Background: Although I have been a district committee member for a number of years I never really did that much on the committee, perhaps attend a few meetings a year, and not much else. When I was asked a year ago to take on the job of District Advancement Chairman by then District Chairman Joe White I was excited about the possibilities of what we could accomplish. In January we had our first Advancement Committee Meeting and drew up goals for the 1994 year. Although I include them by way of reference I will restate which parts of them will be ticket items below.
1.) The primary literature resource for completing any given Merit Badge is the Merit Badge pamphlets themselves. These books are expensive when trying to accumulate all 127 and most troops don't have those kind of resources. I shall work with Doug Hollberg, our district commissioner and chairman of the Kiwanas Business and Public Affairs Committee to secure the needed funding to place in the Flint River Regional Headquarters Library in Griffin the complete collection of Merit Badge books. In this manner, they will be available to any scout, adult, or counselor in our community. As the Chairman of the Spalding County Library Board I am particularly pleased that myself, and Jack Crawford (BSA Council Field Director) who also serves on the library board can give back to the library this wonderful and useful gift of Library Books. To further promote the use of these books I shall send each Troop Librarian in Spalding County a flyer and each Scoutmaster a letter announcing the collection addition as well as the BSA handout "Scouting Around the Library". I shall also send a press release to the Griffin Daily News and write an article in the District Advancement Newsletter.
This project has an estimated completion date of June 1, '94
This project was completed on: October 2, 1994
Books now in library, publicity in local papers, flyers mailed to all Spalding County Units
2.) I will establish and/or publicize at least four Merit Badge clinic opportunities for Scouts in Spalding County over the next 12 months and where space allows, allow other district scouts to participate. As of this writing three of these clinics have already been planned and announced: Textiles Merit Badge Clinic at Dundee Mills in Griffin in January of 1995, Stamp Collecting Merit Badge at First Union Bank on October 11 & 15th 1994, and Beekeeping Merit Badge Clinic at Reynolds Nature Preserve in Morrow GA on April 25th. While my goal is four clinics I feel I will easily surpass that with plans underway for at least three other clinics by next summer including Agribusiness, Skating, and Coin Collecting. Merit Badger clinics are a useful and fun way to work with interested groups of scouts on badges not offered at summer camp.
This project has an estimated completion date of August 23, 94
This project was completed on: May 20, 1995
Update: Beekeeping done with 23 scouts from Griffin in attendance at Reynolds Nature Preserve, The annual Stamp Collecting & Textiles clinics have been done for 1994 & 1995 & are scheduled for 1996. The Stamp Collecting Clinic is one I have done now for 13 years. In 1995 I launched the Reading Merit Badge Clinic on May 20th as chairman of the Spalding County Library Board.. We also had several Merit Badges at Reynolds & Panola Mt. Nature Preserves, two of which I helped teach. I also promoted the Forestry Merit Badge Clinic which was held in April '95 by Tom Brannan at Camp Thunder. Our district had the highest number of participants.
3.) I will publish at least four times a year a District Advancement Newsletter, the first of which is enclosed. This newsletter will provide unit leaders with additional programming opportunities and information about advancement.
This project has an estimated completion date of June 31, 95
This project was completed on: January 18, 1996
Update: Four Newsletters have been done. I have also agreed to write a program column in the new expanded Scouting Action Council Newsletter.
4.) I will do an annual analysis of unit advancement in Spalding County. This process involves looking at each of the district copies of the unit advancement reports and charting now well a troop's scouts are advancing. This process will also allow us to see which badges in our district the scouts are working on. We will send this report by units to the district commissioner so his staff will be able to highlight weak units that do not appear to be conducting regular Court of Honors or Board of Reviews. It will also allow the unit commissioners to get a better idea of just how many scouts in the unit are advancing. One special thing I will do with these reports ties in with the job as camp registrar. At summer camp we will be computer inputting the badges that our scouts earn. With this back end analysis we will be able to see how many of the advancements we report back to the units at camp as "Passed All Requirements" end up passing the units own Board of Review. We will also be able to track for the first time the final result of badge like Nature which can not be completed at camp. We will know for the first time how many of these partial badges are completed at home and passed the review process.
This project has an estimated completion date of June 1, 95
This project was completed on: December 10, 1995
Update: Due to assistance from Mike Edwards, we have upgraded the camp's registration program and I am no longer the camp registrar, a task I undertook for nine years (and don't miss). Still, we are using the new technology to track the progression of camp Merit Badges.
5.) No other item in this ticket will probably be more challenging and difficult than preparing a District Merit Badge Counselors List. We have some 127 Merit Badges in scouting. For a scout to complete any of these badges he must be in contact with a counselor, an adult who has an interest or vocation in the Merit Badge subject the scout selected. Right now this does not exist and scoutmasters are hard pressed to help a scout in their unit who may want to work on Atomic Energy Merit Badge. This gives the Scoutmaster and scout a ready source of counselors from which they can turn. We have to locate dozens of individuals both in and out of scouting who are willing to serve in this roll the process is outlined below:
a.) Publicize the need for counselors in the community, in troops, and other sources. This is being done now. On Monday May 16th at 7:30am I was on the WHIE radio show Shop Talk with Bonnie Phrogner to publicize this need. I will also be speaking to civic organizations and other groups and making individual calls to organizations and businesses that can provide leadership in this regard.
b.) Train the recruited counselors. While some of the people who will sign up for this task are well acquainted to the Merit Badge program others are completely new to scouting. Those not currently enrolled will need to be signed up as Merit Badge Counselors. All will need to be trained in the Youth Protection Guidelines as they relate to Merit Badge Counseling as well as the basic forms and methods in this process such as the Blue Cards, Merit Badge Books, clinics or unit meeting presentations as alternatives to appointment based counseling, etc.
c.) Publish & Maintain the list. As badges come and go, and adults leave and others express an interest the updates will need to be published in the District Newsletter and the entire book published one a year and made available to all units.
To make this Merit Badge Counselor task measurable and doable I specifically pledge to 1.) Conduct a minimum of two training sessions in the 1994 calendar year 2.) Recruit a minimum of 25 separate individuals to cover a minimum goal of 100% of all Eagle Required Badges and at least 50 of the non Eagle Required Badges. I will see this project through until at least the end of May 1994 and will at that time publish the second annual update of the book. At that time I may choose to continue the project or turn it over to someone else. I also pledge to do ten separate publicity projects designed to recruit adults as counselors and to inform unit leaders of the existence of this resource. This shall include but not be limited to appearances on radio talk shows, press releases, addresses to civic organizations like the Kiwanas Club, recruitment of adults already in scouting with promotional talks at roundtables and other adult events, etc. The initial listing of counselors shall be in unit leaders hands no later than December 15, 1994.
This project has an estimated completion date of Dec. 15, 94
This project was not completed on time. Progress Continues
Update: Initial publicity on WHIE radio done. I have been able to secure most of the badges. I am now in the process of gathering support for the first printing of the book. Gathering support from the other troops has been very difficult. everyone likes the idea, but I have not been able to get a lot of support for finding the counselors. We have a new district chairman this year and I have asked that they assist as well as the commissioner staff. We did conduct a Merit Badge Counselor Training in May and another is planned for this spring. It is my hope that the Woodbadge Leadership of SR-131 will let Spalding Woodbadge Candidates know of this profound need in our district.
6.) I shall report back to, and attend a minimum of three District Committee Meetings during the next 12 months. I shall also network with John Cecil of the Spalding District Eagle Board of Review Committee and the Council Advancement Chairman.
This project has an estimated completion date of June 1, 95
This project was completed on: January 8, 1996
Update: I have, since starting my ticket not only attended all district committee meetings but I have, in 1994, conducted the program at two of the Spalding Round Tables (Space Exploration & Emergency Preparedness). Moreover, I have also conducted a Space Exploration program for the Newnan District at their October 94 Roundtable & one on Stamps & Scouting for Fayette in 1995. I sent a nine page outline to John Cecil with suggested upgrades and policy changes regarding the Eagle Board of Reviews which the NESA Committee has worked on. I have also had John come to speak to our roundtable.
See outline & correspondence to Ray Hair & District Newsletter as supporting attachments
Woodbadge Methodology Employed:
1.) COMMUNICATIONS - Use of mass media to promote & recruit counselors & public speaking + Newsletter.
2.) KNOWING & USING THE RESOURCES OF THE GROUP - Finding out the talents of adults for the counselor list through surveys, etc is the perfect example o putting this skill into practice.
3.) UNDERSTANDING THE CHARACTERISTICS & NEEDS OF THE GROUP - The annual analysis of unit advancement will be a key tool in allowing the commissioner staff to understand the needs of the units they are responsible for.
4.) REPRESENTING THE GROUP - This shall be accomplished at the District Committee Meetings as the needs and activities of my Advancement Committee are made known to our District Chairman and the other District Committee members.
5.) PLANNING - Preparing for the publication of the counselor list requires planning as does the Training Conference for new counselors
6.) CONTROLLING THE GROUP - Not Used
7.) SETTING THE EXAMPLE - I shall be a Merit Badge Counselor myself for 11 subject areas.
8.) EVALUATING - In looking over the advancement records of units we are able to evaluate if a proper advancement program with Board of Reviews & Court of Honors is occurring in our units.
9.) EFFECTIVE TEACHING - The seminar for new counselors will need to employ this skill if our new counsellors are to understand the process of Blue Cards, Youth Protection, and the overall Merit Badge Program
10.) COUNSELING - Not Used
11.) SHARING LEADERSHIP - By having as many adults as possible involved in this program we hope to expand the leadership process and perhaps recruit some more Tom Brannan' who afterall got hooked on scouting through (of all things) a Forestry Merit Badge Counselor
Section 2:
Service to other Areas of Scouting
NESA (National Eagle Scout Association)
Background: I joined NESA (The National Eagle Scout Association) in 1981 shortly after receiving my Eagle Scout Award. In 1994 I attended the organizational dinner for forming a NESA chapter in our council. As the committee develops and sets goals I plan to participate as needed. At this point I have been asked and plan to do the following:
1.) I will actively work to support the development of a NESA (National Eagle Scout Association) Chapter in the Flint River Council. Working with John Kaminski I will. Research and submit the names and where possible the addresses & phone numbers of all past Eagle Scouts in Troop 12, my home unit to the council NESA committee.
This project has an estimated completion date of December 31, '94
This project was completed on: Fall 1995
Update: I mailed John a letter in October '95 with my research of "lost Eagles" that I am aware of. I have made every NESA committee meeting since its founding.
2.) I will publicize NESA activities via my District Advancement Newsletter and create an awareness of NESA and the Scoutmaster's roll in promoting NESA membership to Eagles in their units.
This project has an estimated completion date of March 1, 1995
This project was completed on : January '96
Update: I started serving on the Spalding District Award of Merit Committee in 1995 and again for 1996. This year we will start the NESA Scoutmaster Merit Award Program. At every event, I have promoted NESA
3.) I will contact all Eagle Scouts located by the council NESA chapter and invite them to consider serving as a District Merit Badge Counselor if they are currently residing in Spalding County.
This project has an estimated completion date of October 15, 1994
This project was completed on : May 8, 1995
Update: A perfect example of this was to recruit Evans Millican as a Reading Merit Badge Counselor. Evans is an Eagle Scout who moved back to our community as a librarian. He helped me run the first ever Reading Merit Badge clinic.
4.) At John Kaminksi's request I will promote on a weekly basis our NESA chapter at Summer Camp in 1994 with a NESA awareness day and presentation. I will coordinate with both Luke Thompson and John on the content of this promotion.
This project has an estimated completion date of August 15, 1994
This project was completed on: August 15, 1995
Update: Each week of camp a NESA Awareness Day was observed and a presentation made in the Dining Hall. Literature was presented to interested Eagles and a display was set up by the WBSA table. I also did this in 1995. We received $50 in NESA dues and signed up three new members.
5.) I shall initiate at the Troop level and shall promote with John at the council level the Scoutmaster Award of Merit Award. This is a underutilized NESA award that our council can use to recognize the contribution of adult leaders. I shall submit an application for the Scoutmaster of Troop 12 to John by December 1, 1994. It is my hope to get our NESA chapter to take on the promotion of this award on the council level. I shall also make John & the NESA officers aware of other NESA resources & literature that they may not be aware of. The scout office has a secret book with these and hundreds of other publications in them which they guard with pit bull like security (it called the BSA Bin Publication Freebies Book and it is not supply division type items) this best kept secret book has an entire page with nothing but free NESA publications that I bet John is not even aware of.
