________________________________________ IMAGINE… It’s 1936. Berlin. Jesse Owens is running away—quite literally—with a bunch of Gold Medals. But he’s not the only American to do this. Marjorie Gestring has just taken Gold in the 3-meter springboard. And—get this—she’s just 13 years old! The Olympic Committee’s chairman is about to drape the ribbon-and-medal over her neck when […]

You’ve asked for them– Here they are! My “101 RULES” for Scouting and for Life. With personal thanks to B-P, Ken King, Diana Cilluffo, Mark Twain, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Douglas MacArthur, Laurence Peter, Oscar Wilde, and Murphy. No. 1: • Stupid has no cure. No. 2: • You show up at “troop volunteer night” and […]

________________________________________ NEWS FLASH! The BSA’s SCOUTING ALUMNI ASSOCIATION now has a Facebook page! Be sure to check it out, “Like” it if you like, and pass the word! Here’s where to go… http://www.facebook.com/ScoutingAlumniAssociation And tell ‘em Andy sent you! ________________________________________ Hi Andy, I just read the letter in your column from the parent of a […]

________________________________________ Dear Andy, A troop I’m the Unit Commissioner for went to camp this past summer and, while there, held several boards of review for advancing Scouts. The problem is that several of the reviews had older Scouts as members. The troop’s Committee Chair claims he was told by “someone” that older Scouts could sit […]

Rule No. 100 • Never leave the Scouting Movement with the regret that you might have served better the youth in your care had you just taken the time for training. ________________________________________ Dear Andy, I’m looking to build a supply cart for Cub Scout pack meetings (we have no storage at our sponsor’s meeting place, […]

Rule No. 99 o The difference between doing it right and doing it almost right is the same as the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. (Thanks, Mark Twain) ________________________________________ Dear Andy, Our council says that they allow Scouts to ring bells for the Salvation Army. According to my research on this, this is […]

Rule No. 98 • “I think I can fix that” always solves more problems than “Somebody ought to do something…” (Thanks, Diana Cilluffo) ________________________________________ Dear Andy, Is it OK for pack leaders to decide not to attend a planned pack event and instead attend a neighborhood alcohol-laced Halloween party, including being photographed in lewd costumes […]

Rule No. 97 • When doing it right collides with doing it the way we’ve always done it, the latter wins.  Every time. ________________________________________ Old friends continue to write, as a result of that SCOUTING magazine article. Here are two worth sharing. Once again, sometimes we don’t realize the impact we may have until many […]

Rule No. 96 • Before contemplating your own self-importance, consider the lowly pigeon’s reality check: Yesterday’s heroes are today’s targets. ________________________________________ Many readers and other Scouting friends spotted me in the October-November issue of SCOUTING magazine, and to all who wrote, THANK YOU!  This was quite an honor, and very humbling.  Among the many letters […]

Rule No. 95 • Productivity is inversely proportional to the size of the committee. ________________________________________ Dear Andy, Our troop just purchased a trailer. It would be a big help if other troops with trailers could give us some tips or even pictures and plans of what they did to outfit their trailer. I’ve searched online, […]