danandsherree.com http://danandsherree.com/ Dan has been involved with Scouting for over 25 years, and it's still something he devotes quite a bit of time to. Visit Scouting Stories to read about some fun experiences in Scouts! en danwolfgang@danandsherree.com Copyright 2010 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 09:50:00 -0500 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 03:05:41 -0500 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=4.34-en danwolfgang@danandsherree.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Troop 29 Roasted Me With the kid coming, we knew we needed somewhere else to live. We talked about moving closer to Sherree’s job,... http://danandsherree.com/2009/12/11/troop_29_roasted_me.php 2425@http://danandsherree.com/ With the kid coming, we knew we needed somewhere else to live. We talked about moving closer to Sherree’s job, but one of the big downsides to that would be that we’d be moving out of Bristol, and away from Troop 29. I’ve been with Troop 29 since November, 2004, so there’s been a lot of time to grow tight with the adults and Scouts. It was tough telling them I was leaving, but I was sure I’d stay in contact.

A few weeks after moving, Sherree and I went back to the Troop during a meeting to catch up with everyone. I knew that they were “doing something” for us, but what I expected and what we got were two entirely different things! They roasted me!

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]]> Boy Scouts Fri, 11 Dec 2009 09:50:00 -0500 1 http://danandsherree.com/2009/12/11/troop_29_roasted_me.php#comments Learn to Call a Tractor One day during the week on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, Brady was explaining to us that in his high school... http://danandsherree.com/2009/10/05/learn_to_call_a_tractor.php 2413@http://danandsherree.com/ One day during the week on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, Brady was explaining to us that in his high school vo-ag program, he learned how to “call” a tractor. He gave us a full explanation and even hammed-up a demonstration for us. We laughed at this so hard all week.

Since then, we’ve tried to convince Brady to re-enact the “call” for us, just so we could laugh like that again. Finally, after weeks of begging, he did it again. And we were ready: three of us pulled out our phones and recorded a video of it. Here’s mine:

]]> Boy Scouts Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:00:00 -0500 0 http://danandsherree.com/2009/10/05/learn_to_call_a_tractor.php#comments Jeff's Eagle Project It’s been quite a while since I’ve been there to see, first-hand, a Scout start and complete his Eagle project,... http://danandsherree.com/2009/09/24/jeffs_eagle_project.php 2412@http://danandsherree.com/ It’s been quite a while since I’ve been there to see, first-hand, a Scout start and complete his Eagle project, but I was there for Jeff’s. His project was to rebuild one of the courtyards at his high school: three new large picnic tables, three new patios for those picnic tables, repairing the water fountain, and general landscaping were all included.

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]]> Boy Scouts Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:05:00 -0500 0 http://danandsherree.com/2009/09/24/jeffs_eagle_project.php#comments Troop 29's Visit to the Allagash Wilderness Waterway I spent July 11-18 in northern Maine with Troop 29; we paddled the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. We were a small... http://danandsherree.com/2009/07/30/troop_29s_visit_to_the_allagash_wilderness_waterway.php 2397@http://danandsherree.com/ I spent July 11-18 in northern Maine with Troop 29; we paddled the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. We were a small group (only ten of us), but we had a great time! Some photos and stories follow!

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]]> Boy Scouts Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:15:00 -0500 4 http://danandsherree.com/2009/07/30/troop_29s_visit_to_the_allagash_wilderness_waterway.php#comments Most Memorable Moment Award At Troop 29’s end-of-year Court of Honor, a few special awards are given out. One of them is the Most... http://danandsherree.com/2009/06/15/most_memorable_moment_award.php 2367@http://danandsherree.com/ At Troop 29’s end-of-year Court of Honor, a few special awards are given out. One of them is the Most Memorable Moment award. To determine the winner(s) of this award, the adults get together and talk about everything that has happened over the past year, and try to the event or activity that most deserves the award. Of course, it’s usually a funny memory.

Well, this year, Brady, Johnny, and I won this award for our recent canoeing experience. Want to know what happened? I wrote about it in Swamping the Canoe, over on Scouting Stories!

]]> Boy Scouts Mon, 15 Jun 2009 10:00:00 -0500 0 http://danandsherree.com/2009/06/15/most_memorable_moment_award.php#comments COPE Course Photos Way back in April, Troop 29 did part of the COPE course at Camp Mattatuck. The COPE course is a... http://danandsherree.com/2009/06/10/cope_course_photos.php 2365@http://danandsherree.com/ Way back in April, Troop 29 did part of the COPE course at Camp Mattatuck. The COPE course is a bunch of games, low-, and high-ropes activities that challenge the individual and team — but most importantly, there’s a 685-foot zipline!

