News Archive

Summertime Fun!

Scouting fun continued through the summertime. We recently had a pack campout at Kitson Hot Springs. It was a really fun outing, with about 20 people who enjoyed playing in the creek, hiking and volleyball. If you missed it, be sure to check it out next year.

Many scouts also enjoyed Cub Scout Day Camp and Camp Baker Resident Camp. Below you can see Ben Olsson at the BB Gun range--one of the most popular activities at Camp Baker.

February 18, 1007

Well, Pinewood Derby was great fun, with almost 30 entries! The track ran quite fast, the racing was very competitive and many boys went home with awards. Thanks for participating!

As I mentioned below, we have a pack meeting and a snow outing coming up this week. Because the schedule has been pretty heavy--and we have a den meeting scheduled for March 1--we will have no den meeting this week. I have emailed everyone about this (except Trevor and Dillon, who don't have email--I've made other arrangements to notify them) and changed the calendar page.

February 14, 2007

The Pinewood Derby is this Saturday morning. Race starts at 9:00. Plan to arrive at 8:30 or so. Car check-in is Friday night, between 6:30 and 8:30. Both check-in and the race will be in the cafeteria at Meadowlark/Buena Vista.

I have picked up the official scale and will have it at my house until Friday night. So if you want an advance weigh-in, give me a call.

Pack meeting is next Tuesday, Feb 20. We will be sharing flag ceremony duties. I need two scout volunteers to carry the flags for the closing. One of the older scouts will be doing the spoken parts of the ceremony. We will also be giving awards at this meeting. If you have not already done so, please email me with information about what awards your son has earned (Bobcat badge, belt loops).

Our next den meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Feb 22. I'm thinking, though, that maybe we should postpone. With the derby this Saturday, the pack meeting Tuesday and Snow Day next Saturday (see below), maybe we have too much going on just now. Please share your thoughts on this. Also, I’m not sure yet what we'll be doing at our next den meeting, because we had some plans but may have to clear some time to do our fossil block, which did not arrive in time for last week's meeting.

Next week we have our Snow Outing, on Saturday! We will be going to a sledding area across from the entrance to Hoodoo. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the east end of Sheldon High School parking lot. We have room on the bus for about 50 people. After that, people will have to carpool. Please RSVP to me so that we can get some idea of whether the bus will hold everyone. The bus has room for sleds and snow toys. Bring your toys, warm clothing and a water bottle. The pack will provide hot cocoa and chili. If you want other food or drink, be sure to bring it.

The date for the March pack meeting and Blue and Gold Banquet has changed and is tentatively set for Monday, March 19. We are hoping to book space at the VFW hall, which was very well regarded two years ago. The planning is in the works for the banquet and it sounds like it'll be a lot of fun this year. The theme is Hawaiian/tropical, so we'll have to dispense with our skit (which I emailed recently, but was in anticipation of a "patriotism" theme). So give some thought to crafts/decorations/skits for the banquet.

February 3, 2007

Our next den meeting is this Thursday, February 8, at 3:30 at Emerald Bible Fellowship. We have a lot of activities from which to choose for this meeting. We'll do some quick flag cerecmonies, to get more scouts through Achievement 2B. We may dig for fossils, to get scouts on their way for Achievement 6, Start a Collection. And we'll start health and hygiene charts, for Achievement 3, Keeping Your Body Healthy. We'll also talk about upcoming events and a great skit!

I plan to send an email today with the script for the skit and a plea for someone to coordinate an outing this month. Watch for it!

An our January 25 den meeting, we leaned about compasses for our maps and compass belt loop. What remains to be done is to make a map of your neighborhood, including familiar landmarks, and have your son explain how to get from home to a familiar destination on the map. We'll try to finish up those tasks this month--either at home or at a den meeting. If your son missed the last meeting and you have a compass, spend some time talking about how it works. We also did a good job of documenting achievements.

At our January 14, 2007 den meeting, former Cubmaster Doug Grout explained the ins and outs of Pinewood Derby. The race is coming up on February 17. I hope your getting your cars finished. John Bollinger has the official scale and will let you weigh your creation ahead of time, if you call to arrange a convenient time.

