pchadbo

"we've tried cake bakes in the past, what a flop." Was it just a cake bake and judge them? What we do is a cake bake then cake auction to cover our annual FOS fundraiser, lots of fun when parents get caught up in the bidding for thier son's cake. We do skits, and it is also our traditional crossover for the Webelos to the Troop, so the troop is there as well, but it is also just about fellowship.

What about these cub focused camps with theme build buildings, some with castles or timber forts. Are they excessive???? too expensive????? Our Cub World may be a little over the top but: Native American Village Waterslide Minigolf Rock throwing Range Western style fort Dining hall Scout Store Snack Shack with cool Shlushee machine BB/Archery ranges Waterfront Pirate themed water/play area (Pirate's Cove is awesome!) Webelos Woods -- seperate and private area for our newly minted Webelos II Tents on platforms Plus seperate facilities for on site Day Camp. Oh yeah Kerrie, the nurse has her own lodge too. Cost this year is 275 per scout for 5 days 4 nights. A bargoon in my way of thinking

Moose, Welcome to the club!!! I send emails to the pack leadership and can count on 1-2 responses from the 10 or so leaders. I send emails to the entire pack, 50-60 people and expect 5-7 responses. Frustrating? Yes Normal? Yes. Just you? No. Keep on keeping on as you are because I have found from an experiment, people actually read them they just don't respond.

Engineer , any vote cast for anyone other than the Rep candidate regardless of how repugnant he may be, and some of them are, is a vote for the current Idiot in Chief. Need proof? Remember Ross Perot? If he were not in the race in 92 Slick Willy is never elected and HW serves 4 more years and noone ever hears the name Monica Lewinski. Splitting the vote is not the way to go.

OGE, you got a chuckle from this (not quite) 38 year old, and i do know the rest except "jumping the shark"???? but then again I know who AuH2o and Spiro Agnew are too.

Moose, As long as the track and building aren't harmed, I'm OK with it in good fun. PS I think your husband is the leader of the "big kids band"

Thanks Schiff, but getting them to stick around afterward to take it down is not an issue, it is getting them there the night before to help set up. I am sorry that you had " fights before the PWD started." WOW how unscout-like I am selling this as fellowship and fun with a group that does not take itself serously and cannot anticipate anyone getting upset by a better mousetrap. I know personally I have some ideas but would love to be beat by the guy who rigged a jet pack onto his PWD car. Also the different rules is also why it is being held the night before with no scouts. If the adult leaders cannot figure out the difference between an event with all adults and one with Scouts presesnt, they may need to reevaluate their position in Scouting. In other words, I am looking for some fun with fellow scouters and expecting adults to act like adults. Too much to ask? Gee, I hope not for the role models for tomorrow's leaders.

After a lackluster turnout the last couple of years to help set up the track and the hall for the Pinewood, I have begun to organize an adult Pinewood to lure people into helping then racing their cars to make sure the trackand timer is operating appropriately (oler wooden track with some quirks). This is what I came up with for rules: "The rules are simple, it must have begun life as a standard BSA Pinewood Derby kit. From there you are limited by your imagination, no weight or length limits and it has to fit through the timer at the bottom." Any other suggestions or ideas so I can be the coolest kid on the block with my entry? This is being organized as a non-uniform event as we will probably have to go to a nearby watering hole afterwards to replace lost fluids and elctrolytes.

great tool but you seem to have a line of code that is not completing: "Today, I want to tell you about a favorable adjective program called venturing."

My first reaction to this was why wouldn't you want to establish a relationship with a pack or troop that was chartered by the same organization? Then I read further and realized that you were one of the "have nots". I would suggest in your position of more packs than troops you would be more able to help your boys find the best troop for them. As for the troops that have been unable to recruit from their brother pack, I would say that is more a statement about the troop than any guideline from national or even your local council. As a new Pack CC one of my focuses has been making sure our Troop and Pack have a good relationship including recruiting den Chiefs for the first time in years. I think the directive may have something to do with trying to prop up struggling troops rather than and actual national directive.

My first reaction to this was why wouldn't you want to establish a relationship with a pack or troop that was chartered by the same organization? Then I read further and realized that you were one of the "have nots". I would suggest in your position of more packs than troops you would be more able to help your boys find the best troop for them. As for the troops that have been unable to recruit from their brother pack, I would say that is more a statement about the troop than any guideline from national or even your local council. As a new Pack CC one of my focuses has been making sure our Troop and Pack have a good relationship including recruiting den Chiefs for the first time in years. I think the directive may have something to do with trying to prop up struggling troops rather than and actual national directive.

