8October2009
Posted by admin under: Boy Scout Reorganization.
Finally got a job after being unemployed for the last 9 months. Yay! Have to admit I wasn’t the most cheerful Scouter during that entire time. With new training I didn’t see a comment from Mike (Settummanque) regarding the idea of girls in the Cub Scouts. I don’t know why the blog held it up, but I just got it pushed out of the queue and I wanted to make sure everyone saw it, so here’s Mike’s comment:
Well…the handwriting’s on the wall; my National/Regional BSA office friends are telling me that there are *PAPER STUDIES* going on now to gauge the effect of having females to serve as Cub Scouts and WEBELOS Cub Scouts ONLY (no word on Boy Scouting/Varsity Scouting but my pennies say that it’s not too far off from being activily thought about).
Here’s why.
As the “total available (male) youth” or TAY (which is how the BSA gauges how to best support the program at all levels) continues to decline — don’t confuse this with membership; this is the total number of available MALE YOUTH of Scouting age for each program — the BSA has to do one of three things.
The first plan which is being considered is reducing the “overhead” of youth and adults in a unit. Right now, a unit technically consists of five youth, three adults with a chartering partner organization; or a Lone Scout unit consisting of a single male and an adult of either gender. The Girl Scouts of the USA got it right — their Troops consist basically of six females and two adults, with no chartering partner organization (what we in the BSA would consider a patrol, den, squad). This first plan is to downsize the unit to basically what the GSUSA has and call *that* a BSA unit. The effect of this is to basically break up the larger BSA units — mainly medium sized Packs and large Troops — into three, four, six smaller Troops or Packs with reduced leadership. Before everyone gets bent — this works to the BSA’s advantage as many GSUSA leaders are aware — as the Pack or Troop gets larger, it provides the opportunity for those units to combine to become larger when the TAY numbers increase.
The second plan which is being considered is the opportunity for female youth of Cub Scout age to become Cub Scouts and WEBELOS Cub Scouts. This is being looked at because there are increasingly more females of Cub Scout/WEBELOS Cub Scout (elementary school age) than males out there. There are several issues with this — the biggest is that at this age level, the GSUSA is doing a great job attracting youth to their Daisy, Brownie and Junior programs and there’s going to be a lot of push-back on their parts if this option is rolled out. Another smaller issue is that of utilization of Girl Scouting day camps being used by the BSA — in many terrorities it can be a mess. Finally, there’s the entire “girls need girl guidance and boys needs male guidance” stuff which kept females from serving as adult leaders, commissioners and professionals other than within Exploring. I think that this could be overcome over time. Uniforms do not have to be changed; insignia do not have to be changed; and the term “Cub Scout” and “WEBELOS Cub Scout” could pertain to males or females (”We’ll BE LOyal Scouts” can refer to either the BSA’s or GSUSA Scout programs)!
The third option seriously being considered is simply to continue the way we’re going and watch as many local Councils implode upon themselves simply because the male youth is no longer there in larger numbers as before. This means that we’ll see many local Councils become larger and larger and the number of professional and volunteer support will drop significantly. The effect that this has is that overall the BSA’s membership will drop to a point back similar to the middle 60s and we’ll be looking at our older youth programs as well as “variations” on our Cub Scout programming to try to pull us out.
Like I said, these are PAPER studies…as far as I’m aware, we don’t have female Cub Scouts *yet* but I won’t be surprised that in March or April of the year after next (we’ll have to get through the 100th anniversary first!) that we’ll see female youth in *some local Councils (class 1 Quality Councils) * working through a Nationally-coordinated plan to work through the effects of having female youth in Cub Scouting.
The BSA and GSUSA went down this road once before…in the early 70s. The two programs were working toward some sort of consolidation for a lot of reasons. It fell apart when the GSUSA refused to accept the BSA’s “chartering partnership” concept and when the BSA refused to drop the number of professionals to a core of three (Scout Executive, Assistant Scout Executive and Program Director) instead of the four or so professionals predominate in the smallest class Councils (Scout Executive, two District Executives and a Field Director or Senior District Executive).
I know that the BSA, the GSUSA, and Campfire are looking at ways to get past the “total available youth” situation. In the meantime, my personal advice to those who don’t want “girls in our BOY SCOUTING programs”, is to “make more male babies and sign them up for Cub Scouting when they are born….” *smiling*
The numbers are simply not there right now otherwise.
