SSScout

Older Cubs (webs, Bears) should be able to handle the VC, Tigers, Wolves, mebbe not. I would counsel working up to it. Have pre trip Pack meetings about Bike Safety, riding in groups (single file, signals, stopping, ) Have a Pro from a Bike Shop come and do the talk and demo. Mechanical condition of bikes, tighten those bolts, true those wheels, pump those tires, adjust seats for comfort and efficient pedaling. . Make sure someone in your group is tire patch savvy! Small tool kit! Have a "warm up ride" of 5 or 8 miles. Be aware that most if not all of your Cubs have NEVER riden a serious ride like this before. Not to mention the adults. Check their bikes too! Helmets are required... ADULTS TOO. set the example and be willing to say no to someone who refuses to wear a proper helmet. G2SS and liability and all that. Carry some water and a small First Aid kit and.... DUCT TAPE.. VC may LOOK all down hill, but you will be helping gravity in places. Plan on at least 3 hours, with pickanic and "look at that" breaks. And the bail out points. And a Point Person (kids' pace!) and a Drag (tail) person. "No Scout Left Behind". Who meets with Pickanic lunch stuff at what point where? Cell phone exchange. And do plan on Belt Loop earning, electives, etc. Patches!! I envy you. Have fun.

Ummm?

OOPS... Corrections to previous postings... Recent Commisioner Meeting... Here in X County District, we seem to have a "corrected" list of about 275 units chartered and registered of all shapes and types and sizes. We now have two scheduled R/T with BS and CS sections and RTCs. Looking for a third set. Seems like we have about 20 active UCs and they are connected to one or two U's historically. Gonna have two (at least) maybe three CSDC, but one CSDC Director has announced her retirement ( 6 years!). Two Camporees in the fall, if we're lucky, (did have four thru the 6 ustabe districts). Combined Dist. schedules seem to yield one Den chief training, two BSLS and two CSLS training thru the fall. And a UC training (all ya gotta do is round up some likely suspects). My CPack lost it's CM to a job transfer, and the three gents who stepped up to pick up the reins decided to SHARE the duties, one will be the CM in name, the others ACMs but will rotate the months activities. The CC and others are all good with it, so the little Pack that could, does. Four full Dens, five if you divvy up the Webelos officially. And so it goes...

I like Jblake's take on the fake. If your on grass/dirt, set up a small tent or fly, too. If asphalt, put down a couple sheets 1/2 inch plywood and stake/ tack things to it. If Scouts available (Den Chiefs?) Demo hatchet sharpening and tent peg making (Totin' Chip stuff). We have a two man(boy) saw that is an interest grabber, set up a saw buck, a 4 - 5 inch log and let boys cut off a cookie for a souvenir. Good luck to you.

Anything new to report? Anything?

Step One: Somebody gets an idea... Back in the dim memory of my Scout days, for trip planning we had to rely on vacation brochures, vague memories of exciting visits to exotic places, telephone calls ("Colorado!? Do you realize how much a long distance call to Colorado tc going to be???"), USpostal letters and waiting for replies. It's still good to hear someone say "wow, my uncle jake did thus and so..." and take the inspiration and run with it. But now, internet info, picture indexing, Google insights, how much easier can it be? And quicker? The slowest thing has to be getting a National Tour Permit approved (another historic artifact. My inner Scout sez, What's a Tour Permit?? Never heard of 'em back then. Just plan, pack, and go.) "Is it acceptable..." Good gracious, yes. Make every other unit in your Council start wishing. And looking. And planning. Plan, pack, and go. And fill out the Tour Permit. And invite me... YiS

I have not found a cloth friendly solvent that will remove OLD BM. If it is NEW, and not set with ironing or long dryer time, it will come off and out of the cloth with dry cleaning fluid. Carbon Tetrachloride worked for me there. Good ventilation, please!. Least, mine did. But old stuff , uh-huh. So why the plastic coat on the back of the badge? Makes it hard to sew thru. The older style, only cloth badges were easy to sew on. The plastic backing necessitates using a thimble to push the needle thru. Tough.

If you have sufficient lead time (I would judge at least a month or more), invest in some phone calling and/or websurfing. NASA is very willing to provide promo material about Space exploration. AND, if it fits into their schedule, you might even get an Astronaut to come and wow the Cubs. Lacking that, go to the nearest University and see if the Engineering or Physics Dept might be able to help with some special stuff. Worked for us some years ago. Military District? Check for the Corps of Engineers. They (Baltimore Mil District) did a great section for our CSDC. Brain storm it, and run up your phone bill a litttle, couldn't hurt.

