Eagle92

Fish, Waterbottle with a loop/clip?!?!?!?! WE DON'T NEED NO STINKING LOOP OR CLIP! Seriously though, there is a knot out there that you can use to secure a regular gatorade or soft drink bottle to a 'biner. If I can find the knot, I'll email it to ya. Me personally I like the Platypus stuff I've been given. I have an old 1L BSA Platypus system, adding the hose to make it easier to use. And I have the 2L Hoser. My boys like their USGI surplus CamelBak/ Hydrostorm I got them. Ebay is your friend.

I'm in G's shoes, I plan a good RT, got topics that interest people, and 1-2 people show up. I'd love to hear ideas.

Fish, Take the time on a Saturday to got to Raleigh and visit both REI and Scout Shop there ( national owned). Bring weights and plan on staying a spell. Try on packs, and if the gentleman at the Scout Shop with the knots and ribbons is there, TALK TO HIM!!!!! ( caps for emphasis). That guy has Eagle, the Outdoor Bronze, Ranger, Silver, and has been around the trail a few times. He'd be a good resource to talk to.

Youth: Bobcat, Wolf, Bear, Webelos, Den Chief, CSDC Staff Adult: Cub Weekend staff, CS Family Camp Out staff adviser, TCDL, CSDL, CSDC staffer, CSDC Program Director, Council Cub Committee member, CS RT Commish. Never been an "adult partner" as my TCDL app was processed before my son's member app by 2 months.

Info, Not trying to contradict you, but need some clarification. When I went to PDL-1 just before the entire SCOUTNET fiasco came about, we were told that SCOUTNET would, stress WOULD, allow our records to follow us from one council to another. So if we did training in 123 council and moved to 456 council, SCOUTNET would show that we are trained. So that is not the case after all? That would explain why every time I moved, I'd have to tale YPT and show my certs and/or knots to prove I was trained. And I thought it was council not putting in the training records.

I follow the rules, even the ones I don't agree with, like no pioneering projects over 5 feet, Cubs can't use red wagons, ad nauseum. BUT I am going to be VERY vocal about how stupid they are, how they do not make sense, and how some of these activities Scouts have been doing outside of scouting forever.

Other occasions, I've arrived to the OA recognition banquet with my nice-ironed scout uniform wearing a real dirty sash (since I've worked clearing brush and growth from many campsites, carrying canvas tents, etc.). Only to see, my fellow Arrowmen wearing immaculate and bright white sashes. Then yet at another lodge, I wear a white and gleaming new sash, only to find everyone is proud of their dirty and well seasoned sash (demonstrating how much work they have performed for the council). As Chilantakoba Lodge #397 use to say, ' A clean sash is the sign of a lazy Arrowman."

Don't ever, and I am stressing EVER, falsify signatures, or be a part of it. That is fraud, is a crime, and can get you in some serious legal trouble. Especially medical forms. Read about the court case in FL about the 17y.o. who died on a hike. That is one nasty lawsuit against the leaders and BSA.

Sometimes the lightweight gear can be expensive. But there are alternatives available around the house. I know some units provide gear like tents, stoves, and patrol cook kits. Most states have some type of surplus resource for non-profits, so I'd lookt here for some stuff. get them out and moving!

I guess the national scouting museum hasn't got the word on being 16 and using carts. They are advertising a push cart race for cubs.

Forgot to mention the 2 "CS RTs" were done by me through the District commish as we had no CS RT Commissioner.

Mox, Only reason why we have the 3:15 time frame is the highway system. SE most part of the council is Camp LeJeune, and I-95 is on the western border of the council. So a viable highway. SP, We also have units that need to use ferry's to get to the mainland. Tokala, It's a precarious position in regards to districts. My council had 9, and one was suffering. So it went to 8, merging with one district that is going strong. But in our case distance is a problem. Like your commissioner, one unit was 2 hours away according to Maqquest directions from most district events. Membership suffered, leader morale suffered, and eventually they got their district back. But by the books, they should not exist as they are struggling. The strongest program is their CSDC.

