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Washing up before lunch. This wash station is the ideal First Class Camp Gadget! It’s sturdy, portable, and very useful when camping away from washroom facilities. Inherent in its design is a sound approach to a variety of pioneering concepts and skills.
The following description is adapted from Adolph Peschke’s narrative on the “boy-sized” 14′ Double Ladder Signal Tower , from the 1993 edition of the Pioneering Merit Badge Pamphlet . MATERIALS: Pioneering Tower Design Diagram 4 3 1/2″ x 14′ tower legs 6 2″ x 4′ side spreaders 2 3″ x 4′ bottom spreaders 4 2″ x 6′…
Small Clothes Rack Designed very closely along the lines of the Simple Camp Table , this is an easy solution to how to dry wet clothing and towels at a long-term camp. It takes up less space while drying more wet things.
I wish you all a very happy new year
One of the best parts of heading to the beach here in Oregon is walking through the ‘Mom and Pop' shops. Little art galleries, home-made crafts and unique items flavored for the coast. It doesnt matter if it's the beach or the mountain, Central Oregon, or the little town I live in, you are sure…
________________________________________ A SCOUTMASTER'S RESOLUTION FOR 2013… Tell the young men you serve that they're SCOUTS and THIS IS THEIR TROOP. Tell them nobody runs their troop but THEM. Show them by your actions what it means to believe in something greater than themselves and stand up for this.
Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday."
Within the Google+ Community of #Scoutnation, there is a question going around of what are your highlights of the past year and even what you are looking forward to in 2013. I have given my response there about what I am looking forward to. In a post to come later I will talk about
Posted in Aims of ScoutingScout Oath and Law Scout Law I like the simplicity of the Scout Law. It is brief and therefore easy for youth to memorize. But it covers a lot of ground. Copyright Scouter Mom - A resource for adults and youth involved in Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, and Venturing [ This is a…
I am trying to come up with a post that talks about all of Pack 221′s accomplishments for the past calendar year. Outside of the announcement that for the second year in a row, we have attained Gold for the 2012 Journey to Excellence, our program is good. I know that there are weak
Don't let the post-holiday blues get the best of you. We're here to lift your mood with a new gear giveaway! This month, we've put together a package of top-notch goods to help make a winter night under the stars a warm and comfortable adventure.
Take this sky tour infographic with you and the next time you are out camping take a few minutes to conduct a tour of the circumpolar constellations. You'll be able to show your Scouts two methods of finding the north star and how to identify the constellations along with some astronomy facts and folklore.
Aloha! We received a tremendous response to the November-December "Where Am I?" contest , which racked up 466 entries - 395 of those were correct guesses! The answer to the riddle? Pu'u Loa Petroglyphs , located in the Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Using a random number generator, lucky digit 21 is our winner.
NEWSLETTERS: Vol. 2, No. 11, pg2: Whitewater Rafting, Nantahala River Vol. 2, No. 11, pg1: Whitewater Rafting, Nantahala River Vol. 2, No. 10, pg4: Camp Barstow Vol. 2, No. 10, pg3: Camp Barstow Vol. 2, No. 10, pg2: Troop Bus catches fire Vol.
The following text is by Adolph E. Peschke as presented in the 1998 printing of the 1993 edition of the Pioneering Merit Badge Pamphlet: Bridges are very popular pioneering projects. Essentially, a bridge consists of one or more trestles that support some sort of walkway.
Simple 1-1 Anchor with rope tackle We apply a rope tackle where the guy lines meet the anchors for pretty much all our pioneering projects. For safety reasons, taut-line hitches should never be used in any pioneering work, because if the tension is eased the knot can slip.
In previous posts I've talked about Introduction of Leadership Skills Training – Troop, which I'm actually a very big fan of. The new version is a tremendous upgrade, in my opinion, to the older trainings that I've facilitated, and I …
Baloo's Bugle for RESOURCEFULNESS and Turn Back the Clock is on-line The final version of Baloo's Bugle for RESOURCEFULNESS and Turn Back the Clock is on-line at http://usscouts.org/usscouts/bbugle2012-2013.asp . Please pray for all of the people in Newtown, CT, that the lives of the living may be restored to "normalcy."
Each year, every Scout Group, District and County has to collate various bits of information (mainly numbers of people in each Group etc.) so that the Scout Association knows how many Scouts there are in the UK and so they know how much to charge us for capitation fees.
Posted in Careers and Vocations Fingerprinting Merit Badge for Boy Scouts The Fingerprinting merit badge is a pretty easy and fun badge for Boy Scouts to earn. It might be of special interest to Scouts who are considering a career in law enforcement.
