dg98adams

Tampa Turtle,

Wanna start him on Enders Game... there is a Comic book series too... but that can be like a bad habit with the cost of comics these days.

Um, yeah that's easy to answer, "No, it is what it is...."

IMHO sometimes the OA election tells more about the Scout who didn't get voted for than those who did... "Life Lesson"

maybe....

not a friend to every Scout (even a Scout that is active outside the Troop could do this).

not involved with the Troop

not giving back to 1st year Scouts

not serving the Troop (Troop Guides, SPL,PL, etc...)

Not participating in Troop Activities

I also see these Scouts suddenly showing up and asking for help on Eagle Projects when they don't know any of the last 2-3 years of new Scouts (these boys have the most time to give).

Your right though, "Everybody is a whiner" these days.

DG

Put a twist on easy favorites...

Sloppy Jose's (Sloppy Joes - replace bun with large flour tortilla) I personally like the corn over flour but it's easy and you can eat it like a burrito, sans the napkin/foil.

French toast with a twist... literally make a peanut butter (jelly optional) sandwich, then dip in eggs & fry like french toast.

Warning - 2 pieces of bread & peanut butter go really far this way.

Spider Dogs - split 1/3 of each end of a hot dog into quarters lenth-wise. Roast with the unsliced center 3rd, use a bun or it looks weird enough to eat off the stick!

Box-Oven brownies - premix brownies & eggs/oil in 1 gallon bag (yeah I know what it looks like, so will the boys), cut a corner of the bag and "squirt out" individual brownies or a spiral to bake.

With Cubs in big groups 1-2 step foods are good, with Webelos, get 'em started with "trail cooking", "or 1-pots".

Keep it fun and don't sweat the small was often heard when I was CM too. I may have said it more than once. ;-)

You said it yourself she probably lacks understanding of the program anyway but she's doing it and loosely is better than not, figure out a way to help her.

Best way to lead from the side-lines is be the example... from uniform to training to learning about the program. But aid rather than critique. Also, parents will see the uniform, as be drawn to you for info, so get on the same page as her as possible.

Asking the parents what has been done, might be a problem if they are not "with the program" and the Tiger DL is winging it. I'd track what they have now since once recognition is awarded its awarded.

It gets more structured as you go along so go ahead and get trained as a DL and read the handbook.

Most of all, have fun, and the rest follows behind.

I'm offering up a lane or 2 for the Winchester ProMarksman/Marksman for the older Scouts... but most are Venturing Scouts and have Staff day for camp, so they won't be able to shoot till after 4pm.

They are getting the NRA pistol course anyway which I just started for them this week.

Really excited.... Put a plan in place to take our Troop to the local BSA camp this weekend for a Saturday of shooting during our weekend camp out.

We have 2 NRA certified Range Safety Officer/Rifle/Pistol instructors (I am one), plus 3 more Range Safety Officers within the Troop.

Our range has .22 rifles were gonna use. Most are sighted in pretty good, and the Scouts starting on the Rifle MB are going to learn to clean them before and after.

Also gonna offer the Winchester Light Rifle qualification to a handful of older Scouts who already have the Rifle badge.

I plan to have some fun targets too keeping with whats permitted targets for BSA.

I think we have 32 Scouts going this weekend! Might be the most-attended event this year.

Probably gonna break them into groups.... the most we can have shooting is 10 (only 10 lanes).

We just ran the 1st part of the NRA Pistol course for the Venturing Crew... we should finish that up before the end of the month.

My partner (the other RSO/NRA Pistol/Rifle Instructor) is completing the Shotgun instructor as well, so that will be another event we can offer.

Reduce the bottle neck with pre-registration/online or return email confirmation to the Scout/Unit Leader. I know it did our event.

The MBC's appreciate it, and the Scout/Unit leaders bringing them to the event appreciate it.

I don't turn a walk in away, but make sure they understand they have to choose from whats left, not what they have to have but did not plan for and they will not get into a CLOSED/FULL session.

