New Unit Needs Help

[Scouting Mom]

"Although I am wondering why the UC is discussing their charter with you if you are not connected to their Pack."

 

'cause I married him.

 

[Vigil-Hiker]

You do not want too may hats to wear. You may provide a good program, but at the same time see your kids less. My dad was Cubmaster and Webelos Den Leader. He had pack commitee meetings to go, attended Round Table, went to training sessions (not just position training but also PowWow's), did popcorn pick up, and help run events at district cub events. I appreciate everything he did, but saw him mostly at den meetings and on the weekends. He later became the unit commish. Four meetings a month, not including pack and den meetings.

 

Try to get all the roles filled with good people so you do not need to do half their job too.

 

Pickup the Cubscout Leader handbook. Suggest each den leader has their own copy of the appropriate handbook for their den.

[John-in-KC]

Having been a Cub Committee chair, I have to agree. Den Leaders are the front line of the program. They need all the support they can get, and as much administration taken off them as possible.

 

Cubmaster has a big role in integrating the Dens at the monthly Pack meeting.

 

A good Committee (Treasurer, Activities Chair, newsletter editor, Chairman, and helpers) is an absolute Godsend to the folks delivering the program.

[fgoodwin]

Let me second John's comments (and everyone's also). I too, am a former CC, and I've also started a new Pack (I was ACM for the new Pack).

 

I was fortunate that, because the new school was carved out of the attendance zones of two other schools (both of which had Packs), many of the families joining the new Pack actually transferred from their old packs -- so most of the families actually knew about Cub Scouts. Made my life much easier.

 

At first, we had only 15 boys (a Tiger den, a Wolf den and a Bear den). When you think about it, it made sense that the 4th & 5th graders would stay with their old packs, so they could graduate with their friends, even if they had a pack closer to their homes.

 

Anyway, that pack was started in the fall of 2003 with 15 boys now has over 50 boys, four years later. We were successful, not through anything I did, but because we had dedicated parents step up and take on the necessary roles.

 

At first, as pack organizer, they wanted me to be CM, but with my own son in a different pack, I could not split time and give them the time they really needed in a CM -- so another dad stepped up.

 

My wife was CC, but only for the first year. Another mom took over the 2nd year. I was popcorn chair the 1st year, but yet another mom took over the 2nd year. I didn't even have to chair the PWD that 1st year; we had a go-getter dad step up to do that. And one of the experienced moms took on the B&G the first year -- it was a huge success!

 

I was UC for that new Pack for a couple of years, but I've since let another UC take over. The pack is now very successful and most important -- self sustaining! They no longer need my help, and in fact, the Tigers who started the pack will be graduating this spring. Meaning that in the fall of '08, almost none of the families will know (or even care) who started the pack. But that's fine with me!

 

The key is spreading out the chores (like they say in the training video, many hands make light work) and using all the available resources. Someone mentioned the monthly RT -- also use the program helps -- don't reinvent the wheel!