On the Eve of Camp

So, it’s the night before Scout Camp.  For Elliot it’s his third time.  It’s the second resident camp, which is two nights and three days.  Next year is five days and four nights on the Oregon Coast at Adventure Cove.  I have gone now three times.  I suspect I will keep going until he asks me not to go, or the Troop has it covered.  While I am the Cub Master, the Webelos Den Leader is in charge of this outing.  I was for the past two.  We have a total of seven boys and five Dads going.  So, it will be easy for me to hang out and let Elliot be a camper.

Tonight, we packed his Backpack.  Since he’s never packed one, nor worn one, I helped.  I told him to get three of everything.  Socks, shorts…etc. Told him the basics but he could pick what he wanted to wear.  I did explain he would need his Tan Webelos Uniform and Scarf.  Got it all.  We talked about if he was going to use a pad or the cot.  It really depends if I get a real tent or I have to use mine.  If i get a camp tent, I am using the Cot.

I am not sure who is more excited. Me or him. (He just told me that I was more excited.)  I suspect that once we get there it will all kick in.  I know the BB Guns will be huge, but who knows whatelse could happen.  The one thing that I have learned, is go with the flow.  Do what the Camp Leaders/Staff tell you to do.  If there are programs that I can get into, and participate in, I will.  Maybe the other dads will too.  Two things I know so far. Pack lite cause there is THE HILL. And a Beaver participant from W1-492-11 will be there as well.  Looking forward to seeing him.  He’s a fellow Cub Master and a good guy.

 

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Gathering Activities for Cub Scouts

The key to hopefully controlling or attempting to control Cub Scouts before a meeting, is to play a Game.
Where our Pack meets is at the school gym.  In that gym there is a door.  In that door is a room.  Within that room there are balls, scooters, hoops , hockey sticks and other things that bounce.  Every meeting, each Scout runs to that room and pulls out something and plays with it.  To me, it’s really not gym class and they are not in school so they should not be in there.  It also bothers me that the boys do not respect the School’s property and think that “we are not in school, so rules do not apply to us” type of thinking.

It’s one thing that I am going to bring up at the Annual Pack Planning Meeting.  Boys don’t go into the room.

Suffice to say, having a gathering activity is what is needed.  In the past, I have been somewhat successful.  paper airplane flying the farthest contests, throwing paper balls towards a mouse trap area and setting them off and other ideas .

I recently found a website that has a lot of ideas for Skits, Songs & Games.  I have picked the Ah Soh Gi game for maybe Join Night.  But, it’s now in the rotation.  I will also use the Ring of Fire game that was played at our Disc Golf Summertime Activity Event.  Ring of Fire is basically the boys standing in a circle around a Disc Golf Hole and trying to get their Disc’s into it.  Those who accomplish it, get to take a step or three back and try again.  This is repeated until the last Scout gets their Disc in.  They win.  It’s an elimination game.  It’s a skills game.

While Mike Rowe will tell you that he learned a lot from British Bulldog, we need to have safer games in general.  Many of the boys in the Pack do not like things flying towards them and others have a medical condition that if hit would cause serious injury.  Hence, my cause for worry.

Also, the boys like to play Tag a lot.  Usually it’s Toliet Tag or something not very Scouty.  I generally stop these because of the non-scouty part, but also I had one boy fall flat on his face and smack his teeth on the ground.  It resulted in a lot of pain and I thought he chipped a tooth.  He was fine afterwards, but it has stuck with me.

So, here is another game that is a game that they need to pay attention to, but is a lot of fun.   Ah Soh Gi Game.  There is a video on the website that shows how to play.

++++++++++++
Everyone sits in a circle, and learns the 3 commands and their movements.

1) Ah! – the person says “Ah” loudly, and puts their left or right hand across their forehead in a saluting motion, with fingers pointing at the person next to them.

2) So! – the person says “So” loudly, and puts their left or right hand across their chin in a saluting motion, with fingers pointing at the person next to them.

3) Gi!– the person puts both arms together in front of them in a clapping motion and points to someone else, anywhere in the circle.

The phrases must always go in that order, and each phrase needs its correct hand motion. You go when you are pointed at by someone next to you using “Ah” or “So,” or by someone across from you using “Gi.” When you are “Gi”ed at by someone you start the sequence over again.