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]]> Boy Scouts Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:15:00 -0500 0 http://danandsherree.com/2009/06/10/cope_course_photos.php#comments Tyler's Eagle Scout Court of Honor We recently attended another Eagle Scout Court of Honor for a Scout in Troop 29. This is the sixth Eagle... http://danandsherree.com/2008/12/11/tylers_eagle_scout_court_of_honor_1.php 2305@http://danandsherree.com/ We recently attended another Eagle Scout Court of Honor for a Scout in Troop 29. This is the sixth Eagle Scout to come out of our Troop in 2008! (And yes, we have two Tyler’s; the other one already had his.)

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]]> Boy Scouts Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:50:00 -0500 0 http://danandsherree.com/2008/12/11/tylers_eagle_scout_court_of_honor_1.php#comments Skills Weekend Photos Despite the threat of torrential rain and gales that could blow young Scouts away, Skills Weekend was very successful. In... http://danandsherree.com/2008/11/18/skills_weekend_photos.php 2290@http://danandsherree.com/ Despite the threat of torrential rain and gales that could blow young Scouts away, Skills Weekend was very successful. In fact, we didn't see much rain or wind at all, and were able to have a great time!

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]]> Boy Scouts Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:10:00 -0500 2 http://danandsherree.com/2008/11/18/skills_weekend_photos.php#comments Planning Skills Weekend, Part 3 Our skills weekend was coming together well because I knew we had some good learning activities to fill the day,... http://danandsherree.com/2008/11/14/planning_skills_weekend_part_3.php 2288@http://danandsherree.com/ Our skills weekend was coming together well because I knew we had some good learning activities to fill the day, and enough adult help to make it all work well (as I wrote in Parts 1 and 2). Another important part to make the weekend exciting is having some fun activities, too.

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]]> Boy Scouts Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:10:00 -0500 0 http://danandsherree.com/2008/11/14/planning_skills_weekend_part_3.php#comments Planning Skills Weekend, Part 2 This year’s skills weekend is going to provide an engaging weekend for younger and older Scouts, as well as the... http://danandsherree.com/2008/11/13/planning_skills_weekend_part_2.php 2287@http://danandsherree.com/ This year’s skills weekend is going to provide an engaging weekend for younger and older Scouts, as well as the Webelos we have invited along for the day. To keep it fresh and exciting I’ve planned a variety of activities and a lot of fun! Part 1 is an overview of the trip.

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]]> Boy Scouts Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:40:00 -0500 0 http://danandsherree.com/2008/11/13/planning_skills_weekend_part_2.php#comments Planning Skills Weekend, Part 1 Our Troop’s “skills weekend” campout is coming up, and I volunteered to run it again. I wanted to try some... http://danandsherree.com/2008/11/12/planning_skills_weekend_1.php 2286@http://danandsherree.com/ Our Troop’s “skills weekend” campout is coming up, and I volunteered to run it again. I wanted to try some new and different activities from what we’ve done in the past to make a fun trip.

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]]> Boy Scouts Wed, 12 Nov 2008 09:15:00 -0500 0 http://danandsherree.com/2008/11/12/planning_skills_weekend_1.php#comments Troop 29's Backpacking Trip Over Columbus Day weekend (October 11-13), Boy Scout Troop 29 went on a backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail. They... http://danandsherree.com/2008/10/23/troop_29s_backpacking_trip.php 2274@http://danandsherree.com/ Over Columbus Day weekend (October 11-13), Boy Scout Troop 29 went on a backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail. They hiked through Massachusetts and up Mt. Greylock.

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]]> Boy Scouts Thu, 23 Oct 2008 10:35:00 -0500 0 http://danandsherree.com/2008/10/23/troop_29s_backpacking_trip.php#comments Planning a Campout: an Overview I’ve camped with Scouts a lot, and like Court of Honor ceremonies [1, 2] I’ve formed some opinions about what... http://danandsherree.com/2008/10/14/planning_a_campout_an_overview.php 2267@http://danandsherree.com/ I’ve camped with Scouts a lot, and like Court of Honor ceremonies [1, 2] I’ve formed some opinions about what makes them good and bad. It’s tough to turn every trip into a winner but easy to make some parts always work well.

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]]> Boy Scouts Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:30:00 -0500 0 http://danandsherree.com/2008/10/14/planning_a_campout_an_overview.php#comments Troop Leadership Positions & BSA Requirements Every boy-led Troop knows just how important the leadership positions are. The Senior Patrol Leader gets all the glory, but... http://danandsherree.com/2008/10/01/troop_leadership_positions_bsa_requirements.php 2243@http://danandsherree.com/ Every boy-led Troop knows just how important the leadership positions are. The Senior Patrol Leader gets all the glory, but in a medium or large Troop every role is important--right down to the Bugler. Finding a Scout to adequately fill a position can be difficult, especially if the Scout or Scoutmaster aren't exactly sure what criteria mean they've done the job well.

