DeanRx

Just look for items (even from multiple achievements) that you can group into one event / outing. The goal is to be out doing stuff as a Pack, Den, and family and the achievements naturally happen as part of the fun. If you can knock out 2 or 3 in one event, all the better. You can encourage, but try not to push - he's got time. Besides, it does no good to push him to his Bear rank if he's burnt out and wants to drop out in Web1. Rank Advancement is nice, but its NOT the destination - its the JOURNEY that counts in scouting. Good Luck. YiS, Dean

If the meeting is at MY house - water based Tempra paints. If its at someone elses house - oil based, stains, and spar varnish are my first 3 choices... Hee, Hee BTW - When I paint the scouts, we use - Orange for Tigers, Yellow for Wolves, Blue for Bears, and Plaid for Webelos..... Duuuhhhhh !

A couple of things our pack has done (and still does annually): 1) Beach cleanup - if you don't have a beach, public park / trails day clean-up. Get w/ your local city Parks dept. they can help set it up and organize it. Then make sure the local PAPER knows about it. Get your kids in the community section doing something good for your city while in uniform. 2) Planted ground cover / ice plant on slopes for our grade school that we use as a meeting location. Its a win-win. Helps prevent soil errosion, plus the kids will protect it, not tear it up if they are the ones who planted

Red Feather- I don't know the Pine Beetle infestation area, but I'd highly recommend a couple hikes I took as a scout. 1) Easier of the two - Notch Mountain (west of Col Springs area). basecamp to summit is about a 10 miler round trip (if I remember correct). Anyways, I made it as a Tenderfoot with both parents and 8 y/o sister in tow. Its an all day hike and will get you above the tree line. Summit looks over a valley at the south face of Mt of the Holy Cross (named for the summer snow formation on the mountain's face). Good hike - leave @ 7 a.m., spend about 2 hours at summit,

The steel wool + 9vt battery The dryer lint + flint + steel The Magnessium filings + flint + rock Magnifying glass + anything with a low flash point An old sock with sterno in the toe (keep it in a ziplock until ready to use) - I've started council sized campfires in the rain using this method. My personal favorite (because its sooo simple and everyone has it with them on a campout).... Wood Shavings + a drop or two of hand sanitizer I always enjoyed making my own gun-cotton (if you can get your hands on the nitric and sulfuric acid needed)... As an asid

I think this falls into "urban scouting myths". I was taught as a scout two different opinions: 1) Away from the prevailing wind, so the door doesn't catch the wind and the tent will stay warmer. 2) Towards the east - so the sun will wake you if you want an early start. (assuming you have tent flaps that will be partially open) A zippered shut door fly is going to provide as much sun block as any other part of the tent. I, as the smart a** scout (and adult) I am, then asked - "well, should the door face WEST, if I plan on sleeping in?" In my many moons since then campi

Not held it yet, but had the planning meeting yesterday. We are going to do it over a 4hr block of time on a Saturday b/c we now have 50+ scouts, plus siblings and parents that want to race. It should be a full day of racing fun. LtFightr - Have fun while its small. Our pack starter 4 years ago with just 6 scouts. So if you do it right - the growth will happen very fast. YiS, Dean

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I have trouble conducting a meeting, or paying attnetion to ANY type of training when there are scouts around. I'm a CM and have a scout in the pack. If there are scout aged kids around, I'm constantly in "adult leader" mode. That means even when they are engaged in an activity (that I'm not in charge of or a participant in as well), I am observing to see if someone needs extra help, or someone (in particular my son) needs to be reminded to be on good behavoir, etc... I doubt I'd be able to concentrate enough to get anything out of a training at

Just some food for thought... After our last Pack Campout (roughly 55 people - 23 scouts), the ONE largest thorn in the "roses and thorns" debrief was that there was very little UNSCHEDULED time for the boys. Now, I did NOT say UNSUPERVISED, but unscheduled. One of the joys of camping should be the notion of having the option (or even being taught to) sit on the shore of the lake and listen to the birds and the leaves as they rustle. Maybe practice skipping a stone with your buddies. Maybe a "hey wonder where this trail leads" - with an adult following at a safe distance.

