"First Impressions"

This year will be my first “Join Night” on my own.  Last year the former Cubmaster aka Committee Chair handled it.  It was also my first Pack Meeting as Cubmaster. Was I scared….yup.  With a year under my belt and a better idea of what “Scouting” is all about and two full year calendar years of Scout Events, I think I am more equipped.    This is the first impression that the new boys and parents will have of the Pack, Den Leaders, current Cub scouts and ME.  No, it’s not about ME, but as Cubmaster I am the focal point.  They guy with all the answers…….

So, how do I do it…what’s my plan.  I need to present something fun to get the boys into coming back… What I do not want to do is to lecture them into what they will do. I need to tell the Scouting journey  and invite them to come along with me.  Here is how I envision it:

After the parents/boys are in the gym and settled down as much as possible and a quick intro from the Committee Chair/Den Leaders, I will come hiking in with my backpack, campfire and dutch oven.  I will set everything down, looking around for a good campsite.  During this I will start talking about all the hiking that I have done and where I am. (Will work this up…).  I will start to pitch my tent and get my campfire going and setting up the dutch oven (I will have a cobbler already to go for snack).


I will then realize that there are boys at the campsite and invite them around the campfire (logs and flashlights version) and ask them what they are doing here.  I will then begin to tell them of BP, Brownsea and Akela’s Cubs.  I will ask them to come along with me and the Pack for a journey. I will explain that they start this journey as Bobcats and that they can become Bobcats at the next meeting if they learn the oath, promise and motto….

After all of this, I will have them play several games that the other Den Leaders will supervise along with Scout Parents.

This is where the new/old parents come with the Committee and myself to explain what to expect.  You know all the boring stuff. Dues, Meetings, Forms..blah blah blah.   However, I still have sell Scouting to the parents.  This is where I explain the new 2010 Den/Pack Meeting Plans .  It is also where our new Parent Guide gets handed out along with a firmed up Pack Calendar.  I will talk about the Adult Scouter Training, what we as a Pack are planning to do and what we want to accomplish.  I will explain that  this year we are going to follow with some modification the Den/Pack Plans so if they miss one the boys will have a guide on what they can work on.

My goal this year is to get 7-10 Tigers and 7-10 Wolves. (We have three returning Wolves so 4-7)  Bears & Webelos I are 8 & 10 boys in that order.  The Webelos II have three. One is very close to the Arrow of Light.  The other two on schedule for a March Crossover. So, we will have to work that out.  Hopefully we get a couple of Webelos II and a Den Leader.

Now, as I slip away letting the Pack Committee deal with all the boring forms and junk, I come back to the Gym and get the boys to settle down and talk about the Bobcat patch. I am hoping to have them recite some of it that night.

After all this, we will scoop out dessert from the Dutch Oven and ship them off to their parents.

Our first regular Pack Meeting will be the next following week with a Popcorn Kick-Off and Bobcat Ceremony.  This is when we will start helping the new cubscouts learn about how a Pack functions. Flag, Skits, Songs, Den Chiefs, Cubmaster Minutes, Denners……. Our Den Meetings will then start after that week.  I plan to have a couple of outings (one should be a visit to Adventure Base100 in the Seattle Area on Sept 17th).

I have a plan and a vision…….let’s see how the first impression will turn out…..

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Cubscout Camp 2010 with Da Bears!

Cubscout Camp is one of the things that I now look forward to each year.  Last year was a day camp, this was the first resident camp.  It’s only looking better as I can see.  I am always nervous before large events kick off.  I just know that I forgot something or something is going to happen.  My goal was to get through getting to camp and handing off  the medical forms. Once I got to there and no issues…..then I could relax……

The two and half days of camping with the boys was awesome.  Not sure if we lucked out and got the Boxcars, but it was good.  Cool and close to the dining hall.  We were paired up with Pack 56 from Hillsboro as the Golden Dragons. That was a good move since it got everyone talking to others that we would not have.  The Den Leader of 566 and I found out that we were looking for simular things in ceremonies.