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]]> Boy Scouts Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:10:00 -0500 10 http://danandsherree.com/2008/10/01/troop_leadership_positions_bsa_requirements.php#comments Welcome Back at White Memorial Conservation Center I recently went camping with Troop 29 at White Memorial Conservation Center. This was their “welcome back” trip, the first... http://danandsherree.com/2008/09/25/welcome_back_at_white_memorial_conservation_center.php 2255@http://danandsherree.com/ I recently went camping with Troop 29 at White Memorial Conservation Center. This was their “welcome back” trip, the first of the new scout year.

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]]> Boy Scouts Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:20:00 -0500 0 http://danandsherree.com/2008/09/25/welcome_back_at_white_memorial_conservation_center.php#comments 25 Years Looking at my Scouting career, I technically completed 25 years of Scouting at the end of August! (I say "technically"... http://danandsherree.com/2008/09/02/25_years.php 2241@http://danandsherree.com/ Looking at my Scouting career, I technically completed 25 years of Scouting at the end of August! (I say "technically" because I took a few breaks here and there, but was still a registered Scouter, so it counts.) I look forward to being active in Scouts again this year, too.

Aside from breathing, I think this is my longest-running accomplishment!

]]> Boy Scouts Tue, 02 Sep 2008 20:05:00 -0500 0 http://danandsherree.com/2008/09/02/25_years.php#comments <![CDATA[Nick & Drew's Eagle Courts of Honor]]> (I can't believe I screwed up the title and wrote "Nick and Tyler," when it should be "Nick and Drew."... http://danandsherree.com/2008/08/18/nick_tylers_eagle_courts_of_honor.php 2235@http://danandsherree.com/ (I can't believe I screwed up the title and wrote "Nick and Tyler," when it should be "Nick and Drew." Fixed!)

Several weeks have passed since I was at Drew's Eagle Court of Honor, and even more have passed since I was at Nick's. So, I decided to make one post about the two of them! They are both Scouts in Troop 29, and are both heading off to college right about now. (Yeah, there have been quite a few Eagle ceremonies that I've attended this year--and several I've missed, too!)

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]]> Boy Scouts Mon, 18 Aug 2008 09:50:00 -0500 0 http://danandsherree.com/2008/08/18/nick_tylers_eagle_courts_of_honor.php#comments Tyler's Eagle Scout Court of Honor A few weeks back Sherree and I attended the Court of Honor for a new Eagle Scout in the Troop,... http://danandsherree.com/2008/07/14/tylers_eagle_scout_court_of_honor.php 2225@http://danandsherree.com/ A few weeks back Sherree and I attended the Court of Honor for a new Eagle Scout in the Troop, Tyler. (Yes, another Court of Honor! Earlier this year in Troop 29 there was Peter and Drew--plus, there are more to come!)

I was asked to take some photos, so, unsurprisingly, abliged. I really need an SB-800 to be able to shoot in this church, where the backlighting is so harsh. Regardless, some photos:

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]]> Boy Scouts Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:40:00 -0500 1 http://danandsherree.com/2008/07/14/tylers_eagle_scout_court_of_honor.php#comments Drew's Eagle Court of Honor On Friday evening I attended a Court of Honor for Drew, a new Eagle Scout in our Troop. I, of... http://danandsherree.com/2008/06/10/drews_eagle_court_of_honor.php 2207@http://danandsherree.com/ On Friday evening I attended a Court of Honor for Drew, a new Eagle Scout in our Troop. I, of course, took photos.

(Actually, I went to two Eagle Courts this weekend. This one on Friday and another on Sunday, for Jeremy, a Scout from Troop 16 in Middletown, where I was an Assistant Scoutmaster and Scoutmaster for a few years. I didn't take photos and Jeremy's Court, however.)

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Troop 29 does something unique to involve the Troop's Eagle Scouts: they are all responsible for pulling off the old Troop neckerchief and putting on the new Eagle neckerchief. It obviously doesn't take that many people to do it (I believe we had seven Eagles to help), but it's more about camaraderie and a welcoming ritual. There's a lot of smiling and laughter, congratulations, and patting on the shoulder. It almost says "now he's an Eagle Scout." A great tradition.