When someone makes a mistake (ie, goes out of order, uses the wrong hand motion, hesitates in confusion for too long) they are out.

When someone gets out, each member of the group puts a hands in the middle with thumbs up, and calls “You’re outta here!” – like a baseball umpire.

That person leaves the circle and the group closes in the space. The person who was on right side of the exited person starts the sequence again, by saying “Ah!” and pointing to the left or right.

The game continues until there are two people left.

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THE SCOUTMASTER’S DUTY

“THE SCOUTMASTER’S DUTY
Success in training the boy largely depends upon the Scoutmaster’s own personal example. It is easy to become the hero as well as the elder brother of the boy. We are apt, as we grow up, to forget what a store of hero worship is in the boy.

The Scoutmaster who is a hero to his boys holds a powerful lever to their development, but at the same time brings a great responsibility on himself.”

Gilwell, Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden.  Aids to scoutmastership, . (Rev. ed. London: H. Jenkins limited, 1930. 4. Print.

I went looking for something with BP’s works that meant something, that would help me remember why I am here, within Scouting.  That would help me understand how to guide myself when others seem to just bicker amongst themselves.
I am getting this view because I read a lot of Scout based forums.  There is one, that I have stopped reading since it’s highly negative.  It seems that the know-it-all Scouters think that they are better than thou and really push to prove it.  Some of them even write in slang.

Another site, which I generally post on is sometimes worthwhile reading and posting.  Yes, the same group of people post their comments.  I know some of them via Twitter and they have good comments.  Others seems to not to notice when the Shark has jumped and the horse is still dead.    While all are giving their opinion on the current topic as that they see is a good solution, some just seem to play devils advocate without being the devils advocate.My suggestions and solutions are based generally on what I have learned in talking to other Scouters and reading.  I have no real first hand knowledge on how to be a Scoutmaster or Committee Chair.  Nor do I have the experience of being on a Board of Review or helping Scouts through the Eagle process.  What I have is four years of Cub Scouts and lots of training.  I also bring common sense, fair play and a willingness to listen and learn.  Because of that, I generally have to look-up rules, polices and procedures on Scouting.org, and other Scout related websites.  While the non-BSA approved websites are not official, they are written and updated by Scouters who have a lot of experience and knowledge directly from the BSA and within their own Units, Districts and Councils.  However, when I or others post non-Scouting.org links, we get tagged for handing out misinformation.  Sometimes, that information is better, more complete or just plain easier to find.  Yes, I work to find an answer with a link to where I got it.  I try not to comment on Boy Scout issues, but sometimes there is information that I know of or a solution that might work and I want to post it. Hence, I do that.

While I understand that We, as Scouters are here for the Scouts and we trying to “Do our Best”.  Sometimes we forget that.Time and time again, there are stories posted about a Dad doing something just for his son that ends up throwing the entire Pack into a tailspin that several leaders and a Committee Chair leaves, that we just need to comment on. (No, it’s not my pack. All examples are from the Forums.) Stories of Scoutmasters holding boys back because they are too young, or it’s one rank a year.  It can be even as simple as demanding that the BSA buy American made products for the Scout Store.

Why do we do this?  As I have stated, the people posting the original question are reaching out for support and answers.  After a couple of good solutions, the forum twists into a pissing match.  Yes, I get that all Districts and Councils are not doing what my Council and District is currently doing.  Not all Professional Scouters are created equal.  We and they have flaws.  However, if you say you believe in the program and live by the Scout Oath and Law, you really need to step back and look at your actions.  Your actions speak volumes, more than words.  If a Scout read some of these forums that are posted by maybe one of their Adult Leaders, they might think differently.

One real interesting tidbit is that people will use “I am a Wood Badger” and that seems to be played as a trump card. King of the Hill mind you.  Remember, even idiots can go to Wood Badge.  Just because you have gone, does not mean your a genius.  If you really have gone to Wood Badge, then you will “listen” to the others and seek understanding and then work to find a solution.  Also, just because your an expert in your field of Robotic Nuclear Rocket Medicine, does not make your an expert of what Scouts need to learn. If you get suggestions on how to do something over and over again, and your not getting it….

