Cubmaster Mike

I wear a yellow 3-year, a green 7-year and a light blue 7-year.

Gonna trade them all in for a "20" in three years....

I wear them at Pack meetings, recruitment events, school functions, District and Council events. Actually I think the only place I don't always wear them is when I am roving around the neighborhood stopping in and checking on Den meetings.

CMM(This message has been edited by Cubmaster Mike)

In our unit, 100% of our den leaders have basic training/position specific completed.

At least 2 parents in every den have completed youth protection training

Cubmaster (myself) is Woodbadge trained. Webelos leader to take the course this fall. We are sending at least one every year to WB.

Webelos leader (our camping coordinator) has completed BALOO. I'm taking it this fall. We are sending at least one a year to BALOO.

Four leaders have safe swim defense

One leader has a BSA Archery Rangemaster certification

We instituted this training level on ourselves. We cover for each other to make it happen. We sit each others kids, we take the courses on-line where possible, we remind each other to go ......

......And we recognize the heck out of leaders who get trained at Pack meetings!!!!! Everytime a leader gets trained in something, we have all leaders who have had training stand up and be recognized. Let the boys and the parents know how hard we want to make the program a success.

It's a boy's program, but you can't really deliver it without the proper training. Also we find that routine training and re-training (don't forget renewals!) help keep the leaders active and focused and energetic.... and that keeps the program alive as much as anything else..... That and it's really conspicuous if you're the only den leader in the bunch who hasn't been trained.

Your last post raises a good point about the lack of addresses. How come nobody else has stepped forward on this forum and expressed outrage at their own missing cars? Could it be that the others got their cars back or some other assistance?

Take matters into your own hands. write your own letters to the councils. Write Scouting mag. Send a letter to the dinner organizer and cc your council exec. Write a letter to your congressional rep and cc your council exec and the dinner organizer. Good luck.

CMM

I point our parents to a website where they can view and print off the requirements for each belt loop or pin. Check it out.

http://www.geocities.com/~pack215/academics-sports.html

The parents can then initial on the items done and turn it in to the den leader for reporting and advancement. We try to award belt loops and pins at the den level and then have each boy recognized at the Pack meeting by having thenm stand and read off what they have earned.

We shifted to this method because we have had so much advancement we needed to keep the meeting going rather than have the boys sit through a half-hour of having each one walk up. We perform ceremonies at the pack meeting for awarding special awards, such as religious awards, outdoor or environmental awards, Webelos activity pins, and rank advancement.

CMM

We are a city of 40,000 and have five public elementary schools, two private schools and four cub packs. One pack is LDS sponsored and the others are sponsored around local schools.

My pack's policy is that any boy in town can join any pack. Meeting times, days and personalities each offer different things to each family.

But it is also important to note that we have made an effort to meet with the other packs and share our view (with which they agreed).

CMM

We provide neckerchiefs, slides and books. The pack has a uniform bank and requests that all old gear get recycled. Some do, some don't. I routinely hit up the local Salvation Army and Goodwill, looking for shirts to add to the bank. We provide shirts and hats to scouts as we get them. Our Pack BSA uniform is from the belt up at all den meetings and pack meetings. At Pack meetings and ceremonies, we tell the dens to each decide on a common pant style and put them all in it. We do a uniform inspection every month at the pack meeting. The best uniformed den gets an eagle feather on a thong for their den flag and their Den # and the month/year on a perpetual inspection award.

ANY boy who doesn't show up in uniform, I make it a point of asking him where it is (privately).

If he "forgot it" I ask him to remember it next time.

If he says it's dirty, I ask him to wash it.

If they're not in uniform, they're not allowed to carry a flag in a flag ceremony.

CMM

what rubbish....

Every day when I leave my house, no matter what I wear, there are three things in my front left pocket.

Rosary

Wood badge coin

Scout coin (25 year old coin)

When I read threads like this I reach into my pocket and remember what it's all about......

Anybody who thinks that boys are not joining scouts because of the uniform is kidding themselves. Note to its-me: At the cub scout level boys take their lead from the example their leaders set. You've expressed your dislike for the uniform and boys obviously have picked up on that. Our previous cubmaster did not wear the uniform and the boys took their lead from him. Switch of leadership and our present leaders all wear the uniform with pride and our boys now are ALWAYS at 90%+ in uniform at any den or pack event. The old leader told me that "some boys come to the meeting straight from soccer or baseball so it's unfair to request that they wear a uniform." So what? If it's important enough to them, they will change in the vehicle on the way to the event or when they get there. I know that some of these same boys are changing into their soccer or baseball uniforms on the way to the game. Frankly I have never ever heard a cub scout say that they hate the uniform. Second, third and fourth graders should not be that concerned about fashion and image. If they are, then take a look at their parents and chances are, they're imitating them.

