trainerlady

Our Cucni runs a 3 day/2 night Cub winter camp every year between Christmas and New Year's. We use the Council's camp that has lots of cabins, some with plumbing, for the event. We also allow siblings to come, so I guess it's actually a Family camp program. We are going in to our third year. The first year we had about 70 people. Last year we had almost 200. It's a great time. The kids work on belt loops and go to the shooting sports ranges. We have done sledding and ice fishing demos on one of our lakes. This year we are actually going to coordinate the belt loop program with the

To the best of my knowledge as a National Scout Shop employee, NDC is not phasing out sewing on patches. The diamond holders are being offered as a convenience to our patrons. I see them as no different than the Badge Magic sheets we sell. Some people just won't sew to save their butts. Others don't want the patches washed, they claim that they fade. I know of one customer that dry cleans her son's uniform after every wearing(wish I had that kind of cash). She freaked when she found out that he'd have to wear it daily at camp for meals without a cleaning in between uses. Anoth

I had a couple of boys over my 3 years of Cubs to date in this situation. One was a family that couldn't afford the stuff (had twins in the den, and unemployed Dad)and one whose parents refused to buy the stuff. For the family with low funds we hooked them up with used shirts and pants from the Pack closet and the school's uniform closet. I had the boys split a book and the parents record the info for one boy in blue and for the other boy in red. The pack supplied neckers too, boys made a slide at a den meeting. The other boy's parents who could afford it(and then some) were told

HI all, Blue loops are for all Cub related members - Webelos in tan uniform, leaders and roundtable staff. Forest green loops ae for all Boy Scout related memebers. Theses replaced the red loops in August 2008. Kelly/emerald/bright green loops are for Venturing related members. Orange/blaze loops are for Varsity Scouting related members. Silver loops are for all members that serve in Distict and Council related positions and for use when on "duty" in that capacity. A Den leader that is also a UC would not wear silver to a Cub event. Not a restricted item (at least n

I too had several teeny boppers in my class. My Patrol has a just turned 21 year old that just switched roles in his crew from member to adviser. He joined Venturing at 18 years old in order to go on a backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon. He brought 3 other youngins with him. There were also a couple of 18-19 year old aged out Eagle Scouts too. Their gung ho attitudes were a little much for some of us (especially at 6:00 AM). You can tell that they have no real responsibility yet (family, job, bills, etc). Our patrol member was ticked off that we couldn't meet 3-4 times during the dayt

GK - glad you're having fun with your course. Wish we had gotten past the first round of Jeopardy, but one of the dozen or so technical glitches ended the game after just 1 round. The movie for us was one glitch after another. The main scene of importance was lost due to yet another glitch. Perhaps relying on computers for everything in a camp setting isn't a wise programming move. Eamonn - I hadn't really thought about searching out the cirriculum on the web before class. In my council WB is held as some great secret sacred experience. Just hearing them discussing the WB reunion b

a good seat cushion or a lightwieght folding chair. Picnic benches are painful to old, bad hipped butts.

Just finished my first weekend of WB. We were subjected to endless hours in our camp's dining hall. Only a couple of fresh air breaks each day. Ususally for a quick game or a patrol meeting under a dining fly a few feet from the hall while sitting on a picnic table again, just like the ones indoors. The experience was terrible. I found myself driving the 80 miles home last night thinking why did I waste my time, money and inconvience my family for this course. I have 30+ years of teaching experience in various settings - several different sports, college level courses, CPR and swimmi

I've used my own form of Fast Tracks since stating as a leader 4 years ago. It became very apparent very quickly to me as a new leader that if I didn't cover the material in Den it wasn't going to get done. No advancement, no boys. Boys want fun, parents want achievement/results not fridge art, parents will pick that show results. I went to the PTC last year for Cub Scout Extravaganza and they gave us a heads up that these changes were coming. I used the Fast Tracks program last year for Bear and it worked just fine. I probably won't be using it this year with the Webelos I as there

I got mine hot off the truck at the Scout Shop I work at. It's great except that with the ribbon trim it's very hard to roll and too thick when rolled to fit through the rubber slide that goes with it (sold separately of course). Anyone have any ideas on how to roll it so it fits the slide?. I don't want to ask 2-3 people to get it on every time I want to wear it. I'm not impressed with it being on a dog either.

