cajuncody

Spinning this off: We had our recruitment last night and did fairly well in Wolves and Bears but we really need to get some Tigers (can't help it) by the tail So, I am wondering if any of you have any suggestions on recruiting the younger boys. The stipulations on recruiting as set by the school are: no flyers sent home from school, no walk throughs, and no school talks. Pretty much recruiting with out direct contact. I plan to set up a booth at the PTA night and am going to try placing some flyers at local churches. Any help is appreciated! Kristi

Here are the old requirements: http://usscouts.org/advance/cubscout/old/bear.html Hope this helps Kristi

Ok, so you all know of my pack problems. Well I figured I could use the program helps to get us back in the game. The problem is that it doesn't do meetings for Webelos. Is there any such guide for Webelos Meetings? I need to "spoon feed" the program to the leaders so that can see what it is they should be doing. Kristi

http://www.gogofrog.com/userdata/pack582 My first attempt. Kristi

The Camps in October are council camps. Our Pack Camp is Aug 19 and the one in November (which may just be a fall hike depending on weather). The Haunted camps by Council are repeated due to large participation. January looks bare but there is a few things on the school calender for then and I didn't want to conflict. Thanks for all the advice, This is my first yearly calender. Kristi

I did this with my cub pack last year and this year. Here is the outline I used. I also provided a fanny pack and all the essentials. Kristi Hug a tree once you know you are lost. One of the greatest fears a person of any age can have is of being alone. Hugging a tree or other stationary object and even talking to it calms the child down, and prevents panic. By staying in one place, the child is found far more quickly, and can't be injured in a fall. Always carry a trash bag and whistle on a picnic, hike, or camping trip. By making a hole [*] in the side of the bag for the face, and putting it on over the head, it will keep the child dry and warm. The whistle is louder than the childs voice and takes less energy to use. [*] Without this hole, there can be danger of suffocation. My parents won't be angry at me. Time and again children have avoided searchers because they were ashamed of getting lost, and afraid of punishment. Anyone can get lost, adult or child. If they know a happy reunion, filled with love is waiting, they will be less frightened, less prone to panic, and work hard to be found. Make Yourself Big. From helicopters, people are hard to see when they are standing up, when they are in a group of trees, or wearing dark and drab clothing. Find your tree to hug near a small clearing if possible. Wear bright colored clothes when you go near the woods or desert. Lie down when the helicopter flies over. If it is cool and you are rested, make crosses or SOS using broken shrubbery, rocks, or by dragging your foot in the dirt. There are no animals out there that want to hurt you. If you hear a noise at night, yell at it or blow your whistle. If it is an animal it will run away to protect itself. If it is a searcher, you will be found. Fears of the dark and of lions and tigers and bears are a big factor in panicking children into running. They need strong reassurance to stay put and be safe. You have hundreds of friends looking for you. We have children in the local area of a search tell us, "My parents would never spend the money to search for me with all these people". Search personnel are mainly volunteers who work with other professionals who charge nothing and do it because they care. Many children who are lost don't realize that if they sit down and stay put, one of the many searchers will find them. Some are afraid of strangers and people in uniform, and don't respond to yells. Many have actually hidden from searchers they knew were looking for them. Footprinting your child is a five minute excercise that cuts down the time of a search by several hours. Have the child walk across a piece of aluminum foil on a soft surface, such as carpeting or a folded towel. Mark the foil with the child's name. With this print, trackers can separate your child's track from the hundreds of others in the area, and quickly determine the direction of travel. Additional information that might be helpful: (1) Try to keep them from getting lost in the first place - which is probably impossible. Children are easily distracted off the trail, so teach them to stay on the trail. Never let your child walk trails alone. Pick out a high landmark such as a prominent hill or note the direction of the sun; this prevents disorientation. (2) Admit to yourself when you become lost. It can and does happen to anyone, yet is a source of shame when it happens. When you become lost, admit it, accept it, and take actions to be comfortable in the area when the searchers arrive. Use your head since it is your best survival tool; you can't lose it. (3) Call the Sheriff quickly, if your child is lost. The search area expands so quickly due to the victim's movements that rapid response is critically important. A call to the Sheriff which is cancelled gives the searchers practice and helps keep them alert. A slow response is dangerous, especially if bad weather wipes out the track, and exposure is a consideration. (4) Be available for interviewing. Clues which lead to finding the child in good shape usually come from family and friends who remain on the scene and talk openly and accurately with the search leader or his representative. Any personal information will be kept confidential.