This project has an estimated completion date of January 31, 1995
This project was completed on: January 10, 1996
Update: I was able to finally get the materials ordered from Pat at the Scout Office, and as a member of the DAM Committee, we will begin to use this new award at District Functions and will promote it to the council.
Woodbadge Methodology Employed:
1.) COMMUNICATIONS - Helping to publicize promote & recruit counselors & public speaking + Newsletter.
2.) KNOWING & USING THE RESOURCES OF THE GROUP - Finding out the talents of adults for the counselor list through surveys, etc is the perfect example o putting this skill into practice. Also knowing too much about the internal operations of the BSA allows resourceful program people like me to do an end run around Bureaucrats as the scout office who don't want secret and valuable forms to get in the hands of volunteers who might use them (God I am being cynical today, let me emphasize that I think the Secretaries are way overworked and do a fine job, they are just a little too protective of some of their loot.)
3.) UNDERSTANDING THE CHARACTERISTICS & NEEDS OF THE GROUP - The annual analysis of unit advancement will be a key tool in allowing the commissioner staff to understand the needs of the units they are responsible for.
4.) REPRESENTING THE GROUP - This shall be accomplished at the District Committee Meetings as the needs and activities of my Advancement Committee are made known to our District Chairman and the other District Committee members.
5.) PLANNING - Preparing for the publication of the counselor list requires planning as does the Training Conference for new counselors
6.) CONTROLLING THE GROUP - Not Used
7.) SETTING THE EXAMPLE - I shall be a Merit Badge Counselor myself for 11 subject areas.
8.) EVALUATING - In looking over the advancement records of units we are able to evaluate if a proper advancement program with Board of Reviews & Court of Honors is occurring in our units.
9.) EFFECTIVE TEACHING - The seminar for new counselors will need to employ this skill if our new counsellors are to understand the process of Blue Cards, Youth Protection, and the overall Merit Badge Program
10.) COUNSELING - Not Used
11.) SHARING LEADERSHIP - By having as many adults as possible involved in this program we hope to expand the leadership process and perhaps recruit some more Tom Brannans who after all got hooked on scouting through (of all things) a Forestry Merit Badge Counselor
Internet Scouting
Background: For some time I have utilized the Internet to promote, and learn more about Scouting. There is a huge body of information on the net from thousands of scouters all over the planet.
1.) I will actively promote the camp, council, and our events on the Internet. I will use the resources of the Internet to advance scouting in our council. I will use the Internet to assist with other scouting projects I am involved with.
This project has an estimated completion date of December 31, '95
This project was completed on: December 31, 1995
Update: I am an active contributor to America On Line's SCOUTING FORUM, serving scouters all over America. I am very active on the USENET Scouts-L news server list as well as the Internet Newsgroup Rec.Scouting. I am also a regular contributor to the Scouting Forums on Compuserve, GEnie, Prodigy as well as numerous BB's (Bulletin Board Services). In our council I have been able to convince over 20 scouters, and Thunder staff members to go on line. Literally I have received hundreds of requests for help, letters of thanks, and have posted over 300 notices of FRC activities on the Internet. Even the SR-131 course has been heavily promoted on the Web. I assisted Michael Morgan in the completion of his ticket by helping him promote his Cub Family Camping events on the Web as one of his Cub Trainer Woodbadge Requirements.
2.) I will develop THUNDERNET. Our council camp's own communication service for our camp community.
This project has an estimated completion date of March 1, 1995
This project was completed on : December 31, 1995
Update: Thundernet is alive and functioning. Over 20 camp staff members have received Thundernet monthly updates. Our nest step is to begin communicating with the some 90 units that will be coming to camp this summer with updates to each of them. Thundernet will expand to become a USENET server in the near future as on line resources are obtained.
3.) I will develop the Camp Thunder Virtual Country Store - Online and BSAstore@aol.com for our council.
This project has an estimated completion date of October 15, 1994
This project was completed on : December 31, 1995
Update: Since its inception in early 1995 we have had a tremendous response. More than 1500 requests for our Camp Thunder Internet Catalog have been received. We have received many reviews in all of the major Scouting on line news & FAQ bulletins. Over $2,000 in revenue has been turned into our scout office from sells made off of our internet contacts. We anticipate an explosion of orders are visits once our home pages on the Web are up and running. Currently we are in beta testing for our Web Pages. With every order we send out to scouters all over the planet, we also send information about Camp Thunder, spreading the news about our camp.
Woodbadge Methodology Employed:
1.) COMMUNICATIONS - The Internet is the most incredible phenomenon in America. It has the potential to be as transforming as the automobile or the phone was in other decades. I feel I have done much to put our camp & council on the map.
2.) KNOWING & USING THE RESOURCES OF THE GROUP - Through the Internet I have been able to tap into the virtual Scoutleader roundtable that never stops. I have come to the net and utilized the resources of some of Scouting's finest and most knowledgeable scouters from every council in America. It is a huge volume of knowledge to be able to tap into. I continue to marvel at how almost any problem or question or resource I need help with almost instantaneously gets as many as several dozen helpful and useful answers from all over the planet in the matter of a few minutes.
3.) UNDERSTANDING THE CHARACTERISTICS & NEEDS OF THE GROUP - I have become a resource for many on the net, including others from our council, especially in matters of camp administration & program.
4.) REPRESENTING THE GROUP - NA. The very nature of the Internet is self participatory, I represent no one but myself here.
5.) PLANNING - NA
6.) CONTROLLING THE GROUP - We use the Scout Laws as our version of "Nettiquite"
7.) SETTING THE EXAMPLE - I hope my work on this project has helped others log on to the Internet.
8.) EVALUATING - NA
9.) EFFECTIVE TEACHING - This represents a new kind of teaching. From our weekly chats "Under the Shade Tree" on Sunday nights at 9pm to the software, graphics, and text files we upload every week, to the flood of E-Mail Scouting messages we sent to each other, this is the most hand on form of effective teaching and effective learning that I know. Unlike a Show & Do or other council events which occurs once every year (or less) this is on going, all the time, it never stops.
10.) COUNSELING - I have found that this is quite necessary here. There are those among us who are technically challenged like Luke Thompson who need counselling to overcome their computer phobias. Some people are fearful of E-Mail as the long for such ancient and inefficient forms of communication as telephone tag and snail mail. As I have pushed our council into the information age (and in some cases dragged our professional staff & camp staff kicking & screaming for the horse & buggy) I find that there is a tremendous need for counseling.
11.) SHARING LEADERSHIP - NA
CUB SCOUTING
Background: I have never considered myself a "Cub Scout Person" but with each passing year I am being called upon more and more to participate in Council Cub Scouting Activities (my good friend Bill Baldwin being the prime culprit.) In recognition of the fact that a strong Cub Scout program makes for a strong Boy Scout Program at both the council and unit level I am delighted to assist whenever possible. I have agreed to do the following:
1.) I will plan, organize, and present a training session on "How to Plan and Carry Out Campfires" at Webelo Leader's Outdoor Training at the Lawhorn Canoe Base for all Cub Scout Webelo Leaders. I will be working with Phil Carson of Fayette County on this staff. This session will include Campfire Dynamics, The ingredients for a good campfire (run ons, skits, songs, cheers, etc.) Campfire Choreography (where the scouts should be positioned in relation to the fire, speaking loudly, etc.), how to keep a fire from dragging, Opening and Closing Ceremonies, How to prevent dead time, the need to review youth presented items for appropriateness and to insure that they are not already going to be presented by another group, alternatives to traditional campfires (WCUB radio, songfests, indoor rainy day "fires" etc,) and I presented an assortment of printed materials that leaders should have access to (BSA songbooks, skit books, etc.)
This project has an estimated completion date of April 16, 1994
This project was completed on April 16, 1994
Update: Project totally done, a photo of my WBSA banner at this training appears in the April 94 issue of Scouting Action. Many of the participants of this program went to the Trading Post during camp to purchase the many non BSA song and skit books I promoted during this clinic.
2.) I will serve on the staff of the Flint River Council Spalding District Cuboree Weekend for 1994 at Camp Thunder, conducting the Sunday Morning Chapel Service and the Saturday night Campfire Program. I will be working with Gordon Brown and Jackie Roberson on this event. This event involves employing many of the skills I taught earlier in the day over at the Canoe base to Webelo Leaders at the Outdoor Training event.
This project has an estimated completion date of April 17, 1994
This project was completed on April 17, 1994
Update: Project completed, I MC'ed the campfire.
3.) I will serve on the staff of Webelo Resident Camp on June 9 - 11th 1994 & again in 1995, with Bill Baldwin. I will be operating the Handicraft Area and will be helping Cub Scouts with making crafts with a Sports theme ('94) and for 1995 I will do the same with the Pioneer theme (Conestoga Wagons). Of course I will be involved with the nightly campfires and doing preparatory work for summer camp. I met with Bill Baldwin at this house on Saturday May 7th from 8pm until almost 2am in a marathon Brainstorming Session! We are going to implement Project Wild, Make Buttons, and have a blast.
This project has an estimated completion date of June 11, 1994
This project was completed on: June 11, 1994 & again in '95
Update: Project completed. I did the craft part of the program and was there for the entire four days.
4.) I will serve on a minimum of two Dad & Lad / Mom & Me Weekends during the 1994 Summer Camp season. Although I have been contacted and asked to serve for these events, by the staff resource person, Casey Dudeck, & Tom Chebro. I don't yet know what capacity I will be serving. In all probability I will be serving on more of the events as I don't anticipate returning to Griffin.
This project has an estimated completion date of August 11, 1994
This project was completed on: July 23, 1995
Update: I exceeded my goal by 100% having participated in all four weekends mainly at the Sunday Chapel Service and Saturday evening campfire for both 1994 & 1995. Unlike other staff members from the summer camp staff I did this on a voluntary basis, receiving no pay.
5.) I will serve on the staff of the Flint River Council Webelos Camporee on May 15 - 17th 1994, I served on the first one two years ago and look forward to working with Lindy Howard who is in charge of the event again. In order to plan for this event I attended a planning meeting at the scout service center on Sunday April 17th at 2:00pm with Lindy and Jack Crawford. I have also committed to attend a second planning meeting at the Council Camporee at Camp Thunder on Saturday Night at 10:00pm at the Handicraft Pavilion. At the Resident Camp I will be providing First Aid as the camp medic and will help with several of the events including string burning, treasure hunt, etc. and operating the Camp Trading Post. I will also be doing the campfire and chapel service (of course). I will also be working as liaison with Joe Wortham to coordinate our needs with the camp leadership.
This project has an estimated completion date of May 17, 1994
This project was completed on: May 17, 1994 & again in '95
Update: Completed, I primarily did the Trading Post and First Aid for the weekend in both years.
6.) I will plan and develop with Bill Baldwin, a district Den Chief training program. Bill has submitted a date request for the council calendar. In my own small troop I currently supply two Chiefs to area Cub Packs and continue to seek to tap more of my scouts for this program. This program is vital and needs training guidance. We hope to have this Training at St. John Lutheran Church.
This project has an estimated completion date of August 1, 1995
This project was completed on: January 12, 1995
Update: In January 12th 1995 I completed this training course at St. John Lutheran Church with some 18 participants from eight troops in three districts. In Denver I picked up a copy of Den Chief Training Guide and Bill and I also did the training on October 8th '94 in conjunction with Cub Leader Indoor Training. I also have taught this section for two years at Pow-Wow.
7.) I shall launch an innovative recruiting program beginning this May 1994 to every Cubmaster & Webelo Leader in Towalaga District. With the name & address labels of these leaders my troop is implementing a novel marketing plan which will hopefully increase the Webelo to Scout transition and insure the long term survival of my unit. For to long certain troops in Spalding District have had a lock on certain elementary school cub packs. Moreover whenever my District Executive wants to jump start new units he taps our adults for these extra tasks. In the last six months we have had three of our best leaders tapped to reorganize Troop 10 & Troop 7. Every time this happens we loose scouts and adults although I am happy that we are held in such high regard by our District Executive. Our goal is to have a troop strength of 30 scouts (not a part of my ticket, just a troop committee goal) and our hope is to have half of that strength made up of Arrow of Light Webelo Scouts. The marketing plan that I have devised which will bring these Webelo scouts to our troop is a five part media barrage. With post cards, phone calls, Webelo Den Presentations, Den Chief recruitment, and the sending of four special letters. Each of these letters is designed to be unique and attention grabbing. The first one will have be a small package with a granite rock and a letter to the effect of "In Troop 12 we not only study Geology Merit Badge but we go rock climbing and rapelling....You can have an avalanche of fun in Troop 12..." At the end of the letter in the package with the rock will be invitational materials to our open house...get ready for camp meeting of the troop. We will hit each Webelo and leader with five of these as the Webelo leaders report they have cubs nearing Arrow of Light completion. We will send out another volley of letters with a vial of water and the message "Not only go we go Canoeing, Swimming, Lifesaving... but we also go Whitewater Canoeing & Kyacking....In Troop 12 you can have a deluge of great fun..." Other letters will include a twig or leaf, and a Troop 12 button. We feel confident that this will grab the attention of the Webelo leaders and scouts. Our troop has always been a little bit unconventional and we trust this will work.
