Surfinwahine

Our Web-1 Patrol is losing an excellent Scout and fine family due to a job transfer. This family has been an integral part of our Pack and will be sorely missed.

We have gotten together gifts for their 3 boys, but I feel that due to their high level of participation and involvement in Pack activities the parents deserve a special award as well.

Does anyone know where I can find a downloadable certificate of this nature? Even some clipart that I could put together to make a professional looking award would be appreciated.

Their last meeting will be TOMORROW, Feb. 21.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Surfinwahine

Thank you all for your kind and knowledgeable feedback. I didn't think that "quote" sounded like a true BSA quote, and I now feel that I can challenge him on it.

I appreciate you all for helping me in this matter.

YIS,

Surfinwahine

Here's what he said:

Here's a quote or two for your collection:

"The purpose of Cub Scouts is to make Boy Scouts; The purpose of Boy Scouts is to make men."

"If you don't raise your hand , you cannot complain about the man who did."

Tell me who said these lines, and you win a scout bumper sticker!! (I added the words inside ) Hint: You've heard me make these quotes, let's see if you paid attention to who I credited with them.

He's only kidding about the bumper sticker.

YIS,

Surfinwahine

One of the ScoutMasters in our Pack used the quote in a meeting months ago, and now -- due to an upheaval within the Pack Committee -- has challenged me to name the person he credited it to "just to see if I was paying attention."

He's only half-way kidding. I've been doing searches all week long and have come up empty.

I agree with both of you that this quote is not completely correct; however, if someone (other than this ScoutMaster) said it I'd love to know who. We have a meeting tonight!

Thanks again.

YIS,

Surfinwahine

Forgive me if this is blatantly obvious, but can anyone tell me who said:

"The purpose of Cub Scouts is to make Boy Scouts. The purpose of Boy Scouts is to make men."

Thanks in advance.

YIS,

Surfinwahine

Can anyone tell me exactly what the duties of a Cub Scout Committee Chair are? I really need this information due to a problem within our Committee.

Thanks for your help.

Surfinwahine

Our Pack has had problems with complacency (sound familiar?) among Leaders and parents for the three years we have been involved. The Cubmaster and a select few are always the people who do the planning, setting up, clean-up, etc. for every event we have.

At the end of last season a new Committee Chair stepped in, basically pushing out the person who had volunteered to do the job when the former Committee Chair resigned. The new Committee Chair sent out one email after he initially took the position and no one heard anything from him since then.

My question is: Does anyone know the definition of the Committee Chair's Job Description? What is this person committing to doing for the Pack when accepting this position?

We obviously need someone else before our Pack falls apart, but I need some "ammo" (for lack of a better word) to present my case.

Thank you for your responses.

Surfinwahine

Speaking as an Assistant Den Leader (soon to be Asst. Patrol Leader)with Multiple Sclerosis, I would encourage you to speak frankly with this young man's Mother. I realize you have already spoken with her, but find out (within privacy constraints) what her son is capable of doing within the Troop. Has she been active in helping her son work through the activities to attain his ranks and achievements? If so, will she continue to do so? If not, what does she expect from the Troop during this last year?

Does he have any particular interests or hobbies? Perhaps those could be incorporated as his role to help him through the next year. Will it require more effort to lead this Scout than others? Yes.

However, if we all remember "The Law of the Pack" I don't recall there being any small print mentioning "if you have any health problems, mental or learning disabilities you are not welcome by the Boy Scouts of America."

Those of us with dis"ABLE"ities, for the most part, don't want to burden or cause hardship on others. In our Pack, we have several Scouts with varying degrees of ADHD, learning disabilities, cerebral palsy, and other medical problems. If you truly want to help these boys you must dedicate yourselves to dealing with it. Their parents may try to use Scouting as a form of "escapism" for themselves, so that they can have a break for an hour or so. Try your best to keep them involved! They live with these boys every day and can provide clues to what works and what doesn't. It's all a matter of getting through to them.

We all have something to offer. Some of us simply have more of a problem offering it! Don't give up on him...he has a gift to offer your Troop.

Humbly Submitted,

Deb

Ah, yes...before children, perhaps. But let a few wives and grandmothers take a whiff of these candles and see what happens! My husband even likes the French Lavender because it makes the house smell so clean...not "flowery".

Deb

This, sadly, seems to be a universal problem. We have been involved with Scouting going on two years. My husband has already stepped up and taken so many positions I've lost count--and he is already feeling the "burn".

