ScoutMomAng

The problem usually does not arise if a boy is held back but put UP a grade! If he is held back he will generally meet the requirement regardless of where he started. However, being put up a grade puts him YOUNGER than his "peers" in his den and grade. The requirement to join a boy scout troop is 10.5 with the AOL or 11 without. There is no exception when it comes to national accepting the application to the troop level.

Crew21 and One Hour Thanks for the help! Crew---I searched what you suggested and found EXACTLY what I was looking for! This skit with the Book 101 things to do with a bandana works for any amount of scouts! This is awesome and I think the boys will choose this skit over the others they have to choose from! I love coming here for help! This is better than going to roundtable! Angela

NJEagleMom! That is SUCH a cute idea!!! I LOVE IT!

Why is this kid the only one in his den (WeBeLoS I) the only one almost done with the entire book? WeBeLoS is not a boy and parent program. He should be working with his den leader and the entire den (or at summer camp with other boys and leaders). The goal of the WeBeLoS den is to prepare younger boys to become Boy Scouts. That means they learn to go to scouts without mommy and/or daddy, they learn to work with other people in his age group, learn to lead certain projects for others, learn to rely on "Activity Pin (Merit Badge) Counselors" (the leader) to help them meet their requirements (yes there are some for him to do at home with mom and dad but not many), to learn to plan a camp out with his peers and follow through. Why is the Cub Master signing off in his book? That is for the Den Leader to do, unless the den leader specifically said the Cub Master can do it. It is one thing to read the book and "fill in the blanks", it is a complete different thing to do the projects in the book. I have been a WeBeLoS leader for 6 years, and I find this accomplishment to be very hard to complete the way the requirements were meant to be completed. Most of the Activity pins say, "with your WeBeLoS den..." Each Activity Pin was meant to be completed in approximately a months time, thus the reason it generally takes 18 months to complete the program and there are 20 activity pins (there are a few pins that can be completed in one or two den meetings). Dude! Take your time! What's your rush? It's not a race! Get the most out of the program that you possibly can. Why don't you plan a service project for your den to complete, if you are bored with cub scouting? Plan something more elaborate than cleaning the playground at the school. Do something to help the homeless, or the underprivelaged, or orphans or premature babies. With this you can "practice" for your Eagle. Did you go on a campout with a troop? Did you meet with several troops to find out which one suits your needs better? Did you go on a 3 mile hike with your den? Or did you just complete the "easy" requirements so you could breeze through the book? Did you build a catapult with your den? Did you go to the Science Center and do several science expirements with your den to learn about Bernoullis principal, Newtons First Law of motion, and Pascal's Law? Sorry, I just feel Ninja is missing out on so much by rushing through the program.

Hi All! I had seen a skit one time previously that could be adapted to however many boys you had in your den. I'm sure they called it the Yellow Bandana Skit, HOWEVER, the one I keep finding online is NOT the one I saw! I have a total of 7 boys in my den, however, until football season is complete, there are only 3 showing up.... The Yellow Bandana skit I find online is for a "magician" and a "stooge" but that leaves nothing for my third scout to do. The Yellow Bandana Skit I saw was a "leader" showing the boys what to could be done with a yellow bandana (or just bandana). Things included using it as a sling, a head cover, etc. A "scout" comes in late to the demonstration and apologizes for being late. The leader says, "it's ok, get out your bandana and stand back there to learn the things you can do with it" The boy then gets his BANANA out and starts doing the things the leader tells him to do.... Problem is, I can't remember all the things he told them to do and I remember that at the end he used it as a head cover, after the boy had mashed his banana up. Anybody know this skit? Can you help me "make-up" this skit if it doesn't exist online somewhere???? BTW----I seen it at a WeBeLoS summer camp program, so if there is somebody out there in my area that knows what I'm talking about I would appreciate your help! Thanks! I appreciate all your help! YIS Angela Pack 816 Taylor, MI