January 13, 2007

We have a den meeting rescheduled for Sunday at 4:00, at Minds in Motion, 445 Harlow Rd, Springfield. Be sure to bring your handbooks!

January 11, 2007

No den meeting today, because of snow. We're hoping to hold a meeting on Sunday afternoon, so let David or Becky know whether you're available.

January 6, 2007

Pinewood Derby is coming up! Doug Grout (former Pack Leader) will be coming to our next den meeting to show us how to make a winning car!

Today I mailed information out to all scouts in the den: Ben, Dillon, Evan, Jordan, Kaleb, Max, Nolan, Simon, Tanner and Trevor. Watch for it in the mail! Here are some excerpts:

Please review your son's Wolf Handbook, make sure that it's up to date for his achievements (use pages 233-237 for tracking) and bring the handbook to our meeting on Thursday, January 11. Our main goals for that meeting are to get our records up to date and get scouts ready to receive their Bobcat Badge this month.

Bobcat Badge: Remember what this is? It's the foundation of cub scouting. The Law of the Pack, the Promise, the salute and other basics. Read more about it in the handbook, pp 16-26. Let's try to have all our scouts qualified to receive it at the January 16th Pack Meeting. If your son already has his, we'll ask him to help other scouts at next week's den meeting.

Past Meetings/Achievements: As you know, you and your scout will do most of his achievements at home. But we've also done a lot during meetings. Included in this mailing is a detail that Becky made for us of the things the scouts have done during meetings. In addition to that list, you mail recall whether your son was at the den meeting where we learned about tools and whether he joined us at Home Depot to build something useful (Achievement 5).

Den Status: Though we now have ten Wolf scouts, we are still planning to meet as one group rather than two. We will be Den 2, but don't worry about having a den number—or if you have the wrong number—on you son's uniform for now. If things stay the same for awhile, we'll make sure to get it done later. Our den meetings (that's our small group, the pack is the big group) will take place at Emerald Bible Fellowship, on Thursday s at 3:30 pm. They last an hour or a bit more. Please let me know if you need transportation assistance.

December 10, 2006

The leaders of the Wolf Cub Den are getting together today, to plan upcoming activities for the cubs. I'll describe our plans here and get the activities on the calendar as soon as possible.

I lost track of some pictures for awhile, but tracked them down. Here's one from our visit to the Coburg Fire Station. Thanks again to Chief Chad and our own Don Harkins for the visit! At our next den meeting, we'll all sign a thank you card for the station.

Another recent outing that was a big hit was our trip to Home Depot. We all made Treasure Boxes, which were well-suited to our abilities. Ben is using his to keep his Pokeman cards. Afterward, we took all the deposit cans and bottles that had collected around the Coburg Fire Station and cashed them in--for $36.15! We are using those funds to purchase items to add to our gift baskets for residents at Olive Plaza. What a good deed!

November 28, 2006

Hi, everyone. As you know, I recently spent time out of town because my father had a heart attack. He underwent quadruple bypass surgery and I'm happy to report that his recovery has gone remarkably well. Thank you to everyone who helped out with scouts during my absence!

Soon after my return to Eugene I caught a cold, from which I am now recovering. I hope to be well in another day or so and am looking forward to seeing our scouts and scouters!

During my absence, the scouts received their popcorn orders, participated in Scouting for Food and had a couple of den meetings. Immediately after my return, we had our cake auction. Upcoming events include a Home Depot project outing and our visit to Olive Plaza.

The Home Depot outing is something that Becky started to organize during my absence. She has spoken to staff at the store and they assured her that there will be a project day for the kids this Saturday, though they did not know just what the kids will be building. We should meet at Home Depot (the one on Green Acres) at 9:30 Saturday morning. Let's just plan to meet in the project area. I don't know if there is any cost involved (I'll ask Becky to let us know). This activity should allow the scouts to complete an elective and/or part of an achievement.

Three of our scout parents have decided that their schedules do not allow for scouting right now (or they've moved to another pack). Our remaining roster is:

Ben, Dillon, Evan, Jordan, Max, Nolan, Simon, Tanner, Trevor.

