Friday, September 14, 2007
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Welcome Back to Cub Scouts
Wolf Scout Parents,
Welcome (back) to Cub Scouts! Dan and I are so excited about this year of scouts, we can hardly get any work done. We're almost as excited as all ELEVEN boys were Monday night. It was really great to have all seven of the "old" boys back and to see four new boys join the den. All I can say about that is - bring a friend next time! We will find more room and get more leaders if we need to. Dan and I are committed to make the Den meetings a quality time of fun and learning for the boys. We appreciate all the help the parents provide - setting up, cleaning up, bringing stuff, working with your boys, occasional crowd control. By working together, I know the boys will have a great experience in Cub Scouts this year.
Here are a few items I wanted to bring to your attention:
Pack Meeting
The September Pack Meeting is Monday, September 17 at Springhill Elementary School, 7pm - 8pm. The Pack Meeting is for the entire family. Our den will be performing our Academy Award-Winning Skit, "Waiting To Buy Train Tickets." I'm sure there will be other presentations, games, and events, but none as moving as "Train Tickets." So don't forget. Monday. At the school.
Bobcat Rank
The first rank earned by all new scouts, regardless of age, is the Bobcat. There are only eight requirements to earn the Bobcat. Most of these are part of our opening ceremony that we do every week. You can find this information starting on page 16 of the Wolf Cub Scout Handbook. Here is an online link if you want to read it now instead of doing your work. (!) http://www.boyscouttrail.com/cub-scouts/bobcat-scouts.asp
We want all new scouts to earn their Bobcat badge at the October Pack meeting. You can do it. We have faith.
Youth Safety
One of the requirements for the Bobcat rank is to discuss safety. This isn't "don't play with matches" or "look both ways" safety. Rather, it's the "don't let anybody touch your ____ " and "never keep 'secrets' from your parents" safety. It breaks my heart to know there are people in this world who take advantage of young boys to satisfy their own perverted desires. It also makes me quite angry, frankly. The best way to protect our boys against being a victim of abuse is to make sure they know what's appropriate and what's not, and to make sure they aren't afraid to talk to us as parents about it. The BSA takes this matter seriously, and they require all leaders to have training on it. In addition, the BSA has rules in place to prevent situations where leaders could take advantage of boys or be accused of improper conduct. For example, we require "two-deep" leadership for all meetings and activities, all (Cub Scout) campouts must be "family campouts," and the boys always use the "buddy system" and never go anywhere alone. All this to say: don't brush over this Bobcat requirement. Take time to read through it carefully and talk to your boy about it. I urge parents of last year's scouts to go back through this information as well.
Anyway. On to a happier topic.
Working Toward Wolf Rank
Have you looked through the Wolf Cub Scout Handbook yet? Sit down with your son and just go through the book. I guarantee they will find some things they can't wait to do. I also guarantee you will find some things you already do around the house and can probably sign off right then and there.
Pay special attention to these activities and try to have them completed by the end of September:
Achievement 1 - Feats of Skill
Achievement 9 - Be Safe at Home and on the Street
Elective 16 - Family Alert
Our goal is to have everyone achieve the Wolf rank by the Blue and Gold banquet in mid-February. The absolute deadline for finishing the Wolf rank is May 31. After earning the Wolf badge, a boy will start to earn Arrow Points for finishing Electives. He can work on Electives before finishing the Wolf, but he can only earn Arrow Points after the Wolf is completed.
Akela Camp
Let me strongly encourage you and your family to participate in Akela Camp the weekend of October 6-7. The cost is minimal for the amount of fun involved. Let me know if you do not have a registration form. Here are a couple of links to some pictures and stories from camps gone by:
http://jeffmcfarland.blogspot.com/2007/03/pack-82-family-campout-roaring-success.html
http://bryantpack82.shutterfly.com/action/
Do Your Best
The Cub Scout Motto is, "Do Your Best." What does that mean? It means instead of saying "I can't" or "I won't" or "I don't like that" you will say "I'll give it a try." It is very important for Cub Scouts to understand this and put it into practice at our Den meetings. Some boys are going to be more artistic, or athletic, or articulate, or energetic. But as far as Cub Scouting goes, they are only being judged against themselves. Did the scout give it his all? Or did he not even give it a try? The boys are going to do lots of things this year - lots of fast, colorful, sticky, thoughtful, outdoor, clever, cool things. (Editor's Note: We will do NO "cute" things. Cute is...well, not for Wolves.) They need to know that it's OK to not like something, or not be really good at it - because there are going to be plenty of things they do like and are really good at. But doing my best sometimes means playing along even when it's not my favorite thing.
Please have a talk with your boy about Doing Your Best. It is going to be the cornerstone of what we do this year.
Website
Pack 82 has a website that is updated at least once a year. You can see it here:
www.geocities.com/bryantpack82
Also, I will post pictures of any events to our photo website (link above). If you have pictures, you can email them to me or bring a CD.
Again, Dan, Kevin, all the Pack 82 leaders, and I look forward to a great year.
