PACK 1323 Cubscouter Newsletter July 2011 Official Newsletter of Pack 1323 Please Print out and hand this newsletter to your Cub Scout! IN THIS ISSUE CALENDAR OF EVENTS st th Cubmaster’s July 31 -Aug 6 2011– NCAC Scout Camp Goshen Virginia – Campfire……………….…...Page 2 Webelos I & Webelos II only A Knot for everyone……… Page 4 July – Tree Climbing Event – Further details to come. Walking Tall – Looking Good: Pack Committee meeting - July 27th. - 7:30pm Uniform guides and tricks…………………. Page 5 th July 29 – TBD Uniform Bank……………. Page 6 August - TBA PACK 1323 goes shipboard in the 1860’s…………………..…. Page 7 Sept. 9th - 1st Pack Meeting of the Year Wolf’s work on Leave No Trace Sept. 30th – Oct. 2nd 2011 – Gettysburg Heritage Trail Camping challenge. …………...……. Page 7 Trip – Fun for scouts of all ranks. Farewell to Tamalynn Custer as Editor of our Newsletter. …………………………….. Page 8 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Cubmaster’s Campfire Greetings Pack Families, This will be my last Cub Masters Campfire as your Cubmaster as I am stepping down I favor of bringing in new leadership to insure the Pack’s future. My replacement is Greg Martinez and I couldn’t be happier to see the Pack being carried on in such capable hands. After being Cubmaster for several years I can say that it has definitely been one of the most rewarding and enjoyable experiences in my life. I have seen the Pack grow considerably and the current Den and Pack leaders will insure that the pack grows even further. I take my leave to spend the last year of cub scouting leading the Webelos II scouts to their bridging to Boy Scouts and for some of them their highest achievement as Cub Scouts; the Arrow of Light. I have always maintained that for cub scouts no higher award can be earned that the Arrow of Light and they will carry it into Boy Scouts with honor and respect. To attain this award a scout must do the following: “Many of the requirements for the Arrow of Light are intended to familiarize the scout with a local troop and hopefully show him that crossing over into a troop is the next step to take in scouting. A scout that earns his Arrow of Light patch has also completed nearly all the requirements to earn the Scout badge in the troop so he has already begun his Boy Scout trail. 1. Be active in your Webelos den for at least six months since completing the fourth grade (or for at least six months since becoming 10 years old), and earn the Webelos badge. 2. Show your knowledge of the requirements to become a Boy Scout by doing all of these: Repeat from memory and explain in your own words the Scout Oath or Promise and the 12 points of the Scout Law. Tell how you have practiced them in your everyday life. Give and explain the Scout motto, slogan, sign, salute, and handshake. Understand the significance of the First Class Scout badge. Describe its parts and tell what each stands for. Tell how a Boy Scout uniform is different from a Webelos Scout uniform. Tie the joining knot (square knot) 3. See the Boy Scout Study Guide. Use this handy Memorization Wheel to learn and review the Scout Oath, Law, Motto, Slogan, and Outdoor Code. 4. Earn five more activity badges in addition to the three you already earned for the Webelos badge. These must include: Fitness (already earned for the Webelos badge) Citizen (already earned for the Webelos badge) Readyman Outdoorsman At least one from the Mental Skills Group At least one from the Technology Group Two more of your choice 5. With your Webelos den, visit at least one Boy Scout troop meeting one Boy Scout-oriented outdoor activity. (If you have already done this when you earned your Outdoorsman activity badge, you may not use it to fulfill requirements for your Arrow of Light Award.) 2 Participate in a Webelos overnight campout or day hike. (If you have already done this when you earned your Outdoorsman activity badge, you may not use it to fulfill requirements for your Arrow of Light Award requirements.) 6. After you have completed all five of the above requirements, and after a talk with your Webelos den leader, arrange to visit, with your parent or guardian, a meeting of a Boy Scout troop you think you might like to join. Have a conference with the Scoutmaster. 7. Complete the Honesty Character Connection. 8. Know: Say the Cub Scout Promise to your family. Discuss these questions with them. What is a promise? What does it mean to keep your word? What does it mean to be trustworthy? What does honesty mean? 9. Commit: Discuss these questions with your family. Why is a promise important? Why is it important for people to trust you when you give your word? When might it be difficult to be truthful? List examples. It is not an easy accomplishment and is one which when completed is second only to earning ones Eagle Scout. Those who wear the Arrow of Light award are set apart when they enter Boy Scouts as those who have completed the Cub Scout program and join an elite group of scouts which others will always respect. They are to uphold the very best that scouting has to offer and will often come back to help the Pack with peer level leadership as Den Chiefs. So for me this deserves special attention to spend time with only this den. I will still be with the Pack until next year when our Webelos become Boy Scouts. So I am available to help the pack leadership if they should need it. I thank all of our pack parents for making scouting special for our boys, you have never failed to help the pack and everyone in a leadership position here appreciates it. Roger Thor Roop Ex-Cubmaster of Pack 1323 Webelos II Den Leader GREETINGS FROM OUR NEW CUBMASTER: MR. MARTINEZ I look forward to working with Pack 1323 as the new Cub Master. I plan to increase the Pack's level of community service and parent involvement. Over the summer we will have at least one Pack event planned each month. I think that Nick Keeler from my Den provided the best attribute for me this year. He said to his grandfather Wayne "That Greg he's tough but fair". I hope that you will find that. The Scout Committee will do every thing to ensure a great year for your scouts. If you have any questions or concerns please contact me. I would like to thank Ed Custer for his contributions to the Pack over the past several months as the Outings/Hiking Coordinator. He certainly provided events the Pack may not have entertained. As Ed is leaving that is one more spot that we need a parent to step up and help with. If you are interested please contact me. I would like to thank Tamalynn Custer for writing the Scout newsletter over the past year. As Tamalynn will not be writing it this year we require a parent to step up and assist. If there is someone who would like to be in charge of the newsletter please contact me. Have a great summer! Thanks. Greg Cubmaster of Pack 1323 Bear Den Leader 3 A Knot for everyone By Roger Thor Roop, Webelos II Den Leader One is never too young to learn to tie knots and starting early will prepare a you for bright future in scouting and life in general. It is empowering to know how to tie a knot and even more so when you consider the fact that it can help to save lives. So let us start off simple and do the knot that is shown above. Question 1: What is the knot above called? Answer: It is the Arrow of Light Knot, which is the highest award issued in the Cub Scouts. It is represented as a tied Square Knot. The SQUARE KNOT, also called the REEF KNOT, is an ideal selection for tying two lines of the same size together so they will not slip. To tie a square knot, first bring the two ends of the line together and make an overhand knot. Then form another overhand knot in the opposite direction, as shown in figure 1. NOTE: A good rule to follow for a square knot is left over right and right over left. When tying a square knot, make sure the two overhand knots are parallel. ‘his means that each running end must come out parallel to the standing part of its own line. If your knot fails to meet this test, you have tied what is known as a “granny.” A granny knot should NEVER be used; it is unsafe because it will slip under strain. A true square knot instead of slipping under strain will only draw tighter. The TRICK is that you should be able to slide the loops down the length of line easily, but cinch them tightly together again. Walking Tall & Looking Good: Uniform guides and tricks. By Roger Thor Roop Nothing is better representative of a dedication to scouting than a scout in full class A uniform. There is a lot of confusion for a new scout and his parents when he first joins the pack. So This series of articles will help explain the Pack’s policy along with the policies set forth by the Boy Scouts of America. To understand this better lets looks at the common uniform standards as established by the BSA.