Scouting anyone?

[Bob_Fixico]

W.A. Mack I agree with you that the scouting expericance depends on the troop and the leadership. I am only a parent volunteer myself. Our Troops and Dens would be a failure if it wasnt for volunteers to lead activites and add to motivation of the scouts.

[Bumper_Morgan]

I wish I had a volunteer dad or mum to act as Assistant Scoutmaster. It is kinda hard to run the Troop all by myself, but it has been working very well for the last 5 years.
We do traditional Scouting along the lines of Scouting for Boys and I agree, a Troop will only be a good one if you offer an exciting program.
In the winter we do play a lot of athletic games, pit the two Patrols against each other, but we also spend a lot of time working on perfecting Bushcraft techniques. We go into the boonies as often as we can and camp out. This summer we will do a 5-day-trek like the Appalachian Trail where we hike, enjoy the sights along the trail and camp overnights. Everybody carries his own load, pulls his own weight. This is always a great experience for the kids.

[1961MJS]

W.A. Mack I agree with you that the scouting expericance depends on the troop and the leadership. I am only a parent volunteer myself. Our Troops and Dens would be a failure if it wasnt for volunteers to lead activites and add to motivation of the scouts.

Hi, that's for being in Scouts. The kid's experience is definitely based on the leadership. One thing that's great about Boy Scouts, is that you can change packs, troops, and crews until you find one that suits you. I don't know how many Eagle Scouts out Troop has had over the past 30 years, but each one of them have had a parent who volunteered with the troop.

In Wichita, Girl Scouts won't let you change groups. Here, if you decide you don't like your girl scout group, you get put on a waiting list.

Later

[Bob_Fixico]

Scouts troop that my yongest son and grandsons are in have that policy only way out and into another troop is to move. Now as you said 1961MJS the waiting list so far knock wood we have not run into any waiting list for cub/boy scouts.

[jamespowers]

Scouts troop that my yongest son and grandsons are in have that policy only way out and into another troop is to move. Now as you said 1961MJS the waiting list so far knock wood we have not run into any waiting list for cub/boy scouts.

Wow! That is kind of out there. I went to a troop in another city because they were more active. No one said anything here. Of course, that was twenty years ago or more. We'll see how it goes with my sons.

[Bob_Fixico]

Bumper Morgan, quickest way to get parent volunteers is to as for help from a couple of them tell them no strings attached. Just say we need help with a group project get them hands on. That is how they hooked me in. Have you thought about talkng with your local other scout masters, unit commissioner, or charter representatives?

[The Gentleman]

I would love to be part of the scouts myself, but I'm seventeen and I don't know if you can still register around that age.

[L'Onset]

Sure you can join a clan of Venture Scouts !
I joined scouts at 15 yrs.
Joining at those ages means that is really a decision of yours, not your parents.

[Canadian]

I'll never forget the time my dad saved the lives of about fifteen scouts. He was a retired army officer, and although not an official Scouter, he came along on some of our winter trips (-40C) to keep an eye on both me, and the other boys.

Most of us had never been on a winter campout and most of us were unprepared. This particular campout had about 300 Scouts from a variety of different Troops all in the Southern Alberta region. Most of them were old salts. They did things right by having winter weight tents, proper bags, etc.

My troop was commanded by a man who's claim to fame was selling ball bearings for chairs. He knew absolutely squat. His assistant Scoutmaster was an engineer.

One night, while sharing a tent with Dad, the temperature dropped so low I was freezing and shivering uncontrollably. Then I stopped shivering. At that point, my Dad knew (from experience leading infantry troops) that I was definitely in trouble. So he woke everybody up, got us out of our tents (my bag was winter weight, but most of the boys had bags good to +4C or worse. Remember it was -40C) and we all had grilled cheese sandwiches and hot cocoa. Then he passed out candy bars and we had a little break in the middle of the night. Most of us went back to bed, warm and cosy and full of cheese and candy. The next night, a bunch of us piled into his car for a few minutes to warm up. Again, out came candy and warm drinks.

The next year, my dad didn't come. But the Scouters had learned a bit about (cheerily called in Scout's fieldbook as "Winter Fun", which my dad knew as "Cold Weather Operations" and we were dramatically better prepared. The people who organized the campout also were more prepared and every night, we'd all cram into a small hall and have hot cocoa, as much sugar or marshmallows as we wanted and stood around a big bonfire.

Dad also lent me his wooly-pully sweater on that first campout. I suggest, if you do not own one, get one. They are a godsend in the cold and the older, wool versions are perfect for layering over a polypro shirt, under a nylon windbreaker and a parka on top.

The Scout uniforms of my day were not practical. 100% cotton, two breast pockets and an acrylic beret. Most of the local Scouts wore sweats or jeans, which are not field standard. When the time comes for me to be a Scoutmaster, I hope I perform as admirably as my own father, who that night saved the lives of a lot of young boys.

Tom

[Harry Gooch]

I'll never forget the time my dad saved the lives of about fifteen scouts. He was a retired army officer, and although not an official Scouter, he came along on some of our winter trips (-40C) to keep an eye on both me, and the other boys.

Most of us had never been on a winter campout and most of us were unprepared. This particular campout had about 300 Scouts from a variety of different Troops all in the Southern Alberta region. Most of them were old salts. They did things right by having winter weight tents, proper bags, etc.

My troop was commanded by a man who's claim to fame was selling ball bearings for chairs. He knew absolutely squat. His assistant Scoutmaster was an engineer.

One night, while sharing a tent with Dad, the temperature dropped so low I was freezing and shivering uncontrollably. Then I stopped shivering. At that point, my Dad knew (from experience leading infantry troops) that I was definitely in trouble. So he woke everybody up, got us out of our tents (my bag was winter weight, but most of the boys had bags good to +4C or worse. Remember it was -40C) and we all had grilled cheese sandwiches and hot cocoa. Then he passed out candy bars and we had a little break in the middle of the night. Most of us went back to bed, warm and cosy and full of cheese and candy. The next night, a bunch of us piled into his car for a few minutes to warm up. Again, out came candy and warm drinks.

The next year, my dad didn't come. But the Scouters had learned a bit about (cheerily called in Scout's fieldbook as "Winter Fun", which my dad knew as "Cold Weather Operations" and we were dramatically better prepared. The people who organized the campout also were more prepared and every night, we'd all cram into a small hall and have hot cocoa, as much sugar or marshmallows as we wanted and stood around a big bonfire.

Dad also lent me his wooly-pully sweater on that first campout. I suggest, if you do not own one, get one. They are a godsend in the cold and the older, wool versions are perfect for layering over a polypro shirt, under a nylon windbreaker and a parka on top.

The Scout uniforms of my day were not practical. 100% cotton, two breast pockets and an acrylic beret. Most of the local Scouts wore sweats or jeans, which are not field standard. When the time comes for me to be a Scoutmaster, I hope I perform as admirably as my own father, who that night saved the lives of a lot of young boys.

Tom

Your dad sounds like a candidate for the Order of Canada. Kudos to him, sir.

Harry. (Queen's Venturer)