The 10-time Emmy nominated Antiques Roadshow , "part adventure, part history lesson, part treasure hunt," kicks off its 17th season with an episode tailor-made for Scouters like you and me. The show's premiere takes us to Corpus Christi, Tex., and includes an appraisal of Boy Scout posters and memorabilia.
It is that time of the year, Friends of Scouting. I want to tell you about why I give to my Council. I have already told you why I do what I do. I give to my Council for the exact same reason I give money to my children's PTA and School Foundation. So, that
Here is a review of Packit Gourmets meal, Dotties Chicken and Dumplings. I highly recommend it! Enjoy the review. Have a Great Scouting Day!
Don, John, and Denise won prizes in the monthly Boy Scout Trail giveaway yesterday. You can enter for this month on my Contest page . Scouting magazine is having a giveaway this month also. One winner will get a two-person REI Cirque ASL 2 tent, a Kelty Mistral Minus-20 sleeping bag, and a Therm-A-Rest Z Lite…
2012′s Eagles are the only ones who can wear this 100th Anniversary patch. For Eagle Scouts and their fans, 2012 was the gift that keeps on giving. We spent all year celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Arthur Rose Eldred becoming the first Eagle Scout.
The patrol system is not one method in which Scouting for boys can be carried on. It is the only method . It is not the slightest use to preach the Scout Law or to give it out as orders to a crowd of boys: each mind requires its special exposition of them and the ambition…
Posted in Camping Take the Chill Off Giveaway This month's giveaway from Scouting Magazine: Enter daily for a chance to win the following: an REI Cirque ASL 2 tent($360) a Kelty Mistral Minus-20 sleeping bag ($90) a Term-A-Rest Z Lite Sol sleeping pad ($35) These will keep you warm at night...
Schematic for Double Platform Monkey Bridge Design Here are the materials needed to construct this project: 8 8′ x 4″ spars for platform legs 4 8′ x 3 -1/2″ spars for X-braces 4 6′ x 2 -1/2″ diagonal side braces 8 4′ x 3″ spars for side base spreaders (4) and platform supports (4) 16…
Some folks asked me to provide the spreadsheet that I use to calculate gear weight. Here you go. Join the forum discussion on this post
In my last Sunday Morning Coffee post I talked about a new segment I was going to start for this year. That was to document the shaving of the weight from my pack in order to go lighter and more comfortable on the trail.
Hit the challenge course at the Summit and learn key life skills while loading up on fun. It's like a prize in a cereal box . Leery of heights? The more time on the challenge course, the more comfortable you'll become.
Posted in Aims of Scouting BSA Arrow of Light Den Meeting Plan 1 – Family Member and AOL This Webelos den meeting plan covers part of the Webelos Family Member activity badge and some of the requirements for the Arrow of Light.
Imagine a bus tour of some important city where, seated in the air-conditioned comfort of a motor coach, we listen to the guide explain each landmark in detail so we won't miss anything. The guide sticks to the script, we sit behind the tinted windows of our bus dutifully turning our heads to the left…
Learn about the new Scout-focused reality TV show airing this spring. Hear about the show, how you can help drive viewership, and more important, how you can use the show to drive interest in your local programming, recruitment, and fundraising. Register now! Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013-9 a.m. or 3 p.m. (Central)- Register Here
Just a quick note here to introduce you to the new 52 to 16 page you will find it up on the top of the page next to the "home" tab. It is the page I am going to use to document the 52 weeks of shaving weight..
In Oregon, when you approach a trail head that is a well used and highly frequented trail, there are signs that alert you of types of plants and animals in the area. The signs remind you that you need to be prepared for the hike you are about to take.
If you're looking for suggestions on ways to develop your council's camp properties, watch for topics of interest at the new Camp Development and Maintenance Web page . This new addition to scouting.org offers topical information on costs, camp maintenance, and CPMS (Council Properties Management System), including a library of design and practices.
This week we talk about my pack and the small stuff in it. We brew up a nice cup of Starbucks Breakfast blend using the Snow Peak 700 pot and the Jet Boil Press. Thanks for watching these videos, I appreciate all the feedback and comments. Have a Great Scouting Day!
A new template is available for planning and implementing board diversity: Click here for the template or go to our website at www.scouting.org/jte and scroll to the Council Tools section.