I agree that wearing a scout uniform to a high school will get comments. So will wearing lime green sweats. Anything different will get noticed and commented on. And who can say that wearing your pants with the crotch at your knees, showing 2-3 inches of underwear is a good idea? Have you seen kids wearing that outfit try to run? They look a a bunch of penguins! What's that? You say it's a form of expression? SO is the uniform!

It doesn't matter who designs the uniform, as long as it is worn only by scouts and not by the public it will get commented on.

Those boys who say they will join scouts except for the uniform... it's just an excuse and poor one. They don't want to be recognized, they want to remain anonymous, to stay in the background and quite frankly, on some lower level to deny belonging. Get rid of the uniform, and they'll make up another excuse.

Dressing up in the uniform only for special events? Heck, what qualifies as a special event? Every week I see men come to church in tee shirts, shorts and sandals. Young girls come in crop tops and spaghetti straps. People walk into a courtroom with tee shirts and ballcaps and show shock and defiance when asked to remove their hat. They also forget to remove their hat when walking into a church or singing the national anthem at a baesball game. Seems to me that an entire segment of the population doesn't recognize or know how to dress for special occasions anymore. Ten years after I pledged, I returned to my college fraternity. I had to tie neckties for at least five young men who had never learned how. It wasn't important to them and their parents couldn't be bothered to teach them.

Lastly....

Neckerchief is unnecessary? What about neckties, bolo ties, cufflinks and ascots, are they unecessary too? Neckwear is worn in the business place because of tradition and hence the appropriateness. The scout neckerchief serves much the same purpose. I have used my neckerchief to lash poles in a storm and sling a broken wrist. You betcha it's useful!

Whew!!! end of rant......

CMM(This message has been edited by Cubmaster Mike)

My first pet peeve is trying to glue the styrofoam peanuts back together when I break a few taking something out of a box. Can't get the little guys to stick back together!!!

My second peeve is when something comes in sandwiched in styrofoam and you want to save it for storage (christmas figurines come to mind) but you.....can't......remember....which .....way.... the.....darn....thing....fits.....back....into..the...sandwich packing!!

AARRGGHHHH!!!!!!

CMM

My wife asks me why I talk to myself. I tell her because I'm the only one who'll listen and respond to myself.

Now if you'll exuse me, I hear myself calling on the other line now....

Riding in the back of a pickup has been illegal for years here in CA.

I like Bobwhite's idea, but you don't need to make a position. Give him a copy of the G2SS and have him review each activity in advance to make sure that it is safe. You'll need to do so yourself and if he shrugs it off and says it is safe (when you know it isn't) then suggest things like, "OK but let's check under Chapter X. I remember seeing smething there...."

He should get the point.

I always call someone who doesn't show up for three or more meetings. The biggest break is always at the start of the new school year. When I contact them I let them know I am calling to make sure everything is all right becasue I haven't seen them for awhile. If they indicate they are not returning, then I ask them why. If the parents tell you tht "we're just too busy" I acknowledge that and ask them why Scouts was the "busy" activity that they decided to drop. If little Johnny is just "not interested" I ask what are Johnny's new interests. If there is a personality conflict then I dig into that.

Sometimes the excuse you get is one of convenience and not always truthful, because some folks are just not comfortable rejecting you when they know that they'll probably see you around school/town/church. So take what you get and decide how much to weight it.

It may sound probing, but information you get back may keep the next boy in the program.

CMM

Ah yes, I remember as a mere pup, learning to stalk and hunt wild hot dogs at my daddy's knee.

Sometimes if we were lucky, we would also come across wild catsup and mustard colonies.

And if we were REALLY living right, a flock of buns would come down out of the fog in response to my dad's expert bun-calling technique!!

As with any study, you have to take the results in perspective. I mean, come on, how many kids are going to fill out a survey and admit to being a slacker?

66% are in sports but only 54% would choose sports? 85% believe that activities are important but 89% admit they need a push to get involved?

Sometimes you just can't take these things too seriously. The numbers don't add up.

I would also add that chickens and rabbits are easy to come by and cheap so they make good learning tools. Lawyers are also cheap and plentiful but they scream too much.

Imagine being in a survival situation, you manage to catch something and then have no idea what to do with the carcass because you've never had to gut something?

I have the same problem with my "citified" wife. If I shoot something, she won't eat it!

Seriously through, her taste buds have been cultured and trained to what MegaFood provides. She will eat turkey, goose and ham if it comes from the store, but the flavor of wild turkey, goose and ham is unfamiliar and "icky."