"I have made the point before that you can find justification for just about anything by pulling a Bible verse." Not only did you find someone to say the Bible may "endorse" Homosexuality but I found someone to say the Bible was written by Aliens! http://www.grandmastercorner.com/radiogeneris/aliens_in_the_bible.htm Wow! Does that make it true? Kristi

I did google it and you are right, there is a home address listed on a web page . . . The former Cub Masters. That is why I set up a PO BOX. Point is well taken. Kristi

I am not sure I understand. First off, the dates are only in the rough draft stages. Secondly, The only address I have given out here is a PO BOX or a general "East Tennessee" in the location box. If I hide dates from my Pack when will they know when to meet? Kristi

ManassasEagle Thanks, I hate to look stupid, too late for that. Never was good at spelling. Kristi

Can you wait till recharter? If so then the Cor or CO can simply not sign her registration. You could then do a "thanks for your service" type thing and no hurt feelings like would result from a "Please don't come back" speech. I can honestly tell you that I have been there done that within the past 12 months and it stinks. Kristi

The back to Back camps are for pack and council events. Any camp that says "Buck Toms " is a council event, I also tried to label District events accordingly. University of scouting is our Pow wow. And opps, June was cut off, that is when we do our spring camp and District Day Camp. I admit that a derby clinic two months ahead may be a streach but last year my husband was helping boys cut cars 2 days before the race. We also get alot of complaints that certain boys (mine included) that have better looking cars. The cars look better because more time was spent on them. I figure if I can get the boys started with the basic design and cutting in January then by March they should be painting. This isnt the final calender just what I am presenting to the committee. I thought we could schedule committee meetings together to prevent a conflict. Round tables are not on their yet but are the 3rd Thursday of each month and I mostly scheduled Saturdays and Tuesday events. I will add the school events after the committe aproves the calender so they don't get confused as to which activity is which (but I did consult the school calender when planning all of this ). I will also be adding training dates for Leaderspecific before the committee meeting, just waiting to finalize that now. Great advice, thanks for all the input. I hope to use the themes for den and Pack meetings and actually hope to have some "canned " meetings ready for the den leaders before Roundup.(This message has been edited by cajuncody)

I am working on a calender for the pack. Th is is just a rough draft that I am going to present to the comittee at the next meeting. What do you all think? Additions? Changes? Most of all, does it sound fun? Kristi PACK 582 2005-2006 CALENDER August 19,20,21 Pack Family Camp 25 Roundup / Pack meeting 27-28 Family Camp - Buck Toms September 10 NLE Training 10 Do the Zoo 9:30 11 Good Turn for America Day 17 District Day Hike 17 Ijams Nature Center Webelos Forester / Naturalist Badges 20 Pack Meeting / Bike Rodeo 24 Baloo / WLOT 24 World Conservation Day October 8-9 Haunted Camp - Buck Toms 15 Pack and Paws Hike 14-16 District Camporee - Haunted Camp 18 Pack Meeting / Pumpkin contest 22 Ijams Nature Center Webelos Geologist / Naturalist Badges November 15 Pack Meeting 1819,20 Fall Camp December 19 Pack meeting / Cook off 31 - 1 New Years Lock In January 17 Pack Meeting / Derby clinic February 4-11 Scouting for food 12 Scout Sunday 21 Pack Meeting / Blue and Gold 25 District Lock In March 4 University of Scouting 4 Ijams nature Center Webelos Geologist / Naturalist Badges 7 Pinewood Derby Clinic 14 Pinewood Derby Weigh In 18 Pack Pinewood Derby 21 Pack Meeting April 1 District Derby 18 Pack Meeting 22-23 Webelos Woods - Buck Toms 29 Pack and Paws Picinic May 16 Pack Meeting / Fishing 20 District Fishing Derby

