May 9, 200323 yr How many Troops take the summer off for meetings? Our boys have decided they want to continue tomeet during the summer.
May 9, 200323 yr Troops I have been associated with have always gone to a reduced schedule (like every other week)June through August, but maintained an outdoor activity each month. Bob
May 9, 200323 yr In the past we have continued our practice of meetings on Sunday afternoon unless there is a holiday or something, even in the summer. We are looking into changing the day of our meeting this summer so that families can have the entire weekend for trips, boating, or whatever. During the summer, sports and other activities don't interfere hardly at all, which I'm sure had something to do with the Sunday meeting day to begin with.
May 9, 200323 yr Man, you guys are really suprising me! At least where we live, summer is THE time for Scouting! No interference from School, plays, band, School sports, etc. Baseball and softball are the only common summer sports, so it's hit and miss if they will interfere with meetings. We can get outdoors a lot easier, and do more things. We can spread out, and not be cramped by small meeting quarters. We can do all sorts of contests, and have all kinds of fun, that are at least more difficult, and sometimes impossible to do during the winter. If we were going to cut back our schedule, we'd cut out some of the winter meetings. Those are the ones that tend to get boring for the guys, because when they plan to work on a skill, it often becomes strictly a presentation, because the Scout who is responsible for teaching it thinks it's too tough to practice it because we'd have to go outdoors in the cold and snow. There is NO WAY we would ever cut back activity in the summer; meeting or event. I've said in other threads that this is the biggest obstacle we have to overcome with new Scouts and their parents: The attitude that they've crossed, we'll see you in the fall. I know that's the way a lot of Cub Packs and Dens do it, but if they didn't participate in their first summer's program in our Troop, they'd be lost come the fall. Heck, I can't imagine a boy getting only half of the program being prepared for summer camp, and we go late in the summer! So far, I see I am in the vast minority, but I just don't think that whoever is making this decision (hopefully it is the boys, not the adults) is being fair to the Troop. Heck, when I was a Den leader, we even did a summer program in Cub Scouts. Mark
May 9, 200323 yr Same meetings and outings throughout the year, 3 meetings per month and 1 PLC meeting, and 1 outing. A few more hikes scheudled for the guys going on high adventure.
May 9, 200323 yr Mark: I wish everyone saw it your way and did what your troop does. Most do take the summer "off." I wish it were otherwise. However, when I was a Scoutmaster, I do have to admit that I enjoyed my summers without regular troop meetings. Once I took the guys to camp for a week, I was more than content to wait for August to resume regular meetings. DS
May 9, 200323 yr >>Mark: >>I wish everyone saw it your way and did what your troop >>does. Most do take the summer "off." I wish it were >>otherwise. Like Mark, I'm a little surprise also. We take a week off after summer camp. Otherwise it's pretty much business as usual. This is typical for most of the units in our area. We may change the meeting agenda when the Venture Crews are out because that's usually most of the PLC. This is very interesting. Have a great weekend. Barry
May 9, 200323 yr Author Good responses When I was Cubmaster I always wanted the boys to keep meeting over the summer as like someone posted no school or other things to get in the way. However, in our area baseball in king even more important than school and one of the Cubs mom was a teacher at the local school get that. Any how I was happy when I brought up activity ideas for June and July and the boys said "Aren't we going to keep having meetings?" I jumped at this opportunity to inform them that it was their troop that if they wanted to continue year round that certainly was a decision they could make. The all voted to continue our Monday night meetings and a car wash, swimming trip and summer camp schedule. Not bad for a bunch of 11 year olds.
May 9, 200323 yr Our troop historically took the month of August off. The problem with that is not all families take their vacations in August. We have now gone to year round meetings. The boys also enjoy the summer meetings more because they are outside. Our troop building is cramped and is in the middle of town so there is not a good outdoor area. In the summer months we meet at the VFW and can work on a lot more outdoor skills.
May 9, 200323 yr Summer Camp, family vacations, summer jobs, JLT, Wood Badge, High adventure trip, Patrol outings, Troop campouts. We have more activities in the summer than the rest of the year, giving up 2 Troop meetings a month seems like a small price to pay. Bob
May 9, 200323 yr Since I posted, I've been thinking. We have 42 active boys right now. I am pretty certain that if I took a snapshot of attendence any week of the summer, excluding Council JLT (we usually have 2 - 3 guys on staff and at least 4 or 5 guys in attendance), I'd bet we would have 31 - 34 guys there. During the winter, it's probably a little less, which might seem suprising, but High School Band rehersals are on the same night as our meetings, and the rehersals are mandatory for grade. We do also take the week off after summer camp, but most of the time, the QM has recruited 8 - 12 guys to help collect gear and store it that night anyway. I strongly suspect that most every Troop will be most comfortable doing what they have always done - If you're used to cutting back, trying to add meetings would create controversy. If you meet every week, trying to cut back would cause complaints. DS, I know it is one of my personality flaws (of which I have MANY!), but if I were to slack off from meetings like you describe, I don't think I could count on myself to go back. It's like calling in sick when I'm not really. The first time i do it (haven't yet), I really am afraid it might be easier next time. If I could do it, I probably would follow your example. but I don't think I can. Mark
May 9, 200323 yr Bob, We also increase our activities. Now that the weather has turned, May and June have some activity every weekend (not everyone will attend all, and some are Patrol events). July has one week empty right now, but I suspect our Scribe hasn't been reminded of the service project we do for our CO, that will be in the weekend he shows open. August right now only has 2 weekends filled, but I suspect most every boy will be to both (summer camp and a rifle / shotgun campout, which are always highly attended). The boys plan the calender, and verify before it is scheduled that resources, like adults, will be available. I count us as extremely lucky that the burden of all of these events gets spread among a dozen or so adults. Otherwise, our mulch might never get spread and our bushes might never get trimmed (actually, one of our Troop fund raisers is a yard clean up where we hire ourselves out in crews to do stuff just like that. Most often, it is the parents of the Scouts, and particularly the active Scouters, who hire us the most). Mark
May 10, 200323 yr We keep the same schedule year-round - Troop meeting every Monday (except on school holidays), PLC first Tuesday of every month, Comm. Mtg. second Tuesday of every month, 1-2 activities every month, summer camp in July.
May 10, 200323 yr We only stop/slow down for Christmas break. July is abit of a lull month for us as it is hard to get adults to agree to camp in the Florida heat so our July activity is usually a day trip. Oh yeah, right on mk9750! (This message has been edited by Mike Long)
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