 

There were 10 stations that we worked our way through the whole weekend.  Great thing was we ended up on the last day with Archery, BB Guns and Slingshots.  If you look at it, we got the best rotation, saving the best for last.

 

We started off by making Knight Helmets, Tunics and learning to ride horses.  We then went through the process of making leather book covers, learning BMX Bike Racing,cooking,  and Earth Science over the whole time.  It was a good even pace and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

My main goal in going to camp with my son was to ensure he had a good time and that I was there for him as his Dad.  We had seven boys and six dads.  Not unusual since the other pack has 8 & 8.  That being the case, four of our dads had never been to camp. One was a Life Scout.  Another Dad went last year to Day Camp.  What I was hoping to have them get out of it was how Scouting works.  All they see is Den and Pack meetings. Not the behind the scenes of Scouting, nor what the bigger picture was for all.

This took shape in several points during the weekend.

First: There were not a lot of real adults onsite on staff. It was run by boys and girls 25 and younger.  Our troop guide was 15 or 16.  We had him last year at Day Camp.  This was their second session out of seven.  Were there rough spots. Yes, but we all got through it.  It was interesting to hear comments.   This is not Disneyland or some corporate run camp.  It’s Council Run for boys.

Second: Religious.  Our pack is not big on religious overtones.  We generally shy away from it since it’s one of those topics if brought up at a party everyone will have an opinion and a heated debate might ensue.  That being the case, I was interested in Chapel & Prayer before meals.  There was a chance for a youth and adult chaplain’s aid service.   Three boys and one dad took part.  All surprised me, but I welcomed their participation.

That being said, I did talk to the two lead Chaplains/Youth Leaders about it.  Explained our pack and that I really enjoyed what they did.  They were very very easy to get along with and a good conversation about religion within Scouts.  My hope is that I can slowly incorporate it into the pack.

Finally: There was an adult leader award that could be earned if the adult completed a list of items.  All were very fun to do and kept the adults engaged with the boys.  It was designed to do that.  It was something that I had planned on doing.  However, after getting onsite, I realized that I am no there to EARN Patches.  I did do a lot of what the list had, but I did not get sign off.

What I found myself doing was a lot of “Safe Scouting.”  I felt the pull of Youth Protection with my own son since there were incidents that made it nessacary for him and I to have talks and bathroom breaks.  He needed a Youth Buddy at times, but the boys were off doing their own things with other buddies.  Being Ground Zero for the Portland Trials, I was mindful of it all.

While we all kept after the boys about the Buddy System, it was hard for them to follow.  Hence, my visability with the boys at a lot of the times.  I am normally a nervous nelly about safety.  However, when BSA rules are active I get a tad more.  I think it’s all the training that I had.

Overall, my goals were to have fun, keep the boys interested and on track.  Also, to have the parents experince Scouting as I have.  The more the parents understand Scouting, the easier it is on the kids and those of us to volunteer that ONE HOUR A WEEK.

In the end, the boys had a great time. The  Crossover ceremony was totally fantastic.  I know that all the boys will not forget this Cubscout Camp for along time since they kept talking about last years.

Until next year…….Gilbert Ranch with horses and NEW WEBELOS I!

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Are there any Beaver’s in the house?

 Back to Gilwell, happy land, I’m going to work my ticket, if I can.

I have realized that there is no life AFTER WOOD BADGE.  

Because of that, I have created my next ticket.

 _________________________________________________________________________________________

Name:            Adam R. Cox                                                Date: July 12^th, 2010

Scouting Position: Cub Master Pack 221 Pioneer District, Cascade Pacific Council

Personal Values include the following:  integrity, honesty, and understanding.

Personal Vision for Scouting is: Create fun through learning

Personal Mission to carry out my vision is to Create an environment that cubscouts, cub parents and scouters learn.

My NEW Five Goals (One must be diversity, one may be a goal including self-assement) to SMART-ly carry out my mission within the next 18 months are:

1)

What will be done?             A Hornaday Award Conservation Project.