You could have tickets with the Merit Badge on it for the remaining "open slots" and have the Scout pick up a ticket and go on to the session, 1st come 1st served. The MBC writes in the collected tickets on his roster. No ticket, no write in for "day ofs". This way no need to collect anything but payment before the Scout gets the ticket.

I have had MBC that balked at too few Scouts.... I won't reuse them, as the ideal size is 2 Scouts anyway. If they are not willing to work with 2 Scouts..... thanks for your interest, NEXT!

If you can't depend on a MBC showing up for ANY reason, then don't use them. Rail Roading is not so difficult you have to have an elaborate train setup. Sounds more like a kid setting up his toys.

Phone calls, I hate them.

For me, I have called 50 counselors one year (trying to get as much new blood in our event), and only got 5-10 return phone calls. Probably because some contact info on the District list is out of date, the preference to only council their own units, and a general apathy to return phone calls or treat a no call back to "not interested".

So, now I ask around at RT, council events, scouters when I run training, or meet/greet when Unit Commissionering. I fish for strict emails of interested people. Since I rely on email for communiton before and after the event, it's one way to cull the pool.

This is probably the reason why the "often praised, but broken" method of a Scout calling a Merit Badge Councilor doesn't seem to work nowadays, and why many Scouts only get access to their own unit's Councilors.

It's unfortunate people cling to methods from bygone days for commuinication, just because it worked 40 years ago. But I'm getting on another SoapBox....(This message has been edited by dg98adams)

I chair a 3 Saturday Merit Badge event, so been there still doing it.

I direct registration to council office. Council emails me a copy, so I know they are paid.

Once council gets it and I get a copy, I schedule based on each scouts choices. I ask for 3 merit badges and 3 alternates. I email or call the unit leader and give them confirmation of which merit badges the Scouts got into. 1st come 1st served. Communications with unit leader instead of each scout.

Couple days before the event I email each merit badge councilor their roster. I email the Scout point of contact for each Troop their units roster/session list.

On the day of, I have a list of open Merit Badge sessions with available slots and the list of full Merit Badge sessions.

Scout points of contact pick up a copy of their unit roster with any last minute info.

Scouts that register "day of" can request to get into open sessions, and are directed to ask the councilor to add their name to the Merit Badge roster. I add a tick mark to the class size before they go. The only info I need is payment and unit contact info. The scout is also told if their names do not show up on the roster I get back from counselor at the end class (I give the councilors 2 copies of the roster so I can get 1 back each day with any corrections/additions/req. completed) they aren't in the class.

I have a poster in the hall with Merit Badge session/room number.

This way those that registered early check room number and go on to he merit badge (no check I needed). I use 2 min. After opening flag to mention that and direct day of's to see me.

Day of's have a quick payment and choice of open Merit Badges then are sent to sessions.

At the end of the day I do have additions and corrections to add to unit rosters and Merit Badge sessions to keep everything up to date. Some times I email councilors because they forget to turn in the days sheets.

Seems like a lot but there are rarely more than a Handful of day of's now. 250 Scouts on average.

As I am reminded of one of my favorite movie lines, "... them be just guidelines...."

The FC1Y plan also helps the PLC plan outings and give the Troop Guide usually assigned to the new Scout Patrol a path.. if they know the New Scout Patrol needs "fire building" and a "hike" for advancement, they can plan for it, versus deciding to do something else.

So other than the Scout/parent knowing what the first year will be like (in general), all the gloves come off once they start coming to meetings as far as advancement goes... each to his own pace anyway... the ones who don't show up at Troop meetings regularly or don't go on outings fall behind....

It's the parents this needs to be made clear to I find. They had been used to the den moving forward as a group for the last couple years.

I am on our Councils District Advancement Comm. and run a Merit Badge Trail Drive for my District, but I have run into this on occasion.

I'm with Scoutfish, a "signed" Blue Card by an APPROVED Merit Badge Councilor is technically earned. Whether you accept it or not (or signed it as the unit leader).

