ScoutNut

AnaMaria is talking about Cub Scout Handbooks - not Boy Scout Merit Badge Books or the Boy Scout Requirements book. To find the most recent edition of a Handbook, contact the BSA National Supply Group and ask them. The contact info is on the Customer Service page at Scoutstuff.org. As far as I know, there have been no changes made to the Cub Scout program, or to any of the Handbooks, for the upcoming Cub Scout year. Any changes are usually announced at the National Top Hands meeting in August. Changes announced then usually do not go into effect until the following year. You should be fine purchasing the Handbooks that are currently in your Scout Shop for your end of school year graduation.

Nope, not adding to requirements because the boy does not HAVE to do a good deed in order to earn the badge and have it awarded to him. He has already earned, and been awarded the badge. This is simply a ceremonial way of reminding the Cubs that they have PROMISED to "Help other people". How can that be a bad thing?

Yes, the boys are supposed to make the foot racers. That still does not mean they should be taken apart and put together numerous times. What fun is that? Divide your boys up into pairs and have each pair of boys make a set of racers. Then the teams can race against each other. You can either keep the sets in your den to use as a team game, or donate them to the entire Pack.

Basementdweller - As your son is only a Tiger, you have plenty of time to take all of the training there is out there. As for Blackfoot, from what I can tell online, Blackfoot, is most definately not an advanced training similar to Wood Badge. It is simply a combined Scoutmaster Essentials basic training, and includes New Leader Essentials, Scoutmaster Specific, and Intro to Outdoor Skills. I would wait until your son is at least a 4th grade Webelos becfore taking that course.

We pay for as much as possible for all of our boys. We do not want to lose a family because they can not afford Scouting and are to proud to ask for help. Our families, on the whole, do a great job on our popcorn sale (our only fundraiser). We pay for all handbooks, neckers, slides, den numbers, red vests, council patches, Webelos tri-colors, beads, awards of all kinds, participation patches of all kinds, PWD kits, the Scouts cost for all Pack events, and we totaly subsidize our Pack family overnighters. Our CO pays for all re-chartering/registration costs. They also maintain a fund to purchase uniforms if needed.

I do not see the need to have to take the foot racers apart. They are only 2 ft long. They can be stored and reused with ease. I have seen a longer variation without the 2x2's on the bottom, using a thicher board, with the knots inset in the bottom so they sit flat, and long rope handles to help pull up. Either way, these are a great game for learning how to work together as a team.

I understand you are upset. I understand that you feel you have simplified it for us and believe that the Council is to blame. However, I think that you still do not understand how the charter concept works and who is ultimately responsible. The very first charter organization these people (or just the wife since she is the one who has the legal problems) belonged to was the one who "hired" her. That charter organization (NOT the council) had the responsibility to "fire" her if she did something that they did not like. If that something was theft from the Charter Org or one of the Charter Orgs units, it was the responsibility of the Charter Org to 1) "fire" her 2) contact the council and tell them she was no longer a registered member of their charter and request the council TAKE HER REGISTRATION OFF OF THE COUNCIL ROLLS and 3) press charges against her for the theft. It seems that the Charter Org failed to tell the council that her registration had been revoked. Since she was, according to your post, then hired and fired by a number of other Charter Organizations, it seems that NONE of the Charter Orgs told the council that her registration had been revoked. It seems that none of the Charter Orgs, including the first, checked any references, questioned why she left other units, contacted the other units for a reference, or looked at the type of person they were "hiring". Since all of the Charter Organizations approved her, and all of the Charter Organizations simply transferred her membership and did NOT revoke it, this tells the council that she left in fairly good standing with each Charter Organization. The only way the council can know differently is if the CHARTER ORGANIZATION, not simply a unit leader, tells them. This, it seems, NONE of the Charter Organizations did. So, how is this all the fault of the council? I would say that if you really feel like suing someone, and standing any chance of winning, you should sue the Charter Organizations. BTW - Speaking of arrogance, I believe we all work with various BSA units "in the real world". Some of us more than one, and some of us work with our District and Council as well. As for having 8000 posts, if you notice the registration date, those posts were made over the course of over 6 years. At your rate of 10 posts in one (1) day, you can easily achieve 8000 posts in a little over two (2) years. Happy Scouting!