Settummanque!
For more from the mind of Mike check out his blog at http://www.settummanque.com/.
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19September2009
Posted by admin under: jamboree.
I don’t know how many times I can say that ScoutingManiac is the go to source for Jamboree information, but I’ll say it again because he is. And he says that if you’re planning to be a leader for your Jamboree troop at the World Jamboree and you haven’t been contacted yet, you’d better get on the horn and start asking why.
Here is a update from the Boy Scouts of America, this information only pertains to Western Region. The Information came to me in a e-mail. The information was about interviews for staff and adult leadership for the Western Region.
…
If you have not received this e-mail and applied for the 2011 World Scout Jamboree IST or adult leadership positions at least 1 month ago, please contact Elizabeth or your local council to see if they have processed your application. Your council must approve your application just like the 2010 National Jamboree online application process, this is likely where the hold up is.
He has the exact e-mail posted that he received, but the important point is that you should have received something by now letting you know that the choices are being made right now!
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19September2009
Posted by admin under: centennial; community service.
There’s another story at ScoutingNews.org about Boy Scouts of America teaming up to fight malaria by donating bed netting for use in countries where malaria still kills a million people per year.
The United Nations Foundation’s Nothing But Nets, a grassroots campaign to prevent malaria by sending long-lasting insecticide-treated nets to families in Africa, announced today that the Boy Scouts of America has joined the malaria-prevention campaign as part of its 100th Anniversary Celebration. Throughout the year, Scouts from around the country will work within their communities to raise awareness about malaria, a leading killer in Africa.
BSA Chief Scout Executive Bob Mazzuca and Nothing But Nets Director Adrianna Logalbo launched the life-saving partnership today during a malaria workshop at Detroit Edison Public School Academy. Bill Gates Sr., Distinguished Eagle Scout and co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Honorable Dave Bing, Mayor of Detroit and Deron Washington of the NBA’s Detroit Pistons, joined Mazzuca and Logalbo at the workshop to teach more than 65 local Scouts about malaria and how to help prevent the deadly disease.
“Every single day, in almost every community across the nation, Scouts are doing their part to make this world a better place by becoming good citizens. But our concern for others doesn’t stop at our borders. We are global citizens,” Mazzuca said. “Even during a challenging economic recession, it’s hard to imagine that nearly 3,000 people die every day from a preventable disease like malaria. We’re pleased to work with the UN Foundation’s Nothing But Nets campaign to help make a positive difference for the children in Africa.”
I’m all in favor of supporting this cause. It reminds me of that Ashton Kutcher drive a while back where he was trying to get nets to help prevent malaria.
I just wish people would stop opposing the use of DDT so that we could save the lives of the tens of millions of Africans who perished because of the bad reputation the pesticide received. Even if it had some bad side affects I find it difficult to believe it would have been worse than allowing the population of several small cities to die from an almost completely preventable reason. Don’t take my word for it, though. Even the World Health Organization thinks so. Still nets will help. It’s unfortunate that it will still allow hundreds of thousands to die each year.
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19September2009
Posted by admin under: centennial.
One of the other topics brought up at this month’s Roundtable meeting was that Scouts can begin to earn the centennial awards that Dan has so thoughtfully posted about at ScoutingNews.org. So, I’ll let him explain.
A Year of Celebration – A Century of Making a Difference officially kicks off today! A year of Celebration – A Century of Making a Difference is an awards program specially developed for the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America for all Scouts, adult volunteers and Scouting alumni.
The award consists of a main patch, which is patterned after the official 100th Anniversary emblem, with five additional awards represented by 2″ ribbons from the patch. Program participants will earn recognition for making a difference in their communities due to their dedication to five of Scouting’s core values: Leadership, Character, Community Service, Achievement, and the Outdoors. Individuals will be able to display all earned awards at the same time on their uniforms by attaching award markers to the patch.
Awards may be earned as of September 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010.
There are five requirements for each age group. All you have to do is accomplish at least three of the five requirements to earn the award. You may want to do all five requirements, but three is all that you’ll need to qualify for the award. You can download the requirements from the National BSA website at http://ww2.scouting.org/100years/100years/sitefiles/1000/
YourSource/PlanningTools/A_Year_of_Celebration/BSA_Year_Patch_Earning.pdf
Fleischman-Hillard is a company that the national council is using to manage some of their communications. A nice lady from the company asked me to let you all know about the 100 year celebration that Dan referenced above. So, I hope you all give it a click.
