bbender

In our Pack, we've developed a number of policies about this: 1) As to presentation, after having experienced the tedium of the litany of belt loops and pins and so on for everyone, we have determined that B & G is not for "Baubles and Geegaws": we do Rank Recognition only, and ask Den Leaders to make it a fun and excellent ceremony. We tell them that other elements like Belt Loops and so on should be Den Recognition items. We do (if we have a diligent volunteer) note these extra achievements in the Banquet Program, so mom and dad and Scout can see it. -- Now, this is for a Pack

From ideas like those offered in this thread, when we did our "after action" planning after our open District Derby a year ago, I put out this option: a district derby that would a pure free for all fun day of racing just line up and race against your buddies until the wheels fall off. (for the trophy hunters, I suggested maybe we could do that "every other year"). Sadly, that didn't get a groundswell of support, though we did add a completely extra "just for fun" track on which we had completely open line up and race against your buddies until the wheels fall off racing, which was

As a post-script, let me copy the first part of an email from the cub-l listserv that we use in our "info" section about crossing over into a Troop to try to make it clear why the messy way works: " Date: Tue, 06 Nov 2007 03:09:15 -0500 From: Lorie McGraw Subject: crossing over and boring Boy Scouts (was Boy Scout Lists) Hello, I have been watching this discussion with some trepidation and finally just had to join in. First of all, let me confess that my name is Lorie and I am a Scoutaholoc (Hi, Lorie!) After 12 years in Scouts, starting with Tiger Cubs and moving up

I'll offer that, yeah, it's a parent thing, it's a letting go thing, it's a difficult thing to transition from the safety of Cub Scouting to the messy leadership chaos cauldron of Boy Scouts. And it is harder to demonstrate in a few visits why this works, even if you have a relationship in the Cub Scout environment. In our Troop's situation, this is the first year where I don't have a kid in the Pack, though I'm still Pack Trainer and have trained all of the leaders (and pinch hit for many when they couldn't do a meeting), and the behind the scenes "prompter" for current Pack Leaders

On other issues, let me comment a bit from review of the plans and training and such: In the first post, jzweiac notes about Wolf 11-Making Choices: "You can have the Scouts do additional Electives from 2. Be an Actor and make this requirement much more fun. They can make sound effects and a paper bag mask pretty easily." Agreed, excellent idea. And I think that the "Want More Fun Activities?" boxes that made it in the Guide can be useful, though of course they are just a starting point. For example, that day's plan has a "Want More Fun" box that notes "This meeting is all talk, so

On the issue of flexibility (noted by jzweiac, 5yrscouter, drmbear and others), note that at the end of just about every Den Meeting Plan, it says "If youve changed the sequence of den meetings, double-check to make sure you will still advance your boys appropriately and check with the Cubmaster to make sure you stay coordinated with the pack." Granted, in the early rollout/webinars, there was a wee bit of over-emphasis on "do it in numerical order" but . . . you don't have to do it in order. You should do what works for your local circumstance, conditions, weather, resources (includin

You can also go visit the Camping and High Adventure page in these forums, where there probably have been questions posed like this one (I recall vigorous analysis of the pros and cons of the Alps tents, for example), or you can pose it anew.

I've always suggested in trainings and materials that a Den Leader have a "Cub Tub" (of Tricks and Tools) with items youll use regularly and that allow you to switch to a Plan B activity. Because you might need to do that when something falls through (a guest cancels or the DL walks off!) Or if you just need to change gears in the meeting or activity. You could also call it your Emergency Fun Box. I would always have one or two meetings a year when we would just blow off the meeting's plan and do something fun. Sometimes as a reward for the boys, sometimes as a reward (re

I suspect B&G becomes the high point for recognition because in many Packs the B&G night is the Pack Meeting that gets the greatest attendance from family and extended family. That said, whether held in February or April or June, it shouldn't be the "end": there can/should be more stuff to do. And often just pure fun stuff to do, which is easier and better for all. And for those who got their Rank Badges at a prior Pack Meeting you can still recognize them at the B&G. They'll just be wearing the Patch, not having it handed to them and their parents. Then they get dou

Yes. Crossover is crossing over to a Troop (or "transitioning" to a Troop). Nothing to do with AoL. -- You could get AoL and not cross over. -- You could cross over (if you meet the age criteria) and not get AoL. So, in the circumstance where 9 of 10 are joining a Troop and therefore crossing over, and the 10th has determined not to go to Boy Scouts, then that 10th shouldn't participate in the Crossover Ceremony (I will give a caveat below). -- If that chaps the kid or the parents, well, choices have consequences. -- If ya wanna do the crossover, you have to intend to

And if you do have your Blue & Gold Banquet a bit later, you can still say "Happy Birthday" to Scouting. We often have ours in March. Just easier. Keep it Simple. Scouting is grown up and mature, and won't be upset by "belated" birthday wishes. Especially if it makes it easier for your leaders and more fun for your families.

