gwd-scouter

Ah, kind words. Nice.

Keep the royalities, but I'll do almost anything for a patch!

Never used "badge magic" but we do use badge bond, sold in the Scout catalogue. I works really well, dries fast, and doesn't leave the wet-looking residue around the badge. It is clear and any excess around the badge hardens similar to the way hot glue hardens and you can just pull it away. Very neat and clean.

However, any of the glues or bonds will ruin the shirt. If you remove a patch, it leaves behind a hard crusty residue that will not wash off.

So, we use badge bond for merit badges which in general are not going to be removed and for other patches that are not removed (such as unit numbers, council strip etc.).

I still go back and sew (tack) on the unit numbers and council strip since the bond will pull way after repeated washings, but it is really helpful in keeping those patches in the proper place before sewing.

Has anyone done a count on how many posts are made to a thread before the subject turns to religion and the original thread is no longer discussed?

Just curious...(This message has been edited by gwd-scouter)

Thanks guys for your posts.

The Eagle ceremony in question is not for my son. He earned his Eagle in 2001 and he had a very nice ceremony - planned mostly from a combination of ceremony ideas he downloaded from the Internet, then asking guys in his troop to perform various parts.

Because he had no help from the Troop in the planning, we always assumed that was the way it's always done. So glad to hear I'm not alone in thinking that the Troop should do something to help.

This is our first Eagle since I became SM and he seems very reluctant to have any ceremony at all. He's really a very shy fellow. His mother, of course, is pushing for him to have a nice formal ceremony. We talked and he's decided he'd like something very informal, i.e., backyard bonfire and barbeque is really what he wants. No uniforms, no big fanfare, no long speeches, just a nice gathering of his friends and family.

While it's not what I would consider an appropriate formal recognition of this young man's achievement, it really does suit his personality and sounds like fun.

On with the show!

ASM59 - your story is certainly disappointing and I can understand your Troop's leadership in their feeling to stop helping out the Pack.

When I joined our Troop and took over as SM last year, I was hoping to have a few boys and fathers join when they got ready to graduate from Cub Scouts. I was their Cubmaster for a number of years and these families are members of the church that charters our Troop. But, when the time came, they joined another larger, longer running Troop. I was hurt, but decided not to take it personally as it is ultimately their choice.

I'll bet you sure felt lonely as the only adult willing to continue to offer such a great program to the Webelos. Am assuming from your post that no other Troop in your area offers anything like your "big event" so it's hard to understand why the DL is pushing boys to another Troop and away from yours.

Perhaps the DL knows scouts and leaders in that other Troop. The DL is of course correct in stating the boys/families should explore all their options and make their own decision, but I know that doesn't ease the feelings of resentment within your Troop when you all work so hard for these guys.

I guess on the bright side, the current DL will probably be joining the other Troop with the boys and you'll have a new Webelos den and leader to work with next year.

Don't lose heart. Troops and packs go through fluctuations in membership all the time. Some years are boom years, others are a bust. You sure have a great approach to recruiting, so perhaps this year is one of those bust years and next year will be a boom year.

Good luck. Can't wait to hear how it all works out.

Thank Eagle. Wow, Senior Forum member ranking and 100% quality all in one day! Open the portals wider guys, my head is swelling...

CNY: Thanks. As I mentioned in another post, my personal goal as SM is by the end of this year to be able to sit in my comfy chair and sip my coffee while watching the Scouts run the show! Big dream, but I think we'll get there.

Two biggest concerns are still recruting new scouts and leaders.

We currently have about half older Scouts and half younger. Not bad, but when you consider that all those life Scouts will probably reach Eagle in the next year and perhaps leave the Troop, we won't be left with many boys to run the show.

The main reason we have so much difficulty in recruiting is that our feeder pack is always poorly organized, usually getting put back together with new leadership at the beginning of the school year and falling apart by the end. This Pack is chartered by one of our local Christian Schools which is very small and naturally doesn't have a large number of boys to make up a Pack.

