AlabamaDan

We do already have t-shirts and thanks for reminding me about the limitation with the BSA logos. Some of the ideas I've been tossing around are below. BTW, you'll go crazy searching for promo items on the web.

I do kinda like the idea of having a special T-Shirt design contest, but I think the committee is set on buying a "thing" that hopefully they could keep for a while, like the compasses.

Water Bottles

http://www.pinnaclepromotions.com/product/phoenix-aluminum-bottle/148/49644/

http://www.milesaheadnetwork.com/Customized_products_Blank_Corporate_Gifts/Discount_Green_Products/Green_School_and_Camp_Personalized_Promotional_Products/Promotional_Stainless_Steel_Water_Bottle.html

http://www.milesaheadnetwork.com/Customized_products_Blank_Corporate_Gifts/Discount_Green_Products/Green_School_and_Camp_Personalized_Promotional_Products/Promotional_The_Original_ALTA_BPA_Free_Water_Bottle.html

http://www.milesaheadnetwork.com/Customized_products_Blank_Corporate_Gifts/Discount_Promotional_Products/School_and_Camp_Personalized_Promotional_Products/Promotional_The_Classic_Water_Bottle.html

http://www.got-promotional-products.com/Products-Promotional-20ozAmazonAluminumSportsBottlewithCaribeenerClip-Customized-37481.html

http://www.promosdirect.com/desc/500ML-FLASK-W-CARABINER,-COMPASS,-STRAP-&-RING/1619

Flashlights

http://www.pinnaclepromotions.com/product/mini-maglite/295/42123/

http://www.absorbentprinting.com/home-outdoor-products/flashlights/mag-lites/maglite-holster-combo-pak

http://www.absorbentprinting.com/home-outdoor-products/flashlights/mag-lites/mini-mag-lite

Lantern

http://www.absorbentprinting.com/automotive-products/flashlights/Lanterns-and-Emergency-Lights/ranger-aluminum-lantern

http://www.got-promotional-products.com/Products-Promotional-HaloLEDLantern-Customized-39565.html

http://www.got-promotional-products.com/Products-Promotional-LanternLight-Customized-36412.html

Outdoor Pack

http://www.got-promotional-products.com/Products-Promotional-CrossingExcursionBottleSet-Customized-30550.html

Backpack

http://www.farfromboring.com/Promotional-Product/Bags--Packs---Totes/Backpacks/Garrison-Backpack-Lt-3225-127165.html

Headlamp

http://www.absorbentprinting.com/automotive-products/flashlights/Lanterns-and-Emergency-Lights/headlamp

Lunchboxes

http://www.promosdirect.com/desc/I-Cool-Six-Pack-Cooler/1954

http://www.paragonpromotions.com/search/item_choose.asp?MasterCategoryGUID=7f4c59be-6226-11d4-8976-00105a7027aa&MasterCategoryName=Outdoors%2C%20Sports%2C%20and%20Leisure&listing=MasterCategory&newquery=yes&strip=2&CatDisplay=Truncate

Maybe not for this gift, but to promote a fishing activity these would be cool!

http://www.got-promotional-products.com/Products-Promotional-FishingBobbers-Customized-4750.html

In the spirit of sharing I found this:

Mini-Mag Lights $11.50 each

http://www.specprom.com/product/3371.htm

As a pack we give trophies for 1/2/3 place in each division scout modified/tiger stock/wolf stock/bear stock/webelos stock and overall. Everyone gets a certificate of some kind.

As a den leader, I gave my boys a little patch and participation certificate.

This year we had a great popcorn sale and are ending the year with a little extra money, so we thought we'd buy something for the boys to have. A few years ago this happened and we bought all the boys a compass and lanyard. The compass had the scouts logo on it and we had the lanyards personalized with our pack info. Too bad it hasn't been long enough to do that again.

So, this year we're trying to think of something else we could give. One idea was a mini mag-lite flashlight that we personalize with our pack info again. Another is a metal water bottle that could likewise be personalized. Does anyone have any ideas on what to get or where to get something like that from?

Actually I'm in the Birmingham area. We do like for at least one of our trips to be out of town in the summer to get away. The train thing is a great idea! Has anyone ever done that before?

So maybe those are too big. The 4th of July thing would be mostly a pot-luck thing, just with us at a good place to watch the fireworks. I thought that a rain gutter regatta might just be something fun.

I appreciate the suggestion of the simple hike and pot luck picnic too. That's an easy one. I also agree that not everyone will be able to make it - I'll just have to pick a date and run with it. But, that's also the reason I wanted to have more than just two. I'd like for boys to have the opportunity to attend enough events to earn the summertime pack award stuff.

Thanks for the reply.

Ok guys I might be behind, but it's time to start planning those summertime pack activities. I know some of you have done some great things in the past and have excellent ideas for this coming summer let's hear them. I'm trying to decide on some things.

