Scoutfish

OUTDOORS, First off...I am not ticked off. Not in the slightest bit,. Just countering the fact that you'd require climbing peaks to be real camping. And 448 mi, 7 hours 30 mins is EXACTLY how far it is from my troop's CO to the closest high peak to climb. So, just like Basement said, we'd get to the mountains around 3am Saturday morning to begin our hike after getting homwe from school. I guess we'd have a few hours to walk in circles, eat, set up our tents before taking them down and heading back home. Unless we take 2 more days off each time we go "real" campi

10 year old mini van? WOW! I wish my vehicle was that new! I drive a 17 year old pickup truck. But truth is...I'd still drive that truck if I won one of those powerball lotteries. Yeah, cost is definantly a huge consideration.

My wife is the one who will has an isue with it. She got mad at me when she asked me if my son and I would still share a tent and I told her no. Well, maybe she was mad because I had a huge smile on my face when I said no. She also got apprehensive when she asked me if I would be the one teaching him stuff and I said no. Or it could be because I said I'd be sitting in a chair chilling out or cooking something in my DO. I love to cook by the way. I think one of the reasons that I was aksed to be an ASM is because I beleive in learning by mistakes. I will let a scout mak

Ooops! I meant to throw in there somewhere: Alot of the reason that members of our pack did not do things is because the older leadership did not make newer leaders or parents or scouts aware of the oppertunities out there. Our old CM didn't like council camp so she just knew that nobody else would be interested. The ACm thought district and council events were too expensive for his taste so he never bothered to pass on any info about events. We used to hold our family pack camping on the same date as the council's second camping session. I worked hard to have our pack ca

I have an answer for you, but will have to bring it down to the pack level. My pack pretty much did not attend RT. They didn't go to POW WOWs, BALOO, District events, banquets, council camp either. Why? Because alot of the leadership - who had been in leadership awhile - wasn't interested in that stuff. So when I took over as CM, one of the first things I did was blow the dust off our pack website and recruit a parent to step up as webmaster and also create a facebook page for us. I have full admin power as well as the CC and webmaster. We post anything of potent

I would rather see a 4 day 3 night backpacking trek over 40 miles up and over high peaks where it is common that a night or 2 or all may be in a lean-to or remote cabin. WEll wouldn't that be awesome! Then you could officially say that my troop would only go "real" camping once a year as it is 448 mi, 7 hours 30 mins to those high peaks, and streams where the scouts will have to purify that water before drinking it. Leaders having to take alot of time off from work. Scouts missing alot of school as they would have to have 4 day weekends to do it. Of course, the scouts probably coul

" All we all have proven in the last few dozen post is that we are legends in our own mind. Ouch, touche', and AMEN!

Let's see how much I shake things up in the next few weeks! I am going to accept that offer to be an ASM, and come June 1st, I will step down as CM of my pack - to take on the position of ACM. The l;eaders, committee, and parents of my pack really enjoy what I have done and how I fought to get a dull program changed around and more exciting. They do not want me to leave. And the troop my son is crossing over too also have seen the energy and fresh ideas ( thinking outside the "same ole routine" box). I will step down as District Cub Scout camp promotor, and in the process s

" We really don't want to involve them with the new scout patrol to avoid Webelos III - we've had that happen in the past (not by choice but by lack of volunteers). " I've heard of SM's who stole money from their troops in the past...so does that mean that the SM of the troop my son is fixing to join will steal money too? Seriously! Somebody at one time did something back when - so you think everybody will do that from now on? Our sister troop asked me to be an ASM before they even asked if my son was going to be a boy scout and before they asked - if my son was going to

It's not that much of an issue in my district. In my council? I honestly don't know. To a certain extent, it is an issue with ALL scouters: A few Wolf leaders smirk at Tiger leaders. A couple Webelos leaders might look down at Bear Leaders. Some Committee members kinda sneer at den leaders and CM's. Some Boy Scout leaders give Cub Scout leaders patronizing looks. Every now and then, a crew leader acxts put out to be surrounded by boy scouters and cub scouters at RT. But we are talking about a very, very small amount of people in our district who act this way.

Well...it did ask for stuff not directly related to the program ...right? LOL! A la carte is what I meant! One day I'll have to tell you about my "brown eye gravy" story!

Ummm...yeah... LOL! Typing too fast. Nah, it doesn't say anywhere ( that I know of) of what they should do at any pack meeting. Technically, they aren't supposed to recite anything except The Pledge of Allegience. That is how we do it at pack meetings. Usually they all recite the Cub Scout promise. When the Webelos take their turn at recognition, they usually start out by saying the Boy Scout Oath. When I was saying SUPPOSED TO , I was refering to learning it and reciting it ( wether at home, den meetings, pack meetings, etc.. )

Nancy, Our first year Webelos start out at pack meetings reciting the cub scout promise. As time goes by, they learn and recite the boy scout oath. Our second year Webelos recite the boy scout oath at pack meetings because they are supposed to. It's in their Webelos handbook. They are supposed to learn that as well as the scout law, motto, slogan, and outdoor code. They are also supposed to learn and know the names of all the different parts of the 1st class badge. FOR EVERYBODY Yeah, WEbelos is a learning/ preparing/ transitioning to boy scouts stage, but is

