jens3sons

Remember, if your school does print a directory, if you pass on last year's Kindergarten boys addresses to your district's office, they will print and mail a flyer or post card with the information of the recruitment night for you (your FOS dollars hard at work) ;-). I would then require the boys in your unit to wear their cub scout uniforms to school the day of the recruitment as a visual reminder, and remember once you are on the sidewalk surrounding the school you are on public property! Have your boys in your unit meet you after school near where the 1st grade boys exit the building and pass out flyers then. Also, being in a similar situation as yourself, the only night we are able to pass out flyers on school property is on the back to school social night as it is a PTA sponsored event.

Almost there with the correct information Acco40...According to both the Offical placement of Insignia and Uniform Inspection Sheet, it shows the AOL award bellow the left pocket and underneath it it has "(tan shirt)" typed in. It doesn't even show the AOL placement on a blue shirt. Another source for the correct information is the Webelos handbook. It is mentioned the same way on page 34. It is also brought up again on page 37 and states: "You'll wear your Arrow of Light Award below the left pocket as it is worn on the Boy Scout uniform." Hope that helps!

jens3sons

I also agree with DonM...verbal abuse is NOT appropriate either, and I have a little "tweaking of a suggestion to go along with what has already been stated. I would have a parent/guardian of the fighting (special needs) kid attend all pack and den functions for a while, however, I would also suggest having the boys who have been verbally abusive to this boy, their parents attend as well. With the taunting kids' parents in attendance, chances are that the boys will be less likely to verbally abuse the special needs kid. Also I would try and find some "special" quality, talent or hobby special needs kid has and have him present it to the den and maybe the other kids will find something in common with him.

Please keep us informed on this situation...it is a great learning experience for us on committees prior to us learning the "hard" way.

Jens3sons

Is it something that could at least be pre-drilled before the projects are started, and then tell the boys the reason they had to be pre-drilled? Just a new thought that no one else seemed to state, so thought I would. Good Luck!

****Remember, NEGLECT can be a form of abuse! Maybe some good ole snooping around is called for, to see if there is any other possible things going on. Also, maybe make a little journal of the things you have witnessed, and what the father has said to you, marking the date and time, so that if ever questioned, or need to go to authorities happens, you have docummented proof with statements that are fresh in your head, because you took the time to write it down.

It just breaks my heart to hear something like the father's statement! I know we are all busy, but maybe some extra time spent with the boy would be good. I know there is a child we deal with that he was at my house about 3 afternoons a week to do homework and about once a week he was invited for dinner. It was a chance for me to show him some needed attention, and also to give him some of the things he needed...such as showing adults and peers respect and how a "family" works together etc. I saw such a turn around in him, that I never expected, and this was a boy who originally I thought I would have to talk to my son about "good friends vs. bad friends". Within a couple of weeks, he even told my son "I don't think you should talk to your mom that way", and another time "I think we should listen to your mom" =)

I really wish you the best of luck with this boy, and I will keep this boy in my prayers as well!

Jens3sons

Cajun Cody,

My heart goes out to your little guy. What an accomplishment! And what a disgrace that the cars are missing. I just wanted you to know I sent an email to who I thought might have attended from my council as well, and if she did not, I asked her to find out who might have and forward the email to that person. I am in the western suburbs of Chicago. I sooooo hope the cars are returned!

Jens3sons

Scoutndad...I am so glad you liked the idea! I love this forum of passing info along to each other! Anyways, I also wanted to commend you for not just "complaining" but wanting to solve the problem(s) as well! Good Luck in your ventures!

