Special Announcement!

We interrupt your regular internet browsing for this important announcement. Ladies and gentlemen, the theme for the 2017 Blue & Gold Banquet has been chosen by our Arrow of Light Scouts...

The winner is.... The Wild West!

For those of you who may be new to the world of Cub Scouts, the Blue & Gold banquet is one of the highlights of the Cub Scout year. It is a celebration of the anniversary (or "birthday") of Scouting. Simplified, it's a large-scale Pack meeting with food. On a broader scope, it's the last meeting our 2nd year Webelos scouts will ever come to as a Cub Scout -- we say good by to them, their families and any leaders that are crossing over to Boy Scouts. We have a friendly themed cake-baking competition (they should be quite interesting this year with this theme for sure!) We have special guests. But, the bottom line is... we have fun! Save the date for Friday, February 24, 2016 at 6:30 p.m.

We would like a member of each den to be on the Blue & Gold planning committee. This is an easy way for each den to have a member familiar with the process so that when it comes time for their son to cross over to Boy Scouts, they are well versed with how to coordinate this event.  Please reach out to Monica Attel if you would like to fill this need from your den.

Happy Thanksgiving!

As families come together near and far to celebrate with food and fellowship while counting their many blessings, we would like to take this opportunity, too, to wish our Pack 1910 family a Happy Thanksgiving.

The first Thanksgiving was a celebration of the culmination of a successful partnership and harvest between different groups of people and was a further testimony that people of all creeds can live in harmony.

So, this Thanksgiving, we give thanks to children of all beliefs who have joined into the brotherhood of Scouting for the purpose of the greater good.  We are united in a common purpose to be a different breed of person... the leaders of the future.

Thankful are we for the opportunities presented to us through the Scouting movement and the ability to serve our chartered organization, our community, our family, our unit and our country.

Thankful are we for the opportunity to Do A Good Turn Daily by acts of selfless service to those in our family, school and community.

Thankful are we for the blessings of leaders and volunteers who give of their time and their many talents to lead these boys with purpose.

Thankful are we for the bright-eyed enthusiasm as we witness young men take on greater responsibilities and meet challenges they didn't know they could overcome.

Thankful are we for the freedom afforded to all Americans and for those who are willing to fight for it... whatever the cost.

Thankful are we to not get everything we want, but to continue to be grateful for what we have.

Thankful are we for the partnership with nature and the outdoors as we learn to live in harmony with our earth and protect it for the generations that will follow.

Thankful are we for the gift of a merciful and gracious God that hears our prayers.  Oh great Scoutmaster of all, please be with all of our Pack families until we can join together again.

Until that time... Happy Thanksgiving one and all!

Enter BL’s 2016 “Say Yes to Reading!” Contest!

Write a one-page report titled “The Best Book I Read This Year” and enter it in the Boys’ Life 2016 “Say Yes to Reading!” contest.

The book can be fiction or nonfiction. But the report has to be in your own words — 500 words tops. Enter in one of these three age categories:

• 8 years old and younger
• 9 and 10 years old
• 11 years old and older

First-place winners in each age category will receive a $100 gift card from Amazon.com. Second-place winners will receive a $75 gift card; third-place winners, a $50 gift card.

Everyone who enters will get a free patch like the one on this page. (And, yes, the patch is a temporary insignia, so it can be worn on the Boy Scout uniform shirt, on the right pocket. Proudly display it there or anywhere!) In coming years, you’ll have the opportunity to earn different patches.

The contest is open to all Boys’ Life readers. Be sure to include your name, address, age and grade in school on the entry.

Send your report, along with a business-size, self-addressed, stamped envelope, to:

Boys’ Life Reading Contest
S306
P.O. Box 152079
Irving, TX 75015-2079

Entries must be postmarked by Dec. 31, 2016 and must include entry information and a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

The Outdoor Code

As an American, I will do my best to

Be clean in my outdoor manners,

Be careful with fire,

Be considerate in the outdoors, and

Be conservation-minded

Outdoor ethics is deeply ingrained in the BSA program. No place is this more important than in the outdoors. Scouting has a long, proud tradition of conservation service to the nation. How do we preserve that tradition? 

By being clean in our outdoor manners by:

• treating the outdoors as a heritage.
• taking care of it for myself and others.
• keeping my trash and garbage out of lakes, streams, fields, woods, and roadways.
• 
  

By being careful with fire

• preventing wildfire.
• only building fires only where they are appropriate.
• by making sure that when I have finished using a fire, I will make sure it is cold out.
• by leaving a clean fire ring, or removing all evidence of my fire.

Be considerate in the outdoors

• I will treat public and private property with respect.
• I will use low-impact methods of hiking and camping.

Be conservation minded

• I will learn how to practice good conservation of soil, waters, forests, minerals, grasslands, wildlife, and energy.
• I will urge others to do the same.

