ScoutNut

Water balloon toss - a GREAT way to get wet. Raingutter race - Make it simple and fun for everyone, make boats out of donated foam meat trays, or even juice boxes. Check out any interesting activities there might be in the surrounding area, and do a field trip.

>>"Any thoughts on whether WELOT/IOLS and BALOO are needed for Webelos leaders to go camping?">"I have asked. I'm still asking. I thought maybe different viewpoints would help me."

It is just a local YMCA. This is not at the National level. As a private organization, they, like the BSA, have the right to determine their own membership. I don't agree with their decision, but it is theirs to make. I do not think the Troop will have any trouble finding a new CO.

I would never recommend just showing up cold, with no previous notice, for a booth sale. I start calling store managers in August, and set up sale slots for every weekend from the middle of September to the end of October. I will then call them to verify/remind them a few days in advance. Thank you notes are a must.

From the BSA National Web site - http://scouting.org/filestore/training/pdf/What_makes_a_trained_leader.pdf 1) The Basic Training Requirements, of which This Is Scouting is one, are considered to be one and done, and do not need to be repeated. 2) Fast Start is one of the Basic Training Requirements. There are different Fast Start trainings for different BSA levels and positions. Both Fast Start and Leader Specific, for your specific position, must be done when ever you change, or add, a leader position. 3) BALOO is REQUIRED by BSA National to take a PACK on an overnight camping trip. Outdoor Leader Skills for Webelos Leaders is a SUPPLEMENTAL course, and, while it is highly encouraged, it is NOT REQUIRED by BSA National for anything. IOLS is a Boy Scout level course and is not usable for Cub Scout camping. Individual councils can not REDUCE the kinds/amount of training required by BSA National. However they can INCREASE it, and some do. Some councils combine their IOLS and their Webelos Leader Outdoor into one course with breakout sessions for Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. This is fine as Cubs and Boys have different safety policies, and camp very differently. In this case a Webelos leader would take the training with Cub breakouts for Webelos, and then retake the training as a Boy Scout SM/ASM with the Boy Scout breakouts. Some councils combine their IOLS and their Webelos Outdoor into one course, which is basically/mostly just IOLS and give credit for completion at both the Cub Scout and Boy Scout levels. I'm not a fan of this but some councils do it. The outdoor training REQUIRED to take a Webelos Cub Scout den camping varies by council. Some councils do not require their Webelos den leaders to have taken any outdoor training at all to be able to take their den camping. Some councils require their Webelos den leaders to have taken either BALOO, Webelos Outdoor, or IOLS. Some councils require their Webelos den leaders to take some combination of the outdoor training. I hope this helps!

There will be no "Scouting references" that define what the length a skit, or one act play, should be. They are NOT Scouting specific terms. The Webelos Showman Drama requirement is - "Write, put on, and take part in a one-act play." A Webelos can't fulfill the requirement if he (or his den leader) does not know what a one-act play is. That is part of the learning process for this badge. Ask your local high school (or community college) drama teacher to help with the drama part of the activity badge.

I thought their national policy was that you had to be a 501©(3) to sell in front of their store? Why wouldn't that be a good policy to get changed/dropped? Trust me, if this is truly a national chain, then their store managers across the country have already been "bothered", often, by Scouts requesting booth sale space. Personally, almost every time I have been told no because of a corporate policy it turns out to be the decision of the store manager, not the corporate offices. When the store manager changes, the "policy" changes. As I said before, try other stores. There has to be more than just that one store in your area to sell at. Think outside of the box (or big box stores). Do multiple booth sales in a variety of locations. We do real well with Friday evenings/Saturday combos at one local bank. Sunday mornings outside of a local restaurant do pretty well. Our local hardware stores are great. We also do well with booths set up around our local church. We catch the parishioners coming out of every door after every mass. Give the places a call. You never know until you try.

What is the name of this national chain store? I'm wondering if there are any in my area.

