SWScouter

Kahits, My suggestion is to get yourself a copy of the Scoutmasters Handbook, the SPL Handbook, and the PL Handbook. Read them. They will give you a great template to work from. It may take awhile to get things moving, but you need an idea of where to you want to head. These handbooks should really help with that. SWScouter

My council has a couple of camps just for Webelos, I don't know if that's common or not. In early summer, there is what's called a Webelos Weekend. It's a Friday/Saturday camp. At the end of the summer, there is what's called a Webelos Encampment. The encampment is more like resident camp, in that it is 4 days and 3 nights. If your council has a similar program as mine, just for Webelos, that might just be what you're looking for. SWScouter

First, I should have said this before and I didn't. Vmpost, welcome to the forum. I hope you find it helpful for you, I know I have. I feel I gave you a poor welcome with my responses to a couple of your posts. Please accept my apologies. Yes, I have heard there were some changes. It's my understanding that there is a more recent "Guide for Officers and Advisors," than I quoted from too. You are correct, we should strive to follow the current policies and procedures. SWScouter

Owl62, "Wood Badge slide or woggle, No. 02173 trained Scouter, with Wood Badge neckrchief; necklace with two beads, No. 02175; three beads, No. 02176; four beads, No.02177; worn under the Wood Badge neckerchief, and over the ends below the woggle, with the official field uniform; Wood Badge beads are not worn with civilian clothes, dress blazer uniform, or with a t-shirt. Wood Badge beads may be worn with a neckerchief as indicated, or alone." I read that differently. I take "worn with a neckerchief as indicated" to mean any neckerchief but under the back and over the ends. I imagine the odds that my interpretation is correct are about equal to the odds that your interpretation is correct. This, I think, is a good debate to have over several schooners of ale. SWScouter

Eamonn, that's a great idea. I like it. I have a few things I'd like to finish up with the pack this year and I also want to take some time to get to know everyone at the troop. I think it will be a good idea to have a nice discussion with the SM and get an idea of what his vision for the troop is and try to get some alignment there too. I think you're right though, some vision needs to be found to guide my mission and goals. That way I can act with a purpose instead of just react. SWScouter

Wow, time for a hug. Just be sure to push those beads off to the side so you don't bruise your breast bone. Well, maybe the scout handshake will do.

Well, I will become a Denless Dad when the den crosses over this coming Feb. 18, so I've been mulling over what position I'd like to volunteer for with the troop my son joins. Like you, I've been a DL/WL for about 3 1/2 years. I have my woodbadge. I've taken IOLS, though I have not taken any other Boy Scout Leader training. I have read the SM, SPL, & PL handbooks. I have a good idea what the program is about. Last night my son visited the troop he is planning on joining and had a SM conference. I think he's finally really starting to look forward to Boy Scouts. Anyway, while there, I talked to both the SM and the CC and said that I am planning on joining the troop to and that my preference was to be an SA, but I would take the position that they offered me. My only caveat was that I did not want to be an SA assigned to the new scouts, that I'd like to give my son the opportunity to move forward without me being too closely involved. Maybe mostly, I'm worried that I'll rush in to help more than I should. As a DL/WL I was always involved in organizing and leading the boys and I fret that old habits may be hard to break. Good luck with whatever position you accept with the troop; I'm sure you'll do well. SWScouter

Those eagles in the Lord of the Ring movies were rather awesome too. SWScouter I used to be an Eagle

Vmpost, where is this so called small print? I looked through my copy of the OA's "Guide for Officers and Advisors" and "Guide to Inductions" and I saw nothing about a SM being able to void election results at his/her discretion. From the "Guide for Officers and Advisors," (2002 printing): 5. The election team leader explains the following to the unit leader: - This is the current method of election approved by the national OA committee in use by the lodge. - All eligible youths who receive votes from at least 50% of those who turn in ballots are elected. If no one is elected a second vote may be held immediately, and the result of this vote is final. 10. The votes are counted in private by the election team and the unit leader to determine who has been elected. All votes count equally. If at least one has been elected, the election result is final. If no one is elected, the OA team announces this fact and states that the unit will now be given the opportunity to vote again... The second ballot is then held immediately, and if the unit still elects no one, this is the final result for the year's election. The OA team places a check mark next to the names of those who have been elected. There is no small print. I added the emphasis. (edited to add the bold emphasis) SWScouter(This message has been edited by SWScouter)