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19September2009
Posted by admin under: public relations.
I agree with Dan over at ScoutingNews.org about how incredible the corn maze is that was created in partnership with Tennesse’s Sequoyah Council. It’s a 7 acre representation of the Boy Scout seal. It’s almost unbelievable that someone could create this, but I have to believe it because Dan has a picture. Click over to see it.
Sequoyah Council partnered with Fender’s Farm to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the BSA with a 7 acre corn maze. The farm’s 2009 corn maze features a centennial emblem of the Boy Scouts of America at its center. The maze features about two miles of trails and 85 “decision points” at which walkers much decide which way to turn.
“The Sequoyah Council is pleased and very appreciative that Fender’s Farm and its sponsors have selected the Sequoyah Council, Boy Scouts of America, to help showcase the celebration of 100 years of the Boy Scouts of America with this wonderful corn maze,” said Sequoyah Council’s Scout Executive. “The design that has been laid out by Fender’s Farm and the events surrounding it are a spectacular way to help the Sequoyah Council kick off our year-long-plus celebration of the 100th anniversary of scouting.”
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19September2009
Posted by admin under: centennial.
When I was a kid I would ride my bicycle to a couple of places near Colorado Springs, Colorado. One was a western sculpture gallery and another was a train hobby shop. I was fascinated by the detail in these enormous models which represented the world in miniature. I thought I’d try it, but I simply didn’t have the patience, or money, to pursue it as a hobby. There are those who really get into it, like Johnny Cash or Frank Sinatra, and those kinds of people will be happy to hear that ScoutingNews says Lionel is coming out with a Centennial model train set.
Lionel, a leading manufacturer of electronic model train sets and accessories, is set to introduce an 0-8-0 Steam Freight Collectors Set commemorating the Boy Scouts of America 100th Anniversary. This first time offering incorporates the Boy Scouts’ ethos into the Lionel tradition, giving collectors a chance to play and learn with the classic work train set. This set is due to ship in early 2010.
The set will include:
0-8-0 steam locomotive and tender, boxcar, bulkhead flatcar with box and wheel load, work caboose, a powerful CW-80 Transformer, FastTrack track sections to create a 40″ x 60″ track layout oval. The collector’s Boy Scouts of America® 100th Anniversary boxcar in this set features Boy Scouts of America® illustrations by Norman Rockwell. Additionally, a special commemorative Lionel patch will be included with each set.
The set is expected to retail for $299.99.
Additionally, a BSA® Boxcar featuring the Scout Law will also be available. The decoration on this special boxcar includes the 12 points of Scout Law, the Universal Emblem, and authentic railroad markings. Expected Retail: $59.99
To purchase this set or add-on boxcar, locate a dealer near you by visiting the Lionel website.
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19September2009
Posted by admin under: Uncategorized.
Say you’re on the bus talking to someone about your days in the Boy Scouts and they ask you about lashings or knots. There’s an app for that. The Boy Scouts of America’s handbook is now available as an iPhone app for $10. Sounds like the iPhone has now become a more essential backpacking item than the handbook because the phone is lighter. Technology marches on!
That’s right. The BSA just released its first-ever app for the iPhone or iPod Touch. For $9.99, you get a digitized, searchable edition of the handbook that fits right into your pocket. It’s the perfect example of the BSA’s new initiative to connect with Scouts through technologies they already use.
The app sounds great, but how does it work? We spent the past week testing it, so follow the jump to find out how it holds up.
Downloading and installation: As you might expect with an app that has the same amount of information as a full-color, 480-page book, the file is quite large. It weighs in at 89.9 megabytes. The downside to this is that it won’t download over a cellular connection—you’ll need to be logged onto a Wi-Fi network to get it.
The reason for its large size is that the handbook is stored entirely on your device instead of on a server, meaning you won’t need any kind of data signal to use the app. In other words, if you’re in the middle of a hike to Mount Phillips and need to look up how to splint a lower-leg fracture, you’ve got the answer even if the nearest cellular tower is miles away.
That’s important. Most of your questions will need to be answered when you can’t get to a phone. Otherwise, you’d just call 911.
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19September2009
Posted by admin under: recognition.
Is he in favor of Scouting? At least one person didn’t think so over at the BSA’s Innovation Engine, but comments from some other professionals clarified the situation.
