SSScout

I believe (there's that word again) we need a "Faith and Chaplaincy" forum. That said, as a Jamboree Scout Chaplain, I have had dealings(conversations? discussions? ) with Scouts that have told me , quote, "I'm not really into that God stuff". Mostly I listen and if it seems appropriate, I ask them about that, I try to draw them out about their faith (or lack of) . I see the lack of as a form of faith. It is a "belief" in "nothing. It does get interesting. I have a daughter who is an avowed atheist. She recently wrote me a letter (remember them?) and in it mentioned a friend who had recently died. She and her husband went to the funeral, which she said was "really beautiful" until the end, when it "got a little too religious". Oh well. Scoutson reads the bible and takes long walks in the woods. The two stepsons are not quite sure....

Check with your District Commissioner/ Unit Commissioner/ District Exec. In our District (fairly urban), some Packs own a track and "rent " it to other Packs, and we have a Troop that will hire out (fund raiser for them) to Packs to provide a track, run the day and festivities (decorations, check in and registration, lively patter, computer projection of standings and results, the whole shebang). Both possibilities. Maybe YOUR Pack might buy the track with the idea of sharing it with other Packs? Do you have a partner Troop? Perhaps the Troop might work with you for the event or to work with other Packs. Good recruiting, lively Boy Scouts officiating at the PWD! And then, when you have some experience staging a good Pack event, offer to schedule a District event?

Talk about opportunity....Am I correct in thinking this is an outdoor, picnic type affair? Build several "Hand Washing Stations": Lash up tripods, hang soap from mesh bags (cherry tomatoes, onions) and milk jugs of water, and paper towels on the tripod stick ends. AND lash up trash bag holders.... Make sure the boys "escort" the ladies to the tables, maybe even carry the plate/tray for older folks. Flag folding demo. (entertainment). Set up a dining fly shelter for shade? For ticket taking? For a Scout display of photos and gear to ooooh and aaaah at... Who cuts the fire wood? Schleps the charcoal? Turns the spit? Be creative! Don't forget the newspapers and local notice boards! The K of C will love to share the limelight, I'm sure. What was the last High Adventure trip? Power Point running on the side?

Yes the story was already shared, but it is still worth retelling. I used to drive around a lot when I was "fully" employed, and when I saw a USflag in front of a library or business, I would drop off my Scout business card and tell them when the flag is worn and torn and no longer a worthy symbol of our nation, give me a call and I will come by, pick it up and make sure it gets a proper "retirement" ceremony. **Wow, you mean the Scouts do that? ** What do you mean "retirement"? **We always wondered if it was ok to just wrap it up and put it gently in the trash... Even now, years later, I still get calls from these same people who before might not have known about such things. Some institutions, it seems, send the flag BACK to the company they bought it from when they order anew one, I think that's ok. But I get ALOT of flags for camporees and Webelos Weekends.....

Candles. Always do stuff with candles, and the words said should connect with the candle lighting. Grabs the Cubs attention and they will remember the words if the presenters set the mood. If you want serious, the Cubs will remember serious and important. If you want funny, they will remember funny. The earning of the ranks should be fun and enjoyable, but I think the awarding should be more serious and "meaningful" , reflecting the values and tenets we adults would like the Cubs to remember after the cake and cookies. Do a candle lighting with red, white and blue candles, attached to the "spirit of Scouting", the "Cub Scout (soon to be the Scout) Promise", the " Law of the Pack (soon to be the Scout Law)", and the various parts thereof. Turn off the TV and consider the ceremony. KiS, MiF. but important!

Coffee. Talk. Management styles. Boy led, parent involvement. Camp every month? Once a year? Patrol autonomy? Troop camping? Who is the new CCh? The new (old) SM? Flip a coin? How 'bout the equipment? Scout accounts (HORRORS)? Sell popcorn or holiday trees? . Summer camp? Philmont ? Lots to discuss. Assume NOTHING..... have a BIG parent meeting, in a circle, preferably, rather than "church style" (face the pulpit) so all can see and meet all. Do the boys know each other? Different schools? So much is often un-said, but thought to be "understood" . Make sure it really IS UNDERSTOOD..

What has been said before. AND.... A Scout is Cheerful. If you can help LEAD this parent to the true Scout experience, we will all be the better for it. Immediately telling him he is not wanted and had better find another Pack is counterproductive and not fair to the boy. He will find out about his dad soon enough, eventually. A friendly (underline) sit down may have better results than an ultimatum. The dad may not realize the way he is coming off to others. He may well be a highly intelligent , well meaning , gregarious, able man. He may be frustrated at work, seeking an outlet for his talent and energy. Help him find that outlet, to the benefit of all.

