Polaris

I asked the SM. Oldest son's Scoutmaster does not want to take youngest son early. They take all crossovers in early March and put them into a New Scout Patrol. So.....waiting one more year.

I put Cub son's swag, including belt loops, in a $30 on-sale shadow box from Michaels. Used hot glue gun. I trimmed and used the Webelos necker as part of the background. Google "Boy Scout Shadow Box" and look under Images heading. I have also seen a navy felt banner with awards and insignia on it hanging by loops from an arrow. I am not crafty, but I can tweak other folks ideas.

We use Google Groups. One for youth/parents and another for adults only. Works great. And you can log in and read past posts. We have TroopMaster. I don't know why we don't use it for group email blasts.

So glad you posted this. When my oldest completed Readyman, the WDL scheduled an EMT to lecture to the boys. Boring. I was going to call this week and do the same for youngest Scout Son. This is WAAAY cooler. Hmmm....thinking....I see lots of corn syrup and red food coloring. Lay out several victims and explain and practice triage.

Pack sales were down $6000 this year. We have hit our mark every year for the last 6 years or more. I don't understand what happened this year. That being said, I just got an email from a parent and they couldn't figure out why they still owe dues. Parent thought they got credit for 100% of their door to door sales.

We have extra funds from popcorn sales. It is funded from scouts selling over the amount needed for dues. Availability of dues scholarships is announced and put in a Pack **** Handbook and distributed at the New Scout Parent Orientation. That being said, in Sept, we had a new scout parent send an email complaining about our dues and said they had to quit. We offered up a full dues scholarship, to include Pack camping fees, Blue and Gold banquet costs, etc., and the family quit anyway. Excuses..... Our Council only covers the cost of Council Summer Camp, BSA registration fees and handbooks with their aid program. They do not cover Pack dues. Popcorn fundraising is for dues.

Oh my gosh! I know that guy!!!

I am looking at our Council's Popcorn Kernel Sales Guidebook: With incentives (prizes)--29% gross unit sales or 31% if sales over $4000 or 33% for sales over $6000 Without incentives--33% of gross unit sales or 35% if sales over $4000 or 37% for sales over $6000 Commissions are reduced after Dec 2 if monies are not turned in on time with 0% commission after Dec. 31. We sell Campmasters. Online sales via the website were a bust as the shipping costs as much as the product. So, we are not advertising online sales for out-of-town relatives this year. As suggested, check with your District Exec for the name of your District Popcorn Kernel---ask if there is a Popcorn Kernel training coming up soon or if you missed it. You also need to get a hold of your Popcorn Kernel materials as it has the commissions listed as well as all the sales/money deadlines, popcorn distribution dates, etc. Obviously, every Council operates differently, so you need your specific numbers to determine your sales goals.

Our Pack only uses the occasional Run On or Stunt or Cheer mixed in with awards and announcements.

KDD, At Boy Scout and Webelos summer camp.....upon return of missing items, you will get serenaded with: "Reunited and it feels so good...uhh!"

Anyone using ScoutJourney web based tracking for $99/yr? https://www.scoutjourney.com/?gclid=CO3V0PzSurgCFapDMgod3xAAjw It looks new with more features to be added later.

Yes. ScoutTrack needs the Archive feature. Perhaps I will zip tech support an email as a suggested update. Hopefully the developers are reading the thread and are already thinking about it............

We just started with ScoutTrack last fall. Our renewal is coming up soon, also. As CC and unofficial Webelos leader again for youngest son, I have a love/hate relationship with it. Could be interested in something else or maybe the grass is just greener over there............. We primarily purchased the software for a simplified Awards database. One location instead of multiple DL emails. Yes, there have been growing pains--DL not putting them in at all or incorrectly--i.e. Religious Emblem instead of Faith Requirement. Our Awards Chair does send out an email of awards for everyone to check prior heading over to the Scout Shop. We did not hold leader, parent training last year. We need to this year. And, I need some training. Pros: Love the calendar feature with the ability to add location and event details. I can also set up email reminders for events. Entering parent and scout data was easy. Setting up dens was easy. Advancing dens to the next rank was simple. 24/7 access by all is easy especially over mobile phones/tablets. I like the ability to see who is logging in and how often. I can tell if the DL has been in the system or not. Den Progess advancement report is good. I can check and invite Webelos from the other den to our den meeting if they haven't earned a particular Activity Pin. The price is reasonable. Quick Entry feature is nice. Cons: There is no way to 'inactivate" or "hide" scouts that have quit as you would hide an inactivated account in Quicken. I was told by ScoutTrack owners to create a separate "Inactivated" den for these scouts. Once you delete a scout, all rank advancement is gone forever. The "Inactivated" den maintains the data which is important for the 18 mo. Webelos program--just in case scout returns. My son's and his friend's belt is ridiculously full of belt loops. I don't want anymore and neither does his parent--scouts OK with this, too. For Webelos year, scouts need to re-earn some belt loops so they need to be entered in the system for rank advancement. Since I don't have access like the Awards Chair, I can't mark them as distributed. (Unless I add myself as an Awards Chair.) Therefore, I am sending the Awards Chair a separate email to tell him not to purchase belt loops for these 2 scouts. The parents aren't logging in on a routine basis. In fact, most haven't logged in at all. I get several requests over the year for so-and-so's phone number and I have to remind folks to check ScoutTrack for the info. I just entered summer camp belt loops, asked the Awards Chair to double check my work and he couldn't find them as entered. Right after I entered them and ran a report, the belt loops were all there on my end. His fault or mine??? So, I am using Webelos Trax as a back up. (IMHO, I like Webelos Trax better.) I am not using it for Charter Renewal especially since the scout numbers are off with the Inactivated Webelos. I have my own spreadsheet with equations for that purpose. Double work, I know.