Seattle- Yes there was a reason for forming teams instead of going by den. First off, we try and have Pack unity vs. a bunch of little cliques with dens, this way, each leader had boys in each rank on their team, and it allows the littler ones to look up to the bigger boys. Second, I would hate to think of putting a new Wolf Cub in charge of his den ;-) especially around a campfire! Third, we would've had about 6 teams instead of 4, would've taken even longer to get through meals. We had four teams formed like I stated. 2 of the leaders were 2nd year Webelos (they were the only ones from their den to attend...so that would've been a very small "team" anyways), and the other 2 leaders were first year Webelos. I think the mentality of having the teams allowed for what we were looking for with the pack unity, and yet still put that sense of "patrolling" out there.

I liked your idea about inviting district, and having a parent meeting durring that time! What a great way to recruit, when they are seeing the pack at their best, and having an awesome time camping...would maybe "light the fire" in some adults to volunteer ;-)!

Like I said, it was our very first time camping as a pack, and overall i think it was a HUGE success! Yes the evening meal took longer than expected, and we did have one boy show up without his father, that we had to problem solve, and of course he was the one to get hurt! Fortunately it was just a pinched finger in the water pump, and he was fine in about 20 min. but we did have to call his parents to come pick him up. If we had known in advanced only he could make it, we could've gotten an extra tent for him to sleep in, but we did not have a spare for him to sleep in with us, and we had no medical form for him, so he had to go home. But other than that, we went into this knowing there would be some kinks to iron out before the next time that we go camping, and I think the ones that do need ironing out are minor.

As for the age thing...if only our bodies would stay as young as our hearts and minds tell us that we are! =)

Happy Scouting!

Jens3sons

I am sorry, but I need to disagree with ScoutNut! The first year I was CC of our pack, and a couple years prior to that, we were one of the last rank districts in our council on numerous levels, and for a long time, we were one of the top ranked ones. The year I stepped up to the plate, I saw my unit failing and I saw our district failing, and they were failing me as well. I went to roundtables, and wasn't walking away with anything, other than the pack mail, and having some fun with other adults. I had a vision of where I wanted my pack to go and yet, being new, and having gone through training, I still felt like I was out of sorts. I DID start to complain, but it wasn't just me, it was other units as well, and things really turned around this past year. Please keep in mind when I say the areas that I think that I have to disagree with ScoutNut, that I am looking at this as the inexperienced scouter parent stepping up to take either the CC or CM positions.

ScoutNut, you said it is the units responsibility to approach the district to send out someone to do the training....Scoutndad can't even get a list of troops in his district with contact information, and yet someone is going to come out and train their leaders???

You also ask what is it the district is responsible to do "coordinate btw. packs and troops"...yes, I'm sorry, but I do think it is a huge help to have district put that information out there. The year prior to me being CC only 3 boys (out of 9) went on to Boy Scouts after earning their AOL...last year the same thing (exact same #'s). This time I was able to talk to those boys and find out why they were still interested in scouting...most of them it was because they already had an older brother in the troop they were joining, and so they had a better understanding of what was involved. This year after my complaints (and other units' complaints) the district formed a new position called "Webelos Transition Coordinator". They found a larger church, that was able to host a Troop open house, where all the troops in the district were invited to set up displays and talk with Webelos, and Bears. Through networking at Roundtables I was also able to get a Den Chief for my Webelos den and 2 Bear dens. All the boys (8) of them when they earned their AOL this year went on to Boy Scouting, and all 8 of their parents said it was the open house that hooked, lined, and sinkered them!

As for what else with my district that I relly on them for support? In our school district, scouts, (whether girl, cub or boy scouts) are unable to distribute fliers through the school for recruitment. We are able to set up a table at the back to school social because that is a PTA sponsored event, but, we relly on the district to print up fliers for us and mail them out to all the now first grade boys, and to let them know we will be at the back to school social and when our actual recruitment night will be. Plus it helps to have the district pay for the postage!

Our roundtables have also gotten much better! Instead of just going through a month pack meeting, instead, some ideas are given for the upcomming month, but now we are doing "break outs" where den leaders according to rank break into their own groups and CC's and CM's break into another, and we can problem solve etc. It has been most effective!

