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.  Though 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.

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.”

You are all invited tonight at 7pm to the North Texas Field of Honor at Keller Town Hall for a flag retirement ceremony conducted by Troop 1910.  

CUB-O 2021 - REGISTER NOW!

Save the date and make plans to join us January 2, 2021 at Cub-O, the annual Cub Scout orienteering event held at Sid Richardson Scout Ranch.

Cub-O is the most popular orienteering event for Cub Scouts. 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.

NEW Safety Changes for 2021

**No mass start crowd in 2021 - CUB-O has been redesigned to have Dens starting every few minutes all day long. The staggered start times by individual Dens and Packs will turn one big start into hundreds of small Den team starts throughout the morning and early afternoon.

**Roads Stay Open - Pick your Arrival Time! come out to camp or make a Day Trip of it. The roads will be open all day (with speed enforcement roadblocks), so you can arrive and leave when you need to.

**No Hole Punches to touch! The markers will be using cards with number codes printed LARGE, rather than hole punches. Cub Scouts won’t have to touch them. Just read from a distance and write down the code!

**No Hot Dog Lunch! - Switching to a totally prepackaged trail mix snack lunch instead! We will pick up the lunches with your patches at Check-In and add them to each Scout's daypack.

**Easy “How-To-Orienteer” Beginner Training Videos on YouTube! - No more crowds at Training! The Orienteering Committee is making several short videos on “How to Have Fun Orienteering for Beginners”! Learn on your own time or watch it on your phone on Saturday!

CUB-O is an event that teaches your youth to think for themselves while learning to read a map and hiking in the woods. 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 now has a code that you’ll write 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 2.5 hours! You’ll stay warm ‘cause you’ll stay moving!

Cub-O is a team event for teams (Dens) of 3-6 Cub Scouts plus 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. Maximum team size is 8 people.

Additional adult attendees (attending, assisting, or camping, but not competing) can pay $7 for lunch and liability insurance only but must register and be prepaid. Registrations must be received by 5:00 PM Wednesday, December 30th.  Siblings are $20.

Finish Line Sandwiches. Venture Crew 1910 will again have BBQ sandwiches available for purchase at the finish line. Includes: sandwich, bag of chips, and a drink. Cost to Pre-order is $5.50 per meal. A limited number of meals may be available on the day of Cub O for $7.00 each. Great care will be taken with food safety and Covid-19 protocols!

T-shirts are available for pre-order with your registration as well. Those are $12 each.

Be thinking if you're interested in attending. Our registration deadline is December 18.  Pack 1910 will cover registration for all Scouts. Parents and siblings will pay the additional fees for lunch/registration. If there is interest in camping, weather permitting, indicate that on the Google form. We will determine based on weather and attendance if we want to reserve campsite space.

To register, do so on the Pack's CUB-O Google Form HERE.  

Again, the trail-mix snack 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!

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? REGISTER ONLINE HERE.

Camping This Weekend

We are so excited to be getting back to Scouting as it's intended!  Be sure you've checked your email for directions, packing lists and forms that must be completed prior to arrival.  We will need waivers for both the hike and the camping facility. 

The weather should be perfect for camping.

Be sure you reach out to Ben Highsmith, Pack 1910 Camping Co-Chair, or Michael Ford, Cubmaster with any questions.

Pack Camping - What Do I Need?

You guys ready for CAMPING?  Are you a little “camping-shy”? Don’t let it hold you back!! Do it for your son – he’ll love you for it!!

We've had a few families asking about what they need for Cub Scout camping.  First things first, all adults attending need to be Youth Protection Trained and all campers (adults/youth/siblings) need to have a completed BSA Health Form Part A and B on file with our Membership Chair, Alison Ford.

Cub Scout family camping is also referred to as "car camping." With a large enough vehicle, you're fortunate enough to be able to take just about everything AND the kitchen sink with you. But for the amount of time you'll be there, it's really not necessary. Though, a few creature comforts are definitely worth it!

So, unless you have an open-ended bank account, don't run out and buy every piece of gear you THINK you need at REI until you feel out what YOUR family requires. (If you do have an open-ended account however, I'll text you my list too.)