You can easily confirm with the District approved Merit Badge councilor list that the Councilor is APPROVED or not. That would give you an opportunity to challenge the badge... the Councilor can just re-apply and get APPROVED.

You can contact the councilor if they are APPROVED and ask if they have their 1/3rd of the card as a record for confirmation if there is some question on validity of signature.

But lets say a Scout transfers into your Troop from a council where you can't confirm the Councilor status or the Councilor is a Parent/Leader (not outside the realm of possibilities, and permitted by the BSA Merit Badge Counciling Guidelines)... and he presents you with Per. Mgt, Life Saving, Per Fitness, etc.... with the same Councilor.

In that case, I would refer to the Advancement Comm. chair... but have reservations about accepting any....

Our council sends the charter/cards to the Scout MAster/Cub Master/Crew Advisor. My primary position is with district.. so I get mine in the mail.

As a UC I ask to at least be there to present the charter... I had to do it myself for a Pack this year.. only 2 cubs showed up...

I wear my Wood Badge beads with any Necker/woggle..., but if I start out the door with a Scout t-shirt I leave the beads behind. But if I left wearing my uniform with a necker/beads, and I end up removing the necker later, I leave the beads on.

The only time I skip the Necker with the uniform, is if it's gonna be hot, but I try to grab the beads.

In the years since I was a participant, up through the last 2 courses I helped staff, I only encountered 1 set of out-of-council Scouters who had a different take on the beads.

Over the last several years my Son's Troop has pretty much stuck to same-age (new Scout Patrol stays together) patrols that lasts as long as the Boys want to stay a Patrol....

The only adult caveat, a Patrol must have an elected PL/APL or pick an existing Patrol to join.

Although, the fault with that is the infusion of older Scouts attracted to our program and integrated into existing patrols is not enough to really keep the older patrol functional.

The variety of activities once the Scout is ~14 (band, sports, camp staff, Venturing Crew, etc..) makes attendance to Troop meetings arduous.

We have about 45+ Scouts now, with large New Scout Patrol, 1st year and 2nd year patrols. The Scouts that have been in the Troop 3+ years have Patrols that while have experienced Leadership and generally occupy Troop leadership roles (SPL, ASPL, TG, etc..) just don't have the numbers.

I wonder if the suggestion to the PLC to create a Leadership

Corp, where each older Scout Patrol (3 year+) "Patrol that enters the Corp", has their Patrol/Name and Flag "semi-retired", but remains displayed as a group until the last member of that original Patrol ages out or leaves the Troop. At that time, that outgoing "Patrol" could be Officially retired and the flag displayed on the Honor Wall.

hmmmm.....

The Webelos Scouts that earn the AOL pretty much cover these, the others are just paperwork. I know we had a Boy Scout work with my son and the other Webelos den before they all crossed to the Troop.

Repeat the Pledge of Allegiance.

Demonstrate the Scout sign, salute, and handshake.

Demonstrate tying the square knot (a joining knot).

Understand and agree to live by the Scout Oath or Promise, Law, motto, and slogan, and the Outdoor Code.

Describe the Scout badge.

Our unit is probably typical.....

We keep a Troop t-shirt for a couple years then one of the Scouts draws up a new design and we reorder when we get a batch of cross overs.

Uniform for leaders is almost always the full Field uniform (the majority have some flavor of BSA socks & shorts/pants).

The Field uniform for sure is for most travel, popcorn sales, 1st & last day of camp, flag ceremonies, COH, BOR's and parades.

The Troop T for day 2-6 of camp (unless on flag), service projects or non-council fundraisers.

The main theme is, "Wear your Field uniform if there is ever a doubt, and a Troop T under it, and you are always prepared".

Oh yeah, names in the lower hem of either shirt.

If you are able to print these out in mass for your unit, that's great.

But I chair an event where they get mixed in with standard BSA Blue Cards during the electronic recording process for the event... they do not sort well, and if they aren't printed on card stock they don't hold up. I don't really care for the odd-sized or thin paper versions.

