va-scouter

Dreaded double post.

(This message has been edited by va-scouter)

Sounds like the council-wide camporee we had a couple of weeks ago. Camping on the grounds of the state capitol building. Thus... no fires of any kind, all cooking done with gas stoves. Tent pegs had to be tiny, so as not to damage the lawn. Had a pinewood derby too, as it was a combo boy scout/cub scout event.

We just went up for the day, due to all the restrictions on the camping and bought lunch from the vendors... first time I've ever seen funnel cakes at a camporee.

Those who did camp were miserable... high winds, driving rain, lightning, and low temps. If there was ever a time fires were needed, it was at that camp. Cold, wet young men are unhappy young men.

So, did you go? And how did you find it?

Our troop just got back from there Saturday. It was my first time there, so I couldn't comment on your previous question.

Roughing it..... yes, that's a good description of Camp Buckskin. 8)

We leave for Camp Buckskin, also known at Dilleys Mill, in..... 5 days. May the sun shine bright and the mosquitos be few. LOL

Just so I'll be clear in the future. Does this mean that if a scout is working on their Eagle project... say raising funds or material donations to build a bridge on part of the Appalachian Trail, for example. He cannot wear his uniform while out soliciting these funds/materials?

Thanks

Hello,

Glad this topic is here. Almost all of our boys can get thru it by using the DARE program. However, this is not an option for our homeschooled scouts. Any ideas? We have one right now that this is the only thing holding him back from becoming 2nd class.

One of the problems with the "lightweight" Boy Scout switchbacks is they melt when you stand to close to a campfire. Changing them to a heavier material would be a good thing.

Guess they learned from their mistakes and improved them for the Cubs. Getting rid of the boot zippers is wonderful too. Ever try to shorten pants by 4 inches when you can't just cut off the bottoms? It's not pleasant.

Thanks for everyone's input so far.

Anarchist -- with our troop going in 2008, we'll only have two scouts over the age of 13. We're a ... rejuvenating troop, shall I say. That's why we'll probably stick with the base camps this go round.

My thought is to get them there once so they can see everything that's offered and that'll make them want to go back to try the areas designed for the older scouts as they advance in the troop. Give 'em something to look forward to.

Our troop is considering the Blue Ridge Mountains Scout Reservation in SW Virginia for the 2008 camping season. It's out of council for us, but 2 hours closer than the council camp, go figure.

Anybody ever been to Camp Powhatan or Camp Ottari? And what did you and your boys think?

Thanks in advance for your input.

You don't need to worry about getting sea sick on the Yorktown. When we were there, I got the impression that it was aground, surrounded by water, but not going anywhere at all.

Getting sea sick on the side trip to Fort Sumter, is a completely different story. Take dramamine, and then take some more.

We were there in July two years ago, only the theatre and sleeping areas are air conditioned. Any other place, we were standing still and sweat would just run off of you. Lost 15 pounds there.

Food was not good for our young men, Webelos. Out of four meals, only dinner got the thumbs up from them. Most of 'em wouldn't even try the grits that they served for breakfast. I ate them, due to the fact I was starving to death. There's no allowance for food allergies, four in our group was allergic to eggs and they were served both mornings for breakfast as the main item with no alternative. One piece a sausage and a piece of toast will not fill a boy up.

If you're a Coke product drinker, have some stored in coolers in your car, you won't find it on site. Pepsi only. No chocolate to be found anywhere either; we had to send out a messenger to Walmart to buy all of the ladies some. Our cubmaster was freaking out that we were bringing contraband in... good gosh... it was one big Hershey bar apiece, all the boys came out alive due to the calming effects of chocolate. The chocolate was sent for right after every single boy managed to vanish on us and it took us some hard looking to round them back up. Two had even wandered off to the submarine without telling anybody where they were going, the others were closer in.

I've written a book, enjoy your trip.

Our troop currently has 8 middle schoolers who crossed over in March, and 3 older boys. And, no, this isn't a brand new troop. It has existed since the 60's and has produced 47 Eagles in that time.

