Happy Birthday Boy Scouts of America February 8, 2010
Posted by thetrainerscorner in Uncategorized.Tags: Cub Scouts, Scout Leaders, Scouts, Training, Webelos
add a comment
Hello fellow Scouters,
We live in a society that is increasingly moving indoors. Kids rarely
play outside all day (unless it’s some organized “play time”). And families seem be spending less time together in the outdoors, doing activities like camping.
And although our schools seem to be teaching our children better than they did when I was a student, they don’t seem to be developing leadership traits. Do our high schools and colleges spend time developing the next generation of leaders for our country and for our companies?
Instead of belonging to an outdated “old school” organization, we are part of a youth organization that is even more vital and necessary than it has ever been. And after a couple of decades of ”out of focus” leadership, it appears that the current BSA leadership knows what a great program has and what to do to make this organization even more successful.
The times in which we live have made me really proud to be apart of the Boy Scouts of America. So with much thanks I wish a happy 100th birthday to the Boy Scouts of America! And of course, happy 80th birthday to the Cub Scout program. Scouting is fundamentally good for a boy, and I thank you for what you do for our sons!
In Scouting,
- Scouter Jeff <><
Pancake Batter in Ketchup Bottles? January 28, 2010
Posted by thetrainerscorner in Uncategorized.Tags: Boy Scouts, Campouts, Cub Scouts, Outdoors, Scout Leaders, Training, Webelos
5 comments
Recently, MSN.com ran an article on new uses for old items. One of
the things they showcased was using ketchup bottles for pancake batter (see #5 on their list). When I saw this, I immediately wondered if that would be useful in a camping situation. I could see the benefits: pre-measured mix, easy to transport, and easy to pour. Just add water, shake, and pour on your camp griddle. But would it work? The only way was to put it to the test!
–
We are big pancake fans around my house, and my recent Cub Scout den were pancake fans as well. When I go camping, I’ve always used those Bisquick “Shake N Pour ” pancake shakers, because they are so convenient. But when you look at it as cost per ounce, the Bisquick shakers run around $0.23 per ounce when on sale, while a box mix of Krusteaz runs around $0.09 per ounce. So clearly, a pancake mix like Krusteaz is a better bargain (if you couldn’t already tell, I’m an accountant by trade).
To test this, I used a ketchup bottle we had (which was 36 oz). I took out the small silicone stopper around the pour spout, and ran the bottle and cap through the dishwasher, with no-heat drying, to clean it out. I knew that this ketchup bottle could hold approx. 4 cups of pancake mix and liquid with room for air (36 oz. divided by 8 fluid ounces per cup). So I used 2 cups of pancake mix to start.
When I went to add the mix, I found that it was very hard to get the 2 cups of pancake mix into the ketchup bottle! I tried a funnel we had in the kitchen, and it took a long time to get the mix in. To try to speed things up, I tried making a funnel out of tin foil, then a paper towel tube. None of them worked really well. Once the mix was in, I marked the line with a Sharpie so I could add it again with out using a measuring cup. (I also added the number of pancakes the bottle would make).
Next, I added the water, based on the directions on the box for 2 cups of the mix. And again I marked the line for future use. Of course, I forgot that pancake mix contains baking soda, and when shook the bottle and opened up the cap, I had a mini pancake mix explosion! Next time I tapped the bottle on the counter before opening it.
The pancake mix was fairly easy to pour. Occasionally a lump of 
mix clogged it up, and I had to push it back with a pointed knife. But it was pretty easy to make them this way, as long as your batter is not too thick. They made a great pancake breakfast!
–
So is this method a great new way to bring your pancake mix to a campout? For me, I would say no. I can see how having some ketchup bottles with pancake mix ready to go would be convenient. But I found the hassles outweighed the benefits. First, the ketchup bottles should be completely dry before you put in the dry pancake mix. So that’s a bit of a hassle, albeit a small one. But the “deal killer” for me was that it was a real pain to get the dry pancake mix in. It just wasn’t an easy process.
