Surviving your first Blue & Gold Banquet: The big day

bluegoldlogo_225Your Blue & Gold Banquet is tomorrow and you’re fully prepared. You’ve planned, checked and re-checked every detail. Your committee, den leaders and parent helpers have everything taken care of, and you’re ready to step up and run a successful event.

Or so you wish! Bearing in mind that a visit from Murphy isn’t out of the question, you can still have a successful banquet by doing everything possible to ensure a smooth event ahead of time. And by being quick-thinking and flexible, you can sidestep any kinks and make it look like you planned it that way.

There are some ways to keep those kinks from ruining your day. Continue reading “Surviving your first Blue & Gold Banquet: The big day”

Surviving your First Blue & Gold Banquet: Final preparations

bluegoldlogo_225OK, the big day is approaching and you’re hoping your Blue & Gold Banquet turns out all right. You’re concerned that the boys will have fun and the parents won’t be disappointed.

The good news is that by following the Scout motto – Be Prepared – you can improve your chances of having a smooth banquet with enthusiastic boys and impressed parents.

First, be sure to review the steps I discussed last week. Continue reading “Surviving your First Blue & Gold Banquet: Final preparations”

Why can’t they make it easier?

coh_insignia_cSometimes, it seems that the Boy Scouts of America gets in the way of fulfilling their own aims.

Here’s an example, inspired by a post on Google Plus’s Scout Nation group, which featured a photo of rank advancement and merit badge insignia and cards ready for the Scouts to be awarded at the court of honor.

The thing that caught my attention was the fact that many of the rank insignia were probably earned weeks or months ago, and they’re just now being awarded. Continue reading “Why can’t they make it easier?”

Surviving Your First Blue & Gold Banquet: Planning

bluegoldlogo_225If there is one event in the Cub Scout year that could be considered the high point, it’s the Blue and Gold Banquet. Every winter, Cub Scout packs hold a celebration of Scouting’s anniversary. Scouts gather, along with their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins for food, fellowship, recognition, entertainment and Scout spirit.

And the Master of Ceremonies is you – the Cubmaster.

If you’re a new Cubmaster, you might be wondering just what you’ve gotten yourself into! Continue reading “Surviving Your First Blue & Gold Banquet: Planning”

Get off your high horse

highhorseWhen I started as the committee chair of our troop, one of the things that went through my mind was how many things I’d need to be responsible for. I had a pretty good handle on advancement (or so I thought), matters of finance and the rules of safety and youth protection. But what about the outdoor program? Camping equipment? High adventure?

Sooner or later, I learned that I didn’t need to know every nuance and detail of those subjects, because we had other volunteers who had the know-how to take care of them. I relied on them for a basic understanding of their areas, and let them do what was needed without any interference.

A committee chair who views himself or herself as the ultimate expert on every aspect of troop operations is fooling himself and shortchanging those around him. Continue reading “Get off your high horse”