redfrecklemom

From what I understand from my Council (Calumet in NW Indiana) -- this is a special program for this fall only. The cars and the boxes, etc. were donated (or underwritten) by General Motors for the fall round-up. How Cool is that!!

My Council is distributing them this way:

We held our Round-up and then went into the Council Office to pay for the 17 boys we recruited. When we had piad, the Council gave us 17 "goody boxes". I would've loved to have had them at the Round-Up, but can see the Council's stand on this paying in advance -- (sometimes it's all about money & membership!) We will now hand them out at the next Pack Mtg. I did have to "finagle" two extras out of the Scout shop employee for 2 Tigers that we registered over the summer (they wanted to go to Day Camp) -- that was quite a little hassle, but I talked her into them!

I think it is a great little thing for this fall. We are talking about inviting local GM dealers to our District Pinewood Derby (with all their literature as an attempt to sell cars, of course!) to say THANK-YOU!

just FYI..........

I HAD posted a message about regional patches and placement......as well as a question or two about temporary insignia.

My browser was set for "Display last 90 days" on this board..........after posting, I went back and had them posted for the past year and noticed the 2 pages of discussion on this ( a little more than 90 days ago!)

same subject. Sorry, next time I check back further before I post!

I think all of you covered this well.....uniform police and all!!

I would just delete this whole message, but don't know how!

Thanks for all the input back in February though!(This message has been edited by redfrecklemom)

Let me add an eighth idea that helped us this year -- we had sign-ups for carpooling right off, too. Our Day Camp is a 1/2 hour drive away, so people were reluctant last year to sign up for the travelling up there and back 4 days a week.

This year, at deposit time and sign-ups, we set out a carpool sheet, too. Had who can drive which days and which direction and who cannot drive at all, but would pitch in for gas $$ (The parents who both work full-time are usually game for the pitching in rather than worrying about transportation.)

I also (probably sadly) sold Day Camp to a few parents as cheap babysitting for the week. A couple of moms were reluctant to fork our the $55 for 4 days that ours costs -- I said where else can you drop your kids off (Only becuase my "walk-around parent" sheet is full of volunteers!) for 4 FULL days of fun activities for that kind of $$? Got a few to think about it that way! (Don't tell my DE that we promoted it as daycare -- but his ##'s were up from last year, so.......)

Anyway just another thought about the carpooling.........

I bought some sucker molds off of E-bay a few months back -- made great favors for our Blue & Gold Banquet!! The people I bought them off of also run an on-line store called "Cakes 'n Things"

The URL is

http://www.cakesnthings.com/catalog/catalog.htm

search their catalog under "candy & sugar molds", then "jobs" -- LOTS of cool stuff!

Good luck!

YIS,

Darlene

webelos mom

tiger leader

advancement chair

I am sitting here stapling badges to cards, beltloops to 3x5's and sticking Webelos activity pins thru their cards....desparately trying to get ready before Saturday night, for our Blue & Gold Banquet this Sunnday!

We have a new Cubmaster and are going to officially "induct" him on Sunday. I cannot find the copy of the cecremony I wanted to do for him. It is a Cubmaster induction or installation that had a walking stick as the prop. Like, he gets the walking stick from the old cubmaster and then, will in turn, pass it on to the guy after him.

Anyone know what I am talking about or have it stored on their computer somewhere?? Please forward it to me, if you do....I am searching and searching......on the web, here and in my stacks of PowWow books!! HELP!!!

Thanks in advance!!

YIS,

Darlene

Pack 234, Lowell, IN

Webelos mom,

Tiger Leader

Advancement Chair

The new BSA catalog has the changes for 2003 listed as a supplement to the 11th edition Boy Scout Handbook. My council office did not have it yet, but it is only $3.80 in the catalog.

I know what you mean about the books, though. My son is just crossing over into a troop - but the same is true for Cubs........everytime we get a program working well and get to know it, they change things around on us!! Oh well, though, I guess it keeps us on our toes! And, I will have to say, that I really like the new Tiger and Webelos programs better than the old ones!

YIS

Darlene

Webelos mom

Tiger Leader

Committee Advancement Chair

Pack 234 Lowell, IN

I am searching for a form to track Cub Scout Belt Loops & Pins on the pack level. I have downloaded the tracker spreadsheet from the Virtual Leaders handbook - but do not have Excel - so I can only look at this spreadsheet.