Personally, they way I would like them done in our unit is each Scout fills out all the Scout info except for the SM signature/date to start the badge.

That being said, I have had to fill out 60 or more for camp, and was so cramped up I swore never again.

There are patrol ID things, flag, yell, competitions with other Patrols....Earning Honor Patrol...just not adult driven.

There you go, they are beyond Den level things, or Cub Scouting... it does not apply to Boy Scouting.

At the Boy Scout level, they are not gonna have a melt down (seen Cub age do that) if all they have is recognition (and you present the patch at the next meeting/opportunity) at a Troop meeting anyway.

Since Advancements have to have an advancement sheet to turn in to council to purchase them, you really should not have a ready supply on hand anyway.

I managed the Kayak Award for our Troop/Crew.

ACA Instructor...

Last time I looked it looked pretty much the same... surely the award will go away in favor of the Merit Badge.

You need to leave the "den mentality" in the pack.

Scouts earn recognition/advancement individually.

Sure the Patrol ID is something to be fostered, but not at the expense of 1 Scout.

Scouts may advance or not on their own schedule.

Believe me, after several months or years each 1 could be at an entirely different rank.... and that's ok.

Don't try to save the Adv. chair/SM any time picking up awards/recognition, by getting ahead of the game.

There are several programs offered for Sharpshooting you can offer other than "Sniper shooting", or at least your Shooting sports staff should have info....

I agree, it's not the Webelos Fault.

I would concentrate on covering the demos, that's what the Troop will see.

http://www.boyscouttrail.com/webelos/boyscoutreqsaid.asp

Show your knowledge of the requirements to become a Boy Scout by doing all of these:

Req #2

Repeat from memory and explain in your own words the Scout Oath or Promise and the 12 points of the Scout Law. Tell how you have practiced them in your everyday life.

Give and explain the Scout motto, slogan, sign, salute, and handshake.

Understand the significance of the First Class Scout badge.

Describe its parts and tell what each stands for.

Tell how a Boy Scout uniform is different from a Webelos Scout uniform.

Tie the joining knot (square knot)

Ummm, It's been a while since I was CM/WDL, but where does a Webelos ever supposed to do a 3 mile hike? I looked thru Outdoorsman, and Fitness activity badges and didn't see it.

(This message has been edited by dg98adams)

If percentages are to be believed, "Not Eagle" is what 95% of Scouts who stay with the program achieve.

Did he say something that would earn more than a glance, no.

Certainly not a talking to about it.

As Scouters, if we get Scouts to 1st class, they have learned skills they will retain (some more than others) for life, and that's reason enough for me.

1st Class is the BSA goal, I believe, anyway.

Basementdweller,

Confused: Adults don't have POR (Postions of Responsibility Patches.. those are for youth jobs like SPL, PL, etc), I assume you mean adult position patches, like ASM, SM, CC.....

I have velcro the same color as the shirt (from clothing sales on the base). But I picked up a shirt off ebay for me before I resorted to using the velcro for my own shirt. Initially it was intended for my son's shirts, but by the time he hit Life (and still is 2 years later) we really did not need it anymore.

I agree it is kinda strange to swap patches right in front of some one to possible think it reinforces their conversation...(This message has been edited by dg98adams)

We got a Wood Badge hat, and T-Shirt in addition to the white woggle (you make it) as a participant.

It's not until you complete the 2nd phase you earn your beads and leather woggle.

Both participants and staff got a hat.

There is a WB CSP that is a Scholarship for participants on the next WB course... totally optional.

(This message has been edited by dg98adams)

DLChris71

In answer to your question "So the question is whether there is a prohibition against splitting cases of popcorn?"

Yes, it says right on the box (not case of boxes), not for individual resale.

Although, many units broke up 1 case of microwave popcorn at a time to sell 1-2 at a time. Mostly for people who want to help, but don't have a loose $20.

Now, once you open a box, the unit has bought the box....I know at work I did that, you should see the people come sniffing when I pop a bag of Kettle corn.