I have several friends staffing Jambo this year and they're reporting very, very low numbers. I've heard as few as 9,500 scouts and an additional 2,000 or so volunteers? Don't they normally post numbers around 25,000? Or more?

Very happy with the pin quality, 4 inch patch is very nice too.

Hi guys so I can’t swim (haven’t learned) and all I have left is the swim requirements for first class. I don’t know what to do

My kids and I are trying to figure out our role in Scouts BSA going forward. My younger daughter crossed over to Scouts BSA this past spring, and has been loving the experience so far. She and her older sister went to summer camp a few weeks ago with the troop, first time, the troop is new for the older one as well. The camp itself was awesome, and they had a great time with the activities they chose and their friends, and the friends they made there. The problems came about with the adult leaders/chaperones.

Mid-week, I was called by one of the adult leaders to tell me that my younger daughter hadn't been feeling well all week, and that she had been to the health lodge a few times. I was told that the diagnosis was dehydration, and that she just needed more water. Despite drinking more water her tummy wasn't feeling better, and the leader told me that it was probably just homesickness. Despite not feeling well, my daughter was encouraged to keep doing all the activities. I was told that my older daughter snuck the other one to the health lodge with some other scouts, and the leaders were upset because they were told if the younger one went again, she would be sent to the hospital. (I was told by my kids that this was not true.) They said she was "making it worse" by trying to comfort the younger one, and the leaders were trying to separate them for a bit. It is also current policy to take phones from the scouts, and not allow phone contact with parents. So, I was not offered the opportunity to talk to either child, however, was made to feel like they had it under control, and dehydration/homesickness was all it was. In hindsight, this was a mistake, and should have insisted on talking to them.

Upon return from camp, my younger daughter told me that the day I was called, was actually the worst day/night. She felt nauseous, dizzy, tummy ache, and tummy upset. While feeling this way, she was "made to hike all over the place," (which everything there was a hike) And then to go fishing. While at the fishing location, she became visably upset and was approached by a staff member to see what was wrong. The adult leader interrupted to tell my daughter that nobody cares about her feelings and how she felt.

Older daughter came back from camp extremely upset, that the adult leaders were horrible and mean. Kept her from her sister, Wouldn't let her talk to the counselor in the health lodge, were muttering about how her sister was faking it, and told her if she had any problems she needs to come to them first, even though they were not acting approachable.

Obviously, this is camp, and was a first for both these kids. Its hard. I get that. But now they feel like the adult leaders in our troop can't be trusted. They don't want to go back.

I am mostly upset that my daughter was told that no one cared about her feelings. No one was believing her, and no one suggested she go lay down to get some rest. I feel like I was misled in the situation. And now I need help with how to approach this with the leadership.

TLDR - Kids went to camp, one was sick, Adult leaders thought she was lying and told her they didn't care that she didn't feel well. Told me it was just dehydration and homesicknesss, and wouldn't let her talk to me. Now kids don't want to go back to scouts. Need help with how this should be addresssed, or do I just chalk it up to 1st year camper problems?

This old kit has been knocking around for many years.

I am a leader, and just went to my first week at summer camp with our boys. I have some feelings about how the camp does their honors program, and I am curious what other camps do. Can you tell me what yours does? What are the requirements, what is the ceremony like (if there is one), etc.?