Issues that come up inside the Program

[RememberSchiff 3678]

My advice is to focus on the scout program, specifically Pack adult leadership and not change the program ,i.e., Webelos making part of Boy Scout troop, or focus on processes like advancement.

 

Where are the Pack Committee and parents in this? Are there other strong packs in the area?

 

Have you considered switching from UC and ASM and be just WDL if the Pack Committee and parents are not fortcoming.

 

My $0.02,

Edited November 6, 2017 by RememberSchiff

[ValleyBoy 64]

My advice is to focus on the scout program, specifically Pack adult leadership and not change the program ,i.e., Webelos making part of Boy Scout troop, or focus on processes like advancement.

 

Where are the Pack Committee and parents in this? Are there other strong packs in the area?

 

Have you considered switching from UC and ASM and be just WDL if the Pack Committee and parents are not fortcoming.

 

My $0.02,

My plan going into this fall  with the start of school as UC was to focus on the Pack adult leadership when the pack started meeting again.  The Pack did not meet during the summer.  i was unable to do so due to the health issues inside my family.  My mother-in-law was in the hospital for 10 weeks until less than 2 week ago when she was moved into assisted living.  3 days after she moved to assisted living my Father-in-Law had to go into the hospital were he is still at this evening.  Along with having to deal with their health issue we have a 24 year old special needs daughter that we also have to deal with.  Since I am on a roll I will vent even more.  Wife will see surgeon tomorrow and will be scheduling surgery in the near future. Due to these family issues and other that I will not list here.   I am not considering switching to WDL with the Pack.  If anything I would be more inclined to step down as UC.  Also there is no one else with the Troop that is willing to move over to become the WDL with the Pack..   

 

The pack committee to tell the truth is a paper committee.  What makes the situation so bad is that our past District Chairman is a member of the church that is the Charter Organization.  The parents of all the Webelos wanted the troop to help.and met with the Troop adult leadership before the Troop ever started working with their youth.   Also before fall roundup in September the troop was again asked by the Cub Master of the pack to take on the 1st year Webelos.  

Edited November 7, 2017 by ValleyBoy

[RememberSchiff 3678]

My amended advice - Take a complete break from Scouting and take care of your family and yourself.

 

Whatever happens with the Pack drama will not be your fault.

 

Sometimes we forget that we can say No.

 

Best wishes

Edited November 7, 2017 by RememberSchiff

[Back Pack 431]

My amended advice - Take a complete break from Scouting and take care of your family and yourself.

Whatever happens with the Pack drama will not be your fault.

Sometimes we forget that we can say No.

Best wishes

This is great advice. You are a giving person but it’s time to give to yourself and your family. You’ve done enough and it’s time for someone else to take over. Speaking as someone whose family gave a lot to scouting you need to take a break for your family.

[ValleyBoy 64]

My amended advice - Take a complete break from Scouting and take care of your family and yourself.

 

Whatever happens with the Pack drama will not be your fault.

 

Sometimes we forget that we can say No.

 

Best wishes

 

This is great advice. You are a giving person but it’s time to give to yourself and your family. You’ve done enough and it’s time for someone else to take over. Speaking as someone whose family gave a lot to scouting you need to take a break for your family.

 

Yes my family will come first.  With the Troop I am in a position that I could step back in my involvement without it effecting the unit and still be a resource to the unit without completely leaving the program.

Edited November 7, 2017 by ValleyBoy

[Cambridgeskip 658]

I'd like to concur with Back and Pack and Schiff.

 

One of the most important skill as a scouter is knowing when to say no.

 

I suggest that time for you is now. The day may come when you can return but remember scouting is bigger than you are. The movement won't fall over if you decide that now is the time to focus on your family.

 

Best of luck.

[SSScout 1615]

'The Work Is Done By Whoever Shows Up."     Such a person as yourself, Valleyboy, dedicated to the Scouting ideal, can only do so much.   

 

If no one shows up,  it is too bad for the boys, but c'est la guerre, la vie, la Pack....

 

In the mean time, KiS MiF...

[David CO 1783]

   

If no one shows up,  it is too bad for the boys, but c'est la guerre, la vie, la Pack....

 

I don't think anyone said the den leaders weren't showing up. This would be a very different issue if they weren't showing up.

Edited November 8, 2017 by David CO

[ValleyBoy 64]

Update.  Wife saw surgeon yesterday and she will not have to have surgery.   I thank each of you for the above suggestions.  My plans as far as the Troop are to still stay involved just as long as there are no conflicts with my family obligations.  Family will always come first in my life.  The time I spend with the scout troop for the last several years is many just weekly meeting and .few hours on different day activities each month.  I have only been averaging about 3 camping trips each year with the troop.  Yes I am in a position that I could just completely walk away but I have not due to the fact that scouting to me is a good stress relief.

