re: Eagle Scout project question (Where to find used fishing gear?) Number of Rods Update.

To follow up with your post about going for eagle at 12, he won't make that (nor does anyone expect him to). His birthday is next month and before the date the project will be finished in Mid May.

The best thing he ever did for his scouting career was take First aid, swimming and pioneering merit badges at his first summer camp two years ago. Those three badges knocked out so many first and second class requirements and put him so far ahead of the curve. During free time at camp that summer, while the other kids were at the trading post or goofing off, he had the ear of one of our scoutmasters checking off rank requirements. That first year at camp he was really home sick and kind of shy around the other kids. I think our adult leaders saw this and worked with him to keep him engaged. We've got some great scoutmasters in our troop.

The other thing that really helped him that summer is my wife had major surgery that year and was in the bed for many weeks. Before her surgery, she signed him up for sports camps every week (bike riding distance from the house). As a result he was able to get the 3 "30 days of physical activity" for tenderfoot, second class and first class that tend to hold a lot of kids up with those ranks.

Ironically, he was the last of his webelo class to make "Scout" and tenderfoot. Then he got a fire lit under his bum. Only one other scout from his cross over is still with the troop (two moved away and two quit)...