infoscouter
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Posts posted by infoscouter
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I wear my neckerchief, beads and woggle when I am training. Suppose it gives me "credibility"? I wear it for district dinners, council events, WB breakfast (when I go), etc.
At the troop, I wear it occasionally, but not regularly. I rotate the troop neckerchief, just beads, or a bolo.
At the pack I wear the Cub Scout leader neckerchief almost all the time.
At Roundtable, I'll wear it maybe once a year - otherwise a bolo or staff neckerchief.
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Ravens, Crows, Wolves were used in older courses, based (I think) on patrol names in the British courses. I imagine in other nations, they may have other patrol names based on local fauna.
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You can access Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures on the National Council web site:
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Board members, professional staff, district chairmen, to some extent DEs. I have held a couple (short term) council volunteer positions.
I've been pretty active on the district level, and consequently attend a lot of council committee meetings, activities, etc.
What council work I have done, I'm pretty sure I got recommendations from other district volunteers or whatever professional was serving the district at the time. I'm almost certain my Philmont faculty position required a recommendation from the DE.
Being successful in a district volunteer position (e.g. being a really effective District Commissioner or Training Chair), plus running some council level events (Commissioner College, Powderhorn, NYLT or WB) will get you considered for being head of the corresponsing council position.
OTOH, some positions need a community leader. The council community Friends of Scouting guru is an example - a prominent business person with name recognition can help bring in the $$. Similarly board members are often community leaders, as a means of reaching out the community.
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I am in a large council (top five in the country).
This is our staff directory:
http://www.northernstarbsa.org/Contacts/Staff.aspx
In admin we have the SE, an HR manager, and compensation/benefits manager, and a CFO. There's a director of marketing, and five fundraising professionals. 23 DDs, SDEs or DEs. Deputy SE for Field service, three Field Directors and a Field Manager (Plus Field Assistants - who do a lot of the heavy lifting).
There's another Deputy SE - for Operations and a Training and Advancement Director. Seven people in Camping plus 9 Rangers & assistants (For 7 of our 10 properties). Two people in IT - plus a Web/social media guy in marketing. Haven't really touched other support staff or para professionals (have about 6 of those, I think. Those jobs are heavy turnover - several are open now: http://www.northernstarbsa.org/Employment/)
Our Scout shops are National Shops, so their employees are not council staff.
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Is he pressuring other units like this? I can't tell whether the attention is personal, or if he's really pushing to get business done (like pick up applications). If its the former, I agree with the others, you need to bring this to the attention of his supervisors. If its the latter, he may be feeling pressure to make numbers, and somehow has the idea that your unit is a bottleneck in getting his paperwork in. Our past and present professionals have come to leader's home regularly to pick up applications or other paperwork, or meet us at coffee shops, etc. Its how they expedite paperwork. That may be all he's trying to do, but is a little too eager.
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I second the recommendation for the Genesis product. We have converted most of our camps to these, and they are outstanding. They are designed with no set draw length, so can be used by a wide range of archers. There are both right and left hand draw models.
At the camp I frequent most often, all the right hand bows are red and the left hand ones are blue. Makes it easy on the variety of people who run the ranges at events.
If you serve Cub Scouts or have one camp that has a Cub program, you might want to consider a mix of the regular Genesis and and Mini Genesis. The Mini Genesis weigh just 2 pounds, and are good for Tigers and small Wolves and Bears.
There is special pricing available for non-profits.
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This is why in our Cub Scout pack, I never talk about "if" you become a Boy Scout, but "when" you become a Boy Scout. we need to present to Scouts and parents from the day they walk into their first Join Scouting event, that they are joining a lifelong movement, one that extends far beyond 5th grade. The task of instilling character, citzenship and fitness can not be completed in Cub Scouting, but must be extended into Boy Scouting and Venturing.
Sell your pack, sell Cub Scouting, but also sell the movement.
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If your unit or its chartered organization has been granted 501©(3) or another status which allows it to receive tax-deductible donations, it will be listed in the "Cumulative List of Organizations". You can search this publication here:
http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=96136,00.html
Within the last few years the IRS has revoked the tax exempt status of hundreds of small non-profit organizations for failure to file tax returns. You may want to check thel list of revocations as well.
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Whatever source you've found that cites the location of the Arrow of Light on the pocket flap is out of date. **At one time** that was correct. It no longer is. The Arrow of Light is worn below the pocket on either a tan or blue shirt.
http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Media/InsigniaGuide/05.aspx (scroll down to the bottom of the page)
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Very surprising - I bought a set about 5 years ago and received great service. Sorry your experience was so poor.
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There are a couple of current comic page characters who have been depicted as Cub Scouts.
Red and Rover
The Buckets regularly depict the youngest son Eddie as a Cub and his dad as den leader:
http://www.scoutingnews.org/2011/05/25/comic-running-around-the-building/
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Actually, the Cub Scouts have three, Akela, Baloo, and TC.
http://www.lasallecouncilbsa.org/dunes/Membership/Cub%20Roundup%20Resources.htm (see the picture in the upper right hand corner). They are featured in the Power Pack Pals comic books, and still on some Cub resources. I don't think they appear on the current marketing collateral, though.
