Eliza

tdk

How did you keep the thread from slipping off the arrow? Glue? Or just tightly wound on?

I've seen things on web with different colors for Tiger, Wolf, Bear, and gold & silver arrow points. I wonder about compass points for Webelos and religious emblems -- are they recognized?

LisaBob

We were posting at the same time. I really like the idea of individually decorated arrows. I will order the ones we usually get and see if anything can be done.

None of the boys earned his AoL early - most are coming in just under the wire. But I do agree with you about boys getting recognition as they advance, rather than waiting.

I love the idea of arrows that are individually decorated -- our pack has not had that tradition.

Yes, we know that the award is not the arrow -- but when a boy sees a beautiful arrow -- several adults we know have them hanging on their walls -- and starts looking forward to something like that... Well, it is a disappointment. As an adult, I know that a job well done is its own reward, but to a 10 year old, that is a more difficult concept.

But, perhaps we can do some striping or decoration on the arrows we do buy and something (a feather?) for religious awards. That could make it better. And, as I haven been given the job of getting the arrows, I would feel comfortable asking about that.

And thanks for all the posts about different traditions -- it is always helpful to get a broad perspective!

I was reading the Arrow of Light arrow thread

http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=300199

and sites on the web about the homemade arrows with custom striping or beautiful purchased arrows &/or plaques. I presumed that these were for boys who had actually earned AOL.

Now, I just found out that our pack gives every Webelos II an arrow -- basically a stick with brightly dyed yellow & blue feathers and no tip, $3.99. So the boy who joined this October and has been to maybe two meetings gets the same arrow as a boy who has attended every meeting and event and worked extremely hard for his AOL.

I am not looking to change or complain -- I can't see any benefit in that. But I am wondering if giving everyone an arrow is common, or is it unusual?

We got a Cub level book at out local scout shop

Cooking on a Stick, by Linda White

It also covers pouch cooking in a pouch & over a grill. The book is written so Cubs could read it. The same publisher also has Cooking in a Can.

moosetracker

In our District (and Council too, I think), Webelos dens may do the Klondike -- they do not compete directly against the Boy Scouts and are scored separately.

And others

Please -- don't shoot the messenger!!!!! I do NOT make policy -- I am simply a parent who is willing to pitch in at a difficult time, if asked.

But I do think the topic of Klondike sleds -- how much do you spend? -- would be a great discussion for a new thread....

Wow, those are fantastic ideas! I love them! But my mission, as assigned, was to buy one. Plus, this site was down, so I coudn't check any Scouter contributions/ideas. So I searched about and found a list of sled makers world wide.

http://www.sleddogcentral.com/equip_sleds.htm

Then we ordered a Seeley Slider kit, which looks pretty good;

http://www.affordabledogsleds.com/

This is a cross post from the Cub Scout forum:

I've been asked to find a Klondike sled ASAP

Our Webelos are suddenly short one sled -- I don't what happened, didn't want to ask, but we need one more right away -- Klondike is in two weeks. This is not a good time for anyone to build one, so I was asked to see if I could find one that could be purchased right away, as opposed to custom ordered.

Does anyone here have a source for purchasing Klondike sleds? I know making one would be fun, but that is not what I was asked to do, so I thought I'd throw this problem out here.

I did find this site, but I'm not sure if this kind of thing would be OK (with wheels added)

http://www.mainemadedogsleds.com/

Posting a reply from boomerscout that got sent as a PM -- he said it was OK.

I like your list. I would defintely add a Scout pocket knife, a pencil stub & a sheet of paper. When we winter camp (Boy Scouts) each also carries three feet of fluorescent surveyors tape - can mark trails, caches, attract attention.

Here's the official Cub Scout list, so should probably include all this as well: The 2003 edition of the Webelos Handbook lists these items as the "Outdoor Essentials"[2]. This list is part of the additional information for the Outdoorsman activity Badge.

1. First aid kit

2. Filled water bottle

3. Flashlight

4. Trail food

5. Sunscreen

6. Whistle

7. Map and Compass

8. Rain gear

9. Pocket knife

Matches or fire starters.

your small mirror is a metal mirror, right?

I would use two freezer bags, one inside the other. That way you have a carrying container while keeping the gear together

Someone once suggested one of those little hand operated, twist type pencil sharpeners. You put the twig in & tinder comes out.

I like to include a long-burning candle. You wrap the space blanket around yourself like a teepee with your head sticking out. Place the candle under the teepee, light it - you need to have a small vent near the bottom for fresh air for the candle. The blanket's reflective walls help reflect the heat onto the person.

If the parka has a rear game pocket, I like to carry a cut down wood shingle - good for digging/moving snow while keeping your hands dry.

I suppose carrying a water filter would be over the top?

Reading between the lines -- does the active scout have any special needs? ADHD or something else. You mention that he has improved over the years. How much have the parents shared with you? Perhaps there is a special way to include him? If his dad cannot come, is there any chance his mother could camp with him? If he is on any medication, there can be good times and not so good times -- sometimes people can move medication times around a bit and it helps.

I don't think other scouts who don't want to share with him should be made to, but perhaps there is a creative way to get him in a tent by himself -- like trying out a new, small backpacking tent, for example.

But I am wondering how all this works with the buddy system?

Sorry, no real help here. I believe it's essential to be inclusive, but I do understand this can be a challenge. We have one pack/troop in our area with an extremely gifted leader who has special needs children himself. I've seen him look at a kid, recognize a subtle 'difference' and then say something like, "I'd like you to be my assistant here." He gets the boy totally engaged and focussed by giving him some special job -- it may just be handing out supplies, but I have seen this work so many times.

I wanted to share two ideas that appeared in a PM. Use two baggies, so that the kit is not scattered if the bag is used. And add a mini pencil sharpener -- twig in, tinder out. I'll have to try this one!

If we use slightly lighter para cord, everything will fit, I think.

Oh, boy, I should have been a bit clearer about this -- we are not expecting any boys to be in real danger, so that they have to actually *use* the survival kits!!! It's a Klondike requirement to carry and explain how to use a survival kit. Last year, when my son was a Webelos I, everyone on his sled team left their survival kits in their backpacks on the sled. Then at one of the stations, the judge asked to see the kits. He would not let anyone go back & get them, but did give boys a chance to explain how the items were used. Of course, without the items in front of them, most boys stood sort of slack jawed. Thankfully, that station's grade was not entirely based on the survival kit. BTW, Webelos in our district participate in the Klondike -- but, based on what I saw last year, I think the Webelos may be graded more leniently. There are separate ranking for Webelos teams & Boy Scout teams -- no direct competition.

I should have mentioned that the list for the kit is based on something I found on the website of the winning Webelos team a few years ago. I can't take credit for all the ideas! Scouts are supposed to bring knives/Whittlin Chip cards in their pockets & water, socks, gloves in their backpacks.

I like the Ten Essentials, especially the common sense. Probably add chapstick and remove a few bandages.

And I can relate to the dime. When I did an EMT course, we were told to tape a dime inside the trauma kit, for calling poison control.

Thanks for the great replies -- I tend to agree with moxieman -- more points if it's made from scratch. And I hadn't even thought of teamwork, cleanliness, not to mention eating and cleaning up afterward. Or how much to make. I'll *try* to get some info from District. They didn't put plates and forks on the list -- I wonder what that was about -- I'll let you all when I find out.

My son is good at making French toast, but teamwork on this will be tricky. Obviously we need practice!!!

BTW, we use thickly sliced challah bread, which makes delicious French toast, and we have an egg container for camping.

Nice idea about not freezing --Grand Marnier French toast sounds tasty.

But, I see what you mean -- (1) heat the frying pan -- thaw out the bread in it if necessary, (2) put the pie pan in the cast-iron frying pan, thaw out the ingredients, (3) soak the bread, (4) cook the bread.

I am wondering if, in general, various Councils add/take away points, depending on how much a dish is made 'from scratch'... any opinions?

That is, a survival kit for individual Webelos at a cold weather Klondike? I put in a small mirror, a flat, all-weather whistle, button compass, mini flashlight, energy bar, a plastic match holder with strike anywhere matches and some small, purchased firestarters, 10 ft of para cord, mylar blanket, duct tape wrapped around a piece of credit card plastic, 12" x 12" h/d aluminum foil.

For the first aid part, I included a 4" x 4" gauze pad, a 2' x 3" non-stick dressing, some other bandages (regular and super-sized), neosporin in foil pkts, moleskin, tape wrapped around credit card plastic (use as butterflies or steri-strips as well as for holding on dressings).

It all fits in a quart heavy duty freezer bag and that fits into a parka pocket.

Any thoughts about things that should be added, not necessary, changed?

BTW, when space is limited, I usually substitute a larger size gauze pad or dressing than what BSA suggests. Sounds counter-intuitive, I realize, but you can use a large pad to cover a small wound and not the other way around.

Our Webelos do the district Klondike. On the supply list is a frying pan, spatula, butter and "ingredients for French toast." I volunteered to supply the ingredients.