Yes it is. From the Progress Record for the Webelos Den Leader Award: TRAINING -Complete The New Webelos Den Leader Fast Start training. -Complete basic training for Webelos den leaders. -Complete Youth Protection Training. -Complete outdoor training for Webelos den leaders. -During your tenure for this award, participate in a Cub Scout leader pow wow or University of Scouting, or attend at least four roundtables. I added the emphasis. SWScouter

CNYScouter, I attended TDC a couple of summers ago a couple of months before I attended woodbadge. Most of the attendees were on woodbadge staff for the course I was to attend. It is my understanding that TDC is required for woodbadge staffers. Anyway, at the start of TDC, it was asked who had not attended woodbadge. I raised my hand. Pretty much everyone said that I just had to attend woodbadge. I replied that I was already signed up. It was actually fairly humorous and I got to meet several of the staff members ahead of time. That was nice. I do agree with you, I think it was a worthwhile class and covered some good information on preparing for and giving presentations and training sessions. I think it is also attended by scouters that are more serious about the program and care to help new scouters deliver the promise to the youth. SWScouter

There was an earlier thread that talked about the Corps of Discovery: http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=106700#id_109128 I know that some people are interested in it here in Grand Canyon Council SWScouter

I think using the word adolescence in this context is misplaced. Naivete, innocence, inexperience, and ignorance are probably better choices, and they can continue well into, if not throughout, one's adulthood. SWScouter

The announcement song seemed to be rather popular throughout the week of my woodbadge course. Also, it is in my woodbadge song book. SWScouter

Hi Monique, I live in AZ and Camp Raymond, a Boy Scout camp near Flagstaff, is about a 1.5 hour drive to Grand Canyon. See http://www.grandcanyonbsa.org/ for camp and contact info. For camps near Arches, Bryce or Zion, see http://www.utahscouts.org/ For the national parks, see http://www.nps.gov/ For information on general camping in national forests, see http://www.fs.fed.us/ I hope all this helps. Good luck, SWScouter

To paint the stripes on an arrow, make two M's out of a coat hangar. Get a board about 2' long and drill a couple holes on each end that you can fit the M's in. Now you can set the arrow in the M's and roll the arrow while holding the brush against it. That will make a nice even stripe. For better control, you may want to have the point of the arrow against a stop so that the arrow won't go back and forth while you turn it. I hope that helps, SWScouter

I thought I'd wait til you've worn the beads before congratulating you. Congratulations, has your smile worn off yet? SWScouter I used to be an Eagle

I find it's always a great feeling to put those beads on. Congratulations Chipmunk. SWScouter I used to be an Eagle

I'm about to make arrows for my den. I used to make my own arrows for bow hunting and 3D shoots so I have a lot of stuff around that I'm going to use. I plan on making real arrows, i.e., ones that can be shot from a bow. I'm going to put steal broadheads on them too, though I will round the tips and dull the edges. Here's what I'm going to do: -11/32" Wood shafts of either Ramin wood or Pine, whatever I have. -Two yellow fletches (feathers) and one blue glued on with a helical jig. I will cut the feathers with a shield shaped jig. I thought about using four fletches, one yellow, one blue for Cub Scouts and one green and one red for Boy Scouts, but decided the arrow is only for AOL, not crossing over to Boy Scouts. -Red knock (it's all I have) or if that looks ugly, I'll get some white knocks. -I'm still debating whether I'll dye the wood darker or not. The stripes will show up better on a lighter shaft and I don't want to dip the shafts in paint. I like using dye instead of stain because it's easier to stripe the arrow, i.e., the paint coats dyed wood better than stained wood. -I'll stripe the wood for each rank the boy earned: Tiger, Bobcat, Wolf, Bear, Webelos, AOL with the corresponding color. I haven't decided how thick to make each stripe, perhaps 1/2" each 1/4" apart. -I may, haven't decided yet, write each boys name on his arrow. I'd probably screw every other one up and end up making more arrows. -Once the arrows are fletched and striped, I'll give them a nice shinny wax finish. -I want the arrows to be simple and clean looking, that is why I'm only striping for each rank earned. I am planning on adding a leather thong with pony beads for each activity badge earned. I will also tie it off with a feather so it should look nice. Hope that helps, SWScouter(This message has been edited by SWScouter)

