Calendar Updated

Reminder: The Pack Calendar is at the bottom of the page (scroll down to see it).

I've updated the calendar with all of the currently-scheduled District and Council activities for the rest of 2009 and 2010.

Highlights for the kids include:

• Tiger in the Woods (Arboretum, 11/21/09)
• District and Council Pinewood Derby Events (3/20 and 5/1)
• Cub Scout Spring Campout (4/30 - 5/2)
• District Cub Scout Day Camp (7/12-7/16)
• Webelos Resident Camp (7/15 - 7/18)
• Webelos Woods (9/24-9/26)

Highlights for the adults include:

• Monthly District Roundtables (2nd Thursday)
• Monthly District Committee meetings (1st Thursday)
• District Training Workshop (1/30)
• Trainer's Edge (3/13)
• Wood Badge Weekends (4/23-4/25 and 5/14-5/16)
• Outdoor Leader Training (6/4-6/5 and 9/24-9/25)
• 2010 Popcorn Drive (Sept-Oct 2010)

Mark your family calendars!

Next meeting: TRAINING! (date/time confirmed)

Our next Pack meeting will be Tuesday, November 3, 6:30-7:30pm in the Cafeteria at the school.

Leaders - all of you - please be especially sure to attend. Martin has arranged for some District folks to be there to do some training on how to run Den and Pack meetings. There will also be more formal, position-specific training on November 20 (I believe).

We also need 2-3 parent volunteers to lead some organized activities for the boys. Martin and I will arrange the activities and provide materials. All the parents need to do is actually implement. These should not be Leaders, since they need to be in the training.

To volunteer, please comment here or email me.

10/20 Meeting Results

Here's the results of the 10/20 meeting, as I have been told.

First, the pack as a whole has settled on meeting 3x/month, on the second, third, and fourth Tuesdays. The Pack meeting will be the 4th Tuesday. Nominally, these meetings will be at 6:30pm at the school, but we may have to move some due to conflicts.

Second, the Tiger, Wolf and Bear dens have settled on a "shared leadership" model, where several of the parents will take turns leading the meetings. We still need a nominal or "on paper" Den Leader for each den to come to Pack planning meetings and coordinate the sharing amongst the other parents. All of the parents who are leading the meetings need to be registered officially as either Den Leaders or Assistant Den Leaders. This provides liability and insurance protection for the boys, the parents and the pack.

Having said that, we have Sheli Mays and Jason Stevens as Den Leaders for the Wolf and Webelos Dens. Bears and Tigers, someone please step up. It's very little incremental work.

Third, Martin was unable to get a pack started at Athens-Chilesburg Elementary, so he is directing those parents our way. He has five adult volunteers, including one Pack Committee member, two Assistant Den Leaders for Tigers, and one each Assistant Den Leader for Bear and Wolf. I believe he also got 4 additional Webelos boys, so that Den is now "full".

I'll be posting separately about the next meeting.

Pack leadership so far:

• Chartered Org. Rep: Mark Underwood
• Acting Pack Committee Chair: Mark Underwood (open)
• Secretary: (open)
• Treasurer: Teri Chrisco
• Other Pack Committee: 1 volunteer
• Pack Trainer: Gloria Jean Williams
• Cubmaster: (open)
• Asst. Cubmster: (open)
• Webelos Den Leader: Jason Stevens
• Webelos Asst. Den Leader: (open)
• Bear Den Leader: (open)
• Bear Asst. Den Leader: 4 volunteers
• Wolf Den Leader: Sheli Mays
• Wolf Asst. Den Leader: 3 volunteers
• Tiger Den Leader: (open)
• Tiger Asst. Den Leader: several volunteers

Please comment below or email me with corrections, additional info, or... comments.

Thank you Volunteers!

A quick shout-out to the parents who have volunteered so far!

• Webelos Den Leader: Jason Stevens
• Tiger Den Leader: Pretty much the whole den...
• Pack Trainer: Gloria Jean Williams
• Treasurer: Teri Chrisco

I also have a potential volunteer for the Wolf Den Leader, but she hasn't confirmed yet, so I'll announce after she says "yes" for certain.

Thank you all for volunteering to lead the Pack and provide a quality program for your boys!

Critical positions left to fill:

• Bear Den Leader
• Assistant Den Leaders (Wolf/Bear/Webelos)
• Secretary
• Cubmaster
• Assistant Cubmaster

We also need a few more Pack Committee members in addition to the Secretary and Treasurer. I can serve as interim Pack Committee Chair, but if someone else would like that spot...

Open positions on the Pack Committee include Advancement, Public Relations, Outings, Membership / Registration, and Friends Of Scouting (fundraising).

Also, if anyone is handy with woodworking, the Pack could use some portable flagpoles and bases, and a Pinewood Derby track.