The best thing to do when starting to acquire gear is to start small and simple so that you can discover exactly what your family needs... and grow from there. There are plenty of seasoned camping veterans in our pack that have gear to spare so don't hesitate to put the word out if you need to borrow something.

To begin simply, you need something to sleep IN, something to sleep ON, somewhere to sit, something to wear, personal toiletries. light and water.

(Oh... and toilet paper! Don't forget the toilet paper!)

Today we're starting with something to sleep IN.

Puns make me laugh.  

The first thing you need to consider is how much space you NEED.  How many people, how much stuff. Are you tall? Do you need lots of leg room? All things to consider when determining size.

If you bring kids, you generally need more space so you might consider sizing up to accommodate all the stuff.  If you want to sleep on cots, you need to be sure you're taking into account the space they take up literally and figuratively.  If you want an air mattress inside your tent, be sure you have room for your belongings as well.

One perk of cots is that you can generally store gear underneath allowing for more space in the tent to move about. Do note, however, that if you plan to sleep on anything other than a sleeping mat, adding air between you and the ground means it can get really chilly if the temps drop. So be prepared with extra insulation between you and the cot or air mattress.

Do consider the bigger the tent, the more size it takes up in your vehicle and the more it weighs. Large tents that need to be heavily staked down may not be as conducive to allowing the Scouts the opportunity to help with set up.  We've had several families in the past who brought two SMALLER tents rather than one large one.  Since Cub Scout camping is "car camping" weight really shouldn't be an issue, however.

Once you've determined size, you'll need to determine what SHAPE of tent you want.  You can get dome tents or cabin tents.

Dome tents are generally lighter, easier to set up and are much more stable in high wind conditions.

Cabin tents, however, provide more vertical space (if you're tall this might be a consideration so be sure to check the peak height listed) Some even have "rooms" where you can zip off walls (to help separate siblings who won't quit poking each other not that I have any idea what that is like.)

This cabin tent even has a shaded vestibule which would be perfect for chairs.

One of the tents I have is pictured below -- a dome tent with a covered vestibule which provides a place to store shoes and our cooler under cover but out of the tent's interior. Notice the full rain fly -- in order to have full circulation this DOES have to be FULLY staked down to ensure the rain fly doesn't just lay on the tent body. When you sleep, condensation will build up and you need to have that outer layer off the inner layer to prevent the condensation raindrops from falling on your head. I prefer the full fly for weather protection and privacy.  In my experience, too, a full rainfly is desirable though when it's warmer, the airflow isn't as great - something to consider.  The smaller the tent, the warmer you will be in the cooler months, however.

My suggestion is to go where you can get inside and test them out... Cabelas or Bass Pro both have tents set up in the store that you can check out.  Seriously, get inside and lay down to see just how much space you actually have and then use those dimensions to help set a minimium allowance for what you want.

My only other suggestion for you to consider is to put SOME SORT of reflective SOMETHING on your guylines to prevent people from tripping over them in the dark. Accidents happen. Tent stakes through the leg are NO fun... we try to prevent the Scouts from running between tent lines but you know how well excited children listen. Reflective tape for your guylines - you want this!

This is going to be your home away from home. You want to be comfortable and to sleep as good as you can away from your Sleep Number Bed.

Another consideration is that once your Cub Scout transitions to Boy Scouts, usually the Troop will be providing his tent. If you want to come camping with the Troop, you'll want a SMALL tent since it will be just you and your gear. At that point, small is king!

Want a list?  Check out the Pack camping list HERE.

Hope these will give you something to consider when starting to build your camping gear!

Camping Do's and Don'ts

• Practice setting up your tent before you get on the camping trip. Make sure it is complete and you know how to put it up. Of course we will help you but you don’t want to get out there to realize you don’t have stakes or poles!
• Plan on it getting colder than you think – you can always take off a layer or remove a blanket. Put a sheet inside your sleeping bag it keeps it clean inside and will give you a layer of warmth or a layer of cool.
• Bring rain gear – you never know what the weather will be
• Change clothes to sleep in. (will keep you from getting cold due to moisture in the fabric from the day and you never know what you have on your clothes that you are bringing into your tent…poison ivy)
• Always have a tarp under your tent. Make sure none of it sticks-out from the bottom of the tent or it will collect rain and make the inside of your tent wet.
• Allow your son to do as much of the work while camping as possible (help putting up the tent, carrying stuff, etc). HE CAN DO IT!! And will be proud that he did it.
• Store food, candy, toothpaste in your car or animal proof container but NOT your tent. They can smell it!
• Maintain the buddy system & Youth Protection Training (YPT) at all times!

