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Scoutfish

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Everything posted by Scoutfish

  1. Going back to my old pack tonight to run the Pack meeting. The CM waon't be able to do it due to unexpected obligations. The rest of the leadership and committee got together and decided they wanted me to do it because they wanted the boys to have fun and enjoy it. Doesn't sound that big a deal , but I have moved over 30 miles away from my old residence which was already 12 miles from the CO. I live in an entirely different council. I asked the CC if they really needed me to do it and he said: " Oh Yeah! WE really, really need YOU to do this. We want the boys to enjoy sco
  2. They pay the full dues. Thing is, they are just completeling the full circle. See, way back when they joined as tigers, they paid Boy's Life, Insurance and registration fees to the council - not the pack. So when they came to the pack, the pack itself covered the cost of any and all recieved awards, pins, beltloops, etc..... until recharter comes in January. So, you geta free ride for 4 months( at end of year) as a Tiger, you pay full price ( at beginning of the year) for 3 months. So, anybody really feel that cheated over one month?
  3. " Perhaps it was discussed at a pack committee meeting which Blujacket didn't attend. Or perhaps Bluejacket didn't attend the program planning meeting where a decision was made. " Doesn't matter a single bit. Even the entire committee ( which exists only on paper) decides to not participate as a pack,fine - but they NEVER EVER have the authority or right to prevent families from doing things on their own. The families get to make the final decision as to wether they want to attend a scouting event. And if the CM thinks that this is competing with her program, then she needs to s
  4. "So imagine on Monday morning, I'm making up a simple flyer for your unit - Pack X, United Methodist Church, meets blah blah, Cubmaster name and phone number." THis is where you should have stopped. You called and you left messages. So you didn't get a responce back in the time framce you decided on. Too bad. You offerend some help. Let it go at that. What if I decide your grass isn't cut as short as or as often as I like? Doesn't give me the right to go and cut your grass. Same about your laundry, oil changes on your car, etc... Not your decision, not
  5. There are two seperate issues here: What is going on in this thread, and what is going on in the other. Two different issues with two different acceptabilities. In this thread - let's break it down: "My children attend school in the Pack's area, my wife works there also. So I do know many of the families and talk to them." These are friends and aqqaintances...not total strangers. He has regular contact that would happen even if not involved in scouting. "There are Council and District events the Pack does not participate in. Recently I was talking to a few p
  6. "Families may opt-in for emails and news. Put a flyer in the scout shop advertising that, if there isn't one already." While this is indeed true, you have to recognize that with most families, 98% of any scouting info the get ( at the pack level) comes from pack leadership. We as scouters tend to forget what it's like being a non scouter parent, or a new to scouting parent. With most things scouting related...you are not aware of it's existence if not being told by your leadership. G2SS? WHat is that? Never heard of it til I became an ADL and took ADL training. IT wasn't
  7. Been a while since I posted, but gonna throw my $.02 in anyways... Screw the CM's wishes! THis isn't about the CM, This isn't about stepping around somebody's authority ( which doesn't exist in this particular issue) ! This is about scouts and their oppertunity/ ability to do a scouting activity! My pack used to have two pack campouts every year( before I became CM) . The funny thing was that they were held at the same time the council held it's parent/son weekends and at the same time as Resident camp. Seems the current CM thought council events were boring, over rated
  8. I think you are mixing up two seperate issues here: 1) BSA's policies for being a member of BSA 2) Getting people to attend a fundraiser. BSA may disqualify you from joinginmg scouting for being gay or athiest, but believe you me..they will have no problem witha scout selling popcorn ( or whatever the fundraier is) to a gay or athiest. BSA joining requirements do not apply to hosting fundraisers for units, individuals or council. So, for your fundraiser, invite anybody and everybody you want.
  9. Depends on the award. Award knots are presented at the end of pack meetings when they are earned. Pack unit awards are presented during B&G and at crossovers and year end rank graduation. WE don't overshadow rthe scouts but do get the scouts involved by being the ones who present the actual awards to the leaders.