I think it would have to be Bobcat. I know that Bobcat may sound trivial compared to First Class and Eagle but with Bobcat the boys are taking their first steps along the path that hopefully leads them through First Class to Eagle. Bobcat is like the first page in an incredibly great novel that keeps you turning the page. Kristi

This was in the news, I would like to hear feedback from this group on the points it makes. Especially when one Scouter describes "rigorous Training" required before joining. Kristi BOWLING GREEN, Va. (AP) - Their motto is: "Be prepared." But as the disaster-riddled National Boy Scout Jamboree carries on following five deaths and hundreds of heat-related illnesses, event planners from across the country are wondering just how prepared the Scouts were. "That's the part that breaks my heart - there are things you can avoid and things you can't," said Phyllis Cambria, an event planner from Boca Raton, Fla., who has written several books on the subject. "This one sounds like it was an avoidable one." Scout officials say they are not ready to place blame and are still investigating the incidents. But several outside specialists said allowing tents to be placed near power lines and failing to keep Scouts cool in searing heat were enormous oversights. On Monday, four Scout leaders were electrocuted in front of several Scouts after they lost control of the towering metal pole at the center of a large, white dining tent, sending it toppling into nearby power lines. The day before, a volunteer was taken to a hospital where he died of an apparent heart attack. On Wednesday, 40,000 Scouting enthusiasts waited hours in the stifling heat for an appearance by President Bush, who ended up postponing his visit due to the threat of severe thunderstorms. Sun-sick Scouts began collapsing and more than 300 people were treated for heat-related illnesses. "I don't think it's wise to make judgment on things that could've, should've, would've been done," Jamboree spokeswoman Renee Fairrer said. The troops involved in the electrocution accident hired a contractor to set up the dining tent. The contractors asked the Scout leaders for assistance in erecting the structure - directly below a set of power lines. Sam Waltz Jr., a crisis management specialist from Wilmington, Del., said organizers should have laid out a grid map in advance that clearly identified danger areas where power lines hang and planned for tents to be set up far away. "If someone had gridded it out, then no one would have been putting a tent under that particular power line," he said. The Scouts also should have insisted on conducting a background check of the contractor, Cambria said. Scouting teachings dictate that tents not be erected under trees or power lines, a Jamboree spokesman said. And potential Scout leaders go through rigorous safety training before they join the organization, said Scout leader Kevin Rudden, 51, of Mendon, Mass. "It's the most safety-conscious, risk-averse organization I've ever met in my life - there's a policy for everything," Rudden said. "That's why it's just surprising that this happened. I mean, it's just counterintuitive to all that you're trained. You can't explain it." Fairrer would not speculate on whether the Scouts could have done something to prevent the electrocutions, citing the pending accident report. "It was just an unusual freak accident that happened Monday," Fairrer said. What could have prevented the heat illnesses is another question. "You'd like to say the cool heads should have recognized the potential for heat-related illness, but it's so extraordinary - I suspect the president's security precautions really were the driver," Waltz said. Indeed, White House security rules dictated that the Scouts go through lengthy security checks and be waiting inside the arena two hours before the president's arrival, Fairrer said. "The White House security rules ... are certainly in place to make sure the president and his entourage are protected and we certainly respect that," she said. "But at some point, we have to say this just jeopardizes the health of the youth too much." Nonetheless, Jamboree organizers should have known the weather was going to be hot during July in Virginia, said Robert Smith, president of an event planning and public relations firm outside Chicago. They could have struck a deal to have air-conditioned buses kept running for the Scouts. Cambria said several other key pieces of equipment could have helped: _Water misters and large, outdoor fans _Personalized fans for the children _Tarps to shield the waiting Scouts from the sun Such suggestions will be considered for the Jamboree scheduled for 2010, Fairrer said. While this year's Jamboree has been unusually problematic, past Jamborees have had their share of accidents. In 1997, a 16-year-old Boy Scout from Pennsylvania was killed at the Jamboree when an Army Humvee he was not supposed to be driving flipped over. Three passengers were hurt. And in 2001, lightning strikes caused minor injuries to two Scouts. The 7,400 volunteers who work at the Jamboree fill out a journal after the event with suggestions on what worked well and what didn't, Fairrer said. The Scouting organization will take that information and use it to make improvements for the next Jamboree. On Thursday, every subcamp had an hour-long safety presentation, she said. The Scouts have also had their share of successful responses to emergencies. Michael Schultz attended the 1985 Jamboree as a 12-year-old when the camp was hit with the remnants of a hurricane. Youngsters huddled under a tarp as the wind and rain picked up their tents and carried them 100 yards away to a gulley. Jamboree organizers took charge of the situation, bringing in trucks to haul the Scouts' sleeping bags to dry cleaners. Each bag was returned to its proper owner before bedtime. Schultz, 31, of Waltham, Mass., now works in public relations and often uses the event as an example of how to respond in a crisis situation. "That one was handled brilliantly," he said.