We were told by the scoutmaster when we visited that they had just in the last few years had trouble recruiting and had no idea why. If we hadn't crossed our boys over to them, they would've given up their charter due to lack of young men. Plenty of adult leaders with decades of experience between them, just no boys coming in the door.

I'd like to second the suggestion for contacting Scholastic and Troll, most companies like to get positive press by donating to worthy causes such as this.

Also, I had a question, what age groups are you wanting books for? Preschool, elementary, middle school, high school?

We have an "interesting" situation. Our C.O. is a church.

Due to an organization in the area giving away money to non-profit groups, we decided to request the church's tax-exempt number in order to take advantage of the opportunity. Other troops and packs in the area are taking part in the give-away, so we thought we might as well get a slice of the pie for our young men too.

We were informed by the treasurer of the church that they don't have a tax-exempt number, and that we can't even use their tax i.d. number because they'd have to pay taxes on everything we raise.

Has anybody here ever heard of a church not being tax-exempt? It's a Methodist Church.

We have an "interesting" situation. Our C.O. is a church.

Due to an organization in the area giving away money to non-profit groups, we decided to request the church's tax-exempt number in order to take advantage of the opportunity. Other troops and packs in the area are taking part in the give-away, so we thought we might as well get a slice of the pie for our young men too.

We were informed by the treasurer of the church that they don't have a tax-exempt number, and that we can't even use their tax i.d. number because they'd have to pay taxes on everything we raise.

Has anybody here ever heard of a church not being tax-exempt? It's a Methodist Church.

I look forward to the answers to this question. Our pack has a young man that is about to cross-over to a troop. Don't know if he's technically a dwarf, he has normal porportions, but he's the height of a small 4-year-old, at most. When I'm sitting down, I'm taller than he is standing up. Both of his parents are on the short side, so he comes by it honestly.

I find myself wondering how he'll do in a troop. Don't see how he could backpack, the packs are taller than he is, etc.

I know of one former scouter that never married, never had children, but devoted 30 years to a scout troop. He took his nephew to a cub scout campout and got hooked. The nephew dropped out within a year or two, but the uncle spent decades in scouting.

A more avid scouter would be hard to find. He also spent many, many years taking care of his disabled mother. Scouting was an outlet for him, so it was beneficial to both him and to the young men that he led.

It was announced last night that the pack sold about $11,000 in popcorn, with about $3,600 of the proceeds coming to our pack. A single Webelos sold $1,800 worth.

That money can do a lot of good for the boys, just have to get it cut loose. Saw the statement from the checking account during popcorn pick-up, there was a bit of a .... carry over from previous years, $2,600. Don't want to hear "we can't afford to do that" this year. Not at all.

We currently have 52 registered cubs due to a big influx at round-up. Actual active, not dropped out, is lower than that. 15 Tigers, 10 Wolves, 3 Bears, 7 Webelos I, and 3 Webelos II. Some actually turned in their popcorn money last night and announced they wouldn't be back.

Hi,

Your pack committee members have to be listed on your charter. That's where you'll find them. Either ask your CM who they are or your DE. That'll show who your treasurer is supposed to be. Ours is just a committee on paper also. Needs to be changed.

I agree to get rid of the den chiefs, or get them to some training, so they know what they're supposed to be doing.

First thing I'd change would be to have a true pack meeting monthly, with advancements for those boys so that they can see the result of all their hard work.

Thank you all for your responses.

I knew from reading here that normally the CM can only be replace by the CC and COR on the charter, neither of which have shown any desire to do so. Wasn't sure what path to take to override them.

The DE was at our roundup (in uniform, thank God), so he is aware of the fact that the CM showed up without a uniform on that night. He's a relative newcomer, at least to us. He's in his second year with this council. He has also become aware during that time that the CM never comes to camporees or day camps, every other CM in the district does, he does not.

According to council calendar cubmaster training is only offered once a year, at Pow Wow, which was last weekend. So we've missed that boat, at least for this year.

