raisinemright

Merit badge classes seem to be here to stay, so instead of debating them, let's make certain that they are not abused. I made a suggestion to the committee that we hold a contest to encourage scouts to earn badges on their own, away from camp. The prize was a $50.00 REI gift card. Each badge got one entry. Eagle required got two. THe reason was because we had seen that many boys only earned badges at camp and then never completed partials on their own. It worked well. I think out of 25 boys, 8-9 of them had entries. My son happened to finish up about four of the long term ones during the contest period. (He would have finished them anyway) The deal is that MB Classes must require the boys to participate, learn, demonstrate and do everything. Pre-requisite stuff needs to be done before the class and books need to be studied well beforehand. One of my boys just crossed over. He is taking First Aid at camp. He's a little young but it was the only decent choice in that block. He will be well prepared.

On a little differnt tack, for second class, scouts must interview a community leader. I invited a federal judge, who was a friend to my neighbor. THe scouts knew well befrehand that he was coming and were told that they must ask a serious question or I would not sign off on their book. In such a group setting, it was very interesting and wide ranging conversation, even though the judge was a raving liberal and kept trying to postulate his bias.

A few years ago, two families showed up at our pack picnic with a whole slew of kids. No one knew who they were but someone had invited them to come. Both have become deeply involved in our Pack and now troop. Like Committee Chair involved. We have also successfully recruited scouts who came to our campout.

At $7.99 each, I snagged up two each for me and my sons. Their troop just bought a bunch as Class B's (Name only, don't call the unicops on me)

I spend so much buying uniform and scout stuff for my kids that I've never been able to justify any sort of leader hat. I do have a nice wool wide brim hat that is well broken in. I usually waer that,but it's too hot in summer. I do have a scout emblem for it, but the hat is too thick and the clips on the back of the pins always fall out and I poke my head. I also have a baseball hat with a logo on it from one of the spooky type government agencies that I wear sometimes too. A friend picked it up for me and I wear it in honor of our unsung heroes who remain nameless yet ever vigilant.

Mine is crossing over Saturday. After 8 years in the pack with two boys, our time is over. I've also had to move out of state for a job with the family to follow, so we're really going to be losing touch. At our banquet, I've heard that they will be doing a little going away thing for me so I've prepared a little speech. If I can get through it.

Here it is. My friends are not all named XXXXX, Their names have been changed to protect the innocent

For all intent and purpose, I left the pack in December for my new job in Maryland, giving up my den leader duties to XXX and Assistant Cubmaster job to XXXX.

I drove back from Maryland a few weeks ago expecting total disarray when I arrived to help set up the derby track on Saturday morning. To my great dismay, I found that I have been totally replaced, as have all the rest of us. I got to the library at about 9:45 to find the track totally assembled and the races ready to go. There was nothing for me to do but stand around and drink coffee.

There was a moment of sadness when I realized that I was expendable. Just kidding. I was thrilled! My family has been part of Pack 518 for the last seven years when my son XXX joined as a Tiger Cub. XXX is now crossing over to Boy Scouts and our time is done.

One of our big worries was what would happen to our Pack after all of us left. We took on a big effort to find new parents and leaders to carry on our pack when were gone.

As I walked into the library, I realized that we accomplished our goal. The big event of the year went off without a hitch. In fact, I think it was the smoothest Derby our Pack has ever held. Thanks to all who had a part in running it. The Scouts did a great job on their cars and the leaders and parents stepped in and made a busy and sometimes stressful day flawless.

Now, as we prepare to take our leave from the Pack, I am grateful to all of you for making this last year a great one and leaving me and my family safe in the knowledge that the Pack that we had a small part in building and participating in over the years is in good hands and well fit for the future.

Ive been involved in a number of different ventures over my life and I can say with great confidence that Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts is clearly the best organization. In an increasingly feminized anti-male culture, the concept of manhood is under increasing attack. Scouts is responsible in a great way for countering that trend.

Even in the small stuff. Our games, which all have winners and losers teaches our boys how to become young men, where life presents challenges and we dont all win first place. Younger siblings and young ladies lining up first for snacks is another example.

Scouts teaches independence and self reliance. A few weeks ago, my boys heard that there was a storm coming, so they set up their tent and slept out in the backyard, waking up to six inches of fresh snow. Thats the independence I love to see and part of what scouting is all about.

Tonight, we are honoring all of our scouts as they earn their rank that they have worked hard to accomplish. We are also saying goodbye to five Webelos scouts as they cross the bridge from Cub Scouting and into the adventure of Boy Scouts. We will also say thanks to five sets of parents who have all been and some will remain part of our pack. We met you as other scout families, but we move on as friends.

