Basementdweller

so your sons entered school a year early......No biggy. your situation is not typical

just curious..... Does the Pack use debit cards???? Are the checks two signature checks???? Do you guys approve expenditures at the committee level???? the only exception is the Advancement Chair who does not need prior approval for just awards. Everything else we buy must be approved by the committee. the treasure has absolutely no authority on her own to raise the prices on anything. The treasurer shouldn't do the Pack budget. The job is managing the bank account and money into the accounts and monies out. The budget is the job of the committee. I did the budget for our Pack and it was on google docs which is shared by the entire committee, the CC and CM are the only ones who have edit rights. We figured out what the Pack were going to provide, cost and then it is simple multiplication. If our treasurer refused form me to see the books I would be on the phone to the CC and we would ask for her resignation. Just that simple I hope for the packs sake she isn't stealing the boys money.

It isn't my success. Persistence. In another thread someone mention community, I think this is the case. The den leaders and parents coming back from family camp with stories, the snakes on the hikes, the kid catching the muskie on the wax worm, the skunk in camp. and on and on........Sure there were bad times.....but for some reason those storys never get retold. The Parents and boys both had fun on our outings. I honestly believed that is the case. When I asked the leader, it wasn't in the rush in or out of the meeting. It was at the fishing derby after the meal....Same fishing derby watching the sun set accrossed the lake...It was sitting on a rock on a hike....... It was at the table selling popcorn in front of the store. I don't know......the time just seemed right. Most of the leaders were recruited over the summer from the existing Pack. We have yet to identify and chat with the new parents.

Last year was ugly, I was CM, WDL, CC, popcorn kernel, pinewood derby chair, advancement chair and secretary......The CC quit but never told anyone and could not find a replacement, the secretary was my wife whose job changed and she couldn't do it. I enjoy being the WDL and will do it for as long as I am able. I filled both roles after the old WDL ran off with the CM. After the storm we had 6 boys left. two years later we could have 100??? wow. It all seems like a life time ago now. My only roles in the Pack now are CM and WDL. I put in my notice resigning as popcorn kernel at the end of 2011 sale. My world is much better. I can see exiting as CM in the next year or so. Thx Scoutfish.

Your going to laugh, I have been shedding roles like mad I had a great year with adults I picked up 11 new volunteers. like I said for the first time ever, I have two ACM's every den has two adl and a dl. We have a large committe full of chair people, blue and gold, pinewood, advancement and activites. Working to recruit next years popcorn kernel. You are correct that planting the seed is whats needed.

OMG beavah, choked on my coffee.

Yep, sounds like a Adult scouter who does not have the boys best interest at heart. I would work to have him removed as a unit commissioner. The games he played as CM gives us a little more background as to the dynamic. You are correct that community is forged with shared experiences. It may take several years after getting him removed as UC to help your situation out. Ya know you could be at the Pack meeting with boy scouts as well, join the Pack committee or be a webelos den leader. I guess my point is don't be the victim. He is successful because he forces it.(This message has been edited by Basementdweller)

Well ana. Just trying to get my head around the math here. so if your son completed fourth grade plus six months and was 10 + 2 months for the aol. May is typically when our school lets out making december the earliest crossover date. counting back 14 month means he was 8 years old in fourth grade with an October birthday???? My son also has an October birthday, He was 9 entering the fourth grade, having been enrolled as permitted by our schools. their cut off day is September 1 for birthdays. He turned 10 while in the fourth grade and crossed into the troop in april. Your situation is not typical.

So is it ok to throw the shoes while still attached to the horse???

Next week scout flips flaming marshmallow into tent causing tent to catch on fire. The next version of G2SS will ban tents and roasting marshmallows.

I have bought probably 20 cub uniforms over the years for boy who have not been able to afford them. Those boys absolutely treasured them. I probably get more out of giving them the uniform than the boy is......The joy and excitement in their eyes is magical. They take great pride in wearing it. While they weren't always clean or ironed those boys most generally wear them to every meeting and event. Next Pack meeting, for every boy that has his uniform on have a bag of halloween candy bars and hand them out, next den meeting night do the same thing. You will see the change in a month or so.

