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The Summit Bechtel Reserve can provide a great experience for Scouts. But last weekend, it was all about our veterans. Operation Heroes, hosted by the Summit in partnership with the West Virginia National Guard, the Paralyzed Veterans of America and the Wounded Warrior Project, gave veterans the chance to experience all that the high-adventure base…
Here's a look at the number of merit badges earned in 2014. I took the data available on the Bryan on Scouting blog and sized the badges according to the number earned last year. Cooking was the most popular at nearly 100,000 (probably based on the change last year making it Eagle required, a lot…
Another interesting post from Bryan on Scouting blog is the "10 reasons a week at Scout summer camp beats a week at the office" (as if you need ten reasons, one might be enough). So, let;s look at the list and see if my week and a half at two camps accomplished these reasons.
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.
Probably everyone's favorite song of the week from Camp Lassen, we were singing it the rest of the week. (it needs a good Jamaican accent to replicate how the staffer sang it) This is a repeat after me song, with hand motions "Da moose, da moose (hands at side of head with finger spread like…
So if there's one thing that sums up our troop's trip to Camp Cherry Valley, it is non-stop adventure. They made sure we had a full program and not a lot of down time (which is good to keep the scouts out of the campsite and out of trouble).
What can be held, without ever being touched Luke: What can be held without ever being touched? Matthew: I'm not sure. Luke: A conversation. View On WordPress
This week's 12-project collection includes a restored historic caboose, a stunning commemorative archway and a useful physical therapy walking course.
Life skills. Just about every youth activity touts that it teaches "life skills." Baseball teaches life skills. Karate teaches life skills. Dance teaches life skills. Church groups teach life skills. And Scouting teaches life skills – but ours are different. Most other activities teach the game or activity they play as their primary aim. Their
This encore presentation features my interview with ultimate hiker Andrew Skurka. Skurka's Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide is my new go-to resource for backpacking gear information. The first section of the book asks and answers the questions that many don't think to ask until they are out on the trail with too much and/or too little…
The Boy Scouts of America’s National Executive Board ratified a resolution that removes the national restriction on openly gay adult leaders and employees.
Day 1 (Sunday): Wake up to meet the troop at 4:30 am. 5:00 departure for the drive from Sacramento to Long Beach. Not much traffic thankfully, we arrive at the Queen Mary by 11:30 am. A quick lunch in Long Beach and we are ready to get on the ferry to Catalina Island by 1:30…
On Monday, July 27, the National Executive Board ratified a resolution that removes the national restriction on openly gay adult leaders and employees. The resolution was recommended for ratification by the Executive Committee earlier this month. Of those present and voting, 79 percent voted in favor of the resolution.
Pack 700's website got a little much needed updating, primarily in the photo gallery and news section linking the photo albums. Be sure to check it out, it has a lot more photos than I can provide here from events I've talked about recently.
This week (July 27 to Aug. 2, 2015) is Pool Safely Pledge Week, presented by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
For far too long, this issue has divided and distracted us. Now it's time to unite behind our shared belief in the extraordinary power of Scouting to be a force for good." Robert Gates, BSA president. In a vote of the executive committee yesterday the BSA ends the ban on gay leaders.
What You'll Need: 6 plastic spoons and 6 plastic forks, new or used Clock mechanism (from a hobby store) A circle cut from 1?4? or 1?2? wood of any type, about 7? to 9? in diameter. This will become the clock face.
Day 2 (Monday): The morning started with a camp inspection after breakfast by our assigned commissioner. We found out we were in the "Baymax Clan". The troop scored a 67, which seemed low, but at lunch we found it was the high score for the group checked by that commissioner.
Make sure your Boy Scout troop library is fully stocked with these Scouting essentials. They'll help make your troop the best it can be.
This is is fifth in a series of posts abut the new rank requirements that take effect on January 1, 2016. Scout | Tenderfoot | Second Class | First Class | Star | Life | Eagle (these links will be active as each installment is published ) Exactly how the new requirements are phased in is explained in this PDF document – Notes…
Remember sprawling in front of the TV to watch Saturday morning cartoons or cowboy movies? We’ve come a long way since then with HD-TV, DVDs and video games. Regardless of the technology, there have been many studies that say too much TV watching can lead to behavior problems, lack of sleep and poor health.
Any Cub Scout will tell you, nothing says summertime like Cub Scout day camp. Obstacle courses, arts and crafts and sporting activities aplenty, at day camp, there’s never a dull moment. And that’s exactly what mom blogger Stephanie Wagner and her twin sons discovered upon experiencing their local council ‘s twilight day camp for the…
BMX, skateboarding, mountain biking, zip lines, climbing and High-Adventure sports galore – at the Summit, there’s never a shortage of fun. But you know what makes the Summit better? A discount! Groups that register for the 2016 High-Adventure season and pay a $100 per person non-refundable deposit by November 30, 2015, will receive a 10% discount…
The Boy Scouts of America has been leading the way in outdoor education and environmental stewardship for more than a century. Continuing the conversation about sustainability ensures your council contributes to this legacy. On Tuesday, October 27, 2015, the LeaderSHIFT Forum will give you an opportunity to do just that.
Visited CubScouts.org lately? The site you love just got an overhaul we think you’ll love (and updates are ongoing). Bookmark this comprehensive resource now, and read on as we cover the highlights of what the new CubScouts.org has to offer and what you can look forward to in coming weeks.
Who said STEM doesn’t get kids outside? Scouters know, any chance to head outdoors is an opportunity for Scouts to witness science in action. The STEM Scouts pilot program , Venturing, and Boy Scouts are packed with emerging science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professionals.
Imagine 33,000 Scouts from more than 150 countries pouring into one place at the same time, all for the sake of fun, service, and friendship. Pretty amazing, right? Well that’s exactly what’s happening at the 2015 World Scout Jamboree in Kirara-hama, Japan right now!
Day 3 (Tuesday): Merit badge classes switch to the morning, with free time in the afternoon where all the program areas are open, along with other optional activities. The great thing is the adults in camp have lots of options as well, including joining in on the ACE program (Advanced Camper Experience).
Robert Pershing Wadlow, at 8-foot-11 the tallest man ever, was a Boy Scout. At age 13, he was 7-foot-4 — much taller than anyone else in his troop.
________________________________________ Hi Andy, I have a new "Andy's Rule" for you, that I learned the hard way: "It's easier to grow a spine than to have someone manually insert it." (Jimmy Day) Amen, Brother! ========== Hi Andy, I joined Scouts as a volunteer when my sons joined because I always support my boys 100% in whatever they…
By now, you have heard that the Boy Scouts of America has lifted its ban on employment and volunteer registration of openly gay individuals. The executive board followed the lead of BSA president Dr. Robert Gates, who in May told the national meeting that it was time for the BSA to deal with "the world
How was your troop's week at camp this summer? Summer camp can be the most important week in a patrol and troop's year – it's challenging, adventurous, and full of possibility. How well did the camp you attended this summer provide those sorts of opportunities for your Scouts?
14′ Double Ladder Signal Tower Before the advent of BSA height restrictions on pioneering projects, the boy-sized, 14′ Double Ladder Signal Tower was built by Scout units, Scout pioneering crews, and Pioneering Merit Badge classes on a regular basis. Because it’s such a fine example of Scout Engineering, it has continued to be a feature…
As Reading Rainbow: Volume 1 hits the figurative Netflix shelves Sat., Aug. 1, we have a trivia question for you. What do the show’s host LeVar Burton and Boys’ Life have in common? The answer is easy for the parents and Scouts who set up camp in front of the TV to check out the…
Day 4 (Wednesday): Wednesday is "Hike Day" at Camp Cherry Valley and the program areas are shut down. We choose the shortest one, but it also incorporated a morning of canoeing. We took two 8-man war canoes out to the Emerald Bay cove, about 2 miles away (the red course).
The 2015 World Scout Jamboree is happening now, with 33,000 Scouts and Scouters from around the world. But you don't have to be in Japan to join the fun.
We'll be in two places at once next week: At the National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC) and the Outdoor Retailer gear show.
This is is sixth in a series of posts abut the new rank requirements that take effect on January 1, 2016. Scout | Tenderfoot | Second Class | First Class | Star | Life | Eagle (these links will be active as each installment is published ) Exactly how the new requirements are phased in is explained in this PDF document – Notes…
There’s big news for Cub Scouts — and future Cub Scouts — and everyone who works to ensure these children have a memorable and meaningful Scouting experience. That’s because this week we launched CubScouts.org , a new website that houses all of the resources needed to deliver a quality Scouting program that Cub Scouts and their parents will…
This Wolf den meeting plan covers two of the seven requirements for the Call of the Wild Wolf adventure. The other requirements will be covered in another meeting and a den outing. At this meeting, Wolves prepare to go camping by learning about safety related to weather, natural disasters, strangers, and health.
Day 5 (Thursday): Thursday was a more relaxing day for me as the scouts returned to their classes in the morning. I caught by on some email (personal email/scout stuff, not that "work" stuff fortunately). In the afternoon I spent some time at the .22 rifle range, and managed to get into the "Dime Club…
