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That's my favorite phrase. The go-to statement when getting new volunteers. And it's probably true for some. But Scouting can be addictive, there's so much out there to do and learn. So my favorite line can be taken from the title of this blog (http://houraweek.wordpress.com/): "An hour a week...left after scouting".
RT @NBCNews: Woman named Amelia Earhart completes around-the-world flight. Yes, that's her real name. http://t.co/pNUx2ydJdJ http://t.co/dGiYob7Veu : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
An essential part of youth leadership development is the reflection that follows a youth-led event or activity. It gives the boys a chance to talk about what went right and what could use improvement, and how to better plan for next time.
RT @dixiedarlin_RN: Well played @BoysLife magazine. I've tried to pick this phone up at least 10 times this morning. Well played. ? http://t.co/mjaGgrGYPQ : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
Could this be the exit for Pedro the Mailburro's secret napping spot? http://t.co/OO35KnSOcx : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
Boys' Life Senior Writer Aaron Derr penned a guest post on the Reading Rainbow blog, showing how the Scouting program brings out the best in all Scouts.
Over cracker barrel one Saturday night at a campout a couple years ago, as the boys were off at their patrol sites getting ready for lights out, we adults were talking about our boys. We had been watching them from a distance all day as they went about their daily tasks, and I mentioned that…
Jerky, anyone? The tasty snack is now the official BSA protein snack, thanks to a deal between the BSA and Jack Link's . What does this mean to you? It means that Jack Link's products will soon be available at the BSA's retail facilities and also at our four national high-adventure bases.
Gear Guy: How to use Shoe Goo to repair rubber rain boots. My favorite rubber rain boots have a hole in the side. Now they aren't dry at all. They weren't really expensive, but I don't want to get new ones.
Yum! The BSA Now Has An Official Protein Snack http://t.co/FETcl96InS : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
Gear Guy: How to use Shoe Goo to repair rubber rain boots. http://t.co/Oicwd8JjTn : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
Try it, you'll love it! RT @slingsong: I've heard of some of these, but pinto bean fudge?! http://t.co/bunlLZXV9N : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
Have you seen this hilarious new video? The Boy Scouts of America has partnered with Jack Links Jerky, and they've created some funny videos. My boys wanted to watch this one over and over! If you want to see Sasquatch on a zipline, hiking or joining a camping trip, click over to this page
Sponsored By ScoutmasterCG.com Backers What kind of an internal standard is the aim of our work? We want our Scouts to form resilient character that they can call on as they move forward in life, we have some ofttimes overlooked opportunities to build an internal standard that will be a valuable asset.
There's three kids running around our house. Two boys, let's call them Thing 1 and Thing 2 (not very original, I know...), and a girl, she'll have to be Thing 3. Now all three of the Things are scouts. We have a Boy Scout (1st Class), a Webelos, and a Daisy.
Scratch This...
Scratch This http://t.co/tQjSLrM39R : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm...
We had a Webelos den meeting, starting on the Athlete pin. They had fun, which is the key. I did some of the exercises with the scouts. I can do more pull-ups (barely). Incredibly, Thing 2 kept up with me in the 400 yd run.
How do you go about righting wrongs you see in your pack, troop, team or crew? And what about adult leaders who try to right wrongs in inappropriate ways?
________________________________________ Dear Andy, During our troop’s recent week-long summer camp in the Adirondack Forest Preserve, our Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster did something leaving me seeking advice. I’ll admit that the senior patrol, which I’m a member of, had been slacking a little in performance.
Austin Van Black, from Troop 374 in Liberty, Missouri , has earned 140 merit badges. That's one busy Boy Scout. His final badge was Backpacking , which he completed by camping out overnight in a city park. "To my peers, I don't think they fully understand," Austin told The Kansas City Star newspaper.
Missouri Boy Scout Earns 140 Merit Badges http://t.co/ph2jqzF6TG : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
We often hear stories from our councils and others about extraordinary and heroic acts performed by Scouts to help or save others. The following story is from a Scoutmaster who, with members of his troop, experienced a powerful "Be Prepared" moment that spoke volumes about how Scouting changes lives.
David Gilmour ( the entrepreneur who founded FIJI Water ; not the Pink Floyd musician ), was asked "Where's the best place to prepare for leadership: MBA school or on the job?" by Monocle Magazine . He chose neither. His answer: "Travel. How can you be knowledgeable on any subject if you aren't well traveled?"
When our new Cub Scout program begins next year, we'll have new recognition devices. Take a look at these prototypes to get an idea of what they'll look like.