This project has an estimated completion date of May 1, 1995
This project was completed on: December 1, 1995
Update: Project completed. We were able to conduct a successful membership drive and produced a first rate brochure for our troop.
8.) As a key component of the above marketing plan (see req. # 7) I shall blitz my local school system with a Spring Roundup for Scouting for graduating 5th grade boys. This will include a showing of the Camp Thunder Video, a brief presentation about our troop, and information about how to join. My Scoutmaster will join me on these visits. All of these visits are already booked and shall take place:
a.) Cowan Road Elementary School - Monday May 23, 1994 at 10:00am
b.) Oarrs Elementary School - Monday May 23, 1994 at 1:30pm
c.) Beaverbrook Elementary School - Tuesday May 24, 1994 at 8:30am
d.) Crescent Road Elementary School - Tuesday May 24, 1994 at 10:30am
e.) Third Ward Elementary School - Tuesday May 24, 1994 at 2:00pm
This project has an estimated completion date of May 25, 1994
This project was completed on: August 13, 1994
Update: Project done, we were able to get 32 prospects and out of that seven joined our troop
9.) I shall make myself available (by letter) to the incoming Cubmaster and Webelo Leader of Pack 3, 4, 12, & 70 (Third Ward Elem., First United Methodist Church, Oarrs Elem., and Crescent Elem., for programs and to offer possible Den Chief assistance. This is an opportunity to get my troop's foot in the door at these cub packs and break the stranglehold of Troops 1, 2 & 4 who get a steady life sustaining flow of Arrow of Light Cub Scouts from these schools while my Troop must battle to get scouts from a three county area with some traveling as far as 24 miles round trip to get to the meetings.
This project has an estimated completion date of March 15, 1995
This project was completed on: October 1, 1995
Update: Currently our troop has Den Chiefs now serving at Pack 12 (Oarrs Elementary), Pack 312 (St. John Lutheran), and Pack 40 (1st Presbyterian)..
10.) I shall assist with the Fayette District Cuboree for 1995. I helped out in 1993 and made a return visit in '95. This is a huge event involving more than 1000 cubs & leaders.
This project has an estimated completion date of August 31, 1995
This project was completed on: September 10, 1995
Update: Project done, I ran the Trading Post & helped out at the campfire.
11.) I shall assist and serve on the staff for the first ever FRC Council Family Camping Event: The Spook-O-Ree in October 1995. Under the Direction of Michael Morgan, I will bring my scouts to assist on the staff of this event, as well as operate the Trading Post and assist as needed with crafts and the National Make a Difference Day Project.
This project has an estimated completion date of October 28, '95
This project was completed on: October 28, 1995
Update: Done, project was a huge success with more than 400 council cubbers in attendance.
121.) I shall serve on the 1994 & 1995 fall Pow-Wow staff at Gordon College for the Council Pow-Wow Training event. I will promote this with the cubing leadership of our Cub Pack 312.
This project has an estimated completion date of October 15, '95
This project was completed on: October 15, 1995
Update: Done, project was a success, I also was able to do Scouting at the Movies at the '95 show with the screening of Scout's Honor with Gary Coleman. I am pledged to do the '96 Pow-Wow.
Woodbadge Methodology Employed:
1.) COMMUNICATIONS - Teaching adults about the mechanics of Campfire Management is an effective form of communications. The novel marketing plan is also designed to attract youth through innovative communication skills.
2.) KNOWING & USING THE RESOURCES OF THE GROUP - Not Used
3.) UNDERSTANDING THE CHARACTERISTICS & NEEDS OF THE GROUP - The survey of 5th grade youth in the schools should be able to help this process along.
4.) REPRESENTING THE GROUP - I shall be representing my scouts at all of the elementary schools.
5.) PLANNING - Most of the Cub weekend campouts directly involve staff meeting planning and preparing for the events.
6.) CONTROLLING THE GROUP - All of my cub events involve a high degree of keeping Cub Scouts engaged and involved in the activity taking place.
7.) SETTING THE EXAMPLE - I told my scouts to help recruit scouts and I am setting the example by doing the school visits.
8.) EVALUATING - Not Used
9.) EFFECTIVE TEACHING - Cub Scout leaders love see & Do activity sessions. I made sure my Webelo Outdoor Training session was full of effective teaching methodology.
10.) COUNSELING - In serving as First Aid person for Webelo Camporee I made sure that any time a scout visited me with some kind of injury I not only treated the wound but I also spoke with the scout to make him calmer and explain what was happening to him. If other scouts were around I turned the First Aid treatment into an impromptu training session (ie) Explain about ticks as I removed about half a dozen off the arms of various den members of Pack 209.
11.) SHARING LEADERSHIP - If I have to change my National Camp School plans I unfortunately am going to have to do some sharing of my leadership commitment to Webelo Camporee (I think I will call on my good friend Andy Bacon) so he can fill in for me.
SOSSI (Scouts on Stamps Society International)
Background: "What is SOSSI?" my coach counselor asks. SOSSI is the Scouts on Stamps Society International. A worldwide association with 700+ Philatelists (Stamp Collectors) who focus on topical stamp collections involving Scouts. I have served in various positions in SOSSI for many years and helped with the just published rewrite of the book on the national level.
1.) This October 11th & 15th I will put on and host the 12th annual Stamp Collecting Merit Badge Clinic (and again in 1995) in the Flint River Council in Griffin. I look forward to this annual event which has received publicity in several national publications of the scouts and various philatelic organizations. This year I will upgrade the slide show or the clinic and will improve the pre course publicity with the goal of increasing attendance. My goal is to surpass the 500 mark with this clinic. To date some 443 scouts in our council have earned this badge from this clinic.
This project has an estimated completion date of October 15, 1994
This project was completed on October 21st, 1995.
Update: Done, this project has been successful for over a decade, and we now can boast of more than 530 scouts having earned the badge in this council.
2.) At the National level I will continue to serve on the BSA relations committee of SOSSI and will submit three articles over the next year for the national SOSSI journal.
This project has an estimated completion date of July 31, 1995
This project was completed on ____(ongoing)__
3.) At Camp Thunder I will present a static SOSSI display as a part of World Scouting Awareness Day each week during summer camp. Not only will it help me promote the Stamp Clinic but it will help educate scouts about their fellow comrades from countries.
This project has an estimated completion date of August 1, 1995
This project was completed on August 17, 1995
Update: Done, for both years I have presented a SOSSI exhibit at Camp Thunder.
4.) At Woodbadge I shall promote awareness of Philately by making awards and name tag type items with some of the many Stamps our postal service has issued to commemorate the Indian's Supermarket, the American Buffalo. It is hoped that these presentations will create an awareness of Philately among not only the members of the Buffalo Patrol but all Woodbadge Participants and staff.
This project has an estimated completion date of March 15, 1995
This project was completed on April 1st 1995
5.) I shall attempt to recruit five local SOSSI new members so we can create a new chapter of SOSSI in our council.
This project has an estimated completion date of May 1, 1995
This project was completed on December 1, 1995
Update: I did attempt it, and I have recruited four members" A Family in Stockbridge that attended my clinic, Mike Edwards & his son Hyatt, Dave Nash & his son, and John Cochran.
Woodbadge Methodology Employed:
1.) COMMUNICATIONS - The Merit Badge Clinic is effective communications both in the promotion of it to insure attendance and in the teaching of it.
2.) KNOWING & USING THE RESOURCES OF THE GROUP - Effective SOSSI promotion in our council will allow me to help identify potential scouting Philatelists.
3.) UNDERSTANDING THE CHARACTERISTICS & NEEDS OF THE GROUP - Woodbadgers all had a want and need to "Graze with the Buffalos"
4.) REPRESENTING THE GROUP - I shall be representing my scouts at all of the elementary schools.
5.) PLANNING - All of the above requires planning, especially the course.
6.) CONTROLLING THE GROUP - Taught the wrong way Stamp Collecting could easily become boring and the scouts could raise the roof. Using interactive and engaging activities keeps the scouts involved and under control.
7.) SETTING THE EXAMPLE - I am a Stamp Collector
8.) EVALUATING - By employing a creative prize oriented game I have called S-T-A-M-P which is like Bingo I can get the scouts to give me the definitions of Philatelic terms in a fun manner.
9.) EFFECTIVE TEACHING - We try and use more than 20 of the Train the Trainer Techniques in the Stamp Collecting Class, employing all the senses (even smelling the Banana stamp of the Lesser Antillies).
10.) COUNSELING - Not Used.
11.) SHARING LEADERSHIP - Not Used
CAMP THUNDER SUMMER STAFF
Background: Every summer since 1979 I have worked at Boy Scout Summer Camp staffs (except one year when I worked in Washington D.C. as a legislative assistant.) In that time I have worked in five different council camps but have always considered Camp Thunder my home. I am returning home to Thunder for the first time since I was Program Director in 1990. I find the task of trying to describe in my ticket the things I set out to plan and do at camp to be a monumental task as I have been planning and preparing for months the launch of dozens of new projects and initiatives. Due to the environment I will be working in this year, I would have to guess that this summer will be the most challenging I have had in five years. Rather than wear the familiar chair of Program Director I will be challenged to learn new skills as Director of Fine Arts & Technology (Handicrafts); Art & Woodcarving are not exactly my strongest skills. I will also be charting new & unfamiliar waters as the Flint River Council's first Camp School Trained Chaplain. Please know (and I do want to stress this) that I plan and expect to do much more than I am writing in this ticket. Moreover, as a part of a commitment I made to Les Baron in return for sending me to camp school I will return to Camp Thunder in 1995. It is my intention however to limit my ticket to the 1994 camp season.
1.) One part of our Woodbadge training I found particularly useful was Jimmy McKoy's Planning segment during the second weekend. I had the opportunity to give that training to the newly hired 1994 Camp Thunder staff at a pre camp Staff Development Training Day April 16th. Using flip chart methodology and the use of focus groups I initiated audience participation in both the abstracts of program planning and applied linear examples of planning methodology within the structural framework of a summer camp setting. We applied specific examples of planning theory such as opening campfire planning, lesson planning, evening event planning, etc. I also employed positive participant reinforcement with the distribution of Stress Ball Balloons (they were a big hit) to staff members that provided insightful ideas.
2.) Another item that Woodbadge has taught me is the inherent failure of event planning when participants are not given maximum information regarding written scheduling. I do not intend for Senior Patrol Leaders of the troops who come to camp each week to be stuck in anything approaching the PLC meetings at Woodbadge while they miss meals and program opportunities. That is not to say that meetings between the SPL and the Patrol Leaders are inappropriate or that there won't be meetings between Luke and the Senior Patrol Leaders who come into camp each week. I do want to provide examples to Joe & Luke of how to write Master Schedules, Honor Unit Planning Guides, Staff Sunday Tour orientations, etc. so leaders can have printed schedules and not be forced to hurriedly scrawl the daily schedule at meetings which drag on through lunch, etc. I also don't want one of these one page blah grids that T. Wayne Durden is fond of writing which give no information and exclude as many events as they list. To this end I have set up a periodically mailed out kit containing many of the forms, schedules, program ideas, etc. that I have developed over the years to Joe, Luke, T. Wayne Durden of the Chattahoochee Council, Les Baron, and Roy Gardner. I also don't want to minimize the useful information which Woodbadge Scoutmaster Ben Couch or SPL Richard Hall distributed that the meetings (ie) campsite inspection scores, etc. I am just shocked that for all of the planning at Woodbadge the course participants were not given a schedule or a listing of all program participants so opportunities for networking between the session weekends could not take place. At camp I plan to address these communication problems with a camp newspaper, a camp radio station called WBSA at lunch, written schedules, and other innovative ways of communicating information regarding scheduling and events.
