ScoutNut

Webelos parents can be used for Activity Badges, similar to how merit badge counselors are used in Boy Scouts. Careers, and hobbies can be put to use for the boys. The following Family Talent Survey is helpful in finding parents who have the skills to teach a Webelos Activity Badge - http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/FamilyTalentSurveySheet2008.pdf For instance, a nurse/doctor/dentist/EMT would be good choices to do Readyman. A parent who is an Engineer is a natural to do Engineer, or Scientist. A parent with a hobby dealing with animals, plants, and the outdoors, would be good for Forester, Naturalist, or Outdoorsman. A parent big into woodworking might like to do Craftsman. A parent who works at a quarry might be willing to do Geologist.

Keep in mind, that for this year at least, the one to make the determination of weather or not the Cub Scout has indeed - "done a better job on the new project than on the previous project", is the parent, NOT the den leader. Currently, if the parent signs off on a Cub Scout elective (or requirement) as having been completed, it IS completed.

Actually following the requirements might be the way to go. Wolf Achievement 5a) Point out and name 7 tools. Do this at home, or go to a hardware store with an adult. Tell what each tool does. 5b) Show how to use pliers 5c) Identify a Philips head, and a standard screw. Then use the right tool to drive, and then remove, one from a board. 5d) Show how to use a hammer. 5e) Make a birdhouse, a set of bookends, or something else USEFUL. The highlight of USEFUL is mine. Wolf Elective 7c) Make a pair of "foot racers" and use them with a friend. Now foot racers are a lot of things, but I doubt I would call them useful. Also, making them consists of using a drill, and a either a hammer, or a screwdriver. That's it, unless you have the boys using a saw to cut 2 ft lengths of board. Follow the requirements and make something easy, useful, and fun. Then do the foot racers as just the elective. You could also use them for 5c, or 5d, depending on how you put them together. However, if you use the foot racers as 5c, please do the ENTIRE requirement. That means have the boys put the screws in, then take them out, then put them back in, to complete the racers. Edited to say that birdhouses are grand! As are bird feeders, plant holders, recipe holders, etc. To bad you did not think this thru a bit earlier. You could have had the Webelos make trivets for their moms for Valentines Day! (This message has been edited by Scoutnut)

http://www.scouting.org/sitecore/content/Home/CubScouts/CubScouts2010.aspx Per BSA National, the new online Cub Scout Leader Specific training is supposed to be out sometime in March, 2010. New, and revised publications are due sometime in May, 2010. The new program officially begins Nationally as of the 2010-2011 program year, in Sept, 2010. BSA seldom does anything on time. Their rollouts of late have been rather haphazard. However, since the new program goes into effect in August/September, we can only hope that all materials will be available sometime before then.

The specific requirement for #4 is - With your Webelos den, VISIT at least one Boy Scout-oriented outdoor activity. Note my emphasis on the word VISIT. It does NOT say "participate in" because it is a "Boy Scout" oriented activity, NOT a Webelos oriented one. Visiting a Klondike, District Camporee, or even a Troop campout, during the day, to see what goes on, and what to look forward to next year as a Boy Scout, are all good possibilities. Anything CUB Scout oriented (day camp, Webelos overnighter, etc) would not meet the requirement.

That would be the right thing to do. However that is up to the transferring Tiger's family, not Gem257.

Wow, the Atlanta Area Council does not charge units for the use of their campgrounds? Nice! They must charge a chunk of change for their summer camps, or have plenty of money from endowments, or somewhere else, to be able to afford to do that, and still keep their camps up. Our council has always charged everyone, including individual units, who wanted to use any of the camp facilities.

Program Helps, and the fun monthly themes are going away. Instead of a fun theme like space, each month will concentrate on a "Core Value".

Your new Tiger and his Partner can start meeting with your den now. They do not have to wait until all of the paperwork clears council. Have Fun!

Ask if your council has a list of campgrounds approved for Cub Scout camping. I am also surprised this was not covered in your BALOO training. It should have been. I recommend checking out the group camping facilities at your area State Parks.

He started when he was a 14 year old Life Scout. He is now a 16 year old Eagle Scout. From a copy of his flyer, found online, it states that his actual Eagle project was "to publicize the monument project, and initiate the raising of the required funds". While I also have a bit of a problem with using this as an Eagle project, the Great Salt Lake Council obviously did not. As for being some kind of service to the community, the city council saw enough of a benefit to pursue this through the courts after being sued. I must say, Eagle project aside, this was an EXTREMELY ambitious project for a 14 year old to take on. Good for him!

>>"Nationally, all "top leaders" (i.e. Scoutmasters, Varsity Scout Coaches, Cubmasters, Venturing crew Advisors, and Sea Scout Skippers) will be required to be fully "trained" by the end of this year in order to be able to be in that position at recharter time for next year."

If you are having the bottom bead fall off even after looping the string over and through a second time there could be a few reasons. Might be that your string is to short. There should be about 1.5-2 inches left hanging after going through the second time. Try leather cording. It has more friction/traction than the plastic stuff.

Yep, using the last bead on the string as an anchor, and locking it in place, works great. Loop the cord back up, over, and through the top hole in the last bead again. This works for all of the Immediate Recognition beads for Tiger, Wolf, and Bear.

>>"How do you deal with that? Do you embarrass the den at the Pack meeting by saying "Ok it's now time for Den 5 to perform their skit. Oh I guess they didn't prepare a skit. Next."

