SouthernTierScouter

Our council asks that your YPT be good for the entire calendar year that you are chartering for. So the whole its good for 2 years thing doesn't work. We also wish there was a quicker Refersher/Test you could take yearly, with maybe redoing the whole thing every 5 or when new content is made. Its certainly a pain, but an hour of videos to make sure our leaders understand the important of YPT is not so terrible. A Scout is Obedient.

Our troop has 2 patrols: Viper Patrol and Old Goat Patrol. Our Webelos Dens have had these various names recently: Bacon Ninjas, Savage Sausages, and Bacon Dragons - apparently the cubs love breakfast food names!? And there are patches for all of them.

I found one in Publisher that works for our Pack, you may have to find something simple and edit and update it to fit.

We invite our Webelos that have crossed over to a troup back to 2 or 3 events after they cross over. Crossover for us in March (the 23rd in fact). We invite them back for a Bike Rodeo we do, a YMCA Swim/Dodge Ball Event, and Rocketfest. They only pay for a rocket if they want a new one since the other 2 things no one pays for. Typically they come to the YMCA but not the other two because the are busy with Troop events now and troop meetings etc. I think this is what you are asking.

Our Den Leader makes some sort of award like Eagle87 posted above, but its different each year since each den leader adds his own spin to it.(The pack provides a budge for the items, anything more the den leader take on himself, but typically its within budget). The pack also gives each scout a flash light in a 'lighting the way' ceremony when they Bridge. The receiving troop typically gives them epaulets and a book when they cross over.

We have out B&G at an event center someplace nearby (American Legion, Event Center, etc, its different all the time). Its catered, so it costs. Scouts NEVER pay, no matter what. Typically our cost run like this: Adults $15, Kid Under 12 years old $10, Kid 5 and under are free. It covers the cost of the food, no one has to cook or clean up. We generally get a discount from the venue, they wave various fees, we use our Tax ID number, etc. It works out just fine and no one complains about $15 for a meal and a show.

We have made it clear ahead of time that the consequences for breaking the rules are such. Knowing ahead of time what the situation is always help, having it be a surprise is never good.

Each year our Committee Chairman gives out something small to each registered leader as a thank you at our Blue and Gold. It is small, a key chair, a Christmas ornament, a carabiner with the pack number on it, etc. A way to say the Pack appreciates your time. Its the thought that counts, and it helps to remind the other families that aren't helping just how few people are running the pack, and maybe they can come help too. our out going Den Leaders (Cub Master, CC) typically are also given a n engraved coin, with dates and pack numbers on it. Some times in a homemade shadow box with a picture of the scouts, or a wooden 'cookie' with all the scouts signatures on it. Something sentimental, not expensive, a reminder that a we appreciate all they have done.

We do our Bobcat ceremony at the November Pack meeting, all the den leaders make sure their scouts are ready and completed by then. Of course then we have some scout join afterwards, or they missed enough meetings to not have it complete, etc. So we have a much shorter abbreviated version of it for those scouts that need it later on. They get the same attention as the others, a moment to be proud, with mom and dad, but instead of 15-20 minutes it takes 5. So far that's been working great for us.

We have a few rules like this, including you can't use kits bought at the store. We've had a few families do that, buy a kit, we've had a scout borrow a last year car from another scout, we've had someone try and race their winning car from the year before. What we have decided to do is to allow the scout to race their car, they can sit and watch, cheer it on, but it will never win. We simply disqualify it from being eligible to win the race. So far its never been an issue.

I realize a commissioner signs the sheet off at some point, but like Jameson76 mentioned they have never contacted us, shown up before, or been around. I even asked one time who it was at council and they gave me the Deer in Headlights stare, no clue who our UC was. I'll be sure to use that "Show me where that's written, please." part. Thanks all.

Anyone have this happen to them? We bumped into a district commissioner, conversation started about having a unit commissioner come visit the troop (never seen one before in my life come to a pack or troop event, don't even know who they are). "When he asked about our meeting information so he could get a Commissioner to us, I mentioned to him that they're of course welcome any time but with September being busy with back-to-Scouts stuff, PLC elections, etc, it may be better to wait until October if they want to see a normal meeting. And that's when he said "Well, that's not allowed, because you're supposed to have a commissioner visit every month for Journey to Excellence." I've looked at the JTE stuff, doesn't mention Commissioner any place.

Now that's just silly, we all know those evil aliens from outer space don't deserve our consideration.

They refer to Tigers, Wolves and Bears as "Cub Scout Dens" also in places. Clearly they have some need to get publishing and messaging consistent.

Page 19 of the Guide to Advancement also says: Arrow of Light. For boys who have completed fourth grade. Cub Scouts do not “go back” and work on ranks designed for earlier grade levels, even if missed due to their time of joining. Likewise, Cub Scouts do not “move ahead” to the next rank until the completion of the current school year (or until their next birthday if their chartered organization transitions by age). Page 20 of the GtA Many adventure pins help Webelos and Arrow of Light Scouts develop interests in areas that may lead to hobbies or career choices. The Webelos and Arrow of Light den leaders and assistants,...

That was bad, even for a Scouter!

Be careful here, and check the Guide to Advancement 2017.... page 20 "Boys who join Cub Scouting for the first time as a member of an Arrow of Light den, or boys who were previously members of a Webelos den but did not earn the Webelos rank, shall work on Arrow of Light requirements during their fifth-grade year. They can earn the Arrow of Light Award without earning the Webelos rank."

We actually don't know why you have to be an American to care about this sort of thing. It was just suggested me to this past weekend at a council training event we use "As a Citizen of the World..." to replace, "As an American..."

As far as sloppy record keeping goes, this is not something unheard of. Our Troop went to council to try and find out about the oldest charter and they told us we were Chartered in 1900.... you know 10 years before BSA was founded. So obviously something is wrong in their records!

Excellent! Thank You!

Yup he's back!

Avatars can only be 100x100 pixel exactly of type png. I know it says differently on the upload screen.

Between Summer Camp and High Adventure, I think he just took off the last few months. I'm hoping he's back in September.

Make sure you help the boys transition into another troop. That should be top on the list!

A sidebar on this, since a lot of what needs to be said was already said above. Remember to we want them to be out doing other things than Scouting. To live the Scout Oath and Law out in their daily lives. To bring those values to their sports teams, school groups, etc. So a good program doesn't punish Scouts for having lives outside of Scouting. We aren't the ONLY option, just part of the bigger picture. So encouraging to be a Scout 'out there' can help remove any feeling that they have to choose Scouting or Sports. Don't make them pick one or the other. They might not be super active at meetings during baseball season, but what about the rest of the year?