  10. Weight is not the sole judgement nore is it the final factor. On part C, there is even a paragraph explaining that the BMI may be used in place of just weight limits. 20% for females, 15% for males. I weight in at 257 pounds right now. I sure could stand to lose 15 pounds. I am 6'2 1/4" tall. But my BMI puts me in a good spot. We have an ASM in our troop who weighs 270 +/- . This guy probably has less than 3 pounds of fat on his body. He is bulit like a brick outhouse! Strong, toned, and could bench press his own weaight without any problems. Technically, he is grossly obe
  11. I posted this thread here because even though socks are part of the uniform, this isn't about the who, what or why of uniforming. Okay, I have been camping more times in the last 5 years than I had been in the 36 previous years before. Faced mosquitos the size of humming birds, snakes, spiders,ticks, ants, bees, things that I am sure George Lucas wished he put in any of the Star Wars movies, and raccons( not direct contact). Never been stung, bit, attacked or eaten yet except a few skeeters and no see-ums. Last weekend, we did a service project for a National Park and as f
  12. I have been on both sides of that fence too. When I see scouts from other units doing something they shouldn't, I usually don't say anything unless it involves a threat of injury, safety, bullying, or some other type of damage. I also feel like I am sticking my nose where it doesn't belong. But I also know that some mean scouts purposely wait til they are away from an adult leader ( within their own unit) to "get" the victim. On the other side of things, I do know I will be more likely to go out of my way when my scouts are observing. I guess it makes a good example for
  13. Mind you, this year was my first year at summer camp, but not my first time dealing with boy scoouts. I really enjoyed the flag ceremonies. Especially the evening one when announcements were made directly afterward ( right before dinner). The staff would always do a ( insert name here) check and pile on like a football team piling on whoever got tackled. I loved the whole ditty and song that came when somebody said "announcements" I especuially like the verse about windbags and submarines. Again, I have no issue with the dining hall spirit challenge, just give extra time
  14. Sounds like you did a great job. I like the fact that you realize no matter how good things are, we can alwats improve somewhere or try to make it better. When we go to camp, having parents tag along has never been an issue...so far. They seem to get that they can't go. Even the ones who will miss their kids to death. They never consider the idea of going to camp. They'd rather go bring thier son home the first day. As a ASM along with any other adult leader or the SM, we always make a point of "offering" any and all suggestions to the SPL or ASPL . WE never give them to the scouts
  15. ZScout5, check your Leaders uniform inspection sheet again. BSA Uniform inspection guide ( PDF ) from Boy Scout Trail: http://www.boyscouttrail.com/external_frame.asp?goto=/docs/uniform_male.pdf BSA Leaders uniform inspection sheet from BSA.org ( PDF ) http://scouting.org/filestore/cubscouts/pdf/34048.pdf " Cub scout leaders and female leaders wearing the official uniform shirt or blouse may wear one temporary insignia centered about the Boy Scouts of America strip. " Cub Scout leaders AND Female leaders. Meaning any cub scout leader andfemale leaders in
  16. "C'mon, admit it Scoutfish. You're a communist, aren't you? " NYET!
  17. Mainly, it's one mom. She's the worst of them all. Other parents totally get it . Matter of fact, those parents say it's okay to whatck the scout on the back of the head if necessary! I'm almost to the point of taking a hand stapler and stapling the broken rule to her forehead everytime she does. And again, it's not like she's purposely trying to be malicious about it...she just truely thinks that she and her son's situation dosn't quite apply .
  18. "Yes, I do have the training through Council, though it is called Leader outdoor experience, it combines BALOO and the Weblos camp training in one. The don't go into detail of a pack camp out." If this is true, they they have totally screwed up the whole point of the training. BALOO is specifically about pack camping. What you have taken is like taking math without discussing numbers. Luckily, you can buy the book at your scoutshop: BALOO guidebook (Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation), No. 34162 Again, if they didn't cover anything to do with pack campouts,
  19. I don't mind the singing, just wish they would wait longer til they did it. Don't care to be halfway through my meal when the table starts jumping up and down and my drink spills and becomes part of my mashed potatoes and chicken. Nothing like watching 2 or 3 boys jump up in excitement...except when that excitement is them now wearing their drink in their lap. Again, the singing, spirit and comradierie are awesome..just wish they'd give everybody time to finish eating. There is always at least one scout who gets so wrapped up in the shouting, singing and table pounding that
  20. You know...If I found somebody's abandoned boat...and they aid they would sing for a discount..they had better be in a professional band. Other wise I'd probably shoot them as I'd think they were psychotic!
  21. See, I'm not saying we become babysiters either. If a particular scout constantly keeps forgetting his book, shoes, glasses, etc... then we don't just keep giving it back words unspoken.. But if a scout who has been in the troop for years forgets one thing one time...are we really doing anything by lumping him in with everybody else? Point is, it's still our vow to help other people at all times. There isn't a "Except when.." disclaimer at the end of that. Now take it a step further. How many times has the leadership forgotten to bring something to a committee meeting or lit
  22. Okay, we usually start planning months ahead of time. Friday night: We set up tents and campsite. Each family is on their own as far as food goes. Usually, a few leaders will cook something that uses one pot. I used to cook black eye peas and smoked sausage and a chicken and pastry. Another leader would make low country boil( shrimp, fish, crab, potatoes, onions. Another would make poor boy hogies. Simple stuf that feds well. Saturday Morning: Adults and Webelos scouts cook pancakes and patty sausage. Bears work as servers in serving line. We start cooking at 7:30 so
  23. Well, let's be clear: Watching is not participating. If you are not in uniform and are sitting in the audience, then sure, you are NOT participation. But if you are in uniform, standing at attention ( between audience and flagpole & color guard) and you salute on key, drop the salute on key and recite whatever is being recited - then you are participating. Observation is not participating, but just because you are not running the show as part of the color guard does not mean you are not participating. And yeah, there is no minimum number to the color guard, but eve
  24. You can always sew them patches to their backpcks or daypacks. When we ordered ( by this I mean I ordered them , but the boys paid for them) custom patrol patches for our NSP, the minimum order amount worked out so every boy gets 2 patches. They are sewing one on their shirt and the other to their backpacks and day packs.
  25. The problem with people wearing above their right pocket comes from trhe fact that CUB SCOUT leaders can wear temporary patches there. Take a scouter like myself who works on the pack, troop, and district level and you see people at troop functuons with a temp patch above their right pocket.
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