A little more info in this article. So very Tragic FRESNO, Calif. (AP) - Lightning struck a group of Boy Scouts taking shelter from a storm, killing the troop leader and leaving a 13-year-old scout brain-dead, authorities and the teen's grandfather said Friday. Seven others were injured. Ryan Collins, 13, was was being kept on a ventilator so that his organs could be donated, said the grandfather. "He would never recover or anything else," Bill Collins said. Collins said his grandson was a scout for three or four years and loved the outdoors. "He was a fabulous boy. He was doing what he loved to do," Bill Collins said. "It's just a tremendous shock to everybody." The strike happened Thursday in Sequoia National Park, and at least one of the injured was kept alive only because the troop managed to administer CPR for an hour, park ranger Alex Picavet said Friday. "That's amazing," she said. "It's very difficult. It's probably because of their Boy Scout training." The deaths come just days after four men were electrocuted while putting up a tent at the National Scout Jamboree in Virginia. Ryan Collins was listed in critical condition at the University Medical Center in Fresno, but his family appeared to have given up hope Friday. "We just lost our son," mother Sue Collins said after rushing to the hospital in Fresno where some of the scouts were airlifted. The assistant scoutmaster, Steve McCullagh, 29, was killed instantly when the bolt struck Thursday afternoon, the Tulare County coroner's office said. "He didn't even make it off the mountain," Sue Collins said, crying along with her husband and younger son at the hospital. "It's horrible. It's a fluke." The scout group from St. Helena, which Picavet said included five adults and seven teenage scouts, was hit when a lightning bolt made a direct strike on one of the two tarps they had set up in a meadow. Two teenagers ran 25 minutes to a ranger station, and five helicopters flew in to evacuate the group.

I am looking for suggestions for a kick off/roundup to hold shortly after school starts, something like Back to School, maybe "Back to Scouting". Any suggestions on activities, maybe a couple of belt loop stations, a sign up table, snacks, All suggestions welcome! Kristi

At the shooting sports area I would suggest using your waiting time to work on a den flag. We would add a little each day and had a really impressive flag at the end of the week. Kristi

Kudu I don't agree fully with the removing shirts as long as another one is under it, however it really would have compounded the heat issue to have added a severe sunburn to the mess. I live in an area that was seeing the high temps as well and will tell you that the sun was brutal. As far as the water issue I was merely stating what was said in the article because some post were insinuating that the scouts were being asked to drink from water buffalos. The water was available so there seems to be no fault to the BSA, it falls on the shoulders of the boys, units, and adult leaders to follow through and actually drink the water. The only thing that bothered me about your post was that you seemed to think that I was for making them keep their shirts on and that the shirt issue was the way that "no one was overlooking the situation". If fact I was only quoting the article about the water being distributed but made the mistake of quoting the entire sentence which included the reference to the shirts. It was by the water and ice being handed out that I was refering to the situation not being overlooked. To which you responded "Except for Scouts who don't wear TWO shirts to stand in the sun for three hours in the upper 90s and high humidity. God forbid that THEY take their shirts off for an event as important as another presidential no-show." Kristi

Kudu wrote > "...the Scouts were told they could remove their uniform shirts if they > had another shirt underneath - a rarity for an event as important as a > presidential visit, most Scouts said." It seems to me that no one was > overlooking the problem of the heat. Kristi - I quoted the whole sentence so nothing could be taken out of context, which you turned right around and did. With your quote it looks like I am all for only allowing boys to remove shirts if one is wearing two. The first part of the quote was the relevant part. Let me re quote that part alone to clear this up for you. "Volunteers distributed water and ice by the caseload" Please don't do that, it could confuse people who haven't read the previous messages. Kristi