Thanks,
Jeff
Welcome (back) to Cub Scouts! Dan and I are so excited about this year of scouts, we can hardly get any work done. We're almost as excited as all ELEVEN boys were Monday night. It was really great to have all seven of the "old" boys back and to see four new boys join the den. All I can say about that is - bring a friend next time! We will find more room and get more leaders if we need to. Dan and I are committed to make the Den meetings a quality time of fun and learning for the boys. We appreciate all the help the parents provide - setting up, cleaning up, bringing stuff, working with your boys, occasional crowd control. By working together, I know the boys will have a great experience in Cub Scouts this year.
Here are a few items I wanted to bring to your attention:
Pack Meeting
The September Pack Meeting is Monday, September 17 at Springhill Elementary School, 7pm - 8pm. The Pack Meeting is for the entire family. Our den will be performing our Academy Award-Winning Skit, "Waiting To Buy Train Tickets." I'm sure there will be other presentations, games, and events, but none as moving as "Train Tickets." So don't forget. Monday. At the school.
Bobcat Rank
The first rank earned by all new scouts, regardless of age, is the Bobcat. There are only eight requirements to earn the Bobcat. Most of these are part of our opening ceremony that we do every week. You can find this information starting on page 16 of the Wolf Cub Scout Handbook. Here is an online link if you want to read it now instead of doing your work. (!) http://www.boyscouttrail.com/cub-scouts/bobcat-scouts.asp
We want all new scouts to earn their Bobcat badge at the October Pack meeting. You can do it. We have faith.
Youth Safety
One of the requirements for the Bobcat rank is to discuss safety. This isn't "don't play with matches" or "look both ways" safety. Rather, it's the "don't let anybody touch your ____ " and "never keep 'secrets' from your parents" safety. It breaks my heart to know there are people in this world who take advantage of young boys to satisfy their own perverted desires. It also makes me quite angry, frankly. The best way to protect our boys against being a victim of abuse is to make sure they know what's appropriate and what's not, and to make sure they aren't afraid to talk to us as parents about it. The BSA takes this matter seriously, and they require all leaders to have training on it. In addition, the BSA has rules in place to prevent situations where leaders could take advantage of boys or be accused of improper conduct. For example, we require "two-deep" leadership for all meetings and activities, all (Cub Scout) campouts must be "family campouts," and the boys always use the "buddy system" and never go anywhere alone. All this to say: don't brush over this Bobcat requirement. Take time to read through it carefully and talk to your boy about it. I urge parents of last year's scouts to go back through this information as well.
Anyway. On to a happier topic.
Working Toward Wolf Rank
Have you looked through the Wolf Cub Scout Handbook yet? Sit down with your son and just go through the book. I guarantee they will find some things they can't wait to do. I also guarantee you will find some things you already do around the house and can probably sign off right then and there.
Pay special attention to these activities and try to have them completed by the end of September:
Achievement 1 - Feats of Skill
Achievement 9 - Be Safe at Home and on the Street
Elective 16 - Family Alert
Our goal is to have everyone achieve the Wolf rank by the Blue and Gold banquet in mid-February. The absolute deadline for finishing the Wolf rank is May 31. After earning the Wolf badge, a boy will start to earn Arrow Points for finishing Electives. He can work on Electives before finishing the Wolf, but he can only earn Arrow Points after the Wolf is completed.
Akela Camp
Let me strongly encourage you and your family to participate in Akela Camp the weekend of October 6-7. The cost is minimal for the amount of fun involved. Let me know if you do not have a registration form. Here are a couple of links to some pictures and stories from camps gone by:
http://jeffmcfarland.blogspot.com/2007/03/pack-82-family-campout-roaring-success.html
http://bryantpack82.shutterfly.com/action/
Do Your Best
The Cub Scout Motto is, "Do Your Best." What does that mean? It means instead of saying "I can't" or "I won't" or "I don't like that" you will say "I'll give it a try." It is very important for Cub Scouts to understand this and put it into practice at our Den meetings. Some boys are going to be more artistic, or athletic, or articulate, or energetic. But as far as Cub Scouting goes, they are only being judged against themselves. Did the scout give it his all? Or did he not even give it a try? The boys are going to do lots of things this year - lots of fast, colorful, sticky, thoughtful, outdoor, clever, cool things. (Editor's Note: We will do NO "cute" things. Cute is...well, not for Wolves.) They need to know that it's OK to not like something, or not be really good at it - because there are going to be plenty of things they do like and are really good at. But doing my best sometimes means playing along even when it's not my favorite thing.
Please have a talk with your boy about Doing Your Best. It is going to be the cornerstone of what we do this year.
Website
Pack 82 has a website that is updated at least once a year. You can see it here:
www.geocities.com/bryantpack82
Also, I will post pictures of any events to our photo website (link above). If you have pictures, you can email them to me or bring a CD.
Again, Dan, Kevin, all the Pack 82 leaders, and I look forward to a great year.
Thanks,
Jeff
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
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