A Scoutmaster's Blog

The Boy Scouts of Troop 68 have been performing a little skit/song called Star Trekking since the mid-eighties. (See blog post from August 2, 2006) It has been quite popular with most campfire audiences. In 1990 (wow, eighteen years ago) the troop performed this skit on a local television station station. This video was taped by one of the parents, luckily. Two and a half years ago I placed the video online at YouTube for the world to see. Since then, the video has received over 39,000 views, and averages somewhere around 50-60 views per day.

Well, it seems that several of this year’s Buckskin staff at Many Point Scout Camp has seen the video. Some more then once. One Friday, the last full day of camp, our camp commissioner visited our campsite and asked me if I was the one in the video that was on YouTube. I said I was and gave him a quick explanation how that all came about. He was grinning from ear to ear when he asked me to sign his cap, and then asked me if I would perform the skit with some of the camp’s staff during the Friday night closing campfire program. I agreed, but wondered when we would have time to practice. After all, the staff would be busy all day. He replied that I should meet them at the camp lodge at 9:00 that evening.

The campfire was scheduled to start at 9:30 pm. Not much time to practice.

I was at the lodge at 9:00, which was a one minute walk from our troop’s campsite. Only half of the staff that were to be a part of the skit were there. The rest showed up as they arrived from their program areas. Unfortunately, we did not really have much time to practice. In fact, all we had time to do was to choose who would play what roles, go over each person’s lines once, and practice the refrain. We did not even get to run through the song one time. This could be interesting, I thought to myself as I walked back to my campsite. Luckily, most of the participants had viewed the skit on YouTube and had a good idea how it was done.

I brought my camcorder along to the campfire program and was able to find another staff member to record the skit. When the time came, I left my seat in the audience to join the staff at the side. As we walked out to center stage I could not help but think of the possibility of the train wreck that was about to occur. After all, we really had not practiced together.

I did not have to worry. The staff came through with flying colors. And better yet, the hundreds of Scouts and adult leaders in the audience loved it. The cheering at the end of the skit was overwhelming. We had pulled it off, and pulled it off well.

Once I returned home from summer camp I had a problem with the camcorder. It began eating my tapes. One of the tapes it tried eating was the one that had the footage of Star Trekking. I had promised the staff that I would put this video online for them to see. I needed that footage. I bought a new camcorder, and luckily was able to retrieve the video from the campfire program. In fact, I should be able to get a few podcasts from the footage. Unfortunately, the footage is pretty dark since it was filmed after sunset.

So here is that video of Star Trekking, performed at the Many Point Scout Camp closing campfire program on July 18, 2008. This video is dedicated to the 2008 Buckskin camp staff, and to the camp’s Ranger Scott, who appears in that YouTube video.

Please leave a comment here using the link below, at the iTunes Music Store, or at the PTC Media forums. Or drop me an email at webmaster@melrosetroop68.org. It really is great to hear what you think about the podcast videos.

Click here to DOWNLOAD this Podcast
Subscribe to Melrose Scouting Productions Podcast throughiTunes.
or at http://feeds.feedburner.com/melrosescoutingproductions
Check out the other Scouting podcasts at PTC Media.

The Patrol Leader Council has created the Troop 68 program for the September 2008 to August 2009 year. I think they did a pretty good job. It is not quite as ambitious as past years, but that is okay. Several of the Scouts wish to attend the 2010 National Jamboree so they scaled down the program a bit, but they still let it include plenty of opportunity to have fun and experience great Scouting. Here is a brief summary of the upcoming program year.

September 2008 – The theme for the month is Freaky First Aid. The fall breakfast fundraiser kicks off with the Scouts preselling tickets. The outing will see the troop camping at one of their favorite spots south of town, on Hellermann’s property. The month ends with a court of honor held at the city hall.

October 2008 – The theme this month is Tweaked Out Training, with leadership training as the goal. Two service projects will be held on October 4 as the Scouts participate in the Scouting For Food Drive, and do their annual fall road-up project. The fall breakfast fundraiser will be held on October 5. The troop plans to camp with other troops in the area during a small mini-camporee held later in the month.