• Never sleep in a tent with a child who is not your own. – BSA rule
• No alcohol anywhere, anyhow, anytime. – BSA rule
• No smoking or tobacco products in sight of Cub Scouts. – BSA rule
• Never leave candy/chips or candy/chip wrappers or food of any kind in your tent or in your clothes in your tent. Animals can smell it. This includes toothpaste, open Gatorade and other soda cans, etc. If in doubt leave it in your car.
• Cub Scouts should not have/use knives in Tiger and Wolf ranks. Bears and higher ranks may only bring pocket knives if they have completed the “Whittling Chip” pocket knife achievement and have their Whittlin’ Chip card or badge on their person. No knives with a blade longer than the width of a child’s palm. – BSA rule.
• Avoid 100% cotton clothing…think wool or synthetics. Cotton stays damp and makes you feel cold.
• Leave behind the Nintendo DS, iPod, or other electronics/game systems. This is the boys’ opportunity to get away from all that. Besides, they could get damaged or lost. BSA insurance doesn't cover that!
• No precious toys/ jewelry – could get damaged or lost.

Camping

We are so excited to have 24 Scouts registered for our Fall Festival and Haunted Trail hike. It's going to be a GREAT time and we are SO excited to get the OUT back in scOUTing.

While we have already registered our Unit, if your plans change or you reconsider and join us, please reach out to April Driggers via Scoutbook and we will do our best to get you and your Scout added to our roster so they don't miss out on camping and the fall festival!

For those that registered, be watching your email for more specifics including directions, forms, communications for missing health forms, etc.

Camping - Deadline is Today!

Are you on the fence about our fall campout?  Don't be!  Camping is one of the best way to keep your Scouts EXCITED ABOUT CUB SCOUTS!  

Camping is one of the main reasons kids have so much fun in Cub Scouts!

Why is Camping Important to the Boy Scouts of America? 

In addition to the basics of survival and conservation, older Scouts instruct younger campers in the basics of wilderness training, plant science and perfecting a camp’s food storage plan. Essential skills are passed from generation to generation resulting in rewarding youth-led and adult-guided experiences. 

At the Cub Scout level, camping has become an integral part of the advancement path so that the youth are prepared for the adventures of Boy Scouts. Speaking of Boy Scouts, did you know that Boy Scouts can earn more than 136 merit badges, most of which involve outdoor experiences. Therefore, camping trips go a long way toward putting a Scout on the path toward Eagle. 

The typical American’s first camping trip occurs before he reaches 18 years old. The Physical Activity Council, an association of sports recreation and leisure activity companies, surveyed 10,778 Americans in early 2015. The survey asked 6 to 24-year-olds which of 104 activities they preferred. Respondents consistently choose camping and swimming.

Researchers discovered 28% of us did nothing last year! That’s right – 83 million are sedentary. Camping encourages us to be active and enjoy the outdoors resulting in three main benefits: 

First, improved physical health 

• We feel better – Oxygen emitted by plant life releases serotonin, a molecule essential to feelings of happiness and well-being. You can even lower blood pressure and body strain in the outdoors. 
• Clean air and water – Lower levels of pollutants result in fewer lung irritations and illnesses. 
• Greater physical fitness – Per hour calorie consumption increases for campers. Hikers burn 120-300 calories, fly fishers burn 200. Biking and swimming, gathering wood and building a temporary shelter results in healthy calorie burn and increased flexibility. 
• Sunlight – Moderate sun exposure increases Vitamin D – essential for healthy bones and teeth.
• Natural food – Fishing and hunting provides nourishment without preservatives. And camp food just tastes better! 

Second, greater mental health 

• Socialization – Improved mood from face-to-face interactions, teamwork and bonding without distractions. 
• More Sleep – After a full day of outdoor activities, the body achieves more natural sleep when the sun goes down. 
• Solving Problems – You can apply skills to overcome unexpected challenges and promote self-sufficiency by collaborating with your camping party. 
• Discovery – Learn about plant science and build trust from working with domesticated animals such as horses and dogs. Be prepared to prevent insect bites and predator intrusions. 
• Minding nature – The outdoors challenge you to minimize trash and leave your camping space cleaner than you found it. 