So I would vote “thumbs down” to this idea from MSN.com. But feel 
free and try it for yourself. Since this will reduce dirty dishes at your next campout, and is very easy to pour on your camp griddle, it might be worth it. And the ketchup bottles are convenient since they take up less room in your camp kitchen box than the box of mix itself. With the ability to measure out the mix, you bring exactly what you need to a campout, which is always good.
–
Whatever you decide, make sure you and your boys are out camping. Spring is coming, and the outdoors are calling!
In Scouting,
- Scouter Jeff <><
Scout Podcast Number 10 December 18, 2009
Posted by thetrainerscorner in Uncategorized.Tags: Boy Scouts, Campouts, Cub Scouts, Meeting Helps, Outdoors, Outings, Podcast, Scout Leaders, Training, Webelos
1 comment so far
Hello fellow Scouters,
My tenth podcast is short and personal, without any Scouting information or discussion. I quickly share what I’ve been up to the last month or two, and I share what Christmas means to me.
–
Here is the link to listen to or download this podcast on your computer:
The Trainer’s Corner Podcast #10
And you can subscribe to this podcast either by going to iTunes and searching for “The Trainer’s Corner” podcast, or by using the feed below (please note this is a separate feed from my Scouting blog):
The Trainer’s Corner Podcast Feed
–
I truly appreciate your support. Thank you for listening!
In Scouting,
- Scouter Jeff <><
Dial O for Opinion December 7, 2009
Posted by thetrainerscorner in Uncategorized.Tags: Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Scout Leaders, Training, Webelos
1 comment so far
Hello fellow Scouters,
As I’ve written about previously, I have a pith helmet and a sombrero in my district training gear (see this blog post here). The pith helmet is to remind leaders that Cub Scouting needs to be an adventure. The sombrero is to remind them that it should always be fun. I was working in my garage recently, and I found a hat that I just have to add to my training gear: a hat with a big ‘O’ on it. It’s for our city, which starts with an O. It was probably bought at a cheap tourist shop, and I have no idea how it got in my garage. But I will have a new use for it: it will be my ‘opinion’ hat.
When train, I make sure to cover all the material from BSA. There’s a lot of good stuff, especially with the recent changes in Cub leader training. But every now and then my opinions on the Scouting program come out. Up to now, whenever I started ’spouting off’ about something that is opinion, I would let the class know that what I was about to say was opinion. I will continue to do that, but now I will put on the hat to make this point more clear. This may seem silly, but I want them to understand that what I’m saying is my opinion, and not official BSA policy.
As a trainer, I do try to stick to the BSA syllabus and keep my opinions to myself. But when someone asks a question, well, sometimes I can’t help myself! We all have opinions on how certain parts of a program should be run, and that’s not a bad thing. Our experience in the program is good for new leaders to hear. That being said, my opinions are good for how I ran things, but not necessarily good for other dens or packs. Each Scouting unit is unique, and something that works for me might not work for others. So my new ‘opinion’ hat is my way of saying ‘your mileage may vary!’
In Scouting,
- Scouter Jeff <><
Scout-made Christmas Ornament 2009 November 6, 2009
Posted by thetrainerscorner in Uncategorized.Tags: Boy Scouts, Craft Helps, Cub Scouts, Meeting Helps, Scout Leaders, Training, Webelos
3 comments
Hello fellow Scouters,
Hallmark has their annual collectable ornaments, and we can have our own annual Scout collectable ornament! The great thing about our Scout ornaments is that they are made by our Scouts! Last year I wrote about a Scout-made Christmas ornament using paint for snowmen (you can find the blog entry here). This year’s ornament continues the snowman theme and will actually be a green ornament – not in color, but in eco-friendliness.
All you need is a white light bulb, and you have the start of a snowman. The reason I’m posting this so far before the Christmas season is so you can spread the word to your parents to save any burned out bulbs for this (yes, you can go buy a package of white light bulbs for this project, but why not reuse and recycle?)
You can decorate your bulb any way you or your Scout wants to.
First thing we did was paint the screw-top, so that can dry before working with the rest of the light bulb (we painted it blue, but if I had it to do over again I’d paint it black, so it would look like a top hat!) We used a piece of orange foam for the nose. We sprayed the bulb with some spray adhesive and glued on a strip of cloth for a scarf and threw some glitter on it. We also painted on the eyes and a coal-smile using toothpicks. Toothpicks work great for painting small dots and fine lines.
