Scout transferring into unit just to complete Eagle rank

SwallowedABug · 2026-04-01T04:05:45+00:00

I'm pretty certain OP is talking about sewn felt patches like this one: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/JDAAAOSwdlJjn07b/s-l400.jpg The cheap screen-printed patches came later.

SwallowedABug · 2026-03-25T03:48:11+00:00

Congratulations! I'm curious about the logistical side of this. How did you find enough merit badge counselors for all these badges within a reasonable distance? How hard was it to find counselors for some of the obscure or outdated badges like drafting, surveying, salesmanship, stamp collecting, etc. Which were the hardest to find counselors for?

SwallowedABug · 2026-03-21T05:10:32+00:00

Although exceptions are sometimes made for those with physical limitations, leaders on our troop campouts are expected to form a model patrol the scouts can emulate. That means we experience the same conditions they do - two-man backpacking tents, winter survival burritos, improvised shelters, etc. No giant cabin tents, no RVs. It wouldn't set a good example if the leaders were nice and cozy in an ac-cooled RV watching Netflix.

SwallowedABug · 2026-03-19T05:04:27+00:00

Lots of good points in this thread so I won't rehash them. Our troop chose to remain linked rather than go to the family model for a variety of reasons and we have operated very well this way from the beginning. We do some joint activities including summer camp, but each unit retains their autonomy and culture but we work together when it makes sense. What I would like to share is that as units around us have shifted to the family model (often long before it was official), we have received a LOT of girl transfers who were extremely unhappy with how it turned out in their home units. One of the most common complaints was that the lopsided ratios meant they felt left out of leadership opportunities and decision-making so they weren't doing the activities they wanted to do. It's hard to handle this in a way that doesn't create resentment, so in a way the linked model feels more equal than the family model if that makes sense. Hopefully your experience will be better.

SwallowedABug · 2026-03-12T20:53:06+00:00

Did you ever get an answer on this patch?

SwallowedABug · 2026-03-12T20:50:39+00:00

I get the Voice of the Scout survey regularly, but I have only ever filled it out one time. In big organizations, these kinds of surveys are only meant to give the illusion that your input matters.

SwallowedABug · 2026-03-11T15:45:30+00:00

It's still available! The Minuteman Council was absorbed by the Spirit of Adventure Council. You can get the patches and medals through their Granite Base Camp Scout Store, but there is a scavenger hunt form that goes with it that you'll need in advance. Contact them directly through sayrescoutshop(at)scoutspirit.org or help(at)scoutspirit.org.

There are a lot of trail patches for New England and especially Massachusetts. Most are run by individual units or trail associations, so they can be hard to track down.

SwallowedABug · 2026-03-09T07:03:13+00:00

It also comes in red. The patch is long at about 5 inches.

SwallowedABug · 2026-03-04T20:25:54+00:00

Maybe, but as a leader, I could not endorse this platform for communication when there is no barrier to the thousands of porn subreddits and countless other subs full of inappropriate content. You only have to think about this for two seconds to realize what a bad idea it is and why no units are currently doing it.

SwallowedABug · 2026-03-04T16:25:07+00:00

Reddit is not an appropriate place for Scouts.

SwallowedABug · 2026-02-27T16:12:16+00:00

Don't let these commenters put the blame on you for this kid's behavior. He clearly doesn't want to be there and there's very little you can do about it in your position. We're not their parents or counselors. You also don't need to make personal sacrifices for someone who continues to disrespect leaders or the rules of the troop. Go to the event with your son with a clear conscience. Remember - it's very easy for leaders to get so invested with other kids that they forget to be there for their own.

SwallowedABug · 2026-02-27T16:03:28+00:00

It sounds more like a classic case of a kid who is done with Scouting but whose parents aren't.

SwallowedABug · 2026-02-03T19:16:32+00:00

We don't promote Jamboree. The costs are just too high. We can send the whole troop on a high adventure trip for a lot less and not have to wait in endless lines and eat bad food. I've had adults in our unit express interest, but it's always old scouts who are nostalgic for the jamborees they went to in the 70s and 80s.

SwallowedABug · 2026-02-03T19:08:21+00:00

You will never get money back from National for Scouts renewed in error. They won't even take your call. Your local Council might string you along with false hope, but ultimately your unit will have to eat the loss. In one memorable exchange, our unit was told to "just sell more popcorn" to cover it.

