northlandscouter

Our Pack has been doing scout accounts for the past couple of years. We do it for all levels and really like it. We figure a budget and then set dues amounts. This year Tiger Cub dues are $30 and all others are $50. Based upon the number of scouts we have these amounts will fund our operation for most of the year. Our main fall fundraiser is popcorn and cookie dough. Say a Bear scout sells enough popcorn to generate $100 in profit, we take the dues amount from that and the rest goes into his scout account. That account goes for camps and other special things the pack does not pay for. He can build this account up over his entire time with the Pack. When the Webelos II crosses over, we cut a check to the Troop he will be attending. Also, if a scout leaves and goes to another Pack we forward a check to the receiving pack. The money is technically still "Pack money" but has been allocated to his account. The only time the scout does not have access to it is when they leave and do not continue in scouting. The best way we have found to track this is by using PackLedger. It is not an easy program to get used to at first as it is very close to a true accounting program - Quicken or MS Money are easier - but it is already set up with this and other helpful features.

Our Advancement Chair/Registrar handles all applicaitons. She checks for accuracy and collects fees. She then coordinates with the Cubmaster and Committee Chair for signatures on scout forms and the Committee chair and COR for adult leaders. She then turns money into the treasurer and gets a single registration check from him. She also logs all new members into Packmaster. Then anyone going to the Council can drop the package off. The Cubmaster and Assistant Cubmaster coordinates den assignments with current den leaders and works with the Committee Chair on the formation of new dens. The CC, CM and AC work together with new den leaders. The CC works with new leaders who don't want to work specifically with a den. We find that having one person handle registration is the most efficient and leads to the fewest errors. This is whether the new members are from a big recruitment or a new scout off the street. I don't recommend having the Cubsmaster or Assistant Cubmaster do this as they should focus on Pack Meetings, den meetings and den leader communication. If your pack is large enought this function should be left to a committee member.

Well, with a 100% trained requirement to get the knot, I don't see to many of those being earned. That is, of course, unless we have a rash of pencil-whipping the records. In all seriousness, it often is difficult to get 100% trained in all positions. Adult leaders have families and other obligations and are sometimes single parents. It is difficult to add 3 to 6 more hours a month to the "one hour a week" for training. Training is usually at the convenience of the training teams schedule and why not, they have families and other obligations, too. I would not be in favor of the Pack Trainer doing Leader Specific unless they have served in that position but I would favor all the others. Unfortunately, I can see the scenario FScouter described playing out all to often. There has got to be some sort of balance that can be found. Improve the convenience to adult leaders while at the same time ensuring quality. Of course, there is probably a Nobel Prize waiting for the one who solves that!

Our Scout Executive is implementing through the Districts a new recruitment plan. It is to coincide with Back to School Nights and involves both volunteers and professionals from the District getting involved with each Back to School Night and getting recruitment buy-in from school district leadership and individual school principles. Some areas of the plan look great, others do not and have irritated and frustrated some Packs. One of the key changes that is most unliked is our school recruitment targets. Previously, each Pack recruited from 3 schools. There was some overlap with other Packs. Each Pack is now allowed only 1 school - in essence, cutting our recruitment pool by 2/3. Some areas we will be taking a "wait and see" approach. A recent Adventures in Scouting newsletter stated that District personnel will be "assigning boys to Packs and Dens." We don't mind the involvement but when a District Volunteer begins assigning boys to dens within a Pack I would say they have overstepped their boundaries. Suffice it to say, many think this is a big gamble. We typically recuit 10-20 new scouts each Spring and Fall based on the old system. A lot of this new plan depends on District and Pack leaders getting buy-in from school district personnel some of which really don't like the scouts and do not allow them to actively recruit in the schools. As with many things in Scouting, there was no solicitation for input from the Unit level. It was hatched and disseminated at the Council level. We'll see what happens.

Geez, I hope not. Most of the boys in our Pack who were even average achievers as Wolves and Bears have no room on their shirts. You look at my son's shirt and there is no center between Wolf and Bear. Pretty soon kids would have arrow points wrapping around their sides.

I just did a Google search on this topic and I am happy I found it. It am glad to see others are experiencing this issue. It would be great if BSA National would put out definitive guidance on this. We are having this same disagreement in our Pack mainly with those adults that are current Webelos den leaders or parents. It doesn't help when our local Roundtable trains that Webelos are patrols not dens. Other than the Uniform Inspection sheet which refers to the "Den Emblem", does anyone know if there is anything officially in writing that I can pass on to those who are in error?