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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the first sponsor of the Boy Scouts of America way back in 1913. One-hundred years later, the LDS church brings more Scouts into the movement than any other chartered organization. Next month, your Scouting family can join the BSA family in celebrating that "Century of Honor…
Annual camping data is now due. The data will be collected using a new Camping Manager tool that is being deployed to my.scouting.org . The camping tool is now available for each council to enter camping data from September 1, 2012, through August 31, 2013.
I walked 43162 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 21 miles today. We called it a short day at Rusch Preserve where there are some free campsites and a pump well. The well water is brown. :-( This is also the start of the 10mile side trail to Timm's Hill - Wisconsin's high point.
Just got home from a couple much needed days on the Pacific Crest Trail. My buddy Mark and I hit the trail on Sunday for a few days of lolly gagging south bound from Timberline Lodge down to Frog Lake.
The hiring season is upon us and we've just launched some new and updated resources to assist with the recruiting and employment process. What's new? Recruiting Plan: A complete checklist for all points in the recruiting process, including steps to take when you do not have an opening, as well as what to do after…
In this video I demonstrate the way that I carry and purify my water. Water is an essential part of backpacking, and in the discussion of hammock camping systems this becomes a large part of how we camp and the gear we use within the system.
Just like your favorite film, Wood Badge is even better the second time around. Last month, I served as a Troop Guide for Wood Badge course S2-571-13-3, known within the Dallas-based Circle Ten Council simply as Wood Badge 106. Loyal blog readers will remember I had a mountaintop experience as a participant of Wood Badge…
Ran into this today while bouncing around YouTube… after spending the last 3 and half days on the PCT, I really got the Philmont itch, the Tooth of Time is Chewing on me. Our last night at Philmont at the closing camp fire they played this song and it has become one of the lasting…
Tomahawk throwing for Scouts? Really? I was a little wary about the whole idea (you should be too!) so I checked the Guide to Safe Scouting just to be sure and here is what I found: Archery and Knife and Tomahawk Throwing These are approved activities for Boy Scouts and Venturers following the Sweet 16…
On October 29, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will host a nationwide Scouting Open House Night. On this evening, the church will invite packs, troops, teams, and crews from all chartered organizations to join them as they open their doors to tell the story of Scouting in our local communities and to…
I walked 24548 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 12 miles today. Just after we finished dinner last night, the rain started. It diminished to drizzle around 7am so we broke camp. The drizzle, fog, and general gloom hung in all morning as we soggily trod to our destination.
Troop 536 in Medford, WI rocks! Here is their scout hut right in the city park. It is a very cool meeting place and their scoutmaster is letting me rest here overnight. He is a great example of being helpful, friendly, and kind all at once.
Click to open Sept. 15 issue The September 15 issue of the Finance Impact Department's e-Letter has been published and is available online. In this issue of the e-Letter , learn how to create a comprehensive, accurate budget for your council's 2014 fiscal year with the 2014 Budget-Building Bulletin.
Fish and Wildlife Management Merit Badge for Boy Scouts Posted in ConservationBoy Scouts who are interested in learning more about conservation and wildlife can earn the Fish and Wildlife Management merit badge. Copyright Scouter Mom - A resource for adults and youth involved in Scouting [ This is a content summary only.
I'm sorry if this week is real video heavy on the blog… but sometimes video is a great way to get the information out there. This video is all about the basics of hammock camping. I have been getting lots of questions as to what type of gear to have and the way I set…
Note: Not a real patch. In Crew 9820, they're taking the joke of "underwater basket weaving" to new heights. Or, technically, new depths. Last weekend, the Minnesota Venturing crew, which specializes in scuba diving, went below the surface in their field uniform shirts, wetsuits and scuba gear.
Reblogged from Bryan on Scouting: Just like your favorite film, Wood Badge is even better the second time around. Last month, I served as a Troop Guide for Wood Badge course S2-571-13-3, known within the Dallas-based Circle Ten Council simply as Wood Badge 106.
As a camp director one summer, years ago, several Scouters complained that our dining hall steward was getting out of hand. We served all our meals family style and Scouts served as waiters. Waiters arrive before the meal to set the table, serve the food during the meal, serve their table during the meal, and…
Our members have an amazing diversity of opportunity for outdoor adventure at our national high-adventure bases and local council facilities. Our new Paul R. Christen National High Adventure Base at the Summit is no exception. To learn more about what is offered, go to www.summithighadventure.org . As always, please share your thoughts using the comments function.
While we're on the subject of Rank Advancement for 11 year old scouts (or a new Scout patrol), take a look at these video clips to help you get though the early rank requirements: Notice in the lower left corner of that page, these can also be downloaded as Podcasts!
A New Publishing Model for the BSA The Boy Scouts of America is in the process of transitioning to a new publishing model aimed at reducing costs, improving efficiencies, and offering customers a wider range of content in a variety of formats.
I wrote about Autodesk's Formit software a few months ago as a tool for pioneering cosntruction drawings . At the time, it was only available on iPad, but it has now launched for Android as well . Officially, it's only supported on tablets (7" or larger screen) but I was able to install it on my phone.