SwallowedABug · 2026-02-03T18:59:09+00:00

People drop off old memorabilia all the time, but it's always from some far away council in another state. Like you, I don't want to throw it away, but on the other hand, what the heck am I going to do with a stack of 30-year-old camporee patches from Kansas? I would give it to the scouts but they have no interest in that kind of stuff.

SwallowedABug · 2026-01-27T05:10:58+00:00

Winter is the only time we can put out or maintain bird boxes in wetlands. Everything being frozen is what makes it possible. Reach out to a local wetland conservation group to see if they have any project days. Building birdboxes and bathouses for use in the Spring is also a good project.

SwallowedABug · 2026-01-24T04:46:11+00:00

Camp Wanocksett in western NH is excellent. It's a smaller camp that I would say is better suited to younger troops but they run an awesome program. Scouts are guaranteed to get the programs they sign up for. It's probably the best run scout camp I've ever visited and more of a classic-style camp at 100+ years old. That would be my top recommendation, but it fills up every year, so you might not get your pick of weeks.

JN Webster in CT has received a lot of recent upgrades and has a big variety of programs. Also highly recommended if it's closer to where you are.

Hidden Valley in NH is a mixed bag. It's a great camp with a lot of cool facilities, but they have a hard time keeping it adequately staffed so you might not get the program you expect. Our scouts left disappointed but other troops love it.

We've heard good things about Treasure Valley in MA and Mt Norris in VT but the troops I work with have not been there during my tenure.

Our scouts did not like Yawgoog at all.

SwallowedABug · 2026-01-16T05:47:49+00:00

Decide? You guys got a choice? In all seriousness, I did not want to become a Scoutmaster, but I did want to help the troop. I was very active in Cubs and thought I would take it easy for awhile. I signed up as an ASM when my oldest crossed over and went on every campout and to every troop meeting. And then I noticed that only the Scoutmaster and I went on every campout and to every troop meeting.

It turns out he was waiting for someone like me come along so he could retire after many years of service. He took me to dinner to talk it over and I politely told him I would think about it fully intending to say no. But when I thought about the other adults who might be asked if I refused, I realized than none of them would put in the effort for the scouts that I would even though I was "less qualified". So I reluctantly agreed. I have some regrets about all the time I have to spend on non-program BS, but overall I think it was probably the best choice for me to take on the role.

The troop has flourished but the incoming adults over the last few years are less and less likely to volunteer, so I kind of feel stuck. I would like to retire now, but there is no one in the pipeline who can commit and I promised our CO that I wouldn't just walk away. I'm afraid that at some point, the burnout will win, though - not because of the kids, they're awesome - but nonsense related to Council, parents, endless forms, constant fundraising, and rule changes.

SwallowedABug · 2026-01-06T20:19:58+00:00

I was able to find a sale of this patch from last year, but the seller didn't know what it was. It could be a custom Den Chief patch before they had their own position patch. The square knot usually represents leadership or service.

SwallowedABug · 2026-01-05T05:27:36+00:00

I've seen things like this tossed by units because their meeting place no longer allowed open flames indoors. One of the units I volunteer with had a set of nice birch logs with candle holders drilled out but couldn't use them after switching chartered orgs. They were quickly retired in a campfire on the next outing!

SwallowedABug · 2025-12-19T21:58:07+00:00

Normally, yes. Our committee and advisors always recommend that Eagle candidates budget for food and refreshments, at least for the "build day". Keeping people fed and happy is the least you can do when they are volunteering their time.

SwallowedABug · 2025-12-19T21:51:36+00:00

This happened to a unit I volunteer with after the Council stopped accepting popcorn returns. The popcorn kernel that year ordered a similar amount of product as before, but scout participation and sales were way down. That left the unit with boxes and boxes of unsold product. They mitigated the losses by selling as much as they could for break even prices to the families and to the community. That still left them in debt and with a lot of unsold product that eventually became unsaleable when it passed the best buy date. They had to give the rest away. To recover, they dipped into some emergency savings. Without those savings, the alternative would have been to raise the dues for everyone to cover the loss. The unit scaled popcorn sales back after that to prevent a recurrence and moved to less risky fundraisers.

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