Skipping the B&G

[NeilLup]

On a few occasions, I have attended the National Awards banquet of the Boy Scouts of America at the National Meeting. It involves:

 

Dinner

Presentation of the Silver Buffalo Awards to the top Scouters in the Nation

Presentation of the Youth in America awards to some of the top youth in the Nation

Introduction of the National Officers and their keynote addresses

Major league entertainment (the Oak Ridge Boys one time, Chely Wright another)

A reception for the Silver Antelope and Silver Buffalo recipients

 

It normally takes between 2.5 and 3 hours. And everybody there is an adult.

 

I find it inconceivable to have an event for young children that runs 4.5 hours and more inconceivable to have it run 6.

 

You know that some screws are seriously loose.

[OneHour]

... and I thought ours was long at 1:30 hours! (with 1/2 hour to setup and clean up each).

 

We eat.

We give out top 5 speedsters in the Pinewood Derby race (the rest of the ranks trophies were given out at the race).

We eat some more.

We give out Pack volunteers awards.

We eat some more.

We give out special cub awards (Texas Badge, Religious Emblem, etc.)

We eat some more.

We recognize our Web 2 for one last time, sending them off with a standing ovation!

We eat desert.

We watch a 8-10 minutes slide show recapping the year to date.

Then we clean up!

 

It's a party ... and we make it as such!

[Hal_Crawford]

One Hour (aptly named considering the topic) has the right idea. In fact if someone published "how to do a Blue and Gold" this should be the model. I would change one thing, do the slide-show before the Webelos 2 acknowledgment. Show the slides while they eat dessert and then one last goodbye to the big guys.

 

One thing I have learned in over thirty years in theatre... if only one thing is going to get a standing ovation, end with it.

[SSScout]

Advancement is recognized and awards made as the year progresses. Some boys and families do it quickly, some slower.

B&G is for celebrating the fact that we are Cubs. It is a PARTY. Theme (if desired) , decorations (if possible), suitably respectful gathering and opening ( I was invited to a Pack B&G as their UC, and SURPRISE was asked to give the grace, which I did...), good food (catered or served if affordable, pot luck if desired), entertainment (OA danceteam, Scales and Tales, slide show, magician, Den skits, story teller,etc.), some small awards and acknowledgements ( but not the whole Pack. No one should be expected to have maxed out their rank by February), suitably respectful closing. All in 1 1/2 or 2 hrs max.

Our Pack did advancement and awards at each Pack meeting. The last big thing was the April or May picnic, Web crossover was reserved for that Pack meeting. OA danceteam came and did a real flaming arrow ceremony, really wowed'em.

 

Please try and convince the Pack leadership to NOT end the Cub year in February.

[OneHour]

Hal ... we do send the Web 2 off as the last thing. Somewhere on this forum I posted our farewell song to the webelos 2 (goes to the tune Happy Trails).

 

Webelos cross-over is a separate event and ceremony (usually 2 weeks after) with the arrowmen performing the ceremony.

 

Yes ... theme is the best idea. Last year, our B&G fell right before the Chinese New Year weekend. We had Chinese New Year as the theme! Every den decorated their tables with the new year celebration theme. Previous year, we had Hawaiin where everyone wore Hawaiin shirts (and hula skirts).

 

Bottom line ... party ... recognition ... party ... fun ... party some more ... clean up ... and our pack always had fun!