clydesdale115

Bakerjw - just to let you know, you are not alone in your ???s. When we became Bears, it was quite a challenge to explain to the parents that any extra Achievements could count towards AP, but unused portions of Achievements used toward rank could not - whew, that's a mouthful! Beagle Scout gave the reason - as Bears you have 24 Achievements from which to choose your 12. I think counting them towards AP is a nice way to reward boys for their efforts, even when the achievement doesn't count for rank advancement. And don't discount the electives - some are really fun for the boys!

Thanks ScoutNut - We're thinking about all this for when we crossover to Webelos at the end of May. We are shooting for a March '07 target for our Webelos Badge (our Pack does not present awards at the Blue and Gold - don't ask). So you are right, we do have plenty of time, especially making this a SUPPLEMENTAL activity, beyond our regular den meetings. It would mean maybe one "extra" get-together per month - we could have it all completed by Christmas or soon thereafter. Our Scout working on Parvuli Dei would also have plenty of time. Scout Sunday would be IDEAL to present this :-) Funny you mention the Wolves. Boys in our Wolf den just earned their Religious Emblem (quite unceremoniously presented at the April Pack meeting). Is it your understanding (as it is mine) that they will need to earn this "again" as a Webelos - or the other optional requirements - for it to count toward their Web Badge? (Of course, they did God and Me, not God and Family) BTW, I just feel so much BETTER about all this! clydesdale115

Thank you to everyone for your very thoughtful replies. It appears the best way to handle this is as many of you suggest: We will simply introduce the God and Family (Protestant) and Parvuli Dei (Catholic) programs to our den families and encourage them to get started right away. I already have both workbooks and the counselor's book to show them. The pastor of our CO church (Methodist) has "offered" to host the meetings, although no one in the Pack has ever taken them up on it. He will likely just designate one of us to conduct the classes, with him signing off. As it is, none of the boys in our den is a member of the CO (interestingly only 1 family in our Pack belongs to this CO). It would be a good option for those who are unchurched, and even those who have their own Protestant church might enjoy working the program as a group with their den mates. On non-den time :-) I particularly don't want to feel like we are excluding the boy whose family is Catholic, because he is certainly welcome in the God and Family classes, but that would not be "earning the Religious Emblem of HIS faith." He would still have to earn the emblem through his own parish, or do the other optional requirements. We would never intend this to be "doing something just to get a Webelos requirement checked off." Never. We'll introduce this program as an optional requirement, and let them know when the CO can start classes. Thank you all so much for your insight - I welcome further comments, complaints, or suggestions :-) clydesdale115

Earning the Religious Emblem of your faith is actually a requirement (albeit, an optional one) for the Webelos Badge. Guess that's where our dilemma has arisen. If the Scouts are not all of the same faith, it does seem exclusive to offer just the Protestant version (God and Family - Webelos level). True, it's not awarded by BSA, just recognized. Still, they list it as an optional Webelos requirement - that sounds like a green light to include it in our group activities. The God and Family curriculum definitely lends itself to group presentation (the whole "pizza" thing :-) Our Web 2s just completed this - their DL led the meetings and the Pastor of our CO came in for the final check-off. All the boys in her den earned it together. I'm just not so sure it's that cut-and-dry. Still pondering it ... clydesdale115

Our CM's son crossed over to Boy Scouts in January - the CM has stayed on - we're not exactly sure when he is planning to step down, although he has hinted that we need to be thinking about a successor. We have no ACM. He has an older son who is out of Boy Scouts now and he (CM) is very much involved in the Troop. We are in the same situation as mbscoutmom. Whenever there is a conflict b/t Pack plans and Troop plans, he always opts for the Boy Scouts. We either have to change OUR date or he just doesn't come to the Pack event. My feeling is that he no longer has a vested interest in the Pack anymore, since he does not have a boy in it. JMHO - clydesdale115