This is more of a question then innovation. Several of my volunteers has asked why the Eagle Certificates has GW Bush as the Honorary President and not President Obamaa’ signature. Is there an answer that I can give them? According to my Eagle Board Chair, President Obama also has not sent out any congratulatory letters when asked, and my chair wants to know why.
So others weighed in
brian.russ 27 days ago
I spoke to some of my new Eagle Scout parents today and they reported that they DID receive congratulatory letters from the Obama administration.
Lynette Campbell 22 days ago
I received a telephone call from the White House last week when someone had requested a congratulatory letter for an Eagle Scout and I was told that President Obama’s staff does not not send out a congratulatory letter unless the Eagle COURT OF HONOR date is included in the request. I let them know that the date a Scout becomes an Eagle Scout is the date of the Eagle BOARD OF REVIEW and they are still an Eagle Scout whether they have a Court of Honor or not (many leave to go into the armed services, etc., before they can have a Court of Honor, etc.) but I was informed by the White House staff that “things are different now”…yes, they are.
Karl Shelton 15 days ago
My son received a congratulatory letter from Obama. It arrived one week in advance of his Court of Honor.
The difference appears to be the presence of a Court of Honor date. This is important to know in case you want to get a White House certificate for your son or a boy in your troop.
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19September2009
Posted by admin under: policies.
Another suggestion over at the BSA’s Innovation Engine is to have youth volunteers represented on the national board. Sounds good.
Boy Scouts is supposed to be about the youth we serve yet there is no youth representation on the National Board. Consider adding select number of Eagles, Venturing president or others to National Board on a one year membership.
Scouting professional Renee has this to say about that.
Renee Fairrer 22 days ago
The Order of the Arrow Chief and the National Venturing President both serve on the National Executive Board. These are young men and/or women (Venturing) who represent the voice of youth in Scouting at the highest level. This practice has been in place for many years.
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19September2009
Posted by admin under: public relations.
Heh. I like this idea at the BSA’s Innovation Engine. Just funny.
Just came out of a “Cub Scouts 2010″ session. The term “20/10″ means “clear vision”–just ask your optometrist. So let’s call this campaign…
Cub Scouts 2010–a Clear Vision for Growth
Any 2010 campaigns can use the “clear vision” tag
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19September2009
Posted by admin under: program.
The Scout Executive of the Western Los Angeles Country Council told us at this month’s Roundtable meeting that there was an idea over at the BSA’s Innovation Engine discussing the possibility of offering female Venturing Scouts the rank of Eagle Scout. The topic has an overwhelming negative vote on it which would ordinarily have shut off the consideration for me. After all, Venturers have their own advancement awards and my daughter is also a Girl Scout with her Gold Award yet to be achieved. However, our executive said something interesting in the breakdown of the votes for this topic: something I can’t verify so I have to take it at face value. Volunteers are in favor of the idea 70% to 30% while paid employees are against the idea 70% to 30%. Be that as it may, the idea has been taken into consideration by a committee which means it has passed the first test of any of the topics proposed: most of them die before they even get to committee. So does this suggest that the volunteers really have the muscle in our beloved Scouting organization? Let’s wait and see.
This idea is to allow young ladies to become Eagle Scouts in the Venturing Program. Starting at age 14, they would have to do all of the requirements that the boys have to do and be done before the age of 18. In theory, Eagle can be attained in 2.5 years, so 4 years is plenty of time to fulfill the requirements. If adopted, this idea would allow for more membership and more supply sales and fill a void that is not presently offered by any other girl’s group. It would require no program modifications, only a new Venturing Book for girls with the requirements in it taken from the Boy Scout Handbook. Venturing is already co-ed so it is not really a departure from what is happening today.
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19September2009
Posted by admin under: recruitment.
From the minds of those employed by the Boy Scouts of America are percolating ideas for ways to adjust the program to make it better. If you wade through some of the things like “change the computers in the council from Office 2000 to Office 2007″ you find some things that are interesting. Since I found out about the Venturing program in the Boy Scouts of America my daughter wanted to join. She’s been in Girl Scouts since she was 5 years old and with myself and my wife as leaders she has never wanted for adventure. However, the annual Girl Scout troop calendar is a committee process with all the girls and my daughter just couldn’t talk others into doing hikes and major campouts so she eagerly awaited the time when she could join Venturing when that’s most of what they want to do.