I see no reason to REQUIRE a Scout to purchase all new uni. Most will be wearing out or outgrowing the old anyway. And those that don't outgrow'em will likely only need'em for a year or two more. Unless the Jamboree REQUIRES the new uni (natch). NEWS ITEM: DATELINE: New Town, New Jersey HEADLINE: ""Troop Wear Out Dates for New Numerals"" "Scoutmaster Scrub Down of Scout Troop 9999 pronounced the Troops latest activity a great success. "Yessir, I didn't think much of the idea at first, but those boys really did a good job planning and executing," said Down. "The boys invited the Girl Scout Troop for dates, served up the ice cream, organized the square dance and everything. I tell you, they were really tired but happy at the end of the night. Raised almost $500 for the church building fund." The St. Ignatious Numerals Catholic Church has been planning their expansion for over a year now. Father Reilly Enferther said he appreciated the Scouts efforts. "Our new Numerals will be built that much faster, thru the efforts of these Scouts", praised Father Enferther."

Hello, Eamon. Nope, didn't get to this year regatta. Only so many me's to pass around. I thought he was called a Regional Somebody, could be wrong about that. But that's what it was, a larger area fellow overseeing the smaller area "temporarily". GW: I always think the stew is tastier when it's stirred a little , yes? So: If the DE is NOT ultimately responsible for 'fundraising' thru his/her District, but is supposed to encourage the volnteers to fundraise, and then the DE somehow gets credited for the funds raised in his/her District by 'his/her' volunteers (which he/she encouraged),and if the DE is chastised or praised and promoted according to (among other things) the amount of funds raised in his/her District, how is that not being responsible for fundraising? (donja love run on sentences?) All those salaries come from somewhere, right? and they don't all come from 'dues'? Do they? sorry, can't wait for the answer, gotta go back to barn raising (son's 4H project) TTFN, YiS

Many moon ago, Back in pre history, my Troop was in the X County District of the MegaCouncil. We had a good time. When I finally became an adult (note I did not say grew up) with a boy to be a Cub, I discovered that in my absence, the X County District had been divided into A,B and C Districts (Omnia Countia est in tres partes divisibus?). My inquiries devulged that the rationale was that the powers that be thought that each District Executive (a paid position? a JOB? hey, maybe I could... nah.)should have about 40 or fifty Scout Units to oversee, and we would probably see a reshuffling of units in the near future due to growth and "overcrowding". X County had about 350 Scout Units of all sorts. Okay. Sure enough, about three years ago, we were told that, due to overcrowding, our A, B, C districts would become the (they asked us for name suggestions) D, E, F, G, H, and I Districts. A new DE would be named for each. We drew a very personable and capable young man with a wife and two cute kids. So the X county is now six districts. And so we progressed. Our F District organized and held Day Camps, camporees, Tiger Hunts, IOLS and all the rest. Come May roundtable of 2008, it is announced that the D,E,F,G,H and I Districts would be combined into one X County District so as to "better serve the Scouts and better utilize the resources available", effective 1 July. In the mean time, keep on providing the high quality program to our Scouts. Us Volunteers felt somewhat blindsided, seeing as no one had said squat to us about this before the May roundtable. UCs are asked for an inventory of our units, and to recruit about 10 more UCs each to help cover the territory. The X County District will now have a District Executive and two Assistant DEs. "Regional" activities" will be the norm, three Regional Roundtables are predicated, if three RTCs can be found. X County District has about 360 Scout Units of all sorts. Meanwhile, the grapevine reveals that of the original six Districts, only 2 had DEs reliably over the three years. These men will be the new ADEs, the County DE named is a new fellow to us. Two other Districts had DEs, the two positions were filled by four people, who then transferred to other Scout positions or resigned for totally other jobs. The remaining two Districts evidently never had DEs assigned, being "temporarily" overseen by a Regional Executive. Conclusion... The reorganization gains BSA Council a big saving in payroll, and MAYBE the volunteers can take up the slack. I have alot of respect for the dedication of the ADE who usetabe our F District Exec. Somebody has to sign the contracts and keep track of the 360 Units. And what can we learn from this exercise, class?

Everytime a new boss comes in, the org is remade in his/her image. It is the way of the world. If a new SM is invested, the Troop will change alittle or alot, thereby. The Scouts will still need to go camping. The Cubs will still need to "Go see". If the MB books are in color now, so be it. We communicate by electrons rather than mimeo ammonia. Let's go...