You can wrap some wire around the top to create a hanger. I would recommend using a hot glue gun to tack down this wire, so it doesn’t slip. Then your snowman is ready for hanging!
–
If you are looking for a fun Christmas craft to do with your den, start saving your light-bulbs now. Your snowman is waiting for you!
In Scouting,
- Scouter Jeff <><
Scout Podcast Number 9 November 3, 2009
Posted by thetrainerscorner in Uncategorized.Tags: Boy Scouts, Campouts, Cub Scouts, Meeting Helps, Outdoors, Outings, Podcast, Scout Leaders, Training, Webelos
add a comment
Hello fellow Scouters,
When I was a Cub Scout leader, I absolutely loved taking training classes. So when our pack started to look for a Pack Trainer, I jumped at the chance. In a special single-subject episode, in my 9th Scouting podcast I discuss my time as our pack’s Pack Trainer.
**Please note that this is not instruction on how to be a Pack Trainer. This is just how I did it when I held this committee position**
–
Here is the link to listen to or download this podcast on your computer:
The Trainer’s Corner Podcast #9
And you can subscribe to this podcast either by going to iTunes and searching for “The Trainer’s Corner” podcast, or by using the feed below (please note this is a separate feed from my Scouting blog):
The Trainer’s Corner Podcast Feed
–
I truly appreciate your support. Thank you for listening!
In Scouting,
- Scouter Jeff <><
Scout Podcast Number 8 October 28, 2009
Posted by thetrainerscorner in Uncategorized.Tags: Boy Scouts, Campouts, Cub Scouts, Meeting Helps, Outdoors, Outings, Podcast, Scout Leaders, Training, Webelos
1 comment so far
Hello fellow Scouters,
For my eighth podcast, you get to come along with me to training! We had a lot of great discussions at our district’s recent Webelos and Boy Scout Leader Outdoor Training. I was on staff for this training, and I brought along my new digital recorder.
There was a lot of good information that I think would be useful for all Webelos leaders, especially regarding Webelos-to-Scout transition. So I hope you enjoy some “Sounds from Training”.
–
Here is the link to listen to or download this podcast on your computer:
The Trainer’s Corner Podcast #8
And you can subscribe to this podcast either by going to iTunes and searching for “The Trainer’s Corner” podcast, or by using the feed below (please note this is a separate feed from my Scouting blog):
The Trainer’s Corner Podcast Feed
–
I truly appreciate your support. Thank you for listening!
In Scouting,
- Scouter Jeff <><
Little Smokies in Biscuits Recipe October 23, 2009
Posted by thetrainerscorner in Uncategorized.Tags: Boy Scouts, Campouts, Cub Scouts, Dutch Oven Recipes, Dutch Ovens, Outdoors, Outings, Scout Leaders, Training, Webelos
4 comments
Hello fellow Scouters,
If you are looking for an easy-to-make and great tasting Dutch oven dinner for your Scouts, consider Little Smokies in a biscuit! You and your boys will love them!
Here are the ingredients:
- 1 tube of refrigerator biscuits (makes 10). Use the smaller biscuits, not the “Grand” biscuits.
- 10 ”Lit’l Smokies” cocktail links per biscuit tube (one link for each biscuit)
- 10 slices of cheddar cheese per biscuit tube (the slices can be cut before the campout. They need to be about the same size as the Little Smokie link. I used mild cheddar, but you can use whatever grade of cheddar you like).
- Dipping sauce (I like BBQ sauce, but my boys like ketchup)
–
These are so easy to make! Just separate the biscuit dough and slightly flatten each biscuit out. Take a Little Smokie link and a slice of cheddar, put them in the middle of your biscuit, and fold up the sides of your biscuit and pinch it completely closed. (You shouldn’t see the link or cheese when you are done). Put them in your Dutch oven so that the “seam” is facing up (that way if they open up the cheese won’t run out).
Since the link is pre-cooked, all you really need to do is bake the biscuit (using the directions on the can). If your biscuits bake at 350° F, then use around 23 – 24 coals to bake the biscuits. Since biscuits can easily burn, I would use only 9 coals on the bottom, and the rest on top. And make sure you remember to rotate the Dutch oven and the lid every 15 minutes to control any hot spots.
