Mustang District Awards Banquet

Your Mustang District Annual Awards Banquet takes place Saturday, April 28 at the Heritage Church of Christ, 4201 Heritage Trace Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76244.

Doors open at 5:30 pm and dinner is served at 6:20 pm.  Cost is $20 per person.

This is a time of community, fellowship, recognition and FUN!

We not only recognize our adult leadership but we also recognize the Eagles in our District.  Every registered leader is encouraged to attend.

Click HERE to be taken to the registration portal.

Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award

This is one of the COOL awards that is a patch sewn directly onto the pocket flap. It can be earned EVERY YEAR of your Cub Scout's scouting career with different requirements for each rank. The first year is the patch, after that it's pins that are pinned onto the patch.

First and foremost, to earn this award -- attendance at CUB SCOUT DAY CAMP OR RESIDENT CAMP is a must! So, have YOU saved the date for Day Camp? It's an AWESOME 4-day experience for the boys and the Mustang District puts on one of THE best and largest Day Camps in our Council! Click HERE for more information on Day Camp and how to register.

Or, better yet, have you saved the date for Cub Scout Resident and/or Webelos Resident Camp? HERE is all of the information on those!

Back to the Outdoor Activity Award. . . Scouts would start working on this award after school is over this year and therefore, it will apply toward their NEW Scout rank which they begin working on the first day of summer. They will have the ENTIRE YEAR to meet the requirements of that year's rank-specific criteria. Since Day Camp and/or Resident camp are mandatory for this award, now is a GREAT time to save the date so your Scout can earn this award!

The requirements are as follows:

ALL RANKS
Attend Cub Scout day camp or Cub Scout/Webelos Scout resident camp and do the following:


Rank-Specific:

TIGER Complete the Backyard Jungle adventure from the Tiger Handbook, and complete four of the outdoor activities listed below.

WOLF Complete the Paws on the Path adventure from the Wolf Handbook, and complete five of the outdoor activities listed below.

BEAR Complete the Bear Necessities adventure from the Bear Handbook, and complete six of the outdoor activities listed below.

WEBELOS: Complete the Webelos Walkabout adventure from the Webelos Handbook, and complete seven of the outdoor activities listed below.



Outdoor Activities for all Ranks
These activities must be in addition to any similar activities counted for rank advancement, and can be accomplished as a family, den, or pack.

• Participate in a nature hike in your local area. This can be on an organized, marked trail or just a hike to observe nature in your area.
• Participate in an outdoor activity such as a picnic or park fun day.
• Explain the buddy system and tell what to do if lost. Explain the importance of cooperation.
• Attend a pack overnighter. Be responsible by being prepared for the event.
• Complete an outdoor service project in your community.
• Complete a nature/conservation project in your area. This project should involve improving, beautifying, or supporting natural habitats. Discuss how this project helped you to respect nature.
• Earn the Summertime Pack Award.
• Participate in a nature observation activity. Describe or illustrate and display your observations at a den or pack meeting.
• Participate in an outdoor aquatics activity. This can be an organized swim meet or just a den, pack, or family swim.
• Participate in an outdoor campfire program. Perform in a skit, sing a song, or take part in a ceremony.
• Participate in an outdoor sporting event.
• Participate in an outdoor interfaith or other worship service.
• Explore a local city, county, state, or national park. Discuss with your den how a good citizen obeys the park rules.
• Invent an outside game and play it outside with friends for 30 minutes.

Ready... Aim... Fire! Shooting Sports Awards

We briefly addressed another award opportunity for the Cub Scouts at the March Pack meeting -- the newly revised Shooting Sports Awards 

Take aim at fun and excitement in your council with the new Cub Scout Shooting Sports Awards. The awards will be offered in three disciplines: BB guns, archery, and a new one -- oh yes... wait for it...

slingshots!?!?!

You heard me... SLING SHOTS!!!

With rank-specific requirements and insignia, there is incentive for boys to earn the awards year after year at camp. Scouts consistently list shooting sports as one of their most-desired outdoor activities and with these new awards, Cub Scouts will hit the bull’s-eye with fun!

Something to note is that Cub Scout shooting sports programs may ONLY be conducted on a district or council level which means Longhorn Council managed family camping events (like the Fall Festival every October), Cub Scout or Webelos resident camp (held each July) or at DAY CAMP!  What another GREAT reason to go to DAY CAMP!

