July Core Value & Summer Service Project

• The core value for July is COURAGE.  Courage is being brave and doing what is right regardless of our fears, the difficulties, or the consequences.

Exploring new territory and challenging oneself with new skills takes a certain amount of courage. Cub Scouts will benefit from the experiences offered to them from Cub Scouts... we know it requires a LOT of courage to learn new skills!  

When we begin to feel that life is hard and the task before us is more than we can handle, stop and remember those who forged the trails before us.  They left for a life in the unknown.  They didn't know what lay ahead of them, but with courage they moved on.  They hiked over mountains and through dry hot deserts, just to name a few of their difficulties. But they drew upon their faith, and their courage and determination to get the job done.

I thought this photo really summed up what "courage" meant to me... and it is a great segue into our SUMMER COMMUNITY SERVICE DRIVE. 



Next month will be our Raingutter Regatta at the Hidden Lakes Clubhouse.  During this time, we will be collecting items for USO to provide the men and women of the armed forces who travel through the DFW Airport.  You see, they put out a call for help because their donations are dwindling!  We have to help!  We will be collecting the following items for the USO to help support our service members:

Single-Serving Sized Snack and Drink Items: 

Cases of chocolate bars

Variety pack chips

Cookies

Raisins

Trail Mix

Kellogg's Rice Crispy Treats

Pretzels

Beef Jerky

Crackers

Peanuts/Mixed Nuts

Sunflower Seeds

Granola and/or Protein Bars

Chewing Gum

Cases of Apple/Orange Juice and Juice Boxes

Bottled Water

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Batteries (all sizes)

1 lb. Bags of Starbucks - Medium Roast Breakfast Blend

New Coloring Books and Crayons

New Children's Toys/Stuffed Animals

New or Like-New DVDs

New or Like-New games for X Box, X Box 360, Play Station 2, Play Station 3, and Wii

9" Microwave Safe Paper Plates

Rolls of Paper Towels

12 oz. Foam Cups

TRAVEL-SIZED TOILETRY ITEMS

Baby Powder

Shaving Cream

Deodorant (men's and women's)

Toothpaste and Toothbrushes

Lip Balm/Chap stick

Shampoo/Conditioner

Razors

Please encourage your entire family to participate in collecting items for this worthy cause!  If you are unable to make the Regatta, please bring your donations to April Driggers' home before the Regatta so that everything can be delivered together to the USO.

Enjoy your time together as a family this Summer, your fellow Scouts and Leaders at Pack 1910 look forward to seeing you soon!  Stay safe, drink plenty of water (we know what happens when you don’t!) and HAVE FUN!

What are those for? What do we do with them?

From the time your Scout earns his first rank patch, which will always be the Bobcat for ANY scout rank, he will also be presented with several items.

The first is, obviously, his rank patch.  This is cloth patch that should be sewn onto his uniform.  You may find the proper location to place all insignia here.

He will also receive a card indicating his having received this rank patch.  



These cards should be kept in a safe place. This is your "proof of ownership" for each rank, belt loop, pin and activity badge that your scout receives.  A great way to store these from now until the time your Cub Scout crosses over to a Boy Scout Troop and earns his Eagle is to store all of these inside plastic sleeves within a 1" binder.  The best sleeves are the ones intended to hold baseball cards.  I found ours at Hobby Lobby.  To the right is a great example I found on the internet.  This is obviously a Boy Scout notebook (you can tell by the blue Merit Badge cards), but it serves the same purpose.


Lastly, your scout will also receive a small metal pin which is a miniature version of his rank patch.  In this case, the Bobcat rank patch



These pins are called Parent's Pins.  These are also referred to as Mother's Pins.  These pins are given to your Cub Scout to present and subsequently pin to the lapel of his parent's shirt (usually Mom).  Why? Because it gives them a chance to share recognition with their parent.  We realize that it takes a village... and we want to give your Scout an opportunity to provide his parent with a token of his appreciation for all YOU have done to help him attain his rank.  In short, it's a big deal and you deserve to be rewarded and celebrated, too!

These Parent's Pins may be worn on your lapel, but they are generally worn on a mother's ribbon.  These can be bought at the Scout shop or you could make your own. The ones available at the Scout shop are shown to the right.