What are your feelings on offering the Religious Emblem program (Webelos level) to our boys as a den? Of 8 Scouts, we have 5 Protestant, 1 Catholic, and 2 unchurched (Christian). We are looking ahead to our upcoming Webelos year. From my research, it looks as though we can offer the Protestant version to the den as a group, regardless of their affiliation (or lack thereof). The pastor of the church would have the final check-off. The Roman Catholic version (Parvuli Dei) specifically says it cannot be offered as a den activity. It needs to be done through the individual's church and you must be Catholic to participate. Obviously we can't lead the Catholic version, but do you think we could take 5 or 6 den meetings to offer the Protestant version? It is fairly generic (God's love for you and God's place in the family). Our one Catholic Scout could still be a part of these classes, but he would have to work on his own to complete HIS workbook. The Religious Emblem can be used for a Webelos requirement; or you can do other optional requirements through your home church. Since it takes 5 or 6 weeks to complete (at least), we are thinking of scheduling it during our den meetings, then adding one more meeting each week, to complete the workbook in one month. Any thoughts on this? I think it is worthwhile, but I don't want to make anyone feel obligated. Are we on the wrong track, having these as den meetings? clydesdale115

About 6 or 7 miles - it's held at the church where our Pack meets. We recently lost our RT Commissioner to a military transfer, so RTs are disjointed right now - no real focus, no new information. I do like hearing what other Packs are doing, and they do present general information about day camp and other district events. But I plan our den calendar WAY far in advance - RT ideas aren't very helpful when they come. clydesdale115

You have a situation different from probably most. Apparently TOO MANY folks want the same job! In our Pack, we have a big chunk of the leadership that will be moving on by year's end, and we're all wondering where replacements are going to come from. The time to start working on it is NOW. Putting a sign-up list at the pack meeting looking for leaders is certainly the least effective way to go. Ideally, the committee/ leaders, after carefully considering their options, will invite the "perfect candidate" to take the position, then work on making the transition smooth. If a potential leader comes to US, all the better! I'm with Lisa-bob - we'd never turn down a willing volunteer. I say, make yourself available, make it known that you want to work to keep this pack successful, go into it with a servant spirit. You are right, very often it's the grown-up who can't play nice. But you can take the higher road here by offering yourself, your time, your talents, your experience, in whatever position you are needed. It's now the committee's job to put the right person in the right job.

InsaneScouter: Let me start by telling you that I know absolutely nothing about maintaining webpages. I will say, however, that I visit insanescouter all the time! I love the Webelos pages in particular. Our den is crossing over next month to become 1st year Weebs and I fully expect to use your activity pages, games, and ideas! I hope you can keep the site up and keep it updated - it is a worthwhile resource on the 'Net. Thanks, clydesdale115

I understand your feelings about the PWD - it does seem to bring out the worst in some parents. That could be another thread in itself :-) I see many Scout boys in my son's school everyday. I volunteer there and also substitute teach. They know me - they know I'm a den leader - I've run plenty of Pack events - their parents know me. So I think I could discreetly say something to them about not showing Scout spirit and they would take my message to heart. For that matter, if I was just a mom at the school and I heard a child speak inappropriately, I'd have to say something to him. I believe I agree about leaving the Pack, since you see these kids often. If the parents no longer see you as an authority, it will trickle down to their kids. There's a new Pack out there that needs you and your experience with kids! JMHO, clydesdale115

Interesting that you talk about Ship's website. Our pack has struggled with communication as well. We have 3 (count 'em - 3) websites in various stages of information. One is a dead link, one is 2 years out of date, and one even has ads at the top linking you to porn sites - I'm not joking! My husband is working his Wood Badge ticket and one item is to make the Pack's website better, with more information, better communication, pictures, attaboys, and general pats on the back. First job is to get rid of the dead one and the one with the questionable ads! He's starting to make head-way and a parent in our den wants to be Webmaster - whew! A Pack's situation is decidedly different from a Ship's, but the information still needs to get out - timely and accurately. A website is a good way to go. Everyone has access to the same information at the same time. clydesdale115

This IS a great link! Wish I had found it earlier in our Bear year :-) but we'll definitely keep it handy for our Webelos activities! Thanks for providing the information! clydesdale115

I agree with the previous posters about not buying a 2nd BL for the boys. Our pack will purchase the 1st BL, after that the parents must purchase, although I don't believe anyone ever has (except to replace a lost one!) For most of our den, their belt is full already - another BL probably wouldn't fit anyway :-) I do like the idea of giving them the little card that accompanies the BL - it is a good way to acknowledge they completed the requirements again, without having to provide the BL again. From the # of posters on this link, looks like we have a lot of Bear-soon-to-be-Webelos leaders onboard!