]]> Boy Scouts Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:15:00 -0500 1 http://danandsherree.com/2008/06/10/drews_eagle_court_of_honor.php#comments Boy Scout Troop 29 at the Camp Mattatuck Climbing Tower Last weekend Troop 29 spent the weekend at Camp Mattatuck. We rented a cabin and the climbing tower, and went... http://danandsherree.com/2008/04/27/boy_scout_troop_29_at_the_camp_mattatuck_climbing_tower.php 2189@http://danandsherree.com/ Last weekend Troop 29 spent the weekend at Camp Mattatuck. We rented a cabin and the climbing tower, and went fishing and did some orienteering. And the weather? So awesome! This is the first campout I've been able to go on since the Skills Showdown back in November, so I was really looking forward to it.

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]]> Boy Scouts Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:25:00 -0500 2 http://danandsherree.com/2008/04/27/boy_scout_troop_29_at_the_camp_mattatuck_climbing_tower.php#comments Peter's Eagle Court of Honor We recently attended an Eagle Scout Court of Honor for a Scout in Troop 29, Peter. I joined 29 just... http://danandsherree.com/2008/04/21/peters_eagle_court_of_honor.php 2185@http://danandsherree.com/ We recently attended an Eagle Scout Court of Honor for a Scout in Troop 29, Peter. I joined 29 just a few months after him. (In fact, his first campout was also where Sherree first met the Scoutmaster who I would later contact about joining the Troop.) It was great to watch him advance (as well as being able to help him with some requirements), to see him become the youngest Eagle in the Troop at 14 years, 2 months!

Oh yeah, this was also the first opportunity I had to put the new Nikon D300 to work. Most were shot at ISO 2500-6400 (without flash). I wouldn't consider these shots the best that the camera can do, however, as I was (still am!) learning how to best work the camera.

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]]> Boy Scouts Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:35:00 -0500 0 http://danandsherree.com/2008/04/21/peters_eagle_court_of_honor.php#comments First Aid Challenge As I was submitting games from the Skills Showdown to the US Scouting Service Project Activity Database, I realized that... http://danandsherree.com/2008/03/16/first_aid_challenge.php 2154@http://danandsherree.com/ As I was submitting games from the Skills Showdown to the US Scouting Service Project Activity Database, I realized that I never finished writing about the games we played.

The First Aid Challenge was designed to give each Scout the opportunity to work on the first aid rank requirements they needed to complete. Fair warning: this game didn't work as smoothly or as fairly as I would have hoped. I think it's a good starting point and the Scouts enjoyed it, but it needs refinement.

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]]> Boy Scouts Sun, 16 Mar 2008 12:20:00 -0500 0 http://danandsherree.com/2008/03/16/first_aid_challenge.php#comments Skills Showdown Photos Way back on November 17 and 18, the first-ever Troop 29 Skills Showdown was held. If you've been reading you... http://danandsherree.com/2007/12/20/skills_showdown_photos.php 2102@http://danandsherree.com/ Way back on November 17 and 18, the first-ever Troop 29 Skills Showdown was held. If you've been reading you know all about the hype [1, 2, 3, 4] and games [1, 2, 3] that went into it. The trip went well, and here are a few photos to prove it!

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]]> Boy Scouts Thu, 20 Dec 2007 16:55:00 -0500 0 http://danandsherree.com/2007/12/20/skills_showdown_photos.php#comments Tug-of-War Tournament A game we played at the Skills Showdown was tug-of-war. Not just any tug-of-war, though, this was tournament-style, complete with... http://danandsherree.com/2007/12/16/tugofwar_tournament.php 2101@http://danandsherree.com/ A game we played at the Skills Showdown was tug-of-war. Not just any tug-of-war, though, this was tournament-style, complete with brackets! Long rounds and several levels of elimination meant that each patrol got to play quite a bit. We had five patrols, and each patrol got to do four tugs before the first elimination level. Only one patrol was removed from each elimination. What a great activity!

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]]> Boy Scouts Sun, 16 Dec 2007 15:30:00 -0500 2 http://danandsherree.com/2007/12/16/tugofwar_tournament.php#comments Three-Legged Knot-Tying Relay Race An activity at the Skills Showdown was the three-legged knot-tying relay race. Scouts work by patrol to complete a knot-tying... http://danandsherree.com/2007/12/03/threelegged_knottying_relay_race.php 2099@http://danandsherree.com/ An activity at the Skills Showdown was the three-legged knot-tying relay race. Scouts work by patrol to complete a knot-tying race with a twist. This is a three-legged relay about teamwork: the Scout on the left can only use his left hand, and the Scout on the right can only use his right hand. They must work together to tie the knot.

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]]> Boy Scouts Mon, 03 Dec 2007 18:00:00 -0500 2 http://danandsherree.com/2007/12/03/threelegged_knottying_relay_race.php#comments