Cub Scouts earn the shooting sports awards in the following order:

1. Earn the patch for whatever rank your son is (Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelos) for BB gun, archery or sling shot.
2. Earn the pin. Complete the Level 2 requirements for the same discipline (BB gun, archery or sling shot) in which the patch was earned. 

The beauty of this program, too, is that they can earn different patches and pins for each of the disciplines they pursue!  How awesome is that?  Each year they can earn the patch and then the pin (if they choose) for each of the three events.

The reason that these awards are not part of the rank specific adventure loops is not only because of the requirement for there to be trained supervision for each of the three disciplines (bb gun, archery or sling shots) and the fact that they can only take place at authorized events, but also to comply with local laws.  Therefore, the decision was made to make it a “standalone” award, and as such, not part of the adventure program.

Volunteer Opportunities Available Now

As our Webelos II begin their transition into the Boy Scouts, we are needing to fill three very critical positions in our Cub Scout Pack.  First and foremost...

Awards Chair -- This person is responsible for working behind the scenes.  You run a report from our ScoutTrack software at the end of each month, take that list to the Scout Shop and purchase the awards.  Coordinate with the Cubmaster on how they are to be presented and help package them accordingly.  

This position NEEDS TO BE FILLED IMMEDIATELY.  

Our current Awards Chair needs a couple of rotations to train her replacement on how to read and run the reports. Her son is a Webelos II and THEY LEAVE in FEBRUARY.  Without her, recognition of advancement comes to a screeching halt.  

Stated differently, we don't want to and shouldn't let our current leadership wear all the hats in our Pack!  

We know there is someone out there waiting to help fill a void -- and THIS IS YOUR TIME TO SHINE!   We need you!  

Another couple of volunteer roles that will be coming up as well are those of:  

Cubmaster -- Have a calling to work with our youth and want to help bring the program to life?  This is the job for you!  Our Cubmaster is the face of our pack!  

and 

Assistant Cubmaster -- This lucky leader fills in for the Cubmaster when s/he is unavailable.  

PLEASE SEE OUR LEADER PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE AND OTHER WAY YOU CAN HELP FILL THE CRITICAL NEEDS OF OUR PACK.

Pack Meeting, Popcorn and More -- OH MY!

Don't forget TOMORROW, at 6:30 Tuesday, November 18 is the November Pack meeting at the Bear Creek Park fire pit.  

Park in the parking lot by the sand volleyball court and go over the bridge to the opposite side of the creek.  

Webelos Den 3 Den Chief, Josh Gregorsok, from Troop 1910 will be our Fireman.  Please do not allow any children in or near the fire.  Along the same lines, he will be the only on responsible for putting anything in or removing anything from the fire until the flag retirement ceremony and then Parents, we would like you present beside them as they place their flag parts into the pit (safety first).  Parents, please explain this to your children.  Leaders, please reiterate this with your den.  

Wind chills will be down to 30 when it's over so please dress warmly.  Uniforms are certainly not required... coats and gloves definitely are!

This isn't just an average campfire, this will be a flag retirement ceremony which we will attempt to make sure that ALL our older scouts definitely get a part to play.  If you are FOR SURE going to be there and are a Webelos I or Webelos II, please e-mail me ASAP so that I can save you a speaking part.  

Scouts should be sure to bring a HEADLAMP if you have it (to keep your hands free for reading), a chair and an extra blanket... you may need it!  I would definitely bring a hat ... with flaps. We won't judge!  

Our event will commence at 6:30 sharp.  Once the service has ended, we invite pack members and their families over for some hot chocolate and a light snack.  Thank you to Heather DeLeon and Family for overseeing this!  Please see her during set-up to offer her assistance.

Remember there are several CRITICAL and VERY crucial collections going on at this event.

1) POPCORN. If you have yet to turn in your popcorn sales money for take order OR for the popcorn you already took and sold (from the September meeting), I have the sheets and need all monies turned in ASAP! If you haven't submitted your son's prize (applicable for take order sales ONLY -- sorry, council rules, not mine), I need your prize selection as well.  If you had take order SALES to pick up, they will be in the back of April's van.  They will be there.  Council failed to give us two kinds of popcorn which they apparently ran out so some orders are not complete.  I have been trying to ascertain what the deal is and when we should expect something.  As soon as I know, I will be passing this information along.  

