ghermanno

It has been mentioned that this (the Troop) is a Boy-Led organization. The Committee should be receiving infromation from the SPL/SM/ASM as to what the boys would like to do and the Committee helping determine if it is plausible/feasable. The main purpose of the Committee is to SUPPORT the PROGRAM and that should be determined by the boys mostly. my $0.02 Rick

Greetings. As the newly appointed BS Roundtable Chair for my District I must put in a plug for Roundtable. You should be able to get monthly updates on Scouting, follow the BS Themes, and get various input from "Old-timers" that may alleviate or at least steer you in a proper direction. Also, as you may have noticed, this forum is good for getting advice. Remember you get what you pay for. Use common sense. YiS, Rick(This message has been edited by ghermanno)

Hi. We are NOT Baby Sitters of America. It is a FAMILY campout to ease parents and young Cubs into camping. Hopefully, as stated by Eagle92, you are using your BALOO trained person to assist with the planning. They should have told you it is a No-No. That being said, there are certain cercumstances that only you (or your Pack/Den) know of. Single family parents where the supporting parent must work... These can be handled on a case by case basis but each will have a responsible adult asssigned to them by the parents. As to the "Tour Permit" Ask your Council. The hard and fast rule is there is no hard and fast rule (mine is submit it regardless to cover my behind but that is mine not BSA). Plan for LOTS of events. Cubs will plan events that you do not want for any time not planned for them :-) BTW, one month out is a rather short time for planning a PACK family overnight. Try to schedule next years soon after this one using the lessons learned. Enjoy. My $0.02 Rick(This message has been edited by ghermanno)

Eamonn, To reply to what you said: "Have to say that when I was Training Chair. Canceling a Training just wasn't acceptable." To whom? If no one showed up, did you charge the trainers extra to cover the charge of the course? "The goal of Training is to train adults, not have training sessions." That would by why you WOULD cancel if there were no adults. "I hope that no one would cancell a Troop meeting just because of lack of attendance." If just one boy showed up of a Troop of 20 and it was NOT the SPL who is doing the meeting? "I'm sorry if doing the job means becoming a telemarketer, then that's what it takes." Telemarketers are PAID positions. We DONATE our time and money to try to help a program that WE think is WORTH it. If others DO/WILL not donate the time for the class then WHY should I hold a training for just trainers? "Hate to sound harsh." Not harsh. Just curious as to where this is comming from. My$0.02 Rick

Kudu reccomends GREAT games but ALL are outside of BSA G2SS for Cub Scouts. I'd love to teach "mumblety-peg" (sp?) but boys are not allowed to drop a knife close to thier toes anymore either. I would think that Indian arm wrestling in the center of a wading pool would be about the most that we could do staying within most "safety" guidelines. Mixing water & running, could do a bucket type race (fill a larger bucket simulating water for fire in lodge). My $0.02 Rick(This message has been edited by ghermanno)

To try to do this all alone would be insane. If she hasn't allready, she needs to assemble her "Crew" of area directors. You stated she has a range person (Archery/BB's/ Wrist Rockets) She needs a Crafts person to head up and ensure crafts are available for the theme. She could posibly use a Nature person to head up that area (for bugs/animal tracks/foilage/...) She might need an Aquatics director if you have a pool available. Don't forget Medical personnel (EMT/Nurse/...) These are just some suggestions and these people would need staff for the events that they are coordinating. This takes a big load off the (what used to be called Program Director's) Directors shoulders and allows each area to be completed without the Director having to coodinate ALL the items or expect Council to do it. Here again. My $0.02 (Worked for me at two camps in CA and one in Panama, RP). Rick

Tough to say it is Wolf Bear Lion Scout if you did away with Lion. That was why BSA changed it to We'll Be Loyal Scouts not due to missing vowels. Kind of like when First Class Scout was the HIGHEST rank and Star, Life, and Eagle were like add-ons to First Class. A Scout was First Class that had earned the xxxxx badge. Now they are very seperate and people act like Eagle is the only rank worth recognizing. (It is a GREAT accomplishment and I do not wish to diminish it value but I think ALL ranks earned are accomplishments to the Scout that earned them.) The new program of adding "Lion" as a Kindergarden rank is, to me, like making Eagle the first rank in Scouting (right after Scout and before Tenderfoot). Diminishes the rank for those that earned it. My $0.02 Rick(This message has been edited by ghermanno)