All of the pack property is in the hands of the cubmaster, not the CC, just like the checkbook. She's just a name on the charter (the 2nd year Webelos leader who is tired of it all.) However, she did state at one time that if the CM stepped down she would take the job for one year. Not sure if she's still willing to do that or not. If not the first year Webelos leader has stated that he's willing.

Looks like the den leaders all need to get together for a long talk, get all the facts together and approach somebody who can do something about this mess.

Thanks again, please keep the ideas coming.

Take the following leaders.

A Cubmaster who has been at it for 15 years, started with now grown sons and is holding on til his 4 year old gets old enough to join. He does not hold pack meetings. Advancements are only given out two times a year, Blue and Gold and at an end of year picnic. He showed up at round-up without his uniform on, just street clothes. He is trained, but it was back when he started. Actually stated to the full pack one night that if you had new leader essentials you could take your den on overnight camping trips. Does not provide new leaders with any of the manuals. Just says to fly the meetings from the boys books. He holds the checkbook, only one signature required on checks, and it's his.

Three new den leaders, registered last month during round up. These are the leaders for Tiger, Wolves and Bears. They want guidance on what to do, can't get it from the cubmaster because he has only shown up at two meetings since round up. Tigers have 20 boys, Wolves have 10, and Bears have 3.

First year Webelos den leader and assistant den leader who've been at it since Tiger year. Trained in leader essentials, plus did Baloo at Pow Wow this last weekend, so they can legally take the pack on overnighters. Bought leader books for themselves, because the cubmaster won't let go of anything in his possession. Have 8 boys in their group.

One second year Webelos leader who has been trained, and just wants to move on to Boy Scouts, tired of trying. Has one regular Webelos coming, and two that come when they feel like it.

The pack committee only exists on paper. People are listed as holding the various offices, I suppose because we are required to have a committee. Den leaders supposedly hold some of the offices and the cubmaster's on there too.

Is there any hope? How would you go about saving the pack?

Yes, Twocubdad, we figured out the insanity of the Yorktown in July real fast. Actually, I fought hard to keep the pack from scheduling in August, and I was right. Two out of four weekends in August there were hurricanes sitting in Charleston Harbor.

If our group ever does it again, 6 or 7 years from now is the soonest any of us are willing to discuss, we're going to shoot for May, Oct. or Nov. Never, ever, July again.

I can see why they have a minimum age requirement, After our experience, I'd never dream of taking kids younger than Webelos age, it about did our boys in.

We have a grandmother who's raising two of our cubs and she landed in the hospital with her back due to the trip. I can see your chiro getting rich off of it.

I've never been to Battleship Cove, but we took our Webelos to stay aboard the USS Yorktown in late July of this year. The ship sits in Charleston Harbor, S.C.

Because we knew the average temp in S.C. for the time of year we had pack t-shirts made, of 100% cotton, just for the trip. And we still just about fried aboard ship. You could be standing or sitting still and sweat would just be rolling off your face.

We traveled and boarded in uniform, but spent all day Saturday in the comfort of the pack shirts. Must also say that the bright gold of the shirts made it easy to spot our guys.

evmori wrote:

"The thriving Pack has large numbers. However, they cross very few Webelos over to Boy Scouts and have minimal attendance at summer camp."

This part of the post shouldn't be overlooked. Looks like the "thriving" pack has a few problems too. How is the "dying" pack doing in this area? Do the kids of that pack attend summer camp? Are the few kids they have crossing over and doing well at the Boy Scout level?

An all-out success... our pack more than doubled at Round-up. Now if we can just keep them.

Last year we lost every single Tiger by the Spring, so we were completely without a Wolf group at the beginning of this one.

We picked up 10 Tigers, 14 Wolves, 7 Bears, and 6 Webelos. The Bear and Webelos groups both doubled in size.

It's going to be a challenge, to say the least.

They met their deadline! Wow!

I called my local supplier a couple of weeks ago and he hadn't heard anything about new books and was still stocking the old ones. I'll have to see when he plans to get the new ones, otherwise we'll just phone in an order to the catalog division.

Thanks for the help.