Third, camping is fun! 

As evidenced by posts on the Boy Scouts of America social media pages, people love to camp and comment on successful Scout camping expeditions. Check out the Boy Scouts of America, Scouting magazine, Boys’ Life or High-Adventure bases Facebook pages, Twitters and Instagrams. 

Because of this beautiful trifecta, we have upped the ante in our camping program agreeing to participate in more Council-sponsored events as well as our three Pack campouts to provide our Scouts every opportunity to experience Cub Scouts as it was intended -- OUTSIDE DOING! Won't you join us? The deadline for our October campout is TONIGHT!  

Register BELOW

Fall Campout - Registration Deadline is TOMORROW!

One of the things all boys look forward to in Cub Scouts is CAMPING and it's almost time! 

Make plans to join us for our fall Family Camp Out October 2-4. 

Are you a little “camping-shy”? Don’t let it hold you back!! Do it for your Scout– they’ll love you for it!! 

And, unless you have an open-ended bank account, don't run out and buy every piece of gear you think you need at REI (but if you just want to, please let me know and I'll give you my list, too!) 

The best thing to do when starting to acquire gear is to start small and simple so that you can discover what your family needs... grow from there. There are plenty of seasoned camping veterans in our pack that have gear to spare so don't hesitate to put the word out if you need to borrow something. 

To begin, you need something to sleep IN, something to sleep ON, something to wear, personal toiletries and light. (Oh... and toilet paper! Don't forget the toilet paper! That's definitely something you never want to not have and need.) 

Cub Scout family camping is also referred to as "car camping." With a large enough vehicle, you're fortunate enough to be able to take just about everything AND the kitchen sink with you. But for the amount of time you'll be there, it's really not necessary. Though, a few creature comforts are definitely worth it!

Camping is definitely one of the highlights of any Cub Scout's year. Campouts are fun occasions where we get to come together as a Unit and we all have a blast. We have food and fun -- what more can you ask for? 

Be sure to complete the registration form below by WEDNESDAY to ensure you are registered for this event!  Payment is due Wednesday as well. 

Keller Rocks!

We have a great opportunity that ROCKS... literally!  Join community members all over Keller to add some homemade art to make the trail... rock.  Click the image or link below for the full flyer.  

Click HERE for the link to view or download the full-sized flyer.  

If you participate, please contact our Community Service Chair, Kerianne Cully, so that she may track participants!  Be sure to share a photo of your Scout with his rock prior to turning it into the City of Keller.  This would be a GREAT den activity!  Spread some Cub Scout Pack 1910 pride all over the trail.  

Can you think of themes to include?  Camping.  Hiking. Leave no trace. S'mores. Lions. Tigers. Wolves. Bears. How about the Webelos plaid or an archery target!  The possibilities are ENDLESS!  

Does Scouting Work?

The really COOL thing is that while sports are seasonal, Scouting is YEAR ROUND so your son can take those positive attributes he garners from Scouting right into the sports he may also participate in.

Win/Win!

Cub Scouts Serve

One thing synonymous with Scouting is SERVICE.  Pack 1910 considers the dedication to our Unit, our Chartered Organization, and our community an integral part of membership.  Our goal is to provide opportunities all year long. 

We have started a new page on our website to highlight some of our service opportunities allowing our members to give back.  

If you know of a service opportunity for our Unit, please reach out to our Community Services Chair, Kerianne Cully.

CafeMom put it best when she said that "when kids feel connected to the larger community, they realize their actions -- even the small ones -- can make an impact."  

Community service provides youth with:

1) Awareness - opens their eyes beyond their bubble

2) Compassion - issues like hunger and pollution can see so remote but if those very ideas can be given a face by even volunteering at a shelter or planting in a community garden, the empathy factor increases.

3) Respect - for others and yourself.

4) Responsibility - We learn by doing that we are all responsible for the world we live in.

5) Gratitude - When kids see how others live (without the newest, latest and greatest), they can become increasingly grateful for what they already have.

