December Core Value - Respect

The Core Value for the month of December is RESPECT.

Respect is showing regard for the worth of someone or something.  Through interacting with pack families, Cub Scouts will develop appreciation and respect for different families and traditions. Through pack service projects, they will learn to treat the environment with care and respect. 

Photo Source

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.

Flag Retirement

Photo by Tonya Polodoroff

Thank you to all who braved the chill to come out to our very special flag retirement ceremony and campfire Pack meeting at Bear Creek Park last month.  Each in attendance will receive a special segment for your brag vest!  I love that everyone got to be a part of something very special.

Thank you to the DeLeon family for coordinating the hot chocolate and snacks after the ceremony.  

Photo Source

Thank you to Mr. Harmon for keeping the fire going and to all our families for participating!  Thank you for the donations to the food pantry.  

What is your favorite thing to do in Cub Scouts?

Have you asked your son what is his favorite thing to do in Cub Scouts lately?




Hands down, their first response is USUALLY camping!  I love these candid answers... so many adventures waiting to be had!  

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.

The Sleepover to End All Sleepovers

The AT&T Stadium (aka Cowboys Stadium) is hosting a Scout Sleepover Friday, December 5 at 5pm to 8am, Saturday, December 6.  This is open to both Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts.

There will be self-guided tours, a mock NFL combine, a movie on the big screen, camp out on the field complete with pizza and popcorn!

Registration flyer can be found by clicking here.

The cost is $60 per participant.  If more than 20 people are interested in attending, we can get a group rate of $55 per person.

If we want to try to get the group rate, I would need to know everyone's intent no later than 5pm Tuesday, November 25.  Therefore, if you ARE interested, please just e-mail April NOW by clicking HERE so that she can keep a tally.  

If we have more than 20 interested participants, we will do a group registration.  Payment will need to be made to the Pack immediately via credit card, PayPal through Payment page on the blog (a button will be uploaded with the amount plus service charge) or via check brought to April's house by Wednesday.  An e-mail will be sent out via ScoutTrack Tuesday evening letting you know if we met the group quota.  We will need payment immediately after that e-mail.

If we do not meet this quota, everyone who expressed interest will need to register themselves utilizing the registration form linked above.  

The deadline to register is Friday, November 28.  

Pack Meeting POSTPONED

Members and parents of Pack 1910 Scouts... please make note that the Pack Meeting Campfire scheduled for tomorrow night, November 11, is being postponed.

Yes, that's right. We are postponing tomorrow's pack meeting.

There is a polar vortex weather system moving through the metroplex which are going to send temperatures plummeting tomorrow from the high 50s to the low 30s. Winds are expected to be 15-20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. 

Couple that with a burn ban in Keller. It doesn't have the components for a safe, fun, family-friendly opportunity.

The cold we can handle but the potential risk, we simply cannot.

We are RESCHEDULING our flag retirement ceremony campfire for ONE WEEK FROM TOMORROW. Tuesday, November 18... same time... same place.

You will still be able to bring your canned good items and donate then.  Everything will stay the same, just delayed a week.

Thank you all for your understanding. It's never easy to coordinate an event and it's even harder to have to cancel it last minute. We wanted to give everyone enough notice so that you can make plans to join us NEXT WEEK. Hopefully the winds will cooperate with us then! Until then, stay warm!

Community Service

Another amazing opportunity to provide to our Community!

We are putting a call out to our entire pack to bring 1-2 non-perishable food items to the Pack Campfire.  There will be a collection box on site.  The Order of the Phoneix Webelos I Patrol will then be taking them to the food pantry as part of their Citizen badge.  I love how our Pack always pulls together for our community and I know this will be no different.  

So PLEASE help support our local food pantry and bring 2 nonperishable food items Tuesday to the Pack Meeting at Bear Creek Park.

November Core Value - Citizenship

The Core Value for the month of November is CITIZENSHIP.

Citizenship is taught to Cub Scouts by allowing them to contribute in community service events and by allowing them opportunities to show responsibility to local, state, and
national communities.  Cub Scouts develop good citizenship when they are learning about respecting the flag.

Photo source

I hope everyone took their Cub Scouts with them to exercise their number one civic duty as an adult -- and let them see you involved when you vote!

As citizens of the United States of America, we all have a responsibility to serve our country. Cub Scouts will learn ways to be better citizens while earning the Citizenship belt loop and pin.  Remember, these are something that can be earned at home and are done above and beyond den level activities.  Once you've completed the worksheets, present them to your den leader for entry into the ScoutTrack system.