My daughter's Junior Troop is composed of mostly soon to be 6th graders, she is a soon to be 5th grader. There are 5-6 other girls that will be entering 5th grade too. The leaders are going to Cadettes with the 10-12 older girls this fall. They have invited my daughter to join them a year early. The leaders have actually asked the Council if they can take her up early. They don't want any of the other younger girls, only my daughter. My daughter is a GS in the USA and a Girl Guide in Canada (we live in a border area and I'm Canadian and was a Guide myself). Long story on how this ha

We gathered items for a soldier in Iraq. We sent left over Halloween candy for the soldiers to give the kids there. We also sent baby wipes, beef jerky, playing cards, drink crystal packets, Girl Scout cookies, popcorn, hand made Christmas ornaments, Valentine hearts and Easter eggs. The Cubs wrote notes or made cards every 4-6 weeks for the year our soldier was there. The kidergarten classes at our CO raise butterflies from cacoons each year so we planted flowers the butterflies liked near the school. This keep the butterflies in the area.

Our Pack camps regularly (2 times a year). We are fortunate to be in a Council with one of the biggest indoor camping programs in the country. Our camp has 30 cabins to use on weekends thoughout the year. We don't have tents or dining flies but we have accumulated 10 large tote boxes of cooking equipment, towels, dishes and silverware. We rent a U-Haul for each camp to the tune of $75 a trip ($150 per year). We finally have a Webelos I den and a Bear den that will do the campout option for their Outdoorsman badges when the time comes instead of the easy out of going for a hike. The ca

So far my Webelos 1 den has done the mocassins and the woven camp stool from our local National Scout Shop. Both were age appropriate in my opinion. Although the stool takes about 2.5-3 hours to complete. Some of the boys were losing interest in the project, but it wasn't hard, just repetitive. We are also planning to make handprint napkin holders for Christmas. Trace each of the boys hands on wood, cut out and nail/screw together with a thin piece of wood between the wrists. It can look like praying hands or with the fingers spread out. I suspect that the praying style will be easi

If you look closely at the plaid you'll find it is blue and gold and green and red. These are the colors of Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting (albeit the old ones). Since Webelos is the bridge between the 2 programs it is very fitting that the necker and hat have the colors of both programs on them. Although plaid isn't my favorite (I proudly wear a Webelos Leader necker), it beats the alternatives - stripes, polka dots, or camo print. As for new hat styles, BSA is updating the Boy Scout and Venturing uniforms for the centennial, it was only a matter of time before they got to the Cubs

I too have found that kids these days have very little fine motor control and dexterity. I do Cubs and Girl Scouts and none of them can tie knots, cut well with good scissors, or sew a simple running stitch even with instruction. My assessment of the problem is today's parents want it done now and done right so when the kid takes too long the parent takes over and does it for the kid. The kid never learns to manipulate anything. Video games and computers are no help either. Instead of giving kids real paper and paint or crayons they let the kid draw on the computer. Velcro shoes, s

Scouter1960 I've heard some really nasty things about Camp Gerber on this side of the state. I'm assuming by your report these may not be true. Perhaps it's just protectionist drivel as many people in my aera are growing tired of the same old things at camp run by the unchaging "dinosaurs". And the "dinosuars" are trying to keep their jobs. I'd love to hear more about the program and the camp. Thanks To All, Thanks for all the great sharing. Lisabob you are a master googler. I've tried to find things and haven't had much luck.

eisely could you tell me where your Council is please. My Council has run Cub and Webelos resident camps for years. Cubs camp 3 days/2 nights and Webelos camp 4 days/3 nights. Camp offers swimming, shooting sports, scoutcraft, some academic belt loops (map and compass, geography, misic, art), Eco Con is a great draw too. Advancement is available at all ranks from Wolf up. Webelos can work on 4-6 pins per camp, mostly outdoor type pins. Camps aren't well attended less than 10% of eligible Cubs/Webelos attend each year. The biggest problem in our camps is they have gotten stale.

The new Cub Sports and Academic book should be out in the fall of 2009 with all the new belt loop and pins. I work for BSA National Supply and that's what we've been told. There will be 11 in all. The new ones if you want the names are listed in the Insignia Guide at the bottom of the page with belt oops and pins on it. Will post a note when I hear of a due date for the book's release.

Hi, I'm the mother and den leader of a very active Webelos I scout. He has gone to summer resident camp at our Council camp for 3 years (counting the one in a couple of weeks)now. He has become bored with only getting to camp for 3 days and 2 nights. This year we are staying for 2 sessions (back to back)in an effort to give him more of what he wants at camp. Our local camp is very set in it's ways, not much variation from year to year. They are dead set against extending session lengths. "It's been this way for years and it's always worked." The only problem is it's not working. Cu

I have used denners for both Wolf and Bears and will use them next school year in Webelos I recommend drawing names from a hat. The first month we did it we voted, secret ballot style. At the end of meeting there were 3 boys crying because their friends didn't vote them denner or assistant denner. My boys collected dues, took attendence and recorded uniform status. They were also paper passers/collectors, and generally the den gophers. Eveyone got a turn being either a denner or assistant denner. Yes Bear Cubs can use denner or assistant denner as a leadership role for advanceme