Remember, if you want to teach the Scouts what you think they should know, you should first be what you want them to be.  Live by example.  It is as Lord Baden-Powell said “Success in training the boy largely depends upon the Scoutmaster’s own personal example.”  Remember, what you post, is your example.  And treat others the way you would like to be treated.

Yours in Scouting….

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Webelos I Camp & Advancement

At the end of this week is Webelos I camp for Elliot and the rest of the Scouts.  It Butte Creek Ranch in the Cascade Pacific Council.  It is the first time they are going to be OUT of the Portland Metro area.  The first two were within 40 minutes of the house.  It will be the second time for residence camp. Two nights and three days.  Next year, it’s on the Oregon Coast for five days.

Many of the Pack were at Butte Creek Ranch during Pioneer District’s first Cub-O-Ree this year.  So, the Dads of the Webelos I get the layout of the land, oh and THE HILL!  Pack LITE people!  I have already seen photos from my Cub Scout Roundtable Commissioner/Program Chair.  His son and their Den went last week.  The pictures look great.  It did give me a bit of a heads up of what to expect.

Since going to this camp earlier this year, I get the layout and what to expect.  The program is still a mystery to me, but that’s the fun part of camp.  But, here is the interesting part about Summercamp within Cub Scouts…at lest for me.  Advancement.

In our Pack, Summertime Advancement really does not take place in the Tiger, Wolf, Bear years.  In Webelos it generally does.  The Webelos Dens do not meet except for Summertime Pack Events and Camp during the summer.  If the Boys work on advancement during the summer, it counts.  There is no reason to not allow it.  Big thing is that if the Scout wants the patch/pin/beltloop, they need to buy it themselves.  There is no Pack Money available in the way we are setup.  Within Boy Scouts, Summertime/Summercamp is where a lot of advancement takes place.

So, I went to review what advancement could take place while at Camp for Elliot and the boys.  Here is what I found.

Webelos Advancement
Please keep in mind that the main emphasis of Cub Scout camping is not advancement, but exploring new
interests he would not have otherwise been able to enjoy. All activities planned for you and your Scout will
be fun and memorable. We have done our best to incorporate advancement opportunities into the
program, though most requirements are difficult to achieve in a camp setting.
Following is a list of the achievements your Scout could possibly earn during his stay, depending on the
verification of an adult leader from his den.
 BB Belt Loop
 Archery Belt Loop
 Geology Belt Loop
 Chess Belt Loop
 Whittling Chip

Mmmmm….Interesting.. I like this in the overall sense.  I knew BB Gun/Archery would happen.  Whittling, sure.  Chess? Really?   I like that the guide points out that this is a time for the boys to do something that they might not get a chance to normally do.  Awesome. That is what Scouts is all about.  Learning.  I know that next year at Adventure Cove, the boys who will be Webelos II will be able to knock out several requirements for the Activity Pins.

This Summer, I have stood back in general from Elliot’s advancement within Scouts.  Not to say that I haven’t checked off the Fishing and Swimming Beltloops he just earned.  I am not as active as I am in the School year.  It is up to him (with prodding for Den Work to be don) to advance.  I catch myself plotting on ways to get him to earn the Activity Pins.  To which, I stop.  That’s the Webelos Den Leader’s position to drive that.  However, the Summertime Pack Events thus far have provided the Bicycling & Ultimate Beltloop and Elliot has earned the Fishing & Swimming Beltloop.  All of which count towards requirements on: Sportsmans & Aquanaut Activity Pins.

One thing is for sure.  Elliot and those who go to Summercamp will have earned part of the Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award.

Overall, the big reminder I got from the Leader’s Guide for Butte Creek Ranch is….exploring new
interests he would not have otherwise been able to enjoy.

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Camping with the Family

I have lived in the Portland Oregon area since 1989 and I know that I have not been everywhere in the area.  Suffice to say, this weekend the whole family loaded up in the van and took off.  Yes, we didn’t need BALOO, OWLS or did we even file a Tour Plan.  Yup…We even brought Beer and stuff for Gin & Tonics.  Oh, and we had the Irish Cream stuff for the morning!  I know, report us to my District Exec….He’s on the coast working the Webelos II camp…;)

We realized earlier this week that we kept promising to go camping, but NEVER DID!  So, instead of surfing Facebook, we found this location on the Southern side of Mt Hood. Roaring River.  There is a river that is on both sides of the campsite, but it’s not roaring.  Since we had never been past Estacada, OR it was an adventure.  (Google Portland and Estacada and you will see how far it really is..)

