gwd-scouter

Couple of years ago we had a stomach bug run through camp. At first it was thought to be dehydration. It was a very hot, dry, summer. The bug spread quickly and all troops during our week had at least one person affected. Some were taken to the hospital. DHEC was brought in to check the kitchen to rule out food poisoning. Couple of guys in our troop got it, I came down with it very early Friday morning. It was not pleasant, but only lasted a day or so. One good thing came out of the experience and that was a most memorable quote. Around midnight, one of our scouts came outside, walked over to the trashcan, vomited, wiped his mouth, looked at me and said, "sometimes, a guy's just gotta barf." Swine flu at camp? Maybe. But, doesn't flu die down in the hot months? I think the concern now is that it will just go to ground for a while and then reappear in the fall.

On your list of possible things to do, keeping den and pack meetings on a regular schedule is probably the best. Don't most den meetings happen on the same night at the same time every week? When I was a den leader, I gave out a sheet to the parents each month that showed the den plans for the next month. Yes, this did require me to do some preplanning rather than throwing together a meeting at the last minute. When I was Cubmaster, I encouraged the den leaders to do the same. Most did and it helped keep their den meeting attendance up. Our Pack meetings were always scheduled for the last Monday of the month. All the families knew that and we usually had very good attendance, except toward the end of the school year - by then most of the guys had earned everything they were going to earn and families just figured they didn't need to show up. Again for Pack meetings: do your dens do presentations, skits or songs? Do you have a den assigned each month to do the opening, present flags, etc.? How about set up and clean up? We had a spirit stick - a long hiking pole with feathers and bells on the top. It was awarded to the den that showed the most spirit during a pack meeting. Then that den would decorate it (some burned their den number on it, some added beads, whatever they wanted), brought it to their den meetings for a month, and would award it to another den at the next pack meeting. As far as prizes for requirements completed. I wouldn't do that. Mostly because I get a bit weary of our tendency to give out awards to children for doing what they should do. Besides, Scouting already has awards for completing requirements toward rank. The plastic advancement toward rank thingy that holds beads. If I remember correctly, the boys would get a bead for everything three or four requirements they completed toward their rank. Attendance prizes? Not sure about this one. Boys at Cub Scout age have no control over attendance. It is driven by their parents. Some parents will be very gung ho about Scouting and will make sure their son makes everything. Others, not so much. An award for attendance would be more of an award for the parent than the Scout. At least I certainly wouldn't do it at the pack meeting level. Now, at the den level you could make a den doodle. A wooden structure with all the boys' names on it and maybe string hanging down to hold beads. Beads could be added for all kinds of things: perfect attendance for the month, wearing the uniform, showing the most spirit, etc. On this though, remember, Cub Scouts is about doing your best. And, of course, making it fun.(This message has been edited by gwd-scouter)

Wonderful - congratulations!

In defense of Golf merit badge at summer camp - ours offers it, but in the merit badge notes it states that the scout should have prior experience playing the game, bring his own clubs, and that the badge can't be completed at camp (they only play a nine hole round and the requirement is to play two or one 18 hole). The guys spend the week practicing the different shots and discuss the safety and rules. They go out on Thursday to a local course (beautiful course) and play nine holes. My husband always volunteers during our week at camp to help out. It always seems funny to see him pack up his clubs to go to camp.

Years ago I went to our Council's Exporee - held every three or four years for all the Cub and Boy Scouts in the Council. At the midway I bought a set of the skill awards belt loops. Made a really cool hat band. Get a lot of comments on that from Scouters that remember the skill awards and from those that don't and ask about what they are. Buffalo Skipper - I think you did the right thing. I have some new Scouts that are very eager to start on merit badges (or maybe I should say their parents are eager). Your Scout's list is interesting. I've never heard of any Scout in my area that has worked on Nuclear Science. Seems like he has a lot of interests.

Oh boy, time to fess up. Our Troop's practices regarding merit badges are dreadful. No, we don't hand them out like candy, nor do we attend Universities and such. It's just that we haven't had much in the way of counselors to drawn on and our Scouts mostly just work with our own Troop leadership. It is one of the last things we're working on fixing. As I've posted before on the forum we do not have a listing of merit badge counselors in our area - nothing exists in the District and those on the Council list live too far away (our District is something of an outpost of the Council). So, troops in our area handle merit badges on their own finding adults to work with their Scouts - usually parents or registered leaders, but sometimes teachers, coaches, etc. We do have a library of merit badge books, but it's meager. We recently purchased a bunch of new books - all the Eagle requireds and some of the other more popular badges. Slowly we're working toward the guys and counselors reading the books and at least trying to get the merit badge program in our troop working the way it should. The books really are terrific and I hope as our guys start using them they'll get more out of the merit badges they earn.

