Sunday, December 30, 2007

Podcasts about Cub Scouting

A while back, I started listening to podcasts. I was playing around in iTunes and subscribed to WAY too many that any human could possible listen to. When I cleaned out the ones that weren't good and cleaned out the ones that weren't great, I ended up with 4 that related to Cub Scouting. I share them here:

The first is:

Cubcast - "An audio podcast featuring a variety of how-to and information topics for Cub Scout leaders and parents." This is a monthly podcast by BSA National. Right from the horse's mouth, it is a great podcast that follows the monthly themes and has a special topic each month.

Site URL: http://www.scouting.org/cubscouts/podcast/index.html
Feed URL: http://www.scouting.org/cubscouts/podcast/cubcast.xml


The other three are all done by a group of guys who used to run separate podcasts, but somehow ended up combining under one group. Its still three podcasts though.

PTC Media

These are each different and talk about scouting from different leader's perspectives. Akela's Adventure is led by Den Leader Bob with great input from his son, one of his cubs. You get to hear from the leader AND the scout. An Hour a Week features Cubmaster Chris from Central Texas. The Leader's Campfire is more of a round table with Cubmaster Chris, Den Leader Bob and several other guests.

Akela's Adventure XML iTunes
An Hour a Week? XML iTunes
The Leader's Campfire XML iTunes


Enjoy!

Scouting Colors

Trying to match the blue from the Cub Scout logo with the borders on your pack newsletter? This may help.

A while back, I found these images on the National BSA site. I believe they are color samples for many of the emblems that we use. For example, these two are the blue and gold of the Cub Scout logo with the wolf:





The color values I extracted from them with Photoshop are below in hex and decimal RGB format:

Blue: #005E9C (Red:0, Green:94, Blue:156)
Yellow: #FFD401 (Red:255, Green: 212, Blue:1)

Here are the red and green from Boy Scouts:





Red: #EC1848 (Red:236, Green:24, Blue:72)
Green: #01713F (Red:1, Green 113, Blue:63)

If you know what those numbers mean and you work on any scout websites or graphic designs, you'll know what to do with them.

There are many more colors used in scouting, like the orange of the Tiger Cubs. Send me any you find and I'll add them here. Also, send me corrections if I'm wrong about any of these numbers.

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Who am I, you ask?

I am Dave, Cubmaster of Pack 499 in the Kempsville District of the Tidewater Council in Virginia Beach, VA. I have just completed my first year as Cubmaster. Yea, I'm not all that experienced, but I'm getting there. I was a Cub Scout and a Boy Scout for a total of eight years. I have two sons, one 10 (Webelos) and one 2. So, I'll be around for a while.

This blog is a dumping ground for scouting-related stuff I find interesting. I'll post information about ceremonies I try, ceremonies I want to try ... ceremonies I'm afraid to try. There will probably be a little bit of Pack Meeting stuff, but there is already so much out there, that I'll probably just post links with some brief notes. I really want to focus on things that relate to Cub Scouting in general.

I want to talk about the fun stuff Cubmasters get to do. That one little thing that makes every boy in the room, (or around the campfire,) stare, jaw dropped in awe; that one little thing that makes the whole room laugh; the stuff that gets them and their parents, excited about Scouting.

Here's a little more about me:

I love this stuff! I love everything we do as scouts and scouters. My childhood scouting ended as a Life Scout after my family moved and I never got back into it. I do regret that now. Maybe that's why I'm so into it. Scouting has been in my family from the beginning. My Great Grandfather used to tell me that he was the first scout to sign up in New Jersey back in 1910. My Grandfather was a scout. Even my Mother used to help out when her cousins were scouts. Later, she was my first Den Leader in Cub Scouts. I was a Cub Scout in the South Texas Council and a Boy Scout in the Palmetto Council in Rock Hill, SC. Once my oldest son became interested and joined a Pack, I jumped right in as soon as I was asked. I went from Assistant Den Leader to Cubmaster in two months.

I've had a lot of training from my excellent district and council trainers and the BSA web-based training.

The Basics:
Cub Scout Fast Start:
Tiger Cub Den Leaders
Wolf/Bear Cub Scout Den Leaders
Webelos Den Leaders
Cubmaster
Pack Committee Fast Start
Boy Scout Fast Start (Good Stuff for Webelos Leaders)
Youth Protection (Not just for Scouters!)
New Leader Essentials
Leader Specific:
Cub Scout Den Leader
Cubmaster

Other Great Stuff:
Safe Swim Defense
Safety Afloat
BALOO
Outdoor Webelos Leader Skills (Great Fun!)
University of Scouting (Associates)
Boy Behavior
Geocaching to Promote Scouting
Geocaching (part 2)
Ceremonies
Summer Program
Conducting a Safe Outing

I hope to attend Wood Badge this year, I'll let you know how it goes...