We had a kid run for PL against my son. They tied twice so it was decided that they would share the duties in six-month segments. My son went first. The kid then disappeared for 5 months to play basketball returning just in time to become PL to a bunch of kids he hardly knew. My son then became APL. He had earned all he needed for STAR while he was PL except the four months of leadership. APL doesn't count. Then, the new PL was back, but deeply disengaged and he missed many meetings or was very late. My son took up the slack but got no leadership credit. This set him back 8 months for STAR. He's nearly 14, so he's in no danger of aging out, but it was very frustrating for him to be the leader but not getting any of the service time credit.

Due to a job move, I've had to become separated from the troop (and my family till we can sell our house) but in some conversations, I've suggested that the SM require written commitment from a boy to be seriously active (90+% attendance) to be considered for a key leadership position. There have been too many kids skip out on their responsibilities.

I was just talking to another ASM. We might just give each new scout his camping blue card at crossover. This is to kind of show them that earning camping should be a no brainer for any scout

The camping MB now requires campouts to be in a tent on a troop or patrol trip. It used to include family trips but I think they changed it because too many families had very loose terms for camping.

My son's MBC was going to give him credit for one night out with me when he saw the photo's of us backpacking out into the state game area in 10 inches of snow. He didn't need it though. He's pushing 100 nights in the last three years.

Our council has a year round camping award that is looser. It requires one night per month but allows some cabin camping. Last month, the troop had no trip scheduled, so my sons pitched a tent in the backyard in the middle of a small blizzard.

Not scout related but I was a leader of a community club for many years. One of the other leaders was a police officer. Catching kids with pot or alcohol was infrequent but not unusual. We stayed in the same resort every year and we told the kids before they left that we would be searching their stuff and their rooms. Surprise, we knew every possible hiding place in those rooms.

Our approach was to confront the kid, make him call his parents. It was a ski club. On occasion, we were several hundred miles from home. PSaid parents were required to pick up the young offended within the day. The kid was kicked out and punishment was dealt with by the parents.

Hopefully, that would be enough to set them straight.

Welcome to the club!

I share your pride. In my situation, I have had to relocate 500 miles from home due to a new job. (better than unemployment) Even though my family (4 kids, 2 are scouts) are still back home, I've gotten connected with a local troop and am assisting as much as they'll let me. It's also good for me cause it's keeping me in the game and hopefully able to use some of my scout leader skills.

Enjoy the adventure. If you're lucky, it'll only take over your life.

My first year as a ASM, the scouts were at summer camp. I arrived on a Wednesday. Me and another leader went over to see how the guys taking archery were doing. Several of our scouts were in that sesion. THe counselor told me that they were all doing great except for Johnnyscout, one of our boys. He was consistently missing. We went over and encouraged him a little bit. He was starting to complain that his fingers were raw and he was tired. We kept encouraging him. After a while, he actually started hitting the target. Consistently. Magically, the pain in his fingers stopped. The next day, Johnnyscout earned his badge.

After camp, my wife and I stopped at his house to fill his parents in on their son. I was more proud of Johnnyscout showing true scout spirit than I was of the others and even my own son. He hadn't told his parents about the archery problem so they were beaming too.(This message has been edited by raisinemright)(This message has been edited by raisinemright)

All of them have fun and practicality. I don't remember which ones my oldest son liked best, but my younger son, now a WII really seemed to do well on the hands on stuff.

Aircraft is pretty cool. See if there is a Young Eagles chapter at a local airport and arrange for free airplane rides. We had our entire pack and troop picnic at an airport this year. All the kids went up for about a 20 minute flight.

Electricity is kind of cool too cause the cub learns how stuff around him works.

Both my boys did well on the repairs part too. I was repainting aroom and taught one son how to remove electrical plugs and replace them with new ones. Yea, he was 8 years old doing stuff many adults are afraid to do.

Most of all, have fun.

I never knew about this award. I just told my son about it. I'm sure he's at least got 100 nights in so far. He's been a scout for three years and has gone at least one night a month his entire time. More often, it's two nights a month, plus summer camp, some extended trips and family campouts. I think he got at least 30 nights this year alone. And we keep some decent records too.

We went with performance shirts two years ago. Great success. We got some off brand ones through the screen printer. The cost was $12.00 with one color screen. I think we only bought about 25 of them. One nice thing was at summer camp. The scouts washed a lot of clothes in the sink. They seemed to get cleaner easier than regular T-shirts just using a bar of soap.

