dendad Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 Hello i am a bear den leader and in the book for achievement 19 it has earning the witteling chip card i worked on this with my boys and put them in for it, at the pack meeting i was told the only way to earn the whittling chip is at summer camp ?? i have looked everywhere i could find and have never found anything about this, and have yet to get a straight answer from my pack and have even contacted my district chair person and have not gotten an answer as of yet ?? i also asked if my boys cross over to webelos at our april pack meeting are they at that point offically webelo ones ? i want to know this to see if they then can go to the spring camparee in the beginning of may ,( again i was told great question ill have to get back to you on that) can anyone help?? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortridge Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 The Whittlin' Chip can be earned anywhere, not just as summer camp. When the Bears cross over, they will become Webelos. They should be allowed to visit the camporee. ("Webelos Ones" is not an official term, because there's really no difference between first- and second-year Webelos.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamist649 Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 I think someone is misinformed. Our Pack has always done the Whittling Chip in the Bears DEN. NOT at any camp, etc. It's spelled out pretty clear as to what can only be earned at camp (i.e. Archery, BB Gun, etc.) I've never seen anything about the WC being restricted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam S Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 I know in our Pack it is sometimes a problem because teh schools where we hold our meetings have zero tolerance for weapons, pocket knives included. So that might be one source of your problem, maybe a change of meeting locations is enough? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutNut Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 If your Pack will not purchase the Whittling Chip card for your boys, then there is no reason why you can not. The pocket certificate is only $0.12, so it should not be a hardship on your pocketbook. If you want to, and can afford it, there is a Whittling Chip patch for $1.49 that the boys can wear on their red "brag" vest (or where ever you put your misc patches). Both of these items can be purchased at your local Council Scout Shop. As for when your Bears become Webelos, all Cub Scouting programs are age-appropriate, with Cub Scout levels generally tied to the school year. Bears are in 3rd grade. When they finish 3rd grade, and enter 4th, they become Webelos. Most Packs hold a graduation Pack meeting at the end of the school year (late May, early June) to move their Cubs up to their next Cub level. Because of the differences across the country in how school systems are run, and when the school year ends, BSA uses the date of June 1, to automatically move every Cub in their computer system up to the next level. Does your Pack close down in April? Is that your final Pack meeting of the school year? Why would your Bears be moving up to Webelos then? Because of BSA's June 1, level up date, your den would still be considered to be Bears in May. If your council requires you to register for the camporee, especially if they have Webelos programing, and Webelos camping, included, then I would guess that your den would not be allowed to attend as the council would not have them in their system as Webelos yet. Your best bet would be to contact your council, and talk to the person in charge of registering the Spring Camporee participants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dendad Posted March 27, 2011 Author Share Posted March 27, 2011 Thanks for all the help . as far as purchasing the cards and patches on my own i would gladly do that , i was under the impression you couldn't only the pack could, i was also told that the district people were the ones that said they could only be earned at camp, i will go there myself tomorrow and find out first hand what the story is behind it, thanks again for all the help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dendad Posted March 27, 2011 Author Share Posted March 27, 2011 as far as the boys crossing over in april they have done the requirements to do so and i was hoping if they did they could do the camparee but it doesn't sound like it , Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutNut Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 >>"as far as the boys crossing over in april they have done the requirements to do so" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoutfish Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 I was going to past a link to a PFD that had a true/false test and a Whittling Chip oath you could print out for the scouts. No, they do not have to take it, but is usefull in reenforcing safety and showng how well they have learned. Like I said, was gonna post it, but apparently, I have some sort of redirect virus screwing with my computer. Anyways, I went to a dollar store and bout 4 or 5 3packs of Lever 200 soap. Open them up and let them dry out for a few days. They make great practice block for carving. Also, I'd recomend a lock blade knife so it doesn'yt close on their finger when the pull backwards on the knife. We do ours on our own on the den level. Never had to go to any council camps or district camps, but does make a great den activity while at pack campouts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dendad Posted March 27, 2011 Author Share Posted March 27, 2011 Sorry maybe "requirements" wasn't the correct word they have completed at least 12 of the achievements to earn the bear badge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeBob Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 Ivory soap, tongue depressors (or popsicle sticks), sandpaper, and red lipstick can be used to teach most of whittlin chip on school property. You can't teach the proper way to close a folding knife, or whittlin a real stick, but you can definitely cover the basics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoutfish Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 "Sorry maybe "requirements" wasn't the correct word they have completed at least 12 of the achievements to earn the bear badge." Nah, what Scoutnut meant was that the cubs can graduate (or crossover) to Webelos wether they met all acheivements or not if the camporee is the end of your year. Every CUB scout advances the next year wether rank badge was earned or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basementdweller Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 The official date of advancement is June 1st or the end of the academic school year. Work on arrow points, and sports and academic program till then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83Eagle Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 Just to try to summarize all the various posts into one answer here... 1. You do not have to earn the "whittlin chip" at a district/pack/etc. event. In fact, you don't even have to earn it as a den activity. A boy can do it on his own as a badge actitivity or Bear elective. 2. Boys "cross over" at the end of the school year. So your Bears become Webelos as soon as school's out, whether or not they have earned the Bear badge. 3. If boys have completed all 12 Bear badge achievements, they can work on electives until the end of the school year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutNut Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 Yep, completing 12 out of the 24 Bear achievements earns your Bears the Bear rank AWARD. However, earning that award has nothing to do with becoming a Webelos. It is simply an age-appropriate award for the Bear Cub Scout level. There are other awards a Bear can earn also. Some of the things your Bears can work on from now until the end of 3rd grade (when they become Webelos) are - Bear Electives Academic and Sports Belt Loops/Pins (be careful here as there are some that MUST be earned WHILE a Webelos Scout in order to be able to use them toward the requirements of Webelos Activity Badges, so it would take some of the fun out to have to re-do a belt loop next year) Outdoor Activity Award World Conservation Award Leave No Trace Award Emergency Preparedness Award BSA Family Awards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now