6) Empowered - Knowing they can make a difference is magical.

Scouting Family Fun Fest 2

Family Fun Fest is just around the corner! Prepare for the excitement by completing the Adventure Log for a chance to win cool prizes, like Scout Shop gift cards, hammocks, backpacks, tents… and more!

Once you complete as many line items as you can, snap a picture and post on social with the hashtag #famfunfest to be entered to win. Increase your chance of winning by posting pictures of you accomplishing the various adventures with the hashtag #famfunfest!

This all takes place 10am CT on September 12. Join in on the fun!

There will also be a National Pinewood Derby that takes place at Texas Motor Speedway! Want to build a car for the event? Check out HERE to find out how.

Name The Haunted Trail Contest!

 

Longhorn Council's NAME THE HAUNTED TRAIL CONTEST starts August 18 and is open to all Cub Scouts (with a parent or guardian). 

Submit your best scary names online for the Haunted Trails at Camp Tahuaya and at SR2. ENTER YOUR SCOUT'S VOTE HERE

The Cub Scout who submits the winning name, and their parent /guardian and family, get to attend Fall Festival and Haunted Trail  for free  on a scheduled weekend. 

Contest ends September 22 with the last entry accepted at 5PM. Best names to be chosen by a panel of judges. Winners to be announced on September 23.

Back to School - Back to Scouts!

No matter how you're doing school this year -- for most of us, tomorrow --school is back in session!  So, with a new year is a fresh set of crayons (don't you just love the smell of a fresh box of crayons?), sharpened pencils, new shoes and new friends! It's also time for new adventures... new rank... new skills... new challenges... In short, it's back to scouting!

The beginning of school starts the beginning of our recruiting season so if you know someone who may be interested in Cub Scouts... invite them to one of our activities.  Nothing big... we do things like... 

go hiking

Practice citizenship

Go camping

Go fishing

Knife skills

(yes, they really learn how to properly use a pocket knife)

Learn basic first aid

Complete acts of community service

Build and shoot rockets

... and cool experiences like overnights at Fossil Rim... The Perot Museum... the USS Lexington... turning a block of wood into a race car... or visiting cool places like the police department... the fire station... or even the Texas Capitol...

Who WOULDN'T want to join?  

We have plans for the Fall Festival campout at Sid Richardson the first weekend in October... be sure to join now to get integrated into your den before heading to camp!  

We have added two informational Zoom meetings to our calendar for interested parents to get all the details on Pack 1910.  September 9 and 11 from 7-8pm.  

BSA Family Fun Fest is SATURDAY!

If you like funny pets, rockets and astronauts, Pinewood Derby cars, movie makeup artists and backyard camping, then you’ll love Family Fun Fest! 

It’s outdoor adventure you can have online! This very special online-only event is just for families like yours.

There will be cool hands-on activities, interviews with amazing people, and opportunities to make your community better with a service project. 

Join in on the fun with activities like designing a Pinewood Derby car and baking homemade treats for your pets with a trained chef. 

Want to join in the adventures?  Here is the schedule and supply list.

BUILD A FAST PINEWOOD DERBY CAR (10am CT)

Vote to design a Pinewood Derby car LIVE.  Meet NASCAR's Joey Logano as he gives an exclusive look inside a race car and answers qustions about going fast!

Supplies:

• Download a pinewood derby coloring page and design your car along with the show HERE
• Crayons

LET'S MAKE SOME ART! (10:45am CT)

Sketch along with professional illustrators and choose the subjects you want to learn to create!  (

Supplies:

• A pencil, pen or felt-tip pen
• 3-5 sheets of blank paper

LET'S GIVE BACK (11:30am CT)

Find out what "Do a good turn daily" means and complete your own good turn using the art you created.

Supplies:

• Download a customizable thank you note and help us thank teachers during the show HERE

LET'S GO TO SPACE! (12pm CT)

Meet Dr. Bernard Harris, former astronaut and the first African American to perform a spacewalk! Learn how to build your own water rocket.

Supplies:

• Empty plastic bottle
• A few pieces of construction paper
• scissors
• foam board (optional)
• hot glue gun, glue
• colorful tape or plain duct tape
• stickers

LET'S TALK ANIMALS! (12:40 pm CT)

Check out all kinds of ways to take care of your furry (and scale-y) friends. Post photos of your pets using #FamFunFest and you may see them during the show.  

