rallybug

Growing up (in the UK), I was as a cub and then a scout - officially, the program was cub scouts, but the youth were known as cubs.

Our eldest does Code Ninjas (learning to write code in C#, Python, Java for things like Minecraft mods) - that costs $220 a month. Our youngest (just transitioned to a Bear) does karate three times a week, I think that was $3k for 2 years.

Very council-dependent, and age of scout etc. In comparison, for my scout who just crossed over: $86 registration (no dues), summer camp is $100 this year (troop covering the remainder through fundraising), other monthly local 1- or-2-night camps are $10 per night, his uniform was bought for Webelos with much room to grow into, so that will be a while. As a family, we've bought, for him, a tent, hike shoes, hike boots, wet weather gear, going to need a better sleeping pad than my 20-year old Therm-a-Rest 😄and we'll gradually upgrade stuff as we need to (for him and me..)

And that an extended full-size passenger van (Chevy Express, Ford E-Series) must be a 2005 or newer currently - although as both of those didn't have head restraints for the passengers, to my mind they don't make great transport vehicles anyway (Chevy and Ford didn't/don't care about passengers and whiplash...). The newer (well, maximum 10 years old now..) Transit, on the other hand, does have head restraints for every seat.

I would say that, here in the US today, a "man embracing the traditional 'provider' role" leads to many fathers who aren't present in their child's life - so many people have to work really long hours, whether that is actually working or with a 2-hour commute each way, that they barely see their kids, and they can't rock the boat because their health insurance is tied to keeping that job, or the mortgage/rent they have to pay is so high they can't move to a job with a better work/life balance ...

Not required, although some may like to (my son doesn't like the feel of the scout shirt on his torso, so wears an undershirt or a performance "activity uniform" shirt underneath). I wear a performance shirt underneath if camping in cooler weather, etc Reference top button, as the ASM in charge of Trail to First Class said, "You're not in church, so undo that button!" 😄

Less willingness, or less ability/time to do so? My wife and I are already having talks about how far down the Scouter rabbit hole do we go. I'm an ACM for the pack with our youngest (just got his Wolf), and an ASM for the Troop where out eldest just crossed over. My wife is the Wolf (now Bear) DL and Pack Treasurer. (Our CM is also an ASM, and our pack CC is also an ASM - the joys of kids split by age, and the CC, CM, and our sons are all in the same Den, so that could be "fun" for the pack in 3 years...). I did the NRA RSO training last weekend as my wife works with one of the Council rifle/shotgun instructors, and he mentioned that they are always short of RSOs, so I might be called in there on Saturdays or evenings. We have a Camporee this Saturday (pack is taking 41 in total - cubs, scouts, and adults - woohoo!), then I'm off with the eldest to a 2-night camp the following weekend. Yet to plan is the probably wilderness survival camp with the Troop for June, and we have summer camp in mid-July - one parent going with a Scout can put more pressure on the parent staying home with the other kid(s), especially during summer break and the parent is still working. Add in that both kids also have other extra-curriculars that we need to get them too, and time gets to be squeezed.

From what we were told at (boys) Troop committee meeting last night, it will be girl patrols within a combined troop - our troop decided not to join the pilot program at this time as a) the feeder pack is about 4 years away from crossing over any girls, and b) there is a girls troop and boys troop under the same number already at the next (contiguous) city to ours, so it would make sense for them to have the opportunity to try it, especially as they have just lost their meeting place.

Not charging $230 a year might go a long way to improving their demographics...

We’ve just gone through our Cub Scout closet and found this old pony bead container with a list of what colors are for what. I’m guessing mid to late 80s as Tiger Cubs are mentioned, but as it is a typed sheet (rather than printed), I’m guessing not into the 90s - any ideas?

Duplicate post

This part I hate - the DE's job shouldn't be number of units, it should be number of Scouts! A few well-run units is much better for the youth than a multitude of badly-run/tiny/dying units. It's better to keep the Scouts than lose everything, surely!

Costs beyond uniform purchasing cost are very council- and unit-dependent. Crossroads of the West fees for adult leaders starting May 1st 2024 will be $71 ($65 + $6 for council - the Pack and Troop that I am involved in pay those fees for adults) and $91 for youth (Explorers will be $56). Neither the Pack or Troop charge unit dues - Pack and Troop both provide an activity shirt, Troop provides the unit number patch at crossover or registration, $15 for a Troop necker. Summer camp for our Troop will be $100 per Scout - the rest of the cost is covered by the Troop. Pack is covering day camps for both non-Webelos and Webelos, Spring Camporee is $7 or $11 depending on age, Family Camp in August is normally free (if I remember correctly), the last couple of years the Webelos overnight camp has also been covered by the pack for food (the place they've gone offers the site for free as along as the Scouts do a trash pickup service project).

Fine and dandy seeing the blog post about it, but then not following up with any more information a month later is annoying, but I suppose par for the course...

I mean, that comment about "liberals" (that has now been deleted...) shows some discourtesy right there.