Weekend Patrol Box #30

The last couple of weeks have been pretty weird.

Snow not only cancelled our troop's backpacking trip (roads to the site were unpassable) but our council's winter camporee was cancelled due to too much of the fluffy stuff.

The 30th edition of the Weekend Patrol Box brings you a lot of items that hopefully will get you ready for more "outing in Scouting"!

Enjoy!

1. 16 Tips for Wildlife Gardening with Kids from the National Wildlife Federation.
2. 50% off sale on items at Scoutstuff.org.  Don't miss looking at the great leather sale, too.
3. Have you read about or jumped into the 100 Days of Scouting challenge?  How to get started today!
• Day 1 to Day 5
• Day 6 to Day 10
• Day 11 to Day 15
• Day 16 to Day 20
• Day 21 to Day 25
4. New bloggers to check out on the 100 Days project--yes, I'm stressing it because I can't believe the impact it has had on me.  That impact could be made on you!
5. Great Falls, Montana, has a Scouting history display worth seeing.
6. Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal has several dates coming up for service projects. The C&O passes through several BSA councils, stretching from Cumberland MD to Washington DC. [If your council has a large service day for a National Park Service or the Forest Service, let me know and I'll post it here!]
7. Something to think about this weekend:  if you have (or are) a major leader of your Scout unit, what would happen if you were suddenly deceased?  Is it your problem or someone elses to worry about?
8. Venturing has updated their age and grade requirements for joining--14 at any grade, or 13 and finished the 8th grade.
9. Do we need a national conference on children, the outdoors and the law?  Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder, thinks so.
10. A Cub Scout moment.  I know that boy.

This weekend is not an option--get out there and Scout!  And don't forget to share your thoughts, experience and comments in the Comments section.

Weekend Patrol Box #28

This week's Patrol Box begins with a wash stand.

I found this great image of a wash stand to share.  Do any troop still build these things?  or has this been swept off to the faint embers of memory?  Many camp gadgets are still a great idea--and really help to reinforce knots and lashings.  I know my Scouts could use the work.

1. To Build a Fire, by Jack London:  just appropriate this time of year, and a great story.
2. BSA timeline--good images of our history from Scouting magazine.
3. Handy tool for cold weather camping from PTC Media.
4. 10 reasons parents should care about their kids being outside (more) from the National Wildlife Federation...Oh, and it's fun!
5. Contest! BSA photo contest:  Boy Scouts of America:  Today 31 MAR 2010 is the deadline.  Think Photography merit badge or belt loop.
6. Get in the gutter!  Gardening merit badge idea.  Simple, easy and cheap.
7. Legos, my Scouts love you.  New Toy Story Legos coming.  
8. Hate winter camping?  Try reading through Backpacker magazine's "Cold Comfort" guide.
9. Video:  Bake cake in an orange...fun!  Cubs all the way up to Scouters will like this easy trick. @backpackermag
10. Audio:  Boy Scouts of America March by John Philip Sousa (1854-1932)  I've heard of it, but never heard it before this!  Great way to connect to the early days of Scouting.

Our winter schedule is getting to be as busy as our summer schedule.  Lots of camping on the horizon, planning, training and merit badge work.  What do you do in the winter to keep an active Scouting life?  Comment below!  Or stop on by Twitter to share your thoughts and insights.

Weekend Patrol Box #25

This week's Patrol Box was hard to put together.  There was a lot of stuff to come across my plate this week, which is good for Scouters!  What I don't use this week, will probably go into the hopper for next week.

Weather was the first thing--I don't know about you, but ours has been all over the place. 30s some nights, rain, clouds, and tomorrow looks like it might get close to 75 degrees for "Trick or Treating".

My grass is still green and I picked 2 cups of cherry tomatoes the other day.

Be prepared, take the Hazardous Weather training, and keep a pot of soup on the back burner for the Scouts.

Enjoy the Patrol Box!

1. Twitter--if you haven't joined Scouting on Twitter yet, you might be missing something.  From NASA to gardening, I get a lot of information here each week.
2. Cub Scouts--(Unofficial) New Academics and Sports belt loop and pin requirements--13 new ones!
3. Boy's Life brings you pumpkin tossing...just scroll over the L...and click on a pumpkin.
4. Video you have to watch:  Really, it is why we are here.
5. Venturers--you can earn the "A Year of Celebration" patch and ribbons, too.
6. Merit Badge of the Week:  Canoeing
7. New Book, pre-order 34% off: "Boy Scouts of America:  A Centennial History"  Help make it a bestseller!  288 pages of Scouting.
8. Wildlife vampires--oxpeckers, vampire finches and leeches...'tis the season...
9. Not done with Halloween thoughts yet:  America's Scariest Trails from Backpacker.com.
10. Another Scouting YahooGroup:  Lone Scouts

Take some time to explore new areas of Scouting this weekend!