BTW, if the boys are all registered Boy Scouts, and have completed all of the requirements while being registered Boy Scouts, what is stopping you from filling out an advancement report and taking it to your local Scout Shop? You have over a month to get the badges. What is the problem? Unless of course they are attending BS Troop meetings as Webelos Cub Scouts and doing Boy Scout requirements before they are registered as Boy Scouts. That, to me, is a bigger problem than not being able to purchase badges without paperwork.

Actually I believe the need for an advancement report in order to purchase rank badges is the National policy, with local policy being that the badges are available to anyone. Also, you can NOT simply purchase a badge of rank from ScoutStuff.org. It states for all Boy Scout Rank Insignia - "This is a restricted item. Available only in your local council trading post or Scout Shop with required paperwork."

We used multi colored permanent sharpies. Since the terra cotta is porus you can't use anything water based because it will eventually run. Paint pens might work too, but I think you can get a bigger assortment of colors, at a much cheaper price with sharpies. You could also look into non-water based paint. The picture frames work well too, and would also cover a Tiger elective. I usually cut out a cardboard back and a cardboard frame. The boys then decorate the frame portion with craft sticks, pine cones, stones, beads, sea shells, foam stickies, markers, etc. The fram part is then glued on the back with the top left open so they can slide in their photo. Or, since it does not have to be Easter themed, how about making home made instruments and using them to accompany a sing-a-long? (another elective BTW)

Part of the problem with combining GSUSA and BSA events is the fact that the programs are run very differently. The rules, regulations and structure are different. I am not saying it is impossible, but you need to pick an age group and activities that can be done by all. Our Cub Scout Pack does a Tree decorating event with the GS Troops at our church (CO) grammar school. Each Den/Troop makes decorations and brings them to the Parish Hall. The trees around our church are decorated and all of the kids come back to the Hall for coco, cookies and carols. We also have all Scouts (GS, CS, BS) represented, in uniform, at our Thanksgiving mass. It really helps if both groups (BSA & GSUSA) belong to the same school or church and share adults who are leaders in both groups. It gives you contact people and an easier way to get the info out.

On that note, one year we did a similar thing with my Tigers. Bought a flat of annuals, some potting mix with fertilizer added, and terra cotta pots that were big enough to fit 2-3 plants. The Teams decorated the pots with permanent markers and potted their plants. They had a great time! You could have them blow out raw eggs and decorate the shells for hanging on the trees outside. The egg blowing might be best done by the Tiger Partner with the innards saved in a ziplock bag. You might also just plant bean or pea seeds in a clear plastic cup filled with wet paper towels. Use those popsicle sticks to make a picture frame for a picture of their family in their Easter best. Draw large blank ovals in Word. Print lots out. Glue to a piece of cardboard. Cut out oval and decorate it as a fancy egg. You can use markers, crayons, string, glitter, beads, etc. Hang from a string.

Gunny, I am not sure what it is that you are trying to say exactly. From your comment - "I do agree that if the issue comes to the UC that there is some kind of issue. And that clarification of the CO's policies by the IH would definitely be in order. It might also be that the Troop Leadership does know the CO's policies and that the Prospective Scouts parents need to be guided to a Troop that would be an appropriate fit." It would seem that you completely agree with BW's answer to the scene proposed by SSScout. Your "wrinkle" does not change the scene that SSScout proposed. The boy was refused acceptance into the Troop because his FAITH (not his CHURCH) was different from that of the CO. Having members of the Troop who belong to different churches, but are all of the same faith, is no wrinkle at all.

Yes, he was mistaken.

The problem is that since you are not trained you are not the one who should be planning this trip - Your Cubmaster should be. What ever his excuse or problems might be, it is not right to "let you plan the trip" when HE is the one who is trained and SHOULD be doing it. BTW - BALOO training is a National training. You will get the same training where ever you take it. You do not have to take it in District, or even in Council. Just take it ASAP.

