Eagle732

UC, I agree with recruiting outside of Webs. Kudu says it best, "Cub Scouting is a filter". I've come to realize that spending all our efforts on trying to get Webs to come to our troop is largely a waste of time. Not that we won't work with the packs, but we're done putting all our eggs in one basket. We do not have access to the middle schools (6 - 9 grade). We do have some large non-denomination churches in our area, we are working with them. The adults have always done the recruiting leg work, with the scouts doing the open houses and activities with the Webs. I think the church group recruiting will consist of the older Scouts talking with the boys. Hopefully the result will be similar to yours. This is where the Journey to Excellence and out troop part ways. They consider Webs recruiting important enough to award 200 points for 5 Webs. Between the two packs we have near us they'd be lucky to have 5 webs total, and 5 different troops fighting over them!

The only rule we have for the PLC is that the SPL runs it, he runs it how he sees fit, which is probably different than his predecessor. Is it efficient? NO, nothing is Scouting is done in an efficient manor except learning leadership skills and and how to be a good citizen. That we do pretty efficiently! I have 1 ASM assigned to each patrol, and one MC assigned to the QM. They know not to interfere but are a resource. This works well, the main job of my advisors is to keep the helicopter parents away!

4. 14 or older or with parent's permission. We have a nice website that I maintain: www.troop400delta.com It's a way for people to see what we do and contact us. Also a way to put documents and information out there to be available as needed by members. If the PLC want a FB site and they are willing to follow the guidelines I don't see any harm.

Well if the only thing that determined troop size was if they were boy led or not then we would have 100 kids (not that I want that!) and the nearby mega troops would be folding. Including the one with over 100 Scouts where the SM teaches a merit badge every week and the ASMs teach new Scout skills. You touched on one very important point about recruiting, Den Chiefs. Even a poor program can put Den Chiefs in Packs and a DC can have a great influence on where the Webs go when they cross. With 16 boys we occasionally have a Scout who can essentially double his Scouting obligations by being a Den Chief but not too often. Nearby mega troop has several spread out between the nearby packs. On his last visit during a discussion about recruiting I asked our Unit Commissioner what we were doing wrong since we have not been able to attract many new members. He just laughed and said "nothing, your doing it right! You've done 3 Scoutmaster Conferences tonight for 2nd Class, mega troop's SM only does Star through Eagle, the ASMs do the rest because he doesn't have time. You have a more active program (we camp every month, sometimes twice a month and we meet all year) and a better relationship with the boys". I've always said I would rather have 10 boys who want to be in Scouts than 50 kids that don't really care about Scouts. That's just about where we are. Funny thing about our troop, we seem to attract kids who's dad's are Eagles. All my ASMs and myself (SM) are Eagles along with several of the MCs. We are very fortunate, we have a great group of Scouts, a very supportive group of adults, and great support from some major industry in the area that allows us to provide for the ones who can't afford it otherwise. Too bad local boys drive right past our meeting place to go where everybody else goes.

Brent, we use SOAR too and are very happy with it. Who monitors your FB page? What I've gotten so far is: 1. Make it a Group page. 2. Restrict it to members only. 3. Keep our website.

UC, What makes these two units so special? Do they have the resources that the other units don't have so they can do more? How will the other units improve if they can't attract new members? You have two units in your district that are "good". What does your district do to help the others become "good" units? Will your district be better off with only two good large troops after the rest fail. It's easy to label units, harder to actually help them. And yes, which units are Quality is no secret, just look at the patches on the boys shoulders. However earning the "Quality Unit" in the past was largely determined by a set of goals your unit set to improve their program. With a little thought and effort most units could achieve it. Now we have BSA HQ setting our goals. And many of their goals are not in line with ours.

Different rating names, red, yellow, green or bronze, silver, gold. One rates problems, the other rates strength of program (maybe, I'm not sold on this yet). Still both are ratings but only one will make the information public and can be used by potential new members to judge which troop they will join.

Some of our Scouts would like to start a Facebook page for our troop. I have a FB account that I don't use too often but I am aware of how it works. I'd like some input from the group on doing this. Does your unit use Facebook? Can this replace a unit's website? What is your main purpose of having a FB page, communications between members, recruiting or some other purpose? Who oversees or monitors the page? Are there issues or concerns that a unit should address or be aware of?

Scoutbox, Didn't mean to imply that you were coming across badly. Your service is commendable and appreciated! It's great that you are willing to share your experiences with others. We were fortunate enough to have connections that got us two dozen of these bags. I think others could probably make some phone calls and procure them if needed. Most of the boys with means buy there own bag, but many, including those that have little use the military bags successfully. They have held up well. Yes they are on the heavy side but they are Scout proof!