Save the Date -- Christmas Pizza Party Pack Meeting in December

It's hard to believe but it's time to start thinking about CHRISTMAS already!  But hey when there are...

...we've gotta do what we've gotta do!

As usual we have a fantastic evening planned for all our families.  We are having a Christmas Pack Pizza Party!  

Oh yes, we said pizza!  You heard that right!  There will be pizza for everyone!  NO rushing to try to eat before the Pack Meeting.  There will be food and drinks and dessert right there!

What can you do to help?  Well, I'm so glad you asked!

We are asking that families with last names that start with A-L to please bring bring a 2 liter or gallon of something to drink to share with everyone.  

If your last name starts with M-Z to please bring a dessert to share with everyone. 

The pack will have pizza, plates, paper goods and, of course, all the entertainment.

So, save the date for the our Pack Meeting Tuesday, December 13.

• We will pass out popcorn sales winner prizes
• We will pass out boxes for the January's Pack Meeting called the "Cubanopolis"

One thing we DO have a GREAT NEED For is for YOUR PHOTOS!!!! If you can e-mail, provide them via flash drive, share them in the cloud, e-mail them one by one.  We would love to have your best snapshots to play during our slide show and it's always better when we get enough submissions to make complete den... so think of field trips, pack meetings, camping.... rockets, anything!  Send me your pictures!  Thanks so much!

Every Scout Deserves A Well-Trained Leader

The Longhorn Council will give you the tools to “do your best,” for what to do, so you can deliver a FUN and exciting program to our Cub Scouts.  Both the Longhorn Council and our Mustang District Training Team offers a range of National BSA training courses to help make your job easier and more FUN. 

 If you are new to Scouting, or new in a particular Scouting job, we offer position-specific training courses for you to learn the basics of your new position. If you are a seasoned veteran, there are a variety of advanced training programs. 

This Saturday, November 19, is the University of Scouting.  If you haven't registered, there is still time to pick your courses and make a day of it.  If you can't attend this year, know that we hold it EVERY YEAR!

Alternatively, please be sure to check out the online courses at www.my.scouting.org From there you will be taken to a portal to create an account and password.  At that point, you can tap into the wide array of available online training courses.  Leaders, please be sure you are trained for your specific position within the pack by December 10 so that we have NO issues with recharter.

Parents, this is also the site where you should go to take the on-line version of Youth Protection Training.  We want EVERY parent in the pack to take YPT.  

November Pack Meeting!

Don't forget tomorrow is the Pack 1910 November Pack Meeting at Bear Creek Park Pavilion 3.  We will be having a campfire and flag retirement ceremony followed by hot chocolate and snacks.  We hope you and your family can join us.  

Be sure to RSVP on ScoutBook for this event to ensure we have enough for everyone!

If there is a burn ban or chance of rain, updates will be sent out ON SCOUTBOOK so be sure you are checking your e-mail regularly.

WHAT TO BRING:  Scouts should be sure to bring a HEADLAMP if you have one (to keep your hands free for reading), water bottles, chairs and maybe a blanket... you may need it!  

Our event will commence at 6:30 sharp.  Once the service has ended, we invite pack members and their families to the pavilion for some hot chocolate and a light snack.  

Happy Veteran's Day

Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938. A celebration to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.

Today we pay homage and give thanks to all of those who have served this great nation of ours from the United States Navy to the United States Army to the United States Air Force to the United States Marine Corps to the United States Coast Guard and each branch of reserves.

Scouting has a history rich in military service as well.  Robert Baden-Powell, the father of Boy Scouts, was a British officer with a long military career.  Much he learned along the way in his military career directly correlated with how he established scouting.  As it stands, many of our current military academies are home to a considerable amount of Scouts - over 1/3 of the cadets at West Point were involved in scouts and 16% are eagles; over 20% of the Air Force cadets were in scouting and 12% are Eagles; and 25% of the Naval Academy midshipmen were in Scouts and 11% are Eagle Scouts.  Thought it's not the only way, it's definitely a great path to being a part of something much bigger than yourself.

So, today, we humbly give thanks to those who have signed their name on the line and said, "Whatever it takes... I'm here for America."  Those are the kind of courageous men and women we honor today.

Some interesting facts from History.com about veterans:

The brave men and women who serve and protect the U.S. come from all walks of life; they are parents, children and grandparents. They are friends, neighbors and coworkers, and an important part of their communities. Here are some facts about the current veteran population of the United States.

Did You Know?
There are approximately 21 million military veterans in the United States.

