GreenBar.ws: Teaching How to Patrol

A few weeks ago, I wrote about getting things started. How do you get things going in your pack. For us it was  getting started participating in a Webelos Campout or Web-o-ree.  I have been thinking back to that campout. It was the first time our pack had taken the Webelos camping. A great many of us had  camping experience. We lacked Patrol camping experience. While we all loved the campout and watched as  the scouts work as a team.  It fell to us as Dad's  to take care of the boys. Even though half of the group have finished the Arrow of Light requirements, It was the first time any of Pack 458 went Webelos Den Camping.  A couple of times I tried to push a couple of the boys into  getting the food going, but in the end Dad was running the show. 

As Dad's we did our job, but as scout leader's  we need to work some more on the patrol method.  I frequently wander the digital frontier. I recall a site that had a book on it that taught  more about the patrol method, by means of competition. It went through each patrol members position.  It only had 8 positions and a scoutmaster.  I think it was the Pine Patrol or something like that.  It was good for the competitions  that were held during that era. 

I am told often that as Committee Chair, I am a key piece of  the Webelos to Scout Transition.  I oversee the pack program.  My Webelos leader is just awesome, though some in the pack, first had some doubts about him. I am pretty sure all of his scouting experience leaned more to the practical aspects of ranch life. I have to admit I couldn't tell you much about my scouting life except for a phenominal campout that started by trip ruining rain. I hate being cold, and even worse is being cold and wet. I know nothing about how a patrol functions. I know that patrols are THE method to scouting.  Even going through Wood Badge, the ultimate in scout training, I didn't pickup  much beyond, Patrol Leader, Assistant Patrol Leader, Scribe, and Chaplain's Aide. In our Troop 1 the Patrol Leader's went to the PLC and found out what was happening the next day and relayed the information.  Easy Enough. But what do they really do?

I happened upon www.GREENBAR.ws looking for information on how to better use the patrol method in our next campout.  First, I have to say I did no know that .WS is the top level domain for Samoa.  Next,  yes the site hasn't been updated since 2003.  I do hope it stays up.  I Found it interesting how this author chose to tackle the subject.  First, he divided the work into information for adults and information to be related to the scouts.  So far, I have put my attention in to the portion to be related to the scouts and even further in to the patrol organization. Anthony Mako, the author, has 10 positions in his patrol. Chaplain's aide is not one of them.  He goes through each as if he is talking to the Patrol Leader. 

The site has been an enjoyable read so far. If you find you need some more information on how a Patrol works and the positions involved, take a look at www.greenbar.ws

T minus 2,160 hours till Recharter

 I have already wasted 288 hours since I was handed my recharter packet. There is currently 90 days left before recharter. So what should have I been doing and what have I done? First off  according to the  packet I should of had this 15 days longer than I have.  Such is life.

I should have a membership and rentention chair to hand all this off to, but I don't.  So here's some skinny.

I have  checked the roster  once against mine. I Have given applications to the den leaders with boys  that arenot on the recharter paperwork.  These boys need to be turned in  within the next 30 days.  Starting in mid January  The council will put  us in a no paperwork zone. Meaning they  put everything off until I am ready to turn in  the recharter package.

Ok we have a list of  boys that is now solid, If you have a program like  Packmaster you can  create a fund rasier and  sell each boy national dues, boys life, and  a pack dues  item. Otherwsie you can do similar in excel, open opffice or on a sheet of paper.  Make sure you have a reciept book. 

If you have someone with Visio  have them make a pack organization chart  with all the positions on it.  Othewise  grab some grid paper and draw it out.  Check with everyone on the current org chart  that they want the position for another 12 months. Check with them for people that may fill holes you have in the org chart. So  by  the next Commity meeting you should have an idea of which positions you will need to fill.

At the next Pack Meeting, announce that you will  be collecting for recharter and the final  date for payment is 15 days prior to your recharter date. Be aware that you will say this for the next 3 pack meetings and no one will  pay attention.

So here is a copy of the org chart I created last year.  I suggest that you ask people to commit  to two years  that way you can create a succession plan. Yet ask them if they want the posiotn every year. I pulled every position  from the leader book.  This doesn't  have the scout parent coordinator position. I hope some of you still find it useful. 

  

P.S. If you want a copy of the visio or the image, I will be happy to email one or both to you.  

Budget whiteboards - Stalling for time

Nearly two weeks ago I recieved my recharter packet. I plan to post on rechatering soon, but I need some more time to look over my packet.  So this post is me stalling, but hopefully helping some one save $40 or more dollars on a modern  cave wall.

Once in a while we all need to draw out our ideas on the cave wall.  As My cave isn't growing and I have numerous ideas coming about. It seemed reasonable to me that I needed to get a dry erase or white board.  I went looking at the  usual suspects  and they all had a basic  32x48 board for $80 to $100.

I once ran across a guy who  when He needed a white board  went to Home Depot and Grabbed 3 sheets of white melamine board in 4x8 or 4x10 sheets. Which he glued directly to his office wall. It looked like garbage. Yet, he had 32 linear feet of whiteboard. My land lord would have freaked If I used this method. 

I was in Lowe's, I think as I actually used a cashier. Home Depot only has two on duty normally. One watch the self service lanes and one in the contractor lane.  Any way, they were out of the 4'x8' sheets of melamine, but I found a 32"x48" sheet of whiteboard wainescotting.   I grabbed grabbed two  4 foot 1"x3"boards and a 6 foot 1"x3" board, two 8' sitcks of the paper pressed oak look corner moulding, some 3/4" #6 wood screws, and a package of  metal corner brackets. The toal cost out the door was less than $40.