LuLu- I really don't mean to offend. The point of my post is that just because it has the label of a "father / son" (or more PC 'male role model / son') event, it is not a sexist connotation. The POINT is to get the scout to spend some time interacting and LEARNING from a MALE role model, is it not? I'm not suggesting that one discount a scout who has a single parent family. If a mom / aunt / grandmother is the only one availible, then let them play. However - I am strongly opposed to changing names / rules of events just because a few (one or two) families might not fit the

Its just you. Do you have a daughter? I wonder what your take on the whole "Father / Daughter" Dance would be in girl scouts? I don't mean to offend, but it sounds like your pack has a tradition of making the "bake off" a funny thing by having a dad and son (who together might not know a thing about baking), try to turn out a masterpiece. If anything - I'd think as a woman you might find this type of event refreshing, because it enlightens a man (and his son) to the fact that baking (at least baking well), is not an easy task. They might come away from the event with a goo

1) Leave the momther (old CM) out of it. He's an adult. You're an adult. If you have an issue with something he said, take it up with him. You will gain NO credibility by running to his mother to correct things (especially if she's not active in the pack)... we are adults running the show, correct? 2) If you didn't hear the comment 1st hand and he doesn't feel strongly enough to bring the issue forward, then be a duck. Let it roll off your back. 3) As a CM, I do not expect 100% silence all the time at pack shows. As a former U.S. Army officer, I do command respect with my voice

As a CM (one that will someday be on his way OUT), I can tell you the scrapbook thing would mean the most. Maybe I'm a sappy guy, but a reminder of WHY I do what I do would be the best. Other than that - Having someone step up and continue the tradition is what I hope to get when I "age out" of my position. My largest fear is building a successful program and having it fall to shambles in a couple years because no one will pick up the ball and run with it. Want to give a great going away gift - VOLUNTEER to take their place !!! DeanRx

sdcc57- You sound like the man "in the know". I sent a PM to you on this subject and look forward to your reply. As a CM in your council, I would hope Mr. Bolinbroke had permission to place his BSA title in the CA voter guide. You don't state that in your post. I agree with the position. I support Mr. Bolinbroke's right to author a position statement for whomever or whatever Prop he may be inclined to support. However, I do NOT support him doing so under the guise of endorsement from the SDIC council or BSA. Frankly, because of the trouble in recent years (decades) with the 9th

Sorry, but your CM is WAY off base. I would discuss this with your CM and get your CC and ACM involved too. Bring along the book and the regs and let them know that you expect your Den to not be "grilled" in order to receive their Bobcat Badge. If the CM protests and states, "This is how its always been done." well doing it wrong before doesn't mean you should continue the error. I can't believe the CM would want to risk embarrasing a 1st grader like that. Good way to run people out of the pack. Tell them the requirements have been signed off by Akela and that is all that is

Hal - looks like you have a chronic double post problem Anyways - I agree with the statement, "I think leaders need to let go. Will they make mistakes -- sure. The leaders job is to make sure the mistakes are not lifethreatening, emotionally damaging or costly (like a whole new tent)." I haven't done woodbadge yet, but from the sounds of it, I'm not going to enjoy it too much when the time comes. Boy Scouts is NOT about becoming an MBA. We have plenty of those type folks who have done a fine job getting our nation into the mess its in right now. Fun, citizenship, personal res

As if it matters... to the uniform police it won't / doesn't... I finally found my old council online last night and looked at their OA web site. According to the history of the OA lodge(s) from my old council, MY particular OA lodge was folded in w/ two other lodges in the mid 1990's and no longer exists. If I want to put a loop on it and wear it as a temporary patch, the uniform guide says that I may... yes I too can read the regs. Thanks BW - once again for twisting your post to be a backhanded stab at another scouters personal integrity. Unlike you, I'll be more direct:

