Cubmaster

[Packman]

HELP! I just recently took over a failing cub scout pack. I have my first pack meeting coming up and I want to make it a special one. I would love to get the boys and leaders to be energized about the pack. In years past they had a Halloween Party. I'm looking for suggestions on what would be a great first pack meeting to start the year off right.

[ScoutNut]

Welcome and Congratulations on taking on the job of Cubmaster!

 

Halloween parties are always fun. We are having a halloween themed Pack meeting this Tues. Each Den is doing a game station and the boys will go around to each one after the award presentation portion of the meeting. At the end of the meeting all of the boys participate in the "Mummy Wrap". They get to wrap their Mummy (or Dad, or both!) mummy style in toilet paper. The kids love it!

 

.

 

[johndaigler]

Packman, WELCOME!!!

 

Trust your Program Helps, Cub Scout Leader Book, How-To Book, Songbook, Sparklers and Ceremonies Books.

 

Around here, those BSA Resources and Training usually get top honors. Though, you should get some great ideas from posters as well. As far as training goes, sounds like you don't have much time and either you've got it, or it needs to wait till next month.

 

The Halloween Party is a no-brainer success - some simple games, some candy, a song or two, "Monster Mash" playin'in the background, and you're good to go. I suggest sticking to "school rules" about costume extras like: swords, guns, scythes, even masks, etc. --- also, some costume common sense is called for and you won't be able to trust your boys on their choices. Pack meetings are Family events, and extra gross (bloody skull faces), extra scary (GWB masks ) costumes hit wrong notes with 4 yr olds, and their parents.

 

But, "Halloween Party" doesn't really fit the Monthly Theme of "Circus of Stars". Our Pack is doing a "Circus", with each Den performing a simple act -- one is "clowning", another is "tumbling", . . . "juggling", . . . "joke telling" . . . etc.

 

You might feel the need to "take control" for a meeting or two, but remember, The Pack meeting is intended to celebrate the boys' efforts this month, and tie things together with a Monthly Theme. It's not really the Cubmaster's job to "BE" the Pack meetings. You're just supposed to help plan and organize, be the MC, and help support the Dens as they join together to celebrate everyone else's hard work ( no disrespect to all you hardworkin' CMs!!!!). It sounds like it's too late to depend on your DLs to put a Pack Meeting together for this month, but that's the direction you should aim for.

 

It's not my favorite answer, but if I was wearing the shoes it sounds like you're wearing, I'd choose "Halloween Party" and aim for better successes in the future. Take a look at your BSA resources for examples of what a Pack Meeting should look like and see what small steps you can take in that direction. . .

 

A costume for you? (Akela, Native American Chief, BP, ???)

 

A Pack Meeting prayer? (pack chaplain? If not, anyone can lead the prayer in the Program helps.)

 

Recognition of Achievements/Cub work? (Awards presented by ghost of BP? Pull awards from bubbling cauldron??)

 

Opening/Closing ceremonies? (Not too scary, but lights going off briefly during a "Halloween" themed event is almost mandatory!! Be quick, get your desired effect, and get the lights back on for safety! Also, strobe lights kick butt in the world of elem. school boys!))

 

Flags and Color Guard? (real uniformed military?? coordinated costumes?? clowns who know when NOT to clown around???)

 

Special Effects?? (fog machine, machine machine, disco lights??? Themed snacks and drinks?? Fake campfire, using those lamps with the cloth "flickering flames"??)

 

 

Lot's of things to consider. Don't make yourself crazy, but have fun. Pull off one good moment and don't try to make every moment memorable.

 

Good luck! Come back and tell us what you decide and how it goes!

 

jd(This message has been edited by johndaigler)

[EagleInKY]

Welcome to the forum. I wish you the best of luck in this challenging endevor. Several years ago I was asked to take over an ailing pack. We were able to turn it around, and it is now one of the most successful packs in our district and council.

 

Last year, the council Pow Wow chair asked me to give a presentation on "Turning a pack around". Here is the gist of that presentation.

 

We focused on 4 areas:

1) Vision. We sold the vision of Cub Scouting to the boys and the parents. We established a pack logo and slogan that tied to that vision. I didn't really understand the Aims at that time, but that is - in essence - what we were selling.

 

2) Leadership - We established a Pack committee, and enlisted the help of some Assistant Cubmasters. I'm a big believer in delegation, but I still do it while keeping the finger on the pulse of what is happening. The committee and ACM structures allow you to do that. I was also fortunate to have a huge influx of talented leaders that year. I don't know if I could have done it without them.

 

3)Program - Deliver the program according to the methods of cub scouting. I decided to focus on some low hanging fruit. More than likely your pack meetings were like ours - long, boring, unfocused and CM-oriented. I turned them around. They were fun, short (1 hr max), kid-focused and did I say FUN. There are tons of ideas. Have fun, be silly, and let the boys be boys. Also, we picked two key events to really focus on. We decided to deliver a quality pinewood derby and a quality B&G Banquet. These are two signature events in Cub Scouting. We put our best effort to make them great events. We scrapped most other events, thinking we'd rather do a few great events than several mediocre ones. It was a good decision.

 

4) Finances. The pack was broke. We put out a big effort to improve popcorn sales. We more than doubled the previous year's sales #. And, over the next few years we grew to be the #1 unit in our council (although we are far from being the largest unit). By getting on solid financial footing, we could deliver a much more quality program for the boys.

 

 

Again, I wish you the best of luck!

[cubbobwhite]

You've gotten some great advice. I only want to add one more thing. Don't do it all by yourself. Make the other parents participate in the program.