There are other options as well.  The one shown below is for both Cub Scouts AND Boy Scouts.  This allows your son to just pin the ribbon.  There is even a great way to make your own here:


See how he pins the ribbon?  Cute isn't it?  They're a great idea.  I will say that I have seen many a pin clap get lost down the front of a mom's shirt by little fingers that aren't used to "pinning" pins onto clothing.  The ribbons are a great way to prevent this from happening and you only need wear them at the Pack meetings where he would be receiving his rank advancement.

Photo Source

So, now you know!  

They're HEEEEEEERRRREEEEE!

THEY'RE HEEEEEEEEEEEEERE!!!  (Does anyone remember this show?  ha!)

But anyway, it's a great day today!  Our new pack t-shirts and sweatshirts are IN!  That's right!  They're HERE!  

The front:

The back:

Feel free to come by April's home and pick them up if you will be out and about or, if you'd prefer to pick them up at a Pack function, be sure you let her know, and she can bring it for you if attending.  April will be at the Hallelujah Center tomorrow, Sunday, July 29 at 4:30 pm if you would like to pick up your shirts then.

Cash, checks made payable to Pack 1910 or credit cards are welcomed forms of payment.

If you didn't buy one, there are extras available.  

Looking ahead this week...

For those that made it to the movie today, I hope you had an amazing journey into the creative world of DreamWorks with How To Train Your Dragon 2.  I don't know about YOU, but I want a toothless!  The "big" moral of the story reminded me of this little gem, however, that reads "Don't judge a hero by the size of his cape."

And looking ahead to our next venture for the summer, it's coming up THIS week.  Specifically, Thursday, June 26 we will be taking a little field trip to the U.S. Bureau of Engraving.  We will all meet near the front door at 9:45 and enter at 10am together as a group.  You are free to work your way through the building at your leisure.  Explore with your kids.  Explain.  And better yet -- the crafstmen and women will be available to tell the boys all about what they do there.  Learn about the offset print for currency and see how it was done over time.  There are experiences on both floors of the building for the Scouts to interact with the professionals.  Did you know that The Bureau of Engraving and Printing’s Western Currency Facility 

produces over half of the nation’s paper currency. Come see billions of dollars as you take the tour on the elevated walkway above the production floor and learn about the history of United States paper currency. 

Again, we will meet at 9:45 a.m. in the parking lot for the purposes of a headcount.  If I have a parent that is willing to take the list I can forward them and do a head check for recording purposes and then get it back to me, I would greatly appreciate this.  The tour will be entering at 10:00 a.m. together.

This would certainly be a good institution to wear your Official Field Uniform (blue shirt, neckerchief, etc.) to tour and it always makes nice photos as well.  However, if you want to just wear your pack t-shirt, that would be fully acceptable as well.  We would encourage all of our Scouts to wear their Official Field Uniform, however.  

I would love someone, too, to volunteer to snap some photos as I will be unable to attend.  If you DO take photos, please please be sure to forward those to me or Tom Harmon so that they can be uploaded to the Pack's DropBox for use in the December slide show.  

Oh, and the best part --> this event is FREE!  

Please e-mail me if you can be the point of contact for this event and/or if you can snap a few photos.

Remember, so long as you attend at least ONE Pack event a month throughout the summer, your scout will be eligible for the rank specific Summertime Achievement Award!

See how they match your slides?  Cool huh!?

What did they earn?

I spoke with the Day Camp Director today.  They are going to be sending out via e-mail in the next couple of weeks a list of what all Cub Scouts and Webelos may have earned while attending Day Camp.  Obviously, if your scout wasn't present for the full week, there may be some differences between what he and his fellow scout may have earned.

So, stay tuned... once we have the list, it will all be reflected in their Scout record.  Any Loops, Pins, activity badges and the like will not be awarded until the September Pack meeting.  

Summer

Cub Scouts is a year-round program and our Pack makes the most of each summer to bring opportunities for our Scouts to stay engaged and involved all year long!

We will be utilizing the e-vite system to track RSVP's for these events.  This helps the adult coordinators know which Scouts to expect so that no one is left behind.  Please be sure you are RSVPing -- even if it is a "no" -- so that we know you received the e-vite.  The courtesy of a reply is greatly appreciated.  