Given the fact that a couple boys are likely to be missing at any given gathering, Becky and I thought we'd continue to meet as one group rather than two. Particularly given the support we get from parents, I think we can manage a group of nine scouts. We'll ask around to find out the more convenient time and place to hold our den meetings.

Speaking of den meetings, we decided that, between the Home Depot trip, the December pack meeting and the Olive Plaza event, along with winter holiday commitments, things were busy enough without adding additional meetings. So we will have no den meetings in December. But the leaders will be meeting to plan for 2007, so let us know if you have suggestions or concerns.

October 18, 2006

Den Announcements

We had a good meeting last Thursday, with the boys completing achievements 5a-5d. That means that once you help your son "build something useful" (5e), we can sign off on all of Achievement 5.

Our next den meeting (for both dens) will be Thursday, Oct. 26. We will be combining our den meeting with a Fire Station visit, which will help the boys to complete Achievement 5c. The meeting will begin at 3:45 pm at the Coburg Fire Station, 91232 N. Coburg Road. 686-1573. For additional information, contact Don Harkins (assistant den leader, den 2), who will be our tour guide. Expect the meeting and visit to last about an hour. If you need help with transportation, give me a call.

We have a den meeting scheduled for Nov 22, which is the day before Thanksgiving and the day after a pack meeting. I don't think this is wise scheduling. We'll discuss it at the den meeting next week.

Pack Announcements

Last night we had a busy pack meeting (though kept to an hour--yea!). Awards, songs, games and announcements. For those who were not there, here's a recap of announcements:

Popcorn sales ends October 20--this Friday. Please get your sales forms to me, Becky or Jeff McCormick by Friday. If that's not possible, we can probably still take it Saturday, but let us know. (I sent contact info by earlier email; I don't want to post it on the Internet. If you need a new copy email me.)

Scouting for Food will take place on Saturday, Nov 4 and Saturday Nov 11. We distribute bags the first day and collect them the second. You can do one, the other, or both. On the 4th, Popcorn Sale Products will also be available for pick up. Scouting for Food was very fun last year and scouts raised tons of food for Food for Lane County. Let's do great again this year!

November 21 will be a pack meeting and cake auction. This is a fun event and also raises funds for the pack (I think it's the last big fundraiser during the year--whew!). Plan to bring a cake or two to auction off to the highest bidder. We have Sid Vorhees, a professional auctioneer, doing the honors. Encourage friends and family to come and buy a cake!

In December, we have a pack meeting on Dec 12, which will include preparations for our Olive Plaza event. Annually, Pack 24 visits seniors at Olive Plaza--a low-income Residential facility in Eugene, to distribute holiday baskets and good cheer. It's a great opportunity for the kids to perform service to the community, just by being there.

Well, I think that's it for now. I'll send this latest news by email, but be sure to check the website periodically, for news and scheduling. I try to keep the most current info on the calendar page. Please let me know if you see scheduling errors there or elsewhere.

October 10, 2006

What a busy month October is! We took our first outing last Saturday; we had nine of our scouts show up. What a great turnout! We had fun feeding the goats, playing on the tractor and taking a horse-drawn wagon ride out to the pumpkin patch.

This Thursday, 3:30, is our first den meeting. This meeting will be for both dens--all the Wolf Cubs.

At a meeting this morning, I was reminded of the importance of popcorn sales: this is the main fundraiser for the pack and provides the funds that later pay for the boys' awards, pack outings, Blue and Gold Banquet, Boys Life subscription, and other items. Remember, as an added incentive, your scout will earn $10 of credit at the Scout Shop for every $100 of popcorn sales.

Wolf Cub Achievements

I was looking through Ben's Handbook over the weekend and was struck by the truth of what I've heard at Leader Training: Wolf Cubs earn their achievements with the help of their parents, at home. Den meetings may include some work on achievements, but will mostly be fun and games. There's no way we can do all the achievements through den activities. I'm here for support and guidance, but your son's success is in his hands--and yours. So, parents, please make a commitment to spending time with your son, helping him to earn his wolf badge. It's not hard; Ben and I polished off achievement #1 in no time at all, and it was really fun! But you do have to find some time to spend with your son--and that's one of the rewards of scouting, isn't it?