It doesn't say WHICH round tables I just got my Tiger and Den Leader Awards. I went to only 2 CS Round table, and they were day camp oriented. I went to the Boy Scout round tables since A)the annoucnements and upcoming events portion did affect Cubs, B) we had no CSRT to speak off, and C) Kept reminding folks that Cubs are important.

Robbin, Check out the archives, lots of good info. Me personally, and especially since you describe him as a great take charge guy and wants to do well by 'all' the boys. 1) STEP AWAY FROM ANY DIRECT CONTACT LEADER ROLES AND BE A COMMITTEE MEMBER AS HE "UNLEARNS" (Shouting in jest) Seriously in my expereince, Cub Leaders crossing over have a very hard time adjusting from Cub Scout leader to Boy Scout leader. They have just spent 1,2,5 years being told that they are in charge they lead. THEN once they cross over they need to let the boys lead and advise. It's very hard thing to do. 2) get trained

And I just posted there too.

Base, The SDE in question was driving to RTs, trainings, roudn ups, etc. The only time he was home was to sleep, and sometimes he would stop at one fo the camps to do that. As for event fees paying for camps, I wish. I know the one in my district gets between $10K-12K of FOS monies in addition to the event fees. One of the camps is divided into to parts. The larger part was leased and the smaller part was a Scout camp. when the leasee decided not to renew, my council went from having a revenue source with the lease, to a deficit b/c not only did they lose the lease money, they also had to maintain the camp. Sorry to hear you have to supply your own flyers. While we have to put our contact info on the bottoms of the flyers, the flyers come printed. We also get yard signs and other recuriting items. E, Depends on the council. While mine doesn't list each specific category, it does generalize and show how much came from UW, shop and popcorn sales, etc.

Eng, I grew up in the 80s and early 90s. No problems with knives, and I went to a parochial school. Heck on 1 JROTC fielf exercise, we were running out of gear so some of us Scouts used our personal gear, which as I've mentioned elsewhere, mine was mostly USGI surplus.So while my sleeping bag was not surplus, it was attached to the butt pack on my pistolbelt and harness that was government issue. Also on the pistol belt was my WWI bayonet. And it was used in the field that weekend.

IMHO no. I'm in a geographically large council, but small population wise. If we had to do only council activities, we would be in trouble unless it was done at the local camp. Give you an idea on size. Up until a year or so ago, it was a 4 hour trip from the NW corner to the SE corner fo the council. With the internet spur, it is 3:15. One of my coworkers after a council banquet slept at the council office b/c he didn't want to drive home, getting in at about 1:30 or 2AM, only to wake up and be back on the road by 6AM to get to a meeting at the council office.

Base, I 've seen council budgets, and I am guessing the $100 figure is a council one. Let's face it district's are a subgroup of the council, and while the DE is the main contact for the district, there are a lot of support folks at the council office and elsewhere. Yes salaries need to be paid, not only the executives but also the secretaries, rangers, summer camp staff, etc. Insurance is a biggie. If memory serves, there are two types: liability and accident. While some councils add the accident insurance to the annual registration, liability is added to event fees. Camp maintence is another biggie. And I can tell you that in my expereince what the council pays is less than what is actuall spent. I know my OA lodge puts in a lot of time and money on the camps, and my local chapter has raised over $12K over the past 10 years to support the camp in the district. And that doesn't include private donations and equipment. Supplies is another big expense. not only supplies for camps and activities, but FOS cards, recruitment fliers, banners, etc. One I should have known, but it just hit me, TRAVEL EXPENSES. I remember the milage I put on my car when I was a DE, and my district was the size of a county. One of my coworkers had a 5 county large district and put on some serious miles. BUT the SDE we had that was covering 3 districts for a total of 6 counties put on his brand new Prius over 109K miles in about a year. Say 10K of that was personal (yeah right he had no personal life ) so 99K miles reinbursed at $.55/ mile is almost $55,000 dollars right there! Ok more later

As I have learned, every council is different, and different leadership within a council gets different results. I've seen high dollar FOS contributors get SB, with the DAM going more to folks in the field. This was under 1 SE and DFS I knew. Same council but under a different SE and DFS you are seeing folks who are mored involved in the field than FOS. One guy I know is a high dollar FOS donor, and has been an ASM with the same troop, and active too, for almost 30 years now.