2) COMMUNITY SERVICE DONATION to the food bank!  We would love each scout to bring at least two canned goods to donate to the food pantry.  A collection box will be set up for this purpose.

3) RECHARTER PAYMENT & PAPERWORK - The deadline for current members to renew is 11/30.  Clicking the heading above will take you to the blog link with more information.We need payment, health forms, volunteer forms

4) COWBOYS SLEEPOVER COMMITMENT - The deadline is the 25th but now would be a great time to turn that information in as well.  That information and registration forms can be found here.  We do have a deadline to reach in order to get the small price break they offer.  It's not much but every little bit helps.

Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award

This is one of the COOL awards that is actually a patch emblem that is sewn directly onto the pocket flap!  It can be earned EVERY YEAR of your Cub Scout's scouting career with different requirements for each rank.  The first year is the patch, after that it's pins that are pinned onto the patch. 

First and foremost, to earn this award -- attendance at CUB SCOUT DAY CAMP is mandatory! So, have YOU signed up your scout for Day Camp yet?  It's an AWESOME 4-day experience for the boys and the Mustang District puts on one of THE best and largest Day Camps in our Council!  Click HERE for more information on Day Camp and how to register.

Back to the Outdoor Activity Award. . .   Scouts would start working on this award after school is over this year and therefore, it will apply toward their NEW Scout rank which they begin working on the first day of summer.  They will have the ENTIRE YEAR to meet the requirements of that year's rank-specific criteria.  The requirements are:


All Ranks
Attend Cub Scout day camp or Cub Scout/Webelos Scout resident camp.


Rank-Specific

Tiger Cubs
Complete one requirement in Achievement 5, "Let's Go Outdoors" (Tiger Cub Handbook) and complete three of the outdoor activities listed below.

Wolf Cub Scouts
Assemble the "Six Essentials for Going Outdoors" (Wolf Handbook, Elective 23b) and discuss their purpose, and complete four of the outdoor activities listed below.

Bear Cub Scouts
Earn the Cub Scout Leave No Trace Award (Bear Handbook, Elective 25h) and compete five of the outdoor activities listed below.

Webelos Scouts
Earn the Outdoorsman Activity Badge (Webelos Handbook) and complete six of the outdoor activities listed below.




Outdoor Activities for all Ranks

With your den, pack, or family:

• Participate in a nature hike in your local area. This can be on an organized, marked trail, or just a hike to observe nature in your area.
• Participate in an outdoor activity such as a picnic or park fun day.
• Explain the buddy system and tell what to do if lost. Explain the importance of cooperation.
• Attend a pack overnighter. Be responsible by being prepared for the event.
• Complete an outdoor service project in your community.
• Complete a nature/conservation project in your area. This project should involve improving, beautifying, or supporting natural habitats. Discuss how this project helped you to respect nature.
• Earn the Summertime Pack Award.
• Participate in a nature observation activity. Describe or illustrate and display your observations at a den or pack meeting.
• Participate in an outdoor aquatic activity. This can be an organized swim meet or just a den or pack swim.
• Participate in an outdoor campfire program. Perform in a skit, sing a song, or take part in a ceremony.
• Participate in an outdoor sporting event.
• Participate in an outdoor Scout's Own or other worship service.
• Explore a local city, county, state, or national park. Discuss with your den how a good citizen obeys the park rules.

Congratulations to Alissa Downham!

Every year we are given the opportunity to select an individual to receive the Unit Driving Force Award to be presented at the Mustang District Banquet. The Driving Force Award is for the unit to recognize its faithful adult leaders, parents or helpers. 

This year we selected Alissa Downham. Alissa has been an active leader and Committee Member for several years within our Pack. Not only has she been our Popcorn Kernel for the past three years with the responsibility of coordinating the annual show-and-sell fundraiser, the take order sales, pick up, distribution and follow-through with Council, she has also been a Den Leader from Tiger to Wolf as well as an Assistant Den Leader for the Bears this year. 

Although she is no longer active within our Pack, she was presented with her award this weekend. Her spirit, enthusiasm and leadership are already greatly missed. We appreciate the heart and soul she poured into this Pack. So, please join me in wishing Alissa the best and giving her a thank you next time you see her. 

This was just a small way for us to let her know just how much she is and was appreciated! 

Thank you Alissa!