Last year at Cub day camp, I developed and ran a module about flag skills. Of course, one of the questions was about a flag touching the ground. THe flag code of the United States does not require a flag to be disposed if it touches the ground. a flag may be repaired, cleaned, washed etc. If it gets dirty, wash it. Encourage the boys to wave it high.

It was a fun session and very well received by boys and parents. We had some trivia, folding exercises, proper display, stories and of course plenty of retirement ceremonies around the campfire.

Also, get a proper size flag. Our Pack had this huge behemoth that even adults have trouble holding it high enough.

eghiglie,

You are an outdoor nut! Imagine actually sleeping in a dry tent in the rain.

I was the BALOO guy for our pack. Every single year on the family campout, it rained...hard...all day.

I just left the pack due to a new job out of state, but I'm certain the next campout with be bright and sunny. I may come home for the weekend and show up just to bring rain.

BTW, the rest of the parents need to get a clue about what scouting is all about. Bad weather just adds to the adventure.

I'm BALOO trained, never heard that one.

Lsat month, our Webelos were at a Camporee. It got down to about 25 at night. No comments were made to us or any others.

This weekend, we were camping at a local park. There were a few other troops there with plenty of Webelos around who camped. Last night was lower 30's. No comments.

In Michigan, I can't tell you how many times we've been out camping and the temp went 10-15 degrees lower than expected. What are you supposed to do, pack up and go home at 3am?

There is a big difference between winter camping where there's a foot of snow on the ground and th etemps never go above 20 and camping like htis weekend where it's 60 in the day and 34 at night.

Whatever you do, make sure it does not include Kumbaya. THey guy that does hte service in our camp always has that song and it makes me want to retch.

Here's another question. Our council just merged and they will announce the new name next month. Has anyone had experience with changing lettering on a pack flag?

Should we change the name, keep the old one or buy a new one ($$$)?

My den pays $1.00 per meeting when I remember to get the jar out. I've never recorded what I get, what's in the jar or what I spend. Generaly there's never more than $20 in it and it's usually close to empty at the end of the year.

I think if you start making DL's account for every penny, you'll start losing them. We all put out far more of our own money anyway.

I've got a 15 degree rated Eureka bag that is horrible. Last weekend we had a campout that got to about 26-28F. Even though I had mil-spec polypro longjohn's a knit cap and down booties, I was still uncomfortably cold. Too much air gets in at the bottom of the zipper. I had a similar experience at -5 F last year but expected it that time.

My son has a 0F degree rated bag from Alps Mountaineering that he absolutely loves. Alps has a program called Scout Direct. 45% off retail for scouts and a special program for leaders that has some limited deals at 65% off retail. They make pretty good stuff. We've changed out most of our troop tents to Alps too.

I'll probably be buying one soon.

Our troop just decided to do an incentive to encourage the scouts to earn badges outside of summer camp. There are about 50 partials from the last two years plus a few others.

For each badge completed since hte last COH till Dec. 15, the scout will earn one ticket or two tickets for eagle required badges. The tickets will go into a drawing for a $50 REI gift card.

Lisabob,

On another thread I posted that my son had to call at least 5 MBC's to find one that was still active. We're also in the same council as you.

They really need to update this stuff. Perhaps a password protected section of the website would work.

As far as RR, two great resources sort of locally to recruit would be the Roundhouse at Greenfield VIllage (I learned more in 30 minutes of talking to a guy there than I ever knew about railroading) and the Michigan Transit Museum in Mt. Clemens. I'll bet many of these guys could be recruited to be MBC's

I love the disconnect within scouting.

This weekend, Webelos are specifically invited to camp overnight with the troop, as a separate patrol at our Camporee. But, the guide says that Webelos cannot go to camporee's except as visitors.

The guide also implies that they cannot cook on campstoves by outlawing the use of fueled devices, however, the Outdoorsman activity badge expressly requires the Webelos scout to "assist in preparing, cooking and cleanup for one of your dens meals."

Hmmm.

Here's the scoop, we're going camping overnight at the camporee and the kids are cooking the meals.

Minor thread hijack in progress.

Here's the scenario:

My son was working on his backpacking badge, which took two summers to get completed. After the last trip, he called his counselor who informed him that he was retired. Since I have a copy of the MB Counselor list, I gave him the name of another MBC. No answer. Another-disconnected, another-retired, another-disconnected. He finally got to a counselor and got it signed off.

If we had gone the standard route, SM would have issued five separate blue cards with the name of a MBC and taken a week to get each one to my son.

Is it time to come up with a better way of connecting with MBC's?