Good news and Bad news: Good news: All money was collected this week by myself and deposited in the bank. Bad news: This cost us our Webelos Den Leader/Committee member. Sometimes it feels like I am waking to school in 3 feet of snow up hill both ways carrying that brick lunchbox from another post. Kristi

I recently met a den of homeschooled Wolves. The reason I remember is it was a unique situation. The school system in our county was out for Veterans Day and we were walking in a parade. This den was from another county that school was in session on that day but since they were homeschooled they were able to make the parade. They didn't have a spot reserved so we invited them to walk with us. My point being that homeschoolers don't have the rigid schedule of public school kids. They would probably have an easier time with field trips and such. I would have no problem with it in my pack as long as they integrated in with the pack at the appropriate times. In times of competing after school activities I am all for being flexible in scouts to counter the rigid schedules of sports and such. Just my $.02 Kristi

Easy Backpacker, I didn't see anybody attacking. In fact it said in the article I posted that water and Ice were being handed out by volunteers "by the casefull". I think it was truly a case of leading a boy to water but can't make him drink. We had that same problem at daycamp here with our cubs. They were too interested in talking or day dreaming that it was hard to get them to drink. In fact our BB instructor told them that if they didn't need to use the bolo before they entered his range they hadn't drunk enough and needed to have a couple of cups of water while they waited until the next opening. Boys will be Boys and you can't make them do anything. "Volunteers distributed water and ice by the caseload, and the Scouts were told they could remove their uniform shirts if they had another shirt underneath - a rarity for an event as important as a presidential visit, most Scouts said." It seems to me that no one was overlooking the problem of the heat. Kristi

I posted this under the heading High Heat, here is the article you reference. Kristi Hundreds of Boy Scouts Fall Ill From Heat Published: 7/28/05 BOWLING GREEN, Va. (AP) - The Boy Scouts marched onto the field singing, plopping down in the grass to wait for President Bush. But hours later, the news that Bush couldn't make it was drowned out by sirens and shouts as hundreds fell ill because of the blistering heat. About 300 people, most of them Scouts, suffered from dehydration, fatigue and lightheadedness Wednesday - just days after four Scout leaders were killed at the national Jamboree while pitching a tent beneath a power line. Temperatures at Fort A.P. Hill, an Army base where the 10-day event is being held, reached the upper 90s and were intensified by high humidity. "This is hot for me," said Chad McDowell, 16, who lives in Warrenton, Ore. "Where I'm from if it's 75, we think that it's a heat wave." Half of the 300 who fell ill were treated and released from the fort's hospital. Dozens more were sent to surrounding hospitals, where they were in stable condition Wednesday night, Jamboree spokesman Gregg Shields said. The more than 40,000 Scouts, volunteers, and leaders attending the event had been standing in the sun about three hours when word came that severe thunderstorms and high winds were forcing the president to postpone his appearance until Thursday. At the last jamboree four years ago, Bush's trip was also canceled because of bad weather, in which lightning strikes caused minor injuries to two Scouts. He spoke to the group a day later by videotape. This time, Bush was expected to talk about the importance of Scouting and touch on the Monday deaths of four Scout leaders. Many Scouts ate dinner at 2 p.m. and stood in long security lines to get a good spot in the open field to see what for most would be their first glimpse of a president in person. Volunteers distributed water and ice by the caseload, and the Scouts were told they could remove their uniform shirts if they had another shirt underneath - a rarity for an event as important as a presidential visit, most Scouts said. Soldiers carried Scouts on stretchers to the base hospital, located about three miles from the arena stage. Others were airlifted from the event while Jamboree officials called for emergency help from surrounding areas to transport Scouts during the storm, which brought high winds and lightning. The illnesses came as many were still reeling from the deaths of four Boy Scout leaders from Alaska. Some Scouts had been watching as the metal pole at the center of a large, white dining tent came into contact with power lines. Screams rang out as the tent caught fire and the men burned. Killed were Michael J. Shibe, 49, Mike Lacroix, 42, and Ronald H. Bitzer, 58, all of Anchorage, Alaska; and Scott Edward Powell, 57, who had recently moved from Anchorage to Perrysville, Ohio. Shibe had two sons at the Jamboree and Lacroix had one. Three adults were injured, and one returned to the Jamboree after being released from the hospital. On Wednesday, Shields said the group had ignored scouting teachings by putting the tent under a power line and leaders had taken the "somewhat unusual" step of hiring a contractor to help with the task. "Boy Scouts are taught not to put their tents under trees or under power lines. I don't know what happened in that case," Shields said. An investigation into the accident was incomplete. Scott Cameron, 57, of Anchorage, volunteered to fill in as a troop leader after the accident. He said the Scouts are getting through their grief. "We'll be fine for a minute and then just break down," he said. "But we've had an awful lot of help." ___ On the Net: http://www.bsajamboree.org