Please understand that many of these programs we are putting on require not only a minimum number of participants, but also a deposit --which we cover.  If you RSVP and are not able to attend, you will still need to pay your portion as it likely has already been covered by the Pack.  Thank you for your understanding.

Pack 1910 Summer Program 2014:

June

7:  Did you make it to the Star Party?  Be sure to let your den leader know {FREE}

9-12:  Day Camp.  It's not too late to register.  See this post for more information. 
22:  How to Train Your Dragon 2.  $14.50 per person includes movies, drink and popcorn.  Evite can be found here.  

26:  Field trip to the Bureau of Printing and engraving.  Evite here.  {FREE}

Did your scout register for Day Camp?  If so, they're on their way to earning the Outdoor Activity Award.  Read all about the requirements for this awesome award here. Talk to your den leader about steps required to earn this award. 

July

5:  Star Party {FREE}

11-12: Lock-in at the Summit Climbing Gym.  Evite can be found here.  $32.50 per person  Siblings, friends and family welcome.  

28:  Grapevine Aquarium (this event is still being coordinated...stay tuned)

August

2:  Kingsnake show and climbing wall at the Basswood Activity Center.  This evite can be found here. {FREE}
23:  Annual Raingutter Regatta, pizza party and ice cream back to school bash at the Hidden Lakes Clubhouse, 2700 Bear Creek Parkway. {$5 per person}

...that by joining us for just one event a month, your scout is eligible for the National Summertime Achievement Award?  These are rank specific, color-coordinated very cool special pins to place on their uniform to show off their involvement.



If enough of his den participates, they will earn the Summertime Award for their DEN!  And, collectively, if enough of our Scouts participate all summer long, our PACK earns the National Summertime Pack Award!  How cool is THAT?  Awards will be presented at the Scout level during the September Pack meeting.  

Day Camp

***edited 6/4 at 3:23 pm - ALL LATE REGISTRATIONS NEED TO GO TO THE DAY CAMP DIRECTORS -- NOT TO COUNCIL

If you weren't able to make the on-line registration deadline, it's not too late to get you and your Scout registered for the best daycamp in the Longhorn Council - MUSTANG DISTRICT DAYCAMP!

Online registration ended Friday, May 23 at 5pm. You may still register, however. Cost is $95 and registration has to be done by hand.

Adult volunteers/chaperones registration forms are here.  (click the word "here")

Scout registrations forms are here.

Remember, too, BSA Health Form Part A & B are required for everyone. 

ALL of these forms need to be turned into the Longhorn Council office ASAP. Be sure to provide April with a copy of your health forms so that our Pack has them on file and you don't have to fill them out again (they are required annually).  Scanned/e-mailed copies are perfect.

Very important --> ALL Adult volunteers are required to have Live, In Person Youth Protection Training.

 The last class being offered for this is THIS Thursday, June 5 at 6pm at Harvest Church.

If you have any questions, please let April know.  Remember our DAY CAMP PAGE on this website will always contain the most up-to-date information in one location.  

How To Train Your Dragon 2

Our Pack will be enjoying our THIRD event of June with an awesome experience at the Colleyville Studio Movie Grill to see How To Train Your Dragon 2.  

The cost is $14.50 per person and includes: admission, popcorn and a drink.  Meal items are available a la carte (everything from burgers, wings, fries, nachos, pizza and chicken Caesar salad... just to name a few!)

Please understand that Pack 1910 has to PREPAY for this event. Therefore, if you RSVP, you will be expected to pay even if you are unable to attend.  The e-vite can be found here.  Please get your RSVP's in TODAY!

This is open to Scouts, their family and even friends.  If you know someone that may be interested in joining the Scouting adventure, please invite them!  

Watch the official trailer below.  




If you have one, please wear your Pack t-shirt.

Remember, so long as you attend at least ONE Pack event a month throughout the summer, your scout will be eligible for the rank specific Summertime Achievement Award!

See how they match your slides?  Cool huh!?

Take Me Out To The Ball Game!

Nothing says an all-American summertime like baseball and the Frisco Roughriders have an opportunity for all local Scouts that includes just that!  

