Category Archives: Summer Camp

I got that Scouting Spirit up in my…

Posted on by • Posted in blog, Camping, Character, High Adventure, Ideals, Just fun, Scouts, stories, Summer Camp • Leave a comment

I spent the better part of the weekend at Camp Pioneer.  This weekend, among other things, the camp celebrated its 75th Anniversary.  I received an invitation along with other Scoutmasters and folks throughout the Council, so I RSVP’d and attended.  It was extra special as my oldest son is on Staff at Camp Pioneer this year, so it was an opportunity to see him.  My Troop is heading up to Pioneer in a week, so it was also a real good chance to pick up some Blue cards, look at the program areas and just hang out in my favorite camp our Council has.
Friday night was the celebration for the Anniversary.  They had a special dinner and then a program in the Dinning Hall.  A slide show of the history of the camp and some “Then and Now” pictures.  The 1974 Aquatics staff was there.. all of them.  It was neat to hear their stories and meet them.  They have all gone on to do good things with their lives and to hear them speak about the camp with such fondness really hit me.
Their collective love for this camp brought them back, not only as youth, (many had staffed at the camp for up to 7 years), but now to be a part of the 75th Anniversary.  What really touched me was the strong tradition that they embodied.  This was particularly special to see and as I watched today’s staff interact with them I saw light bulbs flash on.  I saw the passing of the torch. 
I brought our son home for the night and as we drove the 128 miles we talked about this tradition at Camp Pioneer.  He said that up until he talked and heard the 1974 staff share their stories he did not understand where some of the stuff they did came from.  Songs that are sung, ways that programs are introduced, skits, and camp traditions.  It made the camp come alive for all us that love Camp Pioneer.
I have always loved Camp Pioneer and this weekend really increased that love.  Yesterday before I left camp I sat and looked over the spectacular view.  The lake and the over looking Mt. Jefferson called me.  As I sat in the Chapel bowl I could hear the staff wrapping up the end of the week’s session with the Camp Song.
Camp Pioneer we’re loyal to your code, Together we will hike the eagle road, We love your lofty pines and lake so blue, Camp Pioneer our memories always turn to you, In love and friendship we will work and play, A helping hand to each upon his way, And may our faces shine, And spirits intertwine, Camp Pioneer, that’s why we’re here, Camp Pioneer.
Hip Hip Hooray, Hip Hip Hooray, Hooray, Hip Hip!!
It brought a smile to my face remembering the 1974 staff singing the song on Friday night along side the current staff.
Then as we walked out to the parking lot after dropping John off to head home the sound of Pioneer Vespers rang in my head.  I could not help but feel that Scouting traditions are alive and well and summer camp is that place that really brings it out in all of us.
When this land was untamed and free, A few brave men built a great country, Fighting for freedom, Despite their fears, We know these men as Pioneers,
High in the mountains where the green meets blue, Camp Pioneer’s calling you.
Here in the Cascades, the spirit lives on, A brotherhood of love, our voices in song, Learning to be leaders, For Future years, We shall be known as the new Pioneers,
High in the mountains where the green meets blue, Camp Pioneer’s calling you. Camp Pioneer is calling you.”

Have a Great Scouting Day!

SMMPodcast Show 92

Posted on by • Posted in planning, podcast, Summer Camp • Leave a comment

This show is about Summer Camp and Annual planning.
We talk about providing incentives for older Scouts and getting younger guys to attend. 
After summer camp we discuss some of the elements of the Annual Planning session and some keys to making our Scouts successful in planning and executing a great year of Scouting.
A few reminders on the show about the SMMPhoto contest!
Enjoy the show.
Listen in on iTunes, Stitcher, or on the web!
Have a Great Scouting Day!