ScoutBox, Our kids like the system, they think it's cool to have Army bags. In cold weather (for us that would be over nights in the teens) we loan a second bag to use as a over quilt. This along with a decent pad which costs about $25 seems to work. I can appreciate top quality gear, I own a Feathered Friends Swallow 20 degree, Marmot 0 degree, and a MontBell 40 degree bag, all top quality down bags and very expensive, probably close to $1,000 total. For our Scouts, the fact that we have any bags to loan, at no cost to them, is a blessing. Several of our boys can't afford the cost of summer camp, much less an expensive bag. We've found the military bags are a great improvement over the $30 Coleman bags sold at the local big box.

In our District units are rated Green, Yellow and Red depending on wether the unit is in good shape, bares watching or needs major help. Your UC will tell you if you ask, what your rating is, other than that the ratings are not public information. Is this a standard practice?

We've been issuing the Military Sleep System bags to the Scouts for a year now. So far we have not had any failures of the bags, no broken zippers or torn fabric. We did have a few buckles break on the compression straps. The boys have tied those straps off and we may end up buying replacement buckles but they need to be sewn into place. We did remove the Gortex bivy bags from the system since the boys sleep in tents and it was felt that the bivy in a tent would hold too much condensation. However they can borrowed them for sleeping under the stars. Parents have been appreciative of not having to buy a bag for their Scout. It's also a selling point for our troop.

Point well taken, I'll ask if there is an interest. I'm not limiting it to just 6th and 7th grade aged boys either. But we need to meet with church leaders first to get approval to recruit in the church. They want to see our program, I guess they have no idea what Scouting is about. Any ideas on how to sell this to adult church leaders?

Yea, no school access for us. Plan "B" is to go to several of the large churches in our area and meet with their 6th and 7th Sunday school boys. Church leaders have expressed some concern over competition with their youth programs. I guessing it's competition for the boy's time, I don't think we are in competition with the stuff that we do.

I was wondering what your MC would do if the SM missed a trip. Fire him? Cancel the trip? Geez! Ask the MC what should happen when a Committee Member misses a committee meeting?

Being served a summons to Small Claims Court might get the message across. In my state it costs $40. We sell popcorn, money is due upon ordering. The troop does not take checks, any checks are made payable to the seller, the seller writes one check to the troop for the Scout's entire order. This cuts down on the troops exposure to bounced checks. The thought is the seller probably knows the person they are selling to and are in a better position to recoup a bounced check. I think your unit needs to rethink how it's handling popcorn money. I've found it is bad business to loan or front money to Scouts or parents. On many occasions I have bought lunch at a fast food place on the way home from a trip for a Scout who doesn't have money. I don't expect to be paid back, it saves me a lot of grief just considering it a gift. Dues and trip fees I don't cover, the troop has a fund to assistance if needed.(This message has been edited by Eagle732)

When I posed the question "Does your troop ban certain items from camping trips?" I would have never guessed that the thread would revert to a "Ban All Poptarts" thread! Sheath knives, cell phones, electronics, I expected but Poptarts? For the record I like strawberry with frosting!

No teamwork in eating Poptarts? The patrol decides they want Poptarts for a meal. The patrol pitches in to buy the Poptarts. The patrol's grubmaster buys them and brings them on the trip. The patrol eats the whole box of Poptarts. Sounds like teamwork to me. But we use to eat Dinty Moore beef stew right from the can too.

G2SS Page 40 suggests to "avoid large sheath knives". Not prohibited though.

"I'm considering the ramifications of Banning Det cord, PETN, Semtex, Dynamite and any and all ammo" Gunny, you take all the fun out of Scouting!

"The boy is not governed by don't, but is led by do"

We too have some items that were banned before I became SM and since we're boy led and the boys have not seen it necessary to make changes these items remained banned: Radios, Ipods, etc. Cell Phones (except on certain occasions) Sheath Knives Lighters I caught one of our kids with a 16oz. can of Monster. That stuff has the caffeine of 6 cups of coffee and he doesn't need any more energy! I asked him not to bring it on trips any more. Not an all out ban but just a request. Of course drugs, alcohol, smoking, pornography is totally unacceptable and has never been a problem for us (Thankfully!). We allow PopTarts for a breakfast if we need to make a fast Sunday morning get away or for backpacking. The SPL reviews menus for a variety and balance so it's his decision.

Does your troop ban certain items from camping trips? If so what and why? Did the Scouts or the adult leaders make the decision?

Might have to go back to the good old days when we rechartered with a pencil.

All excellent advice. I would add one thing, when your PLs start making decisions be very reluctant to over turn them. There will be times your PLs make decisions that you might not think are the "Best" decisions, but if you overturn them without an extremely good reason they will again rely on you for all decisions. My rule is that unless it's a safety issue or something way off base than I let the Scouts make the decisions. This is a tough one to get past the parents who always know a better way to do things. Leadership is a tough skill to learn, seems like you understand it. Now you get to pass it on to your PLs. I'm sure you'll do a great job! (This message has been edited by Eagle732)