Last year we did a sleep over at the Chattanooga Aquarium, a trip to the Braves game and a night swim party at the local pool. My ideas for this summer are to stay a little closer to home and maybe cost less for the parents. I was thinking about these ideas:

1. An overnighter at the local zoo

2. A 4th of July Picnic with a suitable location to watch the big fireworks, cook out a little and have a raingutter regatta.

3. Maybe attend a local college baseball game and have an overnighter in the outfield.

4. The pool party right before school starts back is always a good idea.

5. A Huge bicycle rodeo where we not only do the rodeo, but the Fire Dept comes with their trucks and safety fire house, the Police Dept comes and registers bikes and does something, the bicycle shop sets up a little tent to sell stuff, the scout store comes and sells stuff. Make it a little safety fair type event.

6. A summer olympics type event. Instead of traditional summer olympic events we do things to earn belt loops.

I'd love to hear ideas on what you've done or plan to do. Also, how many events do you have and when do you start? I was thining 1 in May, 1 in June, 1 in July and 1 in August.

YiS,

Danny

The pool goes from 3 ft to 8 ft in a gradual slope. It's about 10x25.

The party went well. The boys paid attention during my lecture on SSD, used the buddy system to check in and out, held hands when I blew the whistle and said "buddies", behaved when I said to stop doing something and when I said it was time to get out of the pool they emptied right out. It helped that 1/2 the den went to day camp and adhered to those rules there too. I was very pleased. We had a lookout, responsible adult (me) on guard at all times and at least two other adults who were a strong swimmers watching at all times. I had my buddy board, the rope, a flotation device, medical forms on file, a first aid kit and all was well. All of the boys were good swimmers, with several having been on the swim team during the summer and 90% having earned their swimming BL previous to today.

Thanks for everyone's advice and comments.

Thanks for everyone's input. I've given the making a trail project to the Webelos. We've chosen to officially adopt a large flower bed in front of our elementary school and keep it up for the next few years. Planting flowers, pulling weeds, trimming bushes, etc. We helped them do some major work on it this summer and they gave it to us since 4th graders are in another building. They're taking the trail.

We'll do some trash pickup at the local nature trail and park. I plan to do some hiking this year and we'll make it a regular practice to carry a little sack to pick up trash in while we hike. Maybe a prize the person who picks up the most trash on each hike?

We might save the LNT badge for next year. Who knows.

"You would be better of not doing this as a scout activity"

Thanks for the reply, but I don't quite follow. Are you saying that I'd be better off not having the pool party or not doing it as an official den activity? I've been reading and think that I'm in pretty good shape.

I will have two adult leaders there, including the committee chair, both trained in safe swim defense. As long as we have responsible adults in the position of lifeguard (x2) and lookout that should be good. And of course we'll need to use the buddy system.

Seems like it should be fine IMHO, but I am looking for someone to say otherwise or agree.

Another Question...can the lookout be one of the two lifeguards?

So I'm having a back to school pool party at one of the parent's house. It's our first den meeting of the fall too. Not going to do alot but maybe some "Get Fit" stuff for the Wolf Badge and then let them play in the pool. However, even in this situation I should use the safe swim defense right? The rules talk about setting up 3 areas for non-swimmers, beginners, and swimmers for places not reguarly used for swimming. Do you have to divide up a pool for that stuff? It doesn't talk alot about being in a pool area.

Hello all,

I'm sure there are threads on this, but I'm not so good with the search function yet. My pack needs to buy a new track and I'm hoping to learn from everyone's experience with such. We've had the same track for as long as anyone can remember and it's in disrepair and actually belongs to someone individually, not the pack who moved and will be using the track in their new location. Who have you bought a track from? Who do recommend to use and not use? What should we look for?

Thanks,

Danny

Got any pics? Can you post pics on this forum?

Participating in an outdoor flag ceremony is one of the requirements for Wolves. I'd include everyone if the principal is good with it.

How about going along with someone to stock a private pond with baby fish?

I found this website:

http://www.usscouts.org/awards/DCBeard.asp

So the nominee must be a Mason and Scouter who meets the requirements. The nominator must also be a Mason? Sounds like more than a honorary award to me. A brief look at the nomination form has a little more meat on it. http://www.freemason.com/forms/Beard_Forms.pdf

How's the Grand Lodge of PA involved? Is it only open to PA Mason Scouters?(This message has been edited by AlabamaDan)

SSScout wrote something that is important to keep in perspective.

"I decided along time ago that the grass will grow whether I cut it every week or not, the rug will eventually get vacuumed, and the car gets dirty and then gets rained on again. But the boys will only be Scouts for a short time. Let's see if I can give them something to take with them thru the next year."

Thanks for all the replies and guidance. Maybe the trail is too much for Wolf Cubs. I'll share that idea with some of the webelos. I like the idea of the flower bed. I think there's an old flower bed at the boys school that is being negleted. Perhaps we can adopt that whole flower bed and keep it up for the next year or two.

AND, I should wait until next year for the LNT award? That's what someone suggested.

