It's FALL

My last post was in May, so what happened to summer?? Pack 365 had a great summer, with most scouts participating in hikes, Adopt-a-Greenway, Resident Camp, Cub-Adult Overnighters, Cub Scout Day Camp, a Bike Rodeo (x2), and a Scout Year Kick-Off pool party. In fact, you guys earned the Summertime Pin, and helped the Pack earn the National Summertime Award!

Now a new year is in full force. We have a record number of Tiger Cubs, creating for the first time TWO Tiger dens! With these Tigers come enthusiastic and involved adult partners!

We're holding Popcorn sales (which are going great!), and we've already been camping. The Webelos 2s went to the Council Camporee with Troop 365 (thank you Troop!), and the rest of the scouts did family camping at Falls Lake. The weekend was perfect! mid-70's during the day for activities, mid-50s at night for campfire, cinnamon roles, and S'mores.

The W2s spent their time pioneering, geocaching, and rope tying, among other things. 5 of them participated in a 6 am 5k run!

So, where does this put us? Well, we're stronger than ever, and poised to make this our best year ever! As a Cubmaster, I couldn't ask for a better group of scouts, adults, or leaders!

Keep the momentum up, and participate as much as you can. Our focus is on these boys, and it takes everyone, Charter Organization, Pack Committee, leaders, and adult partners to make it work.

Is It Spring, Summer, or WHAT!?

Today marked another fun District Hike. This one was at Anderson Point Park (sound familiar, Scouts?). Originally planned to be a 9.2 mile hike, Mother Nature's 92 degrees and 90% humidity concluded our tagging along (or should I say wagging along) dogs preferred the shorter, less than 1.5 mile hike culminating with doggy paddling in the Neuse River!

These hikes run throughout the scout year, and have been planned to give a scout the opportunity to reach 100 miles in hiking to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the BSA.

Many of the same hikers return each month, and I find it a time of fellowship and fun. I enjoy not just getting the scouts (or my dog, who is the brunt of some fat dog jokes!) out in nature, and we have had some spectacular hikes, but I also enjoy the conversations I have with my peers from other units across the Neuse River District. If you've missed these hikes, don't worry, our District Commissioner has next year all lined up!

We are getting ready to enter the summer months, and our pack will slow down a little...but just a little. Look forward to Mudcats games, Scout Day Camp, Webelos and Cub Resident Camps, Quad-Pack event, and so much more!! True, we won't have weekly den meetings and monthly pack meetings, but we'll get plenty of chances to be together!

BUT, there's still a few weeks before graduation....but then, SUMMER!

Looking Back - Reaching Forward

We're back from camping. We arrived on Friday evening, April 9 and left about 11 am Sunday. The Neuse River District is one of thirteen districts in the Occoneechee Council in Central North Carolina. It has about 70 Scouting units. There were about 1600 scouts, leaders, and family members in attendance.

The weather during the day was fantastic...blue skies, low humidity, and temperatures in the mid-70s. Nights were cooler, upper 30s to lower 40s.

The scouts and their siblings participated in crafts, team building games, orienteering, BB guns, and some archery. A few also had a chance to fish a little at the campsite. One small brim was caught! We also had a Civil War camp re-enactment and rocket displays.

You see, the theme for this centennial camporee was "Looking Back - Reaching Forward." So many of the activities reflected past or future topics. I think one of the high lights was a visit by C3PO and R2D2 of Star Wars fame (I like needed to identify the movie!). Now, these weren't just ANY 'droids, these are two that Lucasfilm, Ltd., officially endorses and hires to portray the team at Star Wars promotional events ALL OVER THE WORLD. So they were the REAL DEAL!! I don't know about the kids, but I was a bit ga-ga!

The litmus test for how successful the event was came from a new scout parent and a new scout. The parent had her cell phone off the whole time and didn't even know what time it was, and the scout proclaimed the first day, "This is paradise!"

What else can I say?

Looking Back, Moving Forward

What an evening! Tonight 7 boys became young men in a Bridging Court of Honor. I know I speak for all the leaders in both Pack and Troop 365 when I say how proud I am of:

Luke
Camden
Grayson
Stephen
Keith
Matthew
Hunter

I've watched you boys grow over the past four years. You're taller, stronger, smarter, more independent, and ready for Boy Scouts.

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your lives.