What I would eally like to do is track these on a PACK level. Whenever we have a gym night, to work on a specific beltloop, we get this -- "My scout already has that one." -- or "We did that one the year before last."

I know that I will not be able to make everyone happy at these gym nights, but would like to be able to glance at a chart or form and see which beltloops would be productive to work on on these evenings.

The BSA reporting forms are useful on the den level and I am filling these in to be able to glance at each den individually, but am really looking for something on the pack level.

Anyone got anything that would be useful?

Am I missing some really obvious form somewhere??

Any advice or helps greatly appreciated!

THANKS!

Darlene

Pack 234

Lowell, IN

(Webelos mom, Tiger Leader, Committee advancement Chair)

We had a couple of "grandmas" sew us some brag vests out of cheap ($1.88/yard),red, poly/cotton blend fabric from Walmart. They look just like the felt vests sold at the scout shop, but wash up and hold up much better. We simply took orders for them (as to which size for which boy and paid for them up front) at the first pack meeting in Sept and the "gramma's" had them sewn up and ready to go by the Nov Pack meeting. They were SO cheap to make, and of much better quality than those red felt ones!! I cannot remember what they charged for them - maybe $6-$7?? This more than paid for the fabric and thread and gave the women a little something for their time!

Something to think about, anyway......both Simplicity and Butterick make a pattern for vests cut similarly to the one at the scout shop.

YIS,

Darlene

Pack 234, Lowell, IN

Webelos Mom

Tiger Den Leader

Committee Advancement Chair

Not a whole lot out there for Wolves -- but a few funpages on Pack 114's website.

However, if you move up with your den, bookmark 114's website. Barb Stephen's has made up fun pages pertaining to EVERY Webelos activity badge. I ran across these last year and my husband has used them with his Webelos this year. he used them as den meeting activities and sends some home as "homework". They have really helped enhance his Webelos program! Check it out at:

http://www.creighton.edu/~bsteph/pack114/funpages/index.html

These guys have a WONDERFUL website and FULL library of resources for all of us to "glean" from!!

Darlene

Pack 234, Lowell, IN

Webelos Mom

Tiger Leader

Advancement Chair

Here's one we have used - just a little skit with a whipped cream pie. The Boys LOVED getting to smear their den leader!!

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

Characters: "Bob" the den leader, 12 Cub Scout friends (if den has less than 12 boys, have them repeat their entrance on stage)

Props: Items called for in skit on a table (use your imagination to create wilder items)

Setting: Bob is standing by table with props. As each boy enters, he hands him the appropriate item.

Cub 1: On the first day of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- a knob to adjust my TV. Thanks Bob!

Bob: You're welcome!

(Each cub takes items and exits. Then next cub enters from opposite side of stage)

Cub 2: On the second day of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- two napkins. Thanks Bob.

Bob: You bet!

Cub 3: On the third day of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- three french fries. Thanks Bob!

Bob: No problem!

Cub 4: On the fourth day of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- four comic books. Thanks Bob!

Bob: Glad to do it!

Cub 5: On the fifth day of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- five rusty nails. Thanks Bob!

Bob: Don't mention it!

Cub 6: On the sixth day of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- six greasy rags. Thanks Bob!

Bob: OK!

Cub 7: On the seventh day of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- seven soggy sweatshirts. Thanks Bob!

Bob: Yeah, you're right!

Cub 8: On the eighth day of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- eight mugs for milk shakes. Thanks Bob!

Bob: Give me five! (does high five with Cub 8)

Cub 9: On the ninth day of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- nine dirty dustpans. Thanks Bob!

Bob: Cool dude!

Cub 10: On the tenth day of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- ten leaping lizards. Thanks Bob!

Bob: Check you later!

Cub 11: On the eleventh day of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- eleven pies for pitching. Thanks Bob! (A pie plate full of whipped cream can actually be thrown at Bob here -- if you like!)

Bob: (Wiping off whipped cream) That's what friends are for!

Cub 12: On the twelfth day of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- twelve dump trucks dumping. Thanks Bob!

Bob: Bye pal! (last cub exits, table is cleared of all props) Now let's see. That was (singing) twelve dump trucks dumping, eleven pies for pitching, ten leaping lizards, nine dirty dustpans, eight mugs for milk shakes, seven soggy sweatshirts, six greasy rags, FIVE RUSTY NAILS, four comic books, three french fries, two napkins and a knob to adjust my TV (looks at audience and wipes brow). Whew! I finally did it. I finally got my closet cleaned out!