Comments?  Feel free to share your thoughts below!

Weekend Patrol Box #24

Hallowe'en is coming up fast, and there are plenty of Haunted Houses in our area to go to (including at Camp Rock Enon this weekend).  This fundraising effort by our council shows the kind of project that can be accomplished when folks make an idea happen.

If you are in the area, stop by--there are G and PG-13 versions so that little kids can enjoy it, too.

What do your Scouts do for Hallowe'en?  

I heard about a Cub Scout pack that dressed up in costumes and then conducted a regular meeting learning CPR basics.  


Not sure which was scarier, Cubs doing CPR or costumes...;-)

That definitely puts the "fun" in Scouting though!

Wet or dry, warm or cold, enjoy this week's Patrol Box.

1. How to build an igloo--Boy's Life online
2. Most of us have heard of Venturers and Explorers, and maybe even Sea Scouts--but how about Air Scouts and the Senior Degree Honor Society? Try Senior Scouting History for all of the programs Scouting has offered to older Scouts over the years.
3. New (to me) YahooGroup for Venturing--if you have a crew or are considering one (like me) this is a good resource to learn more about the program.
4. NASA has new hardware for us to get excited about--might not help with your campout, but it will surely inspire them--Ares is scheduled for a test flight on 27 OCT. (via Twitter @NASA_Ares_I_X)
5. Wearing your uniform to "trick or treat"? Cracker Barrel blog wants to know what you think.
6. Scoutstuff.org is really cleaning house:  how about "Den Meeting in a Box" kits (made for 10 Scouts and a month of work) for $9.88?  I hear uniforms are $6-8 in the older style now, too.
7. 4th Grade Webelos Scout Fast Tracks program--very neat stuff going on now for Webelos Scouts.
8. Art of Manliness blog has a book now--received mine this week and it is great reading.  Lots of information to share on "Classic Skills and Manners for the Modern Man".
9. An Hour A Week podcast #199--I'm about to listen to this, but it promises news on the NEW Academics and Sports belt loops and pins. From PTC Media.
10. Have you reached out to Scouting alumni yet?  Try the Alumni version of the "A Year of Celebration" patch and ribbons.  Let's get 'em back!

Hope your weekend goes well, and that you get to crack open that patrol box!

Comments or thoughts?  What do you think of podcasts and blogs for Scouting?  Leave word below or @Scoutsigns on Twitter.

Weekend Patrol Box #19

A cool snap has struck just in time for Labor Day weekend, low 70's to begin the week.

It can just as easily be in the 90's here this time of year.

So camping is definitely on the mind. Definitely not mowing the lawn this weekend...;-)

All across the country, the BSA is kicking off celebrations of the Centennial Year this week. What is going on in your area? Contact your council to find out! There is a committee busy, busy, busy working on your council's celebrations.

1. In honor of the pending Labor Day weekend, a little information.
2. Does your sponsor do anything special for you? Like a parking spot for Eagle Scouts?
3. Merit Badge of the Week: Backpacking by Scoutsigns
4. Art of Manliness blog: How to Build a Pinewood Derby Car
5. ReverentScout: Den Chiefs (short audio link) New service that is off to a good start.
6. Art of Manliness again: International Backpacking tips Yeah, this is a pretty interesting blog for the Scouting world.
7. Corn Scouts or Scouting for Corn or just corny...
8. BSA Adventure Base 100 Tour schedule. Coming to a large city near you...or close anyway.
9. Did you miss National Marshmallow Toasting Day? Thought so. A Boy Scout's Blog is a good effort by a Scout, too.
10. If you are going to help a little old lady...this is the way to go. The purse might be a problem though. (30 second BSA commercial)
11. X-Mouse, Spider-Goofy, DareDonald...you might not care so much but your Scouts will be interested!

Well, that should keep you busy and give you lots to talk about with your Scouts. Celebrate Labor Day to remember your "hour a week"!

Pinewood Derby, marshmallow toasting, zip lines, backpacking and corn mazes--definitely something for you to comment on! Feel free to leave a comment below or send me a tweet.