So all of this is to allow your Pack to sell popcorn in front of a store? Wow, sorry, but you HAVE wasted 20 hours! Unless it is a local ordinance of some kind, you do NOT have to be a 501©(3) organization in order to do that. I have been selling candy for school, cookies for Girl Scouts, and popcorn for Cub/Boy Scouts for 18+ years, and never once has a store manager even mentioned a 501©(3). I have had places tell me that it is against their store policy to allow us to sell. The biggest problem we face is contacting the business managers early enough so that we can get the dates we want, and not have to work around leftovers. I suggest if one store manager says no, try another. Or try a different type of business. We have had luck with hardware stores, banks, libraries, and post offices. Try drug stores, home improvement stores, and video stores (not to many of those around any more). Smaller mom/pop stores might work. WalMart is great if you can get in. Talk to your local Park District about setting up a booth at their sports games. We even worked a Harley dealership once. Unfortunately, since most of their customers rode bikes, they did not have room to store large purchases. However, we got a lot of donations and the store sales staff bought quite a bit too (the store manager even bought a large mixed tin to share with customers and staff). Go to your local Roundtable and ask other Packs what works for them.

Basement, just why, exactly, does your Pack committee want to have it's own status as a 501©(3) organization, independent of the religious organization which owns them? Do they want to be able to accept large donations to the Pack instead of doing money-earning activities like popcorn?

A one act play is a complete story. It is usually between 10 pages (10 minutes) to 45 pages (45 minutes) long. A skit lasts about 1, or 2 minutes max.

Wow, that has to be a large church facility. We would not have enough room for all of our Pack to meet on the same night, much less all of the Boy Scouts, and all 9-11 Girls Scout Troops! That would be a good chunk of the Parish School population, together, in a limited area, all trying to do their own stuff. I'm getting a headache just thinking about it!

GSUSA Service Units are closer to BSA Districts than to a Cub Pack, and the SU Manager would be closer to a cross between a Charter Organization Rep, a BSA District Commissioner, and a volunteer BSA District Executive. Communities, neighborhoods, etc within a Service unit are still groups that are a lot larger than that of a single Cub Pack or Boy Scout Troop, and really have no correlation in BSA. The closest GSUSA equivalent to a BSA Pack, or Troop would be all of the Girl Scout Troops in a single school. There is usually a volunteer GSUSA School Coordinator who helps form Troops at their school, works with their leaders, and in some cases, helps the leaders plan school-wide Girl Scout activities. The best BSA equivalent for a School Coordinator would be a BSA Unit Commissioner. I volunteered at the GSUSA Troop, SU, and council levels for about 15 years. Because of the many differences between the two organizations, it really is not easy, or even a good idea to compare BSA and GSUSA.

There is no such animal as a Girl Scout "Unit", or a Girl Scout Charter Organization. Each Girl Scout Troop is an independent entity "owned" by the local GSUSA council. Usually a Girl Scout Troop would consist of a single grade level from K-12. Sometimes you will have a Girl Scout Troop that consists of a single Girl Scout level (Daisy, Brownie, etc). Each Girl Scout level is grade specific, and usually consists of two grade levels (except for Cadettes who are grades 6-8). There is nothing wrong with doing activities in co-ed age appropriate groups with local Girl Scout Troops. However the concept of one big conglomerate "Scout" group of all age/grade levels and gender will not fly. Just run the different programs as they are supposed to be run, and if some of the groups do some activities together, more power to them. Just remember that the safety rules and policies of BOTH BSA and GSUSA would have to be followed.

The BSA rule is to complete the requirements as written - with out adding, or subtracting, anything from them. Unless the Merit Badge requirements specifically state that completion of a specific requirement can not be used for any other Merit Badge requirements, there is nothing wrong with using one activity to cover multiple requirements. However - What to accept as completed Merit Badge work is up to the specific Merit Badge Counselor. If your Scouts are working on the Athletics and Sports Merit Badges at the same time, with the same Counselor, I would think that the Counselor would let them combine certain things. For instance, I can not see requiring them to repeat twice an explanation of the importance of a physical exam, good health habits, and a healthy diet. If they are using separate Counselors, and especially if they are not completing both badges at the same time, they would have to talk to their Counselor about accepting work done for/with another Counselor, for another Merit Badge. Bottom line - it is up to the Merit Badge Counselor, and ONLY the Merit Badge Counselor, to approve work on the Merit Badge.

You do realize that a Webelos Cub Scout can wear either a tan/green uniform, OR a blue uniform? That is why a Webelos Cub Scout has options as to where he can wear his AOL award. It depends on what uniform he is wearing.