Who will do it?                          60% of Pack 221 will participate as per the Hornaday Guidelines

Where will it be done?             Within the Den, Pack Meetings as well as within the home.

When will it be done?              By the end of June 2011

How will it be done?              Within the guidelines of the Hornaday Award

How will it be verified?             When requirements are met per award requirements.

Why will I do it?            To promote the understanding with that the Earth is our responsibility from what we take.

2)

What will be done?            Improve Skills of an Adult Scooter, to be prepared for emergences’

Who will do it?            Adam R. Cox Cub Master of Pack 221

Where will it be done?            Completion of CPR/First Aid/Wilderness First Aid/ ITOLS

When will it be done?            Throughout the year at Red Cross and CPCBSA Event, but by June 2011

How will it be done?            Taking classes

How will it be verified?            The issuing of certificates/acknowledgment by the Red Cross/CPCBSA

Why will I do it?            To become prepared for outings within Scouting and non-Scouting life.

3)

What will be done?            Nothing but Nets Service Project

Who will do it?            50% o Pack 221

Where will it be done?            During Pack sponsored events

When will it be done?            By June 2011

How will it be done?            Manual labor

How will it be verified?            The Den Leaders, Cub master will verify Requirements have been completed.

Why will I do it?            This project will physically save lives.  To show cub scouts how giving back helps others.

4)

What will be done?            To earn the Adult Religious Knot and to guide my son to his Youth Religious Knot

Who will do it?            Adam & Elliot Cox

Where will it be done?            Within a church setting or group or home based study as per the requirements

When will it be done?            By June 2010. 

How will it be done?            Per the guideline for the religious program. 

How will it be verified?           

Why will I do it?            The Bear Rank requires completion of either obtaining the knot or character connections.

5)

What will be done?            To earn the International Activity Badge

Who will do it?                        Pack 221

Where will it be done?            Pack Meetings, Pack Outings, Pack Overnights

When will it be done?            June 2010

How will it be done?            Holding workshops & outings with the pack.

How will it be verified?            Completion of four of 12 points.

Why will I do it?            The 23^rd World Scout Jamboree is being held in Sweden in 2011.  This activity is to give Cubscouts a better knowledge that there are other scouts just like them having fun and learning the same skills.

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Water Bottle Rocket Summer Time Pack Event

We had our water bottle rocket Summertime Pack Event.  It was great.  We built and flew the rockets.  We were actually supposed to build the Model Rockets and fly them.  However, after finding out that the people who were going to help us launch them, canceled. We switched to this.

It was a much better idea.  The boys had fun building.  The parents had fun with applying duct tape as needed.  Then if was off to launch them.  It was a very interesting application of physics and propulsion.  The boys picked up on it

Overall everyone had a great time. Plus getting wet was not an issue!

Some of the rockets

The Launch Pads.  We had two of them so to keep the fun going!

Interesting to see the path

With a helpful suggestion from myself, I told the boys that they could put a nosecone on it.
Several did and used water for the weight. 

Um…those things went far and cam down fast and straight!
Guess some things learned at Wood Badge are left safer to Wood Badgers!

That’s my boy!

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Religious Emblems

As my son goes into the Bear Den this year, one of the requirements to achive the Bear Rank is to choose one of two items.

GOD (Do ONE of the following)

1. WAYS WE WORSHIP
   Complete both requirements.
   1. Complete the Character Connection for Faith
      • Know. Name some people in history who have shown great faith. Discuss with an adult how faith has been important at a particular point in his or her life.
      • Commit. Discuss with an adult how having faith and hope will help you in your life, and also discuss some ways that you can strengthen your faith.
      • Practice. Practice your faith as you are taught in your home, church, synagogue, mosque, or religious fellowship.
   2. Make a list of things you can do this week to practice your religion as you are taught in your home, church, synagogue, mosque, or other religious community. Check them off your list as you complete them.