Weekend Patrol Box #18

The Patrol Boxes have been a bit sporadic this summer, but hopefully you will find plenty of good stuff to look at here.

Fresh coat of paint, replace a couple of wobbly screws, scrub off the ketchup spots, and...voila! Good as new!

As always, there is so much to learn and only so many minutes to get it all done.

Start here:

1. Cub Scout Roundtable Commissioner and Staff Basic Training Manual--the whole manual is here for you to digest how Roundtable ought to work.
2. Check out the pictures of Living Root Bridges--nature's own Swiss Family Robinson.
3. The Trainer's Corner brings us a great plan for Webelos Scouts to earn the Outdoorsman activity badge.
4. His "Campfire Ash" is a terrific idea, too.
5. BSA's National Jamboree Leader's Guide--almost 80 pages of details (fun even if you aren't going!).
6. Backpacker.com brings us ice caves 20 feet thick year-round--in New Mexico.
7. Video 1:24) How to cook fish on a rock--also from Backpacker.com. (This is a magazine I always recommend to my older Scouts...and Scouters.)
8. Popsticks--the manufacturer sent me one to try out (watch for review post soon) and my Scouts loved it. Trees never felt safer around a marshmallow.
9. Scoutstuff.org has the new Year of Celebration emblem!
10. ...and finally another Centennial item from Scoutstuff.org: the Ring Emblem to go around your World Crest (that's the purple thing on your uniform). Very backordered, so get in line.

Which topic did you like best? What would you like to see more depth on? Please comment below and share your thoughts and experiences.

May Tweets

These were the most popular tweets for @Scoutsigns in May:

1. http://ow.ly/5sXl	BSA Speaker http://ow.ly/5sXl	106 Clicks
2. http://ow.ly/5gC5	Rocket Launch to Be Watchable On the Entire U.S. Eastern Seaboard Tonight http://ow.ly/5gC5	68 Clicks
3. http://ow.ly/55eH	Your Scouting Twitter List is Ready! http://ow.ly/55eH	51 Clicks
4. http://ow.ly/7BUv	The Accidental Webelos Scout to Boy Scout transition program...http://ow.ly/7BUv (parts 2 and 3 later this week)	43 Clicks
5. http://ow.ly/3rZL	Positive essay on the Boy Scouts! http://ow.ly/3rZL	37 Clicks
6. http://ow.ly/9KqN	Weekend Patrol Box #17 http://ow.ly/9KqN	32 Clicks
7. http://ow.ly/4PsG	Too Cool Not to Share http://ow.ly/4PsG	29 Clicks
8. http://ow.ly/8AwM	ScoutSigns: Weekend Patrol Box #16 http://ow.ly/8AwM	26 Clicks
9. http://ow.ly/5769	The Power of Tweeting (Leave No Trace blog) http://ow.ly/5769	21 Clicks
10. http://ow.ly/5oZl	The Compleat Gentleman: The Modern Man's Guide to Chivalry http://ow.ly/5oZl	18 Clicks

Which did you like best?  The essay is still a strong shower, a month later!  Leave a comment or tweet.

Weekend Patrol Box #17

Great thing about a short holiday week is how quickly the weekend comes around again!

We have our troop's first Eagle Court of Honor this Saturday, followed by a couple of hours working at Camp Rock Enon.  Free lunch at CRE, so not too much cooking to do though!

There will still be some time for rummaging around in the patrol box, looking for goodies to share and enjoy.

Enjoy the weekend!

1. Great American Backyard Campout--Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venturers, Scouters and families can all help make this an annual event at your house!
2. Camping sale at Scoutstuff.org ends Sunday, 31 MAY:
3. Cub Scout friendly project (Gardening merit badge, too):  How to grow corn in a container
4. The Phantom Torso Returns--OK, definitely a Space Exploration merit badge topic from NASA.
5. American Red Cross is having an event:  01-07 JUN is National CPR/AED Awareness Week.  Local Red Cross organizations are sponsoring events.
6. Minnesota's Anthony Thomas is Eagle Scout #2,000,000.  Congratulations!
7. Popsticks--anyone have one?  I have one coming and I'll report on it here.  Appears to be a neat gadget and could save a lot of trees from "marshmallow terror".
8. New Scouter blog with advice on using Twitter. (Try @scoutsigns to see!)
9. Advice on overnight camp:  is your child ready?
10. Scouting News has information on a pilot program to use jetskis with Boy Scouts in the Blue Ridge Mountain Council.  Please don't tell my son...