November 2008 – This month’s theme sounds a little strange, “Go Games Sports”. Popcorn orders will be taken. The outing is the LPMRB, which is an acronym for laser tag, pizza, movie, rollerblading, and bowling. This makes for a long day.

December 2008 – Personal Safety is the theme this month, including internet safety. Activities include a day of downhill skiing at Powder Ridge Ski Resort and the troop’s Christmas party. The troop will hold a court of honor before taking a break over the Christmas holidays.

January 2009 – Swimming safety is the theme. You know, like Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat. The Order of the Arrow Lodge will hold its winter banquet this month. The troop’s activity will be an overnighter with plenty of games and movies. Unfortunately, there will not be a Laughs For Lunch Show this year.

February 2009 – Arctic Adventure is the cool theme for the month. The Scouts will participate in Scout Sunday on February 8. The winter outing will see the boys at Camp Stearns. Don’t forget to bring your sleds.

March 2009 – The subject of March will be Wild Wilderness. Things like the Outdoor Code and the Wilderness Pledge will be discussed. The troop plans to go to a waterpark for its activity. The month will end with the first court of honor of the new year.

April 2009 – Low Impact Camping will continue the camping theme started last month. The troop’s spring breakfast fundraiser will be held on April 5. The troop will be participating the the council annual Ripley Rendezvous which will be held at the Camp Ripley National Guard Base in central Minnesota.

May 2009 – Let’s learn a few more dishes to cook up as we hit the theme of Crazy Cool Chef. The local Order of the Arrow Lodge will have its spring conclave this month. The troop will be going to Camp Watchamagumee for a three night mega-weekend toward the end of the month.

June 2009 – Cycling is this month’s theme. Time to get some work done for the merit badge. The troop will travel to King’s Lake for a weekend camping trip. The troop will also help out the community by cleaning up the park during the city’s summer festivities. And don’t forget this month’s court of honor.

July 2009 – We will be spending a week at Many Point Scout Camp in the middle of this month. Lots of fun and activities, and maybe even the chance to learn a few new things.

August 2009 – The program year wraps up with a theme of Medieval Madness. I think we may be looking back in time toward the middle ages. The month’s activities will fit in well when the Scouts go to the Minnesota Renaissance Festival and Valleyfair Amazement Park. The patrol leader council will hold its annual planning conference early in the month to plan the next program year.

So, that is the Troop 68 program for the next twelve months. How does it stack up to your troop’s program?

I belong to several internet groups and forums that deal with Scouting topics. Once in a while I someone posts something that is a true gem. Recently, CrewMomma posted a article on the Scouter.com forums that I thought was awesome, and I want to share it with you:

A different way to view the BSA…

We still deliver the character traits found in the Scout Oath and Law. With those values in mind, today we are very much a part of workforce development! Employers tell me that they always need kids with a good education. But, what they would really like is people who come to work on time, don’t lie, and don’t steal from the company and who will give a full day’s work for a full day’s pay. Those are character issues, not educational issues.

People are seldom fired over reading, writing, and arithmetic… educational issues. People get fired over character issues… trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. Your education is what gets you the interview. Your education is what is required to get the job you want. However, it is your character by which you keep that job.

Let’s get personal… Families don’t break up over educational issues. Relationships break up over character issues… trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind,… etc.

So… is character important? Tell me how football, baseball, and soccer will help a person keep his job. Tell me how sports reinforce traits that contribute to a successful marriage, business, or employment relationship. Scouting reinforces traits that are fundamental to being a successful parent, employee, employer, citizen, or partner in any relationship.

by John Thurston, retired Scout Executive from Corpus Christi, Texas
.

I have discovered two new Scouting blogs that I thought you might like to check out. One is written by a commissioner, the other is written by a pack committee chairman. Both blogs have just started up recently.