Special Awards and Recognition

Posted on by • Posted in Camping, Ideals, Just fun, Patrol Method, stories, Summer Camp • Leave a comment

Every Troop has its traditions, customs, and special awards and recognition.  I thought I would share with you a special award that our Troop does every year.  This is my favorite award of the year and I take a great deal of pleasure in presenting this at our Court of Honor after Summer camp.
We call it the “Bobby Walker Award”.  It is named after a Scout that used to be in our Troop.  Now without going into to much detail on Bobby, lets just say that Bobby had a hard knock life.  Close your eyes for a minute and imagine a truly hard knock life… ok then now you get it.  Bobby was brought to us by a sponsor from an organization in Portland.  They were looking for some “other experiences” for Bobby to see and do.  Well, much to everyone’s surprise Bobby took to Scouting like he was Baden-Powell son.  He loved everything about it.  He had a uniform, he had friends, he loved to camp and hang out with his new buddies, but most of all.. He LOVED Summer camp!  When we arrived at Summer camp, Bobby fully immersed his whole being into the camp.  He would work merit badges, spend lots of time at the water front (he learned to swim at summer camp), he loved the camp fires, the songs and skits, well… just everything that summer camp is supposed to be.  The week at summer camp for Babby Walker was like a week in heaven.
After one particular summer camp I was so moved by watching Bobby over the week that we (the ASMs and I) decided to give him a special award.  So I purchased one of those Boy Scout memorabilia boxes from the Scout shop and we presented it to him at the Court of Honor.  We called it the Spirit of Summer camp award that year.
The next year Bobby had to leave our Troop.  There was no good byes or reasons why, his sponsor just showed up without him one meeting night and with a tear in his eye told me that Bobby was “moving on”.  I never asked any more about it, but it saddened me.
So the next year at camp the Troop and I decided that the award would be called the Bobby Walker award.  Awarded to the Scout that demonstrated the best of what Summer camp is all about.  To the Scout that immersed himself into the camp.  Each year we give a Scout memorabilia box to the most deserving Scout as voted by the Assistant Scoutmasters and I.
This has become a great tradition in our Troop and each year the Scouts look forward to seeing who gets the Bobby Walker award.  It is also a great opportunity to share the story with the Scouts to remind them that they are the lucky ones.  I’ll do a post on that another time.
So what are some of the traditions and special recognitions of your Troop.  Leave them in the comments section.

Have a Great Scouting Day!

SMMBlog Photo Contest

Posted on by • Posted in blog, Camping, Competition, Just fun, Patrol Method, Summer Camp • Leave a comment

OK its contest time!!!
Email me your best Summer camp picture.. Scouts honor, it should be from this years summer camp.. and you should have actually gone to summer camp.
This contest is an easy one.. just email me your picture.
Email the picture to tbirdironchef@gmail.com
The winner will receive a copy of the book “Working the Patrol Method”!

The contest will end at the end of August… so you have a few days to get your best summer camp picture in!

I hope you all had a fantastic Summer camp with your Troops!  Show the rest of us how it went!

Have a Great Scouting Day!

This weeks Poll- The Annual Plan

Posted on by • Posted in Journey to Excellence, Leadership, Methods, Patrol Method, planning, Scouts, Skills, Summer Camp, training • 3 Comments

In this weeks poll I want to know about your Troops annual planning session.
Your choices are:  Totally on the Scouts, meaning the Scouts put together the annual plan and submit it to the Troop committee to receive the support to run the program.  The PLC does the planning.
It’s all about the Adults, meaning the Scouts just take what the adults decide.  The PLC does not do the planning.
Lets go 50/50, meaning Adult input to the PLC and they split the planning responsibility.
As a primer, here is how our Troop handles the annual planning session.  We start our planning at Summer camp.  This is a great opportunity for the patrols to take a look at the previous year and get the most input from the patrol members.  Sometime about mid-week at camp the PLC will meet and discuss the input from the patrols.
After summer camp the PLC will again sit down with all the calendars and look at months, dates, and locations from the next years plan.  I sit in with them on this planning session to answer questions and offer advise when asked.
Once the PLC is satisfied they have a 12 month plan, they bounce it off me and then the SPL and I take the plan to the Troop committee.
The Troop committees job is to say “Great plan, lets support it” and that is what they do.
Our Senior Patrol Leader and the Patrol Leaders Council does the planning for the year.  That is the way it is supposed to happen, this is their program.  Having them plan their year gives them ownership, tests leadership, and then as the year unfolds and they understand the program, their monthly PLC meetings are better organized and the plan is executed by the Scouts.
It’s not always pretty and often the planning is painful to some… but letting the Scouts run their Troop is the way Baden-Powell intended it.