Once upon a time, there was a man that worked for a guv'ment agency. Got some promotions, made some friends, was recognized for the goodness of his work (sometimes), chastised when he didn't measure up to someone's expectations (rarely), and garnered some satisfaction thru the years. Then he was offered an "early out" program and BAM, now his wife wants him to "find another job ferpetesake". In many a meeting with equals and higher ups, the most constant complaints he remembers hearing are "howcome we read about THIS in the paper and never heard about it from management? Where's the notification? How come the rumor mill is more accurate than the CEO's Memogram?" It has ever been so, mores the pity. Maybe it's necessary to hear about decisions BEFORE they are decided. Even if no one asked me about it and I have lots of good reasons why it won't work ("see? I coulda told you so if you'd asked") "No one will be riffed" "the merger will not affect anyone in (pick a section or level)" "The new uniform/procedure/method/product/image/equipment has been vetted/tried out/ shown to/designed by/proven thru/... a trade group/committee of employees/senior workers/manager's secretaries... But they didn't ask ME! Scouter magazine? email lists? Which of Many Scout net groups? How is Irving to ask us? how is Irving to TELL us? My Council, in it's wisdom, decided to bureaucratically congeal six Districts into one BIG District. When did "we" find out? At May Roundtable, it was announced that as of 1 July, it would happen. Meantime, 'keep on doing the good Scouting you are doing'. No one other than some paid pros and DCs knew before the announcement. The official rationales and the unofficial perceived reasons didn't even come a close match. Alot of folks felt not a little betrayed. Planned activities went on (CSDC, IOLS, Camporees, NSLST, among others) but the slippery slope of no longer being "A" district was palpable. Perhaps this uniform thing is like that. We find out about it outside of the ""official"" channels and wonder how MY opinion was considered or any ones. Perhaps the 'rumor' or the 'reasonable' assumption or the 'overheard' comment is a better way, the preferred way, the 'cushioned' way of finding out before the actuality. Somebody has to make the decision, make the choice. In this instance, the differences in the old and new seem to be stylistic and practical, but we have had arguments both ways. In my capacity as UC, I now ask my Scouters, are you aware of the new District? and Are you aware of the new uniform coming this fall? And very few admit any knowledge of either. Most don't have an opinion. All want to know,,,how does this affect the Scouts in my unit? Can we still go camping and visit the museum? And I answer, very little and yes, and yes. But it would be nice to be asked, and then told, by the powers that be. Robert White: thank you for your "advanced notice", no matter how you come by it. Auric W: I share your concern to hear that which will benefit me, but I admit to feeling it is better if it comes from them that should tell us, yes? YiS

"To Be Out"??? GOOUT OUTGO GETGO

If it is not a "Scout" plate, and the "nature" scene is predominant, could you do something that relates to a Scout Camp in Missouri? Frinstance, the big one in Virginia is "GOSHEN" SETON TRAIL GO4TH 2BOUT MYOUT TFOOT TRLB8

Check your yellow pages for "Advertising specialties" and "Printing and Graphic services". Staples and Kinkoes and Minuteman Press are some places to check. Sometimes schools have printshops and can help.

Wrap everything in Sunday paper comics. Boy's Life magazine. Ginger Snaps travel well. Pocket chess and/or checkers. I still have the deck of cards that I used as a Scout, much to my son's amazement. Batteries? Maps? Make it easy to write back. Stamps, envelopes, paper?

So the week went well, despite prior misgivings... Wonderful Wacky World of Wheels, it is then. Scout Skills( flag and knots) Nature (fishing got 114 fish and released; poison ivy ID'ed; beaver sign shown; pealiated woodpecker heard) Crafts (made a totem, a hat and ...) Archery (shorter range per National rules yields many more bulls on the list, 56 pins to bestow) The semi from the American Trucking Association couldn't fit thru the woods, so only the bobtail tractor came to look at ("I heart Trucks" pins passed out) The off road Caterpillar dump truck (BIIIG tires. Would hold 557 CubScouts!) is a hit. Sports car club couldn't come after all, so County Vol. Fire Truck shows up on short notice.(fire safety, turnout gear, demo equipment "OOO...AAAH") Staffer rides his Yamaha 650 in and talks about safety and mechanics (size 8 helmet on size 6 Cub heads yields neat photos) Bike professional comes and demos his unicycle and Penny-farthing and trick trail bike. (safety and helmets!) Archery Pro comes and demos how to MAKE bows and arrows and wows'em at the archery range at lunch. (he was the only one we PAID. All others gratis!) Last day is the "Water Fest" and after lunch our (nonflame) Campfire... Woman Den Walker comes up to me during Water Fest and states, " This is the most disorganized, chaotic, seemingly random (sic) occurance I have EVER experienced. Couldn't you have done ((this and this and this)) to make it better???" I responded, "I'm sorry you feel that way. Are your Cubs having fun?" She says, "I don't know, some of them are just sitting and some are milling around..." I look over her shoulder and watch 25 or 30 having at each other with squirt guns, in another area a bunch are having Tug o' War over a kiddie pool mud pit. Another group is examining an area we roped off when we found a big turtle laying eggs in the hole she dug. A large group is running and jumping on to the Slip 'n Slide (plastic sheet, detergent and water) and the last group is having a whipped cream relay (use your imagination), donated by the local grocery. Freeezy Pops for the sitters, lunch comes next, I remember. I smile and tell the woman we will try to do better next year. KiS MiF YiS

