mdlscouting

We had a Yell and Response type thing. Leader: Bear Patrol! Patrol: BEAR PATROL! Leader: Number One in the Troop! Patrol: Number Two in the Woods!

As a Cub Leader, I'm ok with it being the same, but it's not a huge deal to me either way. However, at the very least, I think they should change the current Cub Scout Promise to remove the "I " part. Right now, it inevitably ends up "Mumble Mumble Mumble, Promise to do my best...."

I don't think it would be a good idea as an Every Week sort of thing, but when they are meeting at the same location, I can't see any harm in doing it.

I don't understand how being a Muslim is compatible with being in the AHG. From the AHG Statement of Faith. http://ahgonline.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=19322 "We believe that there is One Triune God Father, Jesus Christ His one and only Son, and the Holy Spirit Creator of the universe and eternally existent. Don't get me wrong, If the AHG wants to limit themselves to Christianity, that's perfectly fine with me. But How can that be compatible with having Muslim Members?

I have yet to get any leads on it, even with an updated pin. Seattle Pioneer, you might want to replace the website link on your pin to use your own pack's site.

A Little background: I have 1 Webelos, 2 Tigers, and Daisy, and a wife that is a very involved GSUSA leader. I would love to have a co-ed program. More specifically, I would love to have a program for girls that is as well run as the BSA's Cub Scout program is. I find the current Girl Scout program as it is delivered and run by the local council to be a disorganized trainwreck with little or no support for leaders.

I too was in your boat not too long ago. I took over from a Cubmaster that did it all. Essentially 100% of the Cubmaster role, and 100% of the Committee Role. Needless to say, she was burned out. I have dissected the various jobs as best I can into manageable pieces. For Any Critical Roles I Hand Pick. (Den Leaders, Cubmaster, Committee Chair, Treasurer, Popcorn Kernel) I'll detail out exactly what responsibilities there are, Identify the best candidate for them, and go to them one on one. A Mass Announcement of "We need Help" doesn't work. Email doesn't work. Phone might work, but face to face is best. Sit down with them, and explain why you need them to do the role, and why you think they are well equipped to do that role. Pretty much every other job, I open it up at the Parents Meeting at the beginning of the school year. I have a Board with Note Cards for each event, and each position that is unfilled. I tell them that if nobody signs up to do it, the role will go unfilled. That doesn't mean that I'll pick it up, that just means it won't get done. I Start with the Latest calendar events (For example, Our May Camping Trip is most likely the last thing on the calendar) If nobody volunteers to organize it, I take the card down, and inform them that event will be removed from the calendar. I Keep going backwards thru the calendar, and then onto the positions, like Awards Chair, etc, again starting with the smallest ones. The tough part, is being willing to let something drop. I'm always thinking "Someone needs to do X..." And since I'm "Someone" I start to pick up that task. Approaching the Chartered Org would be ideal, if they are receptive to it. It ca be very tough to do. I'm Chartered Org Rep / Committee Chair for our Pack, and trying to get volunteers for a full year from other church members is like pulling teeth, but I have been able to get them one or two at a time for specific events.

I'm very surprised that the YMCA is asking that much money to do aquanaut. At our local Y, they only asked the $3 visitors fee for any boys whose families are not Y Members. There is no reason a Den Leader can't do that at a local pool, although if you have any access to a lifeguard from somewhere else, that would be a great idea.

Zero Tolerance. That's why my son was sent to the principal's office as a kindergartner for pointing his finger like a gun and saying "Bang Bang" While playing with friends on the playground.

