Blue and Gold Banquet Planning
The topic of tonight’s Cub Scout Roundtable is Blue and Gold Banquets with Cross-over ceremonies. Instead of handouts, this page will provide the links.
The Scouting.org website on blue and gold banquets does not provide much information. It basically acknowledges their existence and purpose.
Scouting magazine has several articles and links that are very helpful.
Like anything else with scout programming, there lots of ideas on the web. Here is an example of an entire how-to manual. Another website has links to 6 other manuals.
Ultimately, you need to intrigue younger cub scouts about the fun that awaits them, thank the adults for making the program happen, and encourage graduating Webelos to continue into Boy Scouts.
The part of the program that is least within your control but is the most important to inviting Webelos to transition into Boy Scouts is the cross-over ceremony. A good cross-over ceremony is planned by the Cub Scout Pack but relies on Boy S
couts and Scoutmasters to make it work.
Our local chapter of the Order of the Arrow, the national scout honorary society. offers to send boy scouts to perform the actual cross-over ceremony. Our chapter the Lowaneu Allonque chapter is eager to perform for you. (Their chapter advisor John Ruggles is a good contact. Please copy District Commissioner Jeff Heck to avoid any breakdowns in communication.) They will typically send 4-5 boys of about 15-18 years old. Once your master of ceremonies hands the actual cr0ss-over cere
mony over to the OA boys, your pack can sit back and watch. The Webelos and their parents will be called forward to walk through the ceremony. If members of the welcoming Boy Scout Troop(s) are present, they are invited to participate.
Remember there are good reasons to have a blue and gold ceremony without Webelos crossing over. This is the ideal time to have boys make their rank for the year. The younger scouts can then see what older scouts can do, too.
Good luck.
CAC North Star Unofficial Website 