Our pack has an annual BBQ chicken dinner fundraiser to handle costs of giving each scout the necker for the next rank as well as his next rank's scout book. We also cover AoL awards and such. Our sister troop does the same thing: They have a spaghetti dinner fundraiser at least once, and sometimes twice a year as well as have a pancake and sausage breckfast dinner fundraiser> This stuff helps cover cost of travel awards, neckers, etc... Both our pack and troop have very low member dues as compared to oter units. Our pack's dues are $40.00 a year. $18.00 of that go

If memory serves me correctly, it seems like we had some issues with those cars from Michael's a couple years ago. The tires or axels did not pass muster at district PWD. Soimething about the wording wasn't exact either. It might have been that it said Boy scouts on the box, but it wasn't the offical wheels, axels or correct size blank block of wood. Of course, the district PWD committee also deems any wheels and nails that did not come in the original box as "non spec". So if you had bought genuine BSA colored wheels from teh scout shop ...they were considered illegal. Go fi

Over two years? Thing is.......it went unnoticed the first year and went through a second year before getting caught. So how much money did they have that the first year went unnoticed? Our pack will - at it's peak - have around $7,000 in our total account. But this would also include money that has to go to recharter, to the scout office for popcorn sales, new registrations, fall ccouncil camp fees , and include den as well as individula scout accounts. We will drop down to around $600 to $700 at our low point. And $600 is a scary low amount. So, we might go as hi

the answer is simple: next time the council wants to send a FOS rep to your unit, just say: " You have to cut the unit treasurer a check for $155 ( scout parent level suport in our unit). NEXT TIME THE COUNCIL OR DISTRICT ASKS FOR VOLUNTEERS, TELL THEM THEY NEED TO CUT EACH UNIT A CHECK FOR $155.00 PER VOLUNTEER PER UNIT FOR THE VOLUNTEERS TO HELP. Next time the council/ district wants to hold a banquet or RT at a unit, trhe unit should ask the council to cut a check to the host unit for $155.00 per attendee who shows up.

After becoming Cm for my pack, I wanted to make sure each and every leader was fully trianed. This was just before position training was mandatory in my council. THis was just right before Leaders Essentials became This is Scouting . My De said that we could get somebody to register as Pack Trainer and that this person could get the YPT video as well as position specific videos and play them at a training session, and then write up a list of people who attended. That as well as encourage trainings, keeping leadership aware of training dates and contacting council about training

Okay, I'm in a pack, not a troop, so things are a bit different - but you know me.....I have to chime in! At pack campouts, there is a time and place for everything. Cub Scouts ( or their parents) will bring Nintendo DS PSP's I pods, walkmans, etc..... I bring my DeWalt jobsite radio. It serves a couple purposes: It has a 3 way outlet on the side, it has a built in surge protector/voltage regulator. It also has an auxillary input for a pod or MP3 player if we want to play the National Anthem or something else that ties into a scout ceremony. I also play it at a very lo

Girl Scouts make it easy too: Buying a boy of thin mints? Costs you $3.50 Buying a box of Lemon cookies? Cost is $3.50 Gonna but a different flavor? Will cost you $3.50. 2 boxes any flavor - mix and match: $7.00 2 boxes any flavor - mix and match: $10.50 Popcorn - not so easy, this tinmy bag cost $16.00, the next size up costs you $25.00 Next size up costs you $35.00

The troop that my son will be crossing over to in about 3 weeks has asked me to come over and be an ASM. They know me, have worked with me( and vice versa) and apparently like what I have done with the pack/boys. They also see that alot of the scouts in the troop like and ( I suppose) respect me. So, I know the troop does things diferent than a pack. I know the difference between boy led and adult led. Matter of fact, my theory is I will stand back and watch the boys do what they are going to do - but step in only if I have to to prevent injury or worse> I figue the b

"She is blaming the BSA for failing to detect this individual and preventing the crime....." Did any of you ever see that movie : Minority Report? What does she expect? Is BSA supposed to run some sort of "pre-cog" task group? Nobody can know beforehand what somebody "may" do. All you can do is act on it. Now, if the man already had a record, and he passed background anyways..that is an issue. But if his background was clean and he had no record up to that point..then nobody can do anything.

Candy bars are the way to go! Well, at least look at it in this light: About 1/3 of the people you solicit just wantb a way out. They do not want/can not afford to spend money on your product. So...some of them will give you that dollar or two dollars for the candy bar just so you will go away!Giving you a dollar is easier than having to say no. Nobody is going to give you $16.00 to go away!

Well, since each rank is not dependant on reaching the previous one ( except for Bobcat), I'd put him in Bear. THis way, he will be working in a den with boys who are in the same class group in school. If he really is that mature for his age, this will be the right place for him.(This message has been edited by scoutfish)

Well...I talked to my Cm prospect again tonight, and he all but said he'd do it> I think he is going to do it. Right now, he is our Tiger DL, but he stepped down to that position from Bear DL. He has 3 sons in our pack as Tiger, Bear, and 2nd year Webelos. So, he has been active withour pack for at least 5 years, and has very fond memories of scouting hgimself. He only went as far as Life or Star ( I forget which one he told me) but stayed in it till he aged out. He kinda wishes he went for Eagle, but will also tell you he doesn't regret that he didn't. He had a blast in