The first blog is written by Shawn Cleary of Wisconsin. Shawn is a Unit Commissioner for the Voyageur District in the Bay Lakes Council. I look forward to his posts as a commissioner as I am sure he will bring some new perspectives to Scouting that I may miss being a scoutmaster. You can find his blog at  http://commissionercleary.blogspot.com/

The second blog is written by Garry K. of San Antonio, Texas. Garry has recently become his pack’s committee chairman after being a den leader, so I am sure his blog will be full of interesting posts as he becomes trained and learns the ropes of his new position. You can find Garry’s blog at  http://chairmangarry.blogspot.com/

I wish both Shawn and Garry well as they embark on their new blogging frontiers. I invite all the readers of this blog to check them out. And don’t forget to leave them a little feedback if you enjoy them or find them useful. After all, all us bloggers like to receive feedback.

Twenty years ago I joined the board of directors for our local television cable access channel, Mel-TV. Earlier that year, several other people and I were learning how to properly use a camcorder. We decided to produce an interview-style show for the station featuring local men who were involved with the Scouting program to develop our camera skills.

After finding a host for the show we found five men who were willing to be interviewed for the show. One had been a cubmaster for several years. One had been a troop committee chairman, and a scoutmaster for a few months. One had been a member of the pack and troop committees. One had been a den leader and the chairman of the Boy Scout committee. The last one was a committee chairman and a unit commissioner. Each of them with bring different experiences to the show. And each of them knew each other thus adding a few more interesting stories.

The first person to be interviewed was George. George was one of the people who decided that Melrose needed a Boy Scout troop in 1979 and became one of the original troop committee members. He soon held the chairman position. When the troop’s scoutmaster decided to step down a year later he took the position until a new scoutmaster could be found. During the interview they discuss the scoutmaster position, troop funds, rock climbing, poison ivy, and other topics.

This video post to the Melrose Scouting Productions Podcast features the interview with George. It is interesting to point out that nearly everything they talk about twenty years ago could still apply to Scouting today. It will be the first of five or six video shorts being created from the original show. The rest will be posted over the next few months.

Please leave a comment here using the link below, at the iTunes Music Store, or at the PTC Media forums. Or drop me an email at webmaster@melrosetroop68.org. It really is great to hear what you think about the podcast videos.

Click here to DOWNLOAD this Podcast
Subscribe to Melrose Scouting Productions Podcast through iTunes.
or at http://feeds.feedburner.com/melrosescoutingproductions
Check out the other Scouting podcasts at PTC Media.

The June outing for the Boy Scouts of Troop 68 was canceled due to a lack of transportation, so the Scouts came up with a Plan B. They would go on a one day bicycle ride on the Lake Wobegon Trail which happens to run through Melrose. The Scouts would bike to Albany, which is about 13 miles from Melrose, have a treat at the Dairy Queen, and then bike back. The trip went well, with almost no problems.

So when the troop planned a ten mile bike trip to complete a part of a requirement for the Cycling merit badge to take place during a troop meeting, I did not expect any problems. You would think that after all these years of being a scoutmaster I would know better. You know, like “Be Prepared”.

The problems began as the Scouts arrived for the meeting. Only half of them had brought a speed bike. Oh well, I thought, it is only five miles out and five miles back on an easy level trail, so I did not say much about it.

We noticed that the chain on one of the “one speed” bikes was loose, and that the bike did not have any brakes on it. It was the only bicycle the Scout could bring to the meeting so we tried to make the best of it. We tried to move the tire back to tighten the chain, but only had partial success. Well, he would have to make the best of it.

Before we left town we already had two incidents of the boys not following safe cycling rules. The first came at the first stop sign a block from where we started when a couple of the boys rode across the intersection without stopping. We stopped the troop and had a short talk about safety. Five minutes later some boys were talking to each other and not paying attention to the trail when they almost ran into a cyclist coming from the other direction. It was time for another talk. I told them that if there was one more offense we would turn around and everyone would be sent home.

Things went fine until the chain began coming off the sprocket of that one bike. After it happened a second time I told the Scouts to only peddle forward, do not peddle in reverse. He followed those directions and did not have any more problems.