My son still favors the Easter "goodies" but personally, I look forward each year to attending Sunrise Service! It is a tradition in our family. Wherever we are (usually visiting family out of town) we make a point to join in the community or church Sunrise Service. It is a lovely and blessed time - like a fresh start, a welcome sign of Spring, watching the sun rise as we sing beautiful hymns and hear an inspiring word. clydesdale115

When my nephew was 2, he returned from a doctor's visit, saying he had to have his DRUD BLOWN! :-)

How about setting up a popcorn machine in the meeting? The smell alone will set the stage - kids and parents will both love it! Make sure everyone enjoys some popcorn during the meeting, then as you call the boys up front, give them their awards in empty popcorn bags. Of course, you can use balloons everywhere - instant atmosphere! One advancement ceremony idea from an OLD monthly theme: "Inflate 2 balloons, one with helium and the other with just air. During the ceremony, hold them by the knot so the audience can't tell the difference. The idea is that these 2 balloons represent 2 boys in your community. Both these boys are happily involved in sports, church (etc., as fits your community). But there is a difference between these two boys. This boy (the air balloon) is happy and he can keep being happy just doing the things hes doing now. (Let the air balloon just drop to the table or floor.) But this boy (the helium balloon) is (Scout's name) and he has found something extra. That extra something is Cub Scouting! He has been working hard as a Cub Scout, learning more and doing more each day. He knows that with his parents and leaders helping, (Scout's name) will be able to soar to new heights (release balloon) just like this balloon."

Aside to resqman: About the stands for PWD cars, I hope our friend ScoutNut can give some details. In the meantime, I did find this pattern: www.scoutingthenet.com/pinewood Looks like a good pattern for making the stands, although it would still be a pretty challenging task to make one for every Scout in our Pack :-) clydesdale115

At our last pack camp-out, we had nothing particularly "magical" about starting our fire, but it was memorable. I assigned two leaders to be Keepers of the Flame for the evening. The boys gathered around the campfire, but it was not lit. We had the tinder, kindling, and logs laid, but not lit. Then I started with a little speech about how this is going to be YOUR campfire, from the first tiny sparks to the last cold ashes. The boys were intrigued. I gave them all a stick (actually it was a bamboo skewer), they approached the campfire ring, and the Keepers of the Flame lit their stick. They tossed it into the fire one by one. I said something about "As you place add your fire, be thankful for those who have gone before you and be hopeful for those who will follow after you." I used a whole theme of being grateful for Scouts who paved the way for you to be here today, and that you are setting the stage for future Scouts of tomorrow. With a little gentle "encouragement" from the Keepers of the Flame, we had a nice roaring fire in just minutes. It was great for the boys to watch it build from nothing as each of them added their stick. Having 2 men assigned as Keepers of the Flames kept the boys from fooling with the fire (poking sticks, etc.). They knew they could not reach into the campfire ring - that was the job of the Keepers. It was great! We had a beautiful flag retirement ceremony at the end of the campfire - that was magical. The next morning, I collected cold ashes into ziploc bags for all the boys. It truly was THEIR campfire, from the first spark to the last cold ash.