Don't remind me. I just bought 4 Opinel carbon steel knives (only been using them for a few day and LOVE them BTW)for myself and my boys when they get to Webelos (oldest gets hsi at the end of the month), and one of my concerns is all the laws on pocket knives and the kids. Not to mention folks who think anything with an edge or a point is "dangerous" True story, when national supply posted on Facebook about the MB sash pin, the one with a double clutch back to secure the sash to the shirt, I posted that it was a waste of money since a $.10 safety pin from the sewing kit does the job just as well. I actually had a lady post that safety pins are sharp and the scouts can hurt themselves. I had to remind her that we train Boy Scouts to use a knife, axe, and saw for Totin Chip, so I don't think a safety pin would be a problem. But with all the banned tools listed on another thread, maybe the safety pin should be banned.

In regards to what? I know starting a unit is VERY manpower intensive if done correctly. DE going in, commissioners goign in and helping, other leaders providing training, mentoring, etc. As to actual money costs, that just depends as a variety of factors are involved. I know I started one unit that needed a lot of help, both manpower and financially. They found a "sponsor" to help get them started with new troop equipment, as well as a few folks who gave them used, but durable and usable, personal gear. DFS wasn't too happy with me since the sponsor lowered his FOS pledge as a result of getting the troop off the ground. Told me not to start anymore units like that one. Me personally I saw no problem with it. My only regret with the troop was that when the troop folded 8 year later, the gear vanished. I personally would have loved to see the gear donated to one of the other troops were just started that was in the same shape they were in starting out.

Base, While I understand where you are comign from, if you don't put your foot down now and question someof the idiocy coming from national, it will only get worse. IMHO, when scouts can't use square and shear lashings to build a signal tower or a monkey bridge over 5 feet, that's a program problem. I didn't complain and let my voice be heard back in the day, and now we got these stupid bans on carts, pick axes, etc. Don't stop it now, it WILL get worse. (emphasis, not... aw heck you know me )

Yes there can be challenges. As Base noted, I know of two individuals on the district level who hookled up at WB that ended up with divorces, and a mangled district committee since once spouse being cheated on was also on the comittee. I also know of two unmarried leader who ended up getting married b/c of scouting. And I know of two leaders who had some rumors started, that proved to be unfounded. Apparently some folks did not like ladies camping, and started them to get her out. As for me, I think my wife looks great in her Venturing uniform, and especially attractive in her vintage 1950s den mother uniform. Unfortunately she's changed her mind about being a CS leader, and wants to wait until the boys get old enough for Venturing to join a crew. But if oldest continues the route whe says he want to take, It may be dress whites for a Sea Scout Ship for the wife.

All good replies so far. My $.02 worth. 1)Take the Online Den Leader Specific Training at www.myscouting.org. I know there has been work on a LDS Cub Scout Leader Specific that is available live, don't know if it's online though. (FYI LDS specific focuses on the differences between the current 5 year program that is in use and the LDS use of the older, 3 year CS program AND uses LDS terminology to help you out). 2) Get a copy of the Pack and Den Meeting Resource Guide found here http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/cubscouts/leaders/denleaderresources/denandpackmeetingresourceguide.aspx so that you can print individual meetings or buy the book (it's cheaper to buy the book). I would suggest that your church buys the books as they can be reused. 3) As someone else suggested, GO TO ROUND TABLES(RTs)! ( caps for emphasis, not shouting). RTs are monthly leaders' meetings for an entire district. It's a chance to meet other leaders in your shoes, get info for upcoming events, get ideas for your meetings, etc. Good luck.