I have posted over on G+ that our troop is moving charter orgs. Well, I figured that I would confirm that here, too.

We started our troop in February of 2010. Our CO had a pack already, so we used that as a catalyst to start the troop. Our growth over the years has been slow and steady. Our sister pack has gotten us a few scouts, others have come from other packs or troops, and a couple Scouts have come from just wanting to join Boy Scouts, after never being in Scouting in the first place. We are on pace to get 3-4 more Scouts from our sister pack, with the possibility of recruiting a few more from another unit. Slow and Steady…we are doing fine with the 14 that we have right now, and like I said, more scouts coming that should push us closer to the 20-Scout mark.

Our partnership with the Moose Lodge started to crumble a little bit within months of signing the charter. Nothing major, but the little cracks started to show. I really thought that the Moose was proud to have a Boy Scout troop. Heck, we even talked about starting a Crew. We planned a couple of fundraisers and helped out with the lodge’s Chicken Dinner service. We got financial help from them, which helped the scouts buy some needed camping gear. As time went on, the “hey, we have a Boy Scout troop!” turned into “oh, here come the scouts…again…”  to getting the call from the CR that we would have to move our meeting for the night, as there was another function happening in the hall.

Time after time, we adjusted. We didn’t ask for anything, other than the CO to give us a monthly stipend, and in return, we would clean and set up the lodge for their Friday night fish fry. We also helped out with other stuff, and that was supposed to be it. Now, understand that the Moose is a very charitable-friendly entity. The “throw” money at every request that comes across the table. How do I know? I was the Jr. Governor (like the VP) of the lodge, hence I was on the board. At our board meetings, I wouldn’t bring up any requests on behalf of the troop. I would answer any questions that they would ask about the troop, but for the most part, nobody ever asked.

So, as of late, about the last 10 months, our relationship has gotten worse, over, you guessed it…money. The almighty dollar was one of the reasons that our relationship crumbled. We were owed monies from a fundraiser that we did about a year ago, but it took 6 months to get paid. Along with getting shorted on the amount for our profits on the fundraiser, we also got shorted on our stipend money. When pressed about it, our CR gave me a long, drawn out reason, along with trying to confuse me with the costs of the fundraiser versus what we took in. Combined with the “well, you haven’t been holding up your end of the bargain with setting up the hall” and “you guys haven’t been helping out with the food service like you said you would,” that pretty much spelled it out for me.

They wanted out of our handshake agreement…well, maybe not the lodge, but the CR was pulling that off the table without telling the rest of the board. This CR hasn’t been that great of a CR…but he made himself the CR. When we approached the Moose about being our CO, he was the one that made it happen, without the board’s approval. It’s complicated, but the way that the Moose Lodge is set up, the board approves or disapproves the bills or donation requests. The administrator is a paid position, who would be the “face” of the lodge. He does the paperwork and makes all the “deals”…he doesn’t tell the board what he does, he just does it. That’s how the lodge works here, but it shouldn’t be the case. The administrator has to answer to someone, but this one, who happens to be our CR, too, doesn’t seem to think that he has to answer to anyone…

…to be continued

I have been blessed it seems. I don’t know how it happens, but I have been getting some really good scouts lately. A couple months ago, a new Scout, Weylin, came to the troop meeting on Thursday night, signed up and was at the campout the next night, ready for a great weekend. That Scout rocked it…helped out wherever needed. He then signed up for summer camp the next month, and he had a great time, and coming out of it, although he doesn’t know it yet, he may be a new patrol leader. I see great things with him.

Just last week, we had a visit from a scout who *was* from another troop. It seems that their lack of preparation, lack of leadership, and just plain lack of program forced him and his family to seek us out. They remembered us from Webelos Woods a couple years ago. Javier’s mom still had the CC’s number and contacted him in early July. Bob invited him to a troop meeting and gave mom the time and place. The first week was a soccer tourney, the next week, he was at summer camp with his old troop, and the next week we were at our summer camp. He invited them to the August 9th troop meeting. They came to the meeting, Javier was in full uniform, and chatted with me about his merit badges and his experience with his troop, and what he was looking for…fun, respect and a place where the boys run the program were things that he was looking for. I told him that he was at the right place. I introduced him to the SPL, and away they went.

