GKlose

This is bizarro, if you ask me. It's not like I have any great command of social skills, but in this kind of situation I'd most likely say something like "we can't schedule pack activities around any single family's vacation schedules, and if you are unhappy with that policy, you may be happier in Pack over at ". Popcorn money, or not, seems to be beside the issue. She's being punitive, for ridiculous reasons. guy

The first obvious question is where are the parents (Akela; Tiger Cub Partners) and the Tiger Cub Den Leader in all this? It would seem that you have your hands full as a Wolf Den Leader and as a prospective CM (you are being trained, right? Also -- it's never too late to join. If you need to recruit, then recruit. Identify prospects, talk to parents, pass out more flyers at school. However -- if your present Tiger Cub Den Leader and Partners aren't offering a solid program, then why would new recruits stick around? Guy

Sorry -- I just realized my post from a few weeks ago wasn't clear, and ElyriaLeader caught the problem. My son, at 9, in 3rd grade, finished his Bear badge this last spring. This fall, as a fourth grader, he turned 10 shortly after school started. He is in a Webelos I den. However, his age falls such that he could be 10-1/2 and finish AoL, and transition this year. Since he's been losing interest in cub scouts, he has agreed that he wants to finish AoL quickly (and he's actually fairly far along, given the last two months of work he's done). The Webelos I and Webelos II dens in this part

I only remember my troop doing a group merit badge event twice: once, for a National jamboree merit badge midway project we were to build, my SM thought it would be a good idea if everyone in the troop first earned Photography merit badge. We did do parts of it as a group, but there was also considerable on-your-own work that had to be done in order to finish it. The other time was when our SM brought in a Red Cross trainer, to work on first aid certification (and First Aid MB) for everyone. I already had both, so I recall doing something else during those meetings. On the other hand

This is an interesting thread...I earned Atomic Energy as a scout, when a friend asked me if I wanted to work on it with him. Our Scoutmaster found a counselor (a scientist at a nearby air force base) and we spent several weeks traveling to this guy's house. He spoon-fed it to us, bit by bit, teaching us the parts we didn't know. I had some interesting projects come out of that, including growing some irradiated bean seeds and building a geiger counter (with a G-M tube coming from this scientist). I also recall writing to the Atomic Energy Commission and getting a whole series of pamphlets the

I think the green tag on the shirt refers to it as a "tech pocket" too, hinting that it can house "personal electronics" and has a hole for headphones. I've tried to make it clear to my 2C son that "personal electronics" don't belong at scout events. I'll see how long that will last! The clerk at our local scout shop told me that she replaced her flag decal with an embroidered patch. I asked how she removed the old one, and she told me that she warmed it with an iron and it peeled off. She also said "you can sew over it too", but I don't think that would look so hot.

I have no idea if this is common or not, but our troop recently held an Eagle CoH and towards the end of the ceremony, when the new Eagle Scout took his oath, he was joined on stage by every other Eagle Scout present, and they took the oath together. One adult was wearing his medal with a blazer.

At first I thought maybe I was just being hyper-sensitive. I notice things like that. If I were to guess, I'd say that in the process of spec'ing new stuff to be "Made In China", someone messed up, and national didn't catch it. So now they probably have a stock of these things somewhere hoping that nobody notices. I also noticed -- on the "8" and the "2" patches, there is an embroidered border that isn't square, or the cut of the fabric rectangle isn't square. Coupled with everything else that is going on with the font, I think we're looking at really cheaply made stuff. So bad that

Thanks, GMitch...I just placed the order. Custom, 2-digit in a quantity of 12, plus shipping, is a hair under $28. That is roughly $2.33/each, but buying individual unit numerals is $2.38/each. Seems like a pretty good deal. Of course, my nightmare scenario is that I get the custom numbers, and the font on the "2" is as messed up as the single-digit patch is. Also, a 4-week lead time, as you said. Thanks again... Guy

Years ago, I remember reading a note from someone that referred to the BSA as a paramilitary organization. At first, I bristled at the notion -- my own troop, when I was growing up, was most decidedly not paramilitary (although there were troops in the council that were much more so than ours). I ended up deciding that an outsider would probably think of the BSA as paramilitary, with the uniforms, and saluting, and (at times) marching in formation, and stuff like that. I also came to realize that in the 1950s and 60s, lots of troops were run by adult leaders who were WWII and Korea vetera

I grew up in the shadows of Wright-Patterson AFB (in Xenia). I recall one council (I think, it sure seemed larger than our regular district camporees) camporee that was situated in the center of one of the inactive runway areas (although I can't recall Area A, B or C, I think it was the one adjacent to the museum). Of course, as a kid, I made multiple trips to the museum (and one about 8 months ago) and recall how the collection diminished somewhat when the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum was opened in D.C., circa '76. The AF Museum at WPAFB has been remarkably built-up since then, into the h

I just found the "centennial numerals" online -- do these look the same to you? http://www.scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/imgviewer.aspx?img=18070_is The "2" looks off to me, especially when it is matched side-by-side with another number.