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This weekend, I really wanted to go fishing.  I like fishing and I, but I am not one of those Bass Masters.  I come from Montana, you know that movie “A River Runs Through It”.   I grew up in South Central Montana in a town called Billings.  I did use worms a lures for years and years up in the Absoraka-Bearthtooth Wilderness.  I could walk to Yellowstone National Park from where I hung out.
Because of all that, I fished up and down the rivers and lakes growing up.  I also camped as well.  I should have done a lot more now that I think about it.  Because of this, I want to pass it along to Elliot and Rachel.  So, far I seems to have gotten them hooked on it.

So, this weekend was all about the family.  Did I sneak in some scouting stuff?  Yeah…I did.  Several things, but it’s what I would have done even if I was not in Scouting.   Elliot has his first real knife. Yes, it’s a blue Cubscout Knife. He did earn it through the Whittling Chip as a Bear.  He has been bugging me a lot about wanting to whittle sticks.    I reminded him about the Circle of Pain/Blood and how having a knife is a respondsibility.   He nodded his head and said yes.
I gave Rachel several lessons on the difference between Bobber fishing and Fly Fishing is.  She mastered putting a worm on the hook faster than Elliot.  Which, if you knew her, she’s fearless!  Elliot is a bit stand-offish at first, testing the waters…then goes for it.  She mastered the casting of Bobber-fishing.  Which, is awesome for a 6 year old.

I then showed them how to cast and what a fly rod was.  I almost dropped into how Fly Fishing will help you commune between God and all things in the Universe if you let it…but…I didn’t.  I let that happen as I took off from them for 20 minutes and lost myself in watching how the water flows around and around and around…..

During this campout, I really tried just to NOT do Scouting stuff.  However, both my wife and I did talk about Leave No Trace and being quite and picking up around the campsite.  Outside of that, we roasted marshmellows, drank hot choco and had a great time.   It’s good to get a way with the family and be.  Next up is Scout Camp with Elliot.

Oh, Elliot did get his Fishing Beltloop which counts as part of the Sportsman Webelos Activity Pin.  Accidental Achievement…as some would put it.

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The Den Leader Book

I am not a Pack Trainer.  I am a Trainer in my day job and somehow I got sucked into being the District Training Chair.  So, why have a picture of the Pack Trainer patch on the blog?  Well, it’s simple really…I am in the middle of creating books for my Den Leader Teams.  I have seen and heard of these being a Wood Badge ticket item.  This also includes “building a Unit Library.” We have all seen the Song book, Cook Book Ticket items.  Those can really be amazing.  At first, I thought..huh? really?  But then I started seeing a few and they are really good.  I guess it’s because those people really put the time into it and made it to what they wanted.  It wasn’t a cut/paste/slap it together job.

So, I I figured that I could and needed to do the same, but with a Den Leader Book.  My fear with library’s is people running down to the Council office/store and loading up on a bunch of books and calling it good.  Well, not me.    While I am not completely done, I have a good start to it.

I am making one for each rank.  I should be making one for the Committee Members as well.  The Den Leaders will contain the, Pack Calendar, Den Leader Guide, Budget, Tour Plan info, print outs from the National website from their rank’s info and all the den meeting lessons from it as well. (Yes, they are downloadable.) It will also contain our current Journey to Excellent, Pack Meeting Duties for each den and many other items.  The Webelos will have all that, and the Activity Plan sheets included.  There will be a list of Beltloops and the Segment program list too, in everyones book.  This will help stop confusion and misinformation about what to do within the Den and Pack.

Image via Wikipedia

What will also accompany this book is a CD of all this information on it.  Actually, two CDs since there are generally Two Den Leaders.  Both can have the Softcopy and one the hard copy.  This will allow for both Den Leaders to send off info to Parents as needed.  It can cut down on printing costs and keep info at their fingertips.    Our Pack has a Website via Google, so I am hoping to load all that information to there.