I spent the next 30 minutes talking to mom and mom’s boyfriend, who was a former scout. They couldn’t believe the differences between Javier’s troop and ours. Mom commented on how we are truly boy-led and how Javier was having a good time, and how the scouts accepted him right away. We talked about Javier’s advancement, to find out that he’s been ready for his Tenderfoot and 2nd Class SMC and BoR for a month now, but was told that it would have to wait, as his troop only does SMCs and BoRs every 6 months! He also doesn’t have the blue cards from the 4 MBs that he earned…the troop kept the scout’s copy. Combined with some other issues and fitting right in with our troop, the decision was made and the application was filled out and signed that night.

And speaking of the SPL and how he takes control…he does an awesome job at doing what he is supposed to do. I never have to ask him if he has his ducks in a row, never have to mention about a scout getting out of line or watch any of the rest of the troop…he does a great job at this. I told him, flat out, that he is the best SPL that the troop has ever had, even saying that in front of 2 former SPLs. I did tell the SPLs that they were good in their own way, but Jimbo is better in other aspects, and that makes him a cut above them. I also told them that without their service, they wouldn’t have trained Jimbo to be such a good leader, or how their mistakes, showed Jimbo what not to do…all positive things that they did as SPLs.

I can’t say that all things are good…I did lose a couple of scouts…well, I didn’t lose them, I knew where they were, but they just don’t come to meetings anymore. One left because of funding; his family didn’t like that we didn’t give them money, but only offered opportunities to earn his own. The other left as he was never honest with his mother about his behavior in troop meetings and on outings. His mother saw and angel, the troop saw him as a devil…and when he got called out on it, he stormed off in a huff. Then he lost the election for SPL and didn’t get chosen as ASPL, so he tore off his ASPL patch and left the meeting, never to return. His mother emailed 6 weeks later to say that he wasn’t going to be in scouting anymore, as he couldn’t get past a disagreement between him, the SPL and me…a lie. So, I told mom that I understood, and if he ever wanted to come back, he could.

But, the quality of the scouts in the troop rose 10 fold, with the new SPL and the 2 new scouts, so I look at that as a big plus. We will see, as time will tell…there are scouts that we still have some problems with, but don’t we all when it comes to young men?

I couldn’t be more excited, going into this year’s summer camp….

I may not have posted much lately, but I decided to put my fingers on the keyboard and some words on the screen. The hardest part about blogging is saying what you mean. In my case, I try to keep my posts to the point, and 98% of the time, are based on my personal experiences. Most of my posts are surrounded with stories or anecdotes about scouting, with a little bit of non-scouting material.

Today is my last day of work before vacation starts. We leave on Sunday for camp…something we seem to work towards for most of the scout year…at least in my view. We build up to it and culminate in a week-long adventure. Once we come back, we go through all of the books and sign off on advancements and then have a Court of Honor within a month or two,  to celebrate all the hard work the scouts did.

Last year was our first year at camp. Our troop started in 2010, and we just couldn’t get the funds available to get to summer camp that first summer. I don’t know if that affected the scouts, but it affected me, in the sense that there was no summer camp for those guys. So we made sure that we got signed up for the next year…and went.

Yes, we had a lot of problems that seemed insurmountable, but at the end of camp, it all came together. I will say that the scouts that went were of the mindset that they were never coming back to camp, but after a couple weeks, and some time for the sunburn to heal, they were all ready to go back the next summer…and here it is…the next summer.

7 out of 9 boys went to camp last summer (2 others had previous plans). The trials and tribulations of the very first Boy Scout for everyone in Troop 1363, were recorded and seared into the brains of everyone. The sunburn, the blisters, the homesickness, the mosquito bites, the long walks, the heat, the illnesses all contributed to what seemed to be the first and last Boy Scout for us. But like I said, time heals all wounds, and a little over a month later, at our Court of Honor, all 7, plus one that didn’t go, said that they would go again next year.

“Good!” I said, “we put the deposit down for Bear Paw for next year, and we are staying at Ottawa…which is right next to EVERYTHING!”

Oh, the looks on their faces was priceless…I think that a couple cried because they were so happy.

And so passed the time. First there was fundraising to get the monies for camp. And money they had…all of them earned enough to pay for camp, and then some. Next was getting the new scouts on board with going to camp. Check…they are all going.