“The more responsibility the Scoutmaster gives his
patrol leaders, the more they will respond.”- Baden Powell

Have a Great Scouting Day!

The age of an Eagle?

Posted on by • Posted in Advancement, blog, Journey to Excellence, Leadership, Methods, Scout, Scouting, Scoutmaster conference, Service, Skills, Summer Camp, Values • 6 Comments

Funny how time fly’s when you’re having fun.  This week has been an amazing week of Scouting and thus, I have not been on the computer much at all.  The Outdoor channel is currently filming Scouts from my Troop on an amazing adventure for the series Scouting for Adventure. 
Last night I sat down with the Key 3 of our District, we had a little meeting on the changes we were going to make in the coming year.  The conversation turned to advancement.  The subject “young Eagle Scouts”.
Now before I go any further, let me tell you what the Boy Scouts say on the subject.
YOU MAY NOT ADD TO NOR TAKE AWAY FROM ANY REQUIREMENT. PERIOD.
So having said that if a Scout completes all of the requirements and has everything signed off properly.. well then.. he’s an Eagle Scout.
RIGHT?
Now some will argue.. and have, that a 13-year-old is too young to be an Eagle Scout.  After all, we are looking for a young man who has DEMONSTRATED Leadership, a young man who has been an ACTIVE member of his Troop, a Scout that is KNOWLEDGEABLE in skills etc.  These are all super valid points and I agree whole heartedly.  Now, here is the rub.  Has a 13-year-old done all of that.. I mean really done it all.  Sure he may have served as a Patrol leader in a New Scout Patrol.  Went to one summer camp and earned a bunch of merit badges, and can do the basics that got him to First class, but has he developed enough to truly test his leadership at the Troop level?  Has he been that active?
I don’t know.
The other argument against is the maturity level of the young man.  At 13 is he mature enough to understand his responsibility as an Eagle Scout?
I don’t know.
An argument for young Eagle Scouts is that they now can spend more time in the Troop as an Eagle Scout.  Ok.. I buy that.
But I don’t know.
You see, boy develop at different rates and stages.  They are all different.  I know some 13 year olds that act 18 and some 18 year olds that act 12… so that is not a good measure.  I know some young Scouts that develop the skills at a much faster rate than some of the older Scouts.. so that is not a good measure.
So here is the bottom line in my opinion.  Becoming an Eagle Scout is not an excercise in passing through gates.  Becoming and Eagle Scout is all about BECOMING the Eagle, developing leadership skills, demonstrating the skills of Scouting, and learning about the world around him.  The way I see it is that the young man must participate in five Scoutmaster conferences before his conference for Eagle.  IF the Scoutmaster and the Scout have not had these discussions during those conferences, IF the Scoutmaster has failed to mentor and coach the Scout along and develop him, IF the Scoutmaster has signed off the book and in good consciousness said that everything was alright.. then the Scout should be an Eagle Scout.
So having said that…. a 13-year-old Eagle Scout?  I have not had one in my Troop.. and it’s not because any adult has thrown up a road block.  If the book says to demonstrate.. the Scout demonstrates, if the book says to show, the Scout shows, if the book says to explain, the Scout explains.  If he does not do it correctly.. it does not get signed off.
If the book says to serve in a leadership role for 6 months.. then the Scout is expected to actually serve in that role.  And during the Scoutmaster conference explain what he did while in that leadership position.
You see the road to Eagle is not meant to be hard, but it is meant to allow the Scout to navigate the program and develop.  You become an Eagle Scout over the course of the journey.
There are obstacles to over come and challenges to face, that is the way the program is set up.  Can it be done by 13, I suppose.  But at the end of the day, does the Scout get a patch out of it.. or a life experience?
I don’t have the answer here, the book does.  I can only give you my take on the subject.
I am curious to know what you think.  Drop us some feedback, leave a comment, or shoot an email!
Have a Great Scouting Day!

