infoscouter
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Posts posted by infoscouter
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While I am a regular FOS contributor, my donations are modest, compared to Council board members or other Council leaders. I doubt they were any part of the reason I received the DaM or Silver Beaver. Nor has holding those awards led to more pressure to contribute, although I do keep getting asked to sit on more committees and task forces!
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Wow- I didn't know Wood Badge was so scarce in some areas (every other year ?) Our council holds three courses a year and still has waiting lists.
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BadenP, Bob himself stated the mandatory retirement age in his January blog post. Check out Scout-Wire.org, and click on Bob's Blog. Move through the older posts to the Jan. 18 post, where he announced his retirement.
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Organizing dens means grouping new recruits into dens and identifying leadership for those dens. It does not mean the Cubmaster needs to run den meetings, campouts or other den events.
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There is a mandatory retirement age for the CSE (and other execs too I think). Bob has hit the wall and has to step down.
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There are spreadsheets which you allow you to track your performance during the year. The idea is that you use the program as a roadmap to improving your unit. The spreadsheet allows you to keep an eye on your progress during the year. When recharger time comes, then you have all the data you need for the award submission, AND you've identified strengths and weaknesses in the unit. Build on the strengths, improve the weaknesses.
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We use ScoutTrack.com, but if I were going to do it again I might look at ScoutManage. It seems to have more features.
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Our council participates in a state-wide camporee every few years. The organization/hosting rotates between the councils in the state.
http://www.bsacmc.org/pdfs/2012_Ripley_Rendezvous_Unit_Flyer.pdf
A few years ago, for the Centennial, our council held a weekend event for all levels, which included camping for the Boy Scouts and Venturers. It was an enormous event - literally thousands of Scouts & Venturers.
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I take the "info" part of my handle very seriously, as a librarian information is my stock in trade.
Here's another one - Health and Safety alerts: http://www.scouting.org/sitecore/content/Home/HealthandSafety/Alerts.aspx
Generally they post when there are changes/updates to the Guide to Safe Scouting.
(Oh and I'm a she) My real name is gender neutral, too, so I'm used to being mistaken for a guy. The military academies tried to recruit me in high school - back before they admitted women!
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Oops - I forgot.
The Best Practices portal on MyScouting.
You'll have to log into your MyScouting account to access this:
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There are some internal BSA sources I have found. One is ScoutWire - www.scout-wire.org This is an internal BSA newsletter for staff. Some of it is stuff we don't have a lot to do with - like financial software, but other things are useful. The ScoutWire page has links to other internal newsletters, including those for Scout Shops, which sometimes have interesting tidbits.
There is a BSA YouTube channel which includes "The Buzz" and "WBTV" a couple vlogs which have good things. I recently found out about the new Recruiting event plans from "The Buzz" http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Membership/Youth_Recruitment/Events.aspx
There is a podcast for Cub Scouting - CubCast http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/CubScouts/Leaders/Cubcast.aspx You can subscribe to the RSS feed download individual episodes.
Podcasts and webinars from the Membership folks: http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Membership/Podcasts.aspx
There is a newsletter entitled "The Commissioner". The primary audience is Council Commissioners, but the info is useful to others as well.
http://www.scouting.org/sitecore/content/Home/Commissioners/newsletter.aspx
There is the blog from Bryan Wendell the senior editor of Scouting magazine: http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/
Bryan recently debuted a calendar of recent and upcoming merit badges: http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2012/04/04/your-one-stop-shop-for-updated-merit-badge-info/
The BSA Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Boy-Scouts-of-America/113441755297
and
Twitter Feed: https://twitter.com/#!/search/boy%20scouts
They are also on Google+ and (as of today) Pinterest, but I haven't succumbed to those yet.
Marketing news: http://www.scouting.org/sitecore/content/Home/Marketing.aspx
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The flags they sell through the BSA (Scoutstuff or at National Scout shops) are made by Annin, a US manufacturer.
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While the committee doesn't 'approve' outings it is their responsibility to see that the outing is conducted safely. So, they should review the leadership of the event. Is there enough? Do they have right skills/training ? What can be done to train for this activity? Does the troop need to use outside resources (outfitter, climbing instructor), etc.
Transportation - how is the group traveling and are they doing so safely.
Equipment - should the troop buy particular items to support this activity, or can it be borrowed/rented?
So the question should be - what does the committee need to do to make the outing possible?
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Having your Wolf meet with the Bears is the way to go. Long ago, all dens were multi-age. Each age group worked on their own achievements, but met as a 'neighborhood' den.
Here is a manual from the BSA, intended for small packs where multiple dens meet together. The den leader may find it helpful in programming for a multi age den:
http://scouting.org/filestore/multicultural/pdf/523-006_web.pdf
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One yellow blouse with Pack Trainer (soon to be Cubmaster) insignia
One yellow blouse with Cub Scout Roundtable Commissioner insignia
Two pairs blue shorts, one pair blue trousers (I wish they made ladies blue Switchbacks), two pairs blue culottes, one blue wrap around skirt.
One tan ODL short sleeve blouse with Troop Committee insignia
One tan new style long sleeve shirt with District Committee insignia
One pair old style green switchbacks
One pair ODL green trousers
One pair ODL green shorts
One ODL green skirt
All of the above fit (mostly)
My Cub Scout Trainer Wood Badge blouse is too small, but I've kept it as a memento.
I also have some vintage Cub Scout den mother uniform parts including a skirt and blouse and a dress with a belt. I have to work harder on acquiring appropriate neck gear. I could wear these, if I got my act together and put insignia on them.