Scoutndad-I realize you have already stated that you are unable to attend Roundtables, however, I would suggest trying to form or asking your district to form a Webelos Transition Coordinator, such as I stated earlier. I took over as CC from a woman who did EVERYTHING, and knew I alone couldn't do it all! The pack was failing, and now my pack is thriving because I networked, and recruited, and got people involved! It was a very tough year, but each month I get so many compliments, and it is only because I have so many people involved and we are all working together so well. I believe that same mentality would work on the district level as well!

And although I know other districts will take you in for training etc, and that you are on the border for which district to be in, there is something to be said in the sense that all the boys hard earned $ from popcorn, and parents $ that was donated through FOS that goes back to the district you are chartered in, one would like to think the support would be returned!

I wish you the best of luck in this matter! Please let us know what you decided to do.

Jens3sons

Seattle Pioneer, We just had our very FIRST Pack campout at a local forest preserve. It was my understanding that pack camping was not allowed up until last year, but many packs skirted the issue by going "family" camping, and just so happened all the families were part of the same pack. However, when our pack discovered last year that it was now allowed under certain guidelines, we started to get the wheels in motion. The proper paper work has to be filled with your council (and believe me, they do check ALL the paperwork (at least what they don't lose and make you resubmit ;-) ). We had to have the proper permits as well. Each boy and parent had to have medical forms filled out as well. The forest preserve we did our campout and combined the camp permit with the fire permit, so that saved us a step. The other thing was we had to have at least one person present with BALOO training. We had 2 with the training present, because if one of them had their kid get sick and had to pack up and go home, without another trained person, the rest of the pack would need to pack up and go home as well. We also already had a bunch of our leaders take the youth protection training.

Our pack formed a committe and each of them had different aspects of the planning to deal with. The 2 meals that we served (dinner and breakfast) was bought for and cooked by both the scouts and the fathers. For the cost of the 2 meals and the permit for the group camp at the forest preserve (we had 47 in attendance) we figured it cost about $5.75 a head. We had an awesome time!

We also formed the boys into 4 teams and appointed "team" leaders for each team. The leader had to keep his group together during a good portion of the campout, and each boy also needed to have a "buddy" for the hike and for going to the out house etc. They were required to use the buddy system at all times, and also to have water bottles etc. We also cooked according to team. Team one, would come up first and put their foil packets together, and then hand the packets to an adult to put over the fire etc. It kept things moving very nicely.

I hope this helped some.

Jens3sons

Flying Pig, In our pack we call the vest "brag vests". We do not require the boys to earn the vest, and the pack provides the vests for the boys. We have a pattern that has been passed down through the years of how to make the vests, and have someone who knows how to sew, sew them for us. (It is just two small seams up at the top of the shoulders.) The pack provides both the vest and the round council patch for the middle back of the vest. In September we sign up our new recruits, and at the October pack meeting we call the new boys up to the front, and formally introduce them to the rest of the pack and hand them their new vests. The boys then can put their summer time activity pins on the vests, and any patches or segments that they earn through out the year on their vest. Examples of actual patches are: popcorn, pinewood derby, and a baseball team and hockey team that our council provides "scout nights" at, that the boys receive the patch along with the purchased ticket, camporall, sports spectactular, etc. Our boys receive segments for numerous things. Most common are parades we march in, service projects we do, summer time activities, Scout Sunday, Flag day, convalescent bingo, etc. We discovered in our pack, the more recognition the better, so the ones previously mentioned the pack pays for those segments, but we also allow dens to give out segments for things that they do, at the expense of the den or boy's parents. We found the kids hated the totems (the beads are forever getting lost)and the boys like to see who has the most rings and segments around their council badge on the back of their vests. It is also a visual reminder of all the things the boys have done.

I hope this helped answer some questions for you!

