Getting Ready for a New Scouting Year

Revised Aug 28, 2007 - Gord Welling

What a year we are going to have! We want to provide some tips to help you get an early start.

2007-08 Is Fast Approaching

The 2007-08 Scouting year is quickly approaching and is probably the last thing on your minds as you pack up and head out for a well-earned vacation. So why all the fuss?

We are expecting an even more fun-packed year. Your Group Committee has just met and started to put together a plan for the coming year. We are hoping to have between 18 to 24 youngsters in Beavers, about 28 to 32 boys and girls registered for Cubs and between 8 to 10 boys and girls signed up for Scouts. We will be continuing with our celebrations of the 100th Scouting Anniversary and moving into the next century of scouting with more tours, trips, hikes, camps and outdoor fun.

Parents

There is a some preparation that you can do right now:

• if your youngster is starting their first year, or is moving from Beavers to Cubs or from Cubs to Scouts, visit the Scout Shop to pick-up the new uniform parts that your son or daughter will need,
  
  
• call the Section Leader to touch base and confirm that your son and/or daughter will be returning,
  
  
• drop in at our registration day at St. Albert Centre, Saturday, September 8th, 10:00 am to 3:30 pm to complete your application(s) (or just to say hello if you have already registered), and
  
  
• review the Cub or Scout handbook and see if any of the fun things you have done this spring or are doing this summer will quailfy for some badge work. Record the work completed and call your Section Leader if you have any questions.

A Scout Shop Visit

The Scout Shop is located on the ground floor of the Scout Adventure Centre, 14205 - 109 Avenue, in Edmonton (south on 142 Street, one block past the Telus Science Centre).

If you are looking for a wide assortment of good quality camping equipment, the Scout Shop is definately worth the visit.

Important Notice - parents need to be aware that the Scout Shop will not be open on Saturdays during the month of August. See Scout Shop hours of operation for more details.

If you are shopping for a uniform, this is what your youngster will need:

• Beavers will need a Beaver hat and vest. Your youngster will receive the necessary badges, scarf and woggle when they get invested later this fall.
  
  
• Cubs will need a uniform shirt, a sash (red with yellow trim), and a Cub Handbook (yellow and white paperback). If your youngster is moving up from Beavers, you can use the badges from their Beaver vest on the uniform shirt, otherwise your son or daughter will receive the badges, scarf and woggle when they get invested later this fall.
  
  
• Scouts may need a larger size shirt, otherwise the uniform shirt from Cubs will do, a sash (red with green trim), and a Scout Handbook. If your youngster is moving up from Cubs, you can use the badges from their Cub shirt on the Scout shirt, otherwise your son or daughter will receive the badges, scarf and woggle when they get invested later this fall.
  
  

Summer Fun

Summer is all about fun ... swimming, camping, hiking, biking, outdoor photography, soccer, baseball, reading club, drama club, museum visits, travels to other provinces or states ... but did you know that all that fun can also earn badges and awards?

Are you sure? ... You bet!

Anything that your son or daughter does that is listed in a badge or award requirement can qualify. In some cases they can meet all the requirements of a badge and get it presented this summer or early in the fall. All you need is access to a Cub or Scout handbook for the list of badge requirements.

Just keep a notebook journal of everything interesting you did and then cross check it back to the handbook. When something is completed, sign off the item and date it. When a badge is completed, show your completed checklist in your handbook to your leader. It's that simple!

Wait a minute ... I can't find the Cub or Scout handbook!

Not a problem ... you can take a look at all of the Cub and Scout badge and award requirements online.

For Scouts, summer is a good time to work on challenge badges and get some of their Pathfinder or Voyageur requirements completed. Cubs can use the summer to earn some badges, finish up requirements for one or more stars and work on some awards.

So Moms ... if you hear "I'm so-o-o bored" ... look up a badge and make a fun day out of it.

Here are some popular ideas to try:

• Are you taking the family camping or on a camping vacation? Get your son or daughter to help around camp, explore the outdoors while going on a couple of hikes. If you've got a digital camera, you can turn them into an outdoor photographer and maybe build an electronic scrapbook describing your adventures.
  
  
• Heard about global warming? Sure you have ... have you given any thought on what you might want to do about it? Did you visit a provincial or national park and do something special to improve the park or the environment?
  
  
• Is your son or daughter enrolled in a reading programme at the library? How about attending a drama day camp? Visit any museums lately?
  
  
• What was your spring like? Did your son or daughter participate in any organized sports like soccer or baseball this spring? How about completing the Swim Level 4 course at Fountain Park Pool? Do you like to take the family on evening bike rides?
  

My youngster is a White Tail who "swam up" to Cubs at the Spring Camp in April ... can they earn badges this summer?

Absolutely! And the same applies to 3rd year Cubs moving to Scouts (with a twist!).

• For "White tail Beavers" they can work on badges but they will not receive them until after they are invested into the Cub Pack this fall.
  
  
• For 3rd year Cubs who jumped up to Scouts, they can continue to work on their Cub Award badges ... those are the square badges that can be transferred to the Scout sash once your son or daughter starts Scouts. S-o-o-o ... while he or she has not yet attended their first Scout meeting, they are still technically a Cub until September 1st! They can continue to work on Cub Award badges and get them signed off by Akela ... give him a call for more details.

See you soon this Fall!