OmegaEagle

LOVE that opening line! That'll go over well w/our unit. Good ideas. I don't have the official script, but maybe I can get it from our pack committee chair.

I, too, like mushroom soup! Unlike some, however, I like it with a bit of hot sauce and a little cheese. I'm considering scoutmaster and religious emblem training at this point. Obviously, I have to base this decision in large part on when I can take off from work. If there's anyone out there who has gone to Philmont for training and taken the family, I'd love to know: -- how much free time do you have with your family? -- how many uniforms do you need since you're there for a week? -- is there any hiking involved for those attending training sessions? -- do you have a months-long "training/get-in-shape" program I/my wife (never been to camp!)/my son (a 10-year-old Webelos who will be a boy scout and who loves camping) can follow between now and the mid-summer when we go? -- a camp checklist for Philmont? -- how to get Philmont to respond to my local council contact???!!!

That is fabulous! Most helpful. I'm thankful. There's a lot there I can tap into and use. I hadn't thought about using scouts. Thank you, thank you.

Sorry! It really isn't an advancement topic. I made the mistake of starting it from the advancement area when I should have moved to another area. It should be moved. I'm sure I/we will get more responses if it is moved. In advance, thanks!

What are some of the best training sessions at Philmont? Which are hard to get into and which are easiest? I've got a week in June, the week of Fourth of July or a week or two in August when I can take off for a week of training at Philmont, with my family going. I'm an Eagle. Went to Philmont in the late 1960s. I'm a cub leader who will be moving into boy scouting w/my boy. I'm TDC-trained, and I absolutely LOVE training myself and training others, boys and scouters. Thoughts? Specifics? Do tell.

I know some of you veteran scouters have seen the ebb and flow, the tilted heads and eyes when the subject of Friends of Scouting comes up. Seems guardians, parents and scouters buck the idea, and even the importance, of the Friends of Scouting program -- especially if they contribute $5, $10 or $20 nearly every month for one thing or another for their own boy(s) and/or a unit. So, my question is this: What are some of your best ideas for kicking off a FOS program at a Blue&Gold event or a Boy Scout event to rev up the excitement, to get people to dig into their pockets and wallets right then OR to sign a card and return it before they leave? My next question: What are some of the most effective methods of followup? Finally, these questions: Are there any short videotapes or CDs available to help w/FOS. Are there any scripts that can be tailored to a specific unit?

I hear you, and I do understand your perspective. Obviously, you're talking about a pack in which the Webelos do provide leadership and are expected to do so. That's not this pack, though there are lots of other good qualities. My son has earned a bunch of beltloops and pins as well as optional awards, even some that many leaders don't know exist, i.e. the Donor Awareness Patch. I am TDC-trained and I've trained in several categories. I do go on campouts. We even went w/the troop on a ski trip recently. The couple of cubs who went even earned their loop and pin while there! There is a real connection between the ACTIVE Webelos IIs and the ACTIVE Webelos Is. There would be a connection that way. And, there are two Webelos Is who are buds who would move up at the same time. I've discussed it and reviewed it w/my Key Three now so I'm certain that this specific situation would be healthy and helpful, especially because I'm willing to help w/the pack and the troop.

That helps, but I want to be clear, so here's some more info: Cub Scout: none Boy Scout: probably 5/6 years interuption Adult: 4/5 years w/one council board interuption Adult: 4/5 years w/2d council board interuption Adult: cub scout leader,council trainer, 2 So, w/that info, what do you think? It's not exact, but I'm in the process of confirming the exact time because I want to be sure to be "legal."

Good stuff, and helpful. Do you think it's okay if he attends meetings with scouts who are friends if they are in another pack? He has buddies in three or four other packs so he'd know one, two or three other boys if he attended another den/pack for a few weeks. Plus, one of the packs is at the church where one of his friends pastors. All dens in our pack meet on the same night and at the same time. He's actually ahead of where he should be at this time in terms of advancement. He even has several beltloops and pins. He'll be working on the religious award in the coming weeks, too.

My son, a Webelos, has to have some additional tutoring. The problem is that the only night the tutor has available is the same night as his den and pack meetings. He'll likely have to have this extra night of tutoring for at least two months, maybe more. I'm considering: (A) Staying in touch w/his den leader and other parents and keep him up-to-date w/anything they are covering and/or working on (B) Identifying another night or a weekend day when he can attend another den and pack meeting to keep him involved, keep up his strong attendance record and even to expose him to other scouts. Anyone deal with this before as a parent and/or a scouter?

I've been back at scouting for a couple of years now, this time w/a cub scout pack. BUT, I've spent several years on the council-level as a board member in two different districts. AND I was a boy scout for several years. QUESTION: Should I calculate my total years of service; only the most recent two to eight years, though there's an interruption or only the last two years since there have been three interruptions? I'd like to accurately reflect my service on my scouter uniform, and I'd like to use it to encourage my son, a Webelos.

Wow! Thank you. Where would we be now without the electronic community? I've got great stuff to followup on -- without leaving town! This is great. Count me in as a regular on scouter.com!!! I'll be exploring more ways to move from forum to forum and site to site. As my Webelos son might say, "Sweeeeettt!!!"

JohnD/ScoutNut, Good responses. Both are helpful. I'll followup. As for the after, I've seen packs here that only let their cubs carry the knives on official scout outings, only when they carry their card and only w/adult supervision do they use them. How's that compare to what you do and/or have seen elsewhere?

Really?! So, it's that simple? And it doesn't have to be a certain kind of scout or scouter to do this w/the boys? If so, WOW, THAT'S GREAT!

I'm still learning about cub scouts. I was a boy scout. Does a cub scout have to only read, know and understand the Whittling Chip guidelines on the card, or is there something else he has to do? I can't find any other requirements, a series of steps, any class-like info or anything. I want to be sure he's doing what he needs to do before getting it. And, yes, I know it's in the handbook. But the book doesn't provide any info other than saying here are the guidelines.