92, yer not gonna hurt my feelings......cause on the way over last night I was sorting thru how I felt about being a den leader for the other Pack again. I was kinda relieved that they did not want me. But every time another Pack or troop folds we all lose. This will turn the boys impacted off to scouting and in turn they will not sign their sons up. My other concern is that my Pack was not Prepared for the HUGE influx of scouts. We doubled in size and if the phone calls are any indication we could triple in size. This would mean we would be well over 110 members. This is too big to be effective in providing the scouting experience in my opinion. I would like to see us split up into two or three Packs if that happens. I believe the optimal numbers in a Pack are 40-50 scouts. Which equates to two dens at each rank, roughly of course. The problem is enthusiastic, scout educated adult leaders. Adults with no experience take such a long time to get up to speed. Well, I am sort of working this from behind the scenes, we have a DL and now two assistants in each den. 92, in the hood they are all my scouts and this other pack is in the hood too.

I have been required to fill out an application for the following positions Den leader, multiple times for multiple Packs Assistant CM CM CC ASM , multiple times for multiple troops Merit Badge Councilor Crew Adviser I was Program Director for day camp, staffing Baloo, OWL and IOLS no application. I wonder if it is a local council thing or not. (This message has been edited by Basementdweller)

83..... There are all types asking questions here rich folks, poor folks, city folks, country folks, type A folks type Z folks It is hard to know who is asking the question and the purpose behind the question. you claim to be a long time scouter. but your questions and attitude speak otherwise. It might be your isolated scouting situation, I don't know. But your question was about uniforming and the consequences for not wearing one. As Baden pointed out uniforms are not required and it was covered in your training. As far as my response goes, unless you provide the uniform how do you require it???? Consequences are for things like fighting, swearing, vandalism and not living the scout law, not for lack of uniforms. Send a few boys home who don't have their uniform on, I bet in a couple of weeks your Pack will get smaller and smaller and smaller..........

This allows for a background check everytime a scouter changes position. I don't have a problem with it. I understand it is a hassle but it protects everyone. I carry a form in by briefcase already filled out with out my sig or ssn/ so is this about adult awards, paperwork or youth and adult safety.

Beavah.....so what was the lesson to be taught?? Selfless service??? complaintless service???? It is one thing to maintain a kybo or portojohn for your own unit an entirely different thing for a camporee of several thousand......blood and other Body fluids, parasites, bacteria and viruses that are found in human waste, especially if one guy has projectile vomiting. I work in health care and body fluids are nothing to mess with any more. lots of nasty things can be transmitted, and some of them are now antibotic resistant now. Nope, not gonna subject my guys to that.

Well went over to the other Pack.....they did not want any help. Oh well. I tried.

gotcha, I have an experienced den leader who just became an ACM mentoring the parents of the den. She has the first two go see it's lined up and we are looking for the primary group leader now. What you described happened last year and we lost half the den before we realized it.

83 you understand that the cub uniform is not actual required????? to follow your sports example.....My daughter is in cheerleading, their Program fee includes a uniform and it is $250. Son plays socceer, it is $115 it includes a shirt. So does your pack have a program fee that includes the cost of a uniform??? Send a few kids home who didn't wear a uniform and let me know how that works out for you????(This message has been edited by Basementdweller)

Nothing, You could have a pocket full of hershey kisses or peppermints and reward each boy for wearing the uniform. I am on the call list for all of the thrift stores in town. I have friends who garage sale and my mother who does very well, but no luck recently. I did buy a lot on ebay....I think I got 15 shirts for $100.

so 92 gotta ask, what did the issue end up being???

Ya know that is a great idea scoutlass......I will make an announcement at roundtable asking for cub uniform donations. from the boy scout troops, Maybe I will do it in the Boy scout break out session. I can't hurt right????

The youth I serve are poor..... We provide them a pack tshirt when they signd up.....gennerally they are very proud of it and wear it. While I like seeing them in a scout uniform, the uniform is not required. I will not hold uniform inspections because not all of my boys can afford them. Our uniform closet is completely empty and I am completely tapped out on my scout spending money.....so the boys will just do with out. interestingly the Pack dynamic is changing with the recent transfers. More middle class families are joining.

So are you going to make the fuzz stick and then beat it with the rock or just beat the stick with the rock to make a birds nest?????

I mentioned the good old boys club on the district level had been broken up and there were a lot of empty district level spots. I have been recruited to fill Activity or Membership chair positions, very heavily I might add. I have turned them down. I HATE adult politics and refuse to participate in them. My concern, interest and enjoyment comes from working the the scouts.