3.) I can not write items in my ticket that I have no control over but I have often told those around me involved in summer camps that the one thing I have always wanted to do and never had the chance is to serve on a National Camp School Staff. Since the regional office selects these staff people all I can agree to do is this a.) Write a letter to the Southern Regional Office to Tom Moore of the Camping Section and make him aware of my strong desire to serve 2.)Get Les, Luke, and my camp directors at other camps I have worked at to also communicate my interest to serve on this staff.
4.) Attend National Camp School at Kia Kima in Gary Texas (or some other school) on May 29- June 3rd 1994. This ticket item section is tentative due to the possibility of cancellation of the course at the time of final ticket publication. I have detailed this in the Chaplain Section following this section. I will attempt to cross recertify as Program Director if that is possible. Although my primary certification will be as Chaplain I will also get an up to date refresher on Aims & Methods of Scouting, etc. Of particular interest to me is the new Camp Commissioner structure now being recommended by National Camp School. Being five years out of date I have had a difficult time trying to follow Luke and Joe on the relationships between the First Year Camper Program, Scoutcraft, and the Camp and Program Commissioners. I am also curious to see if National is still preaching the disastrous Open Programming methodology for running summer camps that was so eagerly embraced at Camp Thunder two years ago by Boot Camp "Ward" or whatever his name was.
5.) Take a class in Basket Weaving. A two hour community service class will be offered at West Georgia College on Thursday June 8th at 7:00pm. Since I have been stressing for months that Handicrafts are not my strong suit I have endeavored to get all of the training I can on such diverse topics as Fingerprinting, Art, Basketry, etc. When I saw the West Georgia College course I thought it was the perfect way to make my class presentation just a little bit better. If I am forced to reschedule my Camp School dates I will send another camp staff person to this training in my place.
6.) Develop an advisory council of experts to augment my Fine Arts & Technology Department. I want to tap the creative talents of experts in each badge offering we have at the Department of Fine Arts & Technology. I want guest experts to visit our camp and put on demonstrations. I also hope to get as much advanced training as possible for our staff so we can teach the best classes possible. In the coming weeks I want to secure commitments from six outside experts who will provide staff training, materials, or put on guest demonstrations at some point during the summer to enhance the program offerings at the Department of Fine Arts & Technology. Some possible examples of this plan include Silver Beaver recipient Cynthia Eichelberger who is chairman of the Upson County Arts Council, George Knight who woodcarves with a chain saw!, Sheriff Greathouse of Upson County to do a Fingerprinting Demonstration, Annie Bacon from Central GA Council who can really do Handicrafts a lot better than I ever will., etc.
7.) Staff Training on May 14th & Staff Week Training. These two additional training opportunities will further allow me to put into practice the eleven training areas taught in the Woodbadge Program.
8.) Camp Thunder needs a songbook and I pledge to compile and publish a songbook. It is my goal to have it published and on the shelves at the Camp Trading Post sometime during the 1994 Summer Camp Season.
9.) Camp Thunder Can Recycling Program, (see Environmental Education Section.)
10.) I shall conduct weekly Troop Librarian Training for all Troop Librarians at camp and shall bring my troops Media Center to camp to serve as a general resource for the administration, staff, and other members of the camp community. I have conducted Troop Librarian Training for about 10 years at camp and have found the effort to be very rewarding. Unfortunately librarians don't ever get much training and many are not aware of how to conduct their job. I try to give them some training and skills so they can begin to build a good collection and keep it up to date and get their materials back in good condition.
11.) I shall conduct the Wednesday Night Chess Tournament in conjunction with the Georgia Scholastic Chess League as a twilight activity. This honor unit event is co-hosted by Post 12, Chess Club.
12.)In an effort to assist Joe & Luke in their duties I shall serve as a resource for providing literature, technical support and consulting in the following manner:
a.) I shall provide the Council Properties Manager with no less than 200 organizations, businesses, and other catalogues which Joe can use to obtain the best prices and the highest quality of merchandise for the Camp Trading Post. The council is obviously interested in improving the Trading Post operations and a good data base of suppliers is essential in this regard. I also will be providing contact names & addresses of consultants and other camp resources by offering my vertical files on Camp Management
b.) I shall provide Joe & Luke with a massive amount of camp forms, sample guides, programming activities, etc. to use. These forms and guides shall be in the form of Camp Management Memos which I shall send to Roy Gardner, Joe Wortham, Les Baron, Luke Thompson, and T. Wayne Durden on a regular basis
c.) I shall conduct an awareness and educational training program throughout the summer on the realities and pitfalls of antiquated Blue Card run around camp registration schemes and the incredible success and countless benefits of a computer assisted class management approach to handling the camp census.
d.) I shall assist Joe with the ordering of camp literature for the Trading Post and shall accompany him on May 19th to visit vendors and make final selections of camp materials while spending four glorious hours with him one on one in the camp truck in a rapid fire brainstorming session Luke only wishes he was at.
13.) I shall serve as a resource person for developing a new and innovative campfire program for all camp wide assemblies and shall, subject to a staff vote, implement the CPR Rap skit and / or my own copywritten Star Trek Skit.
14.) I shall write 6 lesson plans and develop a comprehensive Program Area planning agenda as well as flyers and other supporting curricula material for the new Department of Fine Arts & Technology. This literature shall include Instructional Theory, Methodology, Ediology, Staff Development & Recruitment, Policies & Procedures. It shall include visual effect materials placed in the program area as well as a facilities plan for our program area.
15.) I shall submit to the Program Director a proposal for linking Merit Badge class activities towards the overall good of camp through extracurriular program augmentation. These include but are not limited to:
a.) Having the Art & Woodcarving Merit Badge classes make 15" round cut aways of each camp Merit Badge to form gateways for each program area.
b.) Having the Art class do camp cartoons for the new camp newspaper, drawing ads for Trading Post items & camp activity ads.
c.) Develop written plans to present to the Council Camping Committee for the erection of a Camp Totem Poll at the council ring to tell the story of Thundering Springs which, if approved should be developed by the 1995 Camp season (the poll itself is not a ticket item).
d.) Having the Leatherwork Merit Badge class make awards for the Friday Awards Campfire e.) Stenciling the camp logo on camp equipment.
16.) As a certified American Red Cross Instructor Trainer for both First Aid and C.P.R. I shall make myself available to the Health Lodge officer as a back up for CPR training and shall help instruct the staff in CPR skills during staff week.
17.) I shall provide plans and assistance to the Camp Wellness Information Center, a concept I implemented five years ago to move the Health Lodge from a sickness orientation to a wellness orientation. This resource assistance shall include literature from more than 100 allied health organizations, disease prevention agencies as well as general literature from the Red Cross, and Boy Scouts. I shall also provide camp forms to insure good & proper Health Lodge operations.
17 1/2.) (Added at the last minute) As the Morale Officer for camp I want to use the backside of the map sign by Howard Lodge to do a set of posters called "Meet the Staff" with a photo and short bio of each member. I think this is an important method of getting the campers and staff to know each other. I shall conduct a survey staff week of each member to get the data to complete this project.
18.) I shall donate to camp whatever supplies I have for from my First Aid Kit. Back when I was camp medic I had built up about $4000.00 worth of medical supplies and equipment. I no longer have the storage space for these some 14 crates for this level of inventory and want to give it to Camp Thunder.
19.) I shall be a Post 95 adult leader and help the camp staff in developing a year round unit program. Joe suggested Committee Chairman, fine, whatever. But unlike the old Post 95 we are going to be more than a paper unit. I will draw my motivation from Post 476 of the Central Georgia Council, now that is a summer camp staff post that did something.
20.) In looking back over these 19 sections it does not near quantify some of the other plans and events I will do at camp but I have not actually listed camp itself. This single line item will take some 9 weeks to complete as I will be at camp from June 11- August 13th. So here goes: I will serve for my 14th summer on the staff of a long term council summer camp. This is my first time back at Thunder in three years, and the first camp I served in. I have also worked on the staffs of five other Georgia Scout Council Camps.
This project has an estimated completion date of August 17, 1994
This project was completed on August 17, 1994
Update: All of the above was done. I had a late change of responsibilities with the fantastic efforts of Mike Edwards & his new Computer Registration Program which was loosely designed on some of my concepts but taken to an entirely new level I found myself in 1994 taking on the responsibility of doing Trading Post purchasing by the end of the summer which lead in 1995 to my being the Trading Post Manager and now in 1996 as the Camp Business Manager. I really did not want to try and list all of the things I was involved with in 1995 & 1996 so I will let my work at Camp in 1994 stand. We blew the roof off the old Handicrafts Program Area with a new Dept. of Fine Arts & Technology. This new Department far exceeded the performance of previous years.
Woodbadge Methodology Employed:
1.) COMMUNICATIONS - I shall work overtime to try and Communicate with Luke Thompson. I shall use my fax, the phone, cornering Luke in hallways, sending memos, catching him at 6:30 at the Scout Office one day before camp when I just happened by be driving by and saw his truck. I am not beyond using semaphore, morse code, or any other method to chat with him about Summer Camp Program.
2.) KNOWING & USING THE RESOURCES OF THE GROUP - The survey I will use to do the staff bio photos will involve finding out the resources of the group. I also plan to find out who can play musical instruments, run my computer, play chess, etc.
3.) UNDERSTANDING THE CHARACTERISTICS & NEEDS OF THE GROUP - The literature I will use staff week on resolving interstaff conflicts should be one example of addressing this item.
4.) REPRESENTING THE GROUP - At every key staff meeting I will represent my staff of three.
5.) PLANNING - I plan for summer camp all year, after 14 years I am still not totally ready and don't imagine I ever will be.
6.) CONTROLLING THE GROUP - Passing out prizes at my training session is one way to control the group, they all wanted a sand balloon so they all paid attention.
7.) SETTING THE EXAMPLE - I am going to try to do a better job of being on time for things this summer. I will have to, all the years I was the medic I could say "But I had a Medical Emergency, someone had a hang nail" but I don't think Joe will buy "I had a Basketry Emergency, someone needed to start a lanyard."
8.) EVALUATING - I will be doing staff evaluations in my area all summer as well as evaluating troops, the camp leadership, the run around registration system (I hope it is scrapped), at the end of the summer I will perform one last blast with my word processor with a camp evaluation which will make this ticket seem small.
9.) EFFECTIVE TEACHING - I sure hope so, the teaching aids, lesson plans, etc. are designed to meet this task.
10.) COUNSELING - This will be a major part of what I do as camp Chaplain. Listening, being non judgmental, medeating, etc. .
11.) SHARING LEADERSHIP - Unless I find a way to clone myself I had better know how to do this at camp because I can't possibly to all of this by myself.
CAMP THUNDER CHAPLAIN &
COUNCIL RELIGIOUS RELATIONS COMMITTEE
Background: I still find it ironic that in the next few weeks I will become our council's first every camp school trained Camp Chaplain. I never guessed that my "summer camp career" would encompass that responsibility. In coming back to Camp Thunder Joe, Luke, and Les Baron asked what would it take to bring me back and what would I like to do. Since Program Director and Nature Director were already filled I had to explore other camp possibilities. It had also been five years since my last BSA National Camp School when I went to become a Program Director. Going back to Camp School was very important to me. In looking back at all the positions I remembered the one other time on camp staff when, as a Program Director, I worked with a Camp Chaplain. Although the Central Georgia Council did not send him to Camp School and I, as Program Director, was not really sure what this person was to do all day I quickly learned that a Camp Chaplain is a vital and necessary person on the camp staff at Camp Ben Hawlkins in 1991. Ever since that time I have missed the presence of that person on the camp staffs I served in 1992 & 1993. Unlike many of the people recruited for this position I don't consider myself a particularly religious person nor have I ever considered a call to the ministry. There have been periods of my life where I made a conscious and deliberate decision to not enter a house of worship. I would characterize my relationship with God to be one of my more neglected areas. In every case in my life when God was absent it was the nagging concern over being hypocritical when I recited the 12th point of the scout law. On several occasions, scouting both prompted me to leave the church (the result of sponsoring institution disputes) and ended up bringing me back to church. My Pastor has been wonderfully supportive and encouraging to me as I significantly strengthen my commitment to the church through scouting. I feel that while my own personal journey with God is not ever going to be a "ticket item" there are ample opportunities to demonstrate a renewed commitment to God & Country and to show reverence. I also know I am charting new waters. The chair of Program Director had become quite comfortable, I knew what to do. Being the Camp Chaplain is going to be a new experience not just for myself but for the entire staff. Joe & Luke gave me one of those "What...A Camp Chaplain ?!?" looks when I first proposed the idea. I know they got about as much instruction about the position in camp school as I did...about 2 minutes worth. Like me, they have done fine without one on staff for years and don't really know what to expect. As I travel to camp school I will be told that this is a full time job, a Camp Chaplain should have no other duties. At Camp Thunder this will not be the case, being Camp Chaplain will be but one of many hats I will be wearing. As I learn more about what my responsibilities are I fear I may find myself unable to find the time to carry out all of my responsibilities at camp.