Sign-ups came, Merit Badge classes got scheduled and the final payments were made. Preparations were made in the form of monthly outings and troop meetings. The preparations were done with the guise of having fun and learning…according to the way that BP envisioned the program. The Scouts have done a great job with the planning of this year, albeit under the leadership of a new SPL, and quite a bit of guidance from the adult leadership, but it’s still a work in progress. The PLC is learning how to plan a whole week of summer camp. Right now, they do a pretty good job with planning weekend campouts, and this is a long call from where we were a little more than a year ago.

So…on the eve of leaving for camp, we have 12 of 12 boys attending camp, 6 from last year (1 dropped out of program) and 6 new scouts (one is the SPL who has only been a scout for a bit more than a year, and is doing awesome). 30 Merit Badges have been signed up for, the schedules are ready to go, and the 5 of the new scouts are signed up for Eagle Challenge (called many names, but it’s a program that some camps offer to help with Tenderfoot, 2nd Class, and 1st Class requirements). The final packing lists have been PLC-approved, the scouts are having a last-minute shakedown the day before departure.

In all, I really look forward to this year. Yes, we have more planned for this year than last year…and it’s going to be exciting in the sense that the scouts are another year older, have more training and more determination to not let the bad things happen this year as they did last…in other words, another year older, another year wiser.

Now if you will excuse me…I have to find my Nap-On Safely card…

So, with my mind racing, I put some words together…words that I hoped wouldn’t offend or get back to anyone and taken the wrong way.

*Disclaimer* – In no way, shape or form or at any time, was my intention to steal any of these scouts. My intention is to show them the way to get their troop to the way that they, the scouts, want it run. I have a vested interest in the fact that there are boys from our pack that went there, and I want to ensure that they are getting the best program.

“OK, so you guys go to Spring and Fall Camporee, rotate summer camps annually and have your annual Webelos campout at the Church lands…what else do you do in regards to outings?” I asked.

“Well, we go ice fishing every year, and once in a while, we go on a week-long canoe trip” said Joe.

“Every year? You do the same thing every year, don’t you? Why don’t you change it up and do what you guys come up with? That’s the purpose of the PLC…the PLC decides what they want to do, putting together plans and itineraries…getting everything down to the costs. Then that information is taken to the Committee, where they ‘make it happen’…it’s not about the committee approving or denying your ‘requests’…it’s about them ensuring rides and signing paperwork. From what you are saying, it sounds like the adults really do run the troop, you guys are just executing their plan” I said.

The boys all looked at me like a deer stuck in the headlights. Their gears were turning, but they didn’t know how they could proceed.

“You are on NYLT staff, and have been troop trained…why aren’t you using the tools that you have been given? You know how to run this troop…so do it” I said. “It’s not really up to the parents and adults to plan the program…it’s up to the Scoutmaster to guide and mentor the SPL to help him run the PLC, make the plans and then excute it. Like I said, the Scoumaster and the rest of the adult’s job is to train you, trust you and let you lead. From what I see, that isn’t happening.”

I continued “From what I see, you have a lot of leaders that have their own personal agendas and ideas on how things are run…and some of those leaders don’t see the forest for the trees. They have a lot of great knowledge, but some of their thinking is antiquated and they need to get with the times. They need to empower you guys to succeed, not hold you back. That’s what scouting is all about. I call them the War Horse patrol…and you have a couple members of it on your troop committee. They get that name as they are very inflexible in learning new things. They always say ‘years ago, this is how we did it’ and parade around with a cup of coffee…never adding any value to the conversation, and never really say anything that anyone wants to hear. But their way of staying relative is by staying on a troop committee, and handing down edicts because they are the ‘wise old sage’ of the troop, and everyone is on their ear, waiting to hear what they have to say next. It’s time for you to take control of your troop…starting with either having year around PLC meetings, or changing your annual program. It’s up to you.”

They all stared at me for a minute, then Aaron said, “Yea, we need to make our troop meetings more fun”

“More fun isn’t the goals, although it makes troop meetings a lot more exciting. There are methods that are used to reach your goals. Once the leaders, both youth and adults understand them, your troop will be truly, boy-led. It’s not that the flag ceremony looked bad, it matters that the scouts did it; it’s not that the food was burned, it matters that the scouts cooked it. The boys do the leading, planning and executing; that’s what matters…and if you do those things, you will have fun.”