Learn how to make dog treats from MasterChef Junior winner, Logan Guleff, and see how to put together a pet first-aid kit.

LET'S RACE! (1:15pm CT)

Tune in for the epic finale as we race the car YOU built during the show!  Stay until the end to see if your car wins the race, who gets the grand prize and snag a special offer only available to viewers!

WIN PRIZES!

They're giving away cool prizes for Family Fun Fest like... Scout Shop gift cards, Pinewood Derby bundles, hammocks, backpacks, portable batteries, tents... and more!  Here's how to snag one:

1. Sign up to receive email updates about Family Fun Fest AND RSVP on Facebook for two chances to win one of more than 60 cool prizes! 
2. Download and fill out an Adventure Log. Once you complete as many line items as you can, snap a picture and post on social with the hashtag #famfunfest to be entered to win one of three $200 Scout Shop gift card. Increase your chance of winning by posting pictures of you accomplishing the various adventures with the hashtag #famfunfest! 
3. Tune in and participate in the live event for even more chances to win. There will be giveaways every 30 minutes!

Official Rules

Space Launch Commemorative Patch

Pack families, don't forget to email Suzie Donskey if your Scout is interested in purchasing one of the 2020 Space Launch patches for his brag vest.  We have several scouts who watched the launch and thought a group order would be the best way to commemorate this occasion. First launch in 9 years! So cool!  Thank you again to Suzie for coordinating this for the Unit.  Email Suzie HERE Patches are $3 each and can be paid for via Venmo or contact her for other arrangements. 

Deadline to order is AUGUST 7

Interested in Scouting?

Jump on August 8 at 10am Central Time and join the adventure with us!

Share with your friends and join us online!

Ranger Rick

I may be dating myself here but I remember being excited for my Ranger Rick magazine when I was a kid. It encouraged me to explore.  The magazine is still available today and while it has subscriptions suited for younger children (the "Junior" edition) as well as your traditional Ranger Rick, they also have a website full of fun information you can let your little explorers dive into. 

CHECK OUT RANGER RICK RIGHT HERE

But first, you might want to make sure they've earned their CYBER CHIP!  What's the Cyber Chip?  Why... I'm so glad you asked!

Long gone are the days of the "be home before the sun goes down" kind of parenting that a lot of us grew up with. Unfortunately, however, the more kids are inside, the more inclined they are to engage in some kind of online, electronic activity. I'm sure we've all seen news reports about cyber bullying, online security, location services on devices, geotagging of photos and social networking predators. It would be nice to think these topics won't impact our youth, but we need to be proactive and realize that we are in the thick of it! We must protect them.

Crazy fact - did you know that over 5 MILLION Facebook users are actually kids under the age of 10 even though the age limit to even have an account is 13?

If you have a pulse, you've likely heard of.... Minecraft or Roblox or even Fortnight. I know many Scouts absolutely LOVE watching YouTube videos that have to do with these gaming platforms. However, if you think for a second that they should watch these unsupervised, you're in for a shock. Unless you disconnect the chat feature, it's a perfect tool for a predator to groom your child. Predators use clickbait to lure victims to watch material that is anything but age appropriate for Cub Scouts or adults for that matter!  FortNight and Roblox have both been exposed time and time again for being a candystore for predators.

More and more children have their own electronic devices allowing them even greater access to a whole world that is not the most friendly to the eyes, heart and especially to the spirit and character of our children.

With the electronic world aimed against us, how can parents teach our children internet safety principles?

In partnership with NetSmartz®, the Boy Scouts of America developed the Cyber Chip program. Along the same lines of how the Whittling Chip is designed to teach the boys pocketknife safety, the Cyber Chip is designed to teach them internet safety. There are BSA Cyber Chip requirements for boys in grades 1-3, grades 4-5 so your Cub Scouts are covered! In fact, there are programs available from grades 1 - 12! Even if your children aren’t in Cub Scouts, you can still take advantage of NetSmartz’s awesome programming.

Each Cyber Chip level covers topics such as cyber bullying, cell phone use, texting, blogging, gaming and identity theft. To earn the Cyber Chip, Cub Scouts sign an Internet Safety Pledge, watch an age-appropriate online video and share what they’ve learned with their den or den leader. Older boys complete additional activities.

