Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Pony Express District Roundtable
18 March 2010
April Theme: Spring into Action

Here is some information as a follow-up to our March Roundtable.

Our District will be holding its first ever two-day Wolf and bear Cub Scout Day Camp on July 7 and 8, 2010. You can access additional information and register online... just follow this link.

Training
Basic Training is available from the Council this Saturday, the 27th; cost is $5 (for lunch). Details and registration are available here.

..or you can attend at our own District Training, on Saturday, April 17th, 8:00 am to 12 noon (this one is free). Details are available here.

During the Den Breakout, the BALOO and Webelos training were both mentioned. I could not find any info about either of these on our Council site, but I did find the following on the Great Salt Lake Council site:


  • BALOO (Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation) Training is described as being "For Cub Scout Leaders with a desire to plan and carry out outdoor experiences for their pack!" The GSL Council has this training scheduled for Saturday, April 17, 2010; $10.00 if you register by 4/10/2010, a $2 late fee will be applied if you register later. Visit this page of their website for more information and to register.


  • The "Outdoor Leader Skills for Webelos Leaders" has the following description, "This training is required to earn the Webelos Den Leader Award (knot)." Unfortunately, the GSL Council just had this training on March 13. I did not see the next date offered.


  • It appears that both of these trainings are done just once a year by their Council. I checked with our Council, and could not find either of these offered... however, I was made aware that the Ft. Utah District in Provo has "Outdoor Leader Skills for Webelos Leaders" training planned for Saturday, May 8th. You can go here to find out about that. It does not specifically state that this training is only for their District, so it might be available to members of our District wanting to attend.


Other Resources
The March edition of the Pony Express District Newsletter

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Pony Express District
2010 Adult Awards Banquet

District Adult Recognition Dinner, March 18, 6:30 – 8pm
District Roundtables (all) 8:15 – 9pm

To be held at 8272 North Simpson Springs Road in Eagle Mountain.
Located at the intersection of Simpson Springs and Half Mile Road here in the Ranches. It's real easy to find:
  • If you are driving West on SR 73, you turn South on Ranches Parkway (at the stop light where Maverick is located) and drive about 1/2 of a mile until you come to Half Mile Road (this road is on the North side of the Willow Springs Condo's) and turn right (West), drive two blocks and the building is on the south side of the intersection. You can't miss it!

  • If you are getting there from our usual Cub Roundtable location... Head west on Pony Express Pkwy (7200 North) toward Chevron. At the intersection (where Chevron is), turn right (north). Go to Half Mile Road (the second left) and turn left (west). Go two blocks and the building is on the left.

It is time to nominate outstanding Scouters in the Pony Express
District for Second Miler or District Award of Merit. Nominations
must be in by or before March 4; emailed or given to Judi Hansen. Applications available via email to jwhsearch@aol.com or on the District website. Those selected will be recognized at the District Recognition night in March. Please consider Scouters you know and nominate them for the following:

SECOND MILER: Extraordinary volunteer service for 2-5 years in a unit or district position. Submit form to the advancement committee. Recognition given at district awards ceremony.

DISTRICT AWARD of MERIT: 5-10 years of extraordinary volunteer service at unit or district level and previously received second miler. Submit form to the advancement committee. Recognition given at district awards ceremony.

SPOUSE RECOGNITION: We will give spouse certificates to honor outstanding support of spouses - no form - send name of person to be recognized and name of the Scouter spouse.


For all nominations:, please include the contact information of the nominator, in case more information is needed.

Self nominations are not acceptable for Second Miler or Award of Merit. Someone else must take the initiative to nominate Scouters for these awards, and nominations should be kept confidential. Chartered Organization Representatives know their people best and should take the lead in submitting nominations to the advancement committee.

You may request nomination forms by email to Judi Hansen at jwhsearch(at)aol(dot)com, and you may return the completed form and information in the same manner. The forms are also found at www.cubscoutcorner.blogspot.com

-- Judi Hansen, District Adult Recognition Committee

Pony Express District Roundtable
18 February 2010
March Theme: Take Flight!

We hope you enjoyed your flight on Pony Express Airlines. Below, please find details on the information that we shared during the evening.

Resources
The blue paper for the airplane windows was from Partyland in Lehi
(between Big-O and Wingers). Angela used a full 4 foot x 25 foot roll of blue butcher paper, which costs $6.79, plus tax.

Charlotte Larson also shared with us that you can get reams of paper at Arco Distributing.
30 weight, 1675 feet by 30 inches: $28 plus tax.
40 weight, 1200 feet by 36 inches: $29 plus tax.