But the Buckskin idea seems like something worth looking into. The way people seem to complain about the current uniform, I don't want to imagine the complaints with buckskins. The expense would be more, they're either too hot or too cold, and they're a lot more difficult to clean. Plus, I think we'd have to change from patches to beadwork. SWScouter

Trevorum wrote, "Can't he wear the medal to Courts of Honor? If not, why is this rule different than an adult wearing his Eagle medal to a CoH?" The Insignia Guide 2005, concerning the Eagle Award (medal), states, "Adults wear only on formal Eagle occasions." To me, this means that the adult would wear it to Eagle CoHs, not normal troop CoHs. Also note this is specific wording for the Eagle award, there is no such wording for the religious emblem awards. Now, personally, I don't have this dilemma so take what I say with a grain of salt. SWScouter

In addition to what fgoodwin wrote, there is a five medal limit. Fgoodwin wrote, "A religious medal earned as a Cub Scout may be worn by the boy as a Boy Scout and later as an adult." I don't believe this is correct. For example, in Insignia Guide 2005, for Religious Emblems for Tiger Cubs section, the description for each medal contains, "may be worn on Cub Scout uniform, above left pocket." (Emphasis is mine). Also, in the Religious Emblems for Cub Scouts section, the last medal described, Light of the World, Community of Christ, is written, "Cub Scout, above left pocket." I believe that that is also meant for all the other medals too. Granted, all this is a bit vague, there is nothing stating that the medals cannot be worn on the Boy Scout or Scouter uniform. Now, the religious emblems knot can be worn on the Boy Scout or Scouter uniform for religious emblems earned as a Cub Scout. That is stated. Furthermore, the devices representing the Scouting level earned may also be worn. There is a Cub Scout device, a Webelos Scout device, etc. SWScouter

The troop I was in had a minimum of equipment. I'm sure there was more than I can remember, but I'll list what I can. I joined in Spring '71 so this was close to 35 years ago. I do think it is a good list and goes with some of the things that CA_Scouter & Kudu mentioned. - American Flag - Troop Flag - various merit badge pamphlets - First Aid kit - Cooking pot sets for each patrol plus spare. These were light for backpacking - Sets of cooking utinsels, one per patrol plus spare. - backpacking stove per patrol plus spare - tent halves (these were army surplus and canvas. We never used them for backpacking, each scout brought a 10x10 sheet of plastic then) There may have been dining flies but I don't remember them. If we had them they would have been heavy canvas and not seen much use. The troop was based midway between Seattle and Tacoma, WA and the weather was quite often wet. We did a lot of camping in the Cascades and did fine with just that 10x10 piece of plastic and a poncho for cover. Of course, a lot of us used gators to keep our lower legs dry and it seemed like we never had enough mink oil or sno-seal for the boots. I should mention that none of the equipment was assigned to a patrol when I was a member. Each campout, the Quartermaster checked out the equipment to patrols/members as needed. There were no patrol boxes or anything like that. We met for the outing, packed the gear in our backpacks, packed the backpacks in the cars, and left. The only other thing I remember the troop having was a bunch of snow shoes. The troop bought them while I was a scout and rented them out to other troops. In my opinion, scouts are fine and happy with a minimal list like above. I think it is the adults that think all kinds of equipment is needed and are the cause of the "seige camping" method. I do admit it can be awfully nice to have that lounge chair to sit on instead of a log or the ground. SWScouter

Its Me, congratulations and wear your beads with pride! SWScouter I used to be an Eagle.

For a camping or backpacking outing, I would say at least four. That way if someone is injured or can't get out, one can stay and the other two can go get help.