A Scoutmaster's Blog

Buttons is a little upset that the troop’s camping trip may be cancelled because there is not a second adult to chaperone, so Steve has to explain one point of the Boy Scouts of America’s Youth Protection policy. The show includes the Jedi Patrol singing their rendition of the Yoda song. Buttons tells more jokes to his buddy Randall. The hosts also read some feedback from previous shows.

Send us your emails. You can contact Buttons at buttonst68@yahoo.com. You may contact Scoutmaster Steve at stevejb68@yahoo.com. Please rate the show and/or leave a comment at the iTunes store.

You can also follow the hosts on Twitter at twitter.com/stevejb68 or twitter.com/buttonst68 .

The Eagle Scout theme continues with Around The Scouting Campfire #15. The show begins with Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, looking through the Troop 68 photo albums. This leads to Scoutmaster Steve explaining his methods of creating a slideshow to be shown at an Eagle Scout’s court of honor. Michael, an Boy Scout from Troop 68, shares his thoughts and a story or two about how he became an Eagle Scout. Buttons shares some facts about Eagle Scouts, along with a few jokes. Then it is time for a scoutmaster conference about a Scout being cheerful.

Steve and Buttons thank PTC Media (http://www.ptcmedia.net) for allowing this program to be a part of the family of Scouting related podcasts. We also thank the Boy Scout Store (http://boyscoutstore.com) for sponsoring this show. Be sure to take a moment to check out their website. Finally, we would like to thank you, our listeners, for downloading Around The Scouting Campfire.

It is time to join Scoutmaster Steve and Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, Around The Scouting Campfire. In this episode they discuss city proclamations about the Boy Scouts of America’s 100th anniversary and Scouting For Food, some iTunes reviews, reasons you might be a Boy Scout, and gopher guts (the song).

Steve and Buttons thank PTC Media (http://www.ptcmedia.net) for allowing this program to be a part of the family of Scouting related podcasts. We would like to thank the Boy Scout Store (http://boyscoutstore.com) for sponsoring this show. Be sure to take a moment to check out their website. Finally, we would like to thank you, our listeners, for downloading Around The Scouting campfire.

Melrose Boy Scout Troop 68 holds four courts of honor per year. We begin with an opening ceremony, followed by the presentation of year pins and merit badges, a short entertainment spot by the Scouts, recognition of Scouts who have earned a rank, and finish with a closing ceremony. Refreshments and announcements wrap up the evening.

Our court of honor ceremonies usually consist of three parts: something patriotic, something Scouting, and an invocation. It is a nice solemn beginning to the meeting. Once in awhile though, the boys get into one of those moods. You know, the giggles begin, or something goes wrong. Unpredictability reigns.

The opening at our March court of honor started well, but the little things soon started. The snickering began. The Scouts had decided to do a Scout Law candle lighting ceremony. Boy Scouts. Matches. Candles. The Scout Law. And that the movie playing in the next room was loud enough for us to hear easily in our room. You can probably guess what happened. If not, you can watch this post to the Melrose Scouting Productions Podcast to see it for yourself.

Has your troop ever had an opening or closing ceremony go slightly astray? Share it with us by leaving a comment below.

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It is time to get back to fun with the Melrose Scouting Productions Podcast. After all, the last two postings were a bit more on the serious side. This episode features the Boy Scouts of Troop 68 during their 2002 Laughs For Lunch Show. Two skits are included, both which involve doctors and hospitals. The first skit takes place in the doctor’s office as the patients come to him with their problems. The second skit finds us in the maternity ward’s waiting room as the expectant fathers await word about their new born children. (You may have to turn up your volume a little during the second skit. The boys did not talk as loud as they should have.)

I think you will really get a chuckle out of this. I was reading the the latest post to the Lone Star Scouter blog by buffaloeagle. He listed comments left by campers to the U.S. Forest Service in 1996. Here is a sampling. You can read the rest of the seventeen comments at his website.

• “A small deer came into my camp and stole my bag of pickles. Is there a way I can get reimbursed? Please call.”
• “Escalators would help on steep uphill sections.”
• “Instead of a permit system or regulations, the Forest Service needs to reduce worldwide population growth to limit the number of visitors to wilderness.”
• “Trails need to be wider so people can walk while holding hands.”
• “Ban walking sticks in wilderness. Hikers that use walking sticks are more likely to chase animals.”

After reading these, and giggling a little, I started thinking about how self-centered, and stupid, that people can be. I really wish that more people would get involved with Scouting and similar programs so that more of the population would appreciate what the outdoors and nature have to offer us. It is time that most Americans get off of their butts, away from their televisions and computers, leave the shopping malls behind, and enjoy nature at its finest. (Of course, I am writing this while sitting in front of a computer monitor in an air conditioned room. Ironic, isn’t it?)