momofcolin

I would like to arrange to give the Scoutmaster something really special for his service the past two years, 8 years prior serving in other positions and although no longer Scoutmaster will still serve in the Troop. What type of ideas do you have as a gift. I would like to present him something that willo remind him of the Troop and of BSA. Loking forward to your suggestions. Dawn M Troop 85 Secretary

Our Troop is considering attending Camp La-N-Che in Paisley, FL. It would be an out of Council camp for us and I would like input from any Scouters that have an experience there. The website looks awesome and it looks like they have some great programs. Last year we drove 7 hours to get to the summer camp, with the price of gas we would like to pare down the transportation costs and choose a camp much closer to home. Also, it would be a plus that some of the families might actually be able to go to family night. Thanks in advance for yout comments, Dawn M Troop 85 Secretary

I want to thank everyone for their thoughts on this topic. I presented the Scouts with many of your suggestions and than we left it up to each patrol. Many opted for a grubmaster and asst. grubmaster one patrol liked shopping as a patrol. I have heard positive comments from those that have vaired their routine of everyone going camping shops. This forum was incredible useful. THANKS!!!!!!

WAHOO!! Glad to get so many responses in such a fast time. I am going to print all these out and present this. I talked to two of the other Troops we have been associated with and they also assign grubmasters. This is a great forum to share ideas of what works and doesn't. THANKS TO EVERYONE!!! Don't be shy though, if you have more answers or experiences, please still share.

How do your patrols shop for groceries for upcoming camping trips? How do you collect the money for it? Right now the way it works in our Troop is anyone in the Patrol that is attending the campout shops, so if 5 boys are going they all meet and shop. Usually then one of the parents pays for it and gets the money from the Scouts the night they leave for camping or the night of shopping after the bill is totaled. Problems with this....1. Boys that sign up to attend camping and then don't show up to shop. Food will be bought for them and then they fail to show up for camping. Their portion of the grocery bill is then left with the parent that paid for the groceries. 2. Boys that show up late shopping, often waiting 15-20 for them to show up or waiting after we are done shopping for their parents to pick them up. Often times shopping takes 1-1 1/2 hours to complete. In our last Troop we had a Grubmaster and an assistant grubmaster. The meeting before the camping trip a menu was made along with a grocery list. Money was colleted $8-10 from each Scout attending. The grubmaster and asst. grubmaster then made their own plans on the best time to shop, they were then responsible for keeping the items cold and transported to the campout. Any money left over was divided among the Scouts that paid, if they went over the money that they had, the Scouts would choose items that they could do without. (They carried a calculator with them as they shopped so they kept track, instead of at the check out.) Please note that the Grubmaster and the Asst. Grubmaster rotates with each campout. There is some concern that if a Grubmaster and Asst. Grubmaster do the shopping for the entire patrol, not enough will be bought and that each Scout ddoesn't experience the full planning experience. What are your feelings about this? How does your Patrols plan and shop? I think menu planning and a grocery list is essential in the whole camp planning experience and there is no need for everyone in the patrol to go. It is not unreasonable for the Scout to bring their money to the meeting prior to the camping trip to give to the grubmaster. I am looking forward to seeing how other Troops and Patrols handle this. Our committee couldn't come up with anything after a lenghty debate and has decided to form a "committee" to discuss this fuller to present something to the entire committee next month. Please note that some of the Scouts at the last shopping trip, just thought it was ridiculous the time it took to shop for a backpacking menu. And that no matter what we come up with as adults in the end it will be up to the Scouts to decide, but want to offer them suggestions on how to streamline this task. THANKS for all your help.

I want to thank you all for the advise on collections of dues. We have tried several ways and we finally found a way that seems to work. We collect dues once a month, first Monday of the month, Patrol Scribe takes any dues and actually writes a receipt. All the money and receipts are then turned over to the secretary to record on the Scouts "official" record. Once every three months the Scout gets a print out of what has been paid and how much is owed until the next recharter. The receipt books were very cheap, and the patrol scribe is held accountable but accurate records are maintained by the secretary.

We joined this Troop two years ago after moving to a new state. When we intially arrived they took up a dollar in dues each week. Problem was, no one ever kept records on who was paying what and if anyone was current on their dues. Over the course of two years there have been many attempts on keeping track and collecting of dues and nothing has worked. In our old Troop, and others that I have had contact with, dues were paid all at once so that it was insured that the Scout was paid up and that the recharter was paid for. This Troop however likes the Scribe to take care of this so that the Scouts can be responsible for payment and being "thrifty" as well as the Scribe performing his duty. I have come up with a way that would insure teaching the Scouts thriftiness and also for the Scribe to fulfill his postion. What do you think of my idea? And how does your Troop handle the payment of the Scout Dues? Have a payment envelope for each Scout with their name and patrol. Have a grid, like you would find in a checkbook and starting with the yearly due amount. Then record each payment made and show a balance due. Example: Colin - Bear Patrol Scout Dues from Feb. 1 2006 thru Jan. 31, 2007 $50.00 Payment - Cash March 6 $5.00 $45.00 Payment - June 4 $5.00 $40.00 PLEASE NOTE ALL DUES NEED TO BE PAID IN FULL BY JAN. 31, 2007 Instead of collecting the dues each week, set up one day a month, "DUES DAY." Perhaps first meeting of the month. Then the scribe would set up with his envelopes prior to the meeting and after the meeting and collect any dues that the Scouts have. Having it on a constant week each month it would be more easily remembered. I see doing it this way as easy and a way to keep track of what has been collected from each Scout. There are some adults in our Troop that still wish to have a scribe in each patrol and then that Scribe report to the Troop Scribe with the money collected. I asked my son if the Scribe has ever collected dues in the patrol meetings, his reply "We have a scribe in the patrol? Hmm, I think I was asked maybe once about dues." I may suggest that the Scribe in the patrol be responsible for attendance and possible collect money from his patrol for the camp outs. This would enable the Scribe in the patrol to maintain his title and still provide his service while learning. So, what do you all think of this? How does your Troop handle the dues? I am very interested in learning from you all. Dawn - Troop Secretary BSA - Lake City, FL