JTE.. More

Posted on by • Posted in blog, Camping, camping. planning, High Adventure, Jamboree, Journey to Excellence, Leadership, Methods, Patrol Method, Summer Camp • 8 Comments

The balanced Score care approach is nothing new, it has been floating around organizations for some time now and provides a balanced view for organizational performance.  Who looks at this?  Well really you do.  As much as some would like t0 think that Councils and District level leadership are actively engaged in what goes on at the unit level (and I am talking Pro staff here, not volunteer) the fact of the matter is that where the rubber hits the road, the unit leadership are really the only leaders dedicated 100% to their units.  That is not to say that District, Council, and even National leadership could care less.  It is just that they have different fish to fry.  They are concerned at the “Big” organizational level in areas of membership, fundraising, and policy.  And that is fair.  Hey, I don’t want to think about that stuff, I want to go camping.  So the Journey to Excellence program is a tool that ensures our units are meeting the mark as we can measure our programs.  I think this is important to make sure that we all are delivering the promise of Scouting in a uniform manner.
Last month I attended the National meetings of the BSA in San Diego.  The Assistant Chief Scout Executive for Council Operations Gary Butler gave a great talk at the Scoutmaster dinner.  In his talk he gave the analogy of Starbucks coffee.  He said that when you order a coffee at Starbucks in Seattle it tastes like the same cup in New York City, or Atlanta, or Boston.. the message is that the coffee is the same where ever you go and that is part of business model of Starbucks.  The Promise of Scouting is just like that cup of coffee.  It needs to be the same consistent program, delivered in many ways, but the same program throughout the Boy Scouts of America.  We have great outline, but Scouters choose not to use it.  The Journey to Excellence program attempts to bring some of that back in line.
Now, I know that many of you, myself included, do not like to view the BSA as a business.  Certainly not at the unit level.  But just like every organization if certain measures are not in place, lets say for growth, for financial stability, for improvements in the program, the organization will fail.
Remember a couple posts ago, I shared that I knew a unit that was a Quality unit every year, but then it just folded?  It is because they did not have a plan to grow and stay fit.  They took it year to year and hoped that the Cub Scout pack would just continue to “Feed them”.  They did not have a stable financial plan, they did not have a plan to assist the youth leadership… and yet they were “always a quality unit”.
None of us want to see our units fail.  JTE is a week to week, month to month, year to year tool that sets on a Journey to Excellence.
OK.. 500 words in and not a word about camping.. so lets talk just a little about Short term and Long term camping as it applies to the JTE.
You all understand that Short term equates to weekend camp outs and long term camping refers to those week long (or longer) camping opportunities such as Summer camp, Jamboree’s, High Adventure base participation.  Now I think the BSA set the bar low on this one, and so many if not all of us will automatically qualify at the Gold level when it comes to short term camping.  Bronze = 4 camp outs throughout the year.  Yeah, that is not a typo.. I wrote 4.  Silver requires a unit to camp 8 times and to achieve the Gold standard you need to camp at least 10 times.  Like I said.. I think we all have this one in the bag.   And for the Gold level you get 200 points for just doing what we all do, and that’s camp.
Now I think it is interesting how the JTE handles long term camping.  You will qualify for the bronze level if your unit attends a long term camp.. lets call it summer camp.  You will achieve Silver level status if 60% of your Scouts attend Summer camp (or another long term opportunity).  And it only takes 70% of your unit attending camp to achieve Gold level status.  I recently had a small discussion on Camp staff with some Scouters that I consider “In the know”.  We debated on whether a Scout that serves on camp staff is counted in that percentage.  And the answer according the definitions of JTE is this; ” Boy Scouts attending any in council or out of council long term summer camp (of at least three days and nights), high adventure experience, jamboree, or serve on camp staff within the past year”.  The part that really weirds me out on this is the three days and nights.  But not to worry, most if not all summer camps run a week.  No problems there.
The bottom line is that camping is where Scouting happens.  It is where the Patrol method is executed, it is where teaching happens, it is where the boys can be boys and learn, practice, and teach skills.  Camping, I am sure you will agree is what most think about when we talk Scouting.
Next time we will dive into the Patrol Method.
Thanks for the emails, you can email me anytime.  Leave a comment and let me know what you think.
Have a Great Scouting Day!

