WVCubDad

We used to have snacks at our Pack meetings until this last meeting when the CM announced that there had been one too many complaints about apple cores being shoved under the piano bench and other trash being missed. It also turns out that he and his wife had been supplying the snacks, plates and utensils for the past few years, some parents had questioned the nutritional value of them and I guess that's that. Knowing that we did a pretty good job of cleaning up after the meetings, I suspect it wasn't our Pack that left the messes, but I understand his decision to not provide snacks an

Pack378 - Cool idea for a B&G, love to see pictures of it when you're finished. My Wolf son was so ecstatic last week when he brought home his school library book - The Illustrated Star Wars Dictionary (with cut away drawings of R2-D2 and other cool things)! He has watched the original trilogy with me, knows the characters and has seen the first two episodes of the new trilogy and understands why I want him to wait a little while longer to see the final episode. He gets Star Wars and really enjoys acting out Yoda's lightsaber antics. May the Force be with you! John A

One thing that I would like to see is the addition of the individual uniform inspection sheets added to the guide. It might make it easier to ensure that changes to either the guide or the inspection sheet track with the other publication. YiS, John Assistant Cubmaster Pack 13 Shenandoah Area Council

So, let's throw a little wrinkle into this question. As you may know, I'm in a Cub Scout Pack and we do have quite a few opportunities to camp. Most of it is car camping for which I make no apologies. Generally we camp as a Pack 3-4 times a year plus Council Fall Family and Spring Adult/Boy camps at the Scout Camp and two Council Webelos Camping events, all of which are indvidual registrations but the Pack is together in a campsite. Cub & Webelos Resident Camp is also offered but removed from this discussion since that is done in wall tents on platforms. The other Council

Some of this I've posted before but... I was a Wolf Cub in 1975, earned Bobcat but don't recall earning the Wolf Badge. We met at my den leaders house and all I recall about that was going outside in the snow with our buddy burners that we made. I vaguely recall a pinewood derby and a very glossy black car and that's all I remember about the Pack. I can't tell you what the number was, but I think we were chartered out of the First Presbyterian Church in Lewiston, NY. My den leader moved and I didn't continue with Scouts. A year later my mother became the music director at the Ass

In my Council we also have a Statuette Award which is lower than a SB. I don't know if the word on professionals making nominations filtered up this way, but it was suggested to me that I submit a nomination for a Statuette for a Scouter who has done good work in the District. The nomination form seemed to be the same for both awards, just circle the appropriate award at the top of the form. I haven't really paid attention to the number of SB's awarded here so I can't tell you exactly how many are submitted or awarded. YMMV. YiS, John Assistant Cubmaster Pack 13

Along the lines of Eamonn's post - I was a Royal Ranger growing up and at that time (not sure what they're doing now) our uniform was khaki shirt (SS/LS) and khaki pants. These were usually Dickies work clothes with the tags cut off. Despite being readily available and possibly reasonably priced, we still had the problem of kids only being uniformed from the waist up. And for some strange reason we also had a beret, although it was navy blue unless you went to JLTC and then it was airborne maroon with a silver tepee badge sewn on to it. Fortunately there was also a ball cap as an appr

Eamonn, Growing up in WNY across the mighty lower Niagara River from St. Catherines, Ontario, Boxing Day was a staple in my house due to the proliferation of Canadian radio and TV. Many years later, Boxing Day had a more meaningful manifestation. In 1990 I had the priviledge of taking possession of 4 new (to me) M1A1-HA tanks at Christmastime in Daharan, Saudi Arabia. After a long roadmarch back to our battalion area Christmas Day was spent on a makeshift firing range makeing sure they worked. Boxing Day was the first day I had to take a breather and open up the Christmas box that

My thoughts exactly GW. For the record there aren't any 20 something drivers in this family anymore. It's 6 years to the next drivers permit and 3 after that for the last! YiS, John Assistant Cubmaster Pack 13 Shenandoah Area Council

Thank you all. I appreciate the input. I did check the link provided by CubsRgr8 and it doesn't appear that the Strictly for Cub Masters conference is being offered this year. I haven't confirmed it with a phone call yet, but there were several other posters with some good advice about spending time with my son. That was the direction I was leaning when I first posted and that will be my decision. There's always next year for a training conference that may better fit my schedule. Eamonn - How long a drive was it? YiS, John Assistant Cubmaster Pack 13 Shenand

Monday night I get home from work and an envelope from Philmont is at my place at the dinner table. "Upon the recommendation of your council it is my pleasure to invite you to participate in a conference at the Philmont Training Center." WOW!!! I'd looked at the Philmont web site last year and noticed all the conferences and thought that going to one would be a lot of fun and well worth the time and money. I'm a second year Scouter, spent last year as my son's Tiger Den leader, was the Twilight Camp Director for our District and am now the Assistant Cubmaster and Wolf Den leader. When

I am one of our Wolf Den Leaders and the Assistant Cub Master, last year I was the Tiger Den Leader and this spring I'll move up to be the Cub Master. I am also active at the District level as the Popcorn Chair and Twilight Camp Director. Our Den meetings are every Tuesday evening during the school year from 7 to 8 pm. Our Pack meetings are usually the last Tuesday of the month except holidays (as this month) from 6:30 to 8 pm. During the summer we usually have at least one pack activity each month - a camping trip in June, ball game or airshow trip in July, and bike ride or s

Thanks Jethro I was leaning towards that based on the Akela's sign off. John Assistant Cubmaster Pack 13 Shenandoah Area Council