Wow,that was quick. It usually takes more posts than this to get to the point of bringing up Nazis.

I've received a bit more background info on these two new Scouts. One is very eager to go to summer camp, his mother is not. Dad is somewhere in the middle. The Scout has been on his first campout with us last month and Dad came along. Dad had a broken foot. We suggested he'd be much more comfortable at home, but he insisted he had to go because his son simply would not stay if he wasn't there. Dad was in a good deal of pain later Friday evening and went home. Son was fine. Dad came back Saturday morning, stayed for a few hours and, again, went home. Son was fine. So Dad is OK, still have to work on Mom. The other Scout - turns out he rarely went on outings during his Webelos years. Didn't do any camping (no, he did not earn the AOL). He didn't go on the first campout with us last month. In fact, he only started showing up for meetings a few weeks ago. He is enjoying himself but is extremely shy. He is going on May's campout, without his Mom. Mom and I talked quit a lot at last night's meeting about summer camp, how much fun her son would have, and how important the week is as a new Scout for him to make friends and to feel he's a part of the Troop. Talking with the Scout, he is not sure he wants to go to camp. I think he's a little bit afraid. Told the Scout and Mom both about the new Scout program at our camp and how he would be with his patrol the whole week, never on his own. That eased their minds a great deal. Last night, he and the other new guys worked on knots. He was very proud when he successfully tied them. Another month and a half of Scout meetings, a weekend campout in May. Maybe after that, his shyness will diminish and he will WANT to go to summer camp. Then, maybe, Mom will let him go.

Hey sandspur - welcome to the forum. Your new troop is not unique in that practice, unfortunately. I know of a troop in our district that does the very same thing. In fact, years ago I was asked to sit on one of our troop's BORs for a Star Rank candidate. I was the new Advancement Coordinator with the Troop and had not yet had the chance to go to training. I did read up on conducting Boards of Review ahead of time and what happened with this Star Scout in no way matched what I had read. Indeed, the candidate was asked to demonstrate knots, lashings, first aid, etc. In the end, he was turned down for the rank, not because he couldn't tie the knots, but because in the opinion of the other Board members, he did not show appropriate Scout Spirit. I argued with the other two gentlemen at the time, but I lost the argument - being new and a woman, I held no sway in the Troop. To the men, Advancement Coordinator simply meant I was to put stuff into Troopmaster, but could not challenge anything I was asked to enter (sorry, different topic). Needless-to-say, when those other leaders checked out of the Troop and our new leadership came in, all were properly trained and do SM conferences and BORs as they are supposed to be done.

Patrick worked as a CIT for the full summer session. He rotated around the first couple of weeks and then was assigned to ecology. That, however, is not the normal practice for CITs at our camp. Normally, they go for one or two weeks, working in different program areas each day. CITs are not paid. If they return the following summer to work as a paid staff member, they get slightly higher starting pay because of having been a CIT. Patrick is working his third summer in ecology this year and was delighted to find out he got a raise.

This is still confusing to me. Is the ASMs car only a two-seat? If ASMs son and another boy are friends, and as you say the other boys' parent was along as well, why couldn't all four ride in the ASMs car? From your description it doesn't sound like this situation was handled well at all. We always have a scramble for the cars when it's time to leave. Interesting to watch. No entertainment difference in the cars, but if we're pulling the trailer the guys like to ride in the SUV pulling it. We have a couple of guys the others don't like to ride with - mostly because they talk all the time and won't let anyone else get a word in. I can tell you, it's really annoying to me as a driver as well. Then again, I am a registered leader and I personally don't think it is appropriate for a leader to decide he/she will not transport a particular Scout. Yeah I've had my share of groupings in my car that weren't optimal, but that's what I got. I just can't imagine looking at the boys lined up for my car and saying 'oh no, you can't ride in my car'. It is funny at times when we take a break at a rest stop. Boys pile out and adults give each other either the eye roll or the 'I feel so sorry for you' look. In the end, if ASM can only take one passenger, then it must be another adult or his son. No exceptions.

Yep, that's me. Hal, thanks for the compliment on our website.

Congratulations - a moment you will cherish forever.

Patrick finished his Eagle Project on Saturday. Looks wonderful! He built a sidewalk at our town's historic railroad museum. Bricks were donated from an old cotton mill (circa 1910) that was recently torn down. If you like, you can view pictures of the project at our troop's website at: http://www.troop313bsa.com Sorry for the obvious pride in this post - just couldn't help myself.

The woman's shirt is a much better fit than the old. Shorter hem, too.