1.) On May 28th - June 3rd I will travel to Denver Colorado to the Peaceful Valley Scout Ranch near Pike's Peak to participate in National Camp School for Camp Chaplains. I still treasure the other Camp Schools I have been to an eagerly look forward to the exchange and interaction with other staffers from other camps. This was not a budgeted position in the staff budget nor was sending someone to camp school for this position, so I do appreciate Luke finding the funds to pay the tuition portion of this school. In an effort to help, I will be assuming the full cost of travel to and from Texas.
This project has an estimated completion date of June 3, 1994
This project was completed on June 3, 1994
2.) Even though I will find out more about what Camp Chaplains to at scout camp there are some things I already have planned to do when I get back. The first is, in conjunction with the Camp Medic who receives the camper Health Forms, I want to conduct a census of the religious preference of all the scouts who attend camp. This information is found on the health forms. Not only will it make me aware of campers with special dietary and health treatment needs (Christian Scientist, Seventh Day Adventist, Mormon, etc.) but it will give the council a clear snapshot of the makeup of our scouting population. It will give me better information upon which to counsel the troops and better able to promote religious emblems to the scouts. These census surveys will be tabulated weekly and reported back to Les Baron and the Council Religious Relationships Committee as well as Joe & Luke. Where indicated, I will work with the Dining Hall and Health Lodge staffs to identify and need areas of campers. As the morale person at camp I will also scan the medical forms for any Birthdays at camp and will recognize those scouts at lunch on WBSA radio.
This project has an estimated completion date of August 15, 1994
This project was completed on August 17, 1995
3.) I will plan and conduct Sunday evening services at the Camp Chapel. I want this to be a better planned and meaningful, well attended event. I will try to involve other members of the camp community as well as ordained religious leaders, including some who are chartered organization heads. A printed bulletin will, for the first time, be prepared for the weekly chapel service. I hope to get more staff and campers involved in attending these weekly services and will make Chapel promotion a part of the orientation tour of units arriving in camp on Sunday.
This project has an estimated completion date of August 20, 1994
This project was completed on August 17, 1995
4.) Each week at camp I will conduct Chaplain Aid Training for all units. This Monday or Tuesday event termed "The God Squad" is much needed in our units. Many troops don't even have Chaplain Aides and those that do often receive no guidance or training. It is my hope to be able to send back to the units, trained scouts who can help provide a strong religious and moral strength to the units program. As with all training events, records will be kept and sent to the council training chairman. These newly trained Camp Chaplains will be asked to offer a end of the week vesper service for the camp community and assist with grace at meals.
This project has an estimated completion date of August 20, 1994
This project was completed on August 17, 1995
5.) During the week, one of the Camp Chaplain's primary duties is to be vigilant for signs of home sickness, child abuse, and conflicts which might make a camper's summer camp experience a less than enjoyable one. One of my great weaknesses on staff these past dozen years has been a failure to get around camp more. I have spent too much time in the Camp Office in front of a computer screen or waiting at the Health Lodge for injuries. I want to visit troops in their sites this year, before Breakfast, in the evenings, whenever I can schedule a time with the Senior Patrol Leader of the troop. While visiting the units I want to spend some time with the scouts, get to know them and see if they are having any difficulty. One special task of these campsite visits will be to promote the Religious Emblems Program of their denominations. Armed with the data from the Health Forms I will be in a position to suggest that the Catholic Scout investigate Al Altaie Dea, The Mormon "Duty to God" etc. I want to also make adults aware of adult religious recognitions. When I come into contact with Cub Scouts and other members of our camp community I will also promote these awards. I especially want to share this information with any religious institutional heads that visit camp. They should be the primary catalysts for initiating these programs at their church or synagogues. Finally, where a troop is sponsored my a religious institution, as most of our units are, I will, when available, tell the scoutleader about special awards that the unit can earn from their religious institution's scouting committee. The Lutherans, for example, have a "Bishop's recognition of excellence award" which is like a Quality Unit award from the church's body. There are many fine troops sponsored by churches which are totally unaware of the criterion or even the existence of these awards. To help in the promotion of these awards I have already ordered materials from National BSA Headquarters.
This project has an estimated completion date of August 20, 1994
This project was completed on August 17, 1995
6.) In all cases where a troop is sponsored by a religious organization I will initiate a letter on camp stationary to the institutional head telling that person about their unit's camp experience. Aside from again thanking them for sponsoring a unit, I will let them know about our expanded Chaplaincy Program at camp and about the new council religious relations committee. I will also share with them the same information I imparted to the scouts and adults regarding religious awards and encourage them to follow through in their church. Many pastors are not aware that these awards are not just for Boy Scouts, or members of their church sponsored troop but are church awards given to youth in any major youth organization (Girl Scouts, 4-H, etc., congregation members in other scouting units, etc.)
This project has an estimated completion date of August 20, 1994
This project was completed on August 17, 1995
7.) When I said I was charting new waters in this position, I was not kidding. In most cases there would be a Council Religious Relations Committee who normally would help the Camp Director in the recruitment and selection of a Camp Chaplain. That committee is now forming under the leadership of a remarkable Bill Dailey of Newnan Georgia. He is a Silver Beaver recipient and long time catholic scouter who Les has recruited to head up this effort. He has asked me to serve as the Lutheran representative for one year on this committee. Having just gotten back from some training himself, Bill no doubt has a lot of work planned for us in developing a council religious relations program. Our first meeting will be at the scout office on Tuesday June 14th (staff week).
This project has an estimated completion date of June 1, 1995
This project was completed on August 17, 1995
Update: Here is a reprint of the 1995 Annual Report of the Chaplaincy Program of Thunder Scout Reservation
December 11, 1995
Dear Friends of the Moye Chapel of Thunder Scout Reservation,
I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the Council Relations Committee, The Thunder Reservation Camp Administration, Ray Hair, Les Baron, and Jack Sears for their continued support of the Chaplaincy Program at Thunder Scout Reservation/ Our council made a courageous decision to initiate a program back in 1994 that apparently most other Boy Scouts councils in our region are unwilling to participate in. The initiation of a full time Chaplaincy program has helped to put our camp on the map, it has increased the level of awareness of the 12th point of the scout law at camp. Our chartered partners as well as our council relationships committee has received this program with strong encouragement and support. As our camp religious program as strengthened, so too has the work of our Relations Committee. This has been a banner year for both.
In 1994 even though we were being dealt numerous setbacks as camp school after camp school was being cancelled in southern region Flint River Council stood with me as we made a determined effort to find a location for this training. Although Denver is much farther than I had anticipated traveling to I had a rewarding experience which allowed me to complete the training for this task.
I wanted to take just a moment to summarize the results of our efforts with the Chaplaincy program at our long term camping facility for 1995.
* We held 8 Sunday at 8:30pm Vesper Services with a total attendance of 1,423 scouts, an increase of 123 over 1994
* We held 8 Friday at 7:30pm Vesper Services with a total attendance of 877 scouts, an increase of 110 scouts over 1994
* We utilized the Moye Chapel 42 times during the summer for religious related activities
* We expanded our innovative "God Squad" Chaplain Aid Training Program for units in attendance at camp each week with attendance encouraged with the awarding of Honor Unit points. Some 77 Troop Chaplain Aids participated in this training program with participants receiving personalized God Squad buttons with there name and troop number on it. To document the training I have forwarded copies of Training Attendance Report Form # 34413 to our Council Training Chairman Low Baldwin.
* In cooperation with the Sacred Heart Parish we had three Catholic Mass Services or Worship Services conducted with the assistance of Father Mike of the Redemptorist Order.
* On three occasions a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon) worship service was conducted with leadership being provided by adult scouters who had been through the LDS Priesthood.
* Thirty Nine troop site visits were made by the Chaplain to troops who had requested a site visit for the purpose of doing a 15 minute BSA Religious Awards presentation to the unit.
* Tours were given by the Chaplain on two occasions to members of the Atlanta Archdiocese on Scouting and one on occasion to members of the United Methodist Church Conference who wanted to see our facilities.
* In my "log" I participated in 23 counselling opportunities with homesick scouts and others needing the services of the camp chaplain.
* In some weeks we were able to conduct a survey of religious preferences of the camp population showing us the demographics of our camp community. This data is being compiled and will be presented to the relationships committee.
* An expanded line of BSA religious materials were sold in the trading post including God & Country, Living Faith, and Alt Altare Dei packets along with some excellent books like: When Scouts Worship, Pathways to Worship, and A Scout is Reverent titles. Also Chaplain Aid patches were sold in the Camp Trading Post. Our selection was more comprehensive than the service center stock was. with several titles being sold out.
* During the course of the summer, offering was collected eight times at our Sunday 8:30 service. It was announced that 50% of the funds collected would support the expansion of new scouting programs in countries through the World Scouting Friendship Fund provided by the Boy Scouts of America to the World Scouting Committee in Geneva Switzerland. The other funds would remain at the council level in the coffers of the Relations committee to be used to expand and fund future efforts in the camp Chaplaincy program. It is my hope to use these funds to print worship guides, more God Squad materials, and a denomination specific welcoming kit for church sponsored units which arrive at camp in 1996. Below is a breakdown of our collection efforts, all of which were turned into the camp director on a weekly basis.
6-20-95 Week One $55.29 Field Receipt # 457783
6-26-95 Week Two (Rained) $14.63 Field Receipt # 456910
7-03-95 Week Three $57.73 Field Receipt # 457813
7-11-95 Week Four $67.24 Field Receipt # 456920
7-18-95 Week Five $67.00 Field Receipt # 431424
7-24-95 Week Six $39.20 Field Receipt # 457794
7-31-95 Week Seven $103.53 Field Receipt # 389552
8-07-95 Week Eight $83.68 Field Receipt # 388628
Parent/Pal 1st Session $66.33
Parent/Pal 2nd Session $60.05
Parent/Pal 3rd Session $45.14
Parent/Pal 4th Session $33.55
1994 FUNDS COLLECTED $ -0-
1994 FUNDS COLLECTED $361.30
1995 FUNDS COLLECTED $693.37, an 88% increase over 1994
Allocated to World Scouting Fund $346.69
Allocated to Relations Committee $346.68
* Eight times the Chaplain initiated contacts with various church bodies to gather data for campers expressing a specific interest in a religious awards program. This included such diverse groups as the National Hindu Scouting Association in Massachusetts, and the Church of Christ Scouting Committee in Abilene Texas.
* Working with the Philmont Chaplain staff we have received a diskette copy of a camp worship book which I am adapting to our use for publication in the 1996 summer camp year. Father Ron Walters of the Denver Archdiocese is facilitating my rewrite of this guide from his original. This publication, funded with the funds I raised this summer, will be an important part of our God Squad Training for next year When published by the Dripping Rock Publishing Company of the Camp Trading Post, it will become a resource guide for Chaplains at camps across the nation..
* National Relationships Office in Irving Texas was contacted as was P.R.A.Y. (Program of Religious Activities with Youth), the main body for most protestant churches scouting programs, to gather literature and information to present to our camp community.
* I have agreed to serve in the reorganization of the North Georgia Lutheran Association of Scouters for the Southeastern Synod of the Lutheran Church in America.
* On eleven occasions I intervened with the Dining Hall staff to arrange for alternate menu selections for scouts who, due to a religious conviction, were unable to eat certain foods during the week.
* More than 400 prayers were given at camp at meal times, staff & Post 95 meetings, the beginning and end of each camp worship service both at Camp Thunder and the Gerald. I. Lawhorn Canoe Base and other opportunities.
* The Chaplaincy Department coordinated with troops which wanted to participate in the flood relief effort by facilitating the shipment of these relief supplies to the American Red Cross and Salvation Army along with publicity and other arrangements on three occasions for the donor units.