As cubs, we family camp... The pack plans the meals, does the buying, and cooks the meals. The exception is one "scout cook" opportunity, be it a hot dog on a stick over open flame, a hobo stew, or hamburger patty w/ fixin's in a foil pouch or a Smore's. A few words of advice: 1) ALWAYS have a backup food for the "scout cook" (i.e. Peanut butter and jelly at the ready). Somebody's food is going to get burned / fall in the fire. They still need to eat. 2) Cooking for 50+ people is a large task. Break it up into smaller segments and assign duties. We have 3 to 4 "grubmas

Just had a thought... Guess I could take the lodge patch off the right pocket flap, sew a loop to the top and then hang it on the right pocket button... Viola !, its now in the temporary patch location on my shirt and I'm legit. Doubt, I'll get around to it soon Dean

Jeffrey H - Hope its not me you are refering to. Don't know if you're in our unit, but if you are - its not meant to offend. I still have my sash, but would never wear it, b/c I do not actively participate in a lodge or its activities. I wear mine. It was earned as a scout. It had been in storage for 22 years before I became involved in BSA again 2 years ago with my own son. I now reside 1/2 the U.S. away from the council I earned it in. I have tried to contact my old council to see about paying dues (I guess if writing a check makes it OK to wear), no reply. I don't even

Thanks for the info on the rangemaster qualifications from other councils... I'm going to have to get the name and number of our council "Shooting Sports Director" and get the scoop straight from him. The training I outlined was conveyed to me by our Council Training chair at BALOO this past summer and was re-iterated to me by the rangemaster we had on-site at the BSA scout ranch for or Fall Pack Campout in November. I figured between the two of them, I was getting accurate information ?!? Maybe I need to dig deeper. I'd be more than willing to help out / train / be availible

I think both SctDad and SSScout have you pointed in the right direction. As for the "rangemaster" issue... I have inquired at my council about becoming rangemaster qualified. It is not an easy thing to do. First, you must take the NRA training, not a big deal - can be done in a weekend, most likely a little drive from your local area (or even in your local area). However, then you must qualify in the BSA training program. This usually happens over several weekends (some of which are extended weekends). Think Wood Badge on steroids. All checkoffs are pass / fail, and ALL mus

I think its the CONTEXT of the training... 1) Are the kids in the given Dens mature enough to understand the topic and respect the responsibility that their new knowledge (fire building) places upon them? 2) Is the DL capable of providing an appropriate learning situation? Will he talk up safety / responsibility as much (if not more so) than how cool it is to be able to start a fire? Given your post on how this person runs their Den meetings, I might have my doubts. 3) Do you feel comfortable with YOUR child learning this skill at this point in time? If not - they can opt o

Mostly, the ACM's job is to be the "back-up". They are the Tonto to the CM "Lone Ranger". My ACM is ready to step in and run the Pack Meeting, if I'm not able to attend. He also: 1) Organizes and presents awards / rank advancements 2) Acts as camping chair on the committee 3) Is ready with a game / round-up activity for the Pack Meeting, so I and the CC can go over any last minute items w/o having to police scouts as they arrive. 4) Aids in the annual planning meeting 5) General Gopher and "other duties as assigned". IF you are having trouble getting your ACM to he

Well... was she ?!? Just kidding (kind of...) While I would not condone anyone, least a cubbie and a Tiger at that, using such language. I think you are missing a "teachable moment" on multiple levels. IF this was in earshot of other scouts - include them ALL in the discussion. 1) Lesson of being polite and self control. What is proper behavoir? What is proper language? (Maybe lesson in what is proper volume of voice when making a comment one might find offensive)? Oh come now - its not like the parents don't stand around and make judgements and comments ALL the time about