I was surprised that it took me so long to find out about Venturing since I was an active Scouter when it began. That’s why I agree with Gary Savignano at the BSA Innovation Engine when he says there should be more advertising to girls about this program.
I recently attended a camping trip with my daughters Venture Crew. Several of my daughters’ friends (female) are in the Crew and attended the trip. They were talking amongst themselves within ear shot as to why they had joined the Venture Crew. All said they were not getting the “outdoor program” they wanted in another youth serving organization not to be named here. None of them had ever heard of Venturing and if not asked by a friend to join and attending a fun first meeting, never would have joined. They all agreed they would have joined sooner if they had known about the program.
I would guess that this is a problem in most areas. I always call Venturing our “best kept secret”! Here lies the problem. Venturing is not as near a household name as Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting are. How can we truly grow this program when half the potential members are unaware it exists?
Have we ever advertised the Venturing Program to girls in major magazines/media that are geared/marketed to them? Do we plan to? I asked the girls on the trip if they had ever seen or heard an advertisement for Venturing and they said no. I understand that advertising in major media markets or magazines is not an inexpensive undertaking and local councils must continue efforts to promote all of our programs locally. However if we are ever going to break into the 14+ age group in a major way I believe we are going to need a coordinated national marketing plan to do so.
It’s hard to imagine doing this during the centennial celebration. I figure it will have to wait until 2011, but I like the idea as does a large number of professionals who voted on this topic. Of course, this begs a question. Coupled with the BSA signing a memorandum with the American Heritage Girls, does this mean that Boy Scouts is actively distancing itself from the Girl Scouts of the USA? I’ve sent queries to the national office with no reply.
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19September2009
Posted by admin under: public relations.
The National Scouting Museum has a page up discussing the national art and Scouting history tour they’re having beginning next year which will start near me in Pasadena. They’ll have original artwork from Normal Rockwell and Joseph Csatari which is the iconic public image most people have when they think of the Boy Scouts of America. Some of these paintings have already been touring the country and my home base is getting to have a taste of this on October 28th next month, just before Halloween.
The venue will be the Peterson Automotive Museum which, as of now, does not show this even on its calendar, but our local Scout Executive announced this gala at this month’s roundtable meeting. At my chapter’s Order of the Arrow meeting last week one of the guys who is in the know gave more information. Joseph Csatari himself is supposed to be in attendance! Here is the wikipedia page for Joseph Csatari if you want to know more about the man who continued the legacy of Norman Rockwell and here is his home page for even further information.
What a great opportunity we have! All this Scouting history coming to Los Angeles and one of the giants himself. Sometimes living in a big city has its advantages. Here’s more info on the National Scouting Museum’s tour.
The National Scouting Museum is excited about our 100th Anniversary project: Adventure Base 100. This traveling experience will hit the road starting in January 2010 and travel across the country spreading the excitement of Scouting and recruiting new members to join in the fun. The campus will include a museum filled with artifacts from the past and cool interactive features; a GoScouting dome featuring a film showing the adventure that Scouting can provide; a ropes course; a Scout shop and other fun activities.
The traveling museum will include a time capsule featuring artifacts from each BSA council. The time capsule will showcase artifacts that highlight the uniqueness of each council; the deadline for submitting artifacts for the time capsule is October 1, 2009. After the tour is over, the capsule will become a part of the National Scouting Museum’s permanent collection.
The tour will kick off at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California then travel continously through 2010. We are excited to be stationed on the national mall in Washington DC during the BSA jamboree. The tour will wind down at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in NYC! The tour schedule has been finalized and can be viewed in the image above right.
We hope you will be able to visit Adventure Base 100 when it comes to your neck of the woods; a fun time will be had by all!
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19September2009
Posted by admin under: program.
KISMIF.org has been the best place to find out the low-down on upcoming changes to the Cub Scout program coming next year. It’s never to early to know even though it doesn’t really affect your program this year at all. For this 09-10 year you can still use the program helps (I know my pack is), but next year, 10-11, will be different. The Boy Scouts has already launched the official information site for these changes at http://www.scouting.org/CubScouts%202010.aspx and KISMIF has gone through them to bring you the highlights. The site has more insight and background on these changes so you can browse for a while there and find a lot more info, but I’m particularly drawn to this post discussing the key points of the change.
