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Baloo's Bugle

 

August Cub Scout Roundtable Issue

Volume 10, Issue 1
September Theme

Soaring to New Heights
Webelos Citizen and Communicator
  Tiger Cub Achivement #1

 

PACK ADMIN & TRAINING TIPS

 

Want a Pack or Den scrapbook in a hurry?? Want a pile of Pack pictures to help with recruiting?? Want a way to get those Tigers working on their Family scrapbook??  I’m sure you know achievements and electives and Activity Badge requirements where a photograph may be great to show at Pack Meeting.  Anyway, when I read this suggestion, I thought it would be great to use to have 100’s of pictures for your “Join Scouting Night” to show the new boys!! You could do as suggested and have everyone take their whole roll of film on one day or give them cameras before a week at camp or before an especially busy Scouting week.  Great idea, Thanks !!  CD

 

A Day in the Life

Pack 561, Valley Lee, MD

For the "Lights, Camera, ACTION!" theme I bought a disposable camera for each Cub Scout in my den and handed them out at the first den meeting of the month.  The assignment was called "A Day in the Life of Den 2."  On the Saturday following the den meeting each Cub Scout took his camera everywhere he went, taking pictures of people and things important to him.  At the next den meeting I collected all the cameras and had the film developed.  When all the pictures were back we put together a scrapbook of our individual adventures!  Using a scanner, each scout received an electronic copy of the scrapbook.

***Getting Started***

This is the month that most units kick off their new year.  Why is it that some units seem so much more successful than others?  What is their key to success?  Let me give you some ideas:

 

First off, get organized-----this doesn’t start in September.  Your unit needs an annual planning conference, preferably in June, to plan the upcoming year.  Look at the monthly themes, discuss what your unit will do and set dates for yearly events such as Blue & Gold and Pinewood Derby.  Look at the council calendar.  Know when your Webelos may be camping and take advantage of Cub Programs offered to supplement your unit’s program.

 

Make your recruitment night fun---- Remember, when the boy goes home telling his mom and dad what a good time he had, it has a favorable impression on those who are just thinking of joining scouts. Have activities for children to do while parents are getting their required information of the cub program. Play games, sing songs, make a simple neckerchief slide (I don’t know of any Cub Scout who hasn’t lost at least one of his slides).  (With the Soaring theme for September – do something with Kite Flying – make kites (See item on “20 Kites in 20 Minutes in this month’s Baloo), give lessons on flying, have a competition – what ever you feel fits best for your area and pack)

 

 Keep your information session simple and have handouts for parents.  Make sure they have a name and number of someone within your unit to contact should they have questions or just want to talk. 

 

Get trained.  The Scout Leader Essentials Course, and Cub Scout Leader Position Specific Training courses have excellent videos and lots of useful information.  Every adult volunteer within the scout program needs to take the appropriate “Fast Start Training” for his or her position This is now available on-line at http://www.scouting.org/cubscouts/faststart/, this is a great first step.  New Leader Essentials answers most of those ‘How do I get started questions’ about Boy Scouts of America and how three levels – Cub Scouts, boy Scouts and Venturing work together.  Cub Leader Specific Training gets into the information specific for each position.  In addition, Youth Protection Training should be taken every 2-3 years as recommended by national.  And don’t forget

 

Roundtables---these monthly training sessions offer program ideas a month in advance using the monthly themes for cubs.  You get to play Cub Scout and experience the ideas from your Cubs point of view!!

Get to know your support people and their role.  Who is your Chartered Organization Rep?  Did you know your district provides you with a commissioner?  Who is your District Executive and when can you contact him for questions and problems?  Understand that you don’t have to do this job all by yourself.  There are ones out there in the scouting community that can help, offer advice and sometimes even just listen.  Get to know your Roundtable Commissioner, he/she can be a tremendous source of ideas and you might even be able to get the Commissioner or a staff member to come help you run a den meeting!!

Are you on the Internet?  Get connected!  There are always a few good sites at the back of Baloo but there are hundreds more!!!  I could spend many pages just listing websites supporting the scouting program and offering ideas. 

 

Always Be Flexible.  Sometimes the best plans will go awry.  It is truly not the end of the world.  Laugh it off and go on to something else. 

 

Have fun!  If we look like we are having fun, then others will have fun also. 

 

Pack Adults’ Meeting

September is the month to orient all Pack adults (hopefully those thinking about being pack Adults) on the Cub Scouting Program.  Make it entertaining while you explain your goals, organization, plans and needs for the year.    Be specific on financial contributions and expectations of the family for support of their son.  Highlight training opportunities.  And make sure the boys and their siblings are having fun doing something Scouting related while you talk!!

 

21st Century Wood Badge

Taken all the basic training?? Been to Webelos leaders Outdoor Training?? Then go for the gold - 21st Century Wood Badge, the advanced leadership training program for ALL adult leaders of the Boy Scouts of America. Established in 1919 by Scouting’s founder Robert Baden-Powell, Wood Badge has been the training ground for hundreds of thousands of Scouters throughout the world. It is the only internationally recognized training award.

Through the years, Wood Badge has evolved to provide leaders with the skills they need to strengthen today’s Scouting programs in meaningful ways. The latest version of Wood Badge represents the most significant changes in the program since the early 1970s. Building on the past, understanding the present, and looking to the future, 21st Century Wood Badge stands ready to provide leadership for Scouting and leadership for America.