Very nice fgoodwin! I love this great song - glad you shared the message! We sing hymns and songs such as these all the time, but it is particularly effective to see the words written in "poem" form, isn't it? Makes a powerful "Minute" - clydesdale115

The Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts where we used to live (metro-Atlanta) did this every year and it was very successful. Seems like it was Feb or March - they'd leave a bag (with a note about the project, plus a Chik-fil-A coupon) on the front door, then come pick it up the next week. We haven't heard anything about this at our new home/Pack. Each year around Christmas, we do a mini-food drive at a pack meeting - not sure if you can call that "Scouting for Food" - but nothing like canvassing neighborhoods. Most of you mentioned having a giant map at Roundtable and the Packs/Troops divide the area among themselves - does that mean that an official Scouting for Food Drive needs to be at the district-level? Can it be an effective service activity for an individual den or pack? (I also like the idea of the Pack leaving the bags one week and the Troop returning the next week to collect.) Last year at the Blue and Gold, our den sponsored a canned food drive, then we delivered it to the local Food Bank. They gave our boys a tour of their warehouse and freezer, and weighed the food items we brought. This was obviously in February. As gwd-scouter mentioned, donations to food banks run out by February and March - there is a real need at that time. clydesdale115

Michelle - I think having "ballots" is a fun idea! My husband just hosted our Pack's Space Derby 2 weeks ago and the award for "Best Design" was voted on by the Cubs! Each Scout was given a cup to place beside his rocket, then they were given 3 beads to "vote" with. The only instructions: you can give yourself one vote (one bead), and use the other 2 beads to also vote for another Scout's rocket for design winner. The boys thought it was great that THEY decided the winner. (Parents, sibs, race officials did not vote :-) I collected the cups and counted the winner - simple as that! ScoutNut - our boys are about to be Webelos - I LOVE the idea of having them make PWD display stands for everyone. Can you provide some details? How many did you have to make? Did you use a pattern/template? clydesdale115

Fair warning - you're probably going to get a few "why do we have to give ALL the boys an award, anyway?" replies. But I did this last year just in our den at the next den meeting, and the boys and parents got a kick out of it. They knew it was just for fun. Some we used: Best Use of Stickers or Decals Most Patriotic Looks Most Like an Animal Most Colorful Best Paint Job Spirit of BSA Award (used BSA logos, etc.) Good Sport Award (car crashed, etc.) Looks Most Like a Real Car For their "award," I got a little wooden plaque from Michael's (about 49 cents) and hot-glued a Hot Wheels car onto it. I used a Sharpie to write their name on the back. Nothing fancy at all, but they enjoyed it. We didn't do this just because we were worried there would be hurt feelings about not being a winner - I just like giving our boys a little surprise every now and then. It was more of a memento. Like I said, this was not pack-wide. The Pack provided trophies for 1st, 2nd, 3rd at each rank, plus Design winners at each rank. We did not do the fun awards this year for our den. The boys are getting older (Bears) - they enjoyed the Derby and making/racing the cars and we left it at that - some were winners, some were not, all were good sports! BTW, does your Pack provide PWD patches to all the boys or PWD ribbons from the Scout Store? This might be a good alternative if you are just looking to give each boy a memento. clydesdale115

Do you think maybe this was replaced by the Good Turn for America Award, which launched in 2004? I'm not familiar with the Service to America award, but our boys have earned the GTforA patch (in 2004), then got a rocker in 2005. We'll earn a 2006 rocker also. We bought them at the Scout Store. Seems like the patch was around $3.00 but the rocker was only 50 cents or so. You have to register and submit your project on the Good Turn website: www.goodturnforamerica.org You need your unit's ID number to register. I got ours from our Council office so I could register our Pack. It's a painless process and there is a ticker that shows the # of service hours that have been submitted. You do have to keep up with the number of hours (adults and youth, members and non-members) everyone worked. The website also has great ideas for service projects. clydesdale115

Rules for this game, along with a pattern you can enlarge, can also be found in the Cub Scout Leader How-To Book, page 3-41. The How-To Book is a great resource for planning den and pack activities! clydesdale115

For a campout with TREES theme, we held an experiment about which roll of paper towel would be the most absorbent, the el cheapo, the mid-priced, or the "ultra" absorbent brand. The boys divided into ranks, made their predictions (hypotheses) and conducted the experiment. It was interesting to see how the different groups conducted the experiment. One group stood the whole roll of paper towel up in the water pan, while another tore off sheets and then rung them out to see how much they absorbed. Each grouped timed how long they kept the paper towel in the water. Very interesting to watch it happen! We had Tigers - Webelos and it was appropriate for all ranks. clydesdale115