________________________________________ THE BADEN-POWELL INSTITUTE By the GREATER CLEVELAND COUNCIL-BSA SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9th – 8 AM to 3 PM. Your choice of 45 SCOUTING TOPICS in 50-minute sessions. o Dutch oven cooking o Fly fishing for Dummies o Philmont from a Ranger's perspective o Trail-building Eagle projects o Adding PIZZAZ to pack and den meetings o Myscouting.org: Navigating…
The Voice of the Scout has been out for a while, and I am just now getting to read it. The summary is here. Not sure how that happened. In reading these, specifically the summary, I agree with a lot of it. As it relates to the Scout Unit directly you see this: "•
Spent some time going over the Senior Patrol Leader Handbook this weekend. Along the same lines as the Patrol Leader Position Specific Training, I've gone through the SPL Handbook and outlined a training module for use with initial position specific …
Posted in Be Prepared Venturing Ranger Award Elective – First Aid To complete the Venturing Ranger Award requirements for First Aid, a Venturer must learn about making a first aid kit and share this knowledge with others. He or she must also complete a first aid course.
Reblogged from Bryan on Scouting: 2012′s Eagles are the only ones who can wear this 100th Anniversary patch. For Eagle Scouts and their fans, 2012 was the gift that keeps on giving. We spent all year celebrating the 100th Anniversary …
Every week, the Food Network runs a show called Restaurant Impossible. In the show, chef Robert Irvine makes a whirlwind two-day visit to a failing restaurant to try to determine why it's failing and to take corrective action. His designers fix …
In this podcast I speak with Alren Ward, my co-conspirator at Scoutcircle.org and Bill Fleming, fellow Scouter and owner of Conohocreek.org, our new (and first!) sponsor. We'll discuss objective and subjective decision making in Scoutmastership in seven minutes or less.
Registration for the 2013 National Camping School session is now available online. The site is only available to local councils, which will verify that the applicants have been approved by the Scout executive or designee. The registration link may be found here: National Camping School online registration .
Finding a place to go for a winter campout can be a challenge. Especially in our area where many of the mountain roads are closed because of deep Utah powder and trailheads only accessible by snowmobile (or involve avalanche danger too much for 12-13 year olds).
This has been discussed before, but I received an email the other day from a Scouter in our area. This Scouter does not know me very well, nor does this Scouter know how our Troop runs, but none the less, this Scouter sent a nice email suggesting that we do not encourage the merit badge…
The spring 2013 Voice of the Scout survey cycle is coming soon! Part of making this valuable program a success is to prepare your council membership by getting the word out. You can find customizable Voice of the Scout campaign materials for distribution as well as banners for your council's website by going to www.scouting.org/jte…
The Summit is going to be more wired and high tech than you can imagine, utilizing technology at every possible level from the submission of applications to mobile technology for providing programming, data, and individual schedules. To fully take advantage of widespread mobile capabilities, we are working on a Summit app to roll in time…
Scouting is global. The movement was created outside of the U.S., and BSA members make up just 10 percent of Scouts worldwide. So it's big news when one of the BSA's own is tapped to lead the World Organization of the Scout Movement and its 30 million members in 161 countries.
Here is a video I shot a while back. The first attempt at anchoring in the video may seem not to have worked… but in the interest of time we did not allow it ‘set up'. A regular or snow stake will stay once snow is packed and allowed to bond to the stake.
Posted in A Game with a Purpose Pack Meeting Plan for January – Lights, Camera, Action (Positive Attitude) The Cub Scout core value for the month of January is Positive Attitude. BSA has a Cub Scout pack meeting plan called Lights, Camera, Action related to this core value.
Our first post in this series establishes the patrol method as the character school of Scouting, that real self-government makes the Scout Oath and law more relevant than a bunch of concepts preached by adults. That Scouts find meaning in the life of the patrol and troop where individual responsibilities become group responsibilities.
Click to open January issue The January issue of Learning for Life and Exploring Today has been published and is available online. In this issue, you can read more about the Career Interest Survey, as well as 2013 training opportunities and the new National Exploring Journey to Excellence Award.
I've been reading books from a series called the "Survival Squad". It's based on a British Scout Patrol and the (mis)adventures that they get themselves into. There are a couple of tricky language issues with the British usage of words, …
Click to open January 15 issue The Jan. 15 issue of the Finance Impact Department's e-Letter has been published and is available online. As 2012 came to a close, we held our breath, not knowing whether the country was going over the "fiscal cliff."
Whatever way I start a new post I really wanted to say welcome to 2013 I hope you ended 2012 in style and you looking forward to a new and exciting 2013.
For those of you looking at a quick and easy way to make your pot cozy.. well here's a nice video by a guy that I subscribe to on Youtube and follow in the Hammock Forums. His name is Sean Emery, but he is known as Shug.
Posted in Aims of ScoutingScience Nova Awards Program (STEM Award) STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The NOVA Awards program combines knowledge of STEM concepts with hands on activities. Copyright Scouter Mom - A resource for adults and youth involved in Cub...