First, I am a pack CC, we were named a unit of honor 4 out of ther previous 5 years for our council the only year we missed it was retention/recruitment as we crossed over 12 boys in a pack of 40. We kept doing what we had been doing all along and near as I can figure, the only thing we learned was how to fill out a new form. But, as I said we were already exceeding and have been for years. . .

Moose, I would encourage you and MIB to take a good look at the situation and IF you step in I would very clearly set the expectation of we are here until X date and between now and then the parents need to step up. The most crucial piece of this is the decisions you and MIB have to make: are you willing to run the pack indefinitely? Are you willing top walk away? If you cannot walk away with a good chance of the pack failing after you leave, you may be there for a long time. Be Prepared. Also, you have some good resources within your district, do not be afraid to ask for help.

Tampa. I am behind you, my dad had just graduated from High school in June and my mom was in the 7th grade. . .guess I'm just a youngin' BUT i doo remember the January 26th 1986 game from a differnt viewpoint. I was the one crying as the Bears decimated my beloved Partiots. I still remember the Fridge's touchdown (run??)

I would make the DE aware of this in a "hey we just got a transfer from Pack XYZ and they said they were drinking alcohol at pack functions. . .just thought you should know" I woud not make it a big deal but make sure they are aware

we are also comparing apples to oranges. The leaders of yore for those of you who are "of an age" were by and large verterans from the days when the draft was a real thing and military service was the norm not the exception and the older among us here had WWII vets as leaders. These men were given extensive courses in Scout skills by the military AND were taught leadership by the very same organization. Tough to compare a Pack Committee Chair like my grandfather, WWII vet, purple heart and bronze star for his time in Europe in 1944-4, to me also a CC who never served and is a product of the "management school" of leadership. Am I a better leader? Was he a better leader? I don't know the answer but I know our styles and skill sets are completely different.

Back at you from this side of the pond. Merry Christmas to all and . . . God Bless Us, Everyone!

LisaBob, Nice thought, but no, he is less organized than I and not a pre-planner, bad combination for a CC.

And why exactly is this person Cubmaster???" He was Cubmaster before I joined -- I inherited him And Here is the really Ironic Part, I am that Zany outgoing silly person who would be awesome helping plan and executing the program but am NOT a great organizer. I feel that CM would be a more "natural" fit for me but there is no one for the CC position. . .

"Find a competent Assistant CM to work with the CM. It will work itself out" Already actively looking Barry

"Has the CM run a good program prior to these two instances? I agree that you should have a quiet, friendly, conversation with the CM to see what is going on and to let him know of your concerns. However, if this has never happened before I would not immediately leap to dismissing him from the position" Yeah this is part of the issue, this is his third year as CM but the first where he has been expected to plan anything. Our one-man-show palnned ALL of the activities including Pack Meetings. We do hold monthly meetings to discuss upcoming events and who is doing what and these events were discussed and CM knew what was going on but dropped the ball. I'm looking for how do I broach the subject and not seem like a jerk or dictator.

I am a new Pack CC and have admittedly stepped into BIG shoes. Our previous CC was a one man show and he was actually good at it (I envy his organizational abilites). The issue however is that my, failings? unwillingness to spend 25 hours a week on scouting? stubbornness?, have created a situation where I have delegated items and they were not completed and were essential failures. The biggest two happened last Fri/Sat. Friday was our Pack meeting/holiday party, slam dunk fun right? nope. The CM after calling me to make sure I would be there early to unlock the meeting place, showed up 5 minutes AFTER the meeting start time, had no plan for the meeting so I had to try to put it together on the fly (you ever try to control 25 Cubs and keep them entertained when they know Santa is coming with no advance notice?) Well we made it through the Pack meeting and the next day, the Cubs were giong caroling to 2 of our local retirement homes. I and my son had prior commitments and had let CM know that a month in advance and had given him the song sheets and let him organize. People showed up to the first location, no CM, no song sheets, and no answer on his phone. I got several calls from upset parents asking what was happening. As I was 2 hours away, not a lot I could do so they stepped up and made it happen. Now, what do I do with a CM that can't or won't do his part? And I will take the "do it myself option" off the table for discussion's sake (it may come to that but I want OTHER options.

This hit upon one of my big nerves. The Constitution of the United States does NOT include the phrase "seperation of Church and State" it says the the Government cannot establish a religion. This is VERY different from not being able to worship or observe religious traditions in a government center.

Calico, I work in a call center for a very large insurance company, while I have an actual "phone" on my desk, all of the call funtions (answer, transfer, disconnect, etc) are on the computer which is linked with the phones so when you put in your ID number in those ever popular automated menus I get your info on my screen when I answer your call.

How about just the "trained" patch blown up to 8 1/2 x 11 or so on tagboard with string to hang around their necks.