[philmont] Trek selection: adults' and scouts' roles

Ted-

Thanks for your thoughtful reply. We probably should have had a
scout with Philmont experience talk with them about trek choice and
preparation at our first meeting, when most of the scouts were
present.

No, the crew chief hasn't been chosen. We have a crew of 12 from all
over the place with conflicting schedules, but maybe we could have
asked each scout to talk at that first meeting about why they were
going to Philmont and then elect an acting crew leader. Instead,
we're letting them take turns being crew leader on our prep backpack
trips before they pick one to be Philmont crew leader.

Fortunately, we scheduled a COPE weekend when almost all of the
scouts can be present. Maybe that's the time to elect the crew
leader.

I agree wholeheartedly with what you said in caps--you just can't
convey what the Philmont experience is like to someone who's never
been. Despite what I might have implied earlier, I have gone to
Philmont before, in 1954 and 1955. The 1954 expedition was the main
thing in my life that made me grow up. That's why I'm involved in
this.

-Jim Ledvinka

>Jim
>First, Let me say you are to be thanked just for doing this!
>Whatever you do I am sure is in the best interests of the boys in
>your crew. So whatever you hear on this list is advice not criticism.
>Next, you appear to trying to make the best choice for the boys
>based on the info they supplied and I know that without a "veteran"
>youth they are all just reading "stuff" and it is hard to grasp the
>consequences of their choices. It may be beneficial in future to
>invite a youth veteran of Philmont ( you will know a couple for next
>time, LOL) to the initial meetings where you recruit your crew. Let
>the youths explain to the youths the reality of Philmont.
>Finally has the crew chief been chosen. I suggest he should have
>been by now. If you can't get the whole crew to be there in the
>selection process the crew chief is an absolute! He will be leading
>the adventure. He needs to be enthused about it. He has to "want it"
>so he can get his crew to do it!
>
>BTW I am a 40 year veteran of scouting. I never went to Philmont til
>two years ago. I regret that very much. No one who came back was
>ever able to convince me that the results or the experience were
>worth the effort. THEY JUST DID NOT KNOW HOW! WITHOUT A DOUBT IT IS
>THE GREATEST EXPERINCE OF SCOUTING.
>Not because of natural beauty - I have been to a lot of beautiful
>places. Not so much because of the various activities through out
>the place - although they are a big plus. No it is the experience of
>the 12 days in camp and on the trail - of getting to the top of
>Baldy as a crew; of meeting other crews along the way and asking
>"what trek you doing?" "what day you on?" "where you from". It is
>the experience of working together to get it done. Nike's slogan
>never meant as much as it does on the trail "Just do it" It is the
>experience of helping each other out as each of us has his "bad"
>day. It is the feeling of total accomplishment when you walk back
>into camp and see the sign that says you made it!
>
>Enjoy the experience and have a great time!
>
>Ted Cotter
>Troop 27
>Trek 32 2006
>Trek 28 2007
>SEA BASE 2008
>
>Enjoy it all. You are sweating the big and the small stuff now. It
>will all be worth it when on the trail all you have to do is sweat!
>
>
>
>
>It's Tax Time!
><http://money.aol.com/tax?NCID=aolprf00030000000001>Get tips, forms
>and advice on AOL Money & Finance.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>-------------------------------------------------------
>Scouting E-mail Discussion Lists @ usscouts.org
>Listserv Commands at http://usscouts.org/lists/lc.asp
>-------------------------------------------------------
>Send listserv commands to: listserv@troop47.com
>Send postings to: philmont@troop47.com
>List FAQ found at: http://usscouts.org/lists/faq.asp
>List Administrator: philmont_owner@troop47.com
>-------------------------------------------------------
>To Unsubscribe send text email to:
>
> To: listserv@troop47.com
> Subject: unsubscribe
> Body: unsubscribe philmont@troop47.com
>-------------------------------------------------------
>
>As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow
>Scouts and Scouters, do your best to be trustworthy,
>loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
>cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
>-------------------------------------------------------

-- 
Jim Ledvinka (ledvinka@uga.edu)
175 Landor Drive
Athens, GA  30606  USA
Home: (+1) 706-353-3027
Cell: (+1) 706-202-0500
-------------------------------------------------------
Scouting E-mail Discussion Lists @ usscouts.org
Listserv Commands at http://usscouts.org/lists/lc.asp
-------------------------------------------------------
Send listserv commands to: listserv@troop47.com
Send postings to:          philmont@troop47.com
List FAQ found at:         http://usscouts.org/lists/faq.asp
List Administrator:        philmont_owner@troop47.com
-------------------------------------------------------
To Unsubscribe send text email to:
     To: listserv@troop47.com
     Subject: unsubscribe
     Body: unsubscribe philmont@troop47.com
-------------------------------------------------------
As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow
Scouts and Scouters, do your best to be trustworthy,
loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
-------------------------------------------------------