Last night was my first Eagle Board of Review of 2013. I am growing to really like these. They give me comfort and knowing that there are really smart young men who will do very well in life. While I have now have done only two, it's very fun. This young man once I got
The first post in this series about the patrol method paints a picture of the patrol as the central unit of Scouting, next we discussed the adult role followed by discussing the usual objections that arise when we put the patrol method into practice.
The former Monterey Bay Area Council No. 25 in Salinas, California, has merged with the former Santa Clara County Council No. 55 in San Jose, California, to form the new Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council , No. 55, headquartered in San Jose.
We talk a lot about Character and making men of Character in Scouting. We spend a great deal of time reinforcing the ideals found in the Scout Oath and Law and expect our Scouts to live those values which will lead him to a life in which he will be counted as one that has…
Hello Everyone! I'm very sorry for not posting here in a while! Unfortunately, the website was hacked and some malicious code was installed in various places. You may have gotten a warning when you tried to visit this website in the past couple of weeks.
Comparative councils may vary widely based on financial data and program data. The Local Council Progress Review will allow you to be targeted in your selection of comparative councils that are most similar with respect to finances and program. Area directors are asked to engage Scout executives in a discussion to determine the best five…
Posted in Careers and VocationsCitizenshipScholarship Law Merit Badge for Boy Scouts Boy Scouts from our troop often earn the Law merit badge at a skill center at the historic Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis - a great venue to see how law has shaped our history.
This is a great idea and avenue for Scouters. The idea behind it STEMs from TedTalks and Ignite Talks. However, this is a group of Scouters coming together and presenting what they know best. It's like Roundtable, but on the Internet. Check out the Scoutcircle website. They are also on Facebook. If you have
I have seen a couple of there Review posts and I was thinking I should do on be was really not fancying trawling through all the starts and stuff to produce it.
Keeping older Scouts active and involved is a perennial concern. Scoutmasters wring their hands over losing older Scouts and many troops do have a problem keeping them around. The standard response is amping up the ‘wow' factor of the program but I have never been very fond of the "bread and circuses" approach to Scouting.
It is time to complete the 2013 Local Council Charter Renewal Application . The signed application must be submitted to the Mission Impact Team at the national office (SUM 210) by Feb. 1 . Make sure you fill in all the information requested on the back of the application and supply all of your insurance coverage carriers…
I wrote recently about the Shiang Yang 219 Kinta's Birds' Nest Stadium which was under construction in December. Construction is now complete, and the structure will be standing until the 19th of January. You can see detailed construction photos on the facebook page , and a day by day account on their blog.
Jazz saxophonist Stan Getz took a teaching position at Stanford in 1986. In an interview with a reporter about his role there, he put it this way: I'm a strong opponent of imitation. I always tell them that they have to be themselves.
Here's Jim Rogers without his "Undercover Boss" disguise. Just how high can Eagle Scouts go? Consider Jim Rogers, Distinguished Eagle Scout and CEO of Kampgrounds of America, as he gets the Undercover Boss treatment on tonight's new episode. Rogers, who earned Eagle in California in 1965, will go undercover as "Tim Bickford" to see firsthand…
Posted in Scoutcraft BSA Bear Den Meeting Plans – Shavings and Chips Bear Den Meeting Plans: This Bear Cub Scout den meeting idea covers Bear Achievement 19 – Shavings and Chips. Copyright Scouter Mom - A resource for adults and youth involved in Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, and Venturing [ This is a content summary only.
Introduction As a young man starting out and trying to get on in life, one of the biggest challenges I have to face is that of communicating with others. Communicating with others, by itself, is one of the most subtle and complex tasks we have to do on a day-to-day basis.
The application for Merit Badge AKA the "Blue Card, is a little piece of paper that will get even the most level-headed Scouts doing the dance of the blue card. Just sit back and watch as a Scout realizes that he'll be 18 in a few months.
________________________________________ THE BADEN-POWELL INSTITUTE By the GREATER CLEVELAND COUNCIL-BSA SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9th – 8 AM to 3 PM. Your choice of 45 SCOUTING TOPICS in 50-minute sessions. o Dutch oven cooking o Fly fishing for Dummies o Philmont from a Ranger's perspective o Trail-building Eagle projects o Adding PIZZAZ to pack and den meetings o Myscouting.org: Navigating…
Bill Fleming at Conoho Creek outfitters has put together a bundle of basic outdoor gear bundle that's been chosen carefully to outfit a new Scout. This is a great idea but Bill takes it a step further by offering to personalize the bundle for your climate and particular needs, what you get is a personal…
Click on the image for a larger view, and scroll down for a revealing pictorial illustration! First of all, with this improved, or double, floor lashing, the floor spars (floor slats, decking poles) are attached (looped) in two places, on either side to each platform support (stringer pole, rafter).