Yours in Scouts,

Jens3sons

We just came back from our very FIRST Pack camping. Our thoughts were to try and have the boys involved in some aspect of both the evening and the breakfast meal preparation. So for dinner, the boys made foil packets, and part of their dessert was a bannana foil packet. At breakfast the men fried up the sausage, but we used our dutch oven to boil water. Then we had the kids break an egg into a sandwich baggy, and then add some cheese if they wanted, and we dropped the bags into the dutch oven to cook. The guys also made pancakes for everyone, and we served the left over bannans from the night before. It was an excellent breakfast!

Greg,

Yes, I agree, a lot of us are creative when it comes to our "June & August" requirements...however, I think a lot of that comes from necessity. When dealing with your meeting place in a public school, often times they will not let groups meet in their meeting place in those months. Although school is still in attendance, they are either preparing to shut down the school for the summer, or they are still setting things up at the start of the year. This year we however are not being "creative" as we have in the past. And yes, I know a lot of them could be planned at other locations etc, but I don't know about you, but come the last 2 school years of the month I am starting to get a little "burned out" with planning and so is my committee. We look forward to a bit of a break over the summer as well.

Now, I tend to be leinient on the "one each month" by requiring only 3 attendances, because someone is always going to be on vacation etc, and there is no way of guaranteeing a time when everyone will be around. We try and offer at least 6 activities over the summer (this summer we have 7 planned). I know my pack, and a lot of our activities are service projects, and my boys work hard to give back to the community that gives so much to them. I would feel horrible if my hard working boys were unable to attend one event and thus not earn their pin because vacations that had been planned months ago, were to get in the way.(This message has been edited by jens3sons)

May I suggest looking into getting your den a Den Chief also?! If your Boy Scout Roundtables meet the same time and location as the Cub Scout Roundtable, it is easy to get in touch with different troops to let them know you are looking for a Den Chief. The Den Chief can start off with an activity like already stated, and can also have a few minutes to talk with the boys about Boy Scouting. We had our den get one this past year, and it really sparked a lot of questions from our boys (and interest) about Boy Scouting. In addition, you have another person the boys "look up" to, and can help maintain control.

Another suggestion, would be to try and have the business part of your den meeting, but then try to get the boys outside for a little bit of each meeting. If there is a parking lot, or park or grassy area, at the end of the meeting (with the guise of: the sooner they get through the meeting, the sooner they get outside)that way, the boys are ready to "go" as soon as their parent picks them up (and in the colder months the kids and parents aren't going to want to stand around chatting). I would suggest bring a kick ball, or wiffle ball and bat, or football or basketball. Hopefully, then, they are a bit tuckered out for when they are picked up as well.

I agree that the boys are subject to their environment, but we need to remember, these boys in a den have a "brotherhood" and just like us, they want to socialize as well, without all the strict guidelines sometime too.

Good Luck!

This year our pack has planned things for the summer as follows:

June: An over night campout at a local forest preserve.

Kane County Cougars Baseball Game (Council sponsored, w/ a scout parade on the field and fireworks after)

Attending the Elk's Lodge Flag Ceremony on Flag Day

July: Participation in the 4th of July Parade

Letter Drive to the Troops

August: Food Drive

Service Project for the Elementary School where we will be repairing about 8 benches.

Each year we try and offer a number of items for the boys to attend. We require at least three attendances to earn the summer time pack activity pin. Each year we try and do an additional service project for the school, besides the Beautification day, as a thank you to the school for hosting us throughout the year (they are not our chartering organization). Last year we took apart the brick courtyard, re-leveled it, and put it all back together again. We have some really awesome pictures of it on our website @ www.ilpack64.com The benches pictured surrounding the courtyard are the ones we will be repairing this summer. The boys loved getting to work the compactor last year, and we are hoping to continue to expose them to different power tools etc. I hope this helped with some ideas.

