t487scouter

Great advice Unc, I actually have been pretty demanding but it just isn't working with this group. I now have a few more parents to pick on since cross over and I am planning an informal parent/scout day at my house. My plan is to invite everyone over, let the boys just play and run around the yard cook some hotdogs and get the parents together and basically sign them up for positions and MB. In the past I haven't had a problem recruiting parents, I am also a den leader for a WEBELO group which the pack committee consists of mostly my parents. As for the cabin fire story. Sorry but I don'

Dan, my retention rate is not a good indicator because the troop has only been active for a little over a year. I have all the boys I started with and just gained 10 more. The last month of meetings are as follows: 4-OA nomination/organized patrol box 3-knots 2-Visited a local sporting goods store (they lock the boys inside after closing, gave a snow clinic, then the boys get to run play with equipment, try on backpacks, etc) 1-wrapped fishing poles. To everyone that wrote, thanks! All of your advice really helps me out. To Fscouter, please pardon me for my ignorance and I un

I have seen many troops that require X-amount of attendance to meetings and camps. I also know that BSA pushes 1st class by the 1st year, but is this right? In MHO, I look at it as boys we are trying to turn in to outstanding, well rounded, young men. Scouting teaches them more than any other program but there are lessons to learn and fun to be had with sports and other activities also. I would like them to attend every meeting and camp but understand when they have other commitments as well. Same with advancement. I offer all they need to advance but I don't push it. Some meetings are designe

Torribug, I would be interested in hearing their response. I am not an accountant, I just assumed you could not do that. If I ever come across a fundraiser that made the troop millions I was just going to buy excess gear for the troop and have the quartermaster divy out as needed. It would be much better if the boys could buy their own!

I use individual accounts for my scouts but the money can only be used to pay for camps, dues, etc. I did not think it was legal for the boys to use this money, collected as a fundraser, to buy their own equipment. As we make money, are we fundraising as a non-profit? I assumed that because we were making money as a non-profit that equipment could be purchased for the troop but not personal gear, am I wrong?

Hi Anarchist, I really wasn't bashing on everyone, I was just frustrated after reading the "patrol size" post and should have just left it alone. I do find a lot of knowledge on this board and respect all that you and others do for the boys and to help people out. The comments I made were not for people posting in disagreement but rather not respecting each other. If you were to revisit the "patrol size" post I am sure you would agree with what I was talking about. My mistake was just taking a sampling of a few posts and they were the same, I went no further. Now that I have been reading the r

Would I be better off without a troop guide? This troop was started a year ago, the most experienced scout is one MB from star, is 15 Y/O, and is my SPL. With the other SP members, this leaves me with only 4 boys in the patrol. I have just recieved 9 boys at cross over for a new patrol. If I started a Troop guide position, this would take the one patrol to 3 boys and the only scout that is interested is only second class. Would I be better off not having a troop guide and just have the SP and occasionaly the ASM help them? What do troops do when a patrol is reduced to just a few scouts through

What is the most effective way of using a Troop guide? Does the troop guide remain in his original patrol or does he become a member of the new patrol? Does he help the boys of the new patrol at each meeting or just when they require help? Does he camp with the new patrol as well? Thanks, Todd

Thanks for the words of encouragement. It seems I should have waited before posting the last message. I have read some of the recent posts and have not found the content that I mentioned. It is not that I was offended or running, unfortunately I have very little time in the day. I thought this was a great place to post questions and read other posts to learn and thought it sad to have to wade through each post to find some worthwhile information. I do believe that everyone is and should be entitled to their opinion and we can learn from each other even in disagreement. It was the slamming of p

Pack561, what is a port-a-pit chicken sale?

I have been sitting here trying to decide if I should write this or not. I am writing it in hopes that another person can use this forum as a great tool and will stay and learn. I have been involved in scouting for 7 years, I am on my 2 group of WEBELOS as well as Scoutmaster for a new troop I started last year. This new troop was composed of my first group of WEBELOS that had crossed over, became bored and dropped out of Scouting. My son was also talking about quitting when I asked if he would give it a try in a new troop, my troop was born. I have very little experience with a troop but pour

Studdman, thanks for the additional thoughts. I am in Wa as well, just north of Vancouver. We have had xmas tree recycling fundraisers every year, what used to yield 2500 now pulls in about 500. I thought the flag service was a great idea, I just don't know why it failed. I bought flags at Home Depot for the few accounts we have. I do have a phone number that would sell 3x5, American made flags for about $3.50 if they were bought in bulk (100) I can try to find it if you are interested. I used EMT, I was afraid of the plastic bowing. I use 3/4" for the base and 1/2" for the flag pole. To insta

Could be the area I live in but this didn't work for us. We knocked on 500 doors, handed out fliers and now have 4 accounts. For 140/year, it is not worth it to us to put up and take down the flags for the 7 holidays. I am now wondering if I should canvas the area again and hope to get more accounts and make it worthwhile or just quit at the end of this year. Problem is I have not found any other fundraiser that has worked. I just started this troop and have put in more than 2k of my own money in camping gear etc. I have been racking my brain trying to think of something that doesn't compete w