Anything left over in your patrol box to share?  Please comment below! Or visit me on Twitter to share your idea.

Weekend Patrol Box #16

National Honor Patrol Award, cloth, No. 00367, Boy Scout, beneath patrol emblem of patrol that has met the standard.--Scouting.org

Great way to begin the weekend!  

One of our patrols has earned the National Honor Patrol Award, which they will receive at our Court of Honor next weekend.  They worked on it as a patrol, with little interference from the adults.  It is a great example to set for our new patrol of former Webelos, the Bloody Sharks.

Here are a few spices to enjoy with your Memorial Day Weekend patrol box:

1. The Best Patrols from Scouting magazine.  Includes National Honor Patrol requirements.
   
2. Prone to blisters when hiking?  Everything you wanted to know about taping them.
   
3. Finally, it's back--Merit Badge of the Week:  Automotive Maintenance
   
4. Great series on Webelos to Troop conversion at The Trainer's Corner.
   
5. Immersion training for the New Scout Patrol--part 1, part 2 and part 3.
   
6. Webelos Scout, not Webelos--got it.  Thanks KISMIF.
   
7. Arbor Day Foundation--BSA tree for the 100th Anniversary.  You buy one, and another will be planted in the "newly created Boy Scouts of America Centennial Forest" for each tree you purchase.
   
8. Be a BSA Speaker--easy to do, and I'm all signed up.  Anyone need a speaker?
   
9. Name that council! Each week, BSA's Cracker Barrel blog posts a council shoulder patch with the words blocked out for you to try and figure out.  Patch hounds will probably know, and interesting for the rest of us.
   
10. In honor of Memorial Day--everything you always wanted to know about it.
    

How will your troop or pack spend the Memorial Day weekend?  Anything exciting?  Share your plans with us in the comments.

Scoutsigns on Twitter.

Weekly Patrol Box #14

[Flexing my Patrol Box opening muscles...ouch!]

I think hibernation season is about over, and it is time to get the Patrol Box out again.  In fact, we have a big Webelos Crossover this weekend, so there is a lot to do.

To kick things off, how about this nifty little patrol box?  Our patrols are looking to build a new one, and this looked great.

With such a big weekend coming up (we are picking up 5 new Scouts), it might be a good time to look at the blog resources available to Scouting.  Each day you can pick up a ton of experience and learn from others--quick education.

1. Recently, I mentioned Scouting magazine's new Cracker Barrel blog.  Already a favorite to read.
   
2. Boyandgirlscouts.com continues to be a favorite--read about this Bobcat attack (no, it isn't the name of a skit!).
   
3. LeaveNoTrace blog--somehow, it just seems like the right thing to follow...
4. KISMIF.org--one of my favorites.  Always brief and to the point.
5. Lone Star Scouter (or Troop 483 blog)--a blog that begins with Will Rogers' quote, "The only problem with the Boy Scouts...There's not enough of them.",has to be a good read--and is.
   
6. Scoutmaster Musings from BoyScoutTrail.com is always informative and offers good ideas, like the new (very profitable) troop fundraiser announced earlier this month.
7. Chairman's Chat is more infrequent, but worth the time.
8. The Scoutmaster's Corner (formerly The Commissioner's Corner) is reinventing itself.
9. Trail Cooking & the Outdoors just gets you in the spirit of getting out there!
10. Finally, A Scoutmaster's Blog from Steve B. at Melrose Scouting Productions (think "Buttons").

Enjoy your weekend, and all of the good reads here.

What are your favorite Scouting (or Scout related) blogs?  Do you know of any written by Scouts?

Weekend Patrol Box #12

After Thanksgiving dinner yesterday and a weekend full of leftovers coming up, the Weekend Patrol Box is here to give your hands something to do that doesn't involve a fork. But I'll keep it light.

Turkey, sausage stuffing, pecan pie, frozen pumpkin pie, broccoli casserole, mashed potatoes and giblet gravy all have their place. On a plate!

I hope you and your families and friends all have a great weekend.

What a great holiday to remember duty to God, family and country.

Please pass the sweet potatoes...