   
   

2. EMBLEMS OF FAITH
   Complete the requirement.
   Earn the Religious Emblem of your faith.

 
 In my pack, I have seen all the boys opt for #1 and not #2.  I know this, since no one has the knot on the uniform.  In looking at both options, what is the difference?  I do not see any, except the going to place to worship.

I am the first to admit that I have not gone to church in YEARS!  Usually when I go, it’s because my wife has thought a certain church would be good.  For some reason we always go when they have the “Fundraising” sermon.  Great…. I have no desire to GIVE before I go there for awhile. Bye…..  I am kinda of particular in church going.  There are a lot of unwritten rules that I follow when going, some made up on the spot…;)

I do not like to sing in church, or to loudly. Think Milli Vanilli!
I am not into swaying back and forth with my hands up in the air.
Not prone to shouting out names and weaping.
I cringe when I watch/see TV Evangelists……

To me, my religion is between me and God.

Because of Scouting and the knot that can be earned, I am wanting to explore more about religion.
My goal this year is to have both my son and I earn our Religious Emblem Knots.  The real interesting thing, is that in contacting one church that we do go to a lot….has a Boy Scout Troop, but when asked of the church…they do not know too much about the knot/program.  hhhmmmm…… Another Wood Badge ticket item.

My hope is that maybe some of the parents would be interested in earning this knot?

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What is a Cubmaster?

A Cubmaster is the head of state, royal poohbah of the pack and person who should know all.
Is the Cubmaster a Scoutmaster in training?  Maybe.  I do not know, I am still a Cubmaster.

Every pack is different and special as is it’s leaders and Cubmaster.  Who makes the pack, who keeps it running, who do the parents and cubs look towards?  Some would say the Cubmaster.  I do not.

To me, the Cubmaster is the Master of Ceremonies.  The person who really puts them self out there at the Pack Meetings to be there for the boys.  The Cubmaster is not there for the parents enjoyment.

Forget the whole politics of the pack committee and parents….for a moment.

The Cubmaster is there to convey knowledge via entertainment.  To incorporate the message and tools of the Boy Scouts of America and make it FUN!

This message that is being instilled in the boys encompasses everything that the cubs are working towards in their Dens.  All the badges, awards, segments and honors.

So, how do I do it?   Honestly……I wing it.  I do a lot of day dreaming and thinking of what gets me going and excited about the boys are supposed to do in the Den and what badges & awards they can earn.  After that, I try to figure out how I am going to pull it off.

At the beginning of the year I had help.  I went to Wood Badge WE1-492-09 that was put on by the Cascade Pacific Council.  I created a ticket that I was to complete.  The ticket was five seperate items that directly benefited the pack and myself.

Simplified my ticket was:
1)Become a better Cubmaster by going to Pow-Wow.
2)Create a record system and promote training within the Pack Den Leaders/Committe
3)Earn the BSA 100 Year of Celebration Patch
4)Earn Leave No Trace (LNT)
5) Bring a Native American Themed presentation to the Pack.

I shared this with the Den Leaders and Committee and started in on it. #1 & #2 was generally easy.  Going to P

#5 was a tad harder, but my Troop Guide helped and saved cross-over with his use of Native American Flute.  He was able to create a program using myself, his friend, the retiring Cubmaster and his seven years as a Cubmaster as well.  The great thing was after the crossover, he and his friend gave a concert/talk/presentation about the Native American Flute.  So moving, that I now have a Key of C Native American Flute and am learning how to play it.  My hope is to use it at other pack ceremonies.

#3 & #4 were longer to accomplish.  In looking at both the LNT & BSA 100 Patch there were many items that overlapped with each other and also what the boys had to accomplish for their rank.

Armed with Wood Badge, I now think and act differently in a lot of different parts of my life.

For me, taking on any position and working at any company, I need to understand and believe in it.  For example, I work for a large Xerography Copier Company….;)  Technology is very cool. We invented it.  I generally know how all the copiers that I support not only physically work, but why they work.  In General…. I do this, because I am the face of that company.  I should know what I do and sell.  I irks me to no end when a person representing a company does not understand the product that they sell.