>>"So now I have 5 parents (den leader and assistant den leader, Cubmaster and 2 committee leaders) who have overlapping meetings.">" The Den Leader is out of town so he wouldn't be coming to the committee meeting anyway.">"But the Cubmaster and 2 committee leaders are stuck."

While cookie sales are one of the main ways GSUSA councils (and GS Troops) make their yearly budget, GSUSA considers them to be PROGRAM for the girls, and has a lot of connected programing materials that go with it. The Cookie Program is optional. However, in many councils, in order to be approved to do any other money-earning activities, a Troop is required to participate in all council sponsored money-earning programs. Many councils also restrict the number of extra money-earning activities they will allow a Troop to do. Typically, the council programs are the Cookie Program, and the Fall Product (candy/magazines/calendars) Program. There is no minimum amount that is needed to be sold however. When my Troop needed to raise funds for their Silver & Gold projects, we would usually sell just a few things at the Fall Product, do our main push for Troop funds with cookies, and then do any extra money-earning activities needed.

No, you can't wait on folks who don't care enough to show up. However the ones who DO show up to the Committee meetings should be doing the planning. Just because you have labeled something "program" does not mean that the CM does it all on her own. The leaders who do not show up to meetings - how is their den program? Are they good den leaders? Would it make any sense to look for replacements? Let every den leader know that at least ONE person from their den is expected to attend every Committee meeting. Without that person there they will have no say at all in what happens in the Pack. Remind them that they are part of the Pack, and how good, or bad, the Pack runs impacts their den as well. Then assign the no-show dens the tasks of bringing snacks, set-up, and clean-up, for the next Pack meeting.

The hold is on the National level - From Scouting Magazine on Facebook - Scouting magazine - We just spoke to the team leader in charge of the historical merit badges. The group is finalizing some requirements and will go live with the special Web site soon. They're planning to include scans from the original merit badge pamphlets with each historical merit badge. These scans will be annotated with explanatory call-out boxes to explain the early-20th-century terminology to modern-day Scouts. February 3 at 4:07pm

There seems to be overlap because there IS overlap. The CM, CC, and the rest of the Pack Leaders and Committee Members work TOGETHER, not separately. Basically the CM chairs the monthly Pack meetings, just as the CC chairs the monthly Committee/Leaders meetings. The CM is more focused on program, and working with the den leaders. The CC is more concerned with the business side, and working with the various Committee members (Outings Chair, Advancement, Treasurer, Blue & Gold Chair, etc). Communication is a big key in a good Pack. That communication starts in your monthly Committee meetings. That is where you ALL should be working together to plan your Pack's program, including planning for the monthly Pack meetings. Recruiting enough adult help is also key. When you have the Pack leaders doing to many jobs, they get burned out and the jobs do not get done well.

I really get tired of "Scout Spirit" being used as the catchall dumping ground for a SM to use as a club on a Scout at the very last minute. Scout Spirit has NOTHING to do with participation. From the current Eagle Application - REQUIREMENT 1. Be active in your troop, team, crew, or ship for a period of at least six months after you have achieved the rank of Life Scout. Notice it states ONLY SIX MONTHS. Not six months immediately prior to application for Eagle, or 2 years, or the entire time as a Life Scout. Notice it also does not mention "Scout Spirit". You stated he successfully (perhaps not wonderfully, but it WAS approved) completed SIX MONTHS in a POR. That is all the "participation" time that is REQUIRED for requirement #1. REQUIREMENT 2. Demonstrate that you live by the principles of the Scout Oath and Law in your daily life. List the names of individuals who know you personally and would be willing to provide a recommendation on your behalf. Notice the requirement states LIVE the principals in your DAILY LIFE, not participate in the Troop a specific number of times/ways. It is not up to the SM to "judge" a Scout's "Scout Spirit". The recommendations provided by the Scout's references do that. The SM is not even included in the list of references, and does NOT have to be included. If you want to keep your older Scouts participation up to your standard, give them a program they WANT to participate in.

Please, if you want accurate information, your best bet is to go with a BSA source. The requirements for all belt loops/pins, including the new ones, can be found on the BSA National Web site - http://www.scouting.org/cubscouts/awards/adults/sanda.aspx The 2010 Cub Scout Academics and Sports Program Guide (blue cover) is out, and should be in your local Scout Shop. If not, you can order it online from scoutstuff.org, The BSA National online store - http://www.scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/ItemDetail.aspx?cat=01RTL&ctgy=PRODUCTS&c2=BOOKS_LIT&c3=LDRS_TRAINING&c4=&lv=3&item=34299

The big difference in between #1 and #3 is the zipper on the bottom of the legs. BSA did away with it for the new Centennial pants, I believe due to complaints about difficulty in hemming. The reason for the difference in price is that pants #1 are discontinued, and BSA is trying to get rid of overstock.

BSA has any number of publications with policies. For instance - Safety - Guide to Safe Scouting Cub Scouting - The Cub Scout Leader Book Advancement - The Advancement Committee Guidebook So - What kind of policies are you looking for?

"And I can't think why anyone on this forum would buy the book since everything is available online." Actually, the pages for each award not only lists the belt loop, and pin, requirements (which makes a handy form for the parents to use to report completion to their den leader), but also contain some information on the subject. Not a bad idea for a current copy to be in your Pack library.