Do you have a campout sign up cut-off?

[Tampa Turtle]

Maybe it is just me. We have a large Troop and are pretty organized. Seems like no matter how much we plan, hand out permission slips, etc. there are always some boys who show up as we are loading or email the night before and say they are going. As you can imagine it makes grub planning and seat transport planning difficult. How do you handle it?

 

Seems to bug me more than the other scouters and they say we should accomodate them. I understand sometimes it is the parents and many boys are over booked. I have advocated having a cut off date with forms and payment and putting any others on a waiting list in case someone drops out or one of their folks volunteers to drive.

[Basementdweller]

Our cut off is the meeting night before the event. Period.......

 

 

Send a few boys home who show up with out signing up....your problem will correct itself.

[Papadaddy]

Our troop meetings were on Monday nights. Money had to be paid by the monday prior to the outing. No refunds or additions after that, because fees had to be paid and food bought. Period. (there's a teaching opportunity here)

[eisely]

Our troop meets on most Tuesdays and the cutoff for most overnighters is usually the Tuesday before the outing. For some things the cutoff is much earlier, particularly where serious up front cash is required.

 

Depending on the nature of the event and available seating, we are sometimes lenient when the outing is a day trip of some kind and no food has been purchased.

[Oak Tree]

We put out emails reminding parents about sign-ups, and we include the list of who has signed up, and eventually we have the "Final sign-up list". We've only had one or two cases where someone has tried to sign up after that. I know we've told at least one boy he couldn't add (he was a repeat offender and needed to get the message). There may have been a time or two when we've been able to accommodate a late add.

 

Mostly, though, I think that it's the regular communication that gets everyone realizing that the sign-up deadline is real.

[EagleBeaver]

If a scout were to show up at departure, he'd have to discuss it with his patrol leader to see if there is food and sleeping available. Then, the PL would need to talk with the SPL about transportation space. Then, the SPL would discuss it with the Scoutmaster. If there were no reservation or rental limits for the planned activities, his medical info was ready, and he had parent permission, then he could attend.

 

People will put everything off as long as you let them. Waiting until the last minute to make a commitment is efficient on their part - it puts the hassle on you instead of them. If there are no firm deadlines, that are held to, then there's no incentive for behavior change.

 

Scout On

 

[eagle90]

we have 62 scouts. The cutoff is one week before the event. In the past we have been lenient, but as the troop grew, we have become more stringent. We have turned a few away and that sure sent a message. As someone said, it's always the same ones who are habitually late. There are too many logistical problems with latecomers (food, transportation, camp fees, etc.) Make a date and follow it religiously. Your problems will end.

[qwazse]

We're an average size troop, so we have a little margin when it comes to food ... less when it comes to transportation. But usually there's a boy who cancels during the week, so we can usually fit a latecomer.

 

Our problem comes because sometimes only a few can make it to an event. We have canceled events because not enough boys signed up the Monday before departure. When someone says "Oh, I was meaning to sign up ..." and they realize their procrastination ruined it for a couple of other boys, that solves that behavior.

 

For crew events, I'm more willing to pull things together for a kid at the last minute. But, this fall we had a council camporee, space was tight, and a venturer called one day after the reservation deadline. I tried to make some calls, it was out of my hands, he couldn't go.

[BrentAllen]

Our cut-off is the Tuesday night meeting before the campout that weekend. We handle sign-ups through our SOAR web page, so everyone can see who has signed up. No more wondering if so and so is going, or finding out a Scout told another leader he was attending, but the message didn't get relayed to everyone. Menus are planned and tenting is arranged. Transportation is arranged. The web page allows us to set the date of closing registration, and that date is advertised with the event. If they aren't on the list when it closes registration, they don't go.

[Tampa Turtle]

Just a follow-up. It was just a boy or two that was the problem so instead of instituting a new policy we just dealt with them. Problem solved.

[IM_Kathy]

our cut off for troop outtings is the meeting before the event. for things like summer camp and jamboree's those are set by the council/district.

 

if a boy falls ill or is for some reason unable to attend after signing up - if the shopper hasn't bought and can be notified then the boy will get refunded for the food portion of the cost. but that can really be a flip of the coin because it is up to the cook as to when they shop - like my son always shops on wednesday as I'm booked on thursdays. but most of the other boys shop on thursdays.

[perdidochas]

We theoretically do, but usually let kids sign up late. It irritates my older son, who is a patrol leader and who signs up on time every time.

[SMT224]

We require that Scouts going on an upcoming camping trip attend and participate in a meeting a week before the trip where menu's are crafted, chuck boxes packed, and the Patrol food buyer collects $10-$15 from all going on the trip. We've been a bit lax in allowing Scouts who forgot to bring $$ to still go on the trip and be included in the food and menu preparations. However, recently we have had several Scouts who forgot their food $$ say that they are going and promise to bring their $$ to the next meeting or to the camping trip - and then going AWOL for several weeks - which then makes the food buyer eat the amount he purchased for that Scout expecting to be paid back.

 

So, after discussing in PLC, we decided that in 2012 a Scout who forgot his food $$ a week before the camping trip will not be allowed to go. We'll see how it goes and how quickly those who have gotten used to not remembering their food $$ learn.

[BartHumphries]

They have to be there the Wednesday before the campout or they can't go, unless someone died or they bring an actual doctor's note.

[hicountry]

We had to introduce rules regarding campout sign up due to scouts and their parents taking ever increasing advantage of the troop scouters that resulted in hassles, un-necessary extra work, frustration and burn out. If we were flexible, people slowly took more and more advantage of things until they were nearly out of control and the boys were learning some very bad habits. As we adhered to rules we got griping from some parents as we did not flex to accomodate them, we invited them to register and help run the troop and activities, that shut most of the complainers up fast.

In addition to spelling out the cutoff date to sign up, we added a cut off date for dropping off the activity (Unless signifigant circumstance caused the scout to drop and activity).

2 part permission slips were created so we knew the parents were aware little Johnie signed up and the second part was to magnet to the fridge as a reminder of the event they commited to (Writing things on a calendar is a lost ancient art).

Scout must have funds in their scout "Account" 2 weeks prior to the event or they don't get to go PERIOD. Before that we had scouts signing up and attending events with the promise from a parent to pay the balance due. They would rack up close to $80 in owed fees with the parent promising to pay...and fail...for up to six months. When the treasurer burned out calling these folks, I as SM was called in and got the parent to pay and cut them off of trips until it was paid. After a year or so of that nonsense we created the funds in acound 2 weeks prior rule and stuck to it.

I'd love to accomodate every scout but the bottom line is, us adult volunteers put in enough time and effort, we shouldn't have to put in even more to accomodate families who think only of their own convenience and expect you to solve the problems they create for them.