[Hambone]

Where do we currently stand on the reinstatement? Are we any closer?

What can really be done to help? If my memory serves me the official statement from the BSA is there were not enough mentors to support the badge. As the other thread shows there are plenty. The petition is great. But if there are a million supports would the reinstate? Is there an official statement from BSA on what can be done to get the reinstatement? That would at least give us a goal to shoot for.

Looking at the BSA site. They still have Basketry and Pottery as available Merit Badges. How many scouts are getting these? How many mentors could there possibly be to teach those?

Just wondering what it’s really going to take.

 

[NeilV]

Patience, Grasshopper, patience.

What it will take is: (1) a whole lot of public support; and (2) a really good written submission to BSA asking them to do it.

Right now, we are in the public support stage.

The written submission is scheduled to be submitted in July. Christopher wants to submit it on his birthday. BSA has indicated that one thing they would like to see is for a beekeeping expert to do the submission. I think they are worried about updating the materials.

However, Dr. Dewey Caron has already agreed to head up that effort. I have yet to ask him, but I am sure that he would be happy to be a co-sponsor. (Actually, I think I'll email him ASAP to get that done.) Christopher has already told me that he would like Dr. Caron to be a co-sponsor.

Christpher will start writing the materials that he wants to submit pretty soon, and I'm supposed to help him out with editing/organization.

Some of the posts on here (such as the list of sworn mentors) will end up being exhibits to the submission. Also, the online petition will be submitted, and Christpher has a bunch of petitions and letters (as of last week he was getting in about 5 pieces of mail every day). The stuff he and I have asked people to submit has a purpose. We will use the documents that are generated to prove to BSA that: (1) reinstating the badge will be good for public relations; (2) there will be interested scouts; and (3) there will be mentors. Also, Dr. Caron will write or oversee the writing of the written materials.

Honestly, when I started this I thought I was helping a noble but lost cause. Now, I think we have decent chance. Maybe by the end of the year BSA will give us an answer. Technically, at this point, nobody has officially popped the question.

Neil