No Tot Lot for us. The only youth allowed are registered BSA members. Volunteers have to make other arrangements for non-BSA siblings. Since most of our adult volunteers work outside of the home, and take vacation days to work Cub Camps, they already have child care in place. For the stay-at-home volunteers they usually have a neighbor or relative do child care duty for them. Often adult volunteers in a Pack will share the volunteering among a group so that no one person is obligated to attend every day. I have even had adults come for half a day and switch off with a friend at lunch break. As long as the Camp Directors know who is supposed to be where, when, it works well.

We have room for 100 Scouts, and we will get darn close to that number. Our camp goes from 9am to 3pm. Check-in is from 8am until 9am. We have gathering games for early arrivals. Scouts can not just be dropped off. Whoever drives them to camp must come up to the registration area, and sign them in personally. Scouts are not allowed to just disappear at the end of the day. Whoever is picking them up/driving them home, must come up to the registration area and sign them out. We have the Campers listed in Pack order so it is easy to split the sheets by Packs between 2, 3, or 4, people. The first day's check-in is always the most hectic as we must check in health forms for everyone, and pass out t-shirts. But with 3-4 people working check-in, it goes pretty fast. Either the CD, or PD are usually there about 30-55 minutes before check-in to make sure everything is set up and ready. Since check-in is an hour long we rarely have anyone come before that, but if they do, the CD/PD are there and can have a talk with them. The Scouts register by Pack. On the registration form the Pack must include, the Pack number, and the name, and all contact information (address/phone/email), for the Pack Day Camp Coordinator. If registering individually, an adult must attend with the Scout, and the adults information is put as the Pack Day Camp Coordinator. All information is sent to the Pack Day Camp Coordinator, who then distributes it to their Pack members who are attending camp. All fliers advertising camp, and the registration form, contain needed camp information, and contact info for council, and the Day Camp Camp Director. We use the facilities of a local Park District. Part of those facilities is their field house with a gym/hall with a stage, and other smaller rooms. Our main assembly area is the gym/hall. We have tables set up there for each den/group. That is also where the CD/PD/Health Officer/Registration is. We gather here in the morning for opening flag ceremony, and announcements. We gather here together for lunch break. We gather together for end of the day closing ceremony. We also have some activity areas inside so we can alternate cool air conditioned activities with outdoor swelter in the sun activities.

>>"if there is no evidence of improvement (note, they don't have to make Bronze, just show improvement), their charters will not be renewed at the end of 2012."

So, i82much, how did the committee meeting go last Thursday?

The Quality Unit award, no matter what it has been called, has always been, in some fashion, about delivering a "quality" unit program, and thus increasing the number of your members. DE's salary has always been tied to both the number of member registrations, and the number of units. It still is. That has not changed at all. Both the District, and the Council, level Journey to Excellence award, have a increase in market share, and membership, as requirement objectives.

Interesting. From the BSA Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures for time extensions - "The petition must show good and sufficient evidence and detail the extenuating circumstances that prevented the Scout from completing the requirements prior to his 18th birthday." Highlighted in a large red area - "Extenuating circumstances are defined as conditions or situations that are totally beyond the control of the Scout or Venturer." Interesting that both your local council, and the National Boy Scout Committee, felt that preferring SPL duties over doing an Eagle Service Project, constituted a situation "totally beyond the control of the Scout"? Also interesting that both your local council, and the National Boy Scout Committee, felt that preferring SPL duties over doing an Eagle Service Project, constituted a situation "totally beyond the control of the Scout" which prevented him from requesting the extension BEFORE his 18th birthday. What about all of those SPL's out there that have managed to be both a SPL, and also complete all requirements for Eagle? Including their Eagle Service Project. Were they just poor SPLs?

The name of "Charter Night" sounds like it was an event thought up by your Charter Organization, or your Troop to honor your Charter Organization. Before you hand it off to the Scouts, re-write what it is, or drop it altogether, talk to your COR to find out what it is really supposed to be all about. I am sure someone had a purpose in mind when this event was created. You need to find out what that purpose was/is.

Again, why? It is not like you can cut back on the number of leaders. You have to send leaders with the HA group, as well as keep leaders with the non-HA group. Why not allow your older Scouts to pick their own HA? Maybe they would rather canoe the Boundary Waters, or do Philmont.

As all other Hornaday Awards are individual awards, I will assume that you are talking about the unit award. The unit award application specifically states that the project was designed, and executed, by a unit, in conjunction with a Conservation Adviser, with at least 60% of the units members participating. An OA Chapter, or Lodge, is not a BSA unit. A BSA unit is a chartered Pack, Troop, Team, or Crew.