Join them Sunday, July 20 at 6:05 pm
For just $20 a ticket, you get:

• ... to see a great baseball game
• ... all-you-can-eat hotdogs, brats and nachos
• ... unlimited Dr. Pepper products 
• ... a limited edition RoughRiders hat
• ... a game program 
• ... the opportunity to compete in the "design your own patch" at the game

Please note the deadline for ordering tickets is June 13.  See flyer here for details.  For more information or to buy tickets, please call 972-334-1993 or e-mail: abenedict@ridersbaseball.com

This can be done at the family level or at the den level.  This is not a Pack event, just a fun opportunity we wanted to make you aware of.  

Read, Write and Win!

From the Boys' Life Website

Write a one-page report titled “The Best Book I Read This Year” and enter it in the Boys’ Life 2014 “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 above. 

Since Pack 1910 provides a subscription to all of it's members, the contest is open to everyone in our Pack!  Do 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, 2014 and must include entry information and a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Don't Forget Your Donations Over The Summer

An e-mail went out in April and a follow-up handout was provided at the Bridging Ceremony.  I am seeking your help in gathering the listed items.  I will need multiples of them so the more we can get, the bigger and better the projects!  

    
 

Things like cereal boxes, empty pill bottles, rubber bands, egg cartons, corks, etc. Feel free to drop them as you collect them at April's house or bring them to any of the summer events.  These are needed by September 2.  Your help is greatly appreciated!!

Memorial Day

While many Americans will celebrate Memorial Day with hot dogs, hamburgers and a day off... let us not forget what this day is really all about.  Memorial Day is not about 20% off sales and lounging by the pool.  Memorial Day is a day of honor and respect for our fallen... and sometimes forgotten.  

Photo source

Photo source

From the US Memorial Day website, Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service of the United States of America. Over two dozen cities and towns claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day. While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it’s difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day.

Regardless of the exact date or location of its origins, one thing is clear – Memorial Day was borne out of the Civil War and a desire to honor our dead. It was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11. “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land,” he proclaimed. The date of Decoration Day, as he called it, was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle.

On the first Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, and 5,000 participants decorated the graves of the 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there.  




I encourage all Pack 1910 families to engage in something meaningful this weekend to help instill in our Cubs a purpose for this day.  Let's raise a generation that doesn't forget.  Maybe you will be inspired to work on the Citizenship beltloop or pin.  Why not join the Virtual Boots On The Ground.  Let your children create a virtual avatar and join with others across the country for in the National Memorial Day Parade.  They will have a live feed on the site this day.  The parade is at 2pm EST.  More on the parade can be found here.

If you would like to do something local, at 11am CST at the Mt. Gilead Cemetery on Keller-Smithfield Road, the Keller Mt. Gilead Cemetery Association and the Rotary club are putting together the 5th annual memorial day celebration.  This is a one hour event inclusive of a flag retirement ceremony (usually conducted by Troop 1910 of First United Methodist Church of Keller.)  Bring your own chairs.

We have added to our Pack Calendar a special entry on Memorial Day.  At 3pm -- no matter where you are, what you are doing or whose company you are sharing -- please stop and take a moment to gather your family and friends together to remember those who have fallen in service to our great nation.  Memorial Day is more than a cookout, it's a time to be in thought for those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice as well as their families.  The National Moment of Remembrance is at 3pm.  Unite with Americans everywhere to show that we have not forgotten that freedom isn't free.  We are the home of the free BECAUSE of the brave!  

Here is a Memorial Day Tribute you could watch with your family.  

Day Camp Registration Reminder

Just in case you hadn't heard... Day Camp is just around the corner!!!!!  

Oh... yeah, and that awesome discount otherwise known as the Early Bird Registration discount of $85.00??? 

Yeah, it ends this Friday at Midnight!

Do NOT let this be you!

So ACT NOW!  REGISTER ONLINE!  (Click the word "online" just so there's no confusion!)

Why?  Because otherwise, you have to register in person with me by filling out a form...with a pen...and paper... and writing a... check!?!?!?!?!  Because, you know, once early bird registration expires on Friday, the price goes up to $95.00 camper!!!  YIKES!  Save your pesos my friends!  Register TODAY!

