travers211

Moosetracker,

I briefly mention creating the Scouts Own Service on pages 5, 14 and 15. As I wrote, one of my assistant Scribes took it on himself to work with the course religious coordinator, program patrol and Chaplains Aides to put these together.

If I had to add anything about this subject, it would be prep the layout for the programs before you get to Gilwell. The folks I mentioned above will probably be scrambling too much for content to worry about whether it's an 8.5" x 11" duplexed sheet, a 5.5" x 8.5" booklet, etc. In our course, to expedite this whole process, we pretty much said, "It's going to be a 5.5" x 8.5" booklet (a single sheet of paper folded once)." As I mentioned, they were busy working on the content (which we asked them key in on the courtesy computer), so we simply cut and pasted it in, arranged it a bit, added some non-denominational graphics and there you go.

Keep in mind that, in your case, the lack of an Internet connection will cause you to need to pre-plan this a bit more. Insist that your religious coordinator get you all of his/her content BEFORE the first course weekend. You need Internet access to grab song lyrics, etc. Your goal should be to have this laid out and ready to print, if not already printed, before the first WB weekend. Same process for Scouts Own program for second weekend...insist the relevant parties get you their content before the start of the second weekend so you can do the same with it...

Re: the message from your Course Director, it really SHOULD change. While much of their thoughts will be the same from course to course, this is the CD's opportunity to "speak" to the participants. I would ask your CD to write this and get to you head of the course so you can drop into the day 1 Gaz, front and center on page one. We did this, wrapped the text around the CD's picture in the middle and even added overlaid his signature and totem (in white) over top his picture in the corner.

Just wrapped up serving as Scribe on our recent Wood Badge course and was asked

to write down some notes to pass on to future Scribes in our Council. Before I

knew it, I had a 22 page document that I thought might be useful for Wood Badge

Scribes everywhere! Topics include:

- Get At Least One Assistant Scribe

- Continuing in the "You Don't Have to Do It All Yourself" Theme

- Speaking of Resources

- Handbooks? What Handbooks?

- Badges and Cards? What Badges and Cards?

- Printers and Printing Supplies

- The Scribe is the "Office Supply" Person

- The Gilwell Gazette

- "Unforeseen Distractions" or "You Don't Know What You Don't Know"

- Make Your Own List

- Check it Twice

- Suggestions? Comments?

- First Aid

- "Courtesy" Computer

- A Word About Staff / Participant Pictures

- The Scribe Area

- The Unofficial Scribe Supply List

I hope future Scribes find it useful (and past Scribes can still read it and get

a laugh or two). Feel free to share and pass it around.

This document can be downloaded directly from the following link:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/19844520/Notes%20From%20a%20Wood%20Badge%20Scribe.pdf

BelieveinScouts, I noticed you're from Cincinnati, OH area. Our Pack, based in Milford, OH has successfully had Winter Campouts for years where all ranks can attend.

Specifically, you'll find two large yurts (60 people each) at Chilo Lock and Dam #34 in Chilo, OH (SE Clermont County). Each are heated by wood burning stoves and firewood is supplied. Crooked Run Nature Preserve is RIGHT beind the yurts and a museum onsite that details the history of the dam system and barges/boats that use them.

Here's a link to the yurts (check out Facilities and Reservables links):

http://www.co.clermont.oh.us/parks/

Here's a link to last sign up for this event on our site:

http://www.pack846.org/Campouts/WinterCampout.htm

We wrestled with this and the definition that works for our Pack (yours may differ) is:

Cub Scouts are encouraged to attend all Pack and Den meetings and activities. In order to qualify for an attendance award, the Cub Scout must attend six (6) Pack meetings (this includes the Paper Airplane and Pinewood Derby) one of which MUST be the Blue and Gold Banquet. Additionally the Scout must attend 100% of the Den meetings and 50% of other Pack (this includes Winter and Spring Campouts and Service Projects, etc). Den leaders are responsible for keeping attendance records for the boys in their dens.

Boys should be "excused" from attendance (and therefore given credit for participation) only when the boy or a parent has contacted the Den Leader to advise of non-attendance.

Excused absences should not be granted where a boy has opted for an alternative activity that regularly keeps him away from Den activities.

Excused absences should not be granted for missing Pack Meetings or other Pack-wide activities except in the case of illness or family emergencies.

You might find that your boys may not be as bored with historical places as you may think.

Case in point, we took our Tigers to a local house that's nearly 150 year's old. It has been preserved by a local historical society to remain as "true to the period" as possible. The tour guide was dressed in period clothing as well.

The guys had a ball. They were absolutely fascinated by the phone that you had to crank by hand to get to work. The old-time phonograph, with the big horn on top, was a hit, too.

You gotta' think like a 7 year old.