To get parents to volunteer...I VOLUNTEERED them! This is what I did and this is what we as a "committee" thought about it. At the Christmas Party for our pack, I had designed "scrolls" for each parent of each boy in the pack. Each scroll said this (or something similar): You have been granted The position of Blue & Gold Banquet Committee Chair Your responsibilities consist of: Organizing your committee to hold regular meetings prior to the Blue and Gold Dinner. The Blue and Gold Dinner will be held on 21 February 2009 at 2 - 5 pm In the gymnasium at ****** (insert location) You and your committee will decide Decorations Set up Invitations Food Deserts Games Congratulations on your new position with Cub Scout pack 816 If you feel you are not capable of holding this position you may switch positions With any other member in the pack that is holding one of these scrolls. You may not give your position away to any person already registered as a leader or any person already holding multiple positions within the pack. You MUST have one position within this pack, other than parent. Cub Scouts is a VOLUNTEER organization and every parent must volunteer their time to help this pack run smoothly and not cause burn out. If you need assistance with your position you may ask Committee Chair, Cubmaster, Den Leader, or Treasurer (or any other names you can insert) Every parent that did not have a position in the pack was given a "scroll" as a Christmas gift from the current leaders! Positions consisted of committee members and committee chair for each major position in our pack. "Experienced" parents (those that have been around at least a year) were given chairperson positions and newer members were given committee members. (committees were: B & G, PWD, Raingutter Regatta, Bike Rodeo, etc. Things we do every year as a cub scout pack) Our cubmaster at the time thought it would run parents off. Several leaders thought it might help if we assign parents small jobs or one time jobs. Some were unsure of how it might end up. My thought? If it ran them off they had no business being in our pack and could go elsewhere and sponge off of some other pack leaders! If it meant I didn't have to plan another Blue and Gold or Pinewood derby but had to help advise...so be it! The time was coming near that I needed to move on...my youngest son would soon be leaving the pack. So, what happened? Every parent was greatful for their positions! Not one traded their positions with another. So far every event has happened on time with very little input from the same leaders that had been planning the events for the past three years, with the exception of one. Our bike rodeo, which is suppose to happen in two weeks will more than likely have to be put on hold because the guy I chose to be the committee chair has done what he does best...PROCRASTINATE! A new parent has stepped up and taken the reins of the project and the committee, though, so I don't have to plan it, our cubmaster does not have to plan it, and neither do any of our already overtasked leaders and registered committee members! Will the rodeo happen? I believe it will. Will it happen when we originally planned it? Probably not, but at least it will happen!

Prairie--those are good ideas for the wood part of the projects but remember Craftsman says to make four projects NOT from wood and two from wood using a coping saw or jigsaw.

I've been the WeBeLoS leader for probably way too long now but these are the things I do: 1. I take the boys to the local Tandy Leather shop where they get to do a few projects for free after hours. (3-4 little projects of stamping and staining) You can pay $5.00 per boy to do bigger projects but the boys are happy with the stamping. 2. "Tin Punch" luminares---I use empty mandarin orange cans filled with water and frozen. The boys use a permanent marker to draw their design on the can, then I take the can home, fill it with water and freeze it. The next meeting, the boys use nails and hammers to hammer out the holes needed to show their design. (all safety precautions are in place) and its a good idea to put your frozen can on a towel so when the ice starts to melt, it isn't making huge puddles on the table! (Live and learn!) 3. Origami boxes. You can find simple ones online and if you use wall paper the boxes become very useful and pretty to give to moms. However, this year I'm going to try making recycled paper with the boys so they can make their own greeting cards. 4. the 4th project I usually change up depending on the boys. This year the boys will work on learning how to decorate a cake (tips, bags and all). Last year we used rexlace to make a key chain for their house key (not a good project), we did candle dipping one year (the boys had fun with that), we've done bead making (using polymer clay), and mobile out of polymer clay. They really like playing with the polymer clay and there are all different kinds of polymer clay. For the wood projects the boys make Pine Wood Derby car stands and they cut Christmas tree ornaments out of thin wood. They paint them and decorate them to give to their parents at the Pack Christmas party.

I think "door" prizes sound like an AWESOME idea! I don't think it would work so much for our packs Pack Meetings but maybe to encourage more boys to go on campouts!!! HECK YEAH! I think I'll give it a shot! I already do that sort of thing for popcorn (although it's been hard to get donations from Walmart, Target etc. on time to award these prizes). However, to award a "door" prize for attending a campout might be an incentive to get that one boy who has been in the pack since the 1st grade and is now in the 4th grade and his family has NEVER been to any campouts! Makes me wonder what is going to happen when those WeBeLoS campouts come up!