 

Also in other good news.  In the 10 years that I have been working with the troop until now we have never had any parents step up and handle any fund raising activities with the troop.  Just completed an very successful BBQ Pork plate and raffle fund raiser this weekend that all details involves were handled by the parents.  Every time the Scoutmaster asked this group of parents was there anything that they need for him to do he was informed that they had it handled.  Only thing that that SM & I ended up doing was sell a few tickets and a load of wood.   This is the same group of parents of the Webeloes  that are moving over to the Troop.  Just and FYI the funds raised were split with the Cub Scout Pack. 

 

Last night the Unit Committee met during the troop meeting .  These same parents were at the meeting.  Total raised from the fund raiser was given and how the funds were to be used.  One item that was brought up was that the Troop needed a Troop Flag.  The SM & I have been wanting to  get a flag for the troop for years but with the cost we had just not had the funds to do so and what money that the troop had in hand had been used by the troop committee for other better needs of the unit.  The SM was asked last night to get up a cost for a Troop Flag with the different costs depending on what was included on the flag and bring back to the committee.  As each of you that has had to order a unit flag the main cost is dependent on the number of letters that are included on the flag.  Flag has to have Unit type which would be Troop  number, City, State and Charter organization name.  The least number that our unit could have on a flag is 22 letters and that would be with listing the Charter org as FFBC in stead of the full name.  At the end of the meeting while the SM had stepped out of the room I was asked by the group to make sure that the flag was not ordered by the SM.  These same parents had already ordered and paid for a Troop Flag.  New flag will have Charter Org full name and complete Council district name which did not have to be included on a unit flag for a total of 64 letters.

Edited November 8, 2017 by ValleyBoy

[David CO 1783]

 

Also in other good news.  In the 10 years that I have been working with the troop until now we have never had any parents step up and handle any fund raising activities with the troop.  Just completed an very successful BBQ Pork plate and raffle fund raiser this weekend that all details involves were handled by the parents.  

 

This is not good news. The boys should be planning and running the fundraisers.

[David CO 1783]

This is the same group of parents of the Webeloes that are moving over to the Troop.   

 

These same parents were at the meeting.  Total raised from the fund raiser was given and how the funds were to be used. 

 

These same parents had already ordered and paid for a Troop Flag.  

 

Do you really not see the problem here?

[David CO 1783]

At the end of the meeting while the SM had stepped out of the room I was asked by the group to make sure that the flag was not ordered by the SM.  

 

The SM is supposed to supervise the ASM, not the other way around.

Edited November 8, 2017 by David CO

[SSScout 1615]

David CO, you have hit on the next problem for these Scouts.  Who is doing what?   Is the Troop Committee supporting the SM and doing things "Transparently", or is the Substitute Sub Committee To Do Things Right Regardless Of What Anyone Else Thinks  doing things anyway? 

 

I think a Troop Flag should read the whole title, not be concerned with shaving cost by less letters, but  to "secretly" order the flag is both a really neat gift and an insult to the SM and his colleagues.  This is the very first flag the Troop has had, yes?   This might lead to a ceremonial presentation, a autographing of the flag by the SM  for history's sake...Is the SM appreciated, or resented somehow?

 

My home Troop , has been in business about 62 years now.  Four  years ago, it was realized the drooping, darkened Troop Flag AND the US flag next to it on the stage were both the same flags the Troop had in 1956 !   The US flag had 48 Stars!   Nobody had realized it  til then !   We went out and replaced the Troop Flag and US flag but no one could think of what to do with them.   So they are wrapped up in plastic in the back church closet.   The new flag has the new SM's signature on it, for the next 60 years.

[Eagle94-A1 2687]

I got mixed emotions on the flag issue.

 

If the purpose is just to get the flag and keep the SM ordering it and adding to the costs, I have an issue.

 

If the purpose is to surprise the SM with the retired flag b/c he is stepping down, I'm cool with it.  My troop did just that.

[Tampa Turtle 1011]

Understatement. We had a group that started pushing back, but as the adults did more and took decisions away from them, they appear to have said "The heck with it."

Same here. When my son was SPL he and the PLC kept requesting financial information so they could figure out why the costs of the camping trips had gone up so fast but were constantly rebuffed either because of adult disorganization or embarrassment. Actually requested a seat at the Committee meeting on the issue. Things got stalled and stalled and deadlines passed and it became moot. So they started disengaging.

 

The boys planned some more adventurous trips  but when the going got tough (rough hikes, canoe difficulties) it was certain adults who bailed out early causing shortened trips and frustrated scouts (and wasted money). That took a huge toll in trust.