Hmmm SMEagle819...I think I may have seen those red and white strips more than a few times! ;-) They look cool in my opinion. John Assistant Cubmaster Pack 13 Potomac District Shenandoah Area Council

Currently I've earned one (TDL) and been awarded another (DAM). I haven't received the TDL knot yet but the DAM is centered above my pocket. My question is this -- do I move it over slightly once I get the TDL knot or do I just add the new knot to the left or right of the DAM? I've seen it both ways and am curious as to the proper way to do it. Of course the third option is to work hard and earn another knot and then just figure out which knot I want to wear closest to my heart, LOL. John Assistant Cubmaster Pack 13 Shenandoah Area Council

Appreciate the form, thanks Rooneyfamily. Question (not so hypothetical) - If a Cub's family doesn't have him take a shower or bath every day, but rather just on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, should I require him to bathe every day for 2 weeks or respect the family's decision? Thanks John Assistant Cubmaster/Wolf Den Leader Pack 13 Shenandoah Area Council

The first hike my son and I did together turned out to be a 5 mile hike up to the top of a mountain at The Cove in Virginia. He was a Tiger at the time and actually rode on my shoulders for about half of the hike. Curiously he decided that he didn't really care for hiking that much, but we've hiked on every Pack overnighter since. He's hiked the Snavely Ford Trail at Antietam, the Fort Frederick Trail in Big Pool, MD and several nature hike trails at our local camping spot in Berkeley County. He's probably coming up on 15 miles total so far, not bad for a non-hiking Wolf. 8^) A

I bought my son a vest last year when he was a Tiger. An older Webelo he really looks up to wore his to the first Pack meeting and he decided that he had to have one too. Well, 10 theme patches, 2 popcorn patches, LNT, Resident Camp, Family Camps, Father/Son camps, rain camp, Master Angler, Scout Sunday, 2 pinewood derby patches (and probably some I''ve missed) later, he has yet to wear it to a meeting!!!!! My thought is instead of ripping them all off and puttin them on a blanket, I''m just going to open up the seams and stich the vest to it instead. A couple of packs in our C

I wish this string had occurred earlier this summer (mid-June) and I knew specifically what the BSA Swimmer Test requirements were before I went to Cub Resident Camp and wiped myself out passing it! For some reason the examiner didn't like my overhand backstroke and made me do it with me moving my hands at my sides. I am out of shape and hadn't swam much this season when we went to camp so I didn't really pace myself in the swimming portion and then I just about killed myself trying to float while I was heaving trying to suck in good air. Fortunately (or not) the examiner had some patie

Growing up in WNY my favorites were pierogies, keilbasa with egg noodles, steak and kidney pie, Yorkshire pudding and of course Salens hotdogs. Shore lunches on fishing trips with Dad were usually walleye, yum! College introduced me to catfish (usually one of the 3 "meats" at catered dinners), Dubuque Star Beer, brats and oddly enough Domino's pizza. My time in the South is fondly rememberd for Frogmore Stew (aka Low-Country Boil), Shrimp burgers from the Shrimp Shack and all the fresh seafood I could shove in my mouth. I've been in WV for 12 years now and I hear about Ramps, b

I have been in one uniform or another since I was a Wolf Cub in 1974 - Cub Scout, Catholic grade school Cadet Uniform, Royal Ranger, ROTC, Army, Civil Air Patrol, Cub Scout Leader. (Hi, I'm John and I'm a joiner/uniform junkie....) Now in my second year as a CS Leader I wear the SS shirt w/authorized patches, bolo tie, Scout web belt and either ODL shorts/pants/switchbacks (shorts), green & red socks and one of my Scouting ball caps (CRE or 100th Anniversery). Gig line is automatic as are the hunt for rapelling ropes. Fortunately, I don't have to shine my hiking boots . At Resi

Pack 378, That's the supplier that we use. We put design SP69 on a gold t-shirt (long or short sleeve) and sweatshirts (crew neck and hooded). We order them every fall and we are known throughout the Council by our shirts. Very easy to see the boys and they like wearing them. The price is right and we've been very satisfied with the quality. My son has just about worn his out after only 14 months, it's getting a little short as well. He wears it to school, daycare, camping trips, etc. His buddies see the other Scout shirts from the various Council and District camps he's been t

At Cub Resident Camp last month our Pack's only scheduled swimming period was cancelled due to thunder. The rule explained to us was out of the water and under the pavillion until 15 minutes passed with no more thunder. True to form at 14:15 another clap of thunder and a conference with the adult leadership resulted in calling it off since another 15 minute wait, the inbrief and buddy tag drill and we'd have about 15 minutes to swim before the end of the session and getting ready for dinner. Aside from being disappointed about not getting to swim, my son (6 at the time) didn't really

My understanding of this is that the Summertime Pack Award is pinned in the same position directly through the Outdoor Activity Award and then you can add the subsequent OA award wolf track pins on either side of the SPA. I can't find the sheet that I thought had that and as was pointed out neither the Leaders Handbook, Insignia Guide, Inspection Sheet or BSA web site clarifies it. I think it was part of the huge package of stuff I got at National Camping School. I'll see what I can find tomorrow. John Assistant Cubmaster Pack 13 Potomac District Shenandoah Area Council

I hope Ketcham keeps up this story idea. I'd take him in my Pack and even my den. It could be fun and I think he'd fit right in!!! John Assistant Cubmaster Pack 13 Potomac District Shenandoah Area Council