Jens3sons

This was the first year, in many years we used an orange flag with a black paw print on it for the tiger. I just completed my 2nd year as CC for the pack, and even when my son joined Tigers the year before that, they hadn't used the orange flag. One mother who had a son graduate out of the pack 2 years ago, had another join this year, and doesn't remember the orange flag from her older son either. I happend to find two flags like that at the end of the previous scouting year, and you could tell the flags had been hand made and were in great shape, and I thought they were really cool, and since we didn't know how many tiger dens we would end up with, we decided to use those initially. At the boys advancement ceremony, we had the boys switch their flag, and it just made them feel so much "bigger"! Anyways, the rest of the pack uses the standard flag with the den # on them until Webelos when they pick a name for their den. Either they make a flag for their new name, or I have a box of about 20 different flags from dens that graduated out that the boys can opt to use one of those instead.

Jens3sons

Ok, you made me go look at the photos...I had been more concerned with the themes for this year and how we were going to work with them. But you are so right, they are great photos, and very realistic. Our Pack decided to ditch a couple themes this year, and replace them with our own themes, but the rest of them we will work with. Most times the program helps are such a life saver. As the person who trained me always said "you don't have to re-invent the wheel here!" I am soooooo glad she was soooo right! Anyways, thanks for pointing that out, I too love the photos!

Jens3sons

We did our advancement ceremony for our pack a week and a half ago. This year, we were again hoping to have it outside like we did the year before, and that is a long story that I will spare you . We had this one at a forest preserve that offers hay rides. We scheduled 4 hay rides, one for Tigers, one for Wolves, one for Bears, and then one for Webelos and any one else who wished to go (Webelos had already earned their patch a few months ago). The Cubmaster said something to each group before they went on the ride, and we had the parents give the boys their rank patch. When the boys went on the ride with their leaders, on the ride they switched their scarves and slides and hats. The rides lasted about 12-15 minutes each, so while the boys were on their ride the rest of the group we had each den bring a demonstration for camping. While a den or two were on their ride they didn't perform their demonstration, still leaving plenty of others to go to. We had dens that did things like: campfire songs, tent set up, making bamboo fishing poles, one made an ettible campfire, sleeping bag roll-up relays, (and I know I am forgetting one). Anyways, the boys had a great time, and as much as the committee planned for this event, it was so cool when the Tigers (now Wolves) came back to the pack chanting "WE ARE WOLVES!" It was so neat to see the boys add their own "touch". The great thing about this was we only had to keep the boys' attention for a few minutes in between each hay ride, then it was their choice where to go and what to do!

We did add an extra 1/2 hr to the pack meeting, but it was so worth it! Parents got to socialize, the boys were able to run from station to station. After, we made s'mores around the campfire. Everyone got some fresh air and the weather broke long enough for us to still go with the original plan (it had been raining that week, most of the week). We had a back-up plan to meet at the school at the original time had it been thunderstorms or colder than 55 degrees, as the horses would not be allowed out of the stable under either one of those conditions, so we were so pleased we could go with the original plan.

It takes a lot of work to plan a meeting outside under those conditions (especially if the pack hasn't ever done one like that). Last year was our first year, and because the weather very well could've been a problem, I must've had 2/3 of the parents calling me and asking if it would still be outside, since it had still been raining that day, and it rained all week, and now it would be muddy. My standard answer became, "We are not mice, we are scouts, wear crappy shoes and take a hot shower when you get home!" All it was, was they couldn't see the "vision" I had, and once they saw it, they couldn't believe we hadn't done this in the past. This year I only had one parent call me! For both last year and this year, we prepped the boys regarding "Leave no trace", and about leave only footprints, take only memories and photographs.