Near the half way point of the trip the other adult, a mother, and I noticed that one boy seemed to be putting more effort in peddling his bike then he should be. We called for a stop and discovered that the rear brake was rubbing against his tire. An older Scout disconnected the brake line and we rode until…

We discovered that same Scout actually had a loose rear tire that was now rubbing against the frame of the bike. And guess what? We did not have any tools along to fix the problem. We called back to town to our assistant scoutmaster who was waiting on stand by to come out with the tools needed to fix the problem. The mother exchanged bikes with the Scout and waited for the pickup to arrive as we headed on down the trail. We would hit the five mile mark, turn around, and come back. By then the bike should fixed.

The rest of the trip was uneventful, but the boys and the adults were reminded of an important lesson. Even on a small trip we all need to Be Prepared!

That’s right! Today, August 17, Button the radical Boy Scout celebrates the two year anniversary of his first appearance in an online video that appeared on Youtube. It has been quite a ride since then. When I look back at those first videos it almost makes me cringe. His talk was slow. His movement were stiff. To tell the truth, at the time I was not sure what I should be doing with him.

What a difference two years can make. Buttons has developed into a somewhat hyperactive teenager who loves Scouting. He has appeared in videos by himself, with real Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, and recently starred in a video with other puppet friends. He has conducted interviews of people in Scouting, gone camping, stayed physically fit, and even tried playing broomball. So far, Buttons has appeared in sixteen videos.

Buttons has also been a guest on two audio podcasts; An Hour a Week, and Akela’s Adventure. Both podcasts are part of the PTC Media family of Scouting podcasts. Buttons also made a live appearance at Pack 68’s School Night To Join Scouting in the fall of 2007.

So what is in the future for Buttons? More videos, of course. Plans are in the works for Buttons to star in videos about Leave no Trace camping and internet safety. Two more “Buttons and Randall Show” videos are being planned. And there is a rumor that Buttons could soon launch his campaign to run for the presidency.

Buttons and I have enjoyed creating these videos over the last two years. We hope you have enjoyed watching them. We invite you to leave comments for Buttons by clicking on the link below, or at the iTunes Music Store (by clicking HERE), or at the PTC Media forums.

Thanks for watching!

On January 9, 2006, I began what was to become a new hobby when I posted a Scouting video on YouTube. It was the BSA’s “Scout Zone” video, which has been viewed 51,000 times since it was posted. The YouTube bug had bitten me, and I began to look for other videos to post online.

I posted BSA videos that I had collected over the years. I posted videos of my troop performing songs and skits. I have tried to keep most of my YouTube videos Scouting related, but there have been a couple other subjects that have found there way into my “channel”.

I felt that YouTube was a great way to spread the word about Scouting. It was, and still is, quite popular with all ages, especially with the teenage crowd that is the target of Scouting. Some of the videos posted did quite well and received tens of thousands of hits. Others did not fair as well, receiving no more then a few hundred hits. But I kept posting, hoping to build a little excitement about Scouting and provide a little entertainment at the same time.

On August 17, 2006, I began creating new original content when I picked up a puppet that had been lying in a closet for a few years. Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, was born and has since taken on a life all his own.

Although YouTube offered a means to share these videos with the world I noticed that some of the video quality was lost in the processing. I began looking for other ways to share the videos and keep the quality. I posted the videos to our troop’s website, but it did not have the traffic of YouTube, of course.

Video podcasts had started becoming a more popular and accepted way to post videos online, due in part to the iTunes Music Store listing them. With the help of Mr. Bob, a Cub Scout leader who had his own audio podcast, I began a video podcast called Melrose Scouting Productions. My podcast was accepted by the iTunes Music Store and people began watching. A short time later, I was invited to join the PTC Media family of Scouting podcasts.

Slowly but surely, the podcast has been gaining viewership. In fact, the latest video posts have been receiving more hits through the podcast then they have through YouTube. For example, the “Buttons and Randall Show”, which was posted a month ago, has received nearly 700 hits through the podcast but only 71 hits on YouTube. I will admit that I have been promoting the podcast more then the YouTube site for the last few videos, but I think that people like the podcast more because through the podcast they can download the videos to their computers to watch anytime they please. By subscribing to the podcast through iTunes or a RSS reader the computer downloads the videos automatically.

Here is a question for you. Do you prefer watching the Melrose Scouting Productions videos through the podcast or through YouTube?