Click to open September issue The September issue of Learning for Life and Exploring Today has been published and is available online. In this issue, read more about the creation of the first-ever board of directors for the Learning for Life program, as well as plans to continue the popular Exploring Roadshow in 2014 and…
It's vital to the sustainability of any organization to continually attract new members and fresh talent, and that's why our fall Scouting recruitment is one of my favorite times of the year. While all groups and activities serving our young people have important roles, this is when we can use effective recruiting strategies to set…
The fall 2013 Voice of the Scout survey cycle will launch in late September and be open through late October. 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…
Here's a question I recently received asking how to fix Scout patrol problems: I'm a Scoutmaster with less than a year under my belt and I'm faced with a ‘good problem' ; we're growing. We currently have 4 patrols and we anticipate that we will get about 7 Scouts from the Pack in February; they would…
Just crossee the county border to Chippewa county. According to the Ice Age Trail guidebook, that is 900 miles behind us and less than 200 to go! The day is gorgeous - clear and cool. We're chasing the setting moon towards Cornell and then on into the forest.
I walked 58800 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 28 miles today. What a wonderful day! Last year on my Superior Hiking Trail trek, a scout from home and his family surprised me on the trail and hiked with me.
You see these "Keep Calm and …" signs all over the internet. Most of the time they are okay. Sometimes they are annoying. But this one I thought was just right for this blog, especially since many councils, packs, and troops are in the midst of their recruitment drives. So yeah, "Keep Calm and Join Scouting!"
This weekend our Troop set out again looking for adventure. It really didn't dawn on me till we were an hour into the cave, but the cave represented that spirit of adventure that seems to define our Troop. Stepping outside of our comfort zone, pushing the limits of what we think we can't do, testing…
Hello all: I wanted to give a quick shout out to a good blog that I recently became aware of via Twitter. His Twitter name is @fishgutts and he's funny. He is also LDS and a Varsity Coach. Huh, what? Varsity is between Troop and Venturing programs. It's mainly a Latter-Day Saints run Scout program.
Committee chairs have a lot of people who either report to them or who they serve in one way or another. The Scoutmaster or Cubmaster, the various coordinators on the committee, the chartered organization representative and the unit commissioner all …
You know me, I love a good comic strip that includes a Scouting theme to it. I recently came across one in Pinterest (yeah, what can I say?) that made me chuckle a bit. It was a panel from the The Brilliant Mind of Edison Lee comic, probably from July.
A few weeks ago I went to Wood Badge again. This was my third time being on staff and this time I had an easy job--Assistant Scoutmaster over Troop Guides. The best part of this year's course was that my wife got to go with me.
Do you or your Scout have a BSA patch collection you'd like to add to and enhance? Perhaps it's one that's been a might neglected of late and could use some nurturing. Or maybe it's the collection you've always wanted to start… Well there's never been a better time to get inspired, because it's pretty…
This edition of the Scoutmaster Podcast features Deena Mather's weather fun facts, a discussion of five fundamentals of the patrol method, and answers to email questions concerning families on camping trips, too much adult leadership, and fixing patrol problems. ScoutCircle.org Get your copy of Thoughts On Scouting A collection of ideas, insights, and inspirations for…
Once upon a time there was a Patrol Leader. He was smart, he was a good Scout, his Patrol admired and trusted him, and he could do no wrong. One day that changed, though. It was a camping trip that was not unlike any other, and the Patrol Leader wanted to build a Pioneering structure…
Cub Scout Parents Sometimes I write decent posts to this blog that some people find helpful. Sometimes I like to steer you to other Scouting blogs that have already wrote posts that you may find helpful. This is one of them.
Father (or Mother) knows best? Maybe, but that's not how a Scout troop, Varsity team or Venturing crew is supposed to work. Scouting is a youth-led, youth-run organization. Your responsibility as an adult leader is to train the young men and women, provide direction, coach and empower.
Patrols are much more than a convenient way to divide a large group of Scouts into smaller, more manageable groups. Patrols are the single unique feature of Scouting and the indispensable method for achieving the aims of Scouting. Most of became Scouters as Cub Leaders.
I feel like I've hit the jackpot! I found a copy of the Cub Scout Leader How To Book online in a pdf format! I have a printed version that I purchased a few years ago, but it's in the bookcase upstairs–not very convenient. It's great to have an electronic version of it. For those
I just got my latest issue of Eagle's Call magazine (formerly Eagle Scout Magazine). One article is about the recipients of the latest National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award. The winner rebuilt a playground at a cost of over $35,000 and over 5,000 hours of labor.
2012 Red Lantern Recipient Jan Steve's, shares her inspiring story of ‘the challenge of a lifetime' in the Edmonds News. The fastest musher in the history of Alaska's Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race ran the 1000-plus mile course from Anchorage to Nome in just under nine days.
It takes a village to recruit new Scouts, and here's the latest example of that Scouting village uniting for the greater good of the BSA. Packs, troops, teams and crews are invited to celebrate with the LDS church on the evening of Tuesday, Oct.