The 21st Century Wood Badge course brings together leaders from all areas of Scouting—Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Varsity Scouting, and Venturing. Reflecting the best of nearly a century of Scouting experience, 21st Century Wood Badge also, draws upon the most current leadership models used by corporate America, academic circles, and successful outdoor leadership organizations throughout the country to provide leaders with the skills to bring their units’ programs to the next higher level!! 

 

 

 

Recognize your Committee People

and All Your Units Volunteers

One of the best ways to keep your leaders and other volunteers coming back is to recognize them for all their efforts.  The Committee Chair and Cubmaster should take care to see that all leaders who have completed the requirements for official recognitions (Tiger Leader, Den Leader, Webelos Leader, Cubmaster, Cub Scouter) receive them.  But what about all those other people who help you out??  The Blue and Gold Chair?  The picnic chair?  The Mom or Dad who is always there to drive? The travel coordinator or reservation maker? It is important to recognize these people, too.  Here is a ceremony that does just that -

Wingman (Top Gun) Award Recognition Ceremony

Viking Council

Need:  Space Derby award, model or toy plane that has been made into an award, or other homemade award item.

Props:     A ‘Top Gun’ poster, or model airplane, or some other special gift or award or certificate. (Optional: Edited videotape of first five minutes of the movie ‘Top Gun’.)

Instructions:   Show movie clip if you have one, or explain what happens in the first five minutes where Maverick rescues the pilot who has been badly shaken up and is flying off course.

AKELA: "Can anyone tell me what 'flying in fingertip formation' means? (Wait for response.) That is where the lead pilot is out in front like your middle finger (hold up your hand) and the other planes or 'wingmen' escort him by flying just behind on either side and then others just behind them, etc.

"The purpose of this formation is to help the lead plane complete its mission. His eyes are set on the target, and he is not supposed to have to worry about enemy aircraft sneaking up on him. The wingmen protect him by scanning the surrounding skies for danger, and engaging the enemy in combat, if necessary, to protect the lead plane and allow him to complete his mission and provide support. They help him stay on course. On other missions, the wingmen become the lead pilot and need wingmen of their own to complete their assignments.

"We have a lot of goals, or missions in life, and in order to succeed we need to have 'wingmen' or good friends who help us stay on course and protect us from the 'enemy'. We also have many occasions to be 'wingmen' for someone else who might be straying off course. We can gently guide them back into formation by providing support and alerting them of danger approaching.

"Some of the dangers you need to help your friends avoid are drugs, stealing, cheating, swearing, and other 'enemies' that will prevent them from completing their mission in life or throw them off course.

" Will (name ____________) please come forward? Tonight, we present an award to an excellent 'wingman'. It is the TOP GUN 'WINGMAN' award for your help with …. To be a Top Gun pilot is to be among the best in the world. Being the best does not always mean being the leader. In this case, being the best means being a great 'wingman'. Your devoted friendship has elevated you UP THERE WITH THE BEST OF THE BEST!!!" (PRESENT AWARD)

 


New Emergency Preparedness Award

 

 

 

 

 

 

My pack decided at its Annual Program Planning Meeting that we are going to go for 100% of our Scouts and Leaders earning this Award.  It is that important.  And its all on the web – almost no paper!!  CD

The Boy Scouts of America has announced it is joining with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to ensure the nation’s youth are prepared for any situation.  The United States Department of Homeland Security is supporting the Boy Scouts of America in developing a campaign to help citizens across the country prepare for emergencies of all kinds. The new initiative—Emergency Preparedness BSA—builds upon the organization’s well-known legacy of emergency and safety training. 

 “The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is pleased to partner with the Boy Scouts of America to promote preparedness for both youth and adults,” said Michael Brown, undersecretary for emergency preparedness and response. “By continuing to build upon the foundation of the department’s Ready campaign, we will work together to explore additional ways to make emergency preparedness information available to Scouts and Scouters alike.”

Roy L. Williams, Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America, said the initiative is the most recent in a long line of community service projects Scouts have undertaken in support of the nation.  “From its very inception, Scouting has taught our nation’s youth to do their best, to do their duty to God and country, and to be prepared,” said Williams. “The emergencies of today’s world demand more than ever that our young people and adults be trained to deal with many different situations, both as individuals and families.”

When youth participants and adult volunteers fulfill the requirements for the new Emergency Preparedness BSA award, they will earn a pin and recognition certificate.  For every level and age group, there are age-appropriate tasks and curriculum for members from Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts to BSA adult volunteers.

Age-specific requirements include:

·         Taking the Red Cross First Aid for Children Today course,

·         Joining a safe kids program such as McGruff Child Identification,

·         Building a family emergency kit,

·         Completing Scouting merit badges such as First Aid and Emergency Preparedness,

·         Developing a pack or troop preparedness plan, and

·         Taking first aid and CPR courses from appropriate agencies.

“The Department of Homeland Security has three essential missions: preventing a terrorist attack, reducing our vulnerability to an attack, and third, being prepared to respond quickly and effectively,” Brown said. “We see the BSA and its membership being key to all three missions.”

“We look forward to a strong relationship with the Department of Homeland Security and helping our members be prepared,” Williams said.

For more information about requirements for the new Emergency Preparedness BSA initiative, log on to the Boy Scouts of America’s official Web site, www.scouting,org and push the Emergency Preparedness button

 

 

 

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