I'm going to Cub Scout Resident Camp next week with Thing #2. We go to Camp Lassen, and this will be my fifth year there (who knows how many years the pack has been going, long before my time). The dining hall is lined nearly wall-to-wall with plaques from Packs and Troops that have visited…
Ken Niumatalolo is the Baltimore Area Council's honorary recruitment chair. Each new Cub Scout and the Scout who recruits him will meet Coach Ken.
While working on an article that will be published this weekend on GreenBar Life , I found some really cool quotes from John Thruman, William Hillcourt, and others talking about the importance of the Patrol Name. This is a topic which I didn't think much about when I first joined Scouting.
Scouting service is all about taking care of your community. The Scouts in Canyon, Texas, are certainly doing their part. They've completed more than 1,000 hours of work at Conner Park, stripping, painting and reproofing the pavilions, and renovating the park's war memorial.
A Great Service Project: Renovating A Local Park http://t.co/92GRCOjvKm : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
As with every other Scouting activity, when it comes to sun safety, preparedness and risk prevention rule the day! Learn to recognize symptoms of heat stress long before a heat stroke becomes a possibility: Of course the only way to eliminate risk completely in the out-of-doors is to give up the pleasures, challenges, and satisfaction…
My Scout video picks for this week include Flintstones, a flash mob, and futuristic publications. Flintstones Jamboree Fred and Barney lead a rousing rendition of "Old MacDonald" at a World Jamboree. Scout video of Flash Mob in Turin, Italy A tremendous display of Scout Spirit and excitement; Scouting's universal language!
Thing #2's pack held water day tonight. Much fun ensued.
The 2011 Texas Poet Laureate was so moved by his Scoutmaster that he wrote this brilliant poem to honor the man's memory.
National Outdoor Awards Aren't Easy To Earn The BSA's National Outdoor Awards take a lot of work. That's what makes the award so prestigious. When Wisconsin Scout Christopher Hagen became an Eagle Scout, he didn't stop there. Instead, he kept working and eventually earned a National Outdoor Award.
National Outdoor Awards Aren't Easy To Earn http://t.co/Z7oMyMMiL2 : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
The "Turk's head" knot (named for its resemblance to a turban) is a familiar traditional neckerchief slide or woggle . Elaborate Turk's head knots can be made with additional passes and leads (see Ashley's Book of Knots for a thorough education in this versatile, decorative knot).
It is inevitable. If you are in the Scouting program for several years you will start collecting something. It could be activity patches. Maybe it will be council shoulder patches (csp's) or Order of the Arrow lodge flaps. It might be coffee mugs or bolo ties.
Hanging with fishing legends Roland Martin, @Jimmy_Houston, @Bill_Dance1 and BSA's own @Tom_Redington #ICAST2014 http://t.co/46u943k2FU : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
RT @MLB: Moment of the week? #ASG #FarewellCaptain http://t.co/C75jecUE19 : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
Today is Nelson Mandela's birthday. Over the last few years, South Africans have been encouraged to spend 67 minutes of the day serving the community - signifying the 67 years Mandela gave in service to the country. This post looks at a permanent pioneering project that serves the community.
Adult women may be inducted into the Order of the Arrow, but women under 21 aren't allowed in the National Honor Society of the Boy Scouts.
Scout camp-the learning, the merit badges, the advancement-it's pretty cool, a classic Scouting experience. The new Walter Scott Summit Center at the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve-with its lakes, trails, zip lines, boulder cove, sustainability treehouse, and more-might be considered an "instant classic."
If only more people were as prepared as William Wright. The 15-year-old Scout from Austin, Texas, was studying in his room one night when he heard his mother screaming for help. William ran out and found his 83-year-old father lying on floor.
Scout Uses CPR Skills To Save Grandfather http://t.co/FaZANMUzbL : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
See for me there is no easy answer to that question it depends on my situation I have four categories for which perfect job could fit into.
I remember very clearly the time I first sat down with my new Patrol to choose a Patrol name. We had some suggestions from the Boy Scout Handbook and an old printed list of a couple-dozen creative names. We didn't think much about what should go into choosing a good Patrol name; we just decided…
Next year marks the 100th Anniversary of the Order of the Arrow (OA), scouting's honor society. I expect the National OA Conference (NOAC) will be huge. Thing 1 was just inducted into the OA this year, he's already talking about wanting to go (he needs to start saving his money...).