BSA Licensing, the division that grants licenses for official merchandise has come up with "Plug and Axel". These guys are not noticeably Scouts - "these characters will help entertain and educate youth between the ages of four and seven in understanding character, the value of "doing the right thing at all times," and the importance of our natural resources. "
http://www.scouting.org/sitecore/content/Licensing/News/LicensedProperties/PlugandAxel.aspx
I'm not sure about what we'd use for a Boy Scout/Venturing mascot. Would youth that age respond to a manga-like Scout character? Or a video game hero type?
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The day camp Guide doesn't specify youth or adult staff when discussing ratios (and it only makes that one brief message).
If you can't find your paper copy - here's a link to the online version:
www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/13-33815.pdf
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I'm a Pack Trainer, as well as a member of our district Cub Scout training staff.
There is a classroom training syllabus for the position, but in our really large district, we've never had more than one person at a time take it. Many districts don't offer it, because the population of Pack Trainers is so low. The online training is the equivalent, and I felt like it does a good job.
As Pack Trainer, you keep all the leaders in pack up to date on upcoming training opportunities, and set a goal of getting 100% of your leaders (including Committee Members) trained.
You keep the records of who has what training, and remind them when they need to renew things like Youth Protection and Safe Swim Defense.
For the computer impaired, you can help them set up accounts on MyScouting.org, so they can do the training online.
In my pack, I assist the Cubmaster with new parent orientations and den leaders with den parents meetings.
Since I'm a member of the district training staff, I will sometimes conduct personal coaching (one-on-one training) with a leader who can't make it to a classroom session. Your ability to do this will depend on the cooperation of your district training chair, and how they feel about Pack Trainers.
What else can I answer for you?
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When we held day camps in parks that required us to use rubber tipped arrows, we used either a tarp painted with target faces (the arrow makes a thunk when it hits the tarp), or milk jugs hung from a string. The jug will swing and spin when the arrow hits.
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Unless you're considering this for a council event or property, cannons are prohibited for unit use:
From the Guide to Safe Scouting:
"Cannons and Large-Bore Artillery
Units are not authorized, under any circumstances, to use a cannon or any other large-bore artillery device."
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We meet weekly year round. The last two summers we met on both Mondays and Tuesdays to accomodate sports, but Scouts were only expected to attend one night. Some boys did both.
Most months have one primary campout, plus at least one optional activity, which is sometimes a campout. This summer there's a week (7 days) of summer camp and two high adventure crews will be taking two different Boundary Waters trips.
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Cub Scout camp themes often mirror the old themes that were used in Program Helps. See if you can find some old Program Helps for ideas. There are also some theme ideas in the Cub Scout Leader How To Book.
Our camp last spring was an elaborate Harry Potter themed event, with costumed characters from the stories and activities themed around the classes at Hogwarts. Potions was simple chemistry, Defense against the Dark Arts was first aid and emergency preparedness, etc. We played quidditch at lunch. It was quite the success. You can see pictures of some of our events here: http://threeriverscubscoutactivities.shutterfly.com/pictures
This fall our theme is superheros.
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Snacks
in Cub Scouts
Rarely, if ever. Just not a habit we've fallen into. The only time we have food is the Blue & Gold Banquet or the Pancake Breakfast (but that's a fundraiser). Both of those are typically held someplace other than the school where we meet, due to fees charged for using the building, and restrictions on using the kitchen.
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My council (Northern Star) has conducted a Kindergarten Lion pilot program for the last three yeart. 74% of the Scouts who joined in the first year are still in Scouts. Over the past two years 80% of the Lion Cubs transitioned to Tiger Cubs.
Starting in the fall, our council is urging every pack to have a Lion Cub program. Some details about uniforming and insignia are still being determined.
"Northern Star Council has seen the results of this program and this Fall, the Lion Cub pilot will become a more integral part of the Scouting program. As part of a pack, Lion Cubs will be able to participate in pack meetings, fundraising efforts, camping programs, Pinewood Derby, and any other activity that the pack is participates in."
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I have always assumed that a make your own unit flag is frowned upon, if not forbidden. My rationale is the language about uniformity on the flag order form:
http://www.scoutstuff.org/media/content/docs/pdfs/UnitFlagOrderForm.pdf
The other useful reference is the flag section of the Insignia Guide:
http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Media/InsigniaGuide/11.aspx
The central medallion with the wolf head is not available for separate purchase, and creating your own would be problematic.
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I saw a discussion of this topic on another forum. I did a search and found this information for a "Tech Chip", developed by a troop here in Minnesota.
http://www.boyscouttrail.com/content/award/tech_chip-2052.asp
Themes and Character Connection
in Cub Scouts
Posted
I know of some packs in our district which continue to come up with "fun" themes, primarily for pack meetings. Others are expanding on the character themes, by tying the theme to a community outing or pack activities, e.g. Respect - tie in a trip to a senior center and focus on respecting elders, or tie it to flag education and learn how to respectfully care for a retire a U.S. flag.
Resourcefulness can be incorpated into recycled genius kits or a trip to the recycling facility.
Heath and Fitness can be tied to a sports day or a hiking event, or a grocery store field trip to learn about healthy eating.
It takes some imagination and more work than the old "fun" themes to tie the Core values. The Roundtable guide and Pack resource sheets help a little. They use the core value, but suggest alternate activities from the Den and Pack Resource Guide, which of course, is just a repeat of last year.