Jens3sons

It was back in January when I had posted a similair question. At that time we were giving out the popcorn prizes, and we had some minor problems with the boys ordering the pocket knives as prizes. I found out that the boys can earn it at any age. The reason why I had thought it was a Bear requirement, was that it was the first time it is introduced to the boys in their handbooks is in the Bear book. They however, like I said, can earn it at any age. If you have a lot of boys who order the pocket knives as prizes, I would allow them to go ahead and earn it, because Trails End is supposed to now check to see if the boy has earned the Whitling Chip before allowing boys to order the pocket knife as a prize. How they intend to go about that, I have no idea. It may just be up to the pack and the popcorn kernel to check but they are supposed to recommend that the boys do not order it with out having their chip. (That was kind of a long story for our pack, and how I ended up contacting Trails End etc., but this is what they told me for next year's selling of the popcorn.)

Jens3sons

The best suggestion I have for you....YOU DO NOT NEED TO RE-INVENT THE WHEEL! Use the Program Helps book...We get sooooo many suggestions for it! We don't always follow the month to month suggestions, but we do use them all! For example...The monthly theme for April was "Waterways of the U.S.A." We always do rain gutter regata in June, so we switched that monthly theme to June, and did May's idea "Pet Pals" in April, and May's pack meeting will be the June theme of "Destination Parks" as we are having our graduation outside. The other thing we do, is have each and every boy involved with part of the pack meetings. They are all assigned at the beginning of the scouting year what their duties will be each month. Our responsibilities are broken up as follows:

1. Set Up

2. Greeters

3. Flags

4. Song

5. Skit

6. Activity

7. Clean up

We usually don't give the new Tigers an assignment until after the second year Weblos have graduated out, but they are always welcome to contribute at any point in the meeting or in the year.

We also make sure that the dens who have song, skit, and activity have their assignment go according to the theme of the month. There are times dens trade activities according to what works best for their requirements etc, but the main idea is to have a good idea of what to expect before the year gets started.

Ok, this is the 3rd time I have tried to reply to this, hopefully it works this time! (Hubby kept shutting down the dsl on me). Anyways, like I said I am the CC of our pack. I took the position when we were in need of both CC and a CM. (The pack at this point was 61 years old.) I couldn't stand to see the pack disban because no one would step up. The CM stepped up knowing he would only be involved for about a year's time as his son would be crossing over at the end of the year. He rarely showed up, except for the pack meeting. Those were very sad pack meetings, esp. when the knock-knock joke book came out, and boys didn't want to attend the monthly pack meeting! I knew it was all on my shoulders, and I knew I couldn't do it all alone. I knew my first year would be my hardest, and that I would need to recruit, recruit, recruit! I at this point (instead of the CM) would have to decide the direction the pack would "go" and recruit accordingly.

A few things really helped out (this may get a little long, so settle in)...the first was during the one meeting when I was asking for parental volunteer for Scouting For Food this one mom ended up taking up 20 minutes of the pack meeting asking questions regarding what would be involved, and then ended up NOT volunteering! At that point I lost it mentally, but still kept my composure and said..."Look, at the end of tonight, I will have put in 17 hours of volunteering for this pack this week alone, and I still have activities going this weekend. I am one person and CAN NOT do it all! My name is in these pack meeting notes 11 times! Those are all the different things I am involved in! I also can NOT keep doing 6 different committee meetings over the phone each month...it is not fair to me, and it is really not fair to my family! I don't mind helping out, but I need other people to help as well!" The mom still didn't help out, but another man came up to me and said he would do the Scouting For Food. After that, I spent the rest of the year recruiting for the positions I needed to fill, but people were less likely to say "no". I found positions that would suit them well and fitted them in to them.

I finally recruited a new CM (after I had already had one hooked, lined and sinkered, only to have him move across country). We set goals for the pack and worked off of our goals for the year. We now have about 10 people attend committee meetings regularly. Yes, we are still the only 2 to attend round tables, but we are going, and learning every step of the way. There are times we get others to attend, but most times it is just the two of us.

The CM and I also had a vision of setting up a website. We got my husband to create one for us, and it really helps in giving our people information they need. Of course every month families lose pack meeting notes or applications they need to fill out, and they are all there on the website. There are also links for many other sources, especially to the district and council websites. If you are interested our website is: www.ilpack64.com It might give you some ideas.

