Ojoman

Monthly activities are a start but maintaining the 'habit' of regular participation is very valuable. My sons pack ran a full program 12 months of the year. Yes, some families missed a den/pack meeting/activity now and then but families don't generally go away for 12 weeks or more. As a result, we didn't drop members and in fact we gained members by being active. Regarding program planning, we had the key leaders put together a 12 month program and present it to all the families for approval. Because we had multiple den/pack events each month every cub earned the pack summertime award. If they were out of town for one event they were generally back for the next. An active pack is a healthy and happy pack. Be sure to engage your parents and be welcoming to the whole family. KISMIF

Check this out: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=563464852479447&set=a.547497750742824 EFFECTIVE SEPT 1 ALL ADULTS ATTENDING OVERNIGHT EVENTS/ACTIVITIES OF OVER 72 HOURS MUST BE IN A FEE PAID ADULT LEADER POSITION. Many units do activities that span over 72 hours such as the Gettysburg Historic Trails program that may take a long holiday weekend. This will mean that parents that wish to accompany the group must now cough up a fee paid registration. My sons unit had a dad n lad Gettysburg trip from Friday to Monday on the Memorial Day weekend or once the school term ended. Great event but now all those parents (these days moms n daughters too) will find it considerably more costly and some units may forgo this type of great program event the encourages retention and new membership.

I suppose that a pack and or new families could opt for the red vest as a uniform, at least initially. If a pack has someone that sews, just make a pattern and buy red felt with a 50j% or 60% off coupon and bang out a bunch. Simple enough. Since most kids join in the Sept/Oct timeframe Christmas is right around the corner and you might suggest that parents opt to get uniform parts a Christmas gifts instead of a lot of the 'junk' that ends up played with once and then gathers dust.

It's great to see the families attend a Scout Sunday service. Our pack promoted the religious awards program and had the awards presented at a service... not all the kids were the same faith so it was quite ecumenical. Adding a religious awards program (most faiths offer two awards for cubs, one for younger and one for Webelos) is a fairly inexpensive way to expand program and provide both fun and recognition.

Every unit has a Chartered Partner Rep and they are voting members of the council. If the problem is big en;ough, get the CR's together and go rock the boat. You have nothing to lose.

Today it is not unusual for a Council Scout Exec to be compensated (benefits & salary) at a quarter of a million or more. A really great SE is worth that and more. A board that invests that much in a council exec should expect performance. I have worked for both great council execs and for really bad ones. Councils that consistently lose membership, merge districts, cut staff and run in the red or constantly raise less money year after year probably have a leadership problem. Councils that hold their own in difficult times and grow and rise to the challenges probably have solid leadership. The field execs generally work longer hours than their compensation would reflect and where there is poor leadership they tend to 'get out' and go where they will be properly compensated and appreciated. There will always be those in the profession that are highly competent and committed to the programs and mission and councils are blessed to have them at any level. Scouting needs solid, competent and dedicated professionals. Support the good and great ones and don't tolerate incompetent ones.

BSA fees effective August 2022 and they will be going up $75 for Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouts participants ($3 increase) $45 for Exploring participants (no change in cost) $30 for council-paid memberships (no change in cost) $45 for all adult volunteers (no change in cost, includes cost of background check) $100 for a unit charter/affiliation fee ($25 increase) CUB SCOUT UNIFORM Hat 22.99 Shirt 32.99 Belt 14.99 Neckerchief 12,99 Slide 7.99 Unit # x3 5.97 Total 97.92 Vest 14.99 Pants 32.99 Total 145.90 Handbook 23.99 Total 169.89 Scout Life 15.00 Total 184.89 Don’t forget the sales tax on most of the above $25 one-time joining fee for new program participants in Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouts (Not pro-rated, no change in cost) $15 for Scout Life magazine; this is the first price increase since 2005 ($3 increase) It can cost a family over $300 to join Cubbing and uniform their child for the first year. That doesn’t include unit dues or event/activity fees. Time to go to a pack neckerchief, make hats optional and start a pack uniform bank to exchange 'experienced' uniforms.

Sounds good... my sons den and pack met through the summer. The dens did work on advancement (those items best done outdoors and in the summer) and the dens did field trips to places that a whole pack couldn't go. Our den toured the ground radar control at the airport and got to sit in a passenger plane including visiting the cockpit, they made their own pan pizzas at a local pizza shop and did a lot of other 'stuff'. The pack had a graduation ceremony in June and everyone moved up to the next level. Monthly pack meetings were at parks and one at the council camp. We did nature hikes (creek walk), played whiffle ball and other games, had pack picnics as part of the outdoor Pack meetings and marched in the Memorial Day and July 4th parades after which the pack treated to hot dogs and sodas. The new Arrow of Light den did a father n son (pre girls in the program) trip to Gettysburg where they earned the trail awards which were presented at the June pack meeting. With multiple events through the summer, every cub got to earn the Summertime Award pin. There was no 'coming back in the fall' because no one ever left. It was the strongest pack in the district. We also had most of the families take advantage of the Day Camp and resident camp that the council provided.