Let us now turn in our text books, class, to chapter 12, "Ancient and Obsolete Language" Johnny? Can you tell us about the Mimeograph Machine and Postage stamps, ummm?

"It's not who votes, but who counts the votes that's important."

Lessee now... we need a patch for *Archery Range Safety Ossifer *BBRSO * CSDC Director *CSDC FAEE * Camporee Planning Chair *Wrist Rocket RSO * Pop Corn Wrangler * District Training Chair * "UC without portfolio" * "the go to guy" * Canoeing/camping/cinematocrafy(?)/citizenship/swimming/ fillinblank/ MB Counselor Not a few years ago, our R/T Chair gave out beads for R/T attendance. If you attended every month for a year, you received a leather totem to string on your bead string. Seemed to work, we always had good attendance. Then too, his programs were always fun and informative. I'm gonna make up and sell some bumper stickers that will have the Scout fleur de lis in the corner and read: "WILL WORK FOR COLORFUL SCRAPS OF CLOTH". Really I am. Are there any other Scout activities/jobs we can recognize (("There goes one now!")) ?? KiS MiF YiS

I do not have all the requirements in front of me, but the previous discussion leads me to ask: * Are all the above "Campy" Awards to be fulfilled with similar activities? Must a Scout fulfill the requirements for each and all at ONLY Scout events? ie., are church camps, rec department trips, 4H camps, etc., even if otherwise appropriately qualifying, NOT to be counted toward the award requirements?

Lessee now, Not so long ago, a letter (paper) might arrive and be read and re-read after arriving days, weeks, even months after it was written (by hand) and sent. The emotional and informational impact was palpable. I still have the letters that my folks received from me from camps and school. I have theirs to me too. Surviving letters from the days of the revolutionary war and other periods are artifacts attesting to both the special wonder and ordinariness of people back then. How is this lack of tangible evidence of love and affection and concern in years gone by going to be felt in years to come? Camp Director used to require a written, stamped letter home before dessert was allowed on Tuesday dinner (ice cream sundaes). One of my favorite cartoons has 'Cathy' asking a friend if she has received the email Cathy sent to find out if she got the voice mail Cathy left about the telegram she sent to ask if the friend received the letter Cathy sent? I forget the outcome...

When 14 year old son starts talking about HIS " good old days".

A Couple of "wow" factor things: * Contact the local TV station with a Traffic 'copter. Tell'm about the camp and see if they (#1) might do a story about it on TV and (#2) do a fly over while everybody smiles and waves! HEY!! spell out "CUBSCOUTSROCK" on the ground with the campers for the copter to see and photograph (takes a fair amount of advance planning: line out the letters on the ground for the Cubs to stand on, proper proportions, one or two lines thick, think it out... * Contact State Police and see if they can arrange a landing of the Medivac Helicopter (assuming they are the agency incharge) . Talk to them about landing zone arrangements. Ours landed and BLEW EVERYONES HAT OFF!! WoW!. The pilots and EMTs did a wonderful presentation about rescues and flight science. Guess who our heroes of the day were? *Contact County Road Maintenance folks. Nothing a Cub likes better than a dump truck and or a road grader or excavator to get up close and personal to. Big burly men to talk about horsepower and capacity "yeah, might take 2 or 300 of you Cubs to fill up this truck". *Start a "pass word" that all Cubs and Staff can "recognize" each other with. Question, response works well, like a riddle::Aviation Theme: Take offs are OPTIONAL, >Landings are MANDATORY. Egyptian theme: How did the Cub get down the Nile? >He PHAROAHED, PHAROAHED, PHAROAHED his boat. Be corny. They'll remember them the next year, and in the grocery store when you see'm again. What's a prune danish? >a buck forty seven (I think that was Monty Python). *A SHORT living Chess game? Cubs for Pawns? Camp Director for King and Queen? *Build cardboard horses you wear around your waist with shoulder straps and have a jousting tournament with suitably cushy lances. * Save some Camp Patches to present to your "specials" as thank yous! Don't forget to send 'm a letter of thanks! Makes it more likely to happen the next time you ask! KiS MiF YiS