October 1, 2006

In addition to Popcorn Sales, we have Scouting for Food (a community service project) and the Cake Auction coming up. Also, on October 28 there is a Scout Leader Basic Training Program available. Email me if you need more information on these or other items.

Whew! It's been a long time since an update, but that doesn't mean nothing's been happening, scouts-wise. We had our first pack meeting, where 10 Wolf Cubs appeared, and then we picked up another at recruiting night. I attended a 3 1/2 hour training on Thursday, helped to pass some advice and materials to the new Tiger Cubs and have been trying to get our new Wolf dens established and scheduled.

The following info appeared in a recent email:

At this point, we have 12 boys interested in being Wolf Cubs. Most have registered. If your son is not registered, please take care of that ASAP. You can get registration forms from me (or Dick Jacobson, the Pack Leader) or from the Scout Shop. You can take care of registration and pick up uniform items at the same time. I will have some registration forms at Lone Pines, as well.

Two Dens
It’s so great that we have so many second graders interested in scouting! Because of the large number of Wolf Cubs, I have divided the group into two dens, numbered Den 2 and Den 3. The roster for each:

Den 2: Ben, Max, Tanner, Ed, Simon, Trevor

Den 3: Nolan, Evan, Dillon, Jordan, Thomas, Cameron

I included contact info in a recent email. Let me know if you need it again.

Leader Registration
Becky, Don and Shelli should complete the adult registration packet available from the Scout Shop. (I'll bring some to Lone Pines as well.) Doing so will get you covered by BSA's liability insurance. I’m not sure about uniform requirements, but I’d guess that, Becky, you should have a uniform and that Don and Shelli, as assistants, you can decide for yourselves whether to get uniforms (Okay, Dick?).

BTW, a great big thanks to everyone offering help as leaders/assistants!

First Meetings
Becky and I agreed that both dens would meet together the first two times. Our first gathering will be an outing at Lone Pine Farms. We’ll meet at 10 a.m., Saturday, October 7. We’ll be going, rain or shine. Bring $2 for the wagon ride to the pumpkin patch and additional money if you want to buy pumpkins (or other produce), feed for the goats, admission to the corn maze, or other incidentals (we will not go through the maze as a group, but you may choose to do so after our group activities). Oh, and this will be a very unstructured outing; just strolling around the farm and going to the pumpkin patch. I would like the scouts to wear uniforms, though.

The scheduling information below corrects some errors from the email.

We’ll have a den meeting for both dens on Thursday, October 12, at 3:30, at Emerald Bible Fellowship. For Den 2, I’d like to meet at that time and place every second and fourth Thursday of each month. (Though Wed before Thanksgiving.) Please let me know right away if that does not work for you. Becky and Shelli will set the schedule for Den 3.

Pack meetings are scheduled for October 17 and November 21. Those and other dates appear on the Calendar Page. We’ll also try to have a field trip of some kind near the beginning of each month, typically on a weekend.

Welcome, everybody, to a great new year of scouting!

Here are a few tips: First, the information that we received suggested that you could check-in anytime up till 6:00, when dinner is served. That's wrong. Give yourself enough time to get there, get checked in and get your stuff to your site before 5:30, because there is an orientation before dinner time. In fact, in general, things ran a bit ahead of schedule. For instance, if you show up to the 8:00 flag ceremony at 8:00, it'll be almost over. Plan to get there early.

Before you tote your stuff to your site, find the quartermaster's building and borrow a wheelbarrow for carrying your things. Most of the sites are a fair distance from the parking lot.

Take a good large lantern, as there is no light provided at the camp sites. You can get by with flashlights but it'll be easier to get yourselves tucked in at night with good light. Electric outlets are available in the shower house and the cafeteria. There is running water at the latrine at each campsite.