Thanks for the tip, GMitch. However, please forgive my ignorance...where does one order the custom unit numerals? Through the local scout shop?

I noticed something interesting with the new numbers, at least in my local shop. I bought a new shirt (with green tabs) and unit numbers "2" and "8". When I got home, I noticed the font on them don't match. I had also bought numbers for one of my kid's shirt, an "8" and a "9" (different unit). The 8's and 9's match, but the 2 is larger, more of a "block" style. Side-by-side I imagine some people wouldn't notice, or even care, but to me it looks wrong. They are two mismatched numerals. I checked back at the store, and all their 2's were the same. I haven't been to another scout shop y

I have just a couple of brief stories: My family has been in three different packs...one folded, and one was just too big. Routinely 200+ people at pack events, including cubs, parents and siblings. In those events, there was little organization, and rows of chairs were set up. The problem with that is that in the front rows, there would be families seated, and fifteen rows back, there would be families with younger kids who couldn't see, or hear, anything beyond their own row. I always thought it would have been better to remove the first few rows, and seat dens on the floor up fron

Our local lodge sponsors two Webelos-oriented events: Webelos Woods, a spring day at the local camp, and the Webelos Arrow of Light Weekend, a fall weekender for 2nd-year Webelos. After attending two of each, I can safely say that in general these events went over well with my two Webelos, however I've been bored out of my skull every time (so I suggest, come up with something for adults to do!). Something specific: this fall's Arrow of Light Weekend was pretty good. It was moved to the local scout camp, and exposed about 250 2nd-year Webelos in the council to the camp, including one meal

Computers Engineering Cooking Genealogy Music Photography

I attended our council's first U. of Scouting event this last spring. The next one is scheduled for January, and I am very excited about it. My first one was great...I had been through no other training at that point, and attended sessions on annual troop planning, patrol method, youth leadership training, outdoor leadership skills (basically just an outline of what is taught in the regular weekend course; it was the weakest session I attended), and two sessions on Webelos-to-Scout transition (one from the den point of view, and one from the troop point of view). There was also a "mi

I was surprised to learn the other night that one kid in our troop is officially the bugler (then again, I knew he plays trumpet, and he did play Taps to close a recent Eagle CoH). It got me to thinking. I enjoy a quiet outdoors, and wouldn't really want to hear a bugler at an event. Except for "To The Colors"...I miss that. It adds another dimension to a flag ceremony.

We've experienced three different packs (one folded; one wasn't a good fit; and the last seemed to be the best compromise) in our town, and I've heard about a few other packs in adjacent towns. While I haven't searched, I don't know of a single pack that has a February B&G (they must be out there somewhere!). All the others use the B&G as an "end of year" awards banquet, and most hold badges/ranks/etc. until then. Also, their "program year" then suspends until fall (September roundup, October first pack meeting -- so pack meetings only run October through March!). I really do

"OldGreyEagle just pawn in game of life" Mongo!

My youngest turned 10 moments after starting 4th grade (he became a Bear Cub in the spring). I think he is losing interest in Cub Scouts (his older brother just moved on to a scout troop in spring), but his age sits right that he can finish AoL by this coming spring and transition. Mom is his den leader, and all Webelos dens in this pack are lightly loaded, so they're going to do a combination of events together. But my son will be attending some Webelos I events and some Webelos II events in order to get everything done efficiently. One month after starting, he's completed a couple of ac

Two major drawbacks were that the event was so well attended that parking lots were overflowing and cars were parked everywhere (450+ campers, 50+ OA and council people). The camp is fairly big too, so there was lots of walking back and forth. For example, station at one end of camp, then back to the campsite for lunch, then back to the other side of camp for the next station. The cost was fairly minimal, I think. $12/per person, which included a patch, a certificate and dinner in the dining hall. I heard it said that this is the one major fundraiser the lodge has.

I didn't know if this is common or not, but...our lodge runs two Webelos-oriented events. A springtime day event called Webelos Woods, and a fall weekend event called the Arrow of Light Weekend. Although advancement isn't a focus, I think their intention is to offer the possibility of advancement (e.g., visit a Scout camp; overnight with your den, etc). So this particular event was a Friday-Sunday AM campout at the council's summer camp. The scheduled events were a Friday campfire, with songs and skits by the lodge, Saturday programming (activity stations), a Saturday campfire with songs

Just got back from a Webelos Arrow of Light Weekend, sponsored by the council's OA Lodge. I was also at the prior year's event, because my older son was a Webelos then. Does anyone else have a similar local event? What kinds of things do you do at the event? One big improvement this year is that they moved it from a camp that has traditionally been a Cub camp to the council's Scout camp. I think there is a better chance kids will be excited about coming to camp next summer. Last year, all meals were den/pack responsibility, but this year they added a meal in the dining hall (which I