So, we've started to become a bit more targeted in our recruitment. Rather than relying on Webelos crossover or open houses (neither of which produced more than one scout last year) we are going directly to the middle school classes - one by one. We started so far with 2 5th grade classes and are making plans to hit the 6th grades in a couple of weeks. First attempt at 5th grades gave us two new Scouts (already 11) with two more on the way (11 in a month or so).

Another interesting result is that one of the two new scouts is in the school's cub pack. He went back and mentioned to his den that he's joining our Scout Troop and then came and told us the next week that the other boys in the den want to join too. We were told about a month ago that all those boys were going to a different troop.

Second biggest concern is adult leadership. With only my husband, our CC and myself as active leaders, we have real concern of burning out if we don't recruit more adults. I just can't seem to get anyone to volunteer as ASM. I can get some parents to agree to "help out" once in a while, but no one wants to sign a form, take training, and actually be an active adult in the Troop.

I am hoping that as we keep working on recruiting new scouts, we will hit on those adults that are willing to take an active role in their son's Boy Scout experience - you know, those people that are already doing too much in their free time!

I really didn't expect to be doing all this work in one hour a week. What a year it's been. But, I do get a very selfish sense of satisfaction when I see the boys finally getting it and taking charge of their troop.

Makes that one hour a week worth every minute!

Trevorum: I remember seeing such a list for our summer camp. Showed all merit badges offered, any prerequisites or money needed, and a guideline as to its difficulty and whether or not it could be completed at camp.

If anyone knows of some kind of all inclusive list somewhere, sure would like to get a copy.

woo-hoo. Just noticed I've been upgraded to Senior Forum Member. I feel honored. Just wish I could contribute as much knowledge as so many other forum members out there. I'll keep working on it....

Question - what are the quality thumbs up or down used for?

Hi everyone. Been reading the posts about patrols for some time in hopes to get answers to our Troop's particular problem.

I have gone into some detail about our setup in other posts but to keep it simple, for almost a year while we were reorganizing, we barely had enough Scouts for a Troop let alone individual patrols.

But now, a year later, we have almost 100% participation from our 10 Scouts.

Next week, Troop elections are being held. Last week, the guys formed two patrols. Somehow they just naturally formed with one consisting of mostly older guys and the other with all the younger and new guys. They just seemed to naturally gravitate that way.

Patrol 1: 2 brand new Scouts (age 11), Tenderfoot (age 11), 2nd Class (age 13), Star (almost age 13).

Patrol 2: Life (age 17), Life (age 16), Life (age 16), Life (age 15), 1st Class (age 13).

It sure will be interesting to see next week who becomes SPL and who the two PLs will be.

I know the feeling of getting less than warm reception to the idea of teaming up with another troop. While ours was struggling over the past year, I talked with SM of another small troop about the idea of doing a couple of joint campouts. He came back with "the boys aren't interested."

Oh well.

On the other hand, I've had another troop in town offer to have our boys join them on some of their more high adventure outings. Our boys - not interested.

Oh well.

Gern-I didn't sign on to rescue a troop either. My husband and I signed up as ASM and Advancement Chair when our youngest crossed over from the Pack. One year later, SM announced he was stepping down and no one was willing to take over. The only other ASM besides my husband also announced at the same time that he wanted to take a less demanding role and asked to be Committee Chair.

So, with no one willing to take the helm and with a good bit of pressure from our remaining Committee, I took the job of SM.

There were plenty of other Troop options available to us if ours folded. But, youngest wanted to be in the Troop that his older brother was in. Oldest son made Eagle in 2001 and is now ASM for the Troop, helping out and coming home from college when he can.

Also, I was compelled to keep the Troop going because of a few older Scouts who remained and wanted to get their Eagle from "their Troop."

Sure has been a tough year, but worth it as I see those older Scouts finally stepping into leadership roles and taking charge of the troop, the idea of patrols beginning to sink in, younger Scouts learning from the older, and much greater participation and enthusiasm.

In a SM minute at the beginning of this year I talked about goals. I told them my goal last year was to keep the troop together, while learning how to be an effective SM. My goal for this year is to be able to sit back by the end of the year and DO NOTHING! Go camping with my favorite equipment - a comfy chair and a cup of coffee.

