BSA Google Sites Theme (100 Days of Scouting, Days 51 & 52)

A couple days ago at the District Web Committee meeting the subject was the initiative by National to have a unified look and feel for Council and District websites. I was the only one there that wasn’t a District or Council webmaster. One of the gentlemen there said that it often come up that units ask him what to do/use.

WARNING: Nerd-ness Ahead!

Last month I posted an article with the themes we were using for the Pack and Troop websites. There were also a lot of great comments and examples from other Scouters using Google Sites for their unit. It’s not flashy but for $10 a year you can run a unit website using Google tools. A Scout is thrifty after all. Turns out though that since the themes were built under a Google Apps/non-profit account (my Pack email) when I shared the templates they could only be used by other apps/non-profit accounts.
So I took the “National initiative” and went back to Google. This time I made sure to do the design using my primary gmail account. This theme, based on the Words to Live By campaign is available to all Google/Gmail users.

Here’s a link to the theme: https://sites.google.com/site/bsaunittemplate/ (You can also find it by searching for “BSA” in the public theme templates.)

The theme should take care care of all the coloring/branding aspects. Bring your own Google Calendar and Picasa accounts.

You’ll also want to customize the header graphic for your unit. The ugly but effective solution is:
☑ Download the PowerPoint slide here: (DropBox)
☑ On the title page modify to the text to suit your unit
☑ “Save As Picture”
☑ Crop
☑ Replace existing header graphic in Google Sites.

I’m looking to put together some documentation to share but it hasn’t happened yet. If you want to use the template and have any questions post them in the comments and I’ll do my best to help you through.

By the way…. That was my Day 51 literally into 52.

 

Day 50! : 100 Days of Scouting

Halfway through 100 Days of Scouting! OK so it’s not 50 miles but there’s day’s where it certainly feels like it. Things have been slow in my Scout world the past couple days but certainly not today.

• Exchanged emails with Cubmaster on how to handle registering a new recruit and a transfer from another Pack;
• Was contacted by another Cubmaster about help setting up Google Sites for his Pack’s website;
• Worked with a Scout regarding a scholarship sponsored by the VFW for Scout of the Year;
• Got notice about a parade we’ve been asked to participate in this weekend in town;
• Attended my first District Committee (Web Committee) meeting. For a while I did ok at keeping quiet. For a while I held back from volunteering as well. For a while…
• Added 2 new Scouters to my #100DaysofScouting list/”newspaper”
• And thanks to @SM_Phil added a few new resources to my Scouting library;

How’s your 50 been? Easier/harder than what you expected?

So far it’s filling my goals:
1. Do “something” for a Scout, Scouts or Scouting each day;
2. New friends/new ideas;
3. Develop my writing and tuning the blog for what works with the audience (for day 101+)

 

Day 49: TCWTM

If you’re into survival, whether due to zombies or Skynet or maybe your tent just washed down the river, this is a good reference book. (Hopefully either you read it already or the book wasn’t with the tent).
If your a fan of advanced camp craft like building shelters and home made rucksacks you’ll find that too. It’s designed pretty well to be Scout friendly.
Sometime this year I’d like to do a survival style campout (no hunting) with the boys. Maybe they’ll have to geolocate their food
What’s the most extreme you’ve ever done for a Scout camping excursion?

 

Day 48: Oh Drats!

Uh oh. Despite coordination of calendar’s several times a month just realized that the weekend of the District Camporee is the same weekend as a friend’s wedding. My ever patient wife is giving me the option… If it weren’t a District event I could have some wiggle room. Maybe fate will intervene and I won’t get a 2nd adult leader for that weekend.
How do you handle when a conflict comes up between Scouts and family?

 

Day 47: The Cub Scout Helps the Pack Go

Since crossing over to Boy Scouts pretty much my only function with the Pack is electronically. I still maintain the Pack Website, calendar and photo gallery. I don’t mind one bit as most requests I can usually handle in minutes and 90% of them by phone if needed.
Yesterday I got an email about a Cub Scout who wanted to transfer into our Pack. I asked the mom what drew her to us and this is the response I got:

About how we got to know about you…We learned about Pack 83 at a supermarket. My boy was in his uniform (our meeting had just ended) and a boy approached him to ask what pack he was in. They talked for a while and the boy told that he goes to Pack 83 in Kenilworth. He told us about the many things he has been doing, and the many things he learned. He was so enthusiastic to talk about his pack!
My son’s schedule is not letting him participate in all of his pack activities, unfortunately they had to change the meetings day and time. He loves being a Cub Scout, so I went online and got the information about your pack.

Whoever the Scout was (and I will find out,) he’s definitely earned the Recruiter patch in my book. It’s good to know that our Pack has grown that strong that even one Scout, and hopefully more, is that proud and enthusiastic.
Recruiting into Scouts at 11-12 is difficult. When a boy becomes a Scout earlier if we keep the program engaging, he keeps advancing and before you know it, he’s crossing the bridge to Boy Scouts.