Next Meeting: BRING YOUR BOYS!

Tuesday, October 20, 6:30-7:30pm

Liberty Elementary Cafeteria

Next week we will have a third parent planning meeting. This time, we will have organized activities for the boys, including starting on the Bobcat rank requirements.

The rest of us grownups will continue work on organizing and planning the pack.

We are in need of Den Leaders and Assistant Den Leaders for the Wolf and Bear Dens, and an Assistant Webelos Den Leader. We also need a Cubmaster and some Pack Committee members.

Please consider whether you can serve in one of these roles, and respond to me (Mark Underwood) as soon as possible.

Directions to the Council Office and Scout Shop

The Council office and Scout Shop are located at 3473 Yorkshire Medical Park, just off Richmond Road outside Man O' War. Take a left at the second stop light beyond Man O' War (towards Jacobson Park), then take the first left on Dabney Dr. The Council Office is the red brick plantation-style building nestled behind the medcial offices. The building and a marquee sign should be visible from Richmond Road.

You can get and turn in application forms there, as well as buy uniforms, handbooks, patches, and a variety of neat stuff.


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What your boy needs

Many of you have had questions about just what you need to do to get your boy into the pack. There are three basic things that are required:

• Youth Application and Registration Fee
• Cub Scout Handbook
• Uniform

Youth Application Form and Registration Fee

These are available at the Bluegrass Council office, or we will have them available at all Pack and Den meetings. This provides basic information on the boy and registers him as a member of the Pack. Fees are $23 for Tiger Cubs (1st grade) and $21 for all other Cubs. The fee covers National registration and insurance for the boy (the extra $2 for Tigers insures the Adult Partner).

Fees for this "year" are somewhat higher than the usual annual fee because we are registering through December 2010, and so must cover three additional months.

The form and money can be turned in at any Pack or Den meeting, or at any time at the Council Office.

Tiger/Wolf/Bear/Webelos Handbook

These are $10, and available at the Council office. They contain all of the requirements the boy will need for rank advancement, activity badges, and so on. Also included is a Parents section to help explain your role in the program. This is a very important part, and should probably be picked up in the first month or so. This is also an item that we may discuss having the Pack purchase (or subsidize) for the boys once we get some fundraising done.

There are different handbooks for each Den (grade level), so be sure you get the right one:

• First Grade: Tiger Cub
• Second Grade: Wolf Cub
• Third Grade: Bear Cub
• Fourth/Fifth Grade: Webelos

Uniform

The uniform is an important part of Scouting, as it fosters unity and pride of membership, provides a place for the boy to display his achievements (rank, etc.), and reminds the boy of his commitments to the Pack and the ideals of Scouting. I know that when I wear my uniform shirt, I tend to stand a little straighter and watch what I say, knowing that my actions reflect upon the Pack, my boys, and BSA in general. This is a good lesson for the boys to learn.

Unfortunately, it's rather expensive. The basic shirt and patches, purchased new, will run about $30. The full-kit uniform including cap, pants, socks, belt and all can run to $75 or more. Used shirts are often available at Goodwill and other places.

I'd recommend everyone try to have at least the shirt, neckerchief and slide for the boy by the first of the year, so that he can wear his shirt to the Blue and Gold banquet. In the meantime, a Navy blue shirt or Cub Scout T-shirt will suffice to provide the "team" spirit and the all-important color matching on group outings.

While the importance of a uniform is not to be underestimated, I think this is an area where the Cub Scout motto "Do your best" must be remembered. No boy will be excluded from the Pack for lack of a uniform if I have anything to say about it (nor do I believe BSA would argue with me on that point). There is some financial help available for those in need, but this is also an excellent place for the boy to learn some responsibility by earning money for his uniform, perhaps by doing some extra chores, helping a neighbor, or working extra hard on Pack fundraising activities. A uniform that is earned can be worn with an extra bit of pride in accomplishment.

Uniform Components

Now that I've mentioned the uniform and its importance, here is a list of its parts, in order of priority of need (as I see it), along with an estimated retail price from the Scout Shop:

• Shirt (short or long sleeved) ($25)
• Council Patch ($5)
• Pack Numerals ($1.20 each x4 = $4.80)
• World Scouting Crest Patch ($1.50)
• Neckerchief and Slide ($10 together)
• Cap ($13)
• Pants or Shorts ($17)
• Belt ($10)
• Socks ($6)

Prices may vary depending on exactly what you by. Webelos (4th or 5th grade) have the option of wearing either the Cub Scout Blue/Gold uniform or the Boy Scout Khaki/Olive uniform (with Webelos-specific badges). The decision of which color scheme to go with should probably be a Den decision, so everyone wears the same thing.

Uniforms are available from the Scout Shop (directions below), online at http://www.scoutstuff.org, or used from Goodwill and other places.