* I facilitated some 42 separate prayer requests for heeling, recovery from personal tragedy, and other needs that were made aware to me by members of our camp community.
* On two separate occasions I sent flowers or get well greetings to staff members who became ill and had to be hospitalized.
* The Chaplain has been involved since the beginning stages with the formation of the Flint River Council religious relations committee headed by Bill Dailey. I currently serve as the Lutheran representative to that committee.
* We have printed and distributed more than 500 sheets of Responsive Readings, Grace at Meals sheets, sample troop worship service guides, and other religious information to requesting units. Troops which are sponsored by certain denominations have also received information on how to contact their committee on scouting. Moreover we have provided information on various unit awards like the Catholic Bishop's Unit of Excellence and the Baptist Unity Award for Baptist sponsored units. No camp funds were used to prepare these flyers and relations material from the National Scout Office was late in arriving and came in insufficient quantities.
* No camp funds were used to fund any part of this effort. The travel portion of my trip to National Camp School was personally funded and unreimbursed. All paper, printing, and other equipment for services was personally funded by me. The tuition portion of national camp school was funded through the camp training budget and it should be noted that my camp salary is for my position as Camp Business Manager since no camp funds can be used to pay a Chaplain's salary.
Having documented all of this I want to stress that my other responsibilities kept me from doing everything I wanted to do. I never got the opportunity to print a bulletin for the worship service. Materials and items from national either did not arrive at all or were late in arriving at camp. There were many more homesick scouts in camp I could not counsel with, and on several occasions, personal tragedies I heard about to late to offer assistance. The religious surveys effort was incomplete. I had hoped to be able to send letters to the Institutional Heads of all church sponsored units to highlight our efforts at camp and tell them about the God Squad and the opportunities their denomination have regarding the various religious award programs they sponsor. These projects remain for 1996 along with a general strengthening of all of the above efforts.
Please keep in mind that being the Camp Chaplain took only about 10% of my time at camp. While Mike Edwards computer program has freed me for the first time in nine years from being the camp registrar for all badges & paperwork, still many of the camp's forms and documents were created my me. As you know I was area director for the old Handicraft Department renamed Department of Fine Arts & Technology in 1994, this past summer I left that to take on the redesign of the Trading Post. This effort has proven to tax a great deal of my time as we made quantum gains in sell volume as well as significant strides in customer service. so conducted almost half of the camp's evening activity programs like Scout Mania, Chess, Movie Night, Astronomy Observations, SOSSI, Red Cross CPR, Hunter's Safety, and Colquitt Trail. During the course of the summer I made contact with and brought into camp some 70 guest demonstrations and speakers as well as teaching at least once class each day including Space Exploration which some weeks had as many as 60 people in the class. I coordinated media day, published the camp newspaper and daily WBSA broadcasts. The success of the Chaplaincy and Fine Arts Programs is reflected in the camp evaluations.
The Chapel needs a small amount of work, some of the shingles are dislocated, the path was severely washed out with all of the rain, and the 12 points of the scout law need to be treated and painted white so they will be more readable. Work needs to be done to refine the Sunday schedule, it was of great concern to me that all summer, for all weeks, very few staff members attend even one service, most weeks I was the only staff member in attendance. I realize there is a great deal of work to do but there should be time for God set aside on Sunday. I think it sent the wrong message to participating troops. I want to acknowledge the special contributions of Michael Morgan in the beautification of the chapel grounds with the planting of trees & flowers.
The camp did several things to enhance our program as well. Luke's Scoutmaster Merit Badge I believe facilitated a greater attendance in our programs, and by including God Squad as an Honor Unit event, we probably got greater troop participation than if the program was to stand alone.
In review, I feel the efforts of this new program have justified its continuation. In time I will leave this camp. It is my hope that future camp administrations continue to provide for a Chaplaincy program.
Sincerely,
Ed Henderson
Woodbadge Methodology Employed:
1.) COMMUNICATIONS - I shall work overtime to try and Communicate with Luke Thompson. I shall use my fax, the phone, cornering Luke in hallways, sending memos, catching him at 6:30 at the Scout Office one day before camp when I just happened by be driving by and saw his truck. I am not beyond using semaphore, morse code, or any other method to chat with him about Summer Camp Program.
2.) KNOWING & USING THE RESOURCES OF THE GROUP - The survey I will use to do the staff bio photos will involve finding out the resources of the group. I also plan to find out who can play musical instruments, run my computer, play chess, etc.
3.) UNDERSTANDING THE CHARACTERISTICS & NEEDS OF THE GROUP - The literature I will use staff week on resolving interstaff conflicts should be one example of addressing this item.
4.) REPRESENTING THE GROUP - At every key staff meeting I will represent my staff of three.
5.) PLANNING - I plan for summer camp all year, after 14 years I am still not totally ready and don't imagine I ever will be.
6.) CONTROLLING THE GROUP - Passing out prizes at my training session is one way to control the group, they all wanted a sand balloon so they all paid attention.
7.) SETTING THE EXAMPLE - I am going to try to do a better job of being on time for things this summer. I will have to, all the years I was the medic I could say "But I had a Medical Emergency, someone had a hang nail" but I don't think Joe will buy "I had a Basketry Emergency, someone needed to start a lanyard."
8.) EVALUATING - I will be doing staff evaluations in my area all summer as well as evaluating troops, the camp leadership, the run around registration system (I hope it is scrapped), at the end of the summer I will perform one last blast with my word processor with a camp evaluation which will make this ticket seem small.
9.) EFFECTIVE TEACHING - I sure hope so, the teaching aids, lesson plans, etc. are designed to meet this task.
10.) COUNSELING - This will be a major part of what I do as camp Chaplain. Listening, being non judgmental, mediation, etc. .
11.) SHARING LEADERSHIP - Unless I find a way to clone myself I had better know how to do this at camp because I can't possibly to all of this by myself.
ORDER OF THE ARROW
Background: I was indicted into the INI-TO Lodge of the Order of the Arrow in 1975. Since then I have attended section and national events, held chapter and lodge office, and received the Vigil Honor in 1991. I believe in this organization and was disappointed that my Woodbadge and Conclave commitments conflicted this year. I feel obligated to compensa5te for my absence at the Conclave by making that a part of my ticket item next year when Camp Thunder hosts this event.
1.) In recognition of the honor given to our lodge as Conclave hosts for 1995 I will communicate my interest and desire to serve in whatever capacity the Lodge Advisor and Lodge Chief need me to perform. I will suggest that I can publish the Conclave newspaper or perhaps do something at the Trading Post or at the Health Lodge. As plans are outlined for the conclave I will be able to revise this section to list my specific responsibilities as the event approaches.
2.) I will work with my chapter advisor Bill Baldwin and Chapter Chief Michael Bowden to serve as an adult advisor on spring troop election team / camp promotion visits to district troops as needed.
3.) I will attend at least three Order of the Arrow events between now and August 1, 1995. This may include Spring & Fall Fellowships, Conclaves, Chapter Meetings, etc.
4.) Serve on 50th Anniversary Celebration Committee. Michael has asked me to serve on this planning committee. Having already provided records during my stint as lodge Secretary in the late 70's and early 80's for the "History of the Lodge" book that John Cochran and Andrew Blake have worked so hard on I look forward to the planned activities commemorating the formation of our lodge.
This project has an estimated completion date of August 1, 1995
This project was completed on December 31, 1995
Update: Done, I ended up serving as Conclave Publications Advisor and found that to be a huge challenge in terms of gathering the information for the guidebook as well as the six newsletters we did. I have also made the chapter meetings as well as the 50th anniversary committee. Since them I had the opportunity to represent the camp & lodge at the South Carolina Trade-O-Ree and am chairing a committee to plan such an event for Camp Thunder for 1996.
TROOP 12
Background: I joined Troop 12 back on March 13, 1974. The Troop has been as strong as 40 active members and spent 18 months dead. Like all Troops it has had its good years and bad years. When I served as Scoutmaster back in the late 1980's we had a special five Eagle Scout Awards Ceremony at one time. I am currently the Assistant Scoutmaster and Unit Advancement & Records Chairman. Along with my dad (who is a Beaver Woodbadger from SE-133) and Richard Franker (Buffalo SR-32) we are going to try and send our troop back into high gear. See the section under Cub Scouts for our recruiting plan. I pledge to:
1.) Attend 33% of all scoutmeetings. I would attend more but the nature of my business often requires me to be away on the weekend and my Camp duties cause a 10 week absence from the troop.
2.) Conduct Troop Leader Training and Troop Program Planning Conferences during a weekend campout with my youth leaders.
3.) Work with Richard Franker to make a proposal to the St. John Lutheran Church Building Committee regarding the possibility of a Scout Hut facility at our church.
4.) Dump the old record book and switch the Troop completely over to Troopmaster 4.0 which I got in April 1994.
5.) Move the troops huge library collection holdings from my small and crampt abode to the scoutmeetings so there will not be a week's delay in getting books requested by the librarian to the meetings. This will involve locating a suitable bookcase with a glass front and locks.
6.) I will work with Richard Franker to catalogue and repair Troop equipment. Creating a database of our equipment and also I will work to bring both of our Troop Trailers up to speed with new electrical systems & proper tag registration.
7.) I will plan and organize with the PLC a mega event trip before the 1995 Summer Camp. At the first focus group session the general talk was either the USS Alabama Battleship or Spelunking in Tennessee.
8.) I will attend four weekend campouts of Troop 12 before summer camp 1995.
9.) I will work to get the Troop's Committee Chairman more involved by suggesting training dates and locations to him. Also I will do the same for our one untrained Assistant Scoutmaster.
10.) I will work with the church's Social Ministries Committee to further build the relations between our Boy & Girl Scout Troop. I furthermore plan to involve the Troop in at least one of the church's Service Projects this fall with our adopted Nursing Home.
11.) I will work with our pastor to implement the 10 points of a Quality Unit and also begin work on the Bishop's Recognition of Excellence Award for Lutheran sponsored Boy Scout Troops. This will involve nine criterion including initiating the Lutheran Living Faith Program at our church and actively encouraging non Lutherans to seek out the programs of their own denominations. I will also seek to initiate the Lamb Award for Lutheran adults active in scouting, I plan to nominate another Buffalo Patrol member who has been active in our troop and church for years (I wonder who that could be).
12.) I will work to get our Scoutmaster more involved in District, Council and O.A. functions by doing what he does to me so often (volunteering me to do things at meetings I don't attend). Seriously he has been a Scoutmaster for 32 years and yet he has been asked to do so little on the district and council level.
13.) I will assist the Troop in completing at least one fundraising activity with a goal of generating at least $200.00 for the troop.
14.) I shall initiate the Baden Powell Patrol System back in our troop for 1995 when we have reformed patrols and conducted training.
15.) I shall promote Jerry Ayer's upcoming Junior Leadership Training course with my top troop leaders, I shall work to get a scholarship for at least one scout in my troop to attend this course and I shall attend the Scoutleader / Parents orientation on Sunday May 22 at 2:00pm.
This project has an estimated completion date of March 1, 1995
This project was completed on December 31, 1995
Update: Done, I have near perfect attendance at meetings during the year. I helped the troop increase their funds from $228 a year ago to $3,230 at the end of 1995. I conducted a Troop Program Planning & Troop Leadership Development Conference as part of a lockin for the Leadership. We are now completely using Troop Management Software, Troopmaster 4.0. We are now a two sponsor troop with no need for a scout hut, and the library is now located at our meeting place. I have done all of the other items listed above. At the end of 1995 I agreed to become the Coach of Varsity Team 12, our newest unit.
ROUNDTABLE MEETINGS
Background: Ever since I was a senior in high school I have attended roundtable meetings, and except for when I was in college, nearly every time. I have found them to be among the most looked forward to events of the month. For the Spalding District Roundtables I pledge to:
1.) Serve as a resource person for our Roundtable Commissioner, none other than David Swetmon. Already this year I have given presentations in Space Exploration and Emergency Preparedness Merit Badges at the February and April roundtables. I pledge to attend a total of five roundtable events in the 1994 calendar year or 50% of all roundtables held.
2.) I will promote roundtable attendance in my District Advancement News. I am somewhat frustrated that the excellent sessions David is putting on are only being attended by a few units.
This project has an estimated completion date of December 9, 1994
This project was completed on December 31, 1995
Update: Done, I have had some difficulty doing this since the Commissioners also meet during this time and I somehow became an Assistant District Commissioner.
