Category Archives: Cub Scouting

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How do you know if a campfire skit or song is “Scout-appropriate”?

12 October 2012

14 Comments

Just when you thought the Friday night campfire was going smoothly, the Eagle patrol had to do that skit.

You know, the one with salty language, an inappropriate ethnic joke, or sexual innuendo?

Now you, the Scoutmaster, will spend all week fielding angry calls and e-mails from moms and dads in the troop.

If only this could’ve been avoided…

Before your next Scout campfire, let’s work together to answer two questions: (1) How do you screen a skit or song to make sure it’s appropriate? (2) What criteria do you use to determine whether it’s “in good taste”?  Continue reading »

MTB-Blog

Get gritty: Celebrate ‘Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day’

5 October 2012

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Do your typical weekend plans involve dirt and Scouting? Step things up a notch! Add some rubber to the mix with a mountain-biking outing.

Tomorrow’s the perfect time to head out to your local mountain-biking trail to celebrate Saturday Oct. 6 as “Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day” hosted by the International Mountain Biking Association.

Check out this interactive map of the U.S. to locate a “Take a Kid Mountain Biking” event near you.

Young mountain bikers—from Tiger Cubs to older Scouts and Venturers—will stun you with how easily they pedal on gritty surfaces. Their catlike reflexes allow them to zip around sharp turns like Indy-500 drivers!

Besides being a great way to get some exercise and add a new activity to your troop or crew, a mountain-biking trip is a good excuse to get Scouts ready for what they’ll experience at the 2013 National Scout Jamboree. The home of the jamboree, the brand-new Summit Bechtel Reserve, touts a three-tier trail system allowing Scouts to choose the difficulty of their mountain-biking experience (shown in the photo above).

Before you head out, be sure to review page 34 of the Guide to Safe Scouting for information on cycling safety.

And don’t forget to “Like” the International Mountain Biking Association on Facebook and enter to win one of two Specialized mountain bikes.

Wherever (and whenever) you choose to mountain bike, we hope you and your Scouts enjoy the ride.

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Cubcast goes vintage for October as it prepares for relaunch; Boy Scout version coming soon

28 September 2012

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Your message was heard loud and clear, and a revamped Cubcast is on its way this November.

Its creators are promising a new and improved version designed to serve you better. For October, though, the Cubcast folks are sending us back in time.

They’re rebroadcasting last October’s episode, a classic that covered Citizenship and the BeAScout program. If you’re like me, you could probably use a refresher on something you heard a year ago, so give it a listen.

There’s also other big news: A Boy Scout version of Cubcast (which I can only assume won’t be called “Cubcast”) is on its way in January 2013!

I’ll have more details about that version by the end of the year.

 

cash

What are your unit’s annual dues?

27 September 2012

56 Comments

So, let’s hear it: What does your pack, troop, team, crew, ship, or post charge for annual dues/fees? Don’t include “a la carte” items, such as uniforms or campout fees, if they aren’t part of that one-time dues payment.

Leave a comment if you need to explain what’s included in your unit’s dues. Thanks for sharing!

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Should you compete against other units for Scouts? If so, how?

25 September 2012

21 Comments

You’re walking through the church lobby after your Scout meeting one night when you spot something new on the bulletin board.

JOIN PACK 123!

“But wait,” you say, “this church is where my pack, Pack 456, meets!”

It happened to Sandy, a Scouter who e-mailed me and asked that her full name and hometown not be used. And it could happen to you.

It’s a sticky situation. Yes, we’re all in the business of serving as many Scouts as possible, so we should be happy when any young person finds a pack, troop, team, ship, crew, or post to call home — even if that home belongs to a different unit.

On the other hand, each Scouter out there wants his or her unit to reach its full potential, and losing members restricts that.

How do you walk this line? And when, if ever, is it appropriate to compete against other units for members? I turned to our Facebook friends to find out:  Continue reading »

20-dollar-bill

Unit charter fee changes: How what’s new will affect you

10 September 2012

31 Comments

Let’s talk money.

Two big changes coming up next year will impact every registered Scout unit:

  1. What is now known as the “unit charter fee” will change its name to the more-descriptive “unit liability insurance fee.”
  2. The cost of this fee will increase from $20 a year to $40 a year. This fee is per unit, not per individual.

Every Scout unit — packs, troops, teams, crews, ships, and posts — must pay the fee each year, and every penny of this fee goes into the general liability insurance program, providing coverage for claims alleging negligent actions that result in either personal injury or property damage.

Note that the annual registration fee for individuals isn’t changing — it remains $15.

Find answers to your important questions after the jump…  Continue reading »

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A Cubcast every responsible Scouter should hear

6 September 2012

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“Who is responsible for this?”

The question conjures an image of a frazzled den leader, hands on hips, looking out over the mess the boys left behind.

But spin the phrase around, and it can follow a praiseworthy moment where Scouts did what’s right without your having to ask.

Encourage moral accountability in your Scouts by teaching Responsibility, October’s Cub Scout Core Value — and the subject of Part 1 of the September Cubcast.  Continue reading »

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Is improving your unit the way you roll?

4 September 2012

10 Comments

In bowling, you get instant feedback. Roll the ball, watch the pins, and look at the screen.

What if tracking the hits and misses in your Scouting unit were that easy?

Turns out it is.

With the Journey to Excellence program, your pack, troop, team, crew, ship, or post simply uses the appropriate scorecard to track 10 to 13 objectives — areas like advancement, retention, budget, service projects, and camping.

Then — voila! — you know instantly if your unit qualifies for a Bronze, Silver, or Gold award. And if not, you know where you can improve to stay out of the “gutter.”

JTE perfects on and replaces the old Quality Unit awards, and with the 2013 scorecards now online, the timing’s right to make sure your unit is aimed at success. Here’s what you need to know:

Continue reading »

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Help reimagine the next generation of Cubcast

21 August 2012

8 Comments

Call it a temporary role reversal.

The team behind Cubcast — which Cub Scout leaders listen to every month for practical tips — is now listening to you.

I told you all about the monthly, BSA-produced podcast when I previewed the July and August editions. It’s already excellent.

But the folks behind Cubcast aren’t resting on their laurels. They’re taking the admirable “if you’re not moving forward you’re moving backward” approach and will start from scratch to make Cubcast an even better tool for Cub Scout leaders.

A tool sort of “like your favorite hammer or kitchen spatula,” says Caryl Lombardi, BSA multimedia producer. Listening directly to the leaders? I think she hit the nail on the head with that one.

Here are some of the questions they’re looking to you to answer:  Continue reading »

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A bold new beginning for a Michigan council at the Crossroads

17 August 2012

80 Comments

When the going gets tough, Scouts get going.

Just look at what’s happening in Michigan. The place has experienced some of the toughest economic times in America and it also boasts some of the toughest volunteers and professionals in the Boy Scouts of America.

They’ve refused to let Scouting fail in the Great Lakes State, and they’re teaching Scouts and Scouters everywhere a thing or two about courage under fire.

On Tuesday, the Michigan Crossroads Council received its official BSA charter — effectively merging nine councils into one. It’s the culmination of an 18-month, volunteer-driven effort that Scouting magazine first told you about in our March-April 2012 issue.

But they’re not crossing the finish line.  Continue reading »