As volunteers, we can't do much to control registration costs but we can impact program costs. In the Longhouse Council we have some unique things which frankly any council can have. We have a 'museum' committee and they started a 'hole in the wall' museum years ago. It attracted some good scouter followers and they ended up raising funds to build the modern 2,500 sf William Hillcourt Museum. Recently that group of volunteers agreed to create a new local Erie Canal Historic Award program that is low cost and we are having a free event in May to encourage youths to earn the award and other recognitions. Additionally, this program will introduce units to the many state facilities along the Erie Canal historic trail where they can do low cost camping. Volunteers can share all sorts of things from how to inject fun, low cost crafts to sharing resources for events (inter pack/inter troop) that are fun and exciting. Years ago one of the parents in my kids pack asked me 'when do we pay for all of this? we're getting a lot more than it is costing us." Even at todays fees, we can give families a lot more than they paid for if we all join together to put out the highest/best quality year round program experience. Low cost and free programs keep it simple and make it fun at all levels. https://www.williamhillcourtmuseum.org/announcing-a-new-award-that-can-be-earned-the-erie-canal-trail-medal-and-patch

I never thought that the BSA did a good job in dealing with the lawsuits. 90 % of the claims were over 30 years old. The BSA executives generally were dealing with 2nd and 3rd hand information and there were no mandatory reporting laws, national background checks and/or protections for those that reported from defamation suits. It was a different time and those claims should have been made against the perps or their estates, not the BSA. I know the lengths that the BSA went to with their ineligible volunteer files (prior to national background checks) to protect kids and the BSA. We did more than probably any other agency. To day it angers me that this happened is an understatement. There may have been a few instances where we should have paid but not over 80,000 and not to the tune of billions of dollars. It was just easier to target and blame the BSA and go for one big bag of cash instead of go after the criminals and have to collect thousands of small claims. Those are the kinds of lawyers that give the good ones a bad name.

These days it's as much about protecting the organization as protecting the kids. With billions of dollars in settlement through the bankruptcy we made dozens of law firms and their lawyers rich, many are now millionaires. Where there are assets there are predatory lawyers...

With all the expenses facing parents to have to come up with a local and national registration fee that can in some councils be north of $80 a year just to be the 2nd adult at a meeting or activity can be a real burden. I all in favor of anything that gives young families a break. and if you are talking both parents we are now over $160. If a parent can get the background check and YPT done via the MB registration and improve opportunities for Scouts to have access to a counselor then that is a win/win in my book.

Hi Barry While there are many parents that do want the Character & Citizenship values that are a major part of Scouting, sadly, there are many parents today that are fine with turning over child rearing to the internet as it is easier, cheaper and makes no demands on them. The good news, find the interested parents and cultivate a volunteer spirit in them and with a strong program their kids will bring the other kids that probably need it more with them.

Hi Barry... The next few years will determine the future of the program. There are literally millions of additional youth available to recruit today than in the mid 70's when our membership peaked plus we now can recruit girls at all levels and Cubs starts at grade k instead of grade 3. Parents are starting to realize that all the computer/internet time is taking away many of the experiences that they held dear. Playing outdoors, camping, being involved in a youth program, growing socially, physically, and morally/ethically. Today, college professors worry that their students term papers will be written by artificial intelligence. Kids bully other kids on social media, and on line predators stalk children on online game sites and friend them on their Facebook pages or invite them to chat rooms. There are so many more issues that face families and kids today and while Scouting can't solve all of them, Scouting can help. As the parent of an Eagle Scout I expect that you are well aware. Few things are more powerful than 'shared vision'. We need to share the opportunities and possibilities that Scouting brings to kids, parents, whole families. Thanks for your comments.

Congratulations, keep up the good work. Over the years I have personally witnessed and also be told of positive lifechanging experiences for both the kids and the adults in the program. For my money there is no better place to give your time than to build our future citizens. Thanaks.

I expect that it will be inevitable and the same for troops. It is stupid to have girls in AOL dens and lack a girls troop for them to cross over to. The folks at national are at once extremely cautious (gun shy after the bankruptcy) and not very forward thinking...