Ok so back at home, let's try to get this assembled.  OK let's try cutting a 45  on the 6 foot board.  Here is where  my tool purchases have me at a dis advantage. I only buy tools directly related to  the automotive repair I am performing, my work as a network administrator, or the pinewood derby. I cannot cut a good quality 45 degree cut on my bandsaw  and I'm not going to try and cut it  on the scroll saw. So  I scrap that idea and cut the end square again.

Back to assembly. I Find 4' means give or take a 1/4". One board is 1/16" short and the other 1/8" long. I trim the long one on the bandsaw.  I then take and lay the  Whiteboard material over one of the 1x4's  and pre drill and counter sink the  screws about 6 to 8 inches apart. I flip the board around and do the same on the other long side. Then with the white side laying on an old blanket  I measure  the two side pieces and cut them to fit.  Before I screw the sides in from the front of the board, I put the corner brackets on  in the back.  At this point a flat straight strap would have worked much better, yet I had felt the need to try and miter the corners. Remember KISS. a but joint is so much easier to implement. 

Ok with the frame on the back of the board you have a funtional but ugly dry erase board.  I'm back to trying to make miter cuts  without a miter box.   This time its with  foam or pressed paper corner molding, much smaller and easier to work with than the 1x3.  I figure the easy way for me to do this is start  on one side and work my way aroung the board.  I  cut the molding to about 52 inches  to start then mitered or cut the end at a 45 degree angle . I go back to the whiteboard and lay this piece up against  the board to measure for the next cut.  ( I really suggest that you buy at least a cheap plastic  human powered miter box.)  I work my way around the board this way until I have finished all four sides.  Then I secure the border to  the board with small finish nails.  My dremel tool has a key hole bit to cut out  a hanger or you could buy  some picture frame hangers to hang the board on the wall.

It is not as pretty as one of the $80 aluminum framed boards but  it was a whole lot cheaper. Now to put it to good use.

Truisms, Axioms, or even Maxims

A truism is a claim that is so obvious or self-evident as to be hardly worth mentioning, except as a reminder or as a rhetorical or literary device.

An axiom is a principle that is accepted as true without proof.

A maxim is a brief expression of a general truth, principle, or rule of conduct

However you say it, it can help or hurt your unit.

Sometimes it is hard to believe that we deal with truisms or axioms in scouting, but we often do.  When confronted with them it is almost appalling.  I can't  quite say how I feel about it. Now looking at another direction even I do it. 

This weekend I was reminded of a maxim that helped Janet Jackson in her early years. "What have you done for me lately?"  And our spouses then  wonder why we attend so many meetings and after meeting meetings and volunteer all the time.  It had started out  that I was going to have a weekend off.  Well then I attended  the after roundtable meeting. Not all the roundtable staff attends but a good portion of it does. We drop into  a local fast food joint  and plan the rountable presentations for the next roundtable , tuck in a bit of food, and finish off the evening.  I ended up volunteering for the chow line at a council event this  weekend.  Out of 25 hours of working time  we probablly did 10 hours of work across 3 days. I thought it would be a good relaxing way to pass this weekend  and not be infront of my pc. I was right. 

So here I am earning my brownie points, and it comes at me. SMACK!   "Is your pack participating this weekend?" Nope, we are pretty busy outside  of district and council events.   The point this person was getting at was that  even though I was out  earning my brownie points, this has nothing to do  with the pack getting brownie points. The council isn't seeing my pack's  name run across its desk enough. Argh!

So now using my patented leadership method of  leadership known as "LEAD, FOLLOW or GET OUT OF MY WAY! " I have a mission.  I have one month until the next  council event. Time to get us on the table in a good way. 

So you may wonder is this in the chairman's job description? I personally think this should be the cubmaster's job.  Your job description includes "If the Cubmaster is unable to serve, assume active direction of the pack until a successor is recruited and registered."  I have a cubmaster, He does a good job overall.  I just have to  help  him with  staying involved with district and council  events. A large part of it is he works Saturdays, and can't lead by example at these events. Remember these district or council events are put on by volunteers, maybe even volunteers in your  pack.  Support your volunteers and atend district or council events.

The hazards of not saying no.

I have intended to update the blog recently, but truth be told I have spent the two weeks trying to relax and de-stress.  This Wedensday, I left work feeling ill. I'm still not 100%, but I'm back at the grindstone.  I think this is one time my farm driven work ethic has proven too much for me.  For those of the modern age or jobs that have always include benefits such as vacation and sick days, let me  introduce you to the work ethic on a family farm.  To sum it up in a sentence "the cows need milked."

I came from a traditional farm where  you have a some livestock such as cattle, hogs, sheep and or goats,  then add some land for hay , and grains.  Things need to get done.  And they need to get done or else your lifestyle is ruined.  If the cows doesn't get milked, the milk goes rancid in the udder causing health problems for those that drink the milk, namely you.  When the hogs don't get fed they will turn canabal.  Crops  can rot in the field  and a whole host of other things that will soon find you  on the wrong side of the financial world.  So when I see things that need done I do them. 

Well over the past 3 months I have done them to my detriment.   We didn't have a popcorn kernel until I stepped in, I headed up the scout rally's. I kept pushing my body and soul.  I knew how much I was taking on late last year.  So thankfully I had the foresight  to get a Webelos Den Leader other wise that was going to fall on me as the outgoing Bear Den Leader. So this week, my body saw an opening and forced some me time to bring some balance back to my life. 

So don't forget to tack on some time to make sure you're unwound and healthy.  Now on to other things, and hopefully less stress a bit more balance.