BTW, I take no offense to comments. I really appreciate the guidance. Before last year I had no experience with Scouting. The guidance I get from my Pack Leadership is good, but not quite where I'd like to be. They seem to think that meeting once a month is enough. Last year I met once or twice a month.

In my area children are usually very involved in after school activities. My son is involved with Karate, Scouting, Kumon, Piano and whatever the seasonal sport is. His story is much like the other boys in the den. I lost everyone during baseball season! So while I understand everyone's time committments, I really want the boys to enjoy this and adopt scouting principals as a way of life. What I did last year was put together a schedule for the entire year and publish it. I was disappointed to not have 100% attendance at functions, especially since everything was carefully planned for the boys to earn their Tiger badge.

If I read the official BSA stuff it seems like we should meet once a week, but that's just two much. I'm thinking every other week is more doable. Maybe I'm a dreamer, but these are a good bunch of boys and if they stick with scouting these 10 boys would be best friends all the way through high school, they'd be good kids that adults like to have around, charitable, etc... But I'm just not getting support from the parents to enable that to happen.

I was able to get 4 out of 10 to attend scout day camp and they're having a ball!

My goal now is to have more meetings and get the boys to really enjoy scouting and want to come more. So...next meeting is basically just a pool party/picnic. I am going to set up an obstacle course for them to go through their first requirement of tumbling, running in place, playing catch, etc... Give out books and awards to those who haven't received them and just turn them loose for a couple of hours to really get to know each other.

Thanks for letting me vent. There's no one around here I can do that with who'd understand.

I'm not trying to cut corners. I'm trying to decide whether to do a really big project or a few small projects. Picking up trash at some site is always popular - and needed. The major project is helping the city with a new park. The city owns some land on a local mountain that they've decided to turn into a park. I thought that with the historical society we could find some of the old coal mine railroad beds and turn them into a trail.

What types of projects have other Wolf's done in the past.

To earn the Cub Scout World Conservation Award and Cub Scouting's Leave No Trace Award each says there has to be a service project. Could the same service project satisfy both?

Thanks for the reply.

I did attend lots of round tables. Learned alot. I didn't attend a Univ or Scouting. But I did attend this all day "thing" where I took about five classes on scouting, leadership and tiger stuff. It was early on and I don't recall if people called it a "pow wow" or not, but it sounds like the same thing.

I did attend all but one of the pack leader meetings. We hold one per month.

I've coordinated my den's participation in the PWD, B&G, Pack Picnic, Day Camp, overnight 3 day campout, cave overnighter...

Oh! The host team is the boy/father who helped with a meeting!

Sounds like I've just got to run a Round up, which I think we call School Night for Scouting and recruit 5 tigers.

Thanks so much.

Hi! This is my first post I think. I've just finished my first year of scouting and wondered if I could get that Tiger knot for my uniform. (I know it's all about the boys, but I'd like to earn one measly knot for all the work I've done. I do enjoy the boys saying thank you the most however and waving to me when I visit school.) Anyway, I can't decide what I've got left to do. Can you help?

Tenure

Complete one year as a registered Tiger Cub Den Leader.

(Dates of service used to earn this award cannot be used to earn another key or award.)

So, we're coming up on the anniversery of School Night for Scouting when I was recruited as a new Tiger Den Leader. That's out of the way right?

Training

Complete "The New Tiger Cub Den Leader" Fast Start training.

Complete basic training for Tiger Cub Den Leaders.

Complete Youth Protection Training.

Done.

During your tenure for this award, participate in a Cub Scout leader pow wow or University of Scouting, or attend at least four roundtables.

Performance

I went to an all day training thing where I earned my "TRAINED" patch. Is that it?

Do all of the following:

 

Conduct a Tiger Cub roundup for your pack with at least five new Tiger Cub boy/adult teams recruited. [\quote]

 

What's a roundup? Would that be this coming School Night for Scouting or the day I visit school classes in uniform or none of those?

 

Contact the host team each month and provide support as needed for one year. [\quote] Huh? What's a host team?

 

Coordinate Tiger Cub den participation in three Cub Scout pack activities each year. [\quote]

 

Hmmm... We have three dens. Does this mean I have to coordinate all three dens or just mine? Does it have to have been done last year or could I spill back? What if I helped coordinate pack activities in general? I'm confused about this one.

 

Graduate a Tiger Cub den into Cub Scouting with at least 60 percent of the Tiger Cubs becoming Cub Scouts. [\quote]

 

Done. 80% earned their badge, 90% coming back.

 

Report on the progress of Tiger Cub dens at 75 percent of pack leader meetings[\quote]

 

Huh? Is this this keeping up with everyone progress toward their tiger badge, beltloops, pins, etc.? If so I had that under control all year long.

 

Thanks ahead of time.(This message has been edited by AlabamaDan)

My whole pack uses ScoutTrack and it rocks! No paper here. And no....I don't work for them.