Most Packs do not have the luxury of making a choice, It's the Bear Den Leader. (Odds are, the same person who was in that role for wolf and tiger also) However, that's perfectly ok. There is no reason that a person without direct scouting experience can't make a good Webelos Den Leader, If they are willing to pick up new skills, and reach out for assistance. Neither of My Son's current Den Leaders were ever in scouts, and I have the utmost confidence in both of them. I've seen both of them go thru the training and pick up skills. We have a meeting this week with the various Webelos Den Leaders, and one of the ASMs from the troop, to figure out what skills the den leaders have already, how the Troop can help fill any gaps, and plan out on the calendar which troop events it would be best to get the Webelos invited to. We have one ASM as our Webelos Coach, and will be having some boys fill in in the role of a Den Chief, as their schedule permits. (All the boys with the skills and temperament for that Den Chief Role are needed in their current roles in the troop for now, so we may not have official Den Chiefs for a few more years...) If we were in a perfect world, and we had a plethora of Adults who had earned their Eagle lined up to pick from, it might be different. In reality, we have 3 adults in the whole pack who were Boy Scouts. One won't step up to help at all, one I just roped into Cubmaster, and the third is our Camping Chair and participates in weekend camping trips, but can't be there on most meeting nights. There is no reason that a parent with zero youth scout experience can't become a great Scout leader at ANY level. That could be anything from a Tiger Den Leader up to a Scoutmaster. One of our Troop's ASMs is female, had no scouting experience at all before her son got involved with the troop. She was recognized by our district as the ASM of the year at the most recent adult awards banquet.

Most interesting one that I had ever heard of was a boy who was adopted from Russia as a young child, who raised money for, and flew a team over to construct a playground at the orphanage where he was born. (I'm assuming there were some wealthy parents involved...) But As a parent of a child who as adopted internationally, I thought this was an amazing idea.

I know that Gatorade may not be the healthiest thing out there, in comparison to pure water. However, the addition of a few empty calories is well worth it to me, if It will encourage boys to drink more water in especially hot environments. This is especially true for Cubs, who may let their taste buds overrule what little amount of common sense they have. Drinking too much Gatorade may have a small harmful effect over the long run... But drinking not enough water has a major harmful effect over the short run. I'll do whatever I can to encourage them to drink plenty of water... even if it's a bribe to the sweet tooth.

We got a 4 lane Besttrack with the loop, but we went witht he newbold timer, and the Grand Prix software http://www.pinewood-derby-timer.com/pinewood_derby_timers.html Both work well, but I'd advise setting it up at least once before the race to make sure you have it all working.

We handed out flyers at our parade as well. Invited all 6 local packs to be on the float with us, only two were there. Oh well, we listed contact information for all 6 packs on the fliers, and the DE's contact info for people who came from a bit farther away.

I'd love to know what songs those were.

From a Cub Scout perspective, I would say give them the Physical item (Badge/bead/etc.) as soon as possible, and recognize them at the next pack meeting.

I'm a Hennessy Fan myself, but either way, it beats being on the ground.

How do Bear Rank Requirements count as Electives sometimes and as requirements other times?

The Whittling chip, and the right to use a pocketknife can be earned by Wolves. It just isn't part of their rank requirements.

Tampa Turtle asked what will the Newbies snicker at: Don't worry, The Cub Scout Rank "We Blows" has that covered.

A Place you might want to check out All about Hammock Camping. http://www.hammockforums.net/ I enjoy it, but I'll probably have to give it up for a year or two on Pack camping trips, until my new tigers get old enough to either be responsible in a tent by themselves, or I get some Hammocks for them.

Strangely enough, our District EBOR (And the Star and Life also) will only accept the 3 part carbon Advancement Report. The Online Advancement Report isn't good enough for them, has to be hand written.

I think it would be an excellent idea, but you might have to split off the SPLs into a breakoff group before some issues are discussed. (Actually, I think that most Roundtables would benefit from more time in breakoff groups at all levels.

I'm probably as in touch with conservative politics as anyone on this board, constantly reading magazines, editorials, blogs, etc. about politics... I've never even heard of the Institute for American Values or David Blankenhorn.

I was on the District Committee as Communications/webmaster for about a year, but unfortunately my Daughter's GS troop meets on the same night of the week, and she outranks anyone on the district committee. I never saw another COR there. I was mainly wondering what goes on at the Council level, if anything.