I've seen progress. Still have a long way to go, but we're getting there!

I have no problem with a scout joining whatever troop they like, even transferring from one to another.

But, I so often hear on this forum that boys transfer from one troop to another because the one they leave has a poor program.

"just don't seem to be running a good program and do all the activities we do"

"something is wrong with their program..change it in order to keep boys"

"if I was the leader of the Troop that they were leaving I'd want to try and make some improvements"

I am SM of a very small troop. 12 boys annually. Most we ever had was 16 about four years ago. Along with the small number of scouts, we have always had a small number of active adult leaders.

Last year (Dec. 2004), when I took over as SM three Scouts left for another troop because they didn't think a female should be SM. As a side note, I was the last person that thought I should have the job because I felt a man should be SM as a role model for the boys. But, no one stepped up and rather than see the Troop fold, I took the job.

The troop the 3 scouts went to was the same one they had left a couple of years before because they thought it was too big and/or they had personal problems with the SM. The loss of 3 scouts at one time was a big hit to our Troop when we only had 10 registered at the time.

Our troop struggled along as I learned to be a SM, tried to reorganize the youth leadership, work them toward becoming boy run instead of adult run, and hope every week we'd have more than 3-4 scouts show up (never the same 3-4 either).

What a way to run a troop! Patrol method...please!

Anyway, my husband (ASM) and our CC kept plugging away, trying to get the program turned around.

Now, a bit more than a year later and a lot of hard work by the adults and scouts, we are up to 10 ACTIVE and REGULARLY attending Scouts, graduated 1 Eagle Scout, another 2 on the way. Scouts are actually working in their PORs, taking initiative in planning and carrying out activities and we just recruited 2 new young scouts. We now go camping every month and are looking forward to our first packpacking trip next month in over 2 years.

By the way, the three scouts that bailed last year - 1 made Eagle in a couple of months, the other two dropped out altogether (1 was only a service project away from Eagle).

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is how can the new small troops ever survive if it's perceived that they always have a poor program and that bigger (or older) is better.

How can a small troop ever hope to last? With a few dedicated adults and a group of loyal Scouts - eager to see "their Troop" be the best and work toward that goal.

My 2 cents.

MTD-I have found 2000 and 2001. Neither is 100% Boys Life though.

send me a PM and let me know where to send them if you still want them.

I was training Chairman for Cub Scout Leader Specific and NLE training for a number of years. Never was I more disgusted than when I spent time preparing for the training session, lined up a few assistants, arrived early on Saturday to set things up, and then only had 1 or 2 new leaders show up. A few times - no one showed!

Training was always stressed during school roundup when new Cub leaders were signed up. Dates were given out.

It always seemed that those people that signed up as leaders, then were too busy to take training, also eventually dropped out of the program - leaving a den full of eager boys with no leaders.

Only speaking for the Cub Scout side, I will say that I think part of the problem with so many untrained leaders is that training isn't pushed. I know several Cubmasters that mention the NLE to new leaders, but don't actually require it of them. On the other hand, I know a Cubmaster that actually attends all of the training sessions with his new den leaders - a nice personal touch, but a commitment I don't think many would be willing to make!

Anyone getting excited about Olympics starting tonight?

Our family has a tradition for opening ceremonies. Always get together and try to guess which country is coming in next in the opening parade.

You'd think it wouldn't be too hard since they arrive in alphabetical order (except Greece and host country). But, either the maps keep changing or we are horribly deficient in geography skills. We even forgot China one year!

College son is coming home tonight to continue the tradition! Can't wait.

MTD - I'm sure I have somewhere some of the QU patches you want. Been in Scouting since 1993 so let me look in my sewing box. I'll get back to ya.

ScoutNut - yes, I too was concerned that we'd get a bunch of 10 year olds, but it seems (at least in these 2 small classes) all boys are 11 already or close to it. Also, the couple that are not yet ready are Webs II in the Pack and had not yet visited our Troop. Their Den leader was pushing them towards another Troop, so hopefully they will now give us a look and consider their options.