What really fries me is the fact that there is so much complacency! Even the "Leaders" are totally willing to sit back and let those that will, do it. We lost our Committee Chair last year because he became so overcome with the lack of motivation---and felt it was HIS fault!! You know, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. You can set up the finest Scouting program in the history of Scouting, but a handful of people simply cannot make it work.

How many Packs going down the drain will it take before people wake up and accept responsibility for the role they signed up for?

Ok, I'll step down from my soapbox now.

For a little while.

Deb

I presented this at our Committee Meeting and most went crazy over the idea. It's still pending final approval, but here's the scoop:

Everyone is becoming more and more health conscious. Our Pack did well with the Popcorn sale last year, but the candy was a total flop. We couldn't give the stuff away.

I presented Soy Candles, which are all-natural, made from soybean, beeswax, plant/vegetable material straight from American Farms. These candles are triple-infused with fragrance from top to bottom, meaning that you still enjoy the same aroma at the end of your candle as you did when you first lit it up. They contain no paraffin, which studies now show gives off toxins that will come to rest on your walls, furniture, and get into the duct system of your home. Soy Candles also produce no soot, unlike paraffin candles. They are hypoallergenic, and have not been shown to affect those with respiratory problems.

For Fundraisers, here is the profit potential:

*The 16 oz. Jar Candles (normally $18.95) sell for $18.00...the Pack earns $6.00

*The 2.5 oz. Votives are 3 for $8.00...the Pack earns $2.00

*The Cantaloupe Kiwi Body wash is $12.00...the Pack earns $3.00 per tube

*The Soy Body Bars in either Mystic Melon or Grapefruit Lavender sell for $5.95...the Pack earns $1.50

So....

With 100 Scouts each selling only 2 candles, your Pack could easily earn $1,200 or more!

100 Scouts X 5 Candles = $3,000 Profit

100 Scouts X 10 Candles = $6,000 Profit

With the Holidays coming up, many people love to receive candles as gifts. There are over 75 scents to choose from, so the Fundraiser could be done for any season of the year.

If this sounds like something you'd be interested in pursuing or would like more information, just let me know.

For The Boys,

Deb Santiago

We just started our Cub Scout Day Camp today with the theme "Oceans of Fun". (Forgive me if everyone has the same theme...I'm new at this!).

My husband is the Bear Leader and is incorporating Pirates into the theme. He has been trying to find an age appropriate Pirate skit, as well as a song to the theme of "Pirates of the Caribbean" ("Yo ho, Yo ho, The Pirate's life for me"). We haven't been able to come up with anything.

Can anyone help us out or have any ideas?

Thanks a lot!

Deb

Thank you for the kind welcome! I think it's very easy to allow ourselves to be distracted and our minds clouded with other issues; there are so many to be considered in Scouting. But, we all have the best interests of our children at heart or we wouldn't be involved.

I hope to gain a lot of knowledge, suggestions, and advice to "Help the Pack Go"!

As a matter of fact, I've posted a plea regarding our summer day camp already!!

Thanks again,

Deb

We just started our Cub Scout Day Camp today with the theme "Oceans of Fun". (Forgive me if everyone has the same theme...I'm new at this!).

My husband is the Bear Leader and is incorporating Pirates into the theme. He has been trying to find an age appropriate Pirate skit, as well as a song to the theme of "Pirates of the Caribbean" ("Yo ho, Yo ho, The Pirate's life for me"). We haven't been able to come up with anything.

Can anyone help us out or have any ideas?

Thanks a lot!

Deb

Hello All:

I wanted to introduce myself and say how happy I am to have found this site! How I've missed it before is beyond me!

I'm a Proud Mom of an 8 year old who just completed his cross-over ceremony to Bear. Our family just began Scouting this school year, and now we're all into it whole-heartedly! My husband began as Den Leader for our son's Den. Now he is not only the Den Leader but also Assistant CubMaster, Unit Commissioner, and a couple more titles I can't remember right now. I became his Assistant Den Leader and volunteered to be the Fundraising Chair because so many people in our Pack have become complacent and were allowing the CubMaster and one or two others do everything. I'm sure no one else has had that problem, eh?

I am disabled due to MS, and have been since 1999. So, even though I can't do as much as I'd like to with the boys, I help a lot behind the scenes with paperwork, planning, etc.

We moved from NC to Fl due to hardship last June and are close to my inlaws, which has been helpful. Also, being closer to sea level has helped my condition.

So, that's me in a nutshell. I look forward to interacting with you.

Doing My Best,

Deb