To expand on th information from John, the Monthly themes are found in the Troop Program Features. Example: January Roundtable Theme for Februrary: Pioneering. SPL can get most information and helps from Troop Program Features Vol III page 25 Pioneering. Can asssit new SPL's/SM's in scheduling/planning for Troop/Patrol meetings for the enitire month. Mostly you want to satay a few months ahead and finalize the month before... Just my $0.02 Rick

Scoutfish, I appologize that my meaning was missunderstood. Cub Scouts can NOT go on Den Campouts without adults whereas Boy Scouts can go on approved Patrol outings without adult supervision. I did not mean to imply that WEBELOS dens could not go camping with or without the rest of the Pack. Respectfully, Rick

dennis99ss, While I applaud your trying to get this WEBELOS scout involved, there are a few things I think need to be pointed out: 1. It is a WEBELOS DEN, not a Boy Scout Patrol. 2. Who is the responsible adult for the boy during the outing? Cubs and WEBELOS still require that if I am not mistaken. 3. How many boys per adult are you taking? The Cub Scout program is different from the Boy Scout program. Boys are NOT allowed to camp as "Dens" where BS can camp as Patrols. Cub Scout program requires adult participation "per boy" where BS requires 2 adults if not just a "Patrol" outing. Just my $0.02 and I hope it helps. Respectfully, Rick

Wow, PCHADBO what TRIBE are you from? I had previously been PROUD to say I am a YANKEE, living now in the south (Texas) but formerly from MA. We may joke of "Maine-iacs" and "Bean-brained" people but closing the boarder? There are a lot of things to dislike about MA (mostly political) but many things to love about it also (the countryside and people in the "burgs"). I still love the Northeast, although I'll never live there again. I hope that it never gets to where they two states really want to close the boarder like Oregon suggested to California when LA-LA land said they would pipe the water down from Oregon to LA without permission. Respectfully, Rick

May Peace be with you on this festive season and may the new calandar year bring you and yours health and joy. Rick

BadenP, I pretty much tried to just read the posts but I got confused with yours. You asked: "What if there were no beads or special recognition or patrols or any affiliation with Wood Badge after the course was finished. Instead you just get a plain old certificate, nothing of note to wear on your uniform, no special neckers or woggles? How many of you out there would still go through the entire process now that you know what is involved." If there were no patrols then it would have had NOTHING to do with Scouting at all but I would ask you a question using your own remarks: Knowing what you know of WB21 and if they offered nothing but a $0.05 certificate and 6 days away from your family, would you pay me $300? Some of these courses cost that and more to the attendees. Maybe they expect SCOUTCRAFT training or maybe they expect IN-DEPTH training in thier area of Scouting (Cub, Boy, Venture, Explorer, District,...) rather than a course on "Storming, Norming,..." It is different. It is NOT just about the beads. I was able to buy beads before I earned them (I did earn mine though). I have had the displeasure of the being involved when the "Inner City" scouting movement almost destroyed BSA. I have been a Scout and an Explorer in the 70's. I have been an adult leader off and on since the late 70's. I have allways had respect for "WB Bead-wearers" until I went to WB21. I saw a first year TC Den Leader earn his beads and still not know how the Pack functioned or the Cub-Scout transition plan. But he did his tickets and got his beads. Would you go to him for information? I used to allways count on WB personnel to know the Scouting program for which they earned thier beads. I guess we are supposed to rely on paid profesionals for any answers now. Just my personal view and my $0.02 which is probably worth about that much.

I am curious. What is the ban on sheath knives about? Are we still perpetuating the Urban legend about no sheath knives in BSA are we?