Our pack tries to camp four times per year, and that is not including any WeBeLoS campouts. However, our pack is not huge, and sometimes our turnouts are the same 4 or 5 boys with the largest families. Currently my boys are no longer in the pack but with the troop. We asked one time to borrow some stuff from the troop but got a lot of hemming and hawing over whether they should let us use their stuff. All the "pack" camping gear belongs to ME and gets packed in MY truck with NO help from anybody in the pack! For now they all have their own tents and sleeping bags and all are starting to purchase mess kits (although I still end up providing a few of those on each campout) My boys are no longer with the pack but with the troop so, if I should leave the pack, I don't think the pack will ever go on another campout, because I won't be there to supply the personally owned chuckbox, pots, pans, camping stove, canopy used as a dining fly or storage tent (10 X 10 easy up tent), or me to do the planning and shopping, etc. However, if the pack were to raise enough money to purchase a small trailer, and their own camping equipment to loan to parents on campouts (tents, pots, pans, etc.) I think it would be awesome for them to have their own trailer to utilize for a campout and storage! Storage at our Chartered Org is very limited, therefore everything ends up in MY garage! The PWD track (which I FINALLY got out of my garage), the raingutter regatta track, the decorations for crossovers, graduation ceremonies, PWD, etc. I would be MORE than willing to let them store the pack PWD track (and I bet the parent that currently has it in his garage would also agree) in the trailer! I'd also be more than happy to let them HAVE the raingutter regatta track my husband built, as long as they stored it in the trailer and not my garage! I'd be MORE than happy to let them have all the ceremonial stuff that is currently residing in my garage! I'd even be willing to GIVE them some duplicate camping gear! For goodness sake! Will this pack ever raise enough money to purchase a trailer for me to get all that stuff out of my garage!?! And with enough advance warning, I'd even be willing to let some of that stuff sit in my garage for the weekend campouts! I say, if you camp enough and can get your money's worth out of it, by all means purchase a trailer and camping gear (that way you don't have to use one parents truck all the time...what a liability).

Hi all My WeBeLoS parents have all agreed and decided to wait until the end of March (after PWD) for the AOL and cross over ceremonies, since we had some new boys join the pack at the very start of September and they all want to cross over together and March 5th will get them their 6 month requirement for the AOL. So...after saying that, the parents would like to send out invitations to the AOL ceremony and dinner, similar to what our troop does for their Eagle Scouts. Does anybody know of someplace I can get invitations for an Arrow Of Light Ceremony?? I have searched this internet all over the place and cannot find any. They would like it to be nice similar to those of the Eagle Scout Invitations. Thanks for your help. Angela

