SM Tips - National Outdoor Awards Promote Outdoor Achievement
It’s summertime, and the living is anything but easy for many Scouts. Backpacking treks, canoe trips, and other rugged adventures are physically and mentally challenging—and far more satisfying than lolling around the pool or playing videogames all summer.Recently, the BSA has created a new set of awards to recognize Scouts who excel in the outdoors. Dubbed the National Outdoor Awards—catchy name, huh?—the awards cover the areas of adventure, aquatics, camping, hiking, and riding (bikes or... [More]
By: Kristine Theriault On: 2013-01-12Tour Options for Every Budget
Welcome back and Happy New Year! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season and that you are getting excited for the 2013 Philmont season! As we look forward, we are excited to share with you the options that we have for every budget. If you have a realistic understanding of what it costs to get to Philmont, you will find that we have something for everyone. This week we will look at our... [More]
By: Blue Sky Adventures On: 2013-01-11Surplus Alice Backpacks Review
A Troop in a county with a high poverty rate was able to obtain surplus government Alice packs for the Scouts. This video talks about the qualities of the pack, and serves a bit of an advertisement for the GovLiquidation.com, the site they went through to obtain the packs. I know nothing about the site itself but thought I would share the video as a possible resource. ... [More]
By: Insane Scouter On: 2013-01-10My Tiger Cubs have grown up!!!
Hello it is ptsteve again,Just got back from our Christmas Party and awarding my Webelos 2's their Arrow of Light award and patch. Had each Scout bring their parents forward to receive the parents pin when they received their patch. Many of the parents came up to me after the ceremony and said thanks for being their son's Den Leader. I managed to get through it all without tears, but now it is hard not... [More]
By: Steve O'Connor On: 2013-01-09I Want To Marry The Princess Skit
The Boy Scouts of Troop 68 perform the skit they call "I Want To Marry The Princess" in which a poor peasant wishes to marry a princess. It may start out slow but wait until it really gets going.... [More]
By: Insane Scouter On: 2013-01-07Eagle Tips - More than Familiar Words
This past weekend, I attended a wedding where a young woman I’ve known since she was in middle school married a young man I know not at all. As I sat watching the familiar rituals and listening to the familiar words, I wondered about the groom’s background and character, about what he does for a living, about how the two of them met, about what they have in common. Some of those questions were... [More]
By: Kristine Theriault On: 2013-01-05Rope Box � Camp Gadgets
When I was a young Scout, in my first Troop, still unable to tie any knot I didn't learn in Webelos, I went on a campout. Turns out on this outing we made a huge tower out of poles and rope. By end of the outing I was hooked and over the years became a geek of all things rope. I still remember the joy of helping build that tower, climbing the tower, helping erect... [More]
By: Scott Robertson On: 2012-12-30
Eagle Tips - Brother Act
I received an email the other day from a list subscriber who wondered about the propriety of recognizing two brothers at the same court of honor. My answer, of course, was yes. Doing so would maximize attendance and simplify attendance for out-of-town relatives.There was a kicker, however. One brother is still in the troop, while the other is over 18 and hadn’t previously had a court of honor (because he originally didn’t want one).So how... [More]
By: Kristine Theriault On: 2012-12-28Eagle Tips - Congratulatory Letters from the Order of the Arrow
Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the National Order of the Arrow Conference and report on the array of Eagle Scout-related activities that were part of this year’s event. (You can read my reporting at http://noac.nesa.org.) As I walked around the Michigan State University campus, I was struck by how many attendees were wearing both OA sashes and Eagle Scout badges.Of course, it’s no surprise that so many members of Scouting’s national honor... [More]
By: Insane Scouter On: 2012-12-27The Real Santa
I remember my first Christmas party with Grandma. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!"My grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the... [More]
By: Scott Robertson On: 2012-12-24