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Rain Man

So, I spent the day at a very informative workshop titled Trainers Development Conference (aka Train the Trainer) and, as a result, have had to miss our Webelos Overnighter.

Now, on the surface, this may not be a big deal. BUT, it's the first camping trip involving our unit that I've missed in my four year association with it. Add to that it's my oldest son's first Webelos Overnighter.

Blow number one: when I gently explained to my ten year old that I would have to miss it, and was he OK with that, he answered, "That's OK, Dad. We're supposed to be camping like Boy Scouts, so I'll have to get used to you not being there anyway. I'll be fine!"

Great.

I was able to drop in for supper (tasty Hobos) and desert (incredible cobbler). It was clear the boys were in fact doing just fine.

Blow number two: one of my leaders (supposed to be my friend :-) points out that the weather has been either freezing or rainy on every camping trip. We have speculated the last couple years who's to blame for the weather, and he mentions how great the weather has been today.

Then he points out my absence.

Nice.

What do I do now? Naturally I try to figure out who ELSE is missing this weekend, so I can blame THAT person!

Say, this is the first time my wife has missed, and it isn't rainy or freezing! Maybe it's HER fault!

Of course, I would NEVER consider pushing the blame on my wonderful wife...

No, wait, she missed another camping trip when it got down to 19.

Oh well.

--------UPDATE---------
I wish this wasn't the case, but it rained overnight. I guess it's NOT me, afterall.


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What Scout Leaders Do

(Adapted from Taylor Mali’s “What Teachers Make”)


The dinner guests were sitting around a table discussing life. One man, a CEO of a large corporation, while complaining about the quality of recent college graduates he'd hired, decided to explain the problem with young people today.

He argued, "Kids these days don't have respect for others, it's all about themselves. What are they learning today? Look at America's youth activities, like Scouting. I mean, really, what's a kid going to learn from someone who lives his childhood vicariously through our youth, while parading around in knee socks and shorts and spending what small money he makes on patches and t-shirts?"

He reminded the other dinner guests what they say, "Those who can, do. Those who can't, get left in the dust." Then he said, "I can and do."

To emphasize his point he said to another guest, “You're a Scout leader, Brad. Be honest. What good do you really do for our kids?”

Brad, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, “You want to know what I do?”

He paused for a second, then began...

“Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.

I make a crooked bird house feel like the Biltmore Estate.

I make kids hike 5 miles when their parents can't make them walk to the mailbox.

You want to know what I do?” He paused again and looked at each and every person at the table.

''I make kids wonder.

I make them question.

I make them apologize and mean it.

I make them have respect for others and take responsibility for their actions.

I teach them to help strangers.

I teach them to remember a promise and a law that they will be able to recite when they are 40.

I help them to be Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.

I make them tie knots, and more knots, and more knots.

I make them plan meals and activities for camping out in the woods, and not in front of the TV.

I make scouts from other countries learn everything they need to know in English while preserving their unique cultural identity and sharing it with their Troop.

I make my camp a place where all my Scouts feel safe.

I make my Scouts stand, saluting, to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, One Nation Under God, because we live in the United States of America.

I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life.

I make earning Tenderfoot feel like a home run, and Eagle like the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Brad paused one last time and then continued.

"Then, when people try to judge me by what I do or wear, with me knowing money and looks isn't everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant...

You want to know what I do?

I MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

What do you do?”



The CEO had no response.

Blue and Gold, Arrows of Life

For those of you tied into Facebook, you've seen my post. But I don't want to leave anyone out.

I was asked earlier this month what my proudest moment in scouting was. My first thought was earning my Wood Badge beads. That lasted about 2 seconds. My next thought was the Cubmaster Knot. I moved on to a third moment, draping new neckerchiefs around the shoulders of advancing scouts. Then I thought of rank advancements, Arrows of Light, successfully tied knots, a sudden burst of manners, a proudly worn uniform on an enthusiastic scout.

Then I went back to the Cubmaster Knot.

Note I didn't say "my" Cubmaster Knot. It's not really mine. It belongs to every scout, every Akela, every leader, and everyone outside of scouting that supports scouting.

Not to have a moment of conceit, but to emphasize it's place of importance: I replaced my framed Instructor of the Year certificate with the framed Cubmaster Knot certificate.

What is the proudest moment in Scouting for me? Each moment a scout walks into a scout event.