Here are some of the key points about the upcoming Cub Scouts 2010 program (which begins September 2010) based on the information in the FAQ and the Top Hands presentation:
o Traditional monthly themes are no more.
o Monthly themes will be based on the 12 Cub Scouting Core Values.
o As with Fast Tracks, most Cub Scout achievements will be done in den meetings rather than at home. Some achievements still must be done at home.
o As with Fast Tracks, den leaders will be provided a recommended advancement schedule to follow.
o Cub Scout Program Helps is replaced by forthcoming Den and Pack Meeting Resource Guide.
o New Fast Start training.
o New position-specific training for den leaders will be offered online.
o Roundtable will continue to be important for communications and training.
I really like the position-specific training online. We just had our pack committee meeting last night. I know, I know. You’re not supposed to have the den leaders at those meetings so maybe we should call it a monthly leaers’ meeting because that’s the way we coordinate who is doing what at the pack meeting and also the best way to talk informally about everything. Anyway, I’m bringing up a new Webelos den leader, a dad who has been involved in Cub Scouts, but hasn’t been a leader. I’m pushing him to go to training and he’s all for it, but I wish I could have sent him to myscouting.org for position-specific training so he’d be up to speed sooner than waiting for a nearby district to offer training.
Other than that this change seems to be a way for the national council to exert more control over the den meetings. I’m not sure why they feel this is important since the Cub Scouts tend to be the strongest part of the organization. Perhaps the 53% Webelos to Boy Scouts loss rate that was quoted to me recently is the reason, but in almost all other ways the Cub Scout program has been stronger than most other parts and is less in need of changing than anything else. We’ll see as time rolls on what the other changes are that might improve this great tradition.
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19September2009
Posted by admin under: program.
The official blog for the Girl Scouts of the USA has a story featuring a new patch program in the Washington D.C. area about being prepared. The kickoff for this new program was promoted by no less than the Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano , who mentioned that Girl Scouts was one of the driving influences in her own life. What a great coup for the GSUSA to have such a high-ranking government official backing the program and appearing in person to help launch it!
Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, a proud Girl Scout alumna and lifetime member, credited Girl Scouts as providing her first lessons on preparedness and leadership. She encouraged girls to join and stay in Girl Scouting to learn the skills necessary for courageous leadership.
It’s not every day when Scouting can score somebody of this magnitude to speak on its behalf. Way to go GSUSA! If you want to find out about this program, click on over to the Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital websitefor details and the downloadable booklet for completing the program.
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19September2009
Posted by admin under: Equipment.
When the government bailout was in full swing and every bank and their mothers were getting TARP funds (Troubled Asset Relief Program) we all hoped everything would somehow work out even though there was no clear vision for how it would. Roy over at Camping Blogger has a clear vision for his tarp funds: you don’t have to spend a lot of money to keep the floor of your tent safe from injury. He talks about the big blue tarp that is as much a part of most troop’s gear as the tan uniform (pre and post centennial).
I bought one at my local hole-in-the-wall hardware store and set it up for emergency lean-to use. They have so many uses and are so economical that Roy just had to write a post about it and I thought it was really good.
The outdoor retail market thrives on convincing us that we need new gear to get the most out of our outdoor adventures. This is actually a good thing, since the industry keeps coming out with better gear, each and every year. It can also go a bit overboard, though, with superfluous gadgets and fluffery that is just a waste of your hard-earned money. One way to save money on camping gear is to look for similar products outside the industry that can serve the same purpose. The big blue tarp is one of those items.
These tarps make great footprints for your tent because they are very tough and will keep sharp objects from poking a hole through your floor. The polyethylene material is also non-abrasive to your tent’s waterproof coating, so it helps extend the life of your tent. Best of all, these tarps work with just about any tent (square and rectangular shapes are best) so you don’t have to buy a new footprint every time you purchase a new tent. We use a 12-foot x 16-foot size and simply fold it to fit the dimensions of whatever tent we are using at the time.
These tarps are available at nearly every home improvement and big-box discount retail store. The most common type is 5mm thick, 2.9-ounce material with a 10×8 weave. There are also heavier-duty versions that are 10mm thick, 5.5-ounce material with a 14×14 weave. We have had two of the 5mm tarps for at least ten years and they are both holding-up just fine.
In addition to their use as a tent footprint, tarps have nearly as many uses as duct tape, which is why we pack two of these. We typically use the second tarp to line the inside of the tent, which protects the waterproof coating from shoes (despite constant reminding, our kids have trouble remembering the ‘no shoes in the tent’ rule) and air mattresses. If we ever needed additional rain protection or a dry place to sit, the second tarp is always available.