I have two navy blue berets (these were Cub Scouter wear in the era of the red berets for Boy Scouts) and a blue hat that was issued with the ODL uniform when it was first introduced. And I have a blue 'Aussie' style hat that they sold for a while in the 90's
Socks and neckerchiefs to numerous to account for.
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IF I were starting from scratch acquiring utensils for camping (w/ Scouts), I would buy spoons, spatulas, ladles, etc from Goodwill, and kitchen knives with (gasp)sheaths like this: http://www.target.com/p/KitchenAid-Santoku-Knives-with-Sheaths-Black-4-pc/-/A-12417857
Yes, I know, one more thing for the Scouts to lose :-), but the value for a while of keeping blades protected, seems worth it.
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I know what you're talking about. I haven't seen one recently. ScoutStuff sell this:
http://www.scoutstuff.org/kit-chefs-tools.html
Duluth Pack (great company) sells this, which may be what you remember:
http://duluthpack.com/utensil-roll.html
And here's another (more affordable):
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I haven't seen one either, but I imagine you could build one out of pieces of pvc, or tin cans, or anything else you could stack and add to as you accumulate patches. Then you'd affix the patches to the outside of the cans.
I'd make a base out of a slab of wood, and glue or screw the first can to the base. Start with a fairly big can, and then stack smaller ones on top - sort of like this: http://www.freekidscrafts.com/totem_pole-e846.html
Or find a way to attach a new can with duct tape as you go up.
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We just always signed his name. There's no way he could sign all the cards in the council every year - last I heard we had over 22,000 adult volunteers.
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The Insignia Guide includes this exerpt from the Rules and Regulations of the Boy scouts of America:
"Protection and Use of Badges and Insignia
Clause 8. All badges and insignia of the Boy Scouts of America shall be used exclusively by members of the Boy Scouts of America, registered and in good standing according to the records at the national office, who qualify in accordance with the provisions herein set forth or as may be authorized by the Executive Board from time to time and published in the official handbooks by the Corporation.
Clause 9. All badges and insignia shall remain the property of the Boy Scouts of America subject to recall for cause by the Corporation or its duly authorized representative."
Theoretically, we pay for the privilege to wear the insignia, which the National Council can take back, if they feel there is cause to do so.
In addition, I believe the BSA's Congressional Charter gives the corporation the sole rights to the insignia. T 36 United States Code Chapter 309.
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I did it for five or six years the first time. Then I became the pack trainer. The most recent CM has been a no-show since September, so I've been helping out by doing the job. I'll be back on the charter as CM when we recharter next month. This time I expect to stay only long enough to help the pack over the rough patch.
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we have a uniform inspection at the beginning of every pack meeting, when the Scouts line up for the opening ceremony. As someone else said - its a gentle thing. "tuck you shirt in", take off the non-scouting hat, etc. It started as a way to encourage a modicum of restraint into the pants issue. (Actually - we were appalled by the Scout who came to a pack meeting wearing purple and white Zubaz http://c-product.images.dreamsretail.com/43-51/43-51686-J.jpg with his uniform shirt). Scouts get a door prize ticket for attending, one for wearing the uniform in a semi-squared away manner, and an extra ticket for a semblance of Scout pants (we're fine with discount store navy blue pants). we don't pick about patch placement - although if something is really out of line we'll have a quiet word with a parent.
Until recently, we haven't had a lot of interaction with the Commissioner staff, and so have never had the UC come for this. However, I know most of our Commissioners personally, and the majority would never think to do an inspection without being asked.
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Tahawk - training records which are entered retroactively, often contain a date of 1910 or 1911. It's a default date used when the exact training date is unknown
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My only problem with (original) Switchbacks is they don't sit at my natural waist. I wear a belt to pull them up to where I like them. I haven't purchased any of the newer versions.
I have an official olive green skirt I purchased from eBay which I wear for district dinner, council dinner etc.
My blue pants, which I wear for most Cub Scout things, fit more like tradtional women's trousers, and I have no problem with them. My biggest objection is that the pockets are not large enough - but that's the case with most women's trousers. I actually *use* my pockets - wallet, keys, pocket knife, change, Blistex, tissues, thumb drives and a few other things. I do not carry a handbag.
I have two of the old (blue) skorts, which I sometimes wear for Roundtable, a 1980's vintage wrap around skirt (again from eBay), and a couple pairs of blue shorts. I would dearly love it if they made women's blue switchbacks.
The skirts never sold well. For an active leader (even of Cubs) they aren't practical - can't play games, sit on the floor, etc. without risking giving the Cubs an eyeful. The skorts were more practical for that, but are REALLY dorky looking.
See: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_a7bIhuI96yg/TNiM9P5V8iI/AAAAAAAAFpw/6yJAQXsidyk/s320/cub_scout_ladies.jpeg
Women just wear fewer skirts these days. At one point GSUSA and Den mother female uniforms included a tunic style top worn over trousers. See: http://www.oocities.org/~pack215/hist-dm-conf307x202.jpg and http://media.silive.com/advance/photo/2011/12/10329678-large.jpg But that was a really 60's-70's style trend, which is long gone.
One of the challenges with female leader uniforms is the fashion aspect. Men's clothing has changed only minimally over the last 100 years. Women's clothing changes constantly. It is a struggle for every uniformed organization (from fast food to the military) to provide uniforms for women which are practical AND stylish enough for women to be happy/proud to wear them.
Improper use of food
in Cub Scouts
Posted
Actually there is a guideline about the proper content of skits, but I can't put my hands on it. It has a reference to wasting food, which may be the source of the information you've been given.