One of the best ways to beautify an area is to plant a garden. And if that garden can also be used to help educate kids? All the better. Adam Smith, from Troop 7007 in Prescott, Arizona, recently completed an Eagle Scout project that saw him raise $950 for the construction of a garden for…
Eagle Scout Project Idea: Planting A Garden http://t.co/5l4KWVrbjz : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
Hole #3. If you have been keeping up with this blog you know that both I and the Boy Scouts of Troop 68 like to play disc golf. I usually go to a nearby town to play since Melrose does not have a disc golf course.
It seems as soon as you unpack from one trip, you're packing again for the next. We're packing again today, as Thing 2 and I head off to Camp Lassen tomorrow for 3 nights of Cub Scout Resident Camp. This is my fifth year going, so I get to be the tour leader.
If someone was drowning, would you know what to do? Thanks goodness these three Scout brothers from Oklahoma knew exactly what to do when they rescued a man at Lake Arcadia. "They train us for this kind of stuff," Jonathan Wyckoff, 15, told an Oklahoma City news station.
Three Scouts Save Drowning Victim At Oklahoma Lake http://t.co/mLuXW7sHZd : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
It is that time of year. Hallmark is now selling the new Keepsake Ornaments for this year's Christmas season. That means there should be a new Beagle Scout Snoopy ornament if the company is continuing the series they began several years ago.
During his lifetime Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the worldwide Scouting movement, wrote many books and articles directed to Scouters. Each Sunday I'll publish a selection from his writings in the hope that you'll draw inspiration and understanding from his timeless ideas.
Twice last week, I was greeted by one of our former Scouts in public, once at a restaurant and the other at a store. We were having lunch and both my son and I noticed a busboy who looked familiar, but neither of us could place exactly who it was until he came over and…
Crowdfunding is a seamless way to raise money for movies, gadgets and worthy causes. Eagle projects can benefit, too, provided Scouts understand the rules.
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Time for a few more answers to your questions, this time about Social Security numbers on adult applications, the criminal background check and how to become a merit badge counselor. I don't like giving out my Social Security number. Why is it required on an adult application?
If you're looking for an idea for an Eagle Scout project, feel free to go batty. Michigan Boy Scout Matthew Netherland knows all about the benefits of bats . That's why, for his Eagle Scout project, he converted scrap car battery covers into 30 bat boxes that will give the cool creatures a better place to…
Eagle Scout Project Idea: Bats Are Our Friend http://t.co/IKzWXHJiiP : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
The Boy Scouts of America and Jack Link's have teamed up on a multiyear partnership that will make Jack Link's "The Official Protein Snack of the Boy Scouts of America" and the organization's four national high-adventure bases. The agreement will put many of Jack Link's popular beef, pork, and turkey jerky products onto the shelves…
[cs2015] Webelos Walkabout is one of the Webelos CORE Adventure Requirements. In the current Webelos Cub Scout program, it is similar to the Outdoorsman activity badge and the Hiking belt loop and pin . For this adventure, Webelos plan and carry out a three mile hike and complete a service project.
DAY ONE Hello from Camp Horseshoe! Just checking for a couple of minutes (the first day or so at camp is always busy!) Be sure to email me! Camp Webcam and Email Send me an email me via Troop 24 Kennett Square and I'll reply via one of the video Letters from Summer Camp this…
Expert caver on the 5 best places to get started caving: Bill Steele started caving as a Scout almost 50 years ago, and since then, he has explored hundreds of caves throughout the United States and in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and China.
Expert caver on the 5 best places to get started caving: http://t.co/McIBaf42CD : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
Once Upon a Campfire One of the first Scout camping trips that sticks out in mind was not noteworthy because of where we went or what we did. As a matter of fact, I can't even remember where it was.
Infographic Demonstrates That Nature Really Bites http://t.co/Oq0uT0yHrV : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
This summer, Philmont Scout Ranch reached the milestone of one million campers. It all started 75 years ago when Waite Phillips offered 35,857 acres of his ranch to the Boy Scouts of America in 1938 to serve as a national wilderness camping area.
Wake Up! At Claytor Lake...
Wake Up! At Claytor Lake http://t.co/0g9VqejGjo : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
Eagle Scout Wes Siler published a piece for Gizmodo called "Boy Scouts Made Me The Man I Am Today, Here's How."