“Yea” said Justin, “…but what about the burned food? You gonna eat it?”

“Huh? The adults don’t eat what the scouts cook…we eat our own food, and the scouts eat their own. We purchase our own, and cook it, but we may come together and eat together, but I don’t eat what they eat…the adults eat pretty well, and if the scouts also want to, they can  ask and learn, but that’s the extent of it. They don’t come into the adults area, nor do we go into theirs. We separate on campouts, except when they need adults to teach them.”

Those scouts really got a good earful of information. Their gears were grinding…almost to the point of smoking. The conversation carried on with other small talk, mostly about what they wanted to do in their future meetings. It was really good to hear that.

Although the conclusion to my 5-part post is anti-climactic, a lot of “ah-ha’s” were had, and I know that this unit will be stronger for it. But you may think “why does he want this unit to succeed? He’s in direct competition for those Webelos”…

Well, that doesn’t matter to me…what matters is that those scouts have been given the tools to be successful, taught how to use them and to lead their troop.

But, I wouldn’t turn them away if they decided to come over to my troop

THE END

As we finished talking, I think that the wheels really began to turn. I didn’t know what Joe was thinking, but I am thinking it was along the lines of “this is my troop, and I have to make is succeed”…

And then, as fast as that came into my head, that much faster, it went out.

“I became SPL because I was worried that if I didn’t, soinso would, and derp would have become the ASPL, and those guys aren’t leaders. Me? I like to be the quartermaster…did it a couple times, and I liked it, and even as SPL, I still do it, because that’s what I like to do. When the next elections happen, I won’t run for SPL.”

So I told him that he should make the best of his time as SPL and lead the troop the way that he would want to be led.

Aaron chimed in that he doesn’t know what the future holds, as they (being his age-group) are the leaders of the troop now, and that they don’t know how the young guys will ever be able to do it. All three of them nodded their heads in agreement, wondering how they would do it.

“Look fellas, in my troop, I trained them, now I trust them and I let them lead…there isn’t a whole lot of rocket science to this whole scouting thing. I use three things to help me run the troop. The Scoutmaster Handbook, the Boy Scout Handbook and the Guide to Safe Scouting. All of my leaders are trained and we just follow what is laid out in front of us.”

“But how do you do it all? I mean, isn’t that a lot of work?”

“No,” I replied, “the youth leadership does the work, they have been shown how to do it, and when I don’t get involved, they excel…it’s when the adults get involved into thinking that they know better. Scouts know what they want, and sometimes, it’s not the same as what the adults want…and  it’s important for the adult leaders to recognize that, and back off.”

They still weren’t really understanding how our troop gets this to work. I could see it on their faces. I think that they couldn’t believe that I trusted guys younger than them, to run a troop meeting. I believe that their leaders don’t have the faith in the Scouts to do what they feel is right. It is something that really disturbed me.

I made a comment to myself about all of the leaders of the committee that they have in their troop. I am all for help, but a greater part of their committee is scouters that don’t have a vested interest in the troop…meaning that their sons have long been gone, and they are still controlling what the troop does. But I couldn’t keep that comment to myself anymore, along with a couple other comments.

But before I could say anything, Joe asked about our meetings. I asked him specifically what kind of information was he looking for. He asked when do we meet, where do we meet and how often we meet.

“Every week, 7:30, Moose Lodge except for a couple times a year, like when we go bowling or the week of summer camp we don’t meet,” I said.

“You guys meet every week? We take off in the summer. I don’t really mind that we do, but I tire of having to go to the committee meetings.”

“Why would you have to go to the committee meetings? I am assuming that you mean the adult committee meetings? Although the SPL can certainly attend and report back to the committee, we don’t do that. It’s a good idea, maybe something that our troop will bring up. I guess that if your adult committee is meeting, that you and the PLC is meeting during the summer to plan out the year?”

“No, the PLC doesn’t meet. Besides, we do the same thing every year, other than going to different summer camps,” said Joe.

I knew where and what they do in a year, as it has been that way for the last 7 years that I know.

Something had to be said…

to be continued…