That is why I have insisted that from their first year, my children will eat wild game. I now have my 6- and 8-year olds helping to pluck and clean ducks and geese during hunting season and fish durng the trout season. The result is that they're not squeamish at the sight of gutting animals and have developed a taste for game. It's also a good lesson in harvesting animals for food and not just for the sake of killing.

And in an age where everything from the store comes cleaned and dressed for the oven (removing the gizzard package doesn't count), I'm surprised at how many people have no idea how to clean and dress game. I think that's the real lesson going on and that Reuters has misinterpreted the story. It's not the killing of chickens and rabbits, but how to properly gut and prepare a carcass as food.

I will note however, that my child who can pluck a duck or goose and ignore the blood and guts, will still scream like a banshee when he/she skins their knee or elbow and notices a little blood.

To add to what Semp has said, don't just ask for a treasurer statement created on some computer, ask to see a copy of the BANK statement. We have had two recent cases in the local news here regarding elementary and high school parent faculty organization treasurers that were misappropriating funds for years becasue nobody asked to see the actual statements. The treasurer can put their pride aside and provide the statements if requested (which should be monthly).

I'll trade you armadillos for our skunks and racoons any time. They are taking a heavy toll on duck eggs this year out at my duck club!

Semp is right, you need details. I had to work with the Pack Committee to remove our COR and CC last year for similar reasons, i.e. they were driving families out. And yes, I had to push these families to get details. It became apparent that more would leave if action was not taken.

No easy way to do it and it caused hard feelings on the part of the ex-CC and unfortunately ended our friendship. COR was removed for misappropriation of pack funds. He did not object when we went to the CO and requested a new rep.

Anybody who thinks cubbing may be "bad" or a "distraction".....has.... absolutely........no......idea.....what ......cubbing..... is.

In our organization, the responsibility lies directly with myself and the WDLs. We represent the program and we have to initiate the contacts. We use den chiefs and yes, the boys look up to them as great examples. But the parents need to be part of hat decision. That involves our contacting EVERY local troop in our District and the neighboring District (we are next to the border). We put together the recruiting nights and get the boys and their parents out to them. Each troop around us has different qualities (i.e. one is more service oriented, one is more outdoor oriented, etc.) ad each should be considered in turn. We try to get the boys out to visit at least four troops each year of Webelos.

Oh yes, we also hold tight to the AOL requirement that they must fill out a Boy Scout application....

"attempted to bring to the discussion alternate views that really exist out in the wider world of Scouting?"

I've never blocked anyone, but he has come the closest at any site I've ever visited. Not all alternatives are worth considering or even voicing. The posts were rude and in poor taste and deliberatly pointed to stir up arguments. I don't know where his scouting leadership experience came from, but let's hope that some other folks in his unit are working hard to correct his strange twists on the program.

Beavah- yes, even an ASM/NavCom/PhD with 20 years in can be wrong.

IMHO (with only 16 years experience)

I am shocked that your CM and CC have not addressed this earlier.

If it continues, then not only will you get disillusioned andmaybe burned out, but families will leave if they don't think the boys are getting a quality program.

Split the den. Take out a map and make a dot on each family's home. Draw line through the middle of the group to split it. DO NOT pick and choose who goes with who, stick to geographical splits, less feelings get hurt. Then the CM and CC should take the second group aside and have them decide who will become the group leader. Only move outside the group if no one will accept any responsibility (haven't seen that happen yet). Now in case of one Tiger den we had, itwas decided by a couple of the parents that they would team up to do the den leadership. I accept that as long as one of them agrees to be the point person, i.e., the den leader (note that this person will typically slowly move into the traditional role in most cases).

Good luck!

As a Cubmaster who coaches sports and works with other coaches, I do not put sports on the same level as Cub Scouts or Boy Scouts.

A lot of coaches think they are equal to BSA, but when was the last time you heard a coach sit a group of boys down and talk about...

Being responsible on the school playgorund?

Practicing Leave No Trace and Respect for the environment?

Being involved in your faith?

Holding a door open for someone or just doing a good turn for others--coutesy, kind, etc.

Being trustworthy and honest- with your schoolwork and with your family?

Helping your family around the home and developing relationships?

Beign a good citizen and respect for your community and country?

No, most coaches push sportsmanship and fairplay on the field but there is very little effort off the field. I don't know of another program outside of the church that teaches basic values like the BSA. And that is the main reason why I am involved, to give young people the tools to make good life choices.

search the flea markets and garage sales, but drills are among the first to go. I've seen a lot of cheap packages at Sportsman's Guide (www.sportsmansguide.com) and Harbor Freight Tools (www.harborfreight.com)at around $20.00, but I've never asked about a Scout discount. Good luck.

I can't believe this is still languishing on someone's desk. I am so sorry and am sure your frustration is sky high.

Don't give up hope!