ccjj

I spent every weekend at Camp Rotary in Clare, MI.  I helped with check out and check in (and various other things!)  My husband was a volunteer ranger for the summer and my daughter was the Archery Director and Dining Hall Stewardess.  It was great each Sunday checking in the units and hearing what they wanted to do, then on Saturday hearing what they did.  

Tuesday, I was part of the NCAP visitation to Pioneer Scout Reservation in Ohio.  It was great seeing how another camp does things.

A couple of units here in Mid-Michigan that had a United Methodist Church as a sponsor were dropped effective yesterday.  Now they are scrambling to find a new CO and place to meet.

ccjj

To add to some of those fees....we have a council program fee also.  I just registered my granddaughter as a Lion....$25 new member fee, $33 Youth fee until 12/31, $30.00 program fee.  $88.00 just to be registered.  Will still have to pay pack dues.   BUT.....I still believe in the program and I will do what I can to help my grandkids participate.

Had many a great conversation with her thru FB, she will be missed.

$66 to National for youth

$60 to Council for youth

$48 to National for adults

$12 to Council for adults (Insurance)

Brand new Scouts have a $25 Joining Fee when they first register.

This Scouting year is going to break me in fees alone.   We normally pay for our older kids and grandkids Scouting fees.  Told the adult kids they now have to pay their own way, we will still pay for the grandkids.  Still, have myself, husband, Life Scout daughter, and Wolf grandson.  Then for 3 years straight, we add a Lion to our growing Scouting family!

CCJJ

Since winter in Michigan can be tricky, we used to schedule a swim night at our local rec center in place of our January pack night.  This was a family event and this got kids and families out of the house doing something together.  The pack would pay for the registered youth to attend.  Often we invited a local troop to attend with us and had one of their leaders work with our kids on swimming requirements.

ccjj

We purchased a 13th edition Boy Scout Handbook at our camp this fall.  They were selling them for $5.00    That is what my daughter will be using on February 1st.

ccjj

These are what I found on a quick look....

Going to look in my spare patch box this weekend.  Hopefully I have one.

I have been a UC for a while now.  I try to visit each of my units monthly.  Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't.  I will at least email, or call someone from each unit.  

One of my units says.....Don't call us, we will call you.  Another will reach out to me, asking me to attend a specific event.  Each unit is different.  

My former council had a rule that you could only be a MBC for 8 Merit Badges. With all the changes in the state of Michigan, I am not sure how this will play out now.

I received my beads this past summer at our Webelos Resident Camp. I am the Camp Director and after our Saturday night campfire, I let the campers and adults know what was going to happen. I gave them the choice to stay and watch or head back to our dining hall and we would be there in about 1/2 hour. Most of them chose to stay and watch. They had the choice and it was a short but meaningful ceremony for myself and one of my staff.

My daughter has been a GS since she was a Kindergarden Daisy. Now, she is getting ready to start 5th grade and is a Junior. She also has been involved in Cub/Boy Scouting since before birth! She was the only one in her troop to attend summer camp this year. In the 5+ years she has been in GS, her troop has only camped in tents once and that was in the leaders back yard.

This year, the girls are doing destination meetings. Their meetings will be held someplace relevant to what they are working on. Hopefully, this works out for them.

Last year, we invited the girls to build a pinewood derby car and race it after our Cub Scout's race. They loved it! The leader found a badge from another state, and the girls all worked hard to earn it.

I am hoping her troop gets outside more. My husband and I both have offered to help with anything outdoor related. Our Boy Scout troop has offered to let them use troop camping equipment if needed.

My son came home from school one day and said he wanted to join Cub Scouts. I asked why? He said because Josh is! Josh was his best friend and they did everything together. Both boys joined, and stuck with it even though both boys moved. Josh earned First Class before he got too busy with FFA and other things. Justin stuck with it and earned his Eagle in 2008.

Our whole family is heavily involved in Scouting. If for some reason we stopped, I wouldn't know what to do!

My 8 year old daughter is in Girl Scouts, but she tells everyone she wants to be a Boy Scout. She has grown up in the program.

My son is now giving back to Scouting in any way he can. He is helping with trainings, summer camps (I am the Camp Director), and will do most anything asked of him. I am proud of my son!

ccjj

Here, once the Scout turns in his completed Eagle Scout Application, the council sends out a form letter to the references listed. Since often Scouts don't turn in their application until close to their 18th birthday, there is no way that the letters could be back!

ccjj

We have attended the International Scout Rally since 2001, and it is an awesome experience. The Superhero theme was great fun. As for the Decades theme next year....I am still in think mode! So far, favorite themes have been Nursery Rhymes and TV Shows.

I have not heard of being able to wear the Canadian flag on our uniforms. I don't think I'd want to, since I am not a Canadian Scout.

ccjj

Welcome. You normally can find lots of neat ideas and advice on here. Sometimes....well, just read and learn.

I think I may be from the same council as you!

ccjj

I am on Facebook and Myspace and have several Scouts and Scouters as friends. I initially created a Facebook account to see some summer camp pictures that a DE friend had on her site.

I personally see nothing wrong with it. Others may.

ccjj

life is interesting

My husband carries a debit card and uses that. As long as he keeps giving me the receipts, all is well. He may have a couple of dollars on him, but thats it. I on the other hand, give myself an "allowance" of $25 per week. If by some chance I exceed that, then I use the debit card.

ccjj

Several of the Scouts in troop have either Facebook and/or Myspace profiles. I also am on both sites. I have connected with people I used to work with at church camp in the 80's, and most importantly, my oldest brother who I hadn't heard from in 17 years.

Our SM has had a SM minute about the internet. He used it to talk about what is posted online, and how it can be used against people. It made some of the boys stop and think. I think that 5-6 boys of our 11 boy troop have profiles. The SM did say that actions outside of the troop can have an effect on how perceive Scouts, so be sure to think about what you post.

ccjj

Michigan's Adventure in Muskegon (which is owned by Cedar Fair who owns Cedar Point) has a special "Scouting Outing" each year with discounted prices for Scout groups. We have gone for several years with no problems.

ccjj

Now the fun begins. My daughter is a first grade Brownie this year. She can't wait to go camping with "her" Scouts. She has been camping with the boys since before she was born. I just hope her leader wants to camp, even a cabin camp. At this point, they still can't camp until the leaders take the required training.

We are going to a mom & me type of camp in the late spring. It is a summer camp sampler.

ccjj

The copy I just received is #34450 2008 printing.

I personally prefer the old syllabus. But, we have to use the newest available.

ccjj

The receipe looks similar to what the SM of our troop did a couple of summers ago. It was such a hit with the adults, that the boys decided to do it themselves the next campout. Finally, something that we have been trying to do worked. The boys liked what the adults did, and then had to do it for themselves.

ccjj