1. Get in a walk and a little fun--try letterboxing!
2. Keep your dog healthy on the trail, from Backpacker.com
3. A great Scout skill: pick a campsite.
4. And a Backpacker video to round it out: hiking sand dunes.
5. Good weekend to get in a little astronomy--hide Venus, Jupiter and the Moon behind your thumb at arm's length. Thanks NASA.
6. Speaking of Astronomy--Scoutsigns' Merit Badge of the Week.
7. Need new Scouting blogs to read? Try Halfeagle.com.
8. Cook your turkey in a trash can. Really.
9. Enjoy a joke at Boys' Life online.
10. Black Friday--at Scoutstuff.org.

Coffee would go good with that pie... ;-)

See anything you like, or that you think should be here? Email me and let me know.

Weekend Patrol Box #11

The snow is beginning outside my window. Lows this weekend in the teens--but a whole lot warmer than my years growing up on Eielson AFB, Alaska!

Yep, I'm still in t-shirts. And loving the cool weather.

I do try to encourage my Scouts to mentally fight the cold. A little toughness can go a long way with the weather. You learn a few tricks walking to school at 40 below zero!

Like how to hustle.

(By the way, if any Scout or Scouter from the Fairbanks or Eielson area see this, I'd love to hear about the troop on base!)

This week's Patrol Box will help you think about something besides the cold, too.

1. Going somewhere? Use boyscouttrail.com's Online Tour Permit--you can edit it online, save it to your system, and not have to hunt down the information each time.
2. Maybe we could feature a recipe from their site, too: Train Wreck
3. Let the cold motivate you to earn a merit badge indoors: Art is online at Scoutsigns and will keep you busy.
4. In case you missed it, Architecture was posted. Dr. Architecture wants to help spread the word to your Scouts, too.
5. Go to Iceland! Roverway registration for Scouts 16 and up, per boyandgirlscouts.com. It should be warmer that time of the year...
6. Probably a good time to review hypothermia with backpacker.com, a part of their Survival 101 program.
7. Free BSA basketball: spend $75 at Scoutstuff.org (until 31 DEC or until they run out of basketballs!) Use Promo Code BB24108 at checkout.
8. Autumn is a great time to collect things for a nature table, courtesy of the National Wildlife Federation. We have had one in our house for decades now. Kids love it!
9. A Scoutmaster's Blog has a number of good things this week, but I'm partial to the manual collection.
10. Christmas ornament from Hallmark (in store only): Snoopy and troop on Beagle Scout Day Out.
11. Does anyone else wish we could order these ornaments (not just on cards)?
12. The last Patrol Box mentioned woodworking--Bell Forest Products have an inexpensive assortment of exotic woods your Scouts might like to see (think Craftsman, Wood Carving and Woodwork).
13. Kismif.org reminds us that the Pinewood Derby is just around the corner...thanks...
14. OK, Scoutsigns isn't listed, but I'm sure it was an oversight: 30 Links for Cub Scouters
15. A random click at Ropes and Poles brought me to "Fun with Ropes and Spars" at The Dump.
16. Mike Rowe, Eagle Scout, just in case you are the last Scouter in America to see this letter.
17. Do you need a copy sent to your Scout? From the bottom of the page:

    All you have to do is mail a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Eagle Scout Letter, Pilgrim Films and Television, 6180 Laurel Canyon Blvd., #350, No. Hollywood, CA 91606. Please allow 12+ weeks for Mike to fill it out, sign it and get it in the mail to you. And folks - this is an offer, a nice thing, a volunteer deal Mike wants to do for you - please don't complain if it takes a while to get to you, OK?

See anything you like, or didn't and you think should be here? Email me and let me know.

Now off to add Mike's show to my DVR...

Weekend Patrol Box #10

Cold and blustery are coming your way.

Make sure that your patrol box is stocked with plenty of coffee (sugar and cream, if you like that) and hot chocolate mix to get through the weekend. And extra cups. Why do some of the Scouts always forget to bring a cup?

Oh, and plenty of spoons or coffee stirrers.

1. The cool weather is making me think of indoor work, like woodworking. My Scout work would improve if I had the tools and space to make some projects happen. This is the winter...
2. We signed up a new Cub Scout, fresh from Mexico. He speaks very little English right now, but is very excited. Our Bear Den Leader and I are rapidly learning about Spanish resources for the BSA online. Tip: we ordered a Spanish version of the Bear manual through our Scout office (for the parents) and an English version for him. Spanish edition was $2 cheaper! Scoutstuff pricing was the same though.
3. Adult application in Spanish.
4. Youth application in Spanish.
5. Scouting...Vale la Pena! And in English!
6. BSA Innovation Engine--lots of new ideas for Scouting. After the first of the year, you can contribute, too. Vote! C'mon Robotics Merit Badge!
7. 0 (Zero) degree sleeping bags at scoutdirect.com for $30. Quick, while they last.

