Boy Scout Stamp Collecting Merit Badge Presentation

Am I the only one that thinks the world has gone quite mad? Do you remember riding your bike to school and playing outside until it got dark? Do you remember going to town with your mates, on the train, with no adults? I walked to and from my first scout meeting alone at the age of 10, and went to my first stamp club meeting, alone, at the age of 14.

I ask this with great trepidation (and great respect), but has it been statistically proven that kids are at greater risk today than 30 or 40 years ago?

I fear that cotton wool is in greater demand than necessary.

I might take a lot of heat for this opinion, but I think you're onto something there, jubilee... I don't thin that kids today are any more at risk than they were back then at all. I do think that the media has made it a point to make sure these stories get more exposure than they did back then, so awareness is certainly much higher. The thing is, even one case of something happening to a child is too much, so where do you draw the line on protection?

-Allen

just to add an afterthought - why does everyone have to be treated as a potential criminal due to the very few cases (statistically) of actual problems? How do you balance the 2 interests? I don't have answers, of course, but lots of questions...

I put myself in the shoes of a parent, could an incident been avoided if a background check was done. I know I would want my child's safety protected from a dangerous situation. Unfortunately, these are the times we live in.

I think my thread has hit a tangent and I'm furthering the discussion. LOL!

Getting back on track !

You might like the first page here, the rest is also good.

Scroll over the 'News' at the top and then click on Sossi events.

http://www.sossi.org/index.shtml

Then you can click on the link from the Euro Scout 2010 information, should you want to know more.

I would love to have gone as I have an interest in Scout Labels and one doesn't see them too often. But the bourse does not begin until the afternoon of the 14th which is the day I fly back, and it was cutting it fine. So I then committed myself to working at the big International on that last day, so the EuroScout show will be missed.
I hope another year.

Londonbus1

Thanks Londonbus1, have fun riding your doubledeckers and dreaming of scout labels. I have perused that site before, lots of info. I just went to the site and printed off a 24 page PDF showing the requirements of the Stamp Collecting Merit Badge completed with Scouting stamps and covers. It was very nice and in color. Too bad the printer I am using is black ink. I think this will come in very handy at my next Scout meeting!

Speaking of scouts, has anyone seen this cinderella from India before? I'll pop it in the Cinderella thread as well.

Stamperdude,
I must say I admire very much, your "outreach" work
in promoting philately.
What kid, that has ever been a scout cannot recall the
absolute joy in the activities that scouts do.
Knots, signalling, camping,ets etc (I learnt that it wasn't a good idea to suck all the condensed milk from the tube, and not keeping
it for my tea)
They are all great memories, I wished our scoutmaster had included
stamps, but I don't recall it ever being discussed.
Good on ya!

Thanks Rod.

I still recall my Wilderness Survival Training at camp. We used a military instruction book if your plane was shot down. There were several WWII, Korean, and Vietnam veterans between the Scoutmaster and adult troop leaders. You never wanted to startle them awake at night, a few would probaly reach out and grab you thinking a rat had bothered them to break its neck! Just like when they were sleeping in barns and fields during the war. Oh, we use to go Yeti and Snipe hunting in the woods at night too.

The meeting went pretty well tonight, there were 4 scouts present. I was able to check off a few more requirements and hand out more stamps. The boys are having a little trouble finding overprinted and surcharged stamps. Also, running into difficulty explaining the difference between the USPS and other countries postal systems.

Good news, one of the scouts will be attending the stamp club I belong to meeting next week.I hope it is not too boring.

Bravo,
If you like, email me his name, and perhaps your PO Box
and I'll mail hime some Australian stamps c/o your address.
It may be neat for him to get mail from overseas.

Thanks Rod.

One of the scouts is focusing on WWII era overrun countries, another is topically collecting WW Olympic stamps, and I think the others are just collecting USA. I spoke to one of the mom's last night and she thanked me for providing the opportunity to the scouts and for all the stamps. I told her about this great group of WW collectors I chat with that donated most of the stamps. Your support is appreciated!

Drop me a note. I'm sure I can find a few surcharges and overprints lying around.

Thanks Jubilee!

Dude - I have your Boy Scout package addressed and ready to go. I just haven't had the time/energy to get into town to mail it. I'll try harder this week.

Swabbie,
No worries or hurry. Thanks for helping out the kids. Do you have home delivery? You could always use that service offered via USPS.com and have them pick it up.