Yeah, I saw the hog pan deal (aluminum, with like a 3 inch lip) at Scouter's Academy here in 09, and said: I'm in. Double them up (one upside down below), and you can almost cook on a lawn (if I was, I'd probably put a few rocks in between the two pans). When I double without insulation, often there is no charring on the grass underneath. Ordered mine from www.hardwareworld.com since I didn't have a Tractor Supply nearby.

It all depends on the length of time between when they sign up and when they cross over. If you have six months, they can cross with the others. Yeah, they'll have what we call "Webelos Tutorial" (Fitness, Citizen), and if your Web II Den camps, knocking out Outdoorsman is a snap. Plus if your Web II Den does Readyman in the 5th Grade Year (something that we like because it makes it easier for those 5th Grade signups, and they can learn that important stuff better later in their Webelos careers), getting to the necessary number of activity badges is very possible for even a modera

I forget whether it was here or on Cub Scout Talk, but I recall recently a post about doing Derby "Drive in" movies: cubs made "cars" out of boxes, decorated them, and then used them to watch a "Drive In" movie. Could be done before, during or after a Derby.

I'll join in: I've attended too many roundtables that were just the "reading of flyers", which is great for those who don't have email (but that is just 1 leader in our District who sometimes attenda). -- I was torn between attending on account of it being "BSA duty" and appearing to endorse such a waste of time. Ours are getting much better (though attendance is still very very poor) with actual program ideas and promotion of what is happening in advance, but ... ... I think that the need for roundtable is much less today than it was back in a day and age when you could not have

Best thing about Webelos for those who have adventure and imagination: Catapults. Hopefully the hot link works: Webelos Catapults, if not, google Webelos catapults. And I hope the G2SS police don't outlaw those because they are shooting the dads!

And to give the racers their time in the spotlight, we have a special "drivers viewing area" down by the finish line where during the first race, they can each get interviewed by the MC and tell us who they are and the name of their car.

Yeah, we use the Boy Scout Troop as our "Pit Row" for check in and transport of cars to the starting gate, and back. We just don't want the inevitable "bobble and drop" and the agony that will come from that! Before we got the computerized timers, in year 1 with 20 racers we had adult judgers, which then meant that we had lots of arguments, including (and it can only be worse today), folks bringing their video cameras to prove that the judges messed it up! Second year we had Boy Scouts as the judges. Nobody -- no. bo. dy. -- argued with the Boy Scouts!!! They don't a

Love the in-car camera idea. I've got to see if we can get a tech-head to do that! We've also got on our wish list two camera options: one with live "race coverage" that we can shoot on the big screen, and the other would be a "sideline" reporter who could do interviews with the racers and put them up on another big screen.

We've had these sideshow activities: -- DMV: get a photo taken for drivers licenses. -- Drive In Movie: on the other side of the gym, we set up a screen and had car themed movies. -- Outside Games: we had Boy Scouts lead some outside games in the courtyard just outside the derby, recognizing that Cubs will want to run around. -- Design Judging. -- Concessions Cafe: A Scout Is Hungry (plus we use proceeds to make the Derby "free" for all who enter). In our District, we're the only Pack with a Track, so after our first year, we did a Pack Derby in the morning, with an "

Or, actually, a Webelo can't earn the Arrow of Light in 4th Grade, unless he is active in his Webelos den for at least least six months since becoming 10 years old, and earn the Webelos badge. So a 4th Grader who turned 10 years old at least 6 months before completing 4th Grade could earn the AoL . . .

Yes, I thought that discussion (which I feared to tread into) played out in a very civil fashion . . . like moosetracker notes, it was more of in a "did you know" vein than a shouting vein. And it included some good commentary for the issues at hand.

Excellent, excellent post no. 1, 83Eagle! You have summed it up perfectly! Yeah, sometimes a lot of argument for argument sake, but not as much as I saw during my brief sojourn on the MyScouting.org forums in late '09, and the emails I see fly by on scout-L are often pretty ugly. As to that acromony, we used to advise visitors years ago on a tie-dyed music site: "Do Not Feed The Trolls!!" ;^)

"The event is a big undertaking for a unit as is, without asking them to plan seprate events for BS & for Webelos" ====> True! That's why I've asked our District to set in stone that the Fall Camp O Ree will be the same weekend as a Council Cub Adventure Day, and that we'll be at the same camp (but on the other side of the lake, about a mile's hike). So, in the morning, off you go Cubbie Dads and Lads, Mas and Pas, Family Campers! Have a nice time at the Cub Event!! Then the Boy Scouts can do the rifle and shotgun shooting, sailing, motorboating, water skiing, oriente

I am going to violate one of my personal rules here (must avoid G2SS rules analysis), because the Camp O Ree rule is one that is more than necessary to offer the protection intended. Yeah, as moosetracker correctly notes, it is strange Cubs can camp together with Troops on other events, but not at camporees. In fact, from a safety and learning standpoint, there is probably greater safety (ability of other units to advise, consult and/or pitch in during an emergency) if a Cub Pack and/or Webelos Den is camping with a number of other Troops (i.e., a Camp O Ree). -- if they are "on their