Announcements


March Roundtable
Roundtable on March 18th will NOT be held at our usual location; instead, we will be at the 'new' Stake Center on Half Mile Road in The Ranches. This is because Roundtable will immediately follow the District Awards Banquet. The evening is planned, as follows:
6:30 - Dinner
7:00 - District Awards Ceremony
8:00 - Roundtable
8:45 - Roundtable ends

Someone had asked... and there is no charge for the evening.

For more details on the evening and to nominate someone for an award, see my other post on this blog.

April Roundtable
We will be back at our usual location in April as we go In The Spotlight... And we would like your own Pack or Den to be in the spotlight. If you have someone with a talent to share, please let us know. We want to have a mini Talent Show to illustrate how the Pack Meeting could be done. Please contact the Cub Roundtable Commissioner, Paul, at cubmaster(at)pack1144(dot)org. Thank you!

Hope of America
We had mentioned how America's Freedom Festival at Provo will be celebrating 100 Years of Scouting in America. They have a LOT of festivities planned. One of those is the Hope of America Student Showcase.
Participate in the Hope of America Program - May 4-5, 2010
We need 2,000 elementary age Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. These youth will be participating and singing in the Hope of America program on both nights, May 4 and 5. This program is part of America's Freedom Festival at Provo. They will need to purchase a $2.50 CD and practice at home. You will pay for the CD when they are distributed. At the event, UNIFORM SHIRTS ARE REQUIRED!

The details on this event are found on the Council website, where you will also find other events that your Den or Pack can be involved with.

Other Items


The February edition of the Pony Express District Newsletter
The handout from Luz explaining the Kite Derby
The handout from Andy explaining the Paper Plane Derby
Angela's handout from the Cubmaster break-out session on Pack Pizzazz
The Closing Ceremony from Heather

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Pony Express District Roundtable
21 January 2010
Information

A great big Thank You goes out to all who helped put on or attended our sample Blue and Gold Banquet at this past Cub Scout Roundtable!

Opening Ceremony
First off, many asked for a copy of the script and directions for preparing the Opening Ceremony that Angela had prepared. I modified it, ever so slightly, and have it available here. The original version comes from the February section of the 1998 Pow Wow Book from the Santa Clara County Council.

Year of Celebration Patch
Next, we have some info on the Year of Celebration Patch that Luz told us about.
Here is the Official BSA website for the 100th Anniversary.
The Official site has a page explaining the Year of Celebration Patch.
The program and all of its requirements are available in a PDF document.
Here are the requirements for Adult Leaders and for the Cub Scouts and for Alumni.
You can also print off pocket-sized Tracking Cards to record your progress toward earning the ribbons. That and other cool tracking resources can be found at this page.

Other Items
The flyer for the Cub Scout Family Freeze event
The January edition of the Pony Express District Newsletter
Here is the Placemat that was on a few of the tables Just have it printed on 11" by 17" paper. The original file has color, but it is usually a lot cheaper to print it in black and white.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Pony Express District Roundtable
17 December 2009
Information

Hello, fellow Cub Scouters!
Here is some additional information pertaining to the January theme, Power Up!

Put the Outing into Cub Scouting
Luz Gonzalez shared some information about possible field trips for Dens and Packs. Details on those suggestions are presented, below:

Places to go and Presentations (January)

Solar Panels – Presentations
Contact name: Norman Harrison
Contact Phone: (801) 367-7282
Call to set up date and time, prefer big groups like pack meetings. They will come to your place. And it is Free.

Gardner Engineering CO
Producing power from Sun, Wind and Water.
Contact name: Ken Gardner
Contact Phone: (801) 5890447
He does tours and presentations and they are Free
Ken is a Scout leader and he will enjoy doing it.

Rocky Mountain Power
They do:
Safety Presentations
Tours (SLC)
The safety presentations take about 45 minutes, they will bring a big model to present and demonstrate how dangerous power lines are. They prefer to do Pack Meetings but they will do den meetings if you need.
Contact name: Vicky
Contact Phone: 1-800-375-7085 leave a message.

Wasatch Wind
Great tours.
Main Line: (435) 657-2550
Fax: (435) 647-5889
E-mail: info@wasatchwind.com

Contact Name: Michelle Stevens
Direct: (435) 503-8831
Mobile: (435) 503-1278
Email: mstevens@wasatchwind.com



Pony Express District Newsletter
Here is the link to the December Newsletter

Official Links
Pony Express District is kind of in a state of 'limbo,' right now. There are actually two sites.. the old site, http://www.ponyexpressscouts.org (which hasn't been updated in a while), and the new site, http://www.utahscouts.org/ponyexpress (which is not yet finished)... which is why I have been using my blog, lately, to share info.

