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All Blog Posts (30)

Around The Scouting Campfire #5

The fifth episode of Around The Scouting Campfire has been posted. That means it is time to join Scoutmaster Steve and Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, for another 20 minutes of fun and reflection on Scouting. This show begins with Steve and Buttons talking about feedback they have received. Steve speaks about using your local community television station as a way to promote Scouting in your area. Hopefully you are not driving a car as you listen to the song Vista because you might want to join… Continue

Added by stevejb68 on May 3, 2009 at 9:14am — No Comments

New Scouting audio Podcast

I have created a new audio podcast based on Scouting and the videos featured in the Melrose Scouting Production video podcast. This new podcast is hosted by Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, and myself, Scoutmaster Steve. Check it out at http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MelroseScoutingAudioPodcast The Melrose Scouting Audio Podcast has been accepted by iTunes at http://tinyurl.com/aacxe4 Continue

Added by stevejb68 on March 12, 2009 at 10:17am — No Comments

The Leader's Campfire

I received an invitation by email in August, 2007, to participate in a Scouting-related podcast called The Leader's Campfire. The subject of the podcast would be Webelos Transition, and would include five pack and troop leaders from around the country. It was fun to be a part of, and it was informative. It was great to meet other leaders from around the country. Little did I realize what was to happen a few months later... Cubmaster Chris and Mr. Bob, the hosts of The Leaders Campfire, did an… Continue

Added by stevejb68 on October 18, 2008 at 2:13pm — No Comments

Eagle Scout Project

Updated: With my friend getting his Eagle Rank at his court of honor, and with me already having a project found (repairing a gazebo by removing graffiti etc.) I am left with a big question: "How should I go about doing my project?" I already have a basic time line set out and I have gotten basic information about my project (measurements etc.) but I am left to find out which I should do first: get my project approved or should I send out letters as a fund raiser? I want to plan it over the win… Continue

Added by Connor on July 22, 2008 at 2:00pm — 6 Comments

The puppet returns, and a change to the podcast feed.

Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, returns to the Melrose Scouting Productions Podcast to inform everyone about the new address for the RSS feed, and sings the Announcement Song. (It is the first time Buttons has sung in a video.) Check it out at: http://feeds.feedburner.com/melrosescoutingproductions or http://www.ptcmedia.net/ Continue

Added by stevejb68 on July 10, 2008 at 6:00pm — No Comments

Boy Scout Basics

Trustworthy: You can count on me! Loyal: As honest as can be! Helpful: I'll walk a mile. Friendly: I carry a smile. Courteous: "Hello, friend!" Kind: A gentle trend. Obedient: I follow through. Cheerful: It's such fun, too! Thrifty: I get by on less. Brave: Life's full of tests. Clean: Thought, word and deed. Reverent: God meets every need! Continue

Added by Val John Jennings on July 7, 2008 at 9:52am — No Comments

National Jamboree to move?

I just discovered tonight, as I was checking out some Scout forums, that the BSA national office appears to be looking for a new site to hold the National Jamborees. Don't worry about the 2010 Jambo, that one will still be at Fort A.P. Hill. But future ones may not be. It is not about the military pulling their support of the Jamboree. They are not. In fact, it sounds like they will probably continue their support at the new Jambo site.

It appears that a letter has been sent to counci… Continue

Added by stevejb68 on January 24, 2008 at 10:05am — No Comments

Visit My Boy Scout Troop And Patrol Websites!

go to http:\\www.troop172.org for my troop site or http:\\www.gigabytz.org for my patrol site Please send feedback via the link on the Troop website (or by clicking HERE)

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Added by Connor on December 3, 2007 at 9:45pm — No Comments

New York Times Archives now free

I read today that the archives of the New York Times is free. You can search articles that would compliment merit badges, check on scouting posts, and research genealogical and history interests.

See: http://www.nytimes.com/ Registration is required but it is free.

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Added by Val John Jennings on September 20, 2007 at 10:56pm — No Comments

A Scouting Summer

I have spent the past 5 weeks doing diffrent Scouting functions. They include everything from Summer Camp to Volenteering at Cub Scout Day Camp. It has been a great Summer and School is on it's way. Continue

Added by Connor on August 13, 2007 at 8:15pm — 2 Comments

Feelin Glum!