This week I am proud of all our scouts, but I would like to especially mention the eight guests of honor from our 2010 Arrow of Light Court of Honor: Matthew, Hunter, Camden, Luke, Stephen, Keith, Grayson, and Patrick.

Thank you, boys, you make Scouting what it is today. Journey on, Scouts!

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Honor Unit Designation 2010

Today I dropped off our application to be named an Occoneechee Honor Unit. Read below the information regarding this recognition. We achieved all items in each area except for part B item #3. 8 and 9 are troop level. 8 completed items are required. We completed 16!

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The Occoneechee Honor Unit designation, and the accompanying Gold Card, is earned by completing the following requirements during a calendar year, beginning January 1 and ending December 31. Benefits are for one year and are applied to the immediately following calendar year. To earn the Gold Card for additional years, the unit must meet the criteria and turn in another application for each year. The unit leader should check the boxes on the application form (available below) and, with the Unit Committee Chair, sign and date the bottom of the form, then submit the form to the Council office by February 15, 2010.

Benefits - Units that earn Honor Unit status will:
Be recognized at the Council Recognition Banquet and in Scout Sign;
Receive a special Occoneechee Council Honor Unit banner for their flag;
Receive at no cost all rank advancement patches earned by its members and applied for by the unit during the calendar year the card is active (does not include merit badges; does include Eagle);
Have general use camping fees for Camp Durant waived for the calendar year in which the card is active.
Future benefits as designated by the Council.

The following three items are required for all units:
1) Recharter on time;
2) Have at least two (2) registered adults, including the unit leader, be fully trained for their position;
3) Have at least three (3) registered adults, including the unit leader, hold current Youth Protection training certification.

Complete both sections A and B:
Section A: Complete any 2 of the following during the year of the application:
1) Have a Friends of Scouting presentation by a Council representative during the current calendar year;
2) Take part in the Council popcorn sales;
3) Earn Quality Unit status.
Section B: Complete any 3 of the following during the year of the application:
1) If a Scout Troop, attend summer camp at Camp Durant, or if a Cub Pack, attend the Day Camp in your District or attend the Cub/Adult overnighter or WEBELOS resident camp at Camp Durant, or if Venture Crew, attend Venture Vortex;
2) Attend either a Council or District Camporee or Cub-o-ree;
3) Have at least one adult volunteer serve as a Campmaster for at least one weekend at the Occoneechee Scout Reservation;
4) Take part in a Good Turn for America service project;
5) Have at least one adult serve for at least 6 months on a District or Council committee;
6) Send at least one adult attend either Wood Badge, Powderhorn, National Camp School or take a course at Philmont Training Center;
7) Have at least 2 adults either attend the Occoneechee Council University of Scouting or become Climbing/Cope certified in the Council;
8) Have at least one adult serve on staff at Cub Day Camp, the University of Scouting, Wood Badge, National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT), Kodiak, Powderhorn or at Philmont;
9) Have at least one youth serve on Staff at Camp Durant or on staff at Wood Badge, NYLT, or Kodiak;
10) Send at least one youth to NYLT, National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience, or Kodiak

Campfires

Enjoyed an evening with the Troop around their campfire tonight.

There's something mesmerizing about a campfire. You know what I mean...flames dancing, embers glowing, good comradery. Warm and toasty on your face, hands and feet, but chilly on your back!

Then it's time to leave (tents for the Troop, home for us) and you feel the cold the moment you step away. Makes even the youngest scouts drowsy!

Thanks, scouts, for welcoming us into your camp tonight.







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"We must still be in Carolina!"

This is one of my favorite quotes from Irving Berlin's "White Christmas." I grew up watching the movie version with Bing Crosby and Danny Kay, and we still watch it today. Well, it's not Christmas, but it IS WHITE!

A friend at work observed that 49 of the 50 states have snow. Who is the lucky bugger getting a sun tan and surfing?? Hawaii, of course! Let's GO!!!

So, here we sit, watching the white stuff fall and cover everything (the driveway is holding out). I spoke with Troop 365's Scoutmaster and found they will be camping locally to better accommodate the Webelos IIs who will be spending the day with them. I guess the best thing (for us grown ups, anyway) is that Sunday should be clear and warm enough to allow the kids to go to school Monday (which is a snow MAKE-UP day for Wake County traditional calender!).

On another note: I was at the Council office today talking with the Registrar and discovered something I didn't know (not too unusual): Not only does our pack turn 10 this year, October 2, to be exact, but the troop turned 10 last month, January 7! This is definitely a year to celebrate!