   "We recently received some Crescent Lake 0 Regular mummy sleeping bags which arrived to us with a minor cosmetic mistake. Our factory embroidered Crescent Lake 20 instead of Crescent Lake 0 on the outside of the bag."

8. Don't forget to log your "Scouting for Food" into Good Turn for America.
9. And read up on your BSA Good Turns. 100 train carloads of peach pits, really?
10. Backpacker.com brings us good advice on surviving disasters in the wild.
11. Advanced Buddy System: Stay or Go?
12. Hammock camping is a great way to be mobile in the woods--Backpacker.com video.
13. Signal miror--can you use one properly? Do you own one? Image.
14. Veterans Day is a good time to bring up the US Heritage Awards: Silver for Cub Scouts, Gold for Boy Scouts. Our Cub Scouts earn them while working on Citizen activity badge for Webelos rank.
15. Boyandgirlscouts.com shared info on an ArrowCorps5 documentary coming.
16. Webelos to BSA transition--great questions to know the answers to before you are asked.
17. And those new Scouts are ready for the National Honor Patrol award over at boyscouttrail.com.

Lots to work and and think about this weekend. If there is anything you'd like to see on here, please let me know.

What do you like to read about for Scouting?

Weekend Patrol Box #8

This is the last weekend before Hallowe'en, and then the holiday rush begins.

Our regular meeting times are on Wednesday nights, so Thanksgiving rushes our month a bit. The same thing happens in December, with Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve falling on a meeting night.

I hate to cancel meetings, but a Scout's (and Scouter's) first duty is home and family so we cancel on the "eves".

For some of us fundraising is ending, and for others that sell Christmas trees and other holiday items, it is just getting underway.

This just adds to the joy of the season!

Enjoy the Patrol Box, and have a great weekend.

1. To lead the Patrol Box off this weekend, how about a little online fun--carve a virtual pumpkin!
2. Tuesday is "Free Taco" Day! Don't miss it!
3. Did you participate in JOTA/JOTI this year? Ropes and Poles brings scoutcraft to the 51st JOTA and 12th JOTI this year.
4. Popcorn season is finally...in the bag (couldn't resist!).
5. Boy Scout Radio, for and by Boy Scouts, every Saturday at Radio Sandy Springs in Atlanta. Shows are archived and can be heard online.
6. 121 merit badges, and Coleman Carter has them all! [Maybe skip the "comments" section for amarillo.com, as they don't appear to be filtered.]
7. Archaeology is one that he has, too.
8. Merit badge commentary from The Scoutmaster Minute.
9. The Scoutmaster Minute also brings a Backpacking Tip of the Week. A timely discussion on layering in this column.
10. Girl Scout Stew with a side of Thin Mints...courtesy of boyscouttrail.com.
11. Or maybe dutch oven Caramel Pineapple Rolls from Lone Star Scouter (Troop 483 blog).
12. Who knew that Scouting's favorite burro has a blog? Pedro's Weblog from boyslife.org.

Hope you enjoyed the Weekend Patrol Box--if you have any sites worth seeing, please leave a comment or email me.

Weekend Patrol Box #6

Hey, six weeks have come and gone now. Hope the Patrol Box is giving you plenty to read and learn from.

Feel free to link to it or send out to your Scouts, too.

Shenrapawa's Mighty Troop 423 is headed out on our Lewis and Clark Fall Camporee this weekend. Tomahawk throwing, canoe races, letterboxing, and spectacular camping weather--what more could you ask for?

How about a good Patrol Box?

Let's help Ropes and Poles celebrate: 3 years of bringing us great Scouting on the web. The pictures on this entry alone will make you green with envy.

Scoutsigns has brought me another benefit: other great websites that I hadn't already known about. Boyandgirlscouts.com has a steady stream of news and updates for you about Scouting.

This one will remind you why we supervise our Scouts when doing fundraising! Dumbfounding video--worth the couple of minutes.

Speaking of fundraising: how is your popcorn season going? New tip!

The Backpacker.com video this week is on treating bloody wounds in the wild. They have a great first aid device, and I can just see all the Scouts running up to Mom for a little help.

