Cub Scout Roundtable

[SSScout]

Our District has TWO separate RTs, on the same night, same location.  No joint meeting, no "breakout".

 

Boy Scouts is me.  Cub Scouts is Jeff.     We each have our own  email list, send out our own weekly eNews.  We email announce the RT place, time, topic, and lots of other interesting stuff .  Jeff runs CSRT  like a Pack Meeting, When you arrive, you sign in and take a bead for your necker, (a lot of beady neckers here!)  give a buck in the jar, and take a copy of the Monthly Program Suggestions (gleaned from lots of sources. Jeff has assistants!) and Baloo's Bugle.  A skit (folks are "drafted" into the skit as they arrive, especially new faces!)  opening germane to the next month's theme. Then official announcements (Real short) and onto a crafty thing, and then maybe a "guest" that also goes along with the theme.   Fireman in turnout gear,  doctor /paramedic talks about health issues on hikes and campouts (Cub family campout),  docent from an overnight venue (historic ship), that sort of thing.  OCCASSIONALLY we meet jointly, like recharter training, or the new program material as it affects both sides of the aisle.  And he closes it with maybe an award and  a "Cubmaster Minute".  He tries to have a snack or if there is a discussion , he will throw candy to the folks that ask a good question (they're all good!) as encouragement.  (I throw old camp patches).

Our attitude is if it would be interesting to me, it can be interesting to you.  When I took on the BSRT, it had been done by an ex-government bureaucrat who had not wanted to do it, so the RT had devolved into a boring oration of Scout announcements and Powerpoints on camp hygiene and such.   I invited a podiatrist to discuss blisters, boots and socks  and the rest is history.  Doubled attendance over the past year, and folks email me to ask about THAT topic or to be added to the email list.

 

The Official RT BSA site is a good suggested outline, but hey, you are there, they are not.   "Make it interesting and they will come" so long as you have them on your email list and make the RTNews worth looking at.  I even get stuff to include off this raggedy site!

[blw2]

....., you sign in and take a bead for your necker, (a lot of beady neckers here!)  ......

 

 

Sounds like a well run show, but what sort of bead do you put on a necker?

[Anita1216]

DON'T MAKE ME WATCH GLUE DRY.

 

Seriously, for years, CSRT was craft night. The little granny lady who ran it always had a craft for us to make. And we, in fact, made the craft. I usually played the jackass and took the same pieces and made something different -- like taking the Styrofoam balls destined to become a snowman and making them into a family of Jack In The Box characters. She got PO'd at that.

 

Seriously, keep in mind you're dealing with adults. As for crafts, show me the finished product, give me the printed instructions and materials list. If you really must, make one yourself, but do it the way the cook things on TV, with the various stages pre-made so you can compress the construction time.

 

I would think this year, especially, it would be important to help the folks with the new pre-planned Cub program. I imagine a year or two from now that will get repetitive, but for now...

 

And don't discount discussion. What is the idea of a Roundtable after all? But it's your job to steer the discussion. Ask everyone to share their favorite Go See It, pack camping spots, campfire programs, B&G ideas etc. That can be the most beneficial part of the meeting.

I've been in that same boat! Someone volunteered to run a Roundtable once and it was painful. We made those colorful window hanging things and it just hurt being there. Trust me, I am all for crafts, but I can find this stuff on Pinterest, or I'd rather pass a finished product around and have her say "It was super simple- you just need blah, blah and blah and it takes about 20 minutes. Our Tigers and Wolves loved it!" Or whatever she had to say.

 

Our RT is definitely more discussion driven. We like to know what everyone is doing, where you're going, tricks on how to get parent involvement, etc, but our topics just seem to be running out!

[Anita1216]

Our District has TWO separate RTs, on the same night, same location.  No joint meeting, no "breakout".