I have to admit that I am feeling rather unmotivated lately. Things aren't turning out like I thought (or hoped) they would. We started a new troop in our town back in December. It's a small town, maybe 2500 to 3000 folks. I figured there had to be at least 6 to 12 boys around who would be interested in Scouts. When we started, we had three boys. Two more joined shortly after that. Good start so far. We have gone on a couple of campouts and we had one overnighter at the church back in March.

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Added by Jim Pritchard on June 13, 2007 at 3:28am — 8 Comments

Proposed: the Scoutmaster's Law - rough draft

After my first week of Woodbadge, pondering some potential goals for our troop, I realized our need for some basic principles that our adult leaders could memorize and use to guide their actions. I am offering this rough draft for all to praise or criticize, amend or edit. I welcome all feedback.

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Added by Rick Ackerman on April 22, 2007 at 1:02pm — No Comments

Woodbadge, 2007 version

April 18^th. Allow me to report in after the first half of my Woodbadge training: first, we should be proud of our organization that seems to have done a good job of responding to last year’s feedback by making changes in the new course. This year over 30% of the syllabus is new, because of last years suggestions. The materials and methods to teach it are well done and helpful. The

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Added by Rick Ackerman on April 18, 2007 at 8:43am — No Comments

100th Anniversary National Jamboree in 2010

As the time creeps closer to the next Jambo I really want to find out what special activities will be offered because it is the 100th anniversary of scouting in the U.S. Do0es anyone hav e any ideas? Continue

Added by scout4ever on April 17, 2007 at 8:53am — 1 Comment

Recruiting new scouts

Regarding recruiting: Our school principle told me that “because the school teachers just don’t have enough time to teach all their mandatory subjects”, I am not allowed to speak to the kids again this year, even for just the last few minutes of the day to hand out some new DVD’s we created. She also said they are discussing “not letting any outside groups talk to the classes at all next year.” I noticed a lot more hostility from the teachers this year.… Continue

Added by Rick Ackerman on April 3, 2007 at 9:13am — 5 Comments

Scouting does it right, let's do it better!

Leveraging Scouting's assets:

Truth works. But our culture is redefining words, re

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Added by Rick Ackerman on March 28, 2007 at 5:51pm — 1 Comment

Churches and Scouting...need each other but not the same as in the past

Two books have really got me going lately; Why Men Hate to Go to Church(by Murrow) and Wild at Heart(Eldredge). The way they describe masculinity and the deepest needs of men has really got me thinking about the Church in American loosing 90% of all it's males between confirmation and college age...and how Scouting is not recruiting as well as we should, and how we are shut out of the schools.

My challenge to Scouters is to two fold: 1) Rick's slogan #1 f

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Added by Rick Ackerman on March 26, 2007 at 9:10am — No Comments

You can't pay me enough to do this job!

Rick posed a couple of questions that got me thinking. One of them was about the time I almost quit. I'm sure he was asking it in an offhand way but as I thought more on it, I'm certain we've all had moments when we've said, "That's it! I'm outta here! You can't pay me enough to do this job!!!!" Well, I have a story I like to tell whenever I conduct training for new Leaders. It is not my intention to scare them off, but to let them know that we all have THOSE days.

This happened about

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Added by Jim Pritchard on March 24, 2007 at 12:01am — 2 Comments

My First Blog Entry

It was a dark and stormy night...

What are you doing?

I'm writing my first blog, why?

What's with the "dark and stormy night" garbage?

I just wanted my first one to be a little dramatic.

You know that dark and stormy line has already been used.

I thought it sounded familiar. What should I use?

How about the truth?

But that's so boring!

Try it for a change.

OK. Here goes...

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Added by Jim Pritchard on March 22, 2007 at 5:13am — 6 Comments

Scouting Blogs

When I started this network I began by making a blog entry for each new Scouting related blog I discovered. Then I thought, "What am I doing? Why not put all these blog links into one simple blog entry and just keep updating as I discover more of them. So here you are, a list of the Scouting Blogs discovered so far....

Scouting Blogs:
A Scoutmaster's Blog
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Added by stevejb68 on March 12, 2007 at 9:44pm — 1 Comment