Directions to the Scout Shop / Council Office

All of the stuff above (application forms, handbooks and uniforms) are available in the Scout Shop, located at the Bluegrass Council office, 3473 Yorkshire Medical Park, Lexington KY

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Calendar Added to Blog

There's a new Google Calendar added to the bottom of the blog. Scroll down to see it. You can also click on events to see details!

Next Meeting: 10/13 6:30pm Eagle Creek Library

Our next Cub Scout meeting will be Tuesday, October 13 at 6:30pm, at the Eagle Creek Library.

This will be a "Parent Meeting". If you haven't signed your boy up yet, you can. We'll be discussing Pack planning, leadership assignments, goals and other such things. I'd like to wrap things up by 8:00 at the latest, but we have the room until closing if necessary.

You are welcome to bring your boy, but the meeting is likely to be full of boring "grownup stuff", so come armed with homework, game boy, book, or whatever for his entertainment. Or let him stay at home. He won't miss anything.

If we could have an enterprising parent or two volunteer to bring an activity for any boys that attend, that would be handy (HINT HINT).

Call or email with questions if you need.

We have a Pack Number!

We now have a pack number assigned to us! We will be Pack #1221, which happens to be the same unit number as the Girl Scout Troop that also meets at Liberty. I hope that is acceptable to all.

Family Involvement

Just a few comments about family involvement in Cub Scouts. Family is the core of the Cub Scout program, and so involvement of family members is a crucial part of the Pack's success. The way the family interacts with the Cub, the Den and the Pack varies depending on the boy's age, though.

In the following discussion, please interpret the word "parent" as it best suits your particular family. The "parent" could be a birth parent, stepparent, grandparent, guardian, adult cousin, involved neighbor, aunt, uncle, or pastor. It is the person (or people) who cares about the boy and wants to help him succeed in Scouting whom the family designates to work with the boy. Likewise with "family" ...

Pack Meetings:

Pack meetings are fun events for the whole family. All family members are invited - nay, encouraged - to attend. The monthly Pack meeting is where the boys are presented awards, achievements and rank recognition. The boys present skits, plays, songs, and demonstrations that they have worked on in their den meetings. It is vitally important that the family is represented at these meetings. If you don't believe me, go watch the Disney movie "UP", and pay close attention to Russell. Especially at the end. Please make time to attend the Pack meetings.

Tiger Cubs:

The Tiger Cub program, designed for 1st graders, is centered around a team of a boy and an "Adult Partner". The Adult Partner is expected to attend all den meetings, and the achievements are designed around in-den partnered work between the boy and his Adult Partner. In addition, each Adult Partner will work with the Den Leader for at least one month (in turn) per year to "host" the Den meeting. This helps the Den Leader, and also allows each boy in turn to have a leadership role in the Den.

Wolf and Bear Cubs:

Wolf (2nd grade) and Bear (3rd grade) Cubs are growing older and becoming more independent, so the roles shift a bit. Den meetings are boys-only (parents are welcome, but not required), and centered around projects and activities. Advancement work is instead done at home with the parent. This allows the boys to develop independence and teamwork while still having a close working relationship with the parent. It is very, very important that each parent work with the boy to help him earn his advancement requirements.

Webelos:

Webelos boys are yet another stage older and more independent, and are preparing to transition to Boy Scouts. Advancement work becomes more independent work, and is done both in the Den meeting and independently at home. The parent becomes more of an advisor and encourager, as is appropriate for the older boy. Parents are still encouraged to attend Den and Pack activities, and are required for overnight campouts and events.

As you can see, the role of parent and family is key to the success of the Cub Scout, and by extension, of the Pack. But the role also changes as the boy grows in his maturity, independence, and abilities.

Great Turnout!

We had a wonderful turnout for Tuesday's Kickoff meeting. 22 boys signed up, plus four boys who were old enough to go straight into Boy Scouts. We also had several adults either volunteer to be leaders or indicate that they would consider taking a position.

We will be having a followup meeting very soon to organize the Pack leadership. Tenatively, this meeting is set for Tuesday, October 13 at 6:30pm in the school cafeteria. I will send an email and post here when that is confirmed (still checking availability at the school).

Note that this meeting is "parents only" in the sense that we will be doing a lot of "grownup" stuff and it will likely be very boring for the boys. I'm not sure yet whether we will have any organized activities to keep them entertained. If you want or need to bring your boy, you may want to have him bring some homework or his GameBoy or whatever, just in case.

The Agenda for next week's meeting, loosely, will be as follows:

• Introductions
• Solicitation of Volunteers
• Assignment of Den Leaders, Pack Committee, etc.
• Meeting times/places/dates
• Fundraising
• Outings, activities and ideas
• Other questions

I look forward to seeing you there!