Austinole

I'm planning for next year. So far, I am giving out arrows with advancement stripes and a plaque. I'd like to give them something else, just haven't figured out what that is. Maybe an engraved knife. Last AoL awards were arrows, neckers and epaulettes.

look for an AHB to emerge

this is a good thing. its time to have a conversation with your CO and decide what you policy is going to be. It gives a tighter relationship with unit and CO. It gives people choices to what type of unit they are interested in being a member of.

to go pretty far. Not just to sign off on activities but to get them caught up on the material. I know I'll have that issue next year with several of the scouts in my den. I try to get them caught up with they come to camp outs.

We use them. We're the Blue Phoenix Patrol.

lrsap, I was lucky, my wife is just as crazy. She went to Woodbadge with me and took on her own den.

I wonder if it wasn't scouting would it be some other activity. We all have to balance life. Sometimes I'm good at it, sometimes not.

Yes.

Not yet, but that's a great idea.

Yes.

My son enjoys getting it and reading it. Using it as part of my den meetings is a great idea.

Sounds like a great idea. Ceremonies are only as good as you make them. Do you best to make it great!

Great Job!

I've seen the shotgun slide. It's pretty cool. Keep up the good work.

Yeah, not allowing others to be able to update it is a problem. As it stands now it won't be useful to our pack.

that is odd. Not much info regarding the disappearance.

that's great!

I understand your frustration. Keep looking for that troop that works best for your son and you.

We had an old school bus with in my Troop back in the 70s.

Encourage them to bring in both troops to show off and take the Webelos II camping. Let the boys see both troops and make their decision.

Agree, this is a great benefit of WB. You get to know other scouters that are in to scouting as much as you are. This has helped me be a better WL because I have more information/contacts about places to go and people to see.

we made leather fobs and used leather strings for beads. Those plastic strings are terrible.

Boy Scouts

Summer Camp X 2

Camporee

Winter Camp

Shooting Sports day once a month

NYLT

Cub Scouts

Tiger Prowl

Family Camp

Pinewood Derby

Mom and Me Camp

4 day camps (one for each district and one for the council)

Resident Camp

Webelos Camp

Venturing Super Weekend

Venturing Super Week

I am lucky in that I have a great district. I volunteer as much as I can. I find that volunteering helps my unit as well. I am well connected with what the council is up to and have some influence in it.

I like the JTE. It's quick and easy to do. I do my best to get my unit, district and council to the gold level. It's like any other award in scouting. You get out of it what you put in.

Glad you're enjoying yourself. My WB class only went to Bears. I've only met one Buffalo and Antelope in our Council.

We have 3 to 4 Pack camp outs a year. We change up the locations each year. Most are state parks (Florida and Georgia) and have a fire pit that we utilize. I'd check with your C.O about a suitable location for a permanent fire pit. If there's not a good place for one bring a portable fire pit. Florida State Parks has a great tool call "One Tank Adventures." It lists all parks within a average tank of gas. At all our Pack Camp outs Families and siblings are encouraged to come. If you fill out your tour plan should help you stay in compliant with BSA regs. Doing it online is easiest because it keeps leader info. We're lucky to have 4 leaders with BALOO training so we've always got somebody trained.

A typical camp out:

1st day - Friday: Arrival and setup - food is on your own

2nd day - Saturday: Breakfast on your own, lunch on your own, Pack Dinner. We usually have a pack event to do (hike, fishing), a service project then breakout in to den activities. Of course, we allow for the kids to have plenty of free time to play.

3rd day - Sunday: breakfast on your own. Tear down and leave.

I think the key to a successful camp out is to have a plan and make sure everyone knows what they are responsible for. Delegate and get people involved. If you're going to have fishing; find your parent that has that skill and put them in charge of it. I like to have a theme for the event. It might be cave exploration, or fishing, forestry, historic tour, map and compass or Native American history/crafts.

I dunno. One transferred to another pack that met at a different day. One dropped out because his parents told him he had to choose between activities. One just stopped coming.

I still have to core of boys I started with at Tigers. I think we lost one at the end of the Tiger year. We got 3 more for Wolfs. No losses to Bear then lost 3 to Webelos. Right now I have 10 scouts in my Webelos group.