Another opportunity to reinforce honoring the service our veterans have shown as citizens of our great country is to attend the Grapevine Veteran's Parade this Saturday at 9 a.m.  Encourage your Cub Scouts to wear their uniforms and look sharp.  Salute the flag properly as they pass.  For more information, visit their web page here.

Time to Recharter!

As I mentioned at the last Pack meeting and at the Committee Meeting, it’s time again for to recharter our Pack with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA).  As part of this process, each Scout and leader must register for the upcoming year.  

The annual PAYMENT to Pack 1910 is reached from three components. 

1) National Dues – this fee is paid to the Boy Scouts of America and registers the Cub Scout for the period from January through December.

• For 2015, the National Dues are $25.50 ($24 registration fee plus $1.50 for accident insurance) per Cub Scout.  

• The Pack also pays the national dues and insurance ($25.50) for each registered leader.

2) Boys’ Life – this is the monthly magazine of the Boy Scouts of America. It’s a great read that reinforces Scouting and the good family values that are part of our program. While registration for Boys’ Life is optional, we feel that the content is so important and relevant, that we choose to make this part of our registration.  Therefore, we incorporate that fee into the dues as well. For more information, visit: www.boyslife.org  Boy's Life is $1 per month, so $12 annually.

3) Pack Fee – Pack 1910 charges an annual Pack Fee to help cover the cost of running the pack.  This includes training, advancement, and program costs. The fee is set each year by the Pack Committee. The annual Pack Fee is $37.50 per scout.  At the very basic level, this covers the handbook for each boy ($11), rank badges ($2 ea), mother's pins ($1.40), Webelos activity badges ($1.80 ea), belt loops ($1.90 ea), sports and academic pins ($1.90 ea), pinewood derby car ($4), rain gutter regatta kit ($5.50), two Pack 1910 patches ($4) as well as all segment patches for participation ($0.40 ea) and all of the materials associated with monthly Pack meetings.  

These three components make the annual fee of $75.00 per year for each Cub Scout.  

However, as I'm sure you can realize, the $37.50 Pack Fee does not even begin cover the annual expenses associated with each boy in the Pack.  Thus, we rely heavily on fundraising to ensure an awesome program for our youth.  

Yep, popcorn fuels Scouting nationwide!  As it was announced, an incentive for selling popcorn (our major fundraiser), families had the opportunity receive FULL PAYMENT of the Pack 1910 annual dues just by selling $350.  If you qualify for this, you will receive an e-mail notifying you of such.  If you are a NEW family that has already paid your dues, you will receive a refund.

Our Pack's national recharter dues ($37.50 per Cub Scout and $25.50 per leader) are due the first week of December to council for each scout registered with our Pack.  

Therefore, it is imperative to bring your annual payment to the November Pack meeting so that we know you are continuing your path with Pack 1910.

Checks should be made payable to Pack 1910.  If you would like to pay over the phone or at the Pack meeting using a credit card, that can be done as well.  However, for your convenience, we have set up a Payments page on our blog to enable parents to utilize PayPal as your form of payment for the annual dues.

We need all dues for 2015 paid by November 30.  Without registration payment commitments, we cannot recharter your Scout.  Awards and rank cannot be recorded for unregistered Scouts.

Remember, the fun things we do at the Pack meetings, the prizes, awards, rank insignia, handbooks, patches and all that the pack provides is funded only by dues and fundraisers.  We budget and rely on that commitment from every family each year. 

Please note that all new families should be paid up by now and therefore, recharter dues do not apply *unless* you have not yet paid.  

The forms below comprise the recharter package for each scout.  Please download each form, complete and bring them with you to the November Pack meeting together with your payment.  

1. Annual BSA Health Form.  Please note, this only needs to be completely if you have not yet submitted one since joining the Pack.  If you or your Scout attended Mustang District Day Camp, your Health Form is still valid.  Health forms are good from one year from the date of completion.  If you are unsure if we have one on file, please feel free to contact April via e-mail.
2. Volunteer Registration.  One should be completed per family.  Many hands makes light work and we appreciate everyone pitching in just a little.
3. Photo Release.  This form gives Pack 1910 permission to utilize images captured at Pack events on this blog or on displays at Pack events and promotions.

Again, your Scout's recharter packet should be turned in at the November pack meeting, scheduled for next Tuesday, November 11. If you cannot turn in your materials at the November pack meeting, please make arrangements to get them to April as soon as possible.  NOVEMBER 30 IS THE DEADLINE FOR ALL SCOUTS AND LEADERS.