Thanks for the correction... I'm not saying that it is not a good idea but that would add 5 or 6 new leader registrations and double that if the pack has 'girl dens'. Looking at $250 to $500 or more depending on council surcharges at recharter time. I can understand the paranoia after the lawsuits and bankruptcy but sometimes the pendulum swings a bit too far. The 2021 printing of the Merit Badge Counselor application allows counselors to register without a fee. Perhaps we need to do this for the 2nd adult in Cubbing... "Merit badge counselors must register as adult Scouters and be approved by the council advancement committee for each merit badge listed on this Merit Badge Counselor Information form. A merit badge counselor does not have to pay a registration fee, but must complete an Adult Application for position code 42, fill out this form, and complete BSA Youth Protection training. Submit the Adult Application with the Merit Badge Counselor Information form to your council. Counselors may wish to associate with a particular unit but are encouraged to serve any Scout from any unit." This was from 2021, let me know if this has changed too. Thanks

Many parents that don't/won't sign up as Den leaders still come to the meetings and remain until time to leave. A den leader can count a spouse, parent of another child or other adult at least 18 or older as the 2nd person. This is from Scouting Magazine, " Two-deep leadership is required on all outings. A minimum of two registered adult leaders — or one registered leader and a participating Scout’s parent or another adult — is required for all trips and outings. One of these adults must be 21 years of age or older.' It can be done and it is not that difficult. If a male and female den meets together for den meetings or field trips be sure to have one male and one female present. It is advisable that all parents in a pack (registered or not) have youth protection training. There are no 'reasons' not to, only excuses...

There are generally 3 numbers to consider, total youth served during the year that includes all youth registered (even if some were dropped), total active youth (this is at recharter time after dropped youths are subtracted) and end of year figures which are often close to the total youth served because most units are now on a calendar year. The only time a districts, councils or national numbers should be compared would be right after recharter is completed which is the most accurate count of ACTIVE YOUTH.

Great point: A big issue for Scouts is recruiting new members. and for decades now, rather than actually try to recruit, many troops simply depend on AOL's crossing over. Retention in a pack with a 6 year long program is a serious issue. If a pack does not retain members they will end up with few, if any, Aol's to cross to a troop. I would hope that now that things have settled down regarding covid that packs will do better recruiting and that they will address retention issues.

All good points... but, (RE: third cause) A girl troop only needs to recruit a female leader and can share the male troops leadership, meet at the same time (effectively with) the male troop and participate with the male troop on all activities as long as a female leader is involved. 4th cause, both male and female units suffer from this so shared leadership makes sense. 5th cause, I totally agree... Re: first and second: BSA is a private organization and the president (Honorary president of the BSA) and congress have no real say in how BSA runs. Regarding girls not doing enough to recruit buddies to form a girl troop... that would be a moot point if our units ran like other countries with blended programs. Great piece on that to read here: https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/inclusion-and-diversity/including-everyone/girls-and-women-in-scouts/

I understand that the folks at National are revisiting the issue of girls in troops as in girl troops vs blended troops. While I have no difficulty in troops being all male or all female, I am concerned about the number of girls that may be in Cubs and will find no girl troop within a reasonable distance. Most other countries have 'blended' units. Girls can be in their own patrols or a blended patrol but in our country just because only a couple of girls, or even 1 girl is graduating with AOL and when there isn't an all girl unit to join, why should their Scouting path come to a halt? I see this as a serious issue and one that needs resolved soon.

A really good SE is worth whatever it takes to keep him/her. You can find your council's tax returns online. Search for the council and 990. Most returns show what the SE is paid and the cost of the benefits package. Council executive boards are often headed by people that make well into the 6 figures and think nothing of giving the SE a significant package. I'm sure many SE's are overpaid and some underpaid. A council that raises less money each year, can't maintain staff and drops significant membership because of poor services may have an incompetent or mediocre SE. Unit CR's have a strong voice in council operations if they would get together and flex their muscle.

Gone are the days when the BSA served upwards of 20% of the available youth. However, IMHO there is no legitimate reason not to be serving around 3% and I know in my council we only serve a fraction of a percent. Professionals need to build and support strong programs that attract youth, families and then retain them. Sadly, I don't expect to see that happen and that is why I expect to see more 'issues', problems and mergers and fewer professionals to serve and support the volunteers. My wife said the only difference between the council here and the Titanic was the Titanic had a band. I don't think she was too far off the mark. It's a shame...

As a youth, Scouting involved learning to 'pay your own way' through den and troop dues and helping in the pack fund raiser. We were taught to 'work' for the funds and not expect handouts. I think that is still a great lesson that helps build self sufficiency and personal responsibility and accountability. District professionals should have a minimal finance responsibility and a primary program/unit support role. Personal opinion, councils should not be tacking on operating expenses on top of the national registration fees. I even have some reservations about the product sales percentage that supports councils but at least packs and troops get a much higher return than the GSA gives its units.