Roy has many good insights like this and I hope you go over and become a regular reader. After all, we aren’t just Scouts and Scouters, we’re also campers with our families, generally.
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19September2009
Posted by admin under: Equipment.
I’ve been in Scouting for 12 years now. Got involved as an adult. Never went camping on the short 1 year stint I had in Cub Scouts as a kid. So, I feel like I’ve acquired some cool gear: a real backpack instead of my old school day pack, a hand-me-down sleeping bag (that’s a pun; it’s actually made with down), foam mat, and my pride – titanium tent stakes. So, you’ll understand why I have such respect for other campers like Scoutmaster Jerry who knows who manufactured each piece of his gear and has a specific list of everything he takes instead of looking in his closet for what’s clean like I do. That’s why I want to direct you to look at his “what’s in my backpack now” post. It’s a great reference for what you should probably consider acquiring for yourself. He’s always been very responsive and if you ask him what something costs or where he got it, five will get you ten that he’ll give you the answer.
I’ll only excerpt what’s appropriate for the current season, but he’s got a lot more variation based on how the weather turns up.
Most Backpackers are always tweeking their gear, replacing old stuff with new, looking for lighter, tougher, more useful (multi use) and of course just plain cool gear.
Recently I upgraded some gear, namely my backpack.
After years of carrying my Kelty External Frame Tioga 5500 I have switched to an internal frame pack. Now, before anyone says I jumped ship on my philosophy of External frame packs being better for younger bodies or beginning Backpackers.. Stop. I still believe that. External frame packs offer a much easier platform for the beginner and the young Scout to load and carry.
…
Pack: Mountain Hard wear Koa 55
Camptrials pack cover
Tent: MSR Hubba
Sleeping Bag: Marmot Sawtooth 15 degree
Bag liner (10 Extra degrees)
Sleeping Pad: Thermarest Z lite
Water pump: MSR Sweetwater
Cook gear:
Stove: Snow Peak Giga Power
GSI Soloist cook system
Guyot Designs -The Utensils (Spork and Spatula)
Platypus Water Bladders (2 Liters X 2)
Fuel canister
Little Stuff:
Compass- Silva
Light My Fire Fire steel Scout
REI Storm Proof matches
First Aid kit (personalized)
What about clothing? Click over to see what goes on him. I like that he has at least three ways to start a fire (he later references carrying a bic lighter in addition to the sparker and matches). Jerry’s not going to get caught without a way to stay warm and cook, nuh-uh. My kind of guy.
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19September2009
Posted by admin under: Equipment.
So, I decided to take some time off of the blog. Could you tell? Got more into helping my wife with her day care business (I now can simultaneously get two screaming toddlers to go to sleep at the proper nap time – the moms know how awesome this ability is) and enjoying the end of the summer with my kids and the four Scouting groups of which they are members. Now I’m getting caught up on my summertime reading and there’s so much good stuff out there. So, expect a flurry of posts as I try to catch up to all of you and what has been going on.
First up, is another article on the Gear Guy section of the Boys’ Life website. I referenced his previous post on how to avoid the mosquitoes, but this time he’s taking the “which spray is best” topic in hand. Short version: DEET.
Mosquitoes really can cramp your style around camp. The good news: There are repellents that work. The bad news: Most aren’t made from natural ingredients.
You’ll hear and see all kinds of advertisements boasting natural repellents and how well they work. They might be somewhat effective for a short while, but if you’re serious about avoiding bug bites, DEET-based repellents are the most effective. The stuff really works (it’s what the Army uses), but it’s also the most toxic for our bodies — it smells very strong, will melt some plastics, and don’t even think about getting it in your eyes!
Repellents are available in different concentrations of DEET, from 4.75-percent to 100-percent. Typically, the higher the concentration of the active ingredient, the longer the protection it’ll provide. For instance, a spray with 4.75-percent DEET would last about an hour or so while repellent with 23.8-percent DEET would be effective for almost five hours.
Do some testing of your own to figure out which is the lowest percentage of DEET repellant that still keeps the bugs away for you. Folks who are very susceptible to bug bites seem to feel like 25 percent DEET is the lowest concentration they can get away with using.