The main thing is that all this information will be provided not only to the Den & Committee, but also to the Parents.

Right now, I am working on the Webelos I book, since my son is a Webelos I.  The Arrow of Light book, will be similar.  Tigers, Wolves and Bears the same but without Webelos info.  It will be my hope that the current Den Leaders will use the book, add on to it and then transfer the book to the incoming den leader as they crossover.  That way, knowledge is transfered to them.  Notes about what they did, what worked, what did not work and so on.  It will make the incoming Tiger Den Leaders job easier.  And YOU WANT THE TIGER DEN LEADER’S JOB EASY!

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The Cub Scouter Knot

  My next knot officially started on April 9th 2011, after I attained the Cub Master knot.   To me, it’s actually the continuation of being Cub Master.  Besides the training, the Cub Scouter knot actually has more items to complete than Cub Master.  Cub Master however is more public.  As Cub Master I will continue to do my job.  I recognize and realize that being in this position it is very easy for me to attain this knot.  However, for some Committee Members & Den Leaders some of these points might be harder than others.  That is the key to this knot and others is stretching yourself to get the end result. Yike…that means that I am not stretching myself.  While true in some sense, the way I am viewing it, is I am making the Pack Go.  Some of it comes easy, others it is a stretch. Either way you look at it, knots provide a path to completion.  Working the requirements will help the Pack attain certain goals and provide that activities are actually happening.

One great thing about this knot, is if you have a Den Leader who is not able to attend Roundtables or Pow-wow, but is doing everything else, then it’s a great way to reward them.  Hence the fact, that I can as Cub Master officially recognize a Den Leader and Committee Member who helps out officially.

Cub Scouter Knot items san Training Requirement:

Performance
Do five of the following:
Assist in planning a pack program that results in advancement in rank by a minimum of 50 percent of pack members each year. (I do this when Planning the Year. This year we are doing it as a Pack Committee)
Serve as an adult leader related to a pack that earns the national Quality Unit Award. (Been doing that for two years now.  Will be the same for JTE)
Serve as leader of a blue and gold dinner, pinewood derby, space derby, raingutter regatta, field day, picnic or other Cub Scout pack activity.  (Yeah, that’s me.  But I will claim Summer Time Pack Award planning)
Give leadership to a promotional effort that results in at least 60 percent of pack families subscribing to Boys’ Life magazine. (Pack Committee choice to just include fee in Scout Fee for the year.)
Develop or update a Tiger Cub or Cub Scout den activity book listing local places to go, things to do, costs, distances, etc., for the five Tiger Cub areas, or for at least 12 Cub Scout themes. (Um….outside of forwarding the 2010 Den Themes to Den Leaders, I will coach them.  But this really is a Wood Badge ticket item and I will guide them.  )
Give leadership to planning and conducting a pack service project. (Duh….it’s what I do)
Organize participation of a pack in the Cub Scout Academics and Sports program. (I gave a whole Pack Meeting about this.  Plus I do talk about it all the time.)
Help conduct two annual pack Friends of Scouting campaigns. (Did that for two years…..will “talk about it” each year.)
Serve as a leader for members of your pack attending a Cub Scout day camp or resident camp. (Third Year in a Row…;)

Cub Master Knot:

Performance
As a Cubmaster or assistant Cubmaster in a pack, earn the national Quality Unit Award at least twice.
Earn the National Summertime Pack Award at least once.
Plan and conduct pack meetings during each year registered as Cubmaster.

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The Annual Pack Committee Planning Meeting

  The Annual Pack Planning Meeting is upon the unit that I am a Cub Master for.  This will techincally be our first real meeting since I came on board in 2008 as Tiger Den Leader.  When I ascended into the position of Cub Master, I followed what the previous Cub Master did.  He was still around as Committee Chair.  The Treasurer turned into the Committee Chair we have today.

I have grown since becoming the Cub Master.  It is not all due to Wood Badge.  Wood Badge does not teach you how to create a ceremony for Arrow of Light, Bobcat or other rank advancement.  It does not teach you how to put on a Pack meeting, nor deal with parents and grumpy Cub Scouts.  There is not a book called “Cub Masters, Tag your it!”  When I took on the Tiger Den Leader position, I quipped to my wife “I am going to be Martha Stewart of Crafts when I am done.”