 

Boy Scouts is me.  Cub Scouts is Jeff.     We each have our own  email list, send out our own weekly eNews.  We email announce the RT place, time, topic, and lots of other interesting stuff .  Jeff runs CSRT  like a Pack Meeting, When you arrive, you sign in and take a bead for your necker, (a lot of beady neckers here!)  give a buck in the jar, and take a copy of the Monthly Program Suggestions (gleaned from lots of sources. Jeff has assistants!) and Baloo's Bugle.  A skit (folks are "drafted" into the skit as they arrive, especially new faces!)  opening germane to the next month's theme. Then official announcements (Real short) and onto a crafty thing, and then maybe a "guest" that also goes along with the theme.   Fireman in turnout gear,  doctor /paramedic talks about health issues on hikes and campouts (Cub family campout),  docent from an overnight venue (historic ship), that sort of thing.  OCCASSIONALLY we meet jointly, like recharter training, or the new program material as it affects both sides of the aisle.  And he closes it with maybe an award and  a "Cubmaster Minute".  He tries to have a snack or if there is a discussion , he will throw candy to the folks that ask a good question (they're all good!) as encouragement.  (I throw old camp patches).

Our attitude is if it would be interesting to me, it can be interesting to you.  When I took on the BSRT, it had been done by an ex-government bureaucrat who had not wanted to do it, so the RT had devolved into a boring oration of Scout announcements and Powerpoints on camp hygiene and such.   I invited a podiatrist to discuss blisters, boots and socks  and the rest is history.  Doubled attendance over the past year, and folks email me to ask about THAT topic or to be added to the email list.

 

The Official RT BSA site is a good suggested outline, but hey, you are there, they are not.   "Make it interesting and they will come" so long as you have them on your email list and make the RTNews worth looking at.  I even get stuff to include off this raggedy site!

I like the necklace idea. Everyone loves wearing beads and is a great topic piece for other leaders- "Why do you have those beads?" or  "Where did you get those beads?". Great idea!

Like you, we don't typically meet jointly. We have a beginning meeting with everyone to discuss Council events and such then we break out. BS side does what they do and we do what we do which is usually a discussion and maybe some reading materials that go along with the discussion. I like the guest visitor idea. It'd be a great way to advertise too how easy it is to get someone to come to a meeting and the kids get things marked off in their book.

[Anita1216]

Sounds like a well run show, but what sort of bead do you put on a necker?

I would image pony beads? That's usually what the kids get at Day Camp at each activity. Even those tri beads would be good, you know those ones that kind of nest?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/321683320178?lpid=82&chn=ps

This seems like a good deal too, then they kind of get to pick their bead- http://www.walmart.com/ip/25388937?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227018175097&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=42972668192&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=81464981552&veh=sem 

[blw2]

I would image pony beads? That's usually what the kids get at Day Camp at each activity. Even those tri beads would be good, you know those ones that kind of nest?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/321683320178?lpid=82&chn=ps

This seems like a good deal too, then they kind of get to pick their bead- http://www.walmart.com/ip/25388937?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227018175097&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=42972668192&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=81464981552&veh=sem 

sure, but how would you thread that onto a necker?

[SeattlePioneer]

<<Posted 11 June 2015 - 03:19 PM

SeattlePioneer, on 11 Jun 2015 - 12:42 PM, said:

My theory is that pack committee meetings and Roundtables should last no more than an hour.

We have our length down pat. A lot of fun people show up so we usually go over an hour (not by much) but it's because we get off topic or whatever. There has not been 1 complaint about the length of the meeting, only how the content is getting old, which is why we're trying to revitalize the topics and bring some new ones in.

 

 

Oh,  it's rare that people complain about boring, overly long meetings.  They just don't come back for another helping of being abused.

 

 

But if you have fun exciting meetings and people DO come back,  then I'd say you are doing very well.

 

Sounds like you are still keeping my hour standard in mind,  though.

[SeattlePioneer]

<<

SeattlePioneer, on 11 Jun 2015 - 12:42 PM, said:

My theory is that pack committee meetings and Roundtables should last no more than an hour.

 

And no chairs allowed.  Everyone has to stay standing.  Meeting's over when the first person leaves the room.>>

 

 

Heh, heh!

 

You are TOUGH!

[SSScout]

Yep. Beads. Amazing what a fella will do for a bead, doesn't matter the age, I guess.

 

The OA in our area gets a bead for a service project attendance, for helping at a Ordeal, etc.. CSDC, everyone earns beads

for catching a fish, hitting the target, picking up a handful (judgement call) of trash, leading a Den cheer. Those beads

add up. At CSRT, beads have come to be expected, sign in, pick up your handouts, take a bead (Trustworthy), different color each month. . Did I mention Jeff throws out candy for good questions? Also beads, when he runs out of candy. I haven't

had to stop to that, (church won't allow food in my room). I see a lot of beady neckerlaces.