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meyerc13

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Everything posted by meyerc13

  1. I would agree with some of the other posts - don't imply or assume that something illegal has happened without facts - the most likely explanation is just poor book-keeping. Once you get your hands on the checking account, you can try to sort it out. You may want to consider moving to a different bank when you step in, it takes a bit of work to open a non-profit checking account (assuming your charter org is non-profit), but it can be done and may be the best way to start fresh (no blank checks floating around). You should also consider holding a spring fund-raiser. Our Council has done Sp
  2. You're welcome, and I agree with your assessment. I've said it before but I'll say it again. A healthy den is 6-8 boys: A den of five boys can survive, but it's reaching the point where it might not. If one boy moves away you are down to four and that's not enough. With four boys, if one boy is sick or can't make a den meeting you no longer have enough boys to partner up into two teams, and many games require at least four boys. I've tried running dens with 3-4 boys and it doesn't work well... the level of fun drops and more boys are likely to drift away. Even at five you risk 1-2 be
  3. That is an interesting question. I think a 'waiting list' is absolutely the wrong way to go. That happened to my daughter when she tried to join Girl Scouts. She was told that the Troop was 'full.' Does anyone truly think we should deny a child the opportunity to participate in Scouting for a year because we (as adults) aren't doing our best to staff the open positions in our units? Yes, some of this has to fall on the parents of these kids, but I think in most cases parents don't step up because of reasons the Pack leadership could fix. For example - if the parent's see that the Cub
  4. It is suggested, but not required. As a Cubmaster or Pack Committee Chair, personally I would require it of my Webelos Den Leaders, especially if they weren't Boy Scouts themsleves. I say this because I attended what our Council calls Webelos Rendezvous, which is basically a camporee for Webelos I boys (as they finish Webelos I and are almost Webelos II). During that campout, I saw a Webelos using a hatchet, quite unsafely at that. Had they gone through IOLS/OWLS they would know that this is not part of the Cub Scout program. Pocketknives yes, but Axe and Hatchet should wait for Boy Scout
  5. I don't know... our Council's popcorn sale is usually just under $3 million. That million going back to Council goes a lot further than covering their costs. Most of the 'running' of the sale is done by a volunteer Council Popcorn Kernel.
  6. Yes, that is correct. When you change roles, to make it official you need to fill out another application. I've filled out the Adult Leader Application for each of these: Tiger Den Leader Cubmaster Pack Trainer Roundtable Commissioner District Committee When I'm ready to take on a role in my son's Boy Scout Troop, I'll need to fill it out again. You only need to pay the $24 registration fee once per year, but any time you change or add a position you need to fill out the application again. I hear that electronic applications may be coming soon... I hope that's true because after the
  7. Situations like this are why I really think more Packs should use Pack Trainers. Technically, the Tiger Den Leaders should be picked by the Chartered Organization (see here and here, not sure what the difference is between the two versions of this process, or which is the correct and most up-to-date version, perhaps someone from the BSA can explain), not by picking the short straw in a room full of parents. However, how does the Chartered Org and existing Pack Leadership get to know the Tiger parents before a Den Leader is needed? In my opinion, this could be a place where the Pack Train
  8. Qwazse is right. While many Districts have an unofficial policy that Scouts be at least First Class, it isn't a requirement.
  9. Let's look at what the BSA says about Pack Overnighters: The BSA also allows for Webelos Den Overnight Camping. The difference between these is that Webelos Den Overnight camping does not require a BALOO trained leader, and parents aren't necessarily along (although Youth Protection Guidelines always apply, so two deep leadership, no one-on-one contact, appropriate sleeping facilities, etc. still apply). The BSA also makes a point that den camping is not allowed for any den except Webelos. So let's look at your example. Families are attending, at an approved facility, with age app
  10. Webelos is all about preparing a boy for Boy Scouts, and as such I think it is appropriate for a Den Leader to verify that a requirement was completed before signing off on the requirement in the boy's handbook. All of the things that you mention are things that they will need to know for Boy Scout advancement, so you'll need to work on them with the den until everyone knows them well enough to demonstrate to their future Scoutmaster, Patrol Leader, or Troop Guide. It's better they learn this lesson now, rather than later. My son went to his Scoutmaster and told him he had completed the
  11. Something Stosh said in another thread got me thinking, and rather than let yet another thread go off topic, I thought I'd start a new one to disuss: Contrast that with: Up here in Northeast Wisconsin, the Green Bay Packers are a big deal. Every home game is sold out, and all of those fans in the stands need to be fed. The Packers allow non-profit groups to run their concessions stands for a share of the profits, and as you can imagine this can be a very lucrative method of fund raising. Here's the catch - the people working need to be over the age of 18 (due to alcohol sal
  12. It's hard not to feel a little sick to the stomache when reading about Boy and Girl Scout camps closing. Most of these camps were donated to the Scouts by people who loved their land and wanted future generations to enjoy it the way that they had. While these people must have also loved the Scouts to some degree, I wonder if they'd still feel that way seeing what the Scouts are doing with the properties. If these generous groups and individuals had wanted the Scouting Councils to have money to spend on other things, I'm sure they would have donated money (many probably did). I think the fa
  13. To update your registration from den leader to assistant cubmaster, you'll need to fill out another application listing the new position code. If you've already done that, perhaps it got lost on the way through the signature and approval process.