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Still, the only way to be 100 percent free of bug bites is to wear Permethrin-treated clothing and spray DEET on your exposed skin.
There you have it. But there’s more if you click on over to the article. More detail on other substances, some advice by readers in the comments section of the article, and locations of where to get these wonder repellents. So go read it all. The skin you save could be your own or your troops’.
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5September2009
Posted by admin under: International.
I received a press release from the Cheetah Conservation Fund regarding a Jamboree they just held for the Scouts (boys and girls) in Namibia, south-western Africa. Can you imagine going out for your national Jamboree and, hey, there’s a cheetah. That would be awesome! It’s heart-warming to hear that the same region that gave Lord Baden-Powell his fame which directly led to his Scouting ideas being widely accepted is still promoting the concept of kids having fun outdoors while learning good character. Here’s what the CCF says.
The fourth bi-annual Namibian Scout Jamboree took place between the 26th and 30th of August, 2009 at the Cheetah Conservation Fund outside of Otjiwarongo. For four days, the Jamboree brought together 117 young men and women from 12 to 18 years of age to hike, learn survival and life skills, meet new friends, and share information between scout groups in the country. The programming was led by 32 scout leaders and supplemented by CCF staff. Reinwaldt and Vera Dorgeloh handled logistics for the Jamboree. Most scouts came from the north, and the rest came mostly from Tsumeb and Windhoek.
During the four days, the scouts hiked 30 kilometers total between three base camps within the Cheetah Conservation Fund and Waterberg Conservancy farms. At three base camps, the scouts learned various skills including pioneering techniques, how to tie knots, how to build viewing towers, and about health and hygiene including first aid and HIV/Aids. The activities also allowed the scouts to participate in sports and games. As part of the lesson on survival skills, scouts also learned about mapping and compass reading, which they put into use during their daily hikes between base camps. At the CCF Centre, the scouts toured the education centre and learned about CCF research and participated in programmes about conservation and field research. The scouts watched demonstrations involving radio tracking and learned about human, wildlife, predators, and livestock interactions, and strategies for preventing conflict with predators.
The Camp Director of Namibia, Ellis Muller, led the jamboree. Mr. Muller has been in Scouts and worked as a Scout (Rover) leader for the past 14 years, and this is his first jamboree. Mr. Muller is an optical technician by profession, but as with all scout leaders, he volunteers his time and energy in helping prepare young people for successful futures.
“It has been a great success, and CCF has been wonderful. Everyone appreciates all of the opportunities that have been provided to the Scouts by CCF,” said Mr. Muller.
The Cheetah Conservation Fund is an organization dedicated to saving the cheetah and its environment through research, education, and conservation. CCF staff thoroughly enjoyed hosting the visit for the scouts. “From our standpoint, it has been wonderful to see our future leaders have an opportunity to learn and develop life skills these past few days. Because this program is not based in schools, the volunteerism involved on the part of the leaders is very important. The exposure these scouts get to nature is also significant. Speaking as a past scout, a strong relationship with nature helps a person build character,” said CCF Founder and Executive Director Dr. Laurie Marker.
I’d say the Disney Channel better watch out because these campers are real Cheetah Girls (and boys).
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20August2009
Posted by admin under: hiking.
What an inspiring story from Georgia by Marsha Walton of the Mother Nature Network. Her focus is mostly on the Leave No Trace ethics practiced by a group of Boy Scouts from Georgia as they hiked across South Carolina, but she leaves plenty of electric ink on the subject of the pace these amazing guys set.
Some north Georgia Boy Scouts completed quite a feat with their feet in June: They hiked 100 miles in just five days on the rugged Bartram Trail. The 11 young men from Troop 467 discovered that blisters were more of a problem than bears. And that motto, “Be Prepared,” was critical to their success.
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The scouts were all in great physical shape. Many, like Goldman, are rowers at their high schools; some are track stars. Adult leader Tom Mallory, whose son Daniel also made the trip, said he prepared for almost a year. “The bottom of your feet have to turn into leather,” Mallory says. “And you need to train carrying all your gear.”
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The scouts tackled one of the steepest portions of their journey after dark, hiking 12 miles. Nobody could see much besides the heels of the hiker in front of him. “It kind of plays with your mind,” says Midyette. “We just kept going and going and all of a sudden, ‘Is this the top?’”
The 100 miles set a troop record, and also coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts.
Doesn’t it make you want to grab your pack and start training right now?
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