TRAINING NOT LISTED ELSEWHERE
Background: Flint River Council is # 1 in training. Considering where we were I know first hand that the number of training events has exploded in our council, yet not all are well attended. And for all the training we do there are still some areas we can improve on. Our council has yet to install a College of Commissioner Science. I went to Bert Adams to get my B.A. degree in 1989. In much the same way we had to send our first Wodbadgers out of council to get the courses under their belt in order to put on the first FRC Woodbadge, so to must we send the same training people out for the College of Commissioner Science Training.
Elsewhere in this ticket are quantified a number of training items including 1.) Show & Do, Chaplain Aid Training, Various Merit Badge Clinics, Merit Badge Counselor Training, Staff Training, more Cub Scout Training events than I can count, Librarian Training, Den Chief Training, Summer Camp Staff Training, etc. etc. Here I will pledge to do the following:
1.) I will work with Jack Crawford on the staff of Train the Trainer. This is a wonderful one day program that I think Joe & Luke should encompass in our own staff training. Not only have I take I taken the training several times but I have used some of that training in implementing other training with scouts and adults. I would regard the TTT syllabus to be as good and useful as Woodbadge.
2.) I will send our council Training Chairman a request to begin a definite plan to set up for 1995 a College of Commissioner Science. While I am not placing participation in the college on the ticket itself, I am putting the promotion of its scheduling on my ticket. Such an undertaking may exceed the 2 year time allotment for this ticket completion.
This project has an estimated completion date of May 1, 1995
This project was completed on December 31, 1995
EXTRAVAGANZA
Background: What a great way to start the fall! I get to hear the popcorn pitchman Bill Baldwin (Gosh I hope that stuff is not cooked in Coconut Oil) and get all of my loot for the new year. I have already submitted dates for the council and district calendar. I pledge:
1.) To attend the Extravaganza this year, and if needed by the professional staff I will take part in the development of it.
2.) I will prepare a flyer for each troop at the Extravaganza for the Stamp Collecting Merit Badge Clinic.
This project has an estimated completion date of November 1, 1994
This project was completed on September 31 '94 & again in '95
Update: Done, I have made oral promotions at the extravaganza both years.
COUNCIL SHOW & DO 1994
Background: Because SR-32 has taken this on, I will finally get a chance to go to the one annual event I have always managed to miss. It is the Council Show & Do for Unit Leaders! I pledge to:
1.) Participate in the planning and presentation of the Flint River Council Show & Do on Saturday December 3rd. I trust I will hear more from my Patrol Leader regarding the particulars.
2.) On September 10th I will travel to Bert Adams Scout Camp where I shall assist the Council Marketing Director with the Promotion of the Gerald I. Lawhorn Canoe Base & Training Center as part of their Show & Do program.
This project has an estimated completion date of December 3, 1994
This project was completed on December 3, 1994
Update: Done! Unfortunately I was not in the best of shape. The night before, in my role as an Explorer Advisor we did our annual Hot-lanta meaning I had stayed up all night with a bunch of teenagers and was exhausted by the time I arrived in camp. Still I helped plan the patch and participated in the activities that day with my SR-32 patrol.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO SCOUTING
Background: I doubt I will ever win the lottery and be able to buy one of those $1000.00 Jim West knots the council is trying to sell but I also realize that all of these programs cost money. I don't mind doing my part, since the council has obviously taken their programming responsibilities to heart as well. While some leaders grow weary of SME/FOS, etc. I would say this council gets it over & gone with in fairly short order. I pledge to:
1.) Increase my pledge amount over 1993 totals to $225.00 for the 1994 Friend of Scouting Drive for Spalding District.
2.) Make a special $25.00 pledge for the Webelo Camporee.
3.) Underwrite the estimated $500.00 cost of preparing the District Advancement Newsletters and mailing them as well as printing and publishing the first edition of the Merit Badge Counsellor list as well as the letters and calls needed to compile that list
4.) Provide $100.00 of Campership Scholarship Funds for Summer Camp
5.) Increase my pledge funds to the St. John Lutheran Church Scouting Fund to $200.00 for Troop 12 and the development of a Cub Pack at our church.
6.) I pledge to pay Troop, Council, OA, NESA, and SOSSI dues
7.) I pledge to pay the cost of my annual staff Pizza Party at the end of staff week.
8.) For the 1995 Camp Year I pledge to purchase the needed equipment and supplies to successfully launch one new Merit Badge program in consultation with Joe Wortham. Currently I am investigating Geology Merit Badge or Bird Study Merit Badge.
9.) For the 1994 Camp Year I have purchased and just donated to the camp an electric Can Crusher to further my personal goal of seeing total solid waste reduced at camp and to further motivate and instill a recycling ethic among all members of our camp community. This device was $129.00 and was turned over in April 1994.
10.) I will promote all council money earning advancement opportunities like the Scout Show Ticket Sells and the Popcorn sell to our unit. Unfortunately for the council coffers however I certainly don't plan to buy (end up being stuck with) the grain silo of popcorn I had to eat last year.
This project has an estimated completion date of May 1, 1995
This project was completed on December 31, 1995
Update: Done, I went on to give the council a special donation of $400.00 in 1995 for non mandatory supplemental staff training. With the arrival of the new Scout Executive Jack Sears I made a commitment to give the council $1000.00 for the James West Foundation in honor of my father. I am now in the process of transferring securities to the council for that amount.
GEOLOGY MERIT BADGE
Background: Camp Thunder is covered with rocks, just ask Joe after he has completed one of his work projects. Why then has Geology Merit Badge never been taught at camp. The answer lies in the specialized nature of the training involved. Neither our staff or most Scoutmasters have the knowledge to teach this badge.
1.) In conjunction with Reynolds Nature Preserve & The Fernbank Science Center Museum of Natural History I have been certified as a Geology Merit Badge Counselor when I attended the "How to teach Geology Merit Badge" clinic held at the center this past March. This clinic will be offered again in the fall and I will promote it in the District Advancement Newsletter.
2.) I will use this training to teach my scouts Geology Merit Badge at a series of Scout Meetings and at a special campout no later than April 1, 1995.
This project has an estimated completion date of April 1, 1995
This project was completed on April 1st 1995
EXPLORER POST 12/312
Background: I am the advisor for Post 12. This year we are a Chess interest Explorer Post with our major event being the Mayfling Chess Tournament. I have also used the post to promote Philately. I am also considering adding Star Trekdon to our post interest or starting a new post altogether. As the Chief Medical Officer of the Starship Republic NCC-1371 (Atlanta GA) they have asked me to start a Shuttlecraft Program in Griffin (a fan club). While I am not putting this as an official ticket item I might be advising two posts by the time this ticket is completed.
1.) Post 12 will participate in at least one council activity for the 1994-95 year
2.) Post 12 will show an increase in membership at recharter next year (Dec. 31 1994).
3.) I shall promote religious awards, the Explorer Achievement Award, the Youth Leadership in America Award, and other Awards, Scholarships and Recognitions with members of my unit as well as Post 95 when organized.
This project has an estimated completion date of March 1, 1995
This project was completed on December 31, 1995
Update: Done, I have also become the Asst. District Commissioner for Exploring as well as the Committee Chairman for Post 95 and the EA for Post 312 at GRASP (Griffin Recreational Association for Special People).
EXPLORER PRESIDENTS ASSOCIATION
Background: Back in the early 1980's I was both Flint River Council and state EPA President. Back them we had a tremendous organization. Our EPA newsletter was better than Scouting Action, we had events almost every month (Road Rally, Halloween Festival at camp, new posts every month, etc.) I want to see our council return to those days, I agree to do the following:
1.) As I have twice in the past year, I agree to participate in the staff of a Explorer Officers Training Seminar or an EPA officer training seminar. The last two were conducted at Gordon College with Steve Edwards
2.) I agree to do at least three of the following District Explorer Activities: a.) For the fourth year in a row help on the staff of Hotlanta night, b.) Serve as a Unit Exploring Commissioner for a unit other than my own Post 95, c.) Participate on the staff of one other council EPA or Exploring event such as the Gatlinburg Ski Trip, River Rampage, High Adventure Week, etc.
3.) I agree to serve in some unit capacity in the redevelopment of Post 95 and to make sure that Post 95 conducts at least one Post identifiable activity off season (Post 95 is the Summer Camp Staff Explorer Post).
4.) I shall promote with the Scout Executive the establishment of the William E. Spurgon Award at the council as an important yet untapped method of awarding the work of Exploring Individuals in our council..
This project has an estimated completion date of March 1, 1995
This project was completed on December 31, 1995
NATIONAL ARCHERY ASSOCIATION
Background: There is no area of camp I feel less qualified in than Shooting Sports. I recognized this as Program Director several years ago and got certified as a Georgia Safe Hunter Instructor. In that same spirit I have enrolled in the National Archery Association Range Instructor class.
1.) This May 25-27 I shall attend the AAA Range Director class and become certified as a range director. Upon returning to Camp Thunder I will work with the Archery Instructor to provide him with resources and literature that I picked up from my training.
This project has an estimated completion date of March 1, 1995
This project was completed on May 27, 1994 & summer of '95
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION & ACTION
Background: One of my future goals in Scouting is to serve one summer as the Nature/Ecology Director. I think I would love doing that, more so than my being Handicraft Director this year. I have always enjoyed teaching about the environment and am a member of many different Environmental organizations (Sierra Club, National Wildlife Federation, Audabon Society, etc. Last year I attended a Project Wild Facilitator Workshop and finally got the skills I needed to put my love for the environment into teachable skills for young people. I will do the following:
1.) Continue to serve as a staff volunteer resource person for Panola Mountain State Conservation Park, Dauset Trails Nature Center, and Reynolds Nature Preserve. At all three Environmental Education Facilities I have participated in workshops and put on seminars on Astronomy, Geology,. etc. In the next 15 months I pledge to do at least three such volunteer activities as the staffs of the three centers determine their needs.
2.) Through my district advancement newsletter I shall promote the programs of the three above mentioned centers to area leaders in an effort to increase their awareness and usage of these facilities
3.) I shall continue my environmental education training by doing at least two of the following projects: 1.) Take the next level of Facilitator Training in Project Wild with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, 2.) Conduct a Project Earth Team activity with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service, 3.) Participate on the staff of The Georgia Natural Resources Conservation Workshop at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College 4.) Conduct a TYTO (Teaching Youth to Observe) or Geosphere Environmental Educational Activity, 5.) Become Project Learning Tree Certified by attending a facilitator Workshop, 6.) Become NatureQuest Certified by the National Wildlife Federation, 7.) Conduct a National Arbor Day Tree Planting or Plant the Future Activity in my community, Provide leadership and participate in a Spalding County Recycling Commission Project or Activity as requested by Wade Hutchenson, the Executive Director of the Griffin Clean & Beautiful Commission.
3.) I shall implement a Recycling, Solid waste reduction program at the Thunder Scout Reservation in 1994. Working with the Nature / Ecology Department and the Trading Post Manager I shall donate to the camp a high tech electric can crusher to make the recycling of cans a fun and more manageable activity with the finds generated being used for the betterment of camp as a Post 95 project. As a part of this program I shall conduct a staff training module of the need for environmental awareness in a camp wide recycling effort and shall conduct regular programs designed to increase awareness of this need with the camp community.
4.) I shall become a member of the Georgia Wildlife Association and become involved in their Environmental Awareness Programs
5.) Using my extensive contacts in the Environmental Education Community I shall work with the Camp Program Director, Luke Thompson, and the Nature Ecology Director, Chuck Melton to bring to Camp Thunder a minimum of two Environmental Education and Awareness Programs including but not limited to: a.) Carmen Westerfield of the Soil Conservation Service to Demonstrate Lazer Topography at Camp or methods of soil testing, b.) The Georgia Forestry Commission (Tommy McInvale, Randy Teal, etc. to do any of the following 1.) Tree Age Identification with boring equipment, 2.) A Woodsy Owl or Smoky the Bear camp visit at an appropriate activity, 3.) Bring the Georgia Forestry on Parade Education Bus to camp, 4.) Bring Dennis Gore to camp from the Georgia Fish & Game Commission to assist with Fish & Wildlife Merit Badge, 5.) Columbus College or other college professors or Experiment Station personnel to demonstrate Entomology or other appropriate topics,. 6.) Bring in other individuals from public agencies and private environmental groups not listed above to conduct programs designed to augment our environmental programs.