• 16.1 million living veterans served during at least one war.
• 5.2 million veterans served in peacetime.
• 2 million veterans are women.
• 7 million veterans served during the Vietnam War era (1964-1975).
• 5.5 million veterans served during the Gulf War (representing service from Aug. 2, 1990, to present).
• Of the 16 million Americans who served during World War II (1941-1945), about 620,000 are still alive.
• 2 million veterans served during the Korean War (1950-1953).
• 6 million veterans served in peacetime.
• As of 2014, 2.9 million veterans received compensation for service-connected disabilities.
• As of 2014, 3 states have more than 1 million veterans in among their population: California (1.8 million), Florida (1.6 million), Texas (1.7 million).
• The VA health care system had 54 hospitals in 1930, since then it has expanded to include 171 medical centers; more than 350 outpatient, community, and outreach clinics; 126 nursing home care units; and 35 live-in care facilities for injured or disabled vets.

We remember your sacrifice. We honor your patriotism. To quote President Coolidge, "The Nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten.”

November Pack Meeting -- RESCHEDULED

Pack 1910's November Campfire and Flag Retirement was scheduled for Tuesday, November 8 but it has been MOVED to Tuesday, November 15.  Same time (6:30 pm). Same place (Bear Creek Park Pavilion 3).

The rain levels over the last two days have left the campfire site area much too saturated and using a portable fire pit will prove to be a potentially unsafe, muddy mess.

So, please SAVE THE DATE for NEXT TUESDAY, November 15 and spend tomorrow night cheering for AMERICA in this epic election.  We look forward to seeing EVERYONE next Tuesday night at Bear Creek Park!

Rocket Launch POSTPONED

Our Assistant Cubmaster, Chris Mahanna, met with DARS and determined that with the rain, wind and trajectory of the storm, it just isn't an optimal time to convene for a launch.

So, as of right now, our rocket launch is...

We will reschedule once the Dallas Area Rocket Society is able to get back and check their calendars. We are hoping for early December.  So, stay tuned.  Keep those rockets safe and we will launch soon!

Thank you for your understanding!

Save The Date! CUB-O 2017

Save the date and make plans to join us January 6-8, 2017 at Cub-O, the annual Cub Scout orienteering event held at Sid Richardson Scout Ranch.

Cub-O is the most popular orienteering event in North America. A fun day of hiking and friendly competition for Cub Scouts, parents, and leaders. Orienteering, the use of map and compass, to find locations and plan a journey, has been a vital skill for humans for thousands of years. Thousands of people participate in the sport each year in local clubs and competitions. Longhorn Council has two events annually for orienteering. One is for Cub Scouts (Cub O), and one is held for Boy Scouts.

Cost is $19 and includes a 20th anniversary patch, lunch, liability insurance and a Cub-O map.  T shirts are available to purchase for $12 each.  Additional attendees (attending, assisting or camping but not competing) can pay $6 for lunch and liability insurance only but must register and be paid.  

Lunch is included. Each team of 3-6 Cubs gets a Cub-O map half an hour before the race starts. Your goal is to hike in the woods and find as many of the 40 orange and white orienteering flags as you can. 

Plan your strategy to score the maximum point total possible in 2 hours! 

Map training sessions for Cub Scouts and parents are held all morning.

Lunch will be served in the dining hall. Meal times are assigned to minimize the length of serving lines. 

This is a rain or shine event: extreme inclement weather (ice or snow) may cause a one week postponement. Weather announcements will be made on the Longhorn Council Website and on our blog as well.

Sound like something you want to do?  Well, print out this registration form and get it to April NO LATER THAN Tuesday, January 3 with payment.  Two adults are required to register per team.  Teams will be assigned based upon the number of cubs registered in our Pack.  We will do our best to keep dens intact and to have our Webelos I & AOL dens combined.  

From the registration form:  

Cub-O is an orienteering event designed for everyone to enjoy: dens that compete hard, dens that want an easy hike in the woods, and dens that want to teach their boys more about problem solving and map reading. All Tigers, Cub Scouts, Webelos, leaders, and parents are invited. Separate awards for each age group. CUB-O is the most popular Orienteering event in the USA! Over 1000 Cub Scouts, leaders, and parents participated in CUB-O every year since 1999!

It’s fast, exciting, and FUN. And it’s all Cub Scouts. The locations of 40-50 orange and white orienteering flags are marked on the map and you and your team will go hiking in the woods to find them – or most of them! Each flag has a hole punch that you use to mark your scorecard. Flags are worth 5, 10, 15, 20, or 30 points, depending on how hard they are to find. Your Den team will get a Cub-O competition map 20 minutes before the race starts. Then you plan a hiking strategy to find the most flags and score the most points in just 2 hours! You’ll stay warm ‘cause you’ll stay moving!

Cub-O is a team event for teams (Dens) of 3-6 Cub Scouts and at least 2 adults. Each team must have at least two adults registered for Cub-O. Be sure to dress warmly in layers and bring lots of water! Bring a compass and a watch so you’ll finish on time. All registered participants will get a Cub-O patch, our latest 5-color competition map, lunch and a great day of orienteering.

Additional attendees (attending, assisting, or camping, but not competing) can pay $6 for lunch and liability insurance only but must register and be prepaid.