This Weeks Poll.. What do YOU do at Summer Camp?

Posted on by • Posted in blog, Camping, Just fun, podcast, Summer Camp • 7 Comments

Summer camp is a fantastic experience for the Scouts of your Troop.  But that does not mean it can’t be fun the adults that go too.  Each year we take our Scouts to camp.  We limit the amount of Adults, after all, this is a program for the Scouts, but the three or four adults that do go get to have a wonderful time in camp also.
But what do you do when you are at camp.  This weeks poll gives you a few choices that came off the top of my head after many years hanging out at camp.
Here is typically what I do.
First.. always take a good book. 
Second… Stay out of the Scouts way.  Be there to sign books and blue cards.  Cheer them on when they play games, and have a smile on my face every day.  But camp is for them.. leave them alone to hang out.  We always make it a point to take the tents the furthest away from the patrols and in lots of cases use the back doors if they face into the camp.  We want them to work the patrol method at camp and part of that is the interaction that takes place when they are playing and yeah I’ll say it.. screwing around.
And finally, I like to participate in adult programs that are offered.  One of our camps takes all the Scoutmasters on a Horse back ride.  A few of the camps offer adult swims and lunches.
By and large my week at camp is to provide support when needed and a great week to relax and take a break.  Most days you will find me at the water front with a good book just taking in the sun.
So what do you do at camp?  Let me know, leave a comment.  Better yet.. use the SMMVoice mail line and tell me, it may end up in the next podcast!  503-308-8297.  Lets hear about your week in camp!
Have a Great Scouting Day!

Taking over the Internet!

Posted on by • Posted in blog, comments, Just fun, Summer Camp • Tagged • 5 Comments

Recently I got into a discussion with another blogger about numbers, subscriptions, readership etc.  He is all wrapped up in the “numbers thing” and extremely passionate about boosting his ratings, getting more readers, and taking over the internet, ok so I made the last one up, but needless to say he does in fact have a lot of passion for his blog and the numbers it generates.
I on the other hand don’t really monitor the numbers, I just want folks to read the blog and get something out of it.  Entertainment, skills, motivation, whatever it is that I can do to help deliver the promise of Scouting using this wonderful tool called a blog.

Anyway, our little chat prompted me to look at some numbers, in particular the number of subscribers.  Now I am not sure what the accurate numbers are.  Since I moved the blog over to WordPress in March, the amount of readers per post has gone way up and 18 people subscribed to the blog.  The reason I say that I am not sure what the accurate numbers are is because according to Feedburner that has kept stats for me since basically I started is telling me that I have 94 subscribers.  That is to say that 94 (plus 18) folks are getting notified when there is a new post to the blog.
Now I subscribe to a hand full of blogs, mostly Scouting blogs and I enjoy getting an email on the iPhone telling me that a new post is on such and such blog.. I then can quickly preview the post and visit the blog later for the full version (pictures and whatnot).  I really like this feature.
My friend told me he has over 800 subscribers to his blog, hardly what I would call “taking over the Internet”.. but none the less, a great number of people that read his babbling.  So I had to ask myself why great Scouting blogs don’t get that many subscribers.  I know we are getting looked at… after all, we have ways of seeing how many visits, reads, downloads etc.  And oh by the way, since I looked at the numbers.. yeah, we are doing pretty darn good.  I mean just since I moved over to WordPress there have been 5,065 views… not to shabby considering.  And I am not sure who to believe, but since I got a Feedburner account in 2008 we have had 58,947.  I’ll go with that. 
Now, that really does not mean anything to me, because numbers are just numbers.  It is the comments, feedback, and the emails that I receive that really matter, that really means people are reading and either liking or disliking what I write here on the blog.
HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT….
Subscribing to the blog is super easy, and if you are like me you like to get a quick notification of whats new and improved.  So i encourage you to subscribe to the blog.  Simply click the “Sign me up” button over there on the right and you are in.
OK.. here is the real reason… I WANT TO TAKE OVER THE INTERNET!!!! and 94 subscribers are not going to make that happen!!! LOL!  So help us push Scouting to the front page of WordPress!!!  Subscribe to ALL of the Scouting blogs.  There are great blogs out there that I really enjoy.  Many are listed in my Blog roll over there on the right column.  So start with mine.. subscribe.. then move over to the rest and do the same.
Oh, and I don’t want to beg.. but c’mon folks.. leave a comment or two.  I have not developed the skill of reading minds over the Internet.. I got a good handle on Tenderfoot Scouts, but knowing what you all like, dislike, and are thinking is way beyond my skill level.  Leave feedback, comments,voicemail, or drop me an email… all of those options are available right here on the blog.