A pair of tongs would be useful to get them out, but you can use a spatula and a spoon as well (a spatula will come in handy either way, in case the biscuit sticks to the bottom of the Dutch oven). You should be able to cook the entire tube of refrigerator biscuits in one 12″ Dutch oven – just make sure that you don’t crowd them too much.
Since these are small (and taste great), it would be a good idea to double this recipe and have two Dutch ovens going at a time. And if your crowd is large or your boys are extra hungry, you can quadruple the recipe and cook a second set of them while the boys are eating the first set (you would probably need fresh coals for this second baking). Since a 16 oz. package of links contains about 45 links, you can easily quadruple this recipe if needed.
A note about the Little Smokies – a package of these are pretty expensive. I usually see them over $5.00 per 16 oz. package. But they do go on sale, so keep an eye out for that. The last package I bought was around $3.50 on sale, and considering you get around 45 links, that was a pretty good buy in my opinion.
–
If you are looking for an easy and great tasting meal for your campout, try Little Smokies in a biscuit. Boys love food they can dip, so they should really enjoy them. But be warned! You might need to make a good amount of them. They taste so good the boys (and any adults nearby) will probably devour them quickly!
Enjoy!
In Scouting,
- Scouter Jeff <><
Instant Camp Coffee October 20, 2009
Posted by thetrainerscorner in Uncategorized.Tags: Boy Scouts, Campouts, Cub Scouts, Outdoors, Outings, Scout Leaders, Training, Webelos
5 comments
Hello fellow Scouters,
As you know, I’m always looking for good camp coffee (maybe to 
the point of obsession!). One thing that I’ve never considered is instant coffee, because instant coffee is usually just plain terrible. Recently, however, Starbucks has come out with their own “Via” line of instant coffee. I have tried it and I have to admit it’s not bad. It’s not quite as good as a regular brewed coffee, but since it’s instant coffee, it’s easy to make with very little mess.
I probably won’t be drinking a lot of this around the home, but I’m starting to keep a stockpile at work. It’s great to heat up a cup of water and make a quick cup of coffee (remember – I’m an accountant. Caffeine is a survival tool!).
This is also a good option for camping. Although I’m not going to retire my new GSI coffee press anytime soon, I plan on bringing Via along with me when I want to make a quick cup of coffee at camp. On those mornings where you are running short on time or packing up your equipment, a quick cup of coffee with no grounds to deal with would be nice. Plus, since you can avoid bringing coffee-making equipment, I figure this would be a great backpacking option.
–
If you are looking for an easy coffee option for your next campout, consider Starbucks new Via blend of instant coffee. The taste isn’t bad, and there is very little clean up. And no, this blog post isn’t sponsored by Starbucks in any way – although a portion of each of my paychecks seems to end up going to them :-)
In Scouting,
- Scouter Jeff <><
Scout Podcast Number 7 October 15, 2009
Posted by thetrainerscorner in Uncategorized.Tags: Boy Scouts, Campouts, Cub Scouts, Meeting Helps, Outdoors, Outings, Podcast, Scout Leaders, Training, Webelos
add a comment
In this special “low-IQ” edition, in my seventh Scouting podcast I discuss:
- Feedback from previous podcasts
- Favorite Cub Scout memory – A 3-mile night-time hike as a Tiger
- Camping tip – Using a torpedo level for your camp stove
- Leader’s tip – Snacks at den meetings
- “Just Say No” – To awards baggies
- Scouting discussion – I really show my 75 IQ with lessons learned from my first den meeting
–
Here is the link to listen to or download this podcast on your computer:
The Trainer’s Corner Podcast #7
And you can subscribe to this podcast either by going to iTunes and searching for “The Trainer’s Corner” podcast, or by using the feed below (please note this is a separate feed from my Scouting blog):
The Trainer’s Corner Podcast Feed
–
Episode Notes
My blog post on meeting bottlenecks
–
I truly appreciate your support. Thank you for listening!
In Scouting,
- Scouter Jeff <><