That being the case of being Cub Master, I followed what happened the year before.  First Join Night…Wow….All eyes on me. Yup.  I whipped through the year ok.  I was always pulling stuff out of left field and stumbling.  Here is one of my first Pack meetings after I was on my own. I remember that Pack Meeting.  I made a Mom cry.  Yeah, it was good.  I still keep in touch with her about her son.  He’s a Webelos I now.

So, fast forward to Summer of 2011.  We are soon to have our meeting and I have been reading, writing, emailing and Googling a lot about this.  A lot of emails between myself and others about what’s going to be presented.  We have a lot to be proud of and a lot of challenges coming up for this year.  I think that I am ready.  Once it is completed, I will blog about the results and publish many of the documents.
So, what are we going to discuss.  This is where the Team comes together.  The Den Leaders and Committee are a team.  We provide the direction for the Pack, Parents and most of all the Scouts.  We will have a budget, annual calendar, Journey to Excellence, Den Leader Guide, Monthly Pack Meeting agenda’s and more. (Yes, it’s really a Wood Badge ticket.)  Hopefully our Unit Commissioner will be there for part of it. (Hint hint hint).

Image via Wikipedia

I have goals for this upcoming year.  One is already taking shape and going. Good sign.  We have several dads who are stepping up to be Committee Members.  Two ladies are stepping up as Den Leaders.  We have several members who will be leaving because of Arrow of Light, but that is the normal cycle.  Change happens.  Deal with it.  In the immortal words of my Wood Badge Scoutmaster “It is what it is.”

What I like is that my friend Arlen, who is currently not at Gilwell Field, but Philmont’s Training Center, is kind of in the same boat.  He is taking a class that I was supposed to be at. “Strictly for Cubmasters.”  Our families would have met, and my wife would be able to swap stories about me doing Cub Master stuff and having Mrs Arlen (sorry, don’t know her name) laugh out loud in agreement.  When I say same boat, I mean he did this recently and blogged about it.  Am I going to still it? Yup!  Great ideas are stolen and used!

So with all of this information digested, we will have our meeting in mid-August.  I suspect great things to come out of this meeting.  This year is going to be stellar.  We will be that team and all reach to create greatness for our Scouts.  When they smile and have fun, then, we succeed.  There is no i in Team.  Unless you work for Apple.  Then you can put i in front of anything.

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#worldscarfday is August 1st

In 2007 at the occasion of the 100 anniversary of the Scout Movement, the Austrian Scout Association declared August 1 a “National Scout Scarf Day” and asked all active and former scouts to wear their scout scarfs in public. Many people including prominent business persons followed the call and thus made the spirit of scouting visible.

So, get your Scarf and Woggle and wear it!

It’s also during the  22nd World Scout Jamboree in Sweden!

If your on Twitter, please retweet using #worldscarfday.  Please post to Facebook.

There are two Facebook Pages dedicated to this.  Mine and Micheal’s.

(I am borrowing what he posted on his)

______________________________________________

Im Jahr 2007 haben die österreichischen Pfadfinder anlässlich des Jubiläums “100 Jahre Pfadfinder” den 1. August zum “Tag des Halstuchs” erklärt und alle aktiven und ehemaligen Pfadfinder aufgerufen, ihr Halstuch zu tragen. Viele – auch prominente – (Ex-)Pfadfinder sind dem Aufruf gefolgt und haben den Pafdfindergedanken damit sichtbar an die Öffentlichkeit getragen.

Leider ist das eine einmalige Aktion geblieben. Es wäre doch schön, den Aufruf jedes Jahr zu wiederholen und den 1. August als “Tag des Halstuchs” quasi zu ‘institutionalisieren’.

Bitte die Information an alle Pfadfinderfreunde weiterleiten!

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In 2007 at the occasion of the 100 anniversary of the Scout Movement, the Austrian Scout Association declared August 1 a “National Scout Scarf Day” and asked all active and former scouts to wear their scout scarfs in public. Many people including prominent business persons followed the call and thus made the spirit of scouting visible.

