"Timely" recognition versus "timely" ceremonies
Jan Mussler (mussler@SPOT.COLORADO.EDU)
Mon, 2 Jun 1997 08:41:23 -0600
This problem has plagued us over and over again. We have had no less than
2-3 discussion in leaders meetings about -1) yes we want to recognize boys
as soon as possible after they earn the Rank, Beltloop, pin, patch AND 2)
the Advancement Person and CM, ACM need to have some lead time to prepare
appropriate ceremonies for the Pack meeting and have time to set up the
awards.
How do you balance these two? We agreed we would have awards handed in by
the Leader's meeting (first Monday of the month - pack meeting third
Weds). In practice, we ended up calling awards to the Advancement person
by the last den meetings before the Pack meeting (Thurs before the Weds
Pack meeting). Then it started that the advancement person, to limit the
last minute calls before the Pack Meeting (usually Tues), started calling
us Sunday night before the Pack Meeting. STILL, the CM or a DL then goes
down to the Scout Office on Weds to pick up some last minute thing that
some parent called or was forgotten.
Where should we draw the line? Part of the problem has been with some
DL's going down and picking up an award for which we are not prepared for
- religious award comes to mind; perfect attendance award for which we
have no guidelines. Beltloops last minute aren't usually a problem.
We cannot seem to agree on or enforce a single set of guidelines for this.
YIS,
Jan Mussler, Webelos Den Leader, Pack 170
Nederland, CO - Long's Peak Council
Arapahoe District
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |