John-in-KC

shortridge, That's too easy: McLaren tartan, but only once you've completed Wood Badge and have been beaded. At camp staff banquet last Sunday, I saw two young ladies who'd chosen the skirt over trousers/shorts. Very professional looking. My DE had his 1st new uniform tonight as we completed a Cub recruitment night. The shirt pockets are virtually the same size in length and width as the current ones, they just have bellows. The pants appear to be a moderately heavy canvas material. The "forest green" is 2/3 of the way between our current (and former) olive and Exploring/Venturing dark green. The belt looks very good. I think Supply Corporation may well have cracked the code!

Ranger, You said the point more eloquently than I. If the information is moving, you could call it anything. If the information isn't moving, it's a challenge needing a fix. OGE: As you said, we have met the enemy and he is us.

Fred, I know a course director of a National Program. Went to the CD's conference. Made the oath like everyone did. I can point out 20 places in the course where CD decided local circumstances or tradition trumped the oath, and adapted the syllabus. I agree with you on what should looks like. I'm not sure what'll our council will actually implement. Missed you at PTC. Had huge amounts of learning and fun!

Has your Pack had its annual Program planning meeting yet? That will pencil in a lot of dates for your den. Glad you're through OWL. Now is the time to start asking Troops about accompanying on campouts. The kids should get opportunity to see several different Packs in the next year to year and 9 months (depending on how your Pack bridges Cubs to Boy Scouting). Now is the time for Scout Troops to get in gear with you and start marketing their program to your kids. Don't let them off the hook. There should be opportunity for them from Den Chiefs to service projects to camping and day hiking. KISMIF, enjoy the journey... it need not be a race, love the youth! (This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

I will bet dollars to donuts my Council will gladly discard that piece of guidance. Brownsea-22 has more tradition behind it than "NYLT" All the more so since NASDAQ recognizes NYLT as Worldquest, nee New York Local Telephone Inc. Buzzword Bingo!

From a scouting.org search on Venturing Roundtable: 5. Venturing ... VK33491D Venturing Monthly Program FORUM Venturing Monthly Program Forum Replaces the Venturing Roundtable Guide. The Venturing ... http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/25-200.pdf Sounds to me like the Council Solutions Group (nee Venturing Division) and Supply Corporation are not talking to each other. Like I said: Buzzword bingo.

BUZZWORD ... BINGO!!!! Roundtable, Forum, Program Support Meeting, Leader Service Night... That it happens, that it effectively communicates information to unit serving Scouters and offers feedback from them are the things that matter. The name can even be Lolly or Kybo if the message gets across! Sheesh.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

Hi Stelly, welcome to the Forums. Let's give you some resources: Here's your role in the Grand Game: http://www.scouting.org/cubscouts/aboutcubscouts/thepack/webdl.aspx Here's how your Assistant Den Leaders can help: http://www.scouting.org/cubscouts/aboutcubscouts/thepack/awebl.aspx Do you have a Boy Scout serving as Den Chief? He can be a great helper, and it's a recruiting tool for the Troop when your Cubs move up: http://www.scouting.org/cubscouts/aboutcubscouts/thepack/wbdcf.aspx Have you taken Cub Scout Fast Start and Youth Protection training yet? If not, they're easily available online at the MyScouting website: http://www.scouting.org/Applications/MyScoutingFull.aspx Someone in your Council teaches New Leader Essentials, which is a common core package for all Scouters. In fact, here's a description of the Basic Training level: http://www.scouting.org/cubscouts/training/basicleader.aspx Additionally, you'll need Webelos Den Leader specific training. Visit your council website or talk to your Cubmaster, Unit Commissioner, or DE for dates and places If you're planning to take your youth on an overnight, you'll need Outdoor Leader for Webelos Scouts: http://www.scouting.org/cubscouts/training/weboutdoor.aspx OK, on to program. Here are some ideas: Program Ideas for Your First Month of Den Meetings: http://old.scouting.org/cubscouts/resources/13-232.pdf Here are the program themes through the 08-09 program year: http://www.scouting.org/cubscouts/resources/csmonthlythemes.aspx Here are some program helps, including for the current month (August): http://www.scouting.org/CubScouts/Leaders/CubScoutHelps.aspx Finally, here is a chart of age-appropriate activities. WHITE means yes, any color means NO: http://old.scouting.org/boyscouts/resources/18-260/chart.html Please, please, take training when it's offered. It'll be fun, and it'll help you help the kids all the more. Thank you for wanting to serve those kids. You do not know the rewards you'll get from it!

Well, I got the answer for my Council... Yes, we do rent out our Cub World Archery Range and BB range. Rental includes equipment, rangemaster, lessons, all to National Standards. Unit rents it, Council calendars the activity as a closed event under their sponsorship. Lady_Leigh, the key point is you have to see what your Council is willing to do for you Hopefully, they believe in customer service and will find a way to make it happen for you Just remember to stay inside the right/left limits of G2SS.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

emb, Forgive me, I wasn't communicating clearly. The Scout Reservation, and its associated camps, issues staff epaulets to Boy Scouts and Venturers hired for staff. While they are supposed to be "during the season," most young people wear them as a badge of honor for a couple years. Is it outside UG? Yes. Is it a morale builder? Yes. I tend to fall towards morale builders, but then again I am a Uniform Licensee . Now that we've done that, how was your week at PTC?

Is this a Forrest Gump moment (stupid is as stupid does)??? OR Is this a Darwin Awards Honorable Mention moment (he survived after all)??? eisely reported ... you decide

Neither is good. Both are indicators of something not going right in a unit. Cautios probing hopefully gives something closer to the root problem.

Our CIT program is a 1 weeker, to avoid the problems mentioned above. They don't have time to be bored!

Fire Department bring their pumper, let the kids use the tools under supervision?

Our Council also gives CITs room and board. They apply just like Staff, they're interviewed just like Staff, and they're given a contract... just like Staff. They live in Staff Village (usually cabined with several reliable older staff kids), and they get 2 staff T-shirts. We've had pretty good success with them. BTW, on the issue of youth staff membership, one of the books given us at Philmont Training Center was the LT Camp Program (not quite its true title,I'll update with that and the bin number). IIRC there is an absolute requirement that every staffer be a registered member of the Boy Scouts of America, excepting where the Council commercially contracts a service (dining hall cooks as one example).

Your Pack at the absolute worst operates on a 5 year horizon (from the newest Tiger to the going to Boy Scouting Web II). Why not recycle an idea from 3-4 years ago??? KISMIF!

Karen, That's an interesting variant on Grand Old Duke of York

I have to contact one of our Reservation Directors and the Support Services Director today. I'll ask. The wording isn't that cut and dried...

Sadly, some cold water. From G2SS, Archery is out... Cub Scouting Standards Youth members of Cub Scouting are permitted to participate in the shooting activities named in here only. Archery and BB gun shooting are restricted to day camps, Cub Scout/Webelos Scout resident camps, council-managed family camping programs, or to council activities where there are properly trained supervisors and all standards for BSA shooting sports are enforced. Archery and BB gun shooting are not to be done at the pack level. Cub Scouts are not permitted to use any other type of handgun or firearm. http://www.scouting.org/healthandsafety/gss/gss08.aspx Now with this said, the way to bring Archery in is to ask Council to operate their range and furnish instructors as an activity your Pack will fall in on. Yes, it will cost $$$, but I suspect less than the local commercial range. Let us know how this turns out.

Our DAC keeps a record of kids and projects approved, for this very circumstance. He understands they're teens, and often have what Rush describes as "minds full of mush." In other words, life happens. If time is getting critical, don't let the young man hang out, have him reproduce what's in the electronic version and get the signatures. It is a good lesson for his Eagle SM conference though

At one of our Scout Reservations, tonight was the end-of-season staff banquet, year in review shows, and scholarship awards ceremony. I've seen the young people who work our staffs all summer... generally in their work uniform, often hot and tired, but still giving smiles. Tonight, I saw them cleaned up, in full uniforms. With quiet pride, these young people walked, talked and laughed through an evening. Over the next 2 weeks, they'll scatter to colleges in Missouri, Kansas and farther afield, as well as to high schools throughout the Kansas City metro. Our Director of Support Services was at the banquet. One of his major comments was he had received fewer complaints this year than in any of the last ten years. He'd also received more praise emails from Scouters and parents. Then came the good news: Overall, our Council awarded $70,000 in staff scholarships to every young person going for post-secondary training or education. A goodly chunk of that money comes from a growing scholarship endowment, but there was also annual giving as well. These young people are the result of the Scouting programs. They make me glad to be serving the Grand Game

Things I learned at Philmont Training Center that bear on this topic: - BSA National Council has a "World Friendship Fund." Other national Scouting assoications approach BSA with specific needs. BSA then provides the resources, be they training, materials, or equipment. District Executives and Council International Representatives (a volunteer) should know how to flow money. - Most Army posts and Marine Corps Bases have BSA units resident on the installation. If you are near one of them (even not), contact a unit. At the meoment, odds are at least one Scouter from these installations is "in-country" at any given instant. See if they're willing to assist flowing money to Scouters to obtain materials for local units. HTH.

One of the things all the members in my Patrol appreciated was our TG. At the end of the first weekend, we were planning our interim patrol meetings. We asked him some very targeted questions. His quote to us: "For the next month, I am your liaison with the faculty. If you have a question, I will either have an immediate response, or I will have a response back to you in 48 hours." He understood the value of our time in our day jobs/Scouting positions and the sacrifice we were making to be better Scouters. So there's one wily Fox out there who demonstrated to me "what right acts like."

Stosh, Part of it is for the unit serving Scouter or parent, too many of them do not know there are volunteers around. Everything above the unit is either "District" or "Council". Chartered Partners can't or won't share their share of the load. As someone said in the Council Relations forum... we have met the enemy and he is us (quoting Walt Kelly and Pogo). His name was Walt Kelly OGE (This message has been edited by a staff member.) (This message has been edited by a staff member.)

While the disaster in Iowa saddened all of us who are Scouters and may have been Scouts, I think it was a really huge plus for Scouting after all was done. Here were some great young men, hit and some taken by disaster, who boxed away themselves for a while and gave of themselves to be sure no one else left us. Much of the coverage I've seen the rest of this summer has highlighted the postive aspects of our programs.. this even included NPR!