Wolfmama: The first requirement for First Aid merit badge is satisfy your counselor that you have current knowledge of all first aid requirements for Tenderfoot Rank, Second Class Rank, and First Class Rank. The Scouts should have all that completed BEFORE they take first aid merit badge.

Our Council only runs the ordeal during summer camp. Most troops hold their elections about a month before going to camp. Ours is next month. The SM is told the results of the election and he/she can choose to tell others - even the boys - before going to camp, although I don't know of any SMs that announce the results ahead of the call out. Call out is done at the campfire on Wednesday's family night. Interesting idea about service hours being a criteria for election.

Older son was not elected to the OA until his third try. He 'lived' Boy Scouts and was very hurt that he was passed over twice. Since his Ordeal after the third try, he has given so much to the OA and his Troop. He's been a chapter officer and lodge officer. He was on the ceremonies team for Ordeal and Brotherhood candidates. He was selected for Vigil Honor and received the OA Founder's Award. Sometimes worthy candidates are not elected and sometimes (many times) guys are elected that go through their ordeal, get the sash, and never do anything with the OA again. Wish it wasn't so, but it is.

I'm torn on the FOS issue. We have a couple of Scouts in the Troop that benefit from it every year. I have given for years. There is a Pack in our District that is an FOS pack - all the boys receive uniforms, handbooks, registrations through FOS. In our Troop, we have a few generous parents that pay for other boys to go on outings and such. Husband and I pay out of our own pockets in an amount I'm afraid to calculate. Now, though, I'm going to start requesting FOS dollars more often. It's there, we should use it. This year I helped with the District FOS dinner. Hosted a table and made the calls to get people there. I won't do it again. DE called me every week to see how I was doing, how much progress I'd made on invitations to the dinner, and what kind of pledges I got from those that declined the dinner invitation. I know raising money is hard and I found out very quickly that I don't like doing it. Every year the units are asked to hold an FOS presentation at a pack meeting or troop court of honor. We've done it for the past several years, but I've come to dislike this practice as well. Again, we have some generous folks in our Troop and they give to FOS. But, many others, when hearing the FOS presentation, get that look in their eyes - "I just paid $180 for summer camp, just paid $100+ for a uniform, and you want MORE money"? As to the original post - I've never seen a list of who has given to FOS in our Troop, the DE has given me a total. He has never compared it to any other unit. Although, at last month's roundtable he did announce how much was raised at a recent Pack meeting and I don't think that was appropriate. It shouldn't be a competition.

I've been doing the Scouting thing for a while and have seen all levels of maturity among the 11 year old new Scouts. I've seen the go getters, the lazy toads, the shy, the whiners. I've had my share of boys that have parents smooth the path ahead of them so they don't have to overcome any obstacles. This year, we have two new Scouts that are not going to summer camp with us. Why? Because their parents don't want them away for a WHOLE WEEK! Yes, that's right. The parents will miss them. I've never dealt with this before. Sure, I've had the homesick guys that get all weepy when Mom comes up on Wednesday family night. Only once did we have a guy that actually went home on Wednesday. He would have been OK after Mom left, but Mom just couldn't take it and off they went. I've been trying to help these new parents and let them know how much fun their boys will have at camp and how much they would miss out on if they don't go. The boys just joined our troop last month and have camped with us for one weekend so far - didn't seem at all concerned that their parents weren't there. Is it getting more common that children never spend any time away from their parents?

We get about 8 servings out of one pineapple: Slice the pineapple into somewhat equal rings - each person gets a ring of fruit (cut in half to make it easier to eat). Of course, some guys like it better than others and sometimes we only get 4 servings.

Just curious, is it everyone's practice to cut a corner of a guys totin' chip if he misuses his knife?

He certainly earned the nickname "slash"

Eight weeks of vacation for us - 6 weeks of camp, one staff week, and, Cub Resident Camp. Yep, send 'em to work!

Yes, in a perfect world the only person to sign off on a blue card for a merit badge would be the registered merit badge counselor. Unfortunately, we do not live in a perfect world. First, from reading many posts over the years, it seems that not all councils require, nor do units use, blue cards. Second, and speaking only from experience in my district, Troops handle merit badges on their own. In all the years I've been in Scouting I know our District has tried to compile a list of merit badge counselors. Haven't seen a list yet. Each Troop relies on its own list to help the boys work on merit badges. Usually that list is composed of parents and leaders in the Troop. Many times, those folks are not actually registered as merit badge counselors. I can't speak for other Troops, but in ours we do at least try to get folks from outside the Troop to counsel badges - i.e., a trainer from the YMCA is working with three of our guys on personal fitness, band teachers for music, etc. Some day I suppose if our council ever requires evidence of a completed merit badge other than an advancement report or a troop master report, then we will have to do it the right way.