  14. Wow... sounds like you had a great recruiting night! Way to go!! I think the place you need to improve is in your new parent orientation meeting. Here's what I've done successfully the past couple of years as a Cubmaster. On the first meeting night following recruitment, divide your leaders into three groups: Returning Scouts - two leaders will take this group outside to do a service project cleaning up the neighborhood. Bring small plastic bags to collect trash. Following that, take the group outside or to the gymnasium for some games. Recruit parents of returning Scouts if you need
  15. We know exactly what it looks like, because we have the post here on this forum showing us: http://scouter.com/index.php/topic/27649-what-if-the-boy-scouts-went-coed/?p=443564 While they may be multiple units on paper, as we've seen in the posts about this unit they function as one coordinated group for all intents and purposes.
  16. I'm glad you posted, I'm starting to see how many Roundtable Commissioners hang out here. This is a great site, but you might also want to join the BSA Roundtable Commissioners Group on Facebook if you haven't already. It's a great group and full of helpful information.
  17. I think we do need the camps, and it makes me sad every time I hear of one of the Boy Scout or Girl Scout camps being sold. As Cambridgeskip pointed out, once these properties are sold, we are never going to get them back. Even if we scrap the summer camp programs, our camps are still great places for a Troop or Pack to spend time. What I think we could do a better job of is managing those properties. Our Council recently sold one camp, and it was on the same lake as another Council's camp which was also for sale (that's another thing that makes little sense to me, a Council owning a ca
  18. I think that most Roundtable Commissioners are not happy with this change, based on the online reaction I've seen to this change. Even before I became a Roundtable Commissioner I was using the songs, games, etc. in the Roundtable Guides to supplement my den and Pack meetings. It was nice having games and songs that reinforce the theme for the month. Now we have the Leader Guides for each rank, which have a lot of ideas for games and songs, but they aren't focused on the month's theme. Frankly, even some of the Pack Meeting Plans published online have songs and games that aren't at all r
  19. The caution against boiling eggs in a Ziploc has nothing to do with bpa, Ziplocs are both dioxin and bpa free. The unconfirmed information I've seen claims that standard Ziploc bags start to melt at 195 degrees Fahrenheit, which can result in microscopic plastic particles ending up in the eggs. I've found nothing on the Ziploc site to confirm this, but likewise I wasn't able to find any recipes on the site that involve boiling the bag (the recipes @@qwazse linked above use the bag before or after the boiling step, not during the boiling process). I was able to find one reference on the Z
  20. Welcome! It sounds like you are doing the right stuff as far as recruiting - get out there and let people know that Cub Scouting is availble for those schools, and that Cub Scouts have fun! That should get them to join - then you need to have a fun program to keep them. The new Den Leader Guides are a perfect recipe for the den meetings, just be sure you pick a fun and exciting Adventure for each den to start. For Tigers we picked Good Knights (it's an elective, but it's fun!!!). For Webelos, I'd probably go with something like Cast Iron Chef. Throw in a fun Pack Meeting, along with a Pa
  21. Welcome from another 1991 Eagle Scout! I just finished my four year stint as a Cub Scout Leader (1 yr. Den Leader, 3 yrs. Cubmaster), althought I'm still the Pack Trainer and will be their Lion Guide for the first year. Being a Cub Scout leader is a lot of fun, as you can tell by the fact that I'm still doing it even though my son has moved on to Boy Scouts.
  22. Technically he is. The joining requirements state that a 10 year old who has earned the Arrow of Light is eligible to join. Since earning Arrow of Light no longer requires earning Webelos, only being active in the den for six months since completing the fourth grade or turning 10 years old... we are seeing a lot more of these shenanigans - turning the 1+ year Webelos and Arrow of Light program into a <1 year rush to get them out of Cub Scouts and into Boy Scouts before they are ready. As the parent of a boy who skipped a grade in school and completed both Webelos and Arrow of Light in
  23. Sorry, but I have to say that this isn't the 1900's anymore. While even my generation (I was a Cub Scout in the early to mid 1980's) this might have been true, I have met plenty of excellent female Webelos leaders and Cubmasters since coming back to Scouting 5 years ago. The Cubmaster who preceeded me was much very much into Scouting and the outdoors, and made a great Cubmaster/Webelos leader. At one point I asked why we almost never saw her husband at Scouting activities, and she told me it was because he just wasn't very into the outdoors. Over the past 25-30 years we've made a lot of pr
  24. This sums up the problem fairly well. Reading your post, it seems clear to me that this Troop isn't a good fit for your son, as least not right now. They are all about high adventure, and at this point he is not. This is why a Webelos should always visit and camp with as many Troops as possible before deciding which one he wants to join. The answer is to find another Troop. Joining a Troop isn't a life long committment. It's always nice when it turns out that way, but some Troops just aren't a good fit for some boys. There is nothing wrong with changing to a different Troop. You say
  25. I used to hate foil packet meals when I was a Scout. The recipe always seemed to be hamburger with chunks of potato, carrots, and onions, with a little bit of butter. I can't tell you how many times I had uncooked potatoes and carrots in mine, and a complete lack of seasoning. As an adult, I love to cook, and despite my failure with foil packet meals as a youth, I was determined to make them work. The number one change was seasoning. You need a lot more than you'd think. Dry soup mixes work well because they are designed to get dilluted, and foil packet meals trap all of the liquids.
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