Have a Great Scouting Day!

PS. #100daysofscouting
Today- Reviewing Tickets for the Buffalo Patrol, attending the Parent/ Staff meeting for the Summer Camp staffers, hanging out with my family.  TADA!

Meet him where he is…

Posted on by • Posted in Advancement, camp skills, Camping, Character, Citizenship, Leadership, Scouting, Summer Camp, Values • 1 Comment

What do you do when you have Scouts that do want to advance in rank?  What about not wanting to go to Summer camp?  What do you do when they just show up and hang out?
These are age old questions that I hear over and over again at Round table and in discussions with other Scoutmasters.  And the answers are about as clear as the questions.
First you need to ask yourself what is it about the Scout that makes him feel this way about advancement and camp.  I am certain that you are perfectly fine with the idea that he likes hanging out with his friends.
Is the Scout being disruptive?  If not, then what is it that bothers you as a Scoutmaster about his lack of “want to”?
Boys join Scouting for many reasons.  Maybe it’s because they enjoyed Cub Scouts and they are moving up with their buddies.  Maybe it is because their Dads were Scouts, way back when.  Maybe it’s because they are looking for something to do, an adventure, a place to belong and feel a part of a team.  There are as many reasons as there are Scouts and the answers will tell a lot about his motivation once he becomes a part of the Troop.  A lot of the time it has more to do with friends than it has to do with badges, rank, and camping.  Those three things drive the program for us in many ways.  They are a measurement of activity, achievement, and a healthy program in most cases.  But what about that Scout that could really care less?  A Scoutmaster once told me that they were going to drop a kid if he did not advance or go to camp that summer.  I asked him why he would do that?  His explanation got my head spinning.  He said that it was because that kid and kids like him bring down the numbers for the unit.  They hurt the Troop in the long run when it comes to Top Troop or Troop of the Year.
(INSERT RECORD SCRATCH SOUND HERE)
What about the boy?  I asked.  Is he having fun?  Is he learning something?  Is he hanging out with his friends?  Is he showing signs of good character, fitness, and citizenship?  Well?
Citizenship, Character, Fitness.  You can have all of that without a single badge, right?  YES, BUT.
I have a Scout in my Troop that has been in the unit for almost three years.  He attends meetings regularly, goes on a camp out here and there, and likes hanging out with his friends.  He still wears the last rank he earned on his shirt.. Scout.  Ask him if he enjoys Scouting and he will tell you yeah, but he likes it because of the friendships.  He helps with service projects and generally is a good boy, as good as most.  He gets good grades, has a friendly demeanor, and enjoys the company of his patrol.  So should I throw him out because he has not advanced?  Heck no!  He is getting out of Scouting what he wants. 
Now it is a fact that Scouts that attend Summer camp typically stay in Scouting longer and work their way through the ranks.  And it is a fact that those that make it to First Class in the first year have a better chance at earning their Eagle award.  BUT IF we look at the boy and not the score card I think that we can effectively save them all and in the end achieve our goals of creating men that can make ethical decisions throughout their life times.  Men of character that are good citizens.  Men that know how and keep themselves Physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

So what do you do that Scout?  Teach him, coach him, and mentor him to meet the aims of Scouting.  Take him for who and what he is and do your best to encourage him.
That simple.
Have a Great Scouting Day!