The OA and Cub Scouts

[Eagle92]

This may seem like a double post, but mods and everyone please bear with me. This thread is for the OA members. Cub Scout leaders will have a thread in the Cub Scout forum.

 

What is the OA's involvement in the Cub Scout program in your district and council?

 

How is the OA doing to help out the Cub Scout program?

 

What would you like to see the OA do to help out the Cub Scout program?

 

What can Cub Scout leaders do to help the OA?

[eaglescout1996]

In my district, not much, as my chapter is almost non-existant. But, council wide, many of the larger chapters do a LOT of cross-overs. So many, that some of the chapters have to turn down Packs do to their schedule.

 

Our lodge also sponsors our "OA Trailblazer Adventure Camp" each October, 2010 being the 10th year. We do it in conjunction with the US Sportman's Alliance, the Georgia Department of Natual Resources, and others...think a one day "Day Camp" on steriods. BBs, Archery, slingshots, tomahawk throwing (wooden), interactive games, demostrations from all kinds of organizations, animals, ect.

 

I think we do a pretty decent job supporting Cub Scouts...but if anyone is interested, pick up or order a copy of "Order of the Arrow: Cub Scout Support Tool Kit". I recieved my free at a NLATS training weekend. Decent videos and an printable PDF of the Arrowman Guide Booklet to help support Cubs.

[SR540Beaver]

I'm a Chapter Adviser and we do crossover ceremonies for the Webelos Dens that request them. We have 31 packs in our district and we have fulfilled 9 requests. 5 of those ceremonies were in an 8 day period. The district committee wanted to advertise the crossovers we provide and I asked them not to. We can't handle 30 crossovers in February and March. Right now I prefer to keep it word of mouth. This all happens before the ceremony team even begins working on actual OA ceremonies and I certainly don't want ot burn my team out before we need them to support the Lodge.

 

We also provide service to the camps that the Cubs use.

 

A good number of our Arrowmen serve on Day Camp and Cub Resident Camp staffs.

 

Cubs are the future of Boy Scouts. Without Boy Scouts, there is no OA.

[Eagle92]

Please keep it coming.

 

And let me expand some. How do you help specifically with Cubs and camping?

 

 

As an aside on AOL, the way we handled AOL/Crossover requests was first come, first served, and had to be booked at least a month in advance, preferably 2-3, and certain days/nites were off limits.

[SR540Beaver]

Eagle92,

 

Not to go off topic, but supposedly in my district/chapter (before my time) they did a mass crossover. Man, would I love to see that. You set a date and time at the local council property and all the troops and packs show up and you cross everyone at one big outdoor ceremony. Cake and ice cream for everyone afterwards. This helps get the packs on a common schedule of crossing over Webelos and allows troops to kick off their new scout program on a certain date without stragglers coming in over a three month period.

[Eagle92]

Ok off topic again,

 

When I was a CA the first go around, and Cubs was still a 3 year program, we did a District Crossover in conjunction with the uniform inspection. We deliberately kept the ceremony speaking short as we had a bunch to crossover.

 

As a DE my district's Webeloree was in May when most of the packs still crossed over in May. Campfire ended with a Crossover.

 

On topic again

 

Do your lodges' do camp promos, make Where To Go Camping Books, and promo videos for Cubs?

[jhankins]

My son met with the Lodge Executive Committee last month and asked them to consider a stronger presence in cub scouts by starting an award program for cub scout campers who go above and beyond to show they love camping.

 

I'm sure there are many programs like it out there, but it's not been done in our lodge before. I look forward to hearing how the OA and Cubs work together!