!! Now THERE'S an idea.... Talk to the District Advancement Chair/Committee and create one! I bet that's an idea that could find some agreement. Our District has a Unit Leader Award that is often tweeked to include such worthy spouses.

If at all possible DO NOT allow wife to be Committee Chair. Keep wife as wife. Unless she'd like to be Den Leader?

For the hospital it is always (I would hope) about the patient. For the insurance company, it is ALWAYS about the money. I hope the claim reviewers got a nice gold star on their files.

Until the thread gets relocated, allow me to congratulate you and say WOO HOO! Take the Cub master training. Take BALOO training, and take some others with you (bonding experience). Make sure you have everyones email and address. Hold your Pack Leadership meetings in a local caffeinated venue, not the church basement (wonderful tho it may be). Get the Den Leaders into your confidence and make sure THEY are connected and THEY have fun. Plan your Pack meetings around the BSA monthly theme and GO to the RoundTable (or have your trusted Assistant go) to pick up ideas and inspiration. Meet thereby like minded folks and gain confidence "You Are Not Alone". Get well acquainted with your Committee Chair and COR....Make sure your CO is aware of your activities and needs. Make sure your Pack attends the Day Camp, the Webelos Woods/weekend/world, any Beltloop Universities, etc. Put a parent in charge of each activity, you should not have to do everything (altho you will want to),. Don't be afraid to politely ASK a parent to volunteer (!!)...... You are the hub of the Pack around which alot will rotate, but you are NOT the Pack. Servant Leadership. Be in the background gently reminding and pushing, , but also upfront as ringmaster. Be prepared for grown up Cubs to accost you in the Safeway and say hello. Repeat the Cub Scout Mantra : "KISMIF, KISMIF" (keep it simple, make it fun) Enjoy your time in the well cushioned Cub trenches!

Yes, but where did you FIND it? What is it's title?

Ya gotta go back to the future, my friend..... Green kneesocks with the light green tabs on the side or Red tabs or Dark green tabs..... Trivia: Which color for which type of Scout?

Duct Tape. Put'em on withdoubled over duct tape, that way you can redo the insignia when they cross over to Boy Scouts. Never use the glue/iron on stuff, which is quick and neat INITIALLY, but gets messy and unsightly with age and washing (a Scout is clean). Or big safety pins. Staples work well, but can fall off and are "pointy" the boys say, but what can you do? They're boys. Or you might even try that thin thready stuff I've seen , goes around the outside of the patch? Some folks think it works, even easy to change, they say, I don't know. Some of this new fangled stuff, I think I heard it called "so-ing"? you need a small, thin special tool ( I bet it's expensive!) to do. Something like that....

Where did you find the music?

Editing function does not work as it did. Hit "edit" on a recent (within seconds!) post and you get a "write something" note. To change or add to a post, experimentation shows the need to "copy" the original, then "paste" into the "write something" space, retype the offending area, then "save" it, which replaces the new "copy" into the post space on the thread. But sometimes the "original" is there too, so you have two posts, and must delete the "original" to leave the "correct" copy. If you are not very careful, some of the "write something" note shows up too. Offends my editor sensitivities.

Write sWell, as has happened before in many other thread presentations, we have an ongoing drama. We have some of the back story, but certainly not all. We are not even a "fly on the wall". We here in the etherworld of Scouter.com can sympathize, advise and pragmatize but that is all. As a volunteer, Bayoustar, the CO is under no real obligation to even tell you why your services are no longer appreciated or desired. Good Christian courtesy might seem to require that they come and make things clear, however. It may or may not have to do with your inquiries into the Pack policy and finances. It may well be something else. I can't even guess from this distance. I once had a difference of opinion with a Scout situation, and it took MONTHS to track down someone who was honest and open enough to explain to me what the actual problem was. Things were then cleared up and policy was changed for the benefit of future folks, but in that particular situation, it was, as they say, MY water under the bridge. It will be ultimately up to you to say how far you wish to pursue this, for your sense of justice, for the perceived benefit of the CO (reputation?) and Scout families to come. I wish you and your family and Cub especially ("It's for the kids") good Scouting!

(From the Blues Brothers): "I've always loved you".

