Cubmaster Bi-weekly Update and Welcome 9/28/2023

Good afternoon Pack 333 families. We've had an excellent start to this school year and Scouting year. I'd like to welcome everyone returning and our new Cub families as well. If you have friends or family that are still interested in Cub Scouts, please reach out and we can invite them to our first Den meeting. You should be receiving emails from Jason Pointe regarding this years registration as well as ScoutBook connection requests for new members. If you are not receiving emails, reach out to Jason (jpointe@verizon.net) and check to make sure you have enabled emails in ScoutBook (returning and registered Scouts) or have accepted the connection request (new families). We use ScoutBook (https://scoutbook.scouting.org/) for Den and Pack mailings as well as keeping track of Advancements, posting any activities on the calendar, and general coordination. Our website ( https://cubpack333.wixsite.com/home ) reflects changes made in ScoutBook, but is updated second.

The next couple weeks are looking a bit busy, but fun for our Cubs. You should be receiving emails from your Den Leader or Coordinating Parent regarding the first Den (grade level) Meeting this year. Like our Pack meetings, most Den Meetings will be scheduled at St. James unless arranged in advance. If you haven't received a message, please reach out and we'll make sure you make contact. Our Webelos and Wolf Dens do not currently have a Den Leader or Assistant Den Leader; Tara Lydick and Vickie Kessler are filing in temporarily respectively as Coordinating Parