Feb Newsletter

Historic: We consider this item to be historic and as such it may no longer be appropriate for todays Scouts. Please refer to your local scouting policies and use your best judgment.

The Insanescouter February 2014

 

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Greetings all,

Welcome to this February 2014 InsaneScouter newsletter. Things are springy here in Vegas, but we are suppose to be getting up to the 80's soon.

With all the cold weather much of the country is having I would like to remind everyone to be safe and remember c.o.l.d

C Clean - dirty clothes loose their loft and get you cold.
O Overheat - never get sweaty, strip off layers to stay warm but no too hot.
L Layers - Dress in synthetic layers for easy temperature control.
D Dry - wet clothes (and sleeping bags) also loose their insulation.

There are ton more good tips, from our friends at Boy Scout Trail at http://www.boyscouttrail.com/library/wintercampingtips.asp

The Good & Bad

InsaneScouter is now routinely getting over 30,000 visitors every month and has over 2,300 subscribers to this newsletter. We are setting off the virtual fireworks as we celebrate the mile stone. On top of that scoutmanage.com has agreed to renew their sponsorship of the site for another year.

Additionally, with all your help and a lot of hard work I am finally standing back on my own two feet. It took a few years, and almost becoming homeless, but with your help I have powered through it. I salute you and say thanks for your support and dedication to me and InsaneScouter.

The bad new: ads currently bring in about $50 a month, which is enough to cover the cost of running the site, but not where I want to take it next. Want to be awesome, pitch in $1, $5, $10, $20 … whatever you can afford to make this site rocket forward will help and be appreciated. You can donate via paypal at https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=YZJJSCXBR583G or contact to send check on a case by case basis.

Here are just some of the things that will come with your support:
- New navigation menu that will be easier to use & table of contents added to the homepage
- Homepage redesign
- Dump archive that will contain a ton of scouting related files
- Database of public campgrounds broken down by location with gps coordinates of where you can take your Scouts or family camping
- A Scouting related chat room that has people in it all the time
- A better way to subscribe and unsubscribe from the newsletter and eliminate the need to login or even have a user account
- Add a tags to blog posts for better navigation and searching
- Add main image to blog posts
- Improved script for sending the newsletter
- Improved clipart section
- Changes to code, database and server to speed the site up

I will be frank, to make all of this happen will take a lot of time and resources. So please help, dont make me use the puppy eyes on you .

Did You Know?

InsaneScouter is not only on facebook and twitter, but also google plus and pinterest. Please follow us and show your support by sharing things of interest with your friends. Another way you can help out is by simpling sharing this newsletter with all of your Scouting buddies. Lastly you can print one of our flyers such as this recipe one, and give to those you talk to at roundtable, ask your District Executive to share it with other leaders in your ares.... Help us get the word out.

#WhereDoYouCamp

Through InsaneScouter, my other website RoadCEO.com and a few of my clients sites I am launching a social media campaign called #WhereDoYouCamp. I hope you will take a few minutes to check it out on facebook, twitter, and google plus and put in your two cents. All you have to do is tell us where you like to camp and use the #wheredoyoucamp hash tag. If you wish to be extra special drop a comment here and there. Thats it and who knows there may be some surprise prizes that popup now and then.
 

 
New Content
 
Home > Resources > The Outdoors > Cooking > Desserts
 
Yogurt Fruit Shakes
2 8 oz containers strawberry-banana yogurt 1 /3 c cold milk 3 tbsp honey 2 tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate Place all ingredients in blender and blend, covered until smooth and frothy. Serve immediately in three tall chilled glasses...

Home > Resources > The Outdoors > Winter Camping
 
Winter Camping
Winter Camping The material in this article is but a small part of winter camping training. Taking this course by no means makes you trained enough to take your unit winter camping. There is so much more to cover that can't be covered in the time frame of this course. Before you take you Troop out winter camping, you need to take the winter camping training given by the High adventure team (HAT). This course has a 43 page booklet...

Home >
 
Flounder And Fluke
The Flounder and Fluke belong to a family known as "flatfish" because they swim flat on their sides, horizontally, like swimming "doormats" as they are sometimes affectionately called. They're scrappy fighters and plentiful most of the year; you can catch Flounder off New England when it's so cold that icicles sprout from your fishing rod. They're a prized food delicacy, too. The "fillet of sole" you see on restaurant menus is usually our friend the Flounder. The true Sole, found...

Home > Resources > Activities > Songs
 
Commercial Mixup
Last night I watched TV, I saw my favorite show. I heard this strange commercial, And I can't believe it's so. Feed your dog Chiffon. Comet cures the cold. Use S-O-S pads on your face To keep from looking old. Mop your floors with Crest. Use Crisco on your tile. Clean your teeth with Borateem, It leaves a shining smile. For headaches take some Certs. Use Tide to clean your face. And do shampoo with Elmer's Glue, It holds your...

Home > Resources > Activities > Songs
 
Forty Years on an Iceberg
Forty years on an iceberg (make #10 four times with hands) Over the ocean wide (wave motion) Nothing to wear but pyjamas, (slide hands up body from toes to head) Nothing to do but slide (slide hands down body from head to toes) The wind was cold and icy, (shiver, arms around body) Jack Frost began to bite (pinch neighbours) I had to hug my polar bear (hug neighbours) To keep me warm at night, night, night, night... (Repeat and...

Home >
 
IceFishing
When winter comes to the Northern states and the lakes and rivers freeze solid, you can try the most rugged fishing sport of all—ice-fishing. Of course you must be somewhat rugged yourself because standing in freezing temperatures and snow squalls for hours at a time isn't anyone's idea of comfort. But you can catch yourself a mess offish. A surprising number of species bite in midwinter as well as midsummer. They may not have as much pep because of the...

Home >
 
Brook Trout
To biologists he's the Brook Trout, to Canadians he's the Speckled Trout, and to New Englanders he's the Squaretail, but no matter what he's called, to anglers everywhere he's the aristocrat of game fish. His haunts are the purest waters of picturesque mountain streams and crystal-clear lakes. He takes the angler's dry fly eagerly—when it's the pattern he likes and is presented realistically. And when hooked he fights with a determination few fish his size can surpass. Last but not...

Home > Resources > The Outdoors > Cooking > Dutch Oven
 
Feijoada Latin Style
1 lb Black beans 6 c Water 1 lb Ham cubes -- 3/4 inch cubes 1 lb Pork loin -- 3/4 inch cubes 3/4 lb Italian sausage links -- cut in 1" pieces 1 pt Cherry tomatoes 1 Onion -- chopped 1 ts Red pepper flakes 6 Garlic cloves -- minced 1/8 ts Orange zest 1. Cover beans with cold water and soak overnight, or cover them with boiling water and let stand for 2 hours; drain. 2. Preheat oven...

Home > Resources > Activities > Campfire Stories
 
Flesheating Rabid Zombie Chipmunks Story
This Story has scary parts and is meant for Boy Scouts. Decide for yourself if it is appropriate for your younger scouts or not. Years ago, when I was your age, I endured a night of terror from which I will never completely recover. To this day, certain sounds, smells, and sights chill me to the bone.It was a nice, peaceful evening much like tonight - warm, quiet, but with fog beginning to roll in from the south. I had...

Home > Resources > Leaders > Training
 
Wood Tools Safety Course Totin chip
Course Outline Time Subject Introduction: Welcome & Introduce Self What is the Totin' Chip The Course What is covered under the Totin' Chip The Outdoor Code Safety The Blood Circle What is an Ax Yard How to Care for the tools How to use the tools Demonstrate you ability to use these tools safely What happens if you do something wrong How do you replace a lost card (by unit) Group Discussion Open Question and Answers about Wood Tools How...

Home > Resources > Ceremonies > Cub Scout
 
Turn On The Power
What is the most powerful thing you can think of? Is it a locomotive that can pull a hundred railroad cars? Or is it a mighty rocket with giant engines that roar and belch fire? Is it a nuclear energy plant with enough power to light up a whole city? Or is it the sun, with enough energy to warm a whole planet? As powerful as all these things are, there is a limit to their energy. A locomotive and...

Home > Resources > Leaders > Leader Tips
 
Theme Midway Advice on Games
On a cold winter den meeting night, you might try some of these ideas to keep the boys warm and dry. At www.printactivities.com, you can print out a variety of word search puzzles, dot-to-dots, and mazes. Information on how to play board games can be found at www.boardgamescentral. com. Old and new games can be found on this site, along with the instructions on how to play games such as checkers, Monopoly, Life, and dominos. At www.library.thinkquest.org, you will find...

Home > Resources > The Outdoors > Nature
 
Geology Igneous Petrology
Geology 101 - Gale Martin - Class Notes Igneous rocks form when molten (rock) material solidifies. Each rock, via its texture and composition, reveals a "story" of its origin when properly "translated". These "clues" provide evidence for the igneous activity, both past and present, occurring within the earth. To understand igneous petrology, this course will review some general characteristics of magmas and how they solidify to form unlimited types of igneous rocks.(Note: Most igneous processes are driven by Plate Tectonics....

Home > Resources > The Outdoors > Cooking > Dinner
 
Ozark Winter Chili
1 lb hot pork sausage 2 1/2 lbs ground chuck 4 onions, chopped 2 green peppers, diced 2 large cans crushed tomatoes 2 cans rotel tomatoes 1/2 lb dry pinto beans 2 tbs olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cups chopped parsley 1/2 cups margarine 2 tbs salt 1/3 cups chili powder 1 1/2 tsp black pepper 1 tsp red pepper 1 1/2 tsp cumin waterIn large pot, soak beans in water overnight. Drain into Dutch oven, cover with...

Home > Resources > Ceremonies > Flag Opening
 
Indian Ceremony
This is really more of an outline or a complete meeting with the opening and closing based on authentic Indian ritual. It should be held out of doors with a real rife but it could be done indoors with an artificial one or the opening could be changed. If done outdoors, the fire can be arranged in a number of was to light as if by magic or as if from the heavens. (one way is to have someone off...

Home > Resources > Cub Scouts > Webelos
 
Aquanaut Boating Safety
Boat Safety Fill in the blank with one of the following words: weight shore hang overload middle flotation 1. Always wear a personal _______________ device. 2. Don't _______________ the boat. 3. Balance the _______________ evenly in the boat. 4. If the boat tips over, _______________ onto it and kick to shore. 5. Step into the _______________ seat when changing seats or getting in. 6. Head for _______________ if bad weather comes. Do's and Don'ts In and Around Water Fill in...

Home > Resources > Ceremonies > Cub Scout
 
Gold Mining Was Hard Work
Gold mining was a very hard work. Miners just didn't go to the hill and dig up gold. Very often they spent days or weeks with little result. They worked from dawn to dusk, six or even seven days a week.For hours at a time they waded in cold, snow-fed streams, or attacked the hard ground with digging tool's. In heat and cold they prospected in steep, rocky canyons and along the rugged ridges of the Sierra foothills. Sunday was...

Home > Resources > Ceremonies > Flag Closing
 
Our Gifts And Talents
Do you like to put together jigsaw puzzles? Some families find a lot of pleasure putting together a big jigsaw puzzle on a cold autumn night, with cups of steaming hot cocoa and fresh cookies nearby. The most important thing about a jigsaw puzzle is that all of the puzzle pieces must be there. If even one small piece has been lost, then the whole puzzle is incomplete, and that takes away a lot of the fun of seeing the...

Home > Resources > The Outdoors > Cooking > Dutch Oven
 
Chili The Geezer Way
6 dried habenero peppers 3 lbs boneless chuck, diced 1/4in 6 tbs olive oil beef saute 4 onions chopped 4 garlic cloves minced 1 1/2 tsp cumin 1 large can tomatoes squished 1 large can chili hot beans 1 tbs cocoa 2 bay leaves crushed 1 tsp oreganoHeat a skillet over mod-high heat and toast peppers, turning often, for 1-2 minutes. Let cool, and crush. Combine with 1 cup water in a small pot And bring to boil. Simmer 5...

Home > Resources > Activities > Songs
 
Randall the red cheeked Cub Scout
Tune: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer Randall, the red-cheeked Cub Scout Had a very cold, cold nose And if you ever noticed You could even say it flows All of the other Cubbies Used to laugh and point it out That Randall, the red-cheeked Cub Scout Had a very runny snout Then one day the Den leader Took Randall out of sight And told him that it’s time he knew How to wipe his nose just right Now all the other...

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Lake Trout
The Lake Trout has several qualities that make him a fish you'll like to catch. First is his size. A 5-pounder is an infant; 20-pounders are common. The world record Laker taken on hook-and-line was 63 pounds, 2 ounces, and almost 4 feet long. Specimens weighing over 100 pounds have been netted by commercial fishermen. Second is his tremendous appetite that usually prompts him to gobble just about anything that comes his way, including your lures, as long as they...

Home > Resources > Ceremonies > Webelos
 
Candlelight Ceremony
Props needed: Arrow of Light Ceremonial Board cut out as a Large Arrow of Light, 4 red candles, 3 white candles, Webelos Award(s) and Certificate(s), and several straight pins.Personnel needed: Akela (in costume) and 2 Webelos Scouts (1st Webelos Scout lights the 4 red candles as he says the names of the ranks)The four red candles represent the Bobcat, Wolf, Bear and Webelos ranks in Cubs Scouts.2nd Webelos Scout: Webelos means We’ll Be Loyal Scouts. Loyalty is one of the...

Home > Resources > Ceremonies > Flag Closing
 
Gold Mining Was Hard Work
Gold mining was a very hard work. Miners just didn't go to the hill and dig up gold. Very often they spent days or weeks with little result. They worked from dawn to dusk, six or even seven days a week.For hours at a time they waded in cold, snow-fed streams, or attacked the hard ground with digging tool's. In heat and cold they prospected in steep, rocky canyons and along the rugged ridges of the Sierra foothills. Sunday was...

Home > Resources > Activities
 
Coffee Ground Fossils
1 cup of used coffee grounds 1/2 cup of cold coffee 1 cup of flour 1/2 cup of salt Small dinosaur figurines Directions   Stir ingredients until well mixed.   Knead the dough together.   Mold dough around a dinosaur figurine covering it completely.   Press your dinosaurs firmly into the dough.   The boys should carefully pull the "dirt" away from their "fossil" using tooth picks or a toothbrush and water.   For harder products - let the fossil...

Home > Resources > Ceremonies > Flag
 
Why I Love Her
(By John Wayne) You ask me why I love her? Well, give me time and I'll explain. Have you seen a Kansas sunset or an Arizona rain? Have you drifted on a bayou down Louisiana way? Have you watched the cold fog drifting over San Francisco Bay? Have you heard a bobwhite calling in the Carolina pines or heard the bellow of a diesel at the Appalachian mines? Does the call of the Niagara thrill you when you hear her...

Home > Resources > Activities > Skits
 
Dinosaur Hunt
Have the audience repeat the words and motions Going on a dinosaur hunt. (Slap thighs) And I’m not afraid. (Point to self) There’s a tall mountain. (Look with hand over eyes) Can’t go under it. (Move hand down) Can’t go around it. (Move hand around) Guess I’ll go over it. (Reach hands as if climbing) There’s a river. (Hands over eyes) Can’t go over it. Can’t go under it Guess I’ll swim across it. (Move arms as if swimming) There’s...

Home > Resources > Ceremonies > Cub Scout
 
Our Gifts And Talents
Do you like to put together jigsaw puzzles? Some families find a lot of pleasure putting together a big jigsaw puzzle on a cold autumn night, with cups of steaming hot cocoa and fresh cookies nearby. The most important thing about a jigsaw puzzle is that all of the puzzle pieces must be there. If even one small piece has been lost, then the whole puzzle is incomplete, and that takes away a lot of the fun of seeing the...

Home > Resources > The Outdoors > Cooking > Dutch Oven
 
Cowboy Pinto Beans
1 1-lb package dried pinto beans, sorted and rinsed 6 Slices bacon 2 lg Onions, chopped 2 Cloves garlic, Finely chopped 1 tb Dried oregano leaves 1 tb Chil1 powder 1 ts Salt 1 ts Ground cumin 3 c Water 1 cn (15-oz) tomato sauce 1/3 c Firmly packed light-brown sugar In large bowl, place beans and add water to cover 2 inches above them; set aside to soak overnight. Or, to quick soak, place beans and water in 5-quart...

Home > Resources > Activities > Songs
 
Acres Of Clams
 I've wandered all over this country, Prospecting and digging for gold; I've tunnel'd, hydraulicked, and cradled, And I nearly froze in the cold. And I nearly froxe in the cold, And I nearly froze in the cold, I've tunnel'd, hydraulicked, and cradled, And I nearly froze in the cold. I rolled up my grub in my blanket, I left all my tools on the ground, I started one morning to shank it For the country they call Puget Sound. For...

Home > Resources > Ceremonies > Flag Closing
 
Peace Pipe Closing
The peace pipe as used in this ceremony is wooden, painted in bright colors and decorated with feathers. It is not smoked. Chief may wear headdress.CHIEF: (Cubmaster) (Steps forward, holding peace pipe in both hands, arms straight in front of him.)To our Father, the Great Spirit (holds pipe aloft) who has given us so many blessings. (Pretends to smoke pipe.)To our Mother, the earth (extends arms downward) who has given us so many blessings. (Pretends to smoke pipe.)To the North...
Recipes
 
Stir Crazy Cake
2 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup oil
2 tbs vinegar
1 tbs vanilla
2 cups cold coffee
1/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Put flour, 1 1/2 cup sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a lined, ungreased Dutch oven. Stir with a fork to mix; form 3 wells in flour mixture. Pour oil into one well, vinegar in one, and vanilla in one. Pour cold coffee over all ingredients and stir with fork until well mixed. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over (batter. Bake in Dutch oven for 34-45 minutes.


Egyptian Pyramids

Ingredients:
• 1 pound bag of coconut
• 1½ cups of sugar
• 6 egg whites

Directions:
• Beat the egg whites until stiff.
• Mix the coconut and sugar and mix into the eggs.
• Grease a cookie sheet and shape the meringue into pyramids.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minute or until a light brown.

 

 
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Feb Fuzzy & Scout
Hi all,Your favourite bear cubs here. We thought it was time to let you all know what has been going on in our lives.Well apart from the obvious as Scout still loves all things cocoa and Fuz still tries to...

Sing Along for Halloween
Here is a sing along for those who may be doing a Halloween theme pack meeting. It is oneof those echo type song. This is from the Fisher-Price Halloween Sing Along CD.The other day(audience repeat: The other day)I met a...

Scouting Thomas
I recently had the chance to talk with Steve Belkin one of the brilliant minds behind Scouting Thomas, a Scouting & camping related mobile app.What is the Scouting Thomas AppScouting Thomas is an animated app geared toward elementary school aged...

SM Tip - Connect With Special Merit Badge Opportunities
The Scoutmaster’s Other Handbook has always included a section on merit badge programs at museums, and I’ve long maintained that the best counselors are men and women who have a passion for a badge’s subject matter. (Scouters who are a...

Eagle Tip - Picture This, Part 2
My last tip introduced Wikimedia Commons, a source for (usually) free images that you can use in court of honor programs and slideshows. It’s not the only source for free photos online, of course. Another, and my personal favorite, is...

Eagle Tip - Picture This, Part 1
Like most things in our world, Eagle courts of honor have become multimedia affairs in recent years. For example, slick (and easily produced) slideshows do a great job of chronicling the journey new Eagle Scouts have taken since their Cub...

Washing Dishes
Most people are not aware of how to wash dishes while camping. Scouts definitely are not a dishwasher! So they should be aware of how to wash dishes by hand in camp. It is important to practice proper dish washing...

Eagle Scout Scholarships
Are you an Eagle Scout, there are many college grants for you. Being an Eagle Scout Scholar, like any prospective college student, requires a lot of work. For starters, you will need to apply with granting organization.There are many organizations...

SM Tip - A Sense of Wonder
This week, for an upcoming Eagle Scout Magazine article, I had the pleasure of speaking with Mohammed Al-Jumaili, who is apparently the first refugee of the Iraq War to become an Eagle Scout. I also talked with his Scoutmaster, Steve...

Dan Pallotta: The way we think about charity is dead wrong
Todays post comes to us courtesy of the Ted Talks. It is about how we think about charity and "The O Word". The talk is done by activist and fundraiser Dan Pallotta who calls out the double standard that...

The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Recently I was talking with one of my friends daughters, who is six-year-old, about the old fable “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”. As a result she wrote this little story and draw this picture. We also watched the video below,...

Eagle Tip - Going with the Flow
Submitted by James ShepherdDespite your best efforts, something will go wrong at your court of honor. The color guard will put the American flag on the wrong side of the stage, the sound system will produce eardrum-piercing feedback, a presenter...
 
Kamp Knots
 


Used with permission by
Rich Diesslin

www.the-cartoonist.com

KNOTS Cartoons full-color paperback book is here!
Great Gift for Scouts and Scouters!

 

 
Top Pages
   
Blogs and Podcasts
 
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(Updates Daily)
 
hike our planet
Ice Coats Hot Springs National Park
Click to view slideshow.I Love my life today as tomorrow is always a distant Dream. ~ Lee HillerHot Springs Arkansas has been hit with a series of winter storms. ...

Scoutmaster Minute
IWGBTP
Sitting here this morning going through some Scouting Pictures and getting my stuff ready for the Red and Green Dinner today I clicked on one of the Blogs that I...

Scoutmaster Minute
Snow Peak 700 Review
Well, It’s Sunday and today we are celebrating our Troops 10th Anniversary as well as Scouting’s 104th. Every year our Troop hosts its annual Red and Green Dinner. A celebration...

A Scoutmasters Blog
My First Scouting Display for Anniversary Week
In my last post I wrote about the four displays that Troop 68 set up around town for this year’s Scouting Anniversary week. I have collected quite a bit of...

LDS Scouter
What is a Commissioner?
This is a question I hear a lot. Even experienced Scouters often do not know what a commissioner is, because they have never seen one, outside of maybe a red...

Scoutmaster Minute
104 and going Strong!
Me and my sons at the National Jamboree 2010Today marks the 104th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America! And the BSA is going strong! As I thought about today’s...

Scoutmaster Minute
Saturday Quick Tip – Sleeping bag storage
Here is your Saturday Quick tip. This week we are talking about taking care of your sleeping bag. The best way to store your sleeping by laying it flat. But...

BSA Cracker Barrel
Happy 104th birthday, Boy Scouts of America!
Five score and four years ago today, the Boy Scouts of America was born.Yes, the nation’s top youth-serving organization was incorporated on this date in 1910.A lot’s changed since. In that...
 

 
Scout News
 
Read All Scout News
(Updates Daily)
 
Coldspring Cub Scouts give to Care/Share
As part of their “Scouting for Food” program, Cub Scout Pack 845 of the Coldspring United Methodist Church met with Esther Best, treasurer of the Care/Share Mission of San Jacinto...

Boy Scouts offer recognition for old and new scouts
Thirteen boys in our area were recognized Saturday for achieving their Eagle Scout title with the Boy Scouts. The ceremony was held at Camp Don Harrington. Families were invited to...

Boy Scouts, leaders and counselors survive Freeze-O-Reeze
More than 330 Boy Scouts, leaders and merit badge counselors recently braved the elements to attend this year’s Freeze-O-Ree held Jan. 17-19 at the West Edgecombe Ruritan Club on N.C....

From Boy Scouts to Eagle Scouts
The community came together today to recognize area Boy Scouts who earned a prestigious rank. Over 20 Boy Scouts of the Baden-Powell Council were honored for obtaining their Eagle Scout...

ALLENTOWN: Borough, UF Scouts race in annual derby
ALLENTOWN — The Stone Bridge Middle School was transformed into a mini raceway Jan. 25 when about 60 Allentown and Upper Freehold Cub Scouts from Pack 180 and their families...

New Fort Pierce Boy Scout troop aims to provide role models for teens | Photo galleries, video
Neither Joseph nor many of this fellow Boy Scouts had ever been in City Hall, despite many of them living within walking distance of it....

Girl scouts learn life lessons from selling cookies
Each year, the Girl Scouts of America sell cookies to support charities and their local chapters....

Boy Scouts of America Turns 104 on Saturday
The Boy Scouts Of America is celebrating the group's 104th anniversary on Saturday....
 

 
Thoughts to Ponder
 

The Promise Continued
Posted on February 26, 2013 by Jerry Schleining Jr.

It is the Scoutmasters obligation to work to achieve the Aims of Scouting… that’s pretty much it. To do that it should be every Scoutmasters goal to get every Scout to the rank of First Class not Eagle Scout.
If you take a look at the requirements to achieve the First Class rank you will note that its pretty much all about Character, Citizenship, and Fitness.
Through the working of these requirements the Scout will learn about the three aims of Scouting and coupled with the skills learned, the teamwork developed, and the fun of the program, the Scout will assist the Scoutmaster in attaining his goal.

Once the foundation has been laid in the working to First Class, the Scout then should be prepared to work toward Eagle Scout where he can explore his world while working merit badges. He can learn and demonstrate leadership, and he can develop a sense of service to his community. Putting it all together we will have produced a good young man.

So back to the First Class rank. When we do not put in the proper perspective and make it all about skills and a means to the end (Eagle Scout), we lose focus on what we are trying to accomplish in Scouting. We are not here to make Eagle Scouts, we are here to make good men. Good Citizens of Character that are fit, mentally, physically, and emotionally.

So, the next time you sit down with a Scout to chat during his Scoutmaster conference for Second Class.. take a look and see if that young man is getting it. If not, reinforce those ideas and share with him your goal.
This is a part of the promise that we make to our Scouts. The adventure comes when the rest is worked.

Have a Great Scouting Day!

 



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