We need chaperones registered, too!  This is for everyone!  E-mail April if you have questions!

#cubscoutdaycamp #bethere

Access to calendars

If you have access to a color printer, please print one of these guys out for everyone in your family!  My color printer went kaputz on me before I could do anythying about it.

Click {here} to receive a copy of the 2014-2015 Cub Scout Pack 1910 Annual Program Calendar.  It has only pack events and school events.

Please let me know if that works for you!

April Driggers

Our Newest Program - Pack 1910 Hiking Club

Pack 1910 is proud to announce the first ever Hiking Club just for Pack 1910.  The Parent Manual for hiking is available here.  

One of the best way to get boys unplugged and outside and to get them into organized activities such as a hiking club.

I'm going to cut and copy a few paragraphs from the Parent book:

So why did your son want to join Scouting? He wanted to do out-of-door stuff, hike, camp, and explore. Thus, the idea for a Hiking Club is an excellent way to meet many requirements and desires of the boys.  Hiking encourages healthy outdoor activities and engages the boys in an outdoor program unparalleled in our area.  In Pack 1910’s Hiking Club,  we will hold hikes year round.  We also will track Scout’s miles and present recognition for reaching set marks.  On their first hike, they will be given a patch.  After reaching 25 miles, they earn their hiking staff.  If they reach 50 miles, they will earn the medallion and leather grip to place upon it.  After that, Scouts receive additional recognition as miles accumulate. The hiking program provides the pack an opportunity to enjoy an outdoor activity that is healthful for boys, their families, and leaders.   
We have a complete set of rules in place along with a complete annual calendar of hikes already on the schedule.

Hikes for 2014-2015 are:

2014-2015 Pack 1910 Hikes

September 2014

Location: Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge

Trailhead: Oak Motte

Trail Map: http://www.fwnc.org/docs/map/TrailMap.pdf

Distance: 1-4 miles

October 2014

Location: Bob Jones Nature Center

Trailhead: Walnut Grove Trail, Whites Chapel access

Trail Map: www.cityofsouthlake.com/parks/bobjones.asp

Distance:

November 2014

Location: Eagle Mountain Park (FORT WORTH)

Trailhead:   11601 Morris Dido Newark Road, Fort Worth, TX 76179

Trail Map: http://www.trwd.com/docs/eaglemountainlake/EM-Trail-Map.pdf

Distance: About 4 miles

December 2014

Location: Cedar Ridge Preserve

Trailhead: 7171 Mountain Creek Parkway, Dallas, Texas 75249 (972-709-7784)

Trail Map: http://www.texasoutside.com/hikebike/DallasNatureCenter.htm

Distance: 1-4 miles

January 2015

Location: Lewisville Outdoor Learning Area

Trailhead: 201 East Jones Street, Lewisville,

http://www.ias.unt.edu/llela/assets/documents/trail%20brochure%20revised%202013.pdf

Distance: 3-5 miles (1-3 hours)

February 2015

Location: Dogwood Canyon Trail

Trailhead: I-35E N to I-35 N to Exit 483 onto FM-3002. R into Ray Roberts Lake State Park (Johnson Branch Unit); Dogwood Canyon trailhead @ first parking area on R.

http://dogwoodcanyon.audubon.org/sites/default/files/documents/dcactrail_map_v6_2.pdf

Distance: 2.1 miles

March 2015

Location: Dead Woman - Haller’s Haven Nature Loop (DALLAS) 1.5 hours away

Trail Map: http://www.fws.gov/uploadedFiles/Haller's%20Haven%20Nature%20Trail.pdf

Distance: 3.2 miles

April 2015

Location: Dinosaur Valley State Park (GLENROSE)

Trailhead: 1629 Park Road 59, Glen Rose, TX 76043

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/park_maps/pwd_mp_p4503_0094s.pdf

Distance: 3-4 miles depending on what you pick

May 2015

Location: Coyote Run

Trailhead: Sulphur Springs, I-30 E to TX 19 N to FM 71 W. In 4 mi., turn L onto FM 3505 N and enter park. Veer R @ Y and turn R @ sign for Heron Harbor Day Use Area parking lot.

Trail Map: http://www.backpacker.com/destinations/hikes/20738

Distance: 4.7 miles lollipop