Back to Cubmastering……and that said:
I need to learn as much as I can.  I go to Roundtables, I twitter and facebook with other Scouters.  I also listen to as many podcasts as I can while driving.  To me, everything outside of roundtable is a virtual roundtable.  Currently I have the Intro to Outdoor Leadership Training scheduled for Nov 12th. Same weekend as Pow-Wow….  I am also looking for the CPR/AED for Adults/Kids and then the Wilderness First Aid Classes by the Red Cross.

All of this so, I can react and know what I need to do when I need to.  This is also in the non-emergency side too.  I am going to get more questions from parents, committee and kids than I will broken arms and things like that.

That is all the political stuff:

The Cubmaster really sets the tone of the Pack and what it whats to accomplish.  I gather input from the other Den Leaders as to what they want to do as a Pack.   This year, it’s earning the International Activity Badge, Hornaday, Nothing but Nets.  I also want to do more camping and use our Friend of Scouting Gold Status.   Our Pack just does not do it. It’s been awhile that we did  a lot of stuff.  Hence my direction to put more OUT in scOUTing and FUN as well.

The great thing is that now the BSA has come out with planning guides for those of us new to scouting.  I already know that all of our Den Leaders will be using them. That really really makes it a lot easier for me to plan pack meetings..

Which brings me to a great point.
I am trying to incorporate Skits, Songs, Den Chiefs, Den Flags, Denners and all the traditional stuff into our pack.  I am slowly incorporating them.  But this next year…going for it all.

Overall, the role of the Cubmaster is in essence to keep the history of scouting alive and instill it into the boys and families.  Scouting is a living and breathing history that as Cubmaster”s we are bound to pass onto others so they have a great scouting experince.

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Summertime Pack Award Events

This will be my second time with the Pack in offering a Summertime Pack Award event for the summer.

Last year, we had a Ivy Pull at the local State Park and then a Bike Ride in August.  There was a June offering, but I just cannot remember what it was at this moment.  It most likely was a hike.

Since it was our my Summertime Pack Award, we were not sure that we qualified for it since we had low turnouts for two of them.  However, on the first day, actually hours of Woodbadge I found out that even if you offer events and no one shows up, you get the award.  However, no one earns the pins that goes along with it.

This year, we are much more organized.

Our Rainboat Regatta was our first Summertime Pack Event and everyone in the Pack showed up.  Including a few new boys who I hope will join in the fall.

For July we are going to be making Water Bottle Rockets at the Committee Chairman’s house. He has a large area and a hose for water!   We were going to be doing actual rockets, but the group who puts that on canceled their launch.

For August, we are going to be in a Parade that our Charter Organization is a part of in a part of Portland.  I have reserved the “Tiger Truck” that our Council has for the parade.  This will be great since all the boys get to march along with the family’s.  I have also invited the Girl Scout Sisters of the boys to come as well.

My hope in this last one is that since it’s very close to the end of Summer, that families will see Cubscouts and think of joining in the fall.  I will have the Parent Guide and my Cubmaster Business Card along with me so I can give them out to those who want more information.

I already have next years July or August event figured out.  We are going to do a campout for the World Jamboree during the time of it.

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Site Updates

My first year as CubMaster for Pack221 in Portland has come to an end.  I have let the Leadership know that I will be continuing on until Elliot crosses over in 2013.  I am hoping to be a ASM for that troop.

I have changed the subtitle of the blog “The life and times of a Cubmaster “Doing his Best” to create fun.” Because that is what I have learned this past year.  Plus, the old subtitle was dated with “First Year”.

I have also changed the graphic from Knots that I will not be able to earn to ones that I have set my sights on and in some order.  Tiger Den (already awarded), Unit Leader (I can get that since it’s now available to CubMasters) Cubmaster and then Religious Embelm.  I am hoping to get the Cubscouter Knot and then the International Scouter Knot.  The latter will be longer in earning.

I have also been playing with the Blogger Template Design itself since Blogger/Google has updated what it offers.  That will change when I get bored with it.

Change is good!

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