Be sure to have insect repellant and be prepared to use it. You may wish to bring mosquito netting if you have it and want to avoid sleeping with bug repellant on. Mosquitos were not bad in June, but definitely around and were heavy in some parts of camp.

Be prepared for your site to be dirty; no garbage, but lots of dirt/dust/spider webs. I will bring a broom next time, though you can also borrow one from the quarter master.

There is a boating and swimming area, but be prepared to take a swim test before you can use them. Non-swimmers can play in a shallow area, but deeper water and boats require that you pass a beginner or swimmer-level test--and no using goggles!

Don't let the tips suggest that the camp isn't fun--it is! Songs, skits, hiking, games, bb guns and archery, and more! But by being prepared, you can have the best time possible. Oh, finally, be ready to participate in a song or skit the last night. Take a song/skit book along with you.

June 21, 2006

Tomorrow, Ben, Max and their dads are off to Camp Baker for the summer's first residential camp. I'm planning to take a bunch of pictures and we'll fill you all in when we return. And don't forget, the Em's Sleepover is coming up July 7. Check the calendar page for other events.

I am trying to contact parents whose kids might like to join our den next year. It'd be good to get one or two more boys and it'd be great if we can invite them to join in on some summer fun before the next scouting year begins. I am in touch with Nolan Stenzel's mom, Becky; let me know if there are other interested parents/boys out there.

On June 4, we had our pizza and bowling night. We had a good turnout, with maybe 20 kids altogether. Papa's Pizza was its usual raucous self and, speaking for myself, the real fun began at the bowling alley. The kids all did a great job and had a terrific attitude about play.

May 27, 2006

We had our final pack meeting on Thursday, which was brief but included the advancement of many scouts. All of our Tiger Cubs have now advanced to Wolf (though not everyone was there for the ceremony--we'll make up for that during the summer). We finished the meeting with some dutch-oven cobbler that one of Pack 175's boy scouts made for us. Yum!

Take a look at the proper positioning for Bobcat and Tiger badges:

May 19, 2006

We had our final den meeting and Go-See-It yesterday and I believe that all the Tiger Cubs are prepared for next week's advancement. I'll let you know for sure about the when and where of the meeting.

In the meantime, take note of a new domain name for this site. It'll continue to reside at www.efn.org, but now you can get there by using www.davidsscouts.org as the URL; the easy-to-remember address will redirect to the site. Give it a try! You can also use info@davidsscouts.org as the email address. Both facts should be easier to remember than the originals.

May 18, 2006

Well, this afternoon we'll have our final den meeting of the year! Boy, has the time flown by. Remember, we'll meet at Alton Baker Park at 3:30 and combine our den meeting with our final Go-See-It. We'll do some weather observation and take a hike in the park. We'll dig up some dirt and see what we find and, if time allows, maybe we'll play a game of "roly poly tag" or even fly some rockets!

Though we won't have regular den or pack meetings this summer, there are still plenty of scouting activities. The pack sponsors one event each month and there are council-sponsored events as well. Activities include bowling, swimming, campouts and more. Take a look at the calendar page for details.

Next Thursday will be the final pack meeting of the year. I am expecting all the Tiger Cubs to advance to the Wolf Cub program, which means the scouts will each receive their Tiger Badge at the pack meeting. I hope everyone can attend, but I think that Shelli said Evan will not be there. If that's the case, I'll collect Evan's badge and other awards and we'll find a special time during the summer to recognize his achievements.

April 27, 2006

Cubmaster found! I don't know whether it's official yet, but I hear that the pack now has a new cubmaster for next year. Listen for an announcement at tonight's pack meeting.

Speaking of which, don't forget tonight's meeting at 7:00. We will be singing our bird song for the group, and several of the Tigers will receive their Bobcat Badge. Congratulations! Can we get them sewn on the scouts' uniforms in time for next month's advancement from Tiger to Wolf cubs?

Last Saturday, we toured local TV station KMTR. It was great! We had the opportunity to see many parts of the station, including the chance to be on set during the evening news broadcast. If you missed the outing, be sure to talk to David about arranging some kind of make-up trip, to satisfy the Go-See-It component of the Communications achievement.