Well, here is this weeks video. I tad bit different this week. Had to record later in the day, so coffee wasn't going to work.. so I had some calming Celestial Wild Berry Zinger Herbal Tea… boy did it relax.
For the past eleven-plus years, the United States military has been engaged in warfare in the mountainous Asian nation of Afghanistan, assisting the Afghan forces in defending against the Taliban. Politics aside, many observers have been looking forward to an …
Posted in Science February Cub Scout Theme – Invention Convention (Resourcefulness) One Cub Scout theme for the February core value of Resourcefulness is a Invention Convention theme. Explore ideas and creative solutions with this theme. Copyright Scouter Mom - A resource for adults and...
The Boy Scout program is simply that”¦ a program. It is a series of methods and systems designed to facilitate a specific outcome: Young people who are able to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetime using the Scout …
I was not able to attend the full showing of the first Google+ Hangout of Scoutcircle. I had a Pack Committee Meeting. However, here is the video of the hangout. Please bookmark the Scoutcircle.org website and check them out on Google+ for upcoming shows!
One of the lessons taught at Wood Badge is about Leaving a Legacy. It uses the movie Mr. Holland's Opus to make the point. In that movie, Mr. Holland, the high school music teacher is honored at his retirement with a surprise concert featuring music he wrote, performed by many of his former students.
In this podcast we have our first Scoutmaster Panel Discussion of the new year; our guest is a new Scoutmaster with several questions for the panel on the troop's program and the patrol leader's council. Visit our sponsor Conohocreek.com Check out Scoutcircle.org - the first program was a great success and is available for viewing now.
Reblogged from Troop 113's Blog: As a homeschooling family, we've been to a lot of homeschool conferences and done our share of networking on the internet at forums, through web sites and blogs. One conversation that continually wrinkles my forehead and causes …
Construction at the Summit continues full steam ahead. Seriously. Check out what's going on at The Rocks , the Summit's climbing area. Eldorado Climbing Walls' ingenuity drops the look and feel of New River Gorge rock right into the Summit. The best thing about this setup is more Scouts can get pumped about learning the ropes…
Posted in Science Homemade Silly Putty Recipe Having a science themed meeting with your Scouts? Instead of a craft, make up a batch of silly putty. This stuff is stretchy and fun to play with. Copyright Scouter Mom - A resource for adults and youth involved in Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, and...
Just last night we hosted a Webelos troop visit. While the visiting Webelos went off with the Scouts we asked the parents to come with us into another room and meet with the troop's adult volunteers. The committee chairman talked to them for a bit about the basic functions and administrative things involved with having…
On one hand it breaks my heart when a Scout creeps up to his 18th birthday and has not completed the requirements for Eagle Scout. It reminds me of my biggest regret in not finishing my Eagle and I can see the disappointment in their eyes that they to will not be counted as Eagle…
For the past three years, Pack 221 has put on a First Aid Pack Meeting in January. First Aid is one of the things that Cubscouts and Boy Scouts are known for. Knowing First Aid is one thing, but knowing what to do when an Emergency happens is key as well. When I first envisioned
As I write this we are 180 days away from the opening of the 2013 National Scout Jamboree at the Summit. We remain on track for close to 40,000 attendees as registrations grow and the excitement continues to build. Hopefully you saw the announcement of our lead performers for the two main shows at the…
Posted in Citizenship Citizenship Troop Program Feature for Boy Scouts The citizenship troop program feature offers the opportunity to introduce concepts of history, flag etiquette, and responsibilities in a troop setting. Copyright Scouter Mom - A resource for adults and youth involved in Cub...
Karen and John Krejcha head up Autism Empowerment and Autism and Scouting to promote Acceptance, Enrichment, Inspiration and Empowerment within the Autism and Asperger communities. They serve all ages and all abilities and seek to improve and enhance the lives of individuals and families impacted by autism.
We are aware that some issues of Scouting Plus which were sent to members have not been delivered. This is because certain email providers are blocking emails sent from our system.
I just watched a video on Glenn Beck's The Blaze TV about fixing entitlement culture. The first part of the video is a mother describing how she gave her kids more responsibility at home and the difference it made in them.
KNOTS Run - Running for Fun and Fitness - January 2013 Copyright - U.S. Scouting Service Project | Visit us at http://usscouts.org | News at http://usssp.blogspot.com