_________________________________________

Have good holidays!!

Darlene

Pack 234, Lowell, IN

Webelos Mom

Tiger Leader

Advancement Chair(This message has been edited by redfrecklemom)

Thanks both of you for the encouragement--

I logged on to Bob White's web site yesterday and printed out a bunch of stuff for our new Cubmaster to read through. Also, after expressing my concern to my husband (Our Webelos leader now, but has been my 11 year olds leader from Tiger year on, and a former Boy Scout.....he thinks he is "Mr. Scout, but pretty much stays out of the Pack Politics and concentrates mostly on his den)......Anyway, after talking to him a little, he has agreed to help with the transition. As far as helping Bill, our new guy, with the Pack Mtgs a little and being there with suggestions and to answer questions.

I know that our Committee is suppossed to "run the Pack" and we are working on that. We are in our 3rd year since the last transition and the old Committee was totally non-functional. The whole pack was run by the old Cubmaster. She resigned when her son graduated 3 years ago and left everything to the then Committee Chair. That woman then just took over in the same manner. No one new anything except her. She resigned last year when her son graduated and we have an almost totally fresh Committee. The few old timers who are still hanging are adjusting to the way things have been better delegated this past year or so. Many of the old hard feelings and "power trips" have been left behind. We are finally starting to establish specific jobs within our Committee - which, really, makes everyone's jobs easier. Delegation makes each person's individual job much easier to focus on and be sure it gets completed. The Cubmaster who is leaving, and I, as Advancement Chair, have been struggling to get people to understand this. The BSA has laid everything out so wonderfully, and set Packs and Troops up for success, if you just follow their program!!

I am excited about Bill taking over as Cubmaster. Not only is he a Tiger Dad, but also has a 4 year old son at home, yet, too - so we could really suck this one in for the long haul!! I think with all the old Webelos parents moving on to Troop positions in February, Bill has a good chance of succeeding at this, too. Transition is always a little difficult and stressful, but our Pack has really grown since the last transition (we have 25 Tigers this year!!) and I am excited to see where this all goes.

Bob - thanks for the wonderful information on the web-site!

And thanks to the rest of you for all the information I have already gained by just lurking around and gleaning off of all your questions and answers to each other!!

What a great community!

Darlene

Pack 234 - Indiana

Webelos mom

Advancement Chair

Tiger Den Leader

I have been "lurking" around here for months, reading messages and gaining knowledge.......

now I have a question for all of you.

Our pack needs some advice on making the transistion from old to new Cubmaster in the "middle of the year" here. Our current Cubmaster leaves for military recall duty this week and we had a "Tiger Dad" volunteer to take over (WHEW!!) He is scheduled to go to CSLT with some of us this weekend, and has been reading, reading & reading almost everything about "cubmastering" that I could get my hands on for him. I had a hand in recruiting him to this position (He & his son are part of my Tiger Den) and I really want to see this work out. We had a transistion year about 3 years ago and have finally started to get our pack back into doing things the "right way". Our Committee Chair is in her first year, and most of the other Committee positions are held by Webelos 2 parents. This means that we will have almost a whole new Committee this spring when the Webelos cross-over into a Troop and take their parents with them. I see this as maybe not a bad thing for a new Cubmaster -- he can start fresh without all the "we always do it that way", you know? But it also has the potential to be very crazy for awhile - I hate to see things get lost in the shuffle, just because "no one told me about that".

Any advice?? Who should I introduce this guy to to help him with the transition? What other literature, besides the Leader Book and CSLT papers, etc. should I make sure that he gets? I remember being a new leader and thinking my husband had signed us into some kind of cult! It can be overwhelming! (Our new Cubmaster has little scouting background himself, but his father-in-law is an assistant Scoutmaster in a Troop in our district. I spoke to him at Rountable and am confident he will help answer any questions)

I am just fretting the transition, but don't want to come off as the "know it all, pain-in-the-butt, old-timer" that irritates everyone, either, you know? I just want to be available and helpful without stepping on toes (Although it is difficult for me as the lack of organization sometimes makes me CRAZY!!)

Anyway, any advice welcome!

Darlene

Pack 234 -- Indiana

Advancement Chair

Tiger Den Leader

Webelos mom