This is horrible for the scouts. So hot, yet so many determined boys. Hopefully today will be better, supposed to be cooler. Kristi Hundreds of Boy Scouts Fall Ill From Heat Published: 7/28/05 BOWLING GREEN, Va. (AP) - The Boy Scouts marched onto the field singing, plopping down in the grass to wait for President Bush. But hours later, the news that Bush couldn't make it was drowned out by sirens and shouts as hundreds fell ill because of the blistering heat. About 300 people, most of them Scouts, suffered from dehydration, fatigue and lightheadedness Wednesday - just days after four Scout leaders were killed at the national Jamboree while pitching a tent beneath a power line. Temperatures at Fort A.P. Hill, an Army base where the 10-day event is being held, reached the upper 90s and were intensified by high humidity. "This is hot for me," said Chad McDowell, 16, who lives in Warrenton, Ore. "Where I'm from if it's 75, we think that it's a heat wave." Half of the 300 who fell ill were treated and released from the fort's hospital. Dozens more were sent to surrounding hospitals, where they were in stable condition Wednesday night, Jamboree spokesman Gregg Shields said. The more than 40,000 Scouts, volunteers, and leaders attending the event had been standing in the sun about three hours when word came that severe thunderstorms and high winds were forcing the president to postpone his appearance until Thursday. At the last jamboree four years ago, Bush's trip was also canceled because of bad weather, in which lightning strikes caused minor injuries to two Scouts. He spoke to the group a day later by videotape. This time, Bush was expected to talk about the importance of Scouting and touch on the Monday deaths of four Scout leaders. Many Scouts ate dinner at 2 p.m. and stood in long security lines to get a good spot in the open field to see what for most would be their first glimpse of a president in person. Volunteers distributed water and ice by the caseload, and the Scouts were told they could remove their uniform shirts if they had another shirt underneath - a rarity for an event as important as a presidential visit, most Scouts said. Soldiers carried Scouts on stretchers to the base hospital, located about three miles from the arena stage. Others were airlifted from the event while Jamboree officials called for emergency help from surrounding areas to transport Scouts during the storm, which brought high winds and lightning. The illnesses came as many were still reeling from the deaths of four Boy Scout leaders from Alaska. Some Scouts had been watching as the metal pole at the center of a large, white dining tent came into contact with power lines. Screams rang out as the tent caught fire and the men burned. Killed were Michael J. Shibe, 49, Mike Lacroix, 42, and Ronald H. Bitzer, 58, all of Anchorage, Alaska; and Scott Edward Powell, 57, who had recently moved from Anchorage to Perrysville, Ohio. Shibe had two sons at the Jamboree and Lacroix had one. Three adults were injured, and one returned to the Jamboree after being released from the hospital. On Wednesday, Shields said the group had ignored scouting teachings by putting the tent under a power line and leaders had taken the "somewhat unusual" step of hiring a contractor to help with the task. "Boy Scouts are taught not to put their tents under trees or under power lines. I don't know what happened in that case," Shields said. An investigation into the accident was incomplete. Scott Cameron, 57, of Anchorage, volunteered to fill in as a troop leader after the accident. He said the Scouts are getting through their grief. "We'll be fine for a minute and then just break down," he said. "But we've had an awful lot of help." ___ On the Net: http://www.bsajamboree.org