"It seems, from an article in the Minneapolis Start Tribune, that the event organizers did not want them wearing their Scout shirts because of the risk involved of the shirts holding the icy water against their skins, and freezing solid. The recommended Plunge Wear is something tight fitting like a wet suit. I found this while searching for information on Lake Minnetonka, MN. It is the flyer from the Polar Plunge. Nowhere on this flyer does it say a wet suit. In fact it says, "A single layer swimsuit" On It & In It - Run On and Jump Into Lake Minnetonka This is the way to start the New Year right! Make your first New Years resolution to join your friends and fellow ALARCers for the traditional On It & In It Run and Jump into Lake Minnetonka. After that, all of your resolutions will be a snap! What: The 18th Annual Jump into Lake Minnetonka Who: All ALARCers and friends are invited to participate. When: January 1, 2008Run begins at 9:00 AM, then we return for the jump at 9:30 AM sharp! Where: Bayview Event Center on Lake Minnetonka, Excelsior, MN Fees: $15.00 per Person for the Dive Plus $10 if you would like the New Years Brunch at the Bayview. Please register online so that we can get a general count. Plus $15 for our great long sleeve t-shirt commemorating your dive! Please register online so that we can get a general count or purchase yours on race day on a first come first serve basis. Registration: Two Ways to Register: Register online atActive.com(preferred). On line registration closes at midnight on December 30th. Complete and print the Printable Registration Form and bring it with you to the event along with your payment. When you register, indicate how many, if any previous dives you have done. This will determine what ranking you are (see scale below). No. of Completed Jumps Your Current Ranking 0 Guppy 1 Minnow 2 Walleye 3 Northern 4 Muskie 5 Barracuda Five6 Barracuda Six 7 Barracuda Seven 8 Barracuda Eight 9 Barracuda Nine 10+ Shark All participants will receive certificates commemorating the jump and specifying their standing in the traditional fish hierarchy! Schedule: THE RUN AND JUMP WILL BEGIN AT 9:00 am. However we urge you to be on site by 7:30 am to allow time for registration, changing clothes and dive marking. You may warm up however you like, but we suggest you do so before the jump. At approximately 9:20 we will assemble for the jump. The divers will go in order of rank. Sharks are first, then Barracuda, Muskies, Northern, Walleye, Minnow and Guppies. Your ranking will be marked on your shoulder before the dive. Rules: Participation in this event is at your own risk! VERY IMPORTANT You must wear running/tennis shoes! No sandals, flip flops, or bare feet. You must go in hand-in-hand with at least one other person and you must not let go of your partners hand until you are ready to come out of the water. Tips: Wear a single layer swimsuitmulti-layer cotton shorts can be very cold. Bring a big warm towel. Bring warm clothes and a change of shoes for after the jump. This was done to benefit a sick leader, not the unit so technically it was not a fundraiser and not subject to BSA rules. The fact they put their scout shirts on after the event was over is irrelevant. BadenP: I can see why you could've been put on ignore by certain people. If you followed the first link at the start of this post then watched the second video clip where the reporter told mostly of the scout portion, you will see that the boys did, in fact, raise money as a PACK. There were signs in windows in town and the boyscarried signs that said, "Pack 116 is taking the plunge for Dar", while they solicited money. So now let me enlighten you on a little bit of BSA policy (which is taken right from the Money Earning application): 7. Will the fund-raising project avoid soliciting money or gifts? The BSA Rules and Regulations state, Youth members shall not be permitted to serve as solicitors of money for their chartered organizations, for the local council, or in support of other organizations. Adult and youth members shall not be permitted to serve as solicitors of money in support of personal or unit participation in local, national, or international events. For example: Scouts and leaders should not identify themselves as Scouts or as a troop participate in the Salvation Armys Christmas Bell Ringing program. This would be raising money for another organization.

I have lived in many places in my time. Cold, hot, freezing whatever, wherever. Michigan, England, Florida, North Dakota, Minnesota, wherever, your body does adapt to the temperatures you are used to. The boys are from Minnesota. Whether they filed a tour permit or not isn't such the problem or that council allowed it. I personally would NEVER submerge my body into freezing water. I don't even like cold water in the summer time. The older we get the harder it is for us to get used to certain temperatures and deal with them. The parent's of the boys knew what they were doing. The leaders did not take them out behind anybody's back. The boys parents knew what they were doing. So what if they wore their uniforms? They weren't in the water for hours or even minutes. I'm sure that the parents had plenty of things in place to make sure the boys got warm again after their plunge. The video shows an adult jumping in with two boys, and carefully supervising BOTH boys! He made sure the one had hold of the pole before he stopped to help the other get under the rope (which I don't understand what purpose it serves). The other adult jumped in with what appeared to be his own son and was completely responsible for him. Alas, the buddy system. The water only appeared to be up to the "fathers" hips. Maybe 3 to 4 feet maximum. (The first group of men swam most of the length so it was hard to get an idea from them). There are THREE ladders at the end of the "pool". All 3 ladders appear to be 4 foot ladders with about a foot of the ladders sticking out of the water. The part of the lake they were on couldn't have been much more than 3-4 feet deep. PLUS--living in these places previously, I'm not sure the weather has been cold enough yet to freeze deeper portions of the lake. All in all, I don't think any violations were made here. Would I do it? HECK NO! Just my 2 cents...whatever that's worth.

pavilm "There are tons of lyrics just for the Toad, we did it at Jungle Book training for Leaders. I will try and write them down from the video I took. It's more effective when you keep the song to the toad." I know there are tons of lyrics just for the Toad. The point is, we made puppets for our SHOWMAN activity pin. I wanted lyrics to go with the puppets. The song works either way, just the toad, or other animals. The boys like the other animals...it gives them the chance to try to write their own lyrics which goes along with the Showman activity pin. Now that they have words for each of their puppets, they can put in new words to write their own lyrics. By the way, I have seen all the lyrics for Tom the Toad with just the toad and all the lyrics for all the other animals. There just was not any for a lion.

Both verses are good! I will take them both back to the boys and let them decide which one they like the best! Thanks! I knew you could help! Angela