Wondering why not to turn the idea into a permanent institution, I have asked my Austrian scout friends via facebook to celebrate a “Scout Scarf Day” this August 1 again.The many positive replies have now encouraged me to pursue the idea on international level.

Please therefore spread th information to all your scout friends and former scouts througout the world!

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En el año 2007 con motivo del aniversario “100 años escultas”, los escultas Austriacos declararon el 1. de agosto como “dia del pañoleta” y pidieron todos …lo escultas activos y anteriores a llevar so pañoleta. Muchos (Ex-)escultas (sean famosos o no) siguieron la proclamación y asi llevaron la idea de los escultas obviamente al público.

Desafortunadamente eso permaneció una acción exquisita. Seguro que sería una buena idea repetir esa proclamación y celebrar el 1. agosto de cada año como “dia del pañoleta”.

Porfavor, cursar esa información a todos los amigos de los escultas.

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No ano de 2007, quando dos 100 anos do Movimento Escoteiro, A Associação dos Escoteiros da Áustria declarou o dia 1 de Agosto, o “Dia Nacional do Lenço Escoteiro”, e pediu que os escoteiros ativos e antigos escoteiros usassem seus lenços em público. Muitas pessoas, incluindo pessoas de destaque no mundo dos negócios atenderam ao pedido, tornando visível o espírito escoteiro.
Pensando em por que não tornar esta ideia em uma data permanente, pedi a meus amigos escoteiros Austríacos através do Facebook a celebrarem novamente um “Dia do Lenço Escoteiro” neste dia 1 de agosto . As várias respostas positivas me encorajaram a propor a ideia em nível internacional.

Por favor espalhem esta informação para todos seus amigos escoteiros de hoje e de sempre, através do mundo.

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How to put on a Bike Rodeo

In an earlier couple of posts I said I was going to talk about how to put on events.  First up is the Bike Rodeo.  The Bike Rodeo was our first Summertime Pack event.  I do this for two reasons.  First, to end the year correctly and then to hopefully recruit other boys for the following year.

So, how to plan.  In my current unit, as Cub Master, it’s all me who generally comes up with ideas and plans.  (That’s changing this year).  This event was a multi-purpose event.  First, I wanted to have Troop involvement.  We had Den Chief’s and they could help out.  Think EDGE.  I also wanted the Troop to come because it gets them in front of the Pack and parents and shows them that Boy Scouts can do it themselves and not have parents do it. (Boy led method).

The main objectives that I wanted to cover are found within the Bicycle Beltloop.

1. Explain the rules of safe bicycling to your den leader or adult partner.
2. Demonstrate how to wear the proper safety equipment for bicycling.
3. Show how to ride a bike safely. Ride for at least half an hour with an adult partner, family, or den.

As for the Pin:

1. Participate in a pack, den, or community bike rodeo.
2. Demonstrate how to repair a flat tire on a bicycle.
3. Give a demonstration to your den or pack on the proper use of safety equipment and gear.

While the Cub Scouts didn’t do a lot of the Pin, the three were basically satisfied.

Out of all of those requirements…..here was my list to the Scoutmaster.

Bike Stations:
Registration form/certificate? Station (Simple name/phone and bike info in case of getting lost/Serial #)  They need to get a stamp at each station to show completion so they can get a segment/beltloop?,Bike Inspection-basic care, Bike Rules & Safety,Helmet Inspection
Bike Course  (medium & advance)  There is a loop at Stephenson so maybe a race?  This would help the faster kids not plowing over the slower/smaller kids.

He took it to the SPL & PLC and they worked on it and came up with 90 minutes of fun for a Cub Scout Pack.  They had 6 stations and a course that helped teach boys & their brother/sisters about Bikes and how to be safer.  One thing that my son found out is that his brakes & shifters were broken.  While they were safe to operate, we would have never would have known.  So, we got them repaired later.

So, my big piece of advice for Cub Scout Packs who want to plan something like this….GET A BOY SCOUT TROOP TO HELP.  Give them the requirements and let the Boys do it.   Also, I believe that the SPL walked into a Bike Shop in full uniform and asked for a donation for prizes that were given away.  Yup, he got one!

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