Would this mean eggs, cream, vanilla, sugar, salt -- or could it be a container of premixed batter? And, should I be worried about the ingredients (mixed or individual) freezing? (Last year's Klondike temp was 10 in the morning, rising to 20.)

And I presume that the scouts can bring a fork for mixing ingredients with and a tinfoil pie pan for dipping bread into, even if it is not on the list?

AK

We did the 'God and Me' (Bear) and 'God and Family' (Web I). I taught it myself and modified the curriculum to suit our particular type of faith. (The books say that this is fine.) Protestantism has such a wide spectrum of beliefs that you might want to make sure that all your boys are on the same page before beginning.

No one else in our church was doing the program and I was not going to ask a busy priest to teach one kid -- but the priest did the final interview and sign-off and also presented the medal during a regular church service.

I got the student book and the counselor book, skipped the parent book. For the God and Family program, I have to say that at first I thought it was close to blasphemous -- a pizza!!! But my son, who was not initially enthusiastic, loved the pizza concept and learned a lot. So, in the end, I felt it was incredibly well targeted for the age group. (Felt the same way about God and Me.)

We skipped some of the group activities and games, but had a great time with the projects, like the mezuzah. BTW, check the helps on the website -- there was a great way for learning the Ten Commandments that was not in the book, as far as I remember. Also you will have to do some advance prep with supplies (pretty simple) and pre-reading/marking passages, etc.

I think a camping demo is a great way to get parents involved -- I would have loved this when I was a first time camping parent, trying to decide what sized tent to buy. I would have loved to have known (before I bought the 10 x 10 tent) that it can be almost impossible to find a 10 x 10 spot in the woods that is mostly level and clear of tree roots, for example.

I've certainly seen scouts who missed camping trips because their parents had no guidance on what to pack for the trip. So an event such as you are thinking of could be a big plus, IMO.

Agreeing with all the YES answers. One thing that my son has used for Webelos achievements done outside the den is to complete the worksheets on the usscouts website;

http://usscouts.org/advancementTOC.asp#misc

These are not required, not at all. But my son is hoping to get to Superachiever, or at least his third compass star, in a den that is not very achievement oriented (we love our den & pack anyway!). He uses activities from school, sports, etc, but many activities are things that he has done specifically for the pins. So the worksheet is sort of "proof" to the DL -- and others -- that he has done the work. I also take a lot of photos of activities, projects, etc.

I'm not suggesting that you ask other boys to do this, if you are a DL. Just that, if your son is doing a lot more than the other boys, it can be useful.

Clem

What you are saying agrees with the way evals are done at our YMCA. Swimmers are expected to finish their required length in the form and pace that they began at. Doing a smooth freestyle for half the distance and then doing freestyle with stops to catch a breath don't cut it. Speed isn't as important as steadiness and consistency. A kid who does a sloppy, exhausted stroke, even if he/she gets to the end of the pool, won't make it to the next level of classes.

Thanks for all the replies!

I TOTALLY agree with all the safety issues that have been brought up. Our pack hasn't done any water activities, and none are panned at this point. If we did, it would be in a pool with certified lifeguards. And, obviously, a swimmer test checked off for an Aquanaut pin means next to nothing, safety-wise. I took Baloo and now am a bit paranoid about safety.

Thank you, everyone --

These are great ideas!! I was having one of those days when I just wasn't getting it (although I can normally read elementary school material with no problems, lol).

dmillar

Thank you! I totally forgot about the online plans -- and about the Webelos Leader book sitting on my shelf. I'll have to look at the online plans for my son's remaining few pins -- the online plans have some different info from the the leader guide. Nice to have both!

None of the guides/sites EXACTLY answers the question, IMHO. So, I guess I will not obsess about it.

Eagle92

That is a great idea. I have talked to our local Y and they are willing to bend over backwards in terms of scheduling and fees in order to get scouts participating. Our pack is planning more off-site activities this year and I should bring swimming up as a possibility.

I could see a great time with swimmer test, beginner test, reach & throw, games, etc.

Clem -- I meant to quote your response in my last post, but it got left off.

Eagle92 -- The parents cannot sign off, absolutely not. But for some activities that are done outside of scout meetings (some of Aquanaut, some of Scholar, that type of thing), they will let me know because I do the TRAX for DL. Everything is shared with DL and he has final approval, obviously.

I know that, in an ideal world, boys would see DL first and he would give info to me. (I purchase awards as well keep track.) But there is almost never enough time for everything. So, basically, I am filling in when asked to, in a less than ideal world.