Do any of you remember playing the game Pick Up Sticks where you dropped a handful of sticks on the table then tried to pick them up one at a time without disturbing the rest? This activity was inspired by that game! It will help the boys learn or review the Cub Scout Law of
I walked 66000 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 30 miles today. We put in a long day, but it went quickly hiking and visting with the new people we met on the trail. Nearly to Haugen, a man with a dog came down the trail towards us.
Genealogy Merit Badge for Boy Scouts Posted in CultureScholarshipBoy Scouts who enjoy delving into their family history can earn the Genealogy merit badge. There is a local LDS church which holds a skill center for this badge every year. Some of our scouts have attended and it has sparked an...
Feeling alone? Frustrated with your youth leadership? Does it seem as though every effort to get them motivated falls short? Wish for ‘the good old days' when ‘Scouting really meant something' and boys were able to think for themselves? See if you don't share some of the frustrations expressed by this Scoutmaster: We are continually…
The 'incident hike' is a pioneering exercise for the whole patrol. The general idea is that a patrol of Scouts will hike along a predetermined route, in the wilderness, in camp or in town, and solve a series of 'incidents' or 'obstacles' along the way,using pioneering equipment carried with them, or provided at the scene.
Summer camp season may be over (sadly), but we can still have a little fun looking back. And I mean way, way back - to 1930 and summer camp in the Kansas City Council. Michael Dulle, membership coordinator of Overland Park, Kan., Troop 0459, sent me the flier below from the "Kansas City Scout Camp" in…
[Note: The term “Court of Honor” generally refers to an advancement awards ceremony today. That is the way I will be using the term in this post. If you want to know about what the term “Court of Honor” used to mean, check out this post.] The Unique Ceremony Scout Ceremonies have a long and…
It is Friday night. More than likely, somewhere in this country there is a group of Boy Scout teens watching a horror movie of some sort. While in decades past these movies may have included Frankenstein, the werewolf, Dracula, or the mummy, today's youth seem to love teen wolves, sparkling vampires, serial killers, or the…
A ripping good yarn from John Thurman's Patrol Leader's Handbook was aimed at helping the Scouts of 1950 catch the spirit of their work as patrol leaders. I offer it here to spark your imagination, and to answer the question ‘why do we have Scoutmasters?'; In the early days of Scouting boys from all over…
I walked 30500 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 23 miles today. We slogged our way to the western terminus!!! A few pictures and congratulations, and then into the Ice Age center to get out of the cold rain.
________________________________________ Dear Andy, In a recent column you said there's no place for merit badges in the troop meeting program or on campouts. I thought there was a portion of troop meetings for skills instruction. In our troop, we have the Scouts arrange to do merit badges, and we set aside the skills instruction time during…
I follow Scoutmaster Mike Asbell blog Wild Saunter , a collection of quiet meditations on a simple theme: go take a walk in the woods. Well worth a look! "There is nothing so sanative, so poetic, as a walk in the woods and fields."
It has been a long while since I have talked about my backpack, and now that we are getting into the colder weather camping mode, I thought that I would update my progress to a 16 lb base weight in 52 weeks.
This last weekend was the first official Compadres since 2010. There are several reasons why I stopped putting on Compadre's. Just like within Scouting people have their circle of friends, I have a circle outside of Scouting. I did not talk too much about Scouts. We talked about family, friends, food, weather, stuff we did
October's here. Across the great deciduous forests of the north, the leaves are changing and crisp camping weather is here. Sunsets are earlier too, leaving less time to set up camp in daylight and more things for committee chairs to …
When we speak of Scouting's commitment to teaching our young people about the outdoors, it often brings visions of rolling streams, forests and mountain ranges. For our young people of the inner city, it's often a different picture and landscape, but Scouting's lessons and values are still there.
“On my Honor I will do my best … to keep myself physically strong …” To be a Scout of any age, health is important. Obviously, you can't enjoy the adventures of Scouting the most or serve others as best you can if you aren't physically fit.
Scoutmaster Podcast 189 In This Podcast In this edition of the Scoutmaster podcast we discuss Webelos visits to troop meetings and answer your questions regarding youth protection on patrol activities, troop size and the patrol, newsletters, and questionable patrol selection decisions by the senior patrol leader. Links Scoutcircle.org Podcast Archive Scoutmaster Podcast 189
That nice, uniformed, young man who visited your troop last week, was he your unit commissioner, district commissioner, district executive or someone else entirely? For new adult volunteers, keeping track of your own Scouting title and responsibilities can feel pretty overwhelming.
Silly question. Who couldn't use some extra help corralling a bunch of rowdy Cub Scouts? Say hello to your new best friend: the Cub Scout Den Chief . This older Boy Scout, Varsity Scout or Venturer co-leads weekly den meetings, assists at pack meetings and meets regularly with adults to find out when and where he…
Arrow of Light Requirements – Camping Posted in CampingOutdoor RecreationI received this question from a reader: Hello, Is camping over night with a boy scout troop, a "must" for Webelos for the Arrow of Light badge? If they just participate in Boy scout led activities during the day, is...
