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ManyHats

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Posts posted by ManyHats

  1. 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?

  2. 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.

  3. "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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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?

  6. 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

  9. 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.

  10. We've been kicking around having the scouts fill out a report card on their den leaders.

    The idea came about after seeing one of the den leaders boring the scouts by reading acheivements from the book. This leader is concerned about getting things done in a certain time frame. The assistant has tried to ask for the agenda so she could add a fitting craft or game to make the meeting more fun. We thought comments from the scouts might open the leader's eyes. The report card would be done for all dens and not singling out just this one. I'm one of the den leaders, so I would be interested in what they have to say knowing they won't put their name on it.

    What items would you put on the report card?

    Are your den meetings fun?

    What would you like to do more of?

  11. Our Pack lumps it with national dues. We do offer to pay 1/2 their dues if they reach a certain level of popcorn sales and pay the full amount if they reach a higher level.

    Our committee likes quality unit/100% boys life.

    My son usually doesn't read the full magazine, but does like the jokes and scouts in action.

  12. CO didn't really want to sign the Adult Partner app. We explained the boy could not join without the AP app and eased CO's mind by saying we would have a check run. The check will not be public regardless of what is turned up.

  13. Assault and OUI

    We have a friend that is in law enforcement that is running a background check for us.

    The OUI was long enough ago to write off as stupid stuff teenagers do. We will not have him transport other scouts though.

    The assault is a bigger concern.

  14. Doesn't the BSA run a check on all adult partners regardless of address? That information is taken from the boys application. Why do they have an area for the boy's address on the top and an area for the parent's address on the bottom? If it's different you're going to have fill out all that info again on a separate form.

    The boy's primary address is with the mom. That's because of the school he attends. It can still be joint custody. The father shouldn't be considered to have less rights.

    In this particular case the mom did sign the form as well.

    I don't have a problem with extra security and in this case it surfaced something we need to keep a close eye on. But if this boy had signed up next year this wouldn't have come up. I know how the Tiger program is suppose to run, but how many Packs actually get an adult partner to run a meeting? We always have at least 1 registered leader and usually an assistant.

    Having the CO sign to get the boy registered can really delay things unless you meet regularly with your CO.

     

  15. I've obviously not looked closely at an application in a while. Yes it makes it clear that if the adult partner/ScoutParent is not at the same address they have to complete an adult app.

    Seems like discrimination. We don't make other parents complete a full adult app complete with references and a CO signature. I can see if the adult partner is not the parent, but just because dad doesn't have johnny as much as mom...

    Normally the only issue would be getting the CO signature might take a little longer to get johnny registered. But this case is different. Johnny's dad has been honest and listed assault and OUI.

  16. We have a split family case where the dad has a different address than the scout. We were told by our Council that the dad has to fill out an application, since his address is different. Is this correct?

    So the dad filled out an application. He was honest and we don't like what we see. Does the application have to be filled out completely like if he was applying for an adult leader position?

  17. Last year I incorporated it into the Citizen Activity Badge. They were given around 30 and asked to secret ballot vote for their 3 favorite. This was the primary election. We narrowed it down to 3 based on the votes. The next meeting the DL, ADL & CM picked 1 of the 3 and each gave a short speech as to why the den should pick the emblem they represented. Then each scout cast a secret vote for their favorite.

  18. Just curious...

    "Patchtown hast the better selections, but most are pretty outlandish, and outside of what I believe a scouting patrol should be."

    why is that?

    I wouldn't consider the Toilet Patrol, but some of the others are pretty sharp like the Blue Angels.

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