Please note:  All leaders MUST be current in their Youth Protection Training in order to recharter.  If you are unaware as to the expiration of your YPT, please log into your www.myscouting.org account to check.  

Payment must be included with the registration documents for all Scouts, or you will not be re-registered with the Pack.  

Thank you for your assistance with the great fall paper chase!  I appreciate everyone's prompt attention to this matter.  If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours in Scouting,
April Driggers
Committee Chair
Pack 1910

Cub Scout Fun Day

This Saturday is the Longhorn Council's Cub Scout Fun Day.  

Cub Scout Fun Day is an annual day of activities for families, den and packs.  Initially our Pack was going to have our annual Rocket Launch on Saturday but it was moved to Sunday so if you are looking for some fun for BOTH days, head out to Tarrant County College this Saturday.

Dozens of fun activities to do and displays to see!  Activities include 8 bounce houses, petting zoo, BB, archery, flour battles, jousting, walking the plank, softball toss, face painting, lassoing, monster tag, climbing wall, cub scout golf, leather crafts, monkey bridges, bowling, ring tosses, challenge games, wrist rockets, pipe crawling, reptile show, frisbee golf, wagon hoop racing, chariot racing, soccer, lawn fishing, and lots of new games! Plus the Council Pushmobile Derby (extra charge – separate form).

 


This is a family or den activity.  Cub Scouts and Webelos can participate in each activity as a den or with their family.  Arrival time is open: arrive at any time.  Pre-registration is requested and appreciated, as is will help to properly plan program and events.

Be sure you bring your own drinks and if you want to make it an all day event, pack your lunch and bring it with you!

If you want to attend, the early bird discount ($13 cub/sibling $4 per adult) ends tomorrow at 5pm.  Registration forms and payment may be taken directly to the Council office.  After 5pm tomorrow and walk-ups will pay $18 per Cub/sibling and $5 per adult)

To register, click here, and print out the form.  

Activities are from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. with an hour braek for lunch.  They resume at 1:00 p.m. and run until 4:00 p.m.

Annual Rocket Launch

Please make plans to join us Sunday, November 2 at 3pm in the field outside the Hallelujah Center for Pack 1910's Annual Rocket Launch.

Due to the location of this year's launch, our MC and host for the event, DARS (Dallas Area Rocket Society), has suggested that the only rockets we use should be those requiring a 1/4A, 1/2A and A motors with streamers / not parachutes.  These won't go as high, but we also shouldn't lose as many!  We are trying to keep the launch local as the area we utilized last year is not available due to construction.

For the rocket launch you will need to bring your fully assembled rocket, motors, igniters, pins and wadding. DARS will provide the launch pads.

I have taken the liberty to contact Estes and they suggested something similar to either a Wizard or a Firestreak SST for launching.  The major difference is that with the Wizard, the boys will have to measure, mark and glue the parts together to assemble the rocket and the Firestreak is molded from plastic and simply snaps together (requires no gluing).  The Wizard is pictured here:   and here is a copy of what you get in your kit:

The Firestreak and its kit's contents:

Rocketry may be new to your family and seem somewhat impossible... please don't be intimidated because it is a LOT OF FUN! Hobby Lobby sells rocket kits and you can use an app or download a 40% off coupon as well.  The kits come in a variety of levels of difficulty to assemble.  Some are "RTF" (Ready To Fly), "ARF" (Almost Ready to FLY), "E2X" (Easy to Assemble) and so on.  

Also to note, when we speak of "motors," we aren't talking battery operated engines, we are talking about these guys (pictured right).  These engines come complete with an igniter and pin for each.  So, don't lose the little plastic pieces or the two pronged igniter.  Please be sure to PURCHASE THEM as kits do not include engines since many rockets can be launched by several different engine sizes.  
  
Also pictured is the "recovery wadding."  You will also need this for your repeat launches.



I warn you, however, rocketry can be quite exhilarating!  Bring those cameras....and visit the DARS website for more information on their next public launch.  They have some launches where they shoot off the BIG DOGS!  It's definitely an amazing sight to behold.  

As with all Pack events, this is open to siblings so if brothers / sisters want to launch, they can bring their own rockets, too!

October Pack Meeting

We will be having our October Pack Meeting on Tuesday, October 21 at 6:30 pm at the First United Methodist Church's Hallelujah Center.

Be sure to have your Scouts bring in his GENIUS KIT to show off and at the display. 

The Scouts and LEADERS should definitely wear their Halloween costumes to show off in the costume parade. (Parents and siblings can get in on the costume fun too.)