I understand campsites can change and that is why I said, "generally." One of our local parks suffered tornado damage last year and was closed for a period of time. However, a simple phone call to the facility to double check the info will take care of any facility changes. "It's closed." Move on to plan B. I am sure your events coordinator calls and asks the reservation office about the facility's amenities before booking the site. Right? As I stated previously, think of it as a "guide" with a preface noting the material may have changed. I think a new Cub Scout leader could benefit from flipping through a single source of reference material to help plan a campout. If anything, listing the info for the sites will give the scheduler a better idea of what to ask about during the phone call--especially if the campsite checklist is included. In my experience, our Pack has a limited number of facilities we visit (maybe 10) because most Cub parents don't like driving over one hour. So, a Cub Camping Guide would be easier to put together. Troop camping is much different. A Troop Camping Guide would be more burdensome and useless.

You are correct. The book will need a date on it so that folks will know whether it is current or not. Generally, the campsites do not change. That state park or memorial forest has been there for years and it isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Now the fees will have changed or maybe the picnic tables were removed, but all it takes is a phone call to get the current info--info you should ask about if you are looking into scheduling the site anyway. And, the book could be passed on to another individual to update. For example, another ticket item of mine is to update my WB Troop Guide's "Cub Scout Non-Rank Awards" 84-page book. He completed the book in 2004 and it was last revised in 2006. The preface clearly states to "please review the requirements and availability of awards before beginning to work with Scouts to earn them, as requirements, availability and even existence of the awards may have changed since researching this project." The non-rank awards book is a great start for leaders to look over the awards and see what may or may not be available, just as a camp book is a guide to help schedule a campout.

First of all, let me apologize for the individual that has not contacted you through BeAScout.org. (If you spend enough time on this forum, you will soon realize the IT systems set up by National BSA do not work well.) You sent an email to a local volunteer. You need to understand that the leaders at your local Cub Scout Pack (group) are volunteers and they may be on vacation or they aren't great at checking and replying to emails. It is also possible the Pack's leadership may not have updated their "PIn" on BeAScout.org and your email went to a volunteer that is no longer active with the group. Obviously, we want your son to join and experience the family fun in Cub Scouting! May I suggest you contact your local Council (regional Boy Scouts of America professionals that help out local groups of volunteers). You may be able to locate your local Council with an internet search of Boy Scouts of America and your largest local city's name. Once you find the phone number, let them know your son wants to join and ask for names and numbers of local Pack leaders (Cubmaster or Committee Chair, etc.) and call the individual. Most Cub Scout Packs are chartered (partnered) to local churches, school PTOs and civic organizations. You may also try and call the local churches, etc. and see if they have an associated group. I understand your frustration. Our first phone calls to the recruitment leader listed the the reader board at my son's school were never returned. It took awhile to get connected, but with a little elbow grease, we are in! Good Luck!

"Them skeeters and hicks can be very bad round these parts." Dratted iPad autocorrect changed ticks to hicks! LOL

Below is Senior Pastor Dave Stone's video reply to the church family in response to media coverage regarding the church's decision to drop the scouting units at the end of the year. Click on Week 3 to play the message. The message was played this past weekend for all services at all satellite campuses before the regularly scheduled sermon. http://www.southeastchristian.org/Default.aspx?page=4754 (I am not sure how long this link will stay active. Likely only one more week or so.)

Ahhhh......I just put the iPad on a heat source and nothing! Seriously....the "messages" are now gone. All fixed!

Welcome! There is a lot of great information and wisdom on this site. Good luck and have fun!

Yesterday, I had 2 notifications. Today, I have 3. Can't see 'em. Maybe the messages are scratched out with lemon juice and I just need to put my iPad over one of those old fashioned light bulbs.......

http://www.instructables.com/id/Paper-Stomp-Rockets-Easy-and-Fun/ Here are some great photos and design idea. This website has lots of other cool DIY projects. During recruitment, we kept it simple. Rockets didn't have fins or designs.

As I have the Webelos Handbook sitting on my desk to plan our year.............. 8 total Activity Badges required for Webleos and AOL-- 3 for Webelos Rank (Fitness, Citizen and one other) 5 for AOL (3 previous + Readyman, Outsdoorsman, one in Mental Skills, one in Technology + one other) Yep. Super easy to finish early if scout attends summer camp.

New scout parent: "Will there be any bugs on the campout?"

What are the simplified boats made out of? (I assume you are not using kits to keep the costs down.) We used your stomp rocket idea last year for recruitment. We may bring out our marble racing track this year.