As far as training is concerned, it should always be top priority. It is in our pack, however, I do not have everyone trained yet...but I look at it as, I have a ton more trained this year than I did the year before, and we will get there. I try and make it mandatory for all new leaders to attend training. You harp long enough, and they will go for it just to get you off their case "squeaky wheel" type of thing. Remind parents that they can attend other districts' training if they are unable to make your district's training dates. I try and stay focused on the positive changes that have occured instead of the ones that aren't still accomplished yet. It will all fall into place...really!

I have parents coming up to both the CM and myself thanking us, and telling us what a great job we are doing and how much better the meetings are going, and their sons' can't wait until the next one! Every month the CM and I think to ourselves "Nailed it again....how are we going to top this one!"...but somehow we always manage to! The boys are having a great time learning the values of scouting...and that is what it is really all about!

So that said let me summarize by saying:

1. Don't give up.

2. Set goals.

3. Get on "Fire"

4. Recruit, recruit, recruit!

5. It will be hard the first year, but you can do it!

Yours in Scouting,

jens3sons(This message has been edited by jens3sons)

mjengels....I am CC for our pack, sometimes I feel overwhelemed from all the different committees we have in our pack, and I have recently refused to be on the new committee, as I am involved in all the others. However, when I took the CC position, I would maybe have 3 people show up for the monthly meeting. I made it manditory for one person (preferably one of the den leaders) to show up, and if they could not, then it was imparitive that they send one of their parents to the meeting. (I was doing about 6 committee meeting over the phone each month and it was getting to be waaaaay too time consuming). Once things started to get underway, a "wild fire" seemed to spread through our pack, and now it is incredible how much better our pack meetings etc, seem to go....all because people are showing up to the meetings!....But to answer your question, other than Advancements, treasurer, and the den leaders for the monthly committee meeting...the other committees we have formed are: 1, Pinewood Derby Committee. 2. Blue and Gold Committee. 3. Crossover Committee, and newly added 4. Camping Committee.

Hope this helps!

Jens3sons!

You do not to complete the requirements before handing them out, only need to show that you intend to. There were like 2 requirements still to finish up before we handed them out, but we have since completed them. At least this is what my Scout shop told me (might be different according to which shop you are in)

I know a lot of people post with questions, however, this time I thought I would pass on something learned...unfortunately the hard way. Although I was not in charge of B & G this year, I served on the committee (like I serve on most since I am the CC) but we definetely learned a good lesson. Since B & G takes a couple months of planning etc, Lent was never even "on our mind" when we were planning for our B & G. (As a pack we usually meet the 3rd Friday of the month, and so most of our B & G's have also been on that Friday.) This year, after the great deal we got last year on food, we went with the exact same order for the exact same amount of $ (Pasta, beef, salad, rolls, appetizers, and a couple football size pizzas also to be used as a "filler"). I never had so many parents complain about not being able to get a piece of cheese pizza in my life! At the next committee meeting we realized one of the factors involved was, it was like the 2nd friday of the start of lent. Not growing up practicing Lent, I never even had the thought cross my mind, and my B&G committee person, as someone who DOES practice it, but again w/ it so early this year, and the planning taking place so far in advance, never had the thought cross her mind. So I just hope I am saving some of you some grief, by letting you know that this came up for our pack this year. From what I understand this could be an issue ever 4-5 years, and fortunately I still should be the CC when it does come up again, and can pass the tid-bit on, but thought maybe I could be of a help to some of you as well.

Jennifer

We did however earn our 75th Anniversary Patch at B & G, and the centerpieces reflecting the 75 yrs of scouting were just awesome!

In trying to cut down cost this year of the trophies we give out, my PWD committee this year ordered trophies online for the first time....we saved a bundle! and the trophies came in about 6 days total time and they look awesome! They were ordered from www.quicktrophy.com

Happy Derby!

Jennifer