Firstly, as has been implied, only the Institution Head or the Charter Org Rep can "remove" the Cubmaster. The Pack Committee should concur, but by the book, doesn't need to. If you find that you have truly "been removed": I will review your choices for you: 1) Roll up your bed roll , saddle up and find a new ranch. Take the young Cub with you. Make sure all the other parents know you have been "removed" (by letter or email, but make it polite, simple and to the point), and graciously thank them for their past help. I dare say they will make their own conclusions. Smile and wave as you go by. 2) Contact the District Leadership (look it up on line under the Council website: District Commissioner, District Executive, et al) and make sure they know what you have found out about finances, leadership style, ownership of the Pack, and ask their opinion and advice. Keep Cub in Pack to continue his Scouting career with his friends and familiar surroundings. Make nice with Pack Leadership. Apologize to them for misunderstanding things. The Cub cannot be removed from the Pack without really good cause. "They" can bar you from the meetings, but do you see that as a possibility? Do you want to see that happen? How much of an threat by your questions have you become? 3) Raise hue and cry. Go to the newspapers and tv stations and divulge the corruption and betrayal you have discovered. .But I think you know that is not the track you want to take , not yet anyway. 4) Keep this website on your "favorites" bar and tells us what happens next in the melodrama, "As the Pack Turns".

*sigh* HWGA.... Scouting should have no business in anyones sexual activity, except as it injures our youth, and for that the BSA has a very good Youth. (?!adult?) Protection Program. As I tell inquiring minds, we do not have a Sexuality Merit Badge. As the Old Guard dies out, the new will change... Yes, we have a undeserved reputation as a paramilitary group. Comes from the uniform looking stuff we wear, comes from some of the ScoutLeaders we have that are frustrated DIs. Comes from the (sometimes) overly intense patriotic fervor we exhibit, but it is NOT official or encouraged except by over eager local folks. Join ROTC or Civil Air Patrol if you seek overt militarism. BSA shouldn't and isn't. Our troubles with membership decline does not stem from the stuff we should be known for: Camping, hiking, physical activities (rock climbing, canoeing, archery.....). It does not come from our educational activities (flag courtesy, history observance, leadership opportunities, tool skill use....) . It does not come from our "cheerful service" (now where did I hear that? ummm...) to others. Our membership decline stems from our organization's seeming predisposition to try and dictate morality to folks. The only thing we CAN do is DEMONSTRATE and example what good morality can accomplish. We can't demand the moral act, only encourage it theu our example. What is that? I'm not sure I could delineate such, maybe I should let one's religious faith (sorry, merlin) help to define that. But "Do to them what I'd like them to do to me" does come to mind . Scout Promise? Scout Law? Good start on what a worthy citizen and neighbor should aim for. See also Luke 10:29... but first get the kids doing the first Scouty stuff (see above). If we think we have a worthy organization that would benefit our youth, and teach them what we think they should know (survival skills, personal confidence, cooperation to accomplsh goals, manual dexterity, you name it), then THAT is what us "volunteers" should concentrate on and tell our CORs to GO to the rep meetings and VOTE the rascals out of office. Chicago Council had to do it a couple years ago. If the leadership in Irving is not appropriate to the definition of the BSA, then gee, look, things are changing, if slowly, but they are changing.

Exactly so. The Web Colors are attached as shown in the picture, pins attached to the dangles. JTE is placed as shown under the Den patch. The Cub at the bottom does not have a den patch, probably because, since the colors are only worn by Webs, the Pack may say THAT is the Den Patch. AND the bottom most sleeve is mislabeled, it is still the RIGHT sleeve. Council patches are wearable and collectable, and make money for the Council. Pick one that matches your eyes and wear that. Remember the Cub Mantra: KiSMiF, KiSMiF....and thank you for your service to our boys....

Already noted here: http://www.scouter.com/forum/working-with-kids/408343-a-tragic-event-leads-to-lawsuit#post408427 We will be seeing more of this, no doubt.

Daped01, yeah, it is usually the parent(s) that need to be sold, not the boy. If you can sell the camp idea to the parent, the boy is a shoo-in. Get the boy dirty, he'll be a Scout for a long while. Get the parent dirty, makes it easier.

Woakus! You're at camp?? Put that tablet down! Go chop some wood! Lash a table together! ID some trees! Roast a squirrel! Find and avoid some Poison Ivy! Fry some bacon! For petey sake, do some Scout Stuff! And welcome to our forums! Boy, talk about modern Scouts....

Depending on the number of beltloops, I have seen the "overage" (too many BLs for the skinny Cub's waist) displayed on a seperate "belt" worn as a bandoleer over the right shoulder (not "official", but hey), ala the Boy Scout Merit Badge Sash. The Pins could go on that , too. The Sport and Academic Pins , as has been said , can be displayed on the Cub's hat or better yet, on the red "Brag" vest. Get him the Big size, he will grow into it and then (with all the other patches for PWD, CSDC, B&G, overnights, etc. ) he can display it with his other memorabilia to his grandkids! KiSMiF, YiS