When a campground at Point Mugu State Park in California was destroyed by fire, Troop 730 from Newbury Park, California , stepped up to help. The troop already spent some time each year maintaining a trail near the park. After the fire, four different Scouts chose Eagle projects that benefitted the area, including clearing the site…
Celebrate National Hammock Day with BL http://t.co/qhh7M8OCUu : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
Scouts Help Repair Campground Destroyed By Fire http://t.co/gskHMDV4jm : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
[cs2015] Curiosity, Intrigue, and Magical Mysteries is one of the Tiger elective adventures. In the current Tiger Cub program, it is most similar to Tiger Elective 19 – Magic Fun . For this adventure, Tiger Cubs and their adult partners learn about magic, science, secret codes, and other "mysteries".
Are you hooked on Scouting? Well, you can be. Councils are using the "Hooked on Scouting" program to reel in Cub Scout-age boys who love fishing or who want to learn. The program can help turn Scouting into a family affair and provide a great fishing experience for young boys joining Cub Scouting.
RT @ScoutmasterJose: #BSA scouts at opening campfire of Caribbean Jamboree 2014. http://t.co/LIhpVZsHun : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
________________________________________ Dear Andy, Why is it that the Boy Scouts doesn’t have a “square knot” for our American military veterans? In thinking about the “do my duty…to my country” part of the Scout Oath, it just seems so natural, especially since the Scouts’ founder, Lt.
RT @cullen_walsh: Just a @philmont sun rise last Monday http://t.co/rrBYfAV0PQ : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
Hello from Camp Horseshoe! Send me an email me via Troop 24 Kennett Square and I'll reply via one of the video Letters from Summer Camp this week. You can check out the live webcam too. Here's more information about Camp Horseshoe
Great! Any other cover boys out there? MT @glennstrachan: My father, still alive, on the cover of BL in Aug 1940. http://t.co/IgZrHGmpd7 : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
We are happy to announce the latest new features and improvements that are available on my .Scouting Tools , including the following: New! Organization Security Manager Tool Key 3s at each organization level, including council, area, region and national, now have the ability to grant three people Key 3 access (a.k.a.
A failed Eagle project sparked the Black Hills Cemetery Act. It's proof that what Scouts do matters, and sometimes it takes a few years to see that.
We've known the requirements for the new Venturing awards, and now we get our first look at what the awards themselves will look like.
Follow these 10 rules for reading ... from Teddy Roosevelt! http://t.co/XMhgB6ZLqc : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
For 32 months back in the early 1800s, the United States and the section of North America now known as Canada just couldn't get along. For 2,393 months and counting since then, everyone has gotten along splendidly. That's the basic gist of the Scout Brigade of Fort George .
The Scout Brigade Of Fort George Looks Great http://t.co/vwV763AhIw : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
RT @scouting: Gizmodo writer: Boy Scouts made me the man I am today http://t.co/d4agm3vTwW : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
[cs2015] Adventures in Coins is one of the Wolf Cub Scout elective adventures. For this adventure, Wolves play games and do activities related to coins. In the process, they learn all about coins. The requirement for this adventure are shown below.
Amy sent in this question: My son has completed his requirements and a scoutmaster conference for his next rank. He has requested a board of review but was told he cannot have his board of review until school starts and regular meetings resume in September, two months away.
Celebrate! It's National Hot Dog Day! http://t.co/4sMyn4RV59 http://t.co/RveMnDRgHI : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
The July 15 issue of the Finance Impact Department's e-Letter has been published and is available online. In this issue of the e-Letter , we look at the benefits of moving toward a shared services model for council fiscal management, as well as the ins and outs of calculating insurance costs and some upcoming Blackbaud Constituent…
Hello from Camp Horseshoe! Send me an email me via Troop 24 Kennett Square … and I'll reply via one of the video Letters from Summer Camp this week. You can check out the live webcam too. Here's more information about Camp Horseshoe
Did you miss out on this year's National Annual Meeting, held in Nashville, Tenn.? If you did-or even if you were there, and would like to see a quick recap of the busy week's events-the latest episode of The Buzz is dedicated to the event's high points, including: The final address from Wayne Perry, the…
Citizenship in the Nation merit badge requirement 8 includes asking Scouts to write a letter to his elected official and show any response received to his counselor.
Community Service Project Keeps Scout's Hometown Safe The small community of Sand Coulee, Montana, was full of unmarked roads, which could be a problem when volunteer firefighters were trying to get to the site of an emergency. Local Boy Scout Levi Olson has helped fix the problem by coordinating a project that saw the installation…
Community Service Project Keeps Scout's Hometown Safe http://t.co/gf9IwgmxuD : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
RT @BoysLifeClay: How we read: http://t.co/YwSVHVT1LU : via Twitter http://ift.tt/1714avm
