ManyHats

I've been asked to be in charge of Marketing/Finance at a University of Scouting. One of the classes proposed is setting up a website. "Marketing Your Unit with a Website- Hands-on website development to market your unit. This course will include BSA guidelines for unit websites as well as discuss the benefits of using a content management system." The discription is subject to change. My first thought was to have them set up a free website that has templates to chose from like clubspaces. When we originally set up our Pack's site they did not have advertisements. That has since changed. I know ads are against the guidelines, but it's a 50 min. class. Are there any other free sites that are quick and easy to set up?

We need a water game with a Native American theme for Cub Scout Day Camp. Any ideas?

We were one of the Packs that had a credit card reader as a trial. The cell reception for the reader was horrible. Overall we only had 2 credit card sales. You could run a sale off-line and then when you got recption it would run it through. That's scary for show and sell. They just got the product and you're not sure if their credit card will be accepted.

We have a popcorn evalution meeting tonight for our Council. If you could make changes to anything about the sale what would they be?

"Be active in your Webelos den for at least six months since completing the fourth grade (or for at least six months since becoming 10 years old), and earn the Webelos badge." How do you define active? We have a 2nd year Webelos scout that has attended 1/2 the den meetings to this point, but is currently missing a lot of events and meetings due to wrestling.

He took it to customer service. The person who lost it came up to the service desk frantic. She sent the cub scout a Christmas card with a little $ in it.

I think I have the perfect token. I was incorrect it was Menards not Lowes. Just so happens I have a friend who's husband works at Menards. For Christmas they gave each employee a Menards toy semi truck. They don't have any young boys in their family, so they gave it to me. Perfect timing. I understand the good turn needs no additional reward, but recognizing him in front of the Pack will sell scout spirit.

Proud to say we had a Tiger Cub in our Pack find a $100 bill in Lowes parking lot and turned it in. Is there any special awards for such a good turn?

Everyone expects a family pic on our Christmas card. Usually I think out the idea first and then take the pic. We just came home from our Scout Christmas party and I decided to take the pic. So now I need help with something creative to say on the inside. The outside is my hubby (aka Grinch) with scout pants, bah humbug tshirt and large red and white striped hat, next is my son with official uniform and camo santa hat and then it's me in official uniform and regular santa hat. Any ideas?

ADL made the DL tell her what they are doing next. She was at a breaking point when the DL talked to her like she was just another parent of a scout in his den.

We offered Roundtables, but he can't attend on that night. We encourage all the den leaders to discuss acheivements with previous den leader for that rank. We bought the New Program book. He has a great resource he's not using. If my ADL said to tell them what acheivement we would be working on and they would have a related craft, I'd be excited. This den likes crafts and definitely needs to keep their hands busy.

Our intention was not pass or fail, but more of a form of feedback. So forget the report card or survey. I'm well aware of the new program. It's not new to us. For the last 5 years if it wasn't done in den meetings you had to beg and plead for it to get done. We purchased the new program book and ADL has the section for their rank. This really isn't about getting it done early, but DL wants to be done by Dec. This DL previously was DL for an older group, but needed to step back to be DL for younger son. I've been told numerous times that we lost a couple scouts due to the meetings being boring. I'm afraid the same will happen with the current den.

Stosh - Last year ADL stepped up to take over as DL. She ran all the meetings, planned crafts, etc. to keep them busy. Yes it took all year to advance, but they also had several electives, belt loops, etc. Current DL said he would run all the den meetings this year. ADL keeps asking for a schedule and what she can do to help. My guess is he knows what he wants to cover but isn't prepared before the meeting.

DL has been to TDL and DL training. How do you get them out of the hurry up and get it done mentality?

Upper leaders tend to treat this DL with kit gloves. He brings a lot of money to the pack. ADL took over last year and did a great job, but DL didn't like not being done with rank early. I don't think it affected the DL, but I know the ADL was scrambling to help scouts that had missed several meetings get rank. Ok forget the report card, but what about a survey. From my experience some dens like crafts and other could care less, some like knot tying... I know I've been surprised in the past by what they liked and what flopped.