Backpacker.com also has great articles: anyone ever have to help a Scout with fears in the woods? Or have them yourself?

This Columbus Day weekend is first annual "Make Tracks Family Trail Weekend" from the National Wildlife Federation. Encourage your Scouts to get out!

KISMIF.org has a great idea for letting Scouts know where to be: den signs. Could be used by Boy Scouts, too, with patrol flags or emblems.

Scoutmaster Musings addresses Demonstrate Scout Spirit in your everyday life. How do YOU handle this? Comment below!

Childcare at about.com has a great list of 10 fun activities for teaching fire safety. This would be easy to work in to a den meeting, or have a Boy Scout teach to a den.

I know everyone's attention is on the economy right now--been quite week. Might be a good time to get your Scouts intersted in American Labor or American Business merit badges. You might want to turn the American Business badge upside down though, this week. ;-)

Well, I've got a van to load up for the weekend. Hope this Patrol Box gave you a lot to think about and share with your Scouts.

Weekend Patrol Box #5

The weather is sunny and warm, and down into the 40s at night. Perfect for camping and dragging out the Patrol Box. Lots of interesting things in the Patrol Box this week.

Fire is always popular. There is also a video and a video game tucked away to help pass the time. The Cub theme this month is "Adventures in Books", so count on plenty to read.

Autumn seems to bring out the best of everything.

Participate in the Great American Fire Drill in October. The National Fire Protection Association reminds us that 05-11 OCT is Fire Prevention Week.

Plant a family tree, courtesy of the National Wildlife Federation's Green Hour program.

Cub Scouts have the Map and Compass belt loop; Boy Scout's have the Second Class map and compass requirement (1A). Let Backpacker magazine's video help you learn how.

Catch up on Baloo's Bugle at USScouts.org--November's edition is out now for "Seeds of Kindness"--49 pages of fun and training.

Popcorn? Did I mention popcorn?

Scouting.org also has a Cubcast (podcast) available for the "Adventures in Books" theme. Also covers Scouts recruiting new Scouts. This is a BIG download (23.7MB) for those on dial-up.

The BSA theme this month is Engineering: so what is a swingboat? Ropes and Poles shows us another great project. [If you build any of the Ropes and Pole projects, I'd love to see a picture of it. Send to scoutsigns.]

R&P also led me to another pioneering and engineering site: Pioneering Made Easy in the UK. Here is the scaffold hitch needed on another swingboat from South Africa. [I need to find a good source for poles.]

Boys' Life online provides a new game: Robots vs. Aliens Chess

With the political season in full swing, don't miss a chance to work on the American Heritage merit badge, from ScoutSigns.

The future of Cub Scouting? Lion program update from KISMIF.org.

A Scoutmaster's Blog: Button's reads Baden-Powell's last message to Scouting. Kids really seem to like this series.

Lone Star Scouter encourages you to seek training on climbing for your Scouts.

Well, that should give you plenty to see, read, listen to and do for the weekend.

If I missed anything, let me know!

Weekend Patrol Box #4

Hmmm, looks like a rainy weekend coming up.

Better make sure the Patrol Box has things in plastic baggies to keep everything fresh and dry.

This wet weekend will need plenty of coffee, a merit badge manual, maybe a video, plenty to read and a project to try out.

Hope you have a good weekend, stay dry and well informed!

On a cold, wet weekend, coffee is an issue. The comments section has plenty of good advice, too.

How to Use a Bear Canister courtesy of Backpacker.com. Another informative video from the experts, part of their Survival 101 series.

American Cultures merit badge is the Merit Badge of the Week at Scoutsigns. This is another under-earned merit badge (my opinion). It is pretty straight forward, and needs a quick look.

Adventures in Books is the Cub theme for October. Use Kismif.org to help prepare your pack's month of adventure.

There is a reading contest at Boys' Life, too. Everyone gets a patch, some will win up to $100 in gift certificates. Plenty of time--grab a book!

Scouts can't have all the fun. Here is a contest just for Scouters: Great Tastes in Camp Cooking Recipe Contest. Entries are due soon--01 OCT 2008, so hurry! You can enter online. Anyone have a recipe worth $400?

A wet weekend at a picnic table under cover is good time to carve the perfect pumpkin. 'Tis the season.

...it is also popcorn season. Tip #5 is available now, with about half the season to go.

Any tips you think should be here? Drop me a line at Scoutsigns or use the comments below.