How about a great juxtaposition for touring a TV Station? This week is National TV Turnoff Week. By participating, some kids can earn ice cream, books, or other incentives from school. Check with your child's school to find out more. For more about the effort, see the TV Turnoff Network.

Our next den meeting is Thursday, May 4. At that time, we'll talk about how to ensure that all our cubs are ready for advancement at the May pack meeting.

Thanks to the parents for allowing me to act as the den leader for your terrific scouts.

April 20, 2006

Cubmaster Needed! At last week's leadership meeting, I learned that no one has voiced any interest in taking over Doug Grout's position as Cubmaster of Pack 24. He assures me that it is not a difficult position, involving just the pack meeting each month, and coordinating/delegating a few other tasks. He tells me that, having announced that he is leaving, he is not going to do anything more to get a replacement. I think Doug has done a terrific job and I hope someone else steps up to the plate soon!

We have a den meeting this afternoon. We will continue to prepare for our Bobcat, will remind folks about this weekends events (District Pinewood Derby and Visit to KMTR), and will have some fun and games.

District Pinewood Derby, this weekend!

Next Thursday is the April Pack Meeting. Let me know if your scout needs a belt loop or other award. Remember, we will be singing our bird song at the meeting!

March 27, 2006

I hope everyone is enjoying Spring Break. We met last Thursday, March 23, and attended a lacrosse game at Sheldon High School. It was great fun and special thanks to coach Ike Sanderson.

Bobcat Awards: April 27 is the next pack meeting. Let's plan to have some boys ready to receive Bobcat Badges at that time. Review the requirements with your scout: you can find them on pages 152-158 of the Tiger Cub Handbook. We'll also review them at our April den meetings.

Next Den Meeting: Thursday of next week, April 6. One of our activities will be learning a song to sing at the April pack meeting.

March 20, 2006

Cubmaster Wanted! Doug Grout, our current cubmaster, will be leaving that position at the end of May. Consequently, Pack 24 is in need of a new cubmaster. Please let Doug know if you wish to volunteer or know someone who might. Doug has done a terrific job and will be a great resource for our next cubmaster.

Website Returns. I finally found the time to reconstruct the website, which was damaged by the migration of my data to a new hard drive. The URL is now http://www.efn.org/~dolsson/scoutshome.htm. Be sure to bookmark it in your web browser. Because I moved it out of a sub-directory, it may also appear on Google now. I'll let you know.

We have a den meeting this Thursday, March 23. It will be at the usual time and place. Afterward, we will go to Sheldon High School to watch a lacrosse game, which starts at 4:30. We plan to attend rain or shine (unless the game gets called), so dress appropriately. Also, I'll bring some pizza or fried chicken (plan to chip in a few dollars, if possible), so we'll skip snack at the meeting.

I have updated the calendar to reflect all activities for the remainder of the year, so take a look to see about upcoming events.

Finally, note that there is a residential camp this summer, with sessions June 22-25, August 10-13, and August 17-20. I hope some of you can go. Information was available at the pack meeting, but I'll bring it to the den meeting as well. I'd like to plan to attend the first session, so we don't go most of the summer beforehand. Cost is $75 per person and I think parents would have to attend with Tiger Cubs. Deposits are due May 12. I don't know about whether any financial assistance is available. Information at 541-484-4433.

February 9, 2006

Tomorrow is check-in day for your Pinewood Derby racers. If you want to weight them beforehand on the official scale, call John Bollinger at 302-2940. For rules and other details, go to the Online Info. Remember, Inspection and Registration is 6:30 to 7:30 pm Friday at Selco Credit Union – Gateway Branch, 925 Harlow Rd, Springfield. Saturday is the Derby! 9:00 to 11:30 am, also at Selco.

Jan. 17, 2006

Our next den meeting is this Thursday. We'll have some music/singing fun and will be making some decorations for the upcoming Blue and Gold Banquet.

Shelli is looking into doing a Go-See-It at the Lesson Factory. Check your calendars for Saturday, Jan. 21 and 28, to see which works best for you. We'll finalize things at the den meeting.