6.) I shall write a letter applying for illegal specimens seized by custom officials which are then donated to environmental education facilities, with the hope that we can get some specimens for our nature lodge.
7.) I shall provide at least one metric ton of pamphlets, posters, audio visual media, books, handouts, and other literature to the Nature Ecology Department to augment their programs for the summer, leaving many of these items for the Nature Lodge's permanent collection. I will also loan for the summer my a.) Uncle Milton's Ant Farm b.) Butterfly Auboritium c.) North American Appalachian Manufacturers Association Hardwood Specimen Display Kit d.) Tree ring slices, e.) Anything else I find in my warehouse which I think camp can use. The one metric ton amount is a conservative estimation as I have over 60 crates of such literature carefully collected and saved for such uses.
This project has an estimated completion date of June 1, 1995
This project was completed on December 31, 1995
AMERICAN CAMPING ASSOCIATION
Background: I am one of only a handful of Boy Scouters who are members of the American Camping Association. That is unfortunate. The ACA is the organization for organized summer camping. Nearly every other camp in the country is affiliated with this wonderful and worthwhile organization.
1.) I small serve as Georgia Chairman for the Fall 1994 ACA Southeastern Section Conference at Epworth by the Sea as appointed by the ACA Board of Directors. Furthermore I shall attend the conference and participate in several symposiums including a legislative affairs council on Year Round Schooling and its affect on Summer Camps as well as teach a class in Dining Hall Programming Methodology at camps.
2.) I shall present papers at a panel discussion of the Tri-State Camping Conference in New York City in March of 1995 and be active on the ACA accredation team and at the Potpourri training for staff in May at Camp Greenville in North Carolina.
This project has an estimated completion date of November 1, 1994
This project was completed on January 1, 1996
2.) I shall attend the Potpourri Conference at YMCA Camp Greenville in Brevard North Carolina on May 25-27 1994 where I will attend various seminars and programs offered by the ACA.
This project has an estimated completion date of May 27, 1994
This project was completed on May 27 1994
Update: I went back in 1995 and took a course on Camp Video Production.
3.) I shall set up a resource data center at Camp Thunder for the camp administration to make use of ACA Camping Journal reprints and magazines as well as literature, supplier's catalogues, and other correspondence. I also plan to make Joe & Luke aware of the ton of excellent resources that the ACA can provide our camp. My ultimate goal (not a ticket item however) is to see Camp Thunder become ACA accredited, joining Philmont Scout ranch and three other BSA camps as the only BSA/ACA accredited camps in the USA.
This project has an estimated completion date of August 1, 1994
This project was completed on August 31, 1995
Update: Done. The Camp Administration has chosen not to get involved in the ACA, even to the point of subscribing to the Camping Magazine. Unfortunately the camp has not availed themselves of the ACA reprint articles I have offered to them. Their only involvement in the ACA has been to loose everything I have given them to look at.
AMERICAN LABOR MERIT BADGE SYLLABUS
Background: For many years I have been a member of the National Right to Work Committee and spent one summer in Washington on the staff of the College Republican National Committee where I worked closely with the NRTWC. Part of the committee's work is to educate Americans about the roll of labor in the development of our national economy and the dangers of forced collective activity.
1.) They NRTWC has asked me to develop a curriculum to be implemented on the national level so that local NRTWC chapters can offer American Labor Merit Badge clinics to scout councils. Please see the attached correspondence and attachments. This event is planned for the Spring of 1995 and will include a Flint River Council clinic based on the national curriculum materials.
This project has an estimated completion date of May 1, 1995
This project was completed on __(ongoing)___
COUNCIL LONG RANGE PLANS
Background: Unlike other council's I have served on staff at, Les Baron & Roy Gardner have recruited a vibrant and engaged Council Camping Committee. The council has developed long range plans for the camp and are always open to suggestions. In an effort to pass on my years of camp staff experience and in a sincere desire to watch our council continue to grow I want to pass on these personal "wish list" items in memo form to the appropriate council committees for possible inclusion in the council's five and ten year plans. Therefore I will do my best to "float" the following ideas to the Flint River Council.
1.) A Scout Museum wall or section of the Trading Post which would include patches, camp memorabilia, old uniforms, lodge awards, history of camp, etc. With each passing year it becomes more difficult to reconstruct these records. There are many scouters who would be more than happy to place on permanent loan their old collections and memorabilia if a safe, secure, and presentable display area could be established. An alternative to this is the formation of a council History Committee or the appointment of a council historian.
2.) A Handicapped Awareness Trail at Camp Thunder
3.) An alternative camp program like Summer Camp at College where high tech, science badges are presented (ie. Atomic Energy, Chemistry, Weight Room, Astronomy, etc. perhaps in conjunction with Chattahoochee Council at Columbus College. If not this grand a scheme, then perhaps offer just a few of these non standard badges at camp.
4.) A redesigned and expanded Handicraft area which would support Photography Merit Badge (the council just got about $10,000 of developing room equipment) as well as a kiln for pottery, running water, appropriate tables, etc.
5.) The addition in the program for the 1995 camp year of Project Wild/Project Learning Tree for adult leaders, a fully accredited American Red Cross CPR Program.
6.) Application to the American Camping Association for Camp Thunder to be an accredited camp.
7.) Approval of the council properties committee for a totem pole to be carved and erected for the council ring over the summer of the 1995 camp year.
8.) I shall submit all scouting dates I am aware of to my District Executive so that the 1994-95 Council Calendar will be as accurate as possible.
This project (all 9 sections) has an estimated completion date of May 1, 1995
This project was completed on January 22, 1996.
Update: Some of these projects are done, others are now underway and will be complete beyond the time for the completion of the ticket. The FAR Heritage Trails program is now a reality and will be implemented in the summer of 1996 at Camp Thunder..
Woodbadge Methodology Employed:
1.) COMMUNICATIONS - This memo is an effective method for communicating with the Camping Committee.
2.) KNOWING & USING THE RESOURCES OF THE GROUP - I know Ray's interest and ability to get things done.
3.) UNDERSTANDING THE CHARACTERISTICS & NEEDS OF THE GROUP - My recommendations will be based on literally spending an entire calendar year at Camp Thunder in uniform serving on summer camp staffs.
4.) REPRESENTING THE GROUP - Some of my suggestions will be based on ideas of others who perhaps not really sure how to get their observations and feelings to the right people might tell therm to me so I can present them to the right people i the right way.
5.) PLANNING - The whole point of this memorandum is that The Camping Committee will plan to incorporate some of these activities into the camp's long range plan.
6.) CONTROLLING THE GROUP - Not used.
7.) SETTING THE EXAMPLE - Not used.
8.) EVALUATING - The recommendations will be based on an evaluation of the needs of camp.
9.) EFFECTIVE TEACHING - The memo will be designed to win over other points of view and to effectively communicate conditions and problems in camp to the committee.
10.) COUNSELING - Not used.
11.) SHARING LEADERSHIP - Not used.
Section 3:
Service to Self
I was told that I should never write things like "I will loose 50 lbs by such and such a time" in my Woodbadge ticket. Anyone who looks at me would agree however, that it is probably a worthy goal and I do want to focus on my health for this final section.
When I joined the Boy Scouts I promised to be, among other things, Physically Fit but right now, if I get one size larger I will not be able to Physically Fit in BSA supply division's green pants. Besides the obvious wardrobe problem my health presents the single greatest threat to everything I enjoy doing. Besides giving to FOS is far easier than paying for pup tent sized clothes from Omar the Tent Maker.
Even though I have worked on staff for all of these years I have always managed to slide by on Health Form inspections. Seeing a doctor on Sunday Checkin for a signature or just turning in unsigned forms was the norm for me for year after year. This year I bit the bullet and got a head to toe checkup, blood work, every system, they measured my triglycerides, cholesterol, blood pressure, etc. The verdict was good news with a warning. I have definitely overloaded the circuit breaker but nothing has tripped yet.
How long to I dare play Russian Roulette with my health? How embarrassing it is to not be able to know my weight because not even the Griffin Hospital has a scale large enough to weigh me. The only damn time in the past three years I have been able to weigh myself and get an accurate reading was when Joe & I went to the Macon Food Bank. Standing on the produce platform which weighs pallets by the ton I learned with dismay that I was packing 392lbs! If I have to stop off at the truck weigh station to measure my weight, then it is time to change!
As far as scouting goes I know I am cheating my scouts. Everytime I steer them away from anything approaching a legitimate hike. Yes I can sit in a building all day and go on about First Aid, Citizenship, Stamps or whatever but so much of scouting is out of doors. I know that in the sweltering hot Georgia humid summer days I start to drag.
Getting a check up physical was easy, and although it was expensive due to my "rated" status, purchasing health insurance for myself was another simple step. I simply pledge that I will get professional advice on diet and weight control and begin to spend more time and effort regarding my own personal health.
I still think the Woodbadge Hike the third week was unreasonable but even though I somehow did it I think I was more concerned that I was about to have a coronary while Bobby Brantly (two cigarette packs a day) was hardly breathing hard! The other Buffalo Patrol members were not even breaking a sweat.
This project has an estimated completion date of May 1, 1995
This project was completed on ____(ongoing)______
Woodbadge Methodology Employed:
1.) COMMUNICATIONS - This memo is an effective method for communicating with the Camping Committee.
2.) KNOWING & USING THE RESOURCES OF THE GROUP - I know Ray's interest and ability to get things done.
3.) UNDERSTANDING THE CHARACTERISTICS & NEEDS OF THE GROUP - My recommendations will be based on literally spending an entire calendar year at Camp Thunder in uniform serving on summer camp staffs.
4.) REPRESENTING THE GROUP - Some of my suggestions will be based on ideas of others who perhaps not really sure how to get their observations and feelings to the right people might tell therm to me so I can present them to the right people i the right way.
5.) PLANNING - The whole point of this memorandum is that The Camping Committee will plan to incorporate some of these activities into the camp's long range plan.
6.) CONTROLLING THE GROUP - Not used.
7.) SETTING THE EXAMPLE - Not used.
8.) EVALUATING - The recommendations will be based on an evaluation of the needs of camp.
9.) EFFECTIVE TEACHING - The memo will be designed to win over other points of view and to effectively communicate conditions and problems in camp to the committee.
10.) COUNSELING - Not used.
11.) SHARING LEADERSHIP - Not used. \
Section 4:
Epilogue
I have had this Ticket ready to turn in for some time, and yet I have given a lot of thought to not turning it in. I have a serious problem with the Woodbadge program in our council. So many talented people, and yet so little impact on our summer camp program. Even worse, I have begun to consider the possibility that Woodbadge distracts, and consumes our key summer camp personnel from their camp duties. For SR-131 we will again have the council's best Scouters teaching the most sophisticated skills to each other, yet no one seems concerned when the 15 year old at summer camp teaches hundreds of scouts all summer an awful rendition of (fill in the blank) Merit Badge where the scouts don't even know how to boil a hot dog at the end of the week. Where are the Woodbadgers? Why are no ticket items done to pledge to come in staff week and teach our staff how to teach the very scouts that are in their troops? Has Woodbadge become insular unto itself. Where is the much talked about Campmaster Program that was supposed to come out of the last course? The main thing that Woodbadge has done is distract the Marketing Director/Camp Director from performing his duties at summer camp. Even though he knew for seven months the date of the South Carolina Trade-O-Ree in his role as Marketing Director in a clearly defined Marketing event, he waited until the week before and dumped the entire affair on Doug Billings who had to delay his well earned family vacation to go with me to this event while Luke fooled around the woods all weekend with his Red Shoelaces.
Woodbadge is the consuming force in Luke's life from now until May, anything camp related will either be dumped off on the Program Director or ignored all together. A great comparison will occur in February when for the third year we will have a warmed over staff recruitment day on February 10th with no preplanning done, and thrown together at the last minute. Compare that with the overly well planned, wonderfully presented Woodbadge Precourse scheduled in the very same building two weeks later. Woodbadge is viewed with near hatred by almost the entire camp staff. I am shocked at the voracity among the college aged staff over Woodbadge. Obviously I share a small part of that concern. Now having gone through the course, and completed this ticket I will silently gage the effect of Woodbadge on my Camp Director, on the 1996 Summer Camp Program, and on the staff and council. I have given every outward expression of support for the program, even authorizing a scholarship for our new Scoutmaster to attend SR-131. I desperately want Woodbadge to be a meaningful program for the camp, and hope that it will not blind others with wide ranging responsibilities for fulfilling their other pressing duties at Thunder Scout Reservation.