While it is not listed at ScoutStuff, it is mentioned many times at the National site. http://old.scouting.org/boyscouts/resources/18-075/index.html I would give National Supply a call and find out what's up.

Being Cubmaster and being the BALOO trained leader have absolutely nothing to do with one another. Just because you will be taking on the CM position does not make you automatically BALOO trained. The BALOO trained leader is the one who is supposed to be planning and running the campout. That is what the training is for. Many of the questions you have had about the campout are covered in BALOO training. You need at least 1 other (perferably 2 or more) person in your Pack to take the BALOO training. If not, when this CM leaves, your Pack will not be able to do Pack campouts.

Just have a talk with him and ask him what he is trying to accomplish with this. If he plans to simply hand out rank awards as a shirt decoration only, without expecting the boys to do the work, why not just do it in September and be done with it. Remind the CM that the BSA rules are that you are not allowed to change (add to or delete) any requirements, and that you will not be handing out un-earned Wolf rank badges to your den. Cub Scouts have until the end of the school year, and in some cases a bit longer, to EARN their rank awards. Why the hurry to just give them away?

Some things to do - Participate in a clean-up, weed pull, seed collection, etc, project at a local/State/Federal park. Participate in a local river clean-up. Start a can or paper recycle project in the school. Clean up and plant flowers around your Charter Organization. Take a hike and pick up litter as you go. Have a litter pick up at your local park.

If you want to show a video, check out YouTube. There are quite a few Scouting promotional videos you can download. You might also take a look at some from the 100th Anniversary. You might not want to use them, but they are very nice!

When the committee member said "I am not going to do that", did you ask him why?? DenZero is right, if you want to do an outing, ask one of the Tiger Teams to coordinate it as a Tiger den outing (you ARE using Shared Leadership as shown to you in training, right?). It does not have to be approved by the committee. Contact your Council office to find out their policy on when Local Tour Permits are needed. You might not need to file for in-area day trips.

While Down and Derby is a fun movie, it can give the wrong impression of Scouting if the entire movie is not viewed. A better idea is to put together a DVD of pics of your Pack at different events throughout the year. Boys interacting with other boys is a great thing! Have Pack calendars to give out. Be sure to include Summer events on the calendar.

You should have had permission and reservation forms sent out a while back (in person at den & Pack meetings, e-mail, and snail mail) with a hard cut-off date of at LEAST 1 week (perferably 2 wks so you can send out a packing/equipment list and activity schedule) before the campout. It should be plainly stated in the original notices that anyone who does not turn in forms and money by the cut off either can not attend at all, or can only attend during the day & must bring their own food (depending on the facilities you have & the activities you will be doing).

Even if this boy has not been to a meeting since December, why would you want to punish him for it by refusing to allow him to camp with the Pack? Cub Scouts is, or should be, EXTREMELY flexible. We should not be setting the boys up for failure. The Motto is "Do Your Best". That "best" will be different for every boy. I once had a Tiger who was only able to attend a few meetings over the year. He had a slightly better record for outings because they were at a different time/day than the regular meetings. I never excluded him because of his lack of attendance. He has some problems, and is not the easiest kid to work with, but he is basically a good kid and the Scouting program is good for him. Every time he and his dad were able to make it to a den or Pack activity (including camping!) I would welcome them warmly. He is now a 4th grade Webelos and still chugging along!

Unfortunately, it can be hard to spot the purchased cars. Many of the ones available for sale on the 'net are made from BSA kits. The only thing you can do is to publish and advertise your Pack's rules, don't hold elimination races (make sure each Cub gets to race lots of times), and stress over and over again, in front of the boys and their parents, that the PWD is a FAMILY bonding activity with sportsmanship, honesty, and integrity, along with fun, what we are teaching the boys - NOT how to BUY the best car. The next time your Webelos brags about winning, ask him if he had fun making the cars with his dad, and how he came up with the winning designs. Then remind the den of the above listed reasons for holding a PWD.