Enjoy the snow, your weekend, be safe, and I'll see you Tuesday night.

Oh, and to answer the question, there is NO pack meeting this month, so enjoy your 4th Tuesday at home!

PS - In the time it has taken to write this, clean up the kitchen and put a load of wash in, it has snowed about a half inch!! It's packing nicely, too!!

Happy Birthday Boy Scouts of America!!

The new year is bringing us many great things. First is the 100th birthday of the Boy Scouts of America, incorporated this day in 1910.

This March recognizes the 10th anniversary of Pack 365.

So what has Boy Scouts (Cub Scouts) done for me that I didn't learn in kindergarten?

I can say that working with scouts and their families has been one of the high-lites of my adult life. I completed a questionnaire recently that asked me what my proudest moment in scouting has been. I had to think on that one. There have been several...watching my first son's first advancement in rank from Tiger to Wolf, then again when my youngest crossed that same stepping stone; earning my Wood Badge beads; being asked to join the staff of a Wood Badge course.

But I would have to say, while those are all proud moments, they are personal moments, mostly affecting my own family. No, what I determined is my proudest moment is when I kneel down and apply a new neckerchief on a scout who has just bridged to his next level in scouting.

You see, it's not just a new neckerchief, new challenges, or maybe completion of other challenges. No, it's the knowledge of what events have led to that scout crossing his bridge, whether from Tiger to Wolf or Webelos II to Boy Scout. Cub Scouting is a program to turn boys into young men, and Boy Scouting to young men into responsible grown men. Then, maybe, those grown men return that gift to a new Tiger Cub.

I believe that my personal achievements in my short scouting career have been the result of the program we serve, and not solely any efforts or work of my own. We do this for the boys. Period. What's the next proud moment? It starts with a parent coming to me to say how positive a difference scouting has made in his or her son. The boy they were a year before and the boy he is now is are two very different things. The they ask to be a registered leader. Wow, I get kinda goose-bumpy just thinking about it.

My friends, scouts and families, this is where it is at! There are many ways to have a positive influence on a youth. Scouting remains one of the definitive leaders. With its woven tapestry of leadership, discipline, religion, and FUN, Scouting provides one of the most complete learning experiences outside of the academic world. And the cost, by comparison even to public education, is rock bottom.

Now, I've placed scout program first because, as I said, that's where it is at. But I don't want to sell the adult program short. This was a wonderful surprise to me (I guess I should have realized that just a large institution would have ample educational opportunities for its leaders!). BSA offers new leader training (both online and in class), advanced training (Baloo, OLS fo Webelos Leaders, Safety Afloat, Hazardous Weather, Trainer Development Conference, Trainer's EDGE, University of Scouting, National Youth Leader Training, Philmont Scout Ranch, and the peak of Scout Leader training, Wood Badge. Although there are many, many more courses available).

Folks, not only are your sons (and daughters in Venturing Crews and Varsity Teams) availed of quality leadership, citizenship, and academic courses, but the men and women leading them are, as well.

It's easy to get excited and go on and on about the great things scouting has, can, and will do for our country's next leaders, so forgive me if I've gone long. I guess you could say scouting has thoroughly and perpetually permeated bones. I can think of many worse addictions!

Stuck in the House

It's amazing what you can rediscover when you're stuck at home due to the weather. The snow was pretty last night, fun to watch the boys make snowballs (not so much fun to get hit by them!!). But today it's freezing rain.

The news lauded the freezing rain as helping to keep snow accumulations down. That seems funny to me, as the snow will be much easier to work with, whilst the ice will bring down trees and power lines.

But enough of that...let's talk scouting.

My last entry was in September. At least it wasn't a whole year ago. I really like the idea of blogging, but I have difficulty making sure I do updates. I'll see what I can do (promises, promises).

Since September a lot has happened. Scouts have advanced to Bobcat and earned compass points, Santa has visited, and trophies have been won. We've had leaders recognized by their peers, and some have taken on new roles while others have needed to step back.

Our pack continues to grow, accepting new scouts almost every month. We've welcomed a new Webelos 1, two new Tigers, and a new Wolf!

In February we will celebrate 100 years of Scouting in the United States, and 10 years of Scouting in Pack 365! This is an event you will not want to miss!

Long blogs seldom get read, so I'll pick back up in a couple of days.

-Tom