Find out what all the Dens and the Pack have been up to and get the latest information for the upcoming months.

Be sure to bring all your popcorn money and orders (checks made payable to Pack 1910) to turn in.  

Den assignments:

• Greet/Gathering - Webelos II
• Flag Ceremony – Webelos I
• Opening / Prayer - Bears
• Skit - Wolves
• Song - Tigers
• Closing - Webelos II

Local BSA Establishments

One of the perks of living in the area that we do is that we are just a few miles away from two awesome Boy Scouts of America establishments 1) the Scout Shop and 2) the National Scouting Museum.


Scout Shop
As most of you should know, the Scout Shop is located on Cannon Drive in Hurst just south of Hwy 26 off of Precinct Line.  It has everything you could probably want or need for your Cub Scout.  From t-shirts to uniform, awards and hats, insignia and camping gear -- they have it all.

and 


National Scouting Museum
The National Scouting Museum is located in Irving and offers some unique opportunities for Cub Scout Dens, Webelos Dens, Packs, Boy Scouts and Boy Scout Troops.  One of the many perks is the opportunity to take classes for specific Webelos activity badges.  I hope all of our Webelos and Bear parents make note of this.  It is inevitable that you will miss a den meeting or two, and so this is one way to ensure that your Scout stays on track.  These classes are taught by some of the best Scouters around.  There's not really a way to fall grossly "behind" in Scouting because it is, after all, DO YOUR BEST, but this definitely provides an alternate learning source for those missed meetings.  Check out their website today!

October Pack Hike

The Pack 1910 Hiking Club will meet this Saturday for the October Pack Hike.  

Let's face it -- one of the main reasons boys want to join Scouts is to get OUTDOORS!  There's no better way to do that than getting out for some good ole fun on the trails!  We want to be more a outdoor-oriented Pack and keep our boys ACTIVE!  We will keep the OUT in scOUTing!  Attendance at these events is completely optional, but... you know you want to come!  

The 3rd Saturday of every month, Pack 1910 will have a Pack-wide hike at varying locations somewhere in the D/FW area.  Hikes will be anywhere between 1-4 miles.  Oh, and did I mention that we will be logging miles!  Why?  Because for logging miles -- the boys will receive AWARDS for specific miles along the way.

One of the great things about taking part in a pack hike is that the boys will be on their way to earning the Hiking Belt Loop and/or Activity Pin as well.  To find out more about that, click here.  Simply print it out and once it is complete, turn it into your den leader.  You must earn the belt loop before you can earn the pin.  (Note:  you only need to turn in the first page if you are only seeking the belt loop.)

October's hike will be Saturday, October 18 at 9:00 a.m. at Bob Jones Nature Center in Colleyville.  The scheduled trail is the Walnut Grove National Recreation Trail.  You can find a link here with the trail maps.  From there, we will hit the trails as a group after going over important information on hiking, the buddy system, and such.  We will be going to the trail head that is where White's Chapel deadends into the lake area... you will park there and pick up the trail from there.  I will be there early to determine exactly where to park and will send out an e-mail on Scout Track.

Parents, please take a look at Pack 1910's Hiking Club packet for more information on what to bring, what to wear, etc.  It would be good to go over this with your scout BEFORE they show up to a hike.

If we have an avid hiker or parent that would like to become the Pack Hiking Chair, please contact April.  Many hands makes light work and we need to be sure we are all helping make the Pack "go".  

If you plan to attend, please be sure you e-mail April so that we know to expect you. All Pack events are FAMILY FRIENDLY but please do not bring pets.  


Another real helpful application to download to assist you and your boys is an application called Map My Hike.  I was told this was a must have by the Nature Center Staff.

October's Core Value - Responsibility

The Core Value for the month of October is RESPONSIBILITY.

Responsibility is something Cub Scouts teaches by having boys fulfill our duty to God, country, other people, and ourselves as well as fulfilling our duty to help others and take care of ourselves. It is behaving safely and appropriately without having to be told. 

Why RESPONSIBILITY?

• Being responsible for things makes us learn and grow.
• Knowing you can be counted on to make the right choice creates a feeling of self worth.
• Being counted on to do what you say you're going to do teaches internal qualities and characteristics you can't buy in a store or hope for... it just has to happen.

How can we teach RESPONSIBILITY?

• Have your children do chores.  Have them be responsible for seeing the trash cans at the curb and bringing them inside the garage -- without being told, or paid to do so. 
• Let your children be responsible for a pet or a plant... Here is a fun chia sock pet you can make together at home.