process and ponders possible improvements.
If you haven't seen it yet, take a look at Scouting Magazine ‘s recent article: Unit Commissioner Shares How To Strengthen Scout Units/ . You'll find a collection of great tips for Commissioners along with a recent picture of Andy (Hal Daume).
The Brand Identity Guide is continuously improving, with newly updated information about the Web, social media, photography, and more! The Guide is still your compass to the BSA brand and brings updated guidelines to help you create and maintain a consistent, strong brand for the BSA.
Posted in Aims of Scouting One Scout Oath and Law – Our Changing World All BSA programs to use the Scout Oath and Law - Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Venturers. I think the consistency is good, but I will miss some aspects of the old versions,.
‘Adultism' can be a loaded term but I think it would be useful to consider it in the context of our work in Scouting. Adultism is the broadly defined as valuing the ideas, initiatives and direction of adults over that of youth.
The National Commissioner Task Force has updated the BSA Commissioner Training website with all-new training materials. Commissioners now have more resources for training than ever before. A Council Commissioner Basic Training course is in process and the manual update for the Commissioner College is just about done.
Boys and bikes go together. Use these great resources to make sure your Cub Scout stays safe when riding the roads.
The Scout Association is the focus of discussion at 2012's Prestonian Lecture, an annual lecture tour of the UK made to Masonic Lodges across the country.
Today I received a comment on the blog about my last post. It seems that an Irish Scouter is a bit unclear as to my position and/or does not consistency in my opinion. He asked 4 questions and I thought..
With the recent launch of the Boy Scouts of America Discover ® prepaid card, we've now made it even easier to promote this new card to parents and Scouts. A toolkit is now available at scouting.org/BSAprepaid and includes: Template emails designed specifically for district executives, adult leaders, and parents Social media updates to copy/paste right into…
Posted in CookingCubs in the Kitchen Jack O Lantern Creamsicles We had some creamsicles and some black icing gel so we decided to have some Halloween fun with them. We made these Jack O Lantern creamsicles. This would be a fun snack/craft for a den meeting.
When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.
It's amazing how quickly a whisper turns into a roar. Take Wood Badge tickets, for example. Each one leaves a lasting legacy, but 50, 500, or even 5,000? That kind of impact reverberates across the Scouting universe for generations. At my Wood Badge course in August, 50 Scouters each crafted five tickets.
Effective Nov.1, the Selection Research Instrument (SRI) will be replaced by the District Executive Talent Assessment (DETA). The new DETA tool will make it easier to assess DE candidates and identify those with the greatest potential to succeed. DETA is a required step in the hiring process for district executives.
The Scottish Parliament held a members' debate on Tuesday about the achievements of Scouting in Scotland.
This week, Wayne visited Scouts Wales, caught up with Bear to discuss Scouting's progress and contemplated Scouting's many international opportunities.
The fall Voice of the Scout data will be available on the VOS dashboard on Nov. 8 when the JTE dashboard updates. Viewers will be able to view spring data, fall data, or both cycles averaged together. Two important notes for calculating or improving VOS score on JTE dashboard: The 200 VOS points for NPS…
Posted in Be PreparedSafety Safety Merit Badge for Boy Scouts The Safety merit badge is not required for Eagle Scout like it used to be, but it still teaches Boy Scouts valuable lessons. Copyright Scouter Mom - A resource for adults and youth involved in Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, and Venturing [ This is a content summary…
Advancement is like a suntan; something you get naturally whilst having fun in the outdoors." Baden-Powell Scout advancement is not a goal; it is an indicator. Our aim is not that Scouts attain a certain level of skill or expertise but that they have fun in the outdoors doing things Scouts do.
Scouting and knot tying go together. Use some of these free resources to help your Cub Scouts learn how to tie scouting knots.
I just finished this book from the library. Lost In the Wild is comprised of two accounts of actual search and rescue operations in the north woods of Minnesota. A solo hiker heads out on a 'short' route in October, makes a handful of poor decisions, and barely survives.
On Oct. 17, the BSA's Executive Board approved a resolution to use the Scout Oath and Scout Law in the Cub Scout and Venturing programs. Specifically, the changes approved are as follows: Cub Scouts: Adopt the Scout Oath and Scout Law for use in the Cub Scout program, retiring the Cub Scout Promise.
A range of updated resources is now available from Scout Shops.
We are aware that some emails being sent to our members are not being received. We are working to fix this issue as soon as possible.
The World Organisation of the Scouting Movement published an iOS app during last year's World Jamboree . In the course of the last week, the official Android app has also been released. These apps help you keep up to date with the latest news, pictures and events from WOSM, as well as letting you browse the…
Patrol Z is a group of new-media journalists made up of Scouts and Venturers from all across America. High adventure, service, and achievement are what we're all about. Want to get in touch with us? Tweet to us @PatrolZ , and follow our photos on Instagram @PatrolZ.
The Beast of the Night took place over the weekend of the 20th/21st October 2012, It was billed as a 24 hour explorer scout event for all explorers in the Gloucestershire Scout County. I am not sure where the BEAST …
This quote from John Thurman gives an excellent example of what the Patrol Spirit should look like. When the Patrol gets together, each of the Scouts should be focusing on the good of the Patrol. I remember when I was Patrol Leader of the Panther Patrol.
A Scoutmaster minute about discouragement: If a bird landed on your head what would you do? Run? Brush it off? Maybe both? Nobody can keep birds from flying over their head but we can keep them from making a nest in our hair.
Posted in Outdoor Recreation BSA Wolf Den Meeting Plan 16 – Outdoor Adventure and Fishing BSA provides Wolf den meeting ideas for Cub Scout den leader. This plan covers Wolf Elective 18 – Outdoor Adventure and Wolf Elective 19 – Fishing Copyright Scouter Mom - A resource for adults and...
One night in a snow shelter, and you'll be hooked. I'm speaking from experience. In 2000, I attended Kanik, Philmont's winter offering, with Troop 1776. The crisp morning air, the snow-covered mountains, and good friends - all in a setting unlike any I had seen.
The U.S. Scouting Service Project is operated by volunteer Scouters across the U.S. Three of our team members are located in the path of Hurricane Sandy and near where the storm is projected to make landfall. Because authorities are warning of power outages which may disrupt local communications, we ask that you please be patient…
Scouts and whittling evokes a vivid boyhood memory of sitting on the back porch steps whittling a green stick with a steak knife purloined from my mother's kitchen. Since then I have always had one kind of pocket knife or another and whittled when the opportunity presents itself.
We're partnering with BeatBullying, the UK's leading anti-bullying charity, to ensure that Section Leaders can identify and combat bullying.