Here a a couple: Wisdom; Courage; Self Control; Justice; Faith; Hope; & Love From the Algonquin Council Pow Wow Book by John Bemis Courage; Justice; Mercy; Generosity; Faith; Nobility; & Hope From the 7 virtues of a Chivalrous Knight My $0.02 YiS, Rick

Scoutfish, In direct answer to your question, as a CM, NO. In an indirect way, maybe. I am of the opinion that there are very few training areas that are totally worthless. I have been able to pick up ideas from MANY trainings, even some of the basics. I have been an adult leader, off and on, since 1979. Even old dogs can learn new tricks. My $0.02 worth. YiS, Rick

You could try to run the class as a RT. 1. Pre-openining game or skill. 2. Opening 3. Announcements (District/Council news) 4. Break-out areas (CM, DL, TC, MC, SM) 5. Regather for Closing 6. Cracker Barrel If you can get at least four other people for the break-out sessions or you could try to explain the break-out sessions with a craft/skit/skill for (CM, DL, TC, & SM)'s and purpose of a Committee for MC's. Keep them busy, keep them smiling, keep them comming back! Remember one of the many Cub Scout slogans... Sempre Gumby (always flexible). Have fun!! Just my $0.02 Rick

BH, did you miss M21? They still require a physical for camp. M20 is just a wellness check for camp starting. Any requirements for a specific program will still be required for that program. For example, a general physical would NOT be valid for flight instruction (I know, not BSA but you get the jist of it). Respectfully, Rick

Baloo' Bugle site has some data. USSSP is also a good source: http://usscouts.org/bbugle/bb0412/bbw1.html http://www.usssp.org/ YiS, Rick

As stated, ask your Council. In a previous Council that I was in, the terminology used was: "If it is NOT in your regular Den/Pack/Troop meeting area, file a Tour Permit to be safe!" Others have other rules. YiS, Rick

It should be " what can our district do to help you with your unit program?" Did that... Still waiting for responses. YiS, Rick

Wow!! This conversation changed from Scouting Program to "Fundraising" fast. Exit FOS... How do I get/entice the LDS leaders to attend training, roundtable, camporees...? I have shceduled Camporees so awards are handed out Saturday night at campfire and still get almost zero LDS support (I do get my DE and a couple other District Scouters that are LDS but no Troops). I know the LDS cares for the youth and the program, I also know if the need were there and they had it they would help fund it. I am just wondering how to get them more involved. Because I am not LDS, it has been reccomended to me NOT to visit LDS units to talk to them about the program/training but to let a LDS Distrrict person do it. They are also busy and never seem to find the time... Sorry, didn't mean to vent so much but I feel the youth AND the adults are losing out by not participating. YiS, Rick

They are called "Patrol Leaders" in BSA. They "teach" Patrol sized groups at a Patrol meeting. They are trained by a Senior Patrol Leader, sometimes at a Patrol Leaders Conference. They are guided by the Scout Master who can (and will) if requested, call in experts on the subject the Patrol Leaders want to learn. Or maybe that is just wishfull thinking. YiS, Rick

Funny you should say that. It is a misnomer that anyone is a "Troop Only" MBC. ALL registered MBC's are registered with the Council/Distict. None are registered as MBC's with the Troop. The councilor may decide to work only with the boys from Troop X but that only limits the MBC's list of available applicants. As for who the SM sends the boy to, that will also require the SM and the MBC to know something of one another. Maybe they should attend Roundtable or ask the SM of the Troop that MBC is associated with. I teach the MBC introduction course and I let the prospective MBC's know that for the best "bang for the buck" do NOT select "I wish to work only with Troop ____" as they will be limiting the boys from comming to them and the SM "should" be sending the majority outside the Troop to allow the boys interaction with other adults. My $0.02 for what it is worth. YiS, Rick

LIBob, "In order to provide a place for many types of Taoists to come together they avoid mentioning matters of theism (which tend to divide Taoists) and instead focus on the principals and beliefs (philosophy) their entire community shares." & "I'd like to get some honest input. If I encourage them to put their son in scouts will there be some time in the future when they feel "BSA doesn't want us?" " Well, to be truthfull, the BSA does want them. The boys will have to understand that some people within the Council/District/Unit may have strong Judeo-Christian sects that will state at meetings thier beliefs. It can be difficult for people when the District ends all prayers with "we ask this in Jesus name" and you are not christian but that should be about the end of it. If the boys/parents can put up with that, or find a Unit that doesn't do that, they should be fine. As families and as Scouts/Scouters. Welcome. Yours in Scouting, Rick