Jan. 15, 2006

I have improved the Contact Form so that the email I receive always contains the sender's email address (it used to give me just the address of my ISP's mail server). So feel free to use it when convenient to you.

Jan. 10, 2006

This saturday, the pack is going sledding! Dick Jacobson is coordinating the trip and will be sending an email with details to everyone. Unfortunately, Ben and I will not be attending. Dick would like a head count, so please let him know if you will be attending and how many in your party. I will send details to Tina and Trevor.

Last Thursday, Doug Grout gave us a very informative presentation on Pinewood Derby racers. Have you and your cub started yours? A former parent of a Pack 24 cub has offered the use of his workshop for dens to come and do the rough cutting of their cars. Let me know if that is of interest.

We still need to plan a January singing/music oriented Go-See-It. Please send me your ideas. And who would like to volunteer to help at the next Den Meeting?

Jan. 4, 2006

This month's scouting theme is "Music Magic." In keeping with that theme, we will play a music/singing related game at tomorrow's meeting. I'm hoping a parent will volunteer for a music activity at the next meeting, as well.

We will also do some Pinewood Derby coloring, in addition to hearing from Doug about building our racers. See you there!

Jan. 2, 2006

Happy new year, everybody! Let me take a moment to say how grateful I am for the opportunity to serve as leader of the Tiger Cubs; it's been great fun. Thanks for all your support during the fall; let's all have a great time together during the upcoming year!

We had a fun and interesting trip to the Coburg Fire Station last month (thanks Don!) and enjoyed pizza and a movie, after distributing gift baskets at Olive Plaza.

We have our first den meeting of the year on Thursday, Jan. 5, at the usual time and place. Cubmaster Doug Grout will visit and give us some tips on making our Pinewood Derby racers. I will post additional details about the meeting in the next day or two. I will provide snacks this week.

I have also updated the calendar listings, so take a look at that page. Note that we have no more "double meeting days," where two events happen on the same day, at least through April. Those days can be pretty challenging for some of us.

BELT LOOPS: Have you wondered about the belt loop awards that some of the boys have received at pack meetings? Well, they are awards from scouting's Academics and Sports program. I have recently picked up the manual for the program. You can see the same information yourself, online, at The Virtual Cub Scout Academics & Sports Guide. Please let me know if I can help you and your cub with any of the requirements. If your Tiger Cub qualifies to receive awards, tell me and I will arrange for an award ceremony at the next pack meeting.

Dec. 14, 2005

Tomorrow, Thursday, we visit the fire station! Max's dad, Don, will give a tour of the fire trucks and the old fashioned fire truck. He will also have his gear and have the boys get him dressed and talk about the protective clothes worn by firefighters. He or Chad Minter, the Coburg Fire Chief, will talk about fire safety in our homes -- smoke detectors, plans, what to do if there is a fire. See you there, 3:45 pm, 91232 N. Coburg Road.

Nov. 28, 2005

We visited the Museum of Natural History yesterday, and had a lot of fun learning about how Oregonians lived 9,000 years ago! The cubs expecially enjoyed the hands-on exhibit, where they got to examine fossils and try to classify the teeth of various animals. Thanks to the Cubmaster, Doug Grout, who joined us on this outing.

I hope everyone is looking forward to the next den meeting on Thursday, December 1. It'll be at the usual time and place. Shelli will assist and bring snacks.

On December 17, Pack 24 will be meeting at Olive Plaza, a low-income residential facility, to offer gift boxes and holiday cheer. In connection with that, we will be assembling gift baskets at this Thursday's den meeting. I will bring materials for making the baskets. If anyone can bring items to contribute, that'd be great. I think we'll pool all items and share them out to each basket equally. Some suggested items include playing cards (Jumbo Index is good), notecards, stamps, pens, pencils, books/magazines (large print is great), candy, chapstick. Please contribute if you can, but don't worry about it if you cannot.

We'll also practice a few secular holiday songs, like Jingle Bells and Frosty the Snowman. The seniors really enjoy the kids' singing. Finally, we'll try to schedule our next Go-See-It, to Max's dad's Fire Station!