Once they present their completion certificate to their den leaders, they will earn their Cyber Chip which is a temporary patch to be worn on their uniform. (It's pictured at the top of this post.)

The Cyber Chip expires annually. Scouts are required to “recharge” the chip each year by returning to the NetSmartz® website for their grade and completing the recharge requirements (at the bottom for their required grade). Grades 1-3 have their own experience, Grades 4-5 have another, 6-8 have another and grades 9-12 have their own as well. This keeps the information relevant and age-appropriate. Upon this completion, they'll be presented with a recharged pin to wear on their patch.

It is definitely hard to navigate these waters, but we have a responsibility to keep our kids safe and we can only do that by first educating ourselves. By encouraging our kids to participate in programs like the Cyber Chip, we are taking steps to ensure they are equipped with the tools to keep them and their friends and siblings safe.

If your Scout has already completed his/her Cyber Chip and you want to mix it up a little, there's a new award called the Protect Yourself Rules Adventure Loop. This can either be earned as an elective or in place of the Cyber Chip for one year.    You can read all about this new adventure loop for our program and all of the requirements RIGHT HERE.

Cyber safety -- it's all of our jobs! It’s never too early to begin talking about it with your children. Start your conversation today and help them earn this awesome temporary patch that can be worn with their uniform -- the Cyber Chip, their recharter pin OR the new adventure loop!

Happy Father's Day

A big shout out to all of the awesome dads that make up the true workhorse behind Pack 1910. Without you, we would be lost! Sometimes we perceive many benchmark holidays as fabrications by the flower, jewelry or candy companies for the obligatory "atta boy" shout outs but I believe Father's Day is a day that we should all recognize the important contributions that fathers make to their families.

A girl's first prince, a boy's first hero. A builder of self-confidence, a strong and valiant leader. A father sets the stage on what his children will mirror in being a future leader and role model.

We celebrate those dads that jump in with both feet and take an active role in parenting by being present. Your presence IS a present! By attending school functions, sports practices as well as helping supervise camping trips and even den meetings... we all thank you and wish you a Happy Father's Day!

Pack 1910 Gives Back to the Community!

The 9th point of the Scout Law reads "A Scout is Thrifty." Pack 1910 believes that every Scout who chooses to be part of the BSA (or any organization) needs to learn the value of hard work to pay their way in Scouting or even in life.

Scouting, like anything, comes with costs... uniforms, gear, membership registrations, summer camps, day camps, events and the like. However, we know you don't become responsible leaders and adults by expecting to have everything given to you. We know that there is a great deal of personal satisfaction and growth in knowing that you did something yourself. That teaches pride. That teaches responsibility... setting and reaching goals. It's an amazing process to equip tomorrow's future leaders with the tools for success through a program like Scouting.

Therefore, each year, Pack 1910 participates in a fundraiser coordinated by Longhorn Council which enables us to provide that unique opportunity for our Scouts.  While our Unit's biggest fundraiser to pay for Pack equipment, event registration fees, camping fees, and to provide scholarships, awards and supplies has always been the annual popcorn campaign, this particular program allows Scouts to have a direct impact on their ability to reach THEIR own fundraising goals all by themselves.

However, this year was a little different.  This year we had Covid-19 shut down our opportunities. We couldn't meet in person. We couldn't establish points of sale. We had to quarantine. So leadership regrouped and, after discussion, decided to use this unique opportunity as a way to thank our first responders in our own back yard.

Our Scouts and Scouters turned this from a personal fundraiser to an opportunity to give back.  We put out the call and YOU ANSWERED!  For every ScoutSaver purchased, all of the proceeds were donated to purchase another ScoutSaver... and everyone chose to donate ALL their cards to the Keller Fire Department and the Keller Police Department. This wasn't about the Scouts -- it was about the community.

Today, our Cubmaster, Michael Ford, and his family were able to present Pack 1910's ScoutSaver donation to Keller Police Department (socially distanced, of course) with the sincere gratitude of our Unit, families and friends with the message that we love our first responders and we thank them for their service to our community.

THIS is what Scouting is all about!  Great job Pack 1910.