Here are links to the other official Cub Scout websites...
Utah National Parks Council
National Cub Scouts "ScoutSource" home page
Scout Shop online

Pinewood Derby
Here are links to other websites that have ideas and helps for running your Pinewood Derby.

Stands
Here are some ideas for stands that can be given out as trophy bases for the Pinewood Derby cars from scoutingthenet, and instructables, and Pack 479. Here is a pre-built one from Hobbylinc (even if you don't want to buy it, it may give you an idea for building another kind of stand).

Friday, November 20, 2009

Pony Express District Roundtable
19 November 2009
Additional Items

Okay, this should be the final follow-up post for this Roundtable session.

Roundtable Newsletters
Below are links to the PDF versions of the last several editions of the "Pony Express District Scouter" Newsletter.

July 2009
August 2009
September 2009
October 2009
November 2009

Leader Awards
We awarded a Name Badge at Roundtable last night. That is just the tip of the iceberg, as there are many more awards that can be earned as Cub Scout Leaders. Below, you will find information on some of the different awards, and then there is a link to a PDF of the award nomination form. The form can be submitted by e-mail to Judi Hansen at jwhsearch(at)aol(dot)com.

Awards

NAME TAG
Do an extra good job in any scouting position or successfully carry out an extra project. This award is limited to 2 or 3 per month, recognition normally given at Roundtable. Send nominations to the advancement committee.

SECOND MILER
Extraordinary volunteer service for 2-5 years in a unit or district position. Submit form to the advancement committee. Recognition given at district awards ceremony.

DISTRICT AWARD of MERIT
5-10 years of extraordinary volunteer service at unit or district level and previously received second miler. Submit form to the advancement committee. Recognition given at district awards ceremony.

SILVER BEAVER
10-15 or more years of volunteer service including some service at district or council level and previously received second miler and district award of merit. Submit form to the advancement committee. Recognition given by the council at annual Silver Beaver ceremony.

KNOTS
Awarded for completing position specific training and tenure awards. Give completed requirement sheet to district advancement committee. Presented at Roundtable.

SCOUT VETERAN
For 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 years of service. Submit application form to advancement committee.

# # #

Self nominations are not acceptable for Name Tags, Second Miler, Award of Merit, and Silver Beaver. Someone else must take the initiative to nominate Scouters for these awards, and nominations should be kept confidential. Chartered Organization Representatives know their people best and should take the lead in submitting nominations to the advancement committee. Nomination forms are available at Roundtable and on the council website, or email Judi Hansen jwhsearch(at)aol(dot)com to receive as email attachment.

# # #

Here is the Award Nomination form.

Pony Express District Roundtable
19 November 2009
Online Resources

During Roundtable, I mentioned that I would put links to some handy online resources here on my blog. Well, here they are...

"Cub Scout Program Helps" is the publication that is like a 'lesson plan' for the Tiger, Wolf, and Bear Den Leaders, as well as the Cubmaster for Pack Meeting. The official national Scouting website is posting Program Helps one month at a time on a page of the website. The page states "or the entire year's program helps may also be downloaded" and yet both the link to and that full download have been removed from the page for some mysterious reason. I had gotten it while it was made available, and you can get it here.

Many of the Cub Scouting Forms are available from the BSA national site, and they even have many of the forms in Spanish. Here are a few that I will place direct links for...

The "Family Talent Survey Sheet," which, I believe, was discussed in both the Pack Leaders and Webelos Leaders classes.

The "Pack Meeting Planning Sheet" can be used to plan out your Pack Meetings.




In my 'Cub Scouting 101" breakout session, I mentioned that I would post links to some other helpful resources...

The Cub Scout Leader How-To Book (which explains the Den Doodles) is available online in PDF format.

Cub Scout Academics and Sports is the program where the Cub Scouts can earn Belt Loops and Pins. Pack 327 of Arbutus, Maryland has posted a PDF file of the complete Academics and Sports program guide.

Speaking of Academics and Sports, meritbadge.org has created and posted Workbooks... one for each belt loop/pin that can be downloaded and used to complete the requirements for each belt loop and pin.

The meritbadge.org site has also posted worksheets for each of the Webelos Activity Badges.




Some other items that you may be interested in...

"Guide to Safe Scouting" is available in two forms: one for online reading (smaller web page 'chapters'), and a PDF version of the printed Guide.

Pack 155 has posted the PDF of the Parent Information Guide.