I will bring up your other excellent recruiting ideas to our Troop Committee and see if we can't implement some of those as well.

Kudu,

We forget to bring the clipboard and get sign ups so that I could follow up with parents. We did print flyers with several action photos of our Scouts and all my contact info, but of course (if my son is any indication) most of those flyers probably didn't make it home.

One of our leaders is a teacher at the school and I will ask if she'd take a clipboard one day next week and ask the boys interested to sign up. Then, I will call the parents.

Great idea, wish I'd remembered it at the time.

The recruiting done at our middle schools by that large Troop I mentioned is not really a presentation, but rather they set up a display during open house night and have many of their Scouts roaming the halls handing out flyers and directing interested boys/parents to their sign up table.

Not a bad way to do it, but it became a competition last year when our Troop was there at the same time. Their Scouts at times pushed in front or almost ran over ours on the way to reach prospective boys.

I just don't want to do it that way again.

OGE: We tried to recruit at one of the middle schools last Fall. Another Troop had traditionally recruited there and since they also recruited from another middle school, they were asked if they would step back and let us recruit alone.

Biggest reason they were asked to let us have one of their middle schools was that they are a very large Troop and ours has always struggled to have more than a dozen boys (as I said earlier, the Pack we could draw from is reorganized every year and the private school is small).

Anyway, the other Troop refused to step aside. The recruitment was confusing with 2 troops there at the same time and I really didn't like the competitiveness of the other Troop.

Will try again this fall to see if they will let us go it alone, but am not holding out much hope on that.

Why not a good idea to recruit 5th graders in February. Both boys that showed up this past Tuesday were already 11 years olds. We do plan to do a 6th grade recruitment as well, but couldn't do it the same day.

We are planning to hold the 6th grade recruiting at beginning of school year this fall.

Our Troop is about to lose 4 Scouts turning 18 in next couple of months. It has always been a small Troop (only 12-16 boys at any time) and losing four all at once is a big hit. We don't have a very strong feeder pack, nor a middle school available for a round up (all 3 in our area are being targeted by other Troops).

So, we have to do whatever we can to get the word out about our Troop and ask boys to join.

Scoutnut, I'm very curious about why you think we will lose the boys that just joined.

You might be using the Troop method if...

Everyone is eating the same well-balanced, nutritous and perfectly cooked meals at campouts

Kudu, I had read your instructions for Middle School recruitment a few weeks ago and used some of your ideas earlier this week.

A few of us gave a short presentation to 2 fifth grade classes and definately emphasized the "danger" of wild animals, the thrill of fire building, shotgun shooting, camping and cooking in the wilderness. The guys asked so many questions at the end, we had to cut them off or we'd have been there all afternoon.

Each class (this was a local private school) had only about 8-10 boys each but we had 2 show up that night to our regular meeting. Have gotten a few phone calls from other parents asking if they can come next week.

Can't wait to schedule a recruiting drive again in the early fall when we'll target the beginning 6th graders.

A quiz for the Scouts:

1. name the five wealthiest people in the world

2. name the last five Heisman trophy winners

3. name the last five winners of Miss America

4. Name five people who have won the Nobel Prize or Pulitzer prize.

5. Name the last five Academy Award Winners for best actor and actress

6. name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

Now, how did you do? Point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. Applause dies, awards tarnish, achievements are forgotten.

See how you do on this quiz:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few peopl ewho have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Was that an easier quiz?

The lesson: the people who make a difference in your life are not those with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.

Our Scouts planned a movie night as well. Actually a movie marathon. Just before we broke for Christmas, Scouts arrived on Friday at Scout Hut at 6:00 pm, bringing pillows, blankets, frozen pizzas, snacks and sodas.

Then, popped in the first of the six Star Wars Movies and the marathon was on! One Scout's mom brought a nifty frozen pizza cooker and the Scouts made pizza, ate snacks, and watched Star Wars till the sun came up on Saturday morning. It was also wonderful that our CO let us use their large screen surround sound TV and DVD player.

Totally their idea and those Scouts that did not attend are now saying they want to make sure to do it again at the end of this year.