AnaMaria

Our pack doesn't have a rule to cover this, and I don't think it's come up in the 4 years I've been around. At our district event, however, the boy does have to be present for his car to race. Unless there's some extreme extenuating circumstance (appendicitis the day before the race, for instance, and not a family event mom and dad decide to attend at the last minute) I think that's the way it should be.

Our Pack usually gives a token something. One year it was a small picture frame with a "thanks for volunteering" poem. Another year it was a portfolio (handy for leader meetings!). I don't remember whether the gifts have extended beyond leaders or not. Unless I'm mistaken we don't have a functioning committee. We may have included the treasurer, but that's it. Even if it's just to recognize them at the banquet and give a hand-written thank you (maybe with a picture of the Pack if one is available), I'd do something. The parents usually take up a collection and give something to t

I've looked unsuccessfully for this. I do own a book, but have lent it to someone and still hope to get it back. It has the record of what our family has done the last two years or I'd just go get a new one and forget about it.

Is there a place on the web to check on what the most recent edition of a particular rank book is? What about finding out if an update is planned in the near future?

There is also a fishing patch available from one of the outdoor magazines whose name escapes me at the moment. Boys Life has a reading contest each year and all participants get a patch.

It was probably this award/patch. At our council's shooting events they usually have the boys attempt to qualify. Typically, those that do take the target and instructions home and submit it themselves. http://www.nssf.org/JrUSA/

current one does if he's reminded. I like it and don't see it as adding to the requirements. The boy gets the badge and nobody's going around quizzing him after it's sewn on whether he did a good deed first or not. Edited to add that we don't give parent pins, we just use a safety pin.(This message has been edited by AnaMaria)

Our cubmaster has said in a couple of leader meetings that ALL boys will be getting a rank badge at our upcoming Blue & Gold whether they have completed the requirements or not. This is so obviously wrong to me that I don't know how to approach him in a constructive manner. One that will help him understand a little better what it means to earn an award appropriately. For background - I'm currently a Wolf den leader with a Wolf in the pack. My oldest is now a Boy Scout. He did not join scouting until 4th grade. I was assistant den leader for his 5th grade year and tiger den l

My den made bat houses to be mounted at each scout's home. We used the kit available from the scout shop.

at re-charter. That's now Jan 1 for us. I think we're charging $45/yr (includes Boy's Life) for new guys and $5 or $10 less for renewals. We don't have any additional Pack fees. The dens I've been involved in have not collected any monthly dues.

The boy is awarded the totem and I bead when he has completely all of the parts of 3 Achievements. He receives another bead after completing 3 more achievements, until he's completed all twelve. At that point he should be awarded the Wolf Rank badge. After he's completed all of the achievements, he recieves a gold arrow point for completing 10 electives. For each additional 10 electives completed after that, he earns a silver arrow point. He may work on electives prior to completing the Wolf Rank requirements, but may not receive arrow points until that has been done. This is in the

all four wheels touching, the rules you describe have been our District's rules in the past. The email that accompanied the rules this year seems to me to imply that they are tired of dealing with irate parents and are going liberal to see how it goes. My guess is that they'll be back to stricter rules next year.

The district rules would allow only 3 wheels on the track, but our Cubmaster has outlawed it for our Pack. We're limited to the standard dry lubricant applied outside the facility only. I also cut new slots for the axles, but I'm not sure I got them straight enough. I left the originals and will decide when it's time to install the wheels which ones to use. This is all within the boundaries of the rules this year (much of it was not for last year, so I have no experience with it). And I'm only going all out on "my" car, which is raced at the Pack level in an "open" class only.

I agree with you and feel pretty good about my plans for that. There are some higher tech polishing materials that I don't have access to, but I'm pretty happy with what we have. The other key seems to be getting as much weight as possible on the car and I feel pretty good about the plans for that as well. My impression is that this is only a moderately competitive group and the tips I've dug up over the last couple of years will serve me well.

Yes, the plastic BSA wheels. My not-yet-old-enough to be a Cub Scout son and I are collaborating on a car for our "open" division. He designs and paints and I engineer. We were 2nd last year, and I'd really like to win! Wolf scout son may or may not get altered wheels. I'll let him decide.

Our district is allowing just about anything this year, which is a major change for them. I'd like to trim the wheels so they only run a narrow strip. What's a good method for getting the excess off? Craft knife? Sanding? Something else?

And I thought he wanted to go camping without a BACKPACK! If he's talking about taking his den, I'd say definitely. And if he's talking about himself and his child, I'd still say definitely. And if he just means himself alone, I agree with volunteering to be on staff. Don't miss out on something you'd love to do because others can't/aren't interested.

http://usscouts.org/advance/boyscout/bsrank4.asp

We don't usually have snacks at Den Meetings. Did at the first one this year because a Mom wanted to "bring something". We made "Choctaw Flat Bread" (or something along those lines) at the last meeting and ate the result, but I don't usually include a snack in the meeting plan.

I came across the info on the Council website the other day. I've had a look at the map, and am contemplating how to draw the boys in to see it as adventure and to get the adults to have faith that their boys are able to meet the challenge. I don't have parents that are overly protective, but do think that if I just announced a 5 mile hike that I and my son would be the only ones to show up.

I'm thinking of taking my Wolf den on a 5 mile hike this spring, or mayhe early summer (of course they'd be Bears at that point). Our council has a 5 mile hike along the Ohio River that includes parts of Cincinnati, Ohio and Newport and Covington, KY. There's a guide with reference material and points of interest along the way. And of course there's a special patch you can purchase if you do the hike. I'm pretty sure the boys can handle it if we plan lots of time and rest stops, but I'm not sure about the parents. I don't need or expect all of the parents to participate, but they have

There is a "Knights in Shining Armor Activity Book" available. I haven't reviewed it myself, but imagine it has some ideas you can use.

This is my 4th year with a Cub Scout, and I'm using a Denner this year. I haven't seen anyone else use one, and the other leaders who have asked about the cord don't seem to know anything about it. As a mom of a Boy Scout as well, I think it's an important component in developing leadership. I'm having my Wolf denner lead the flag ceremony and the opening game for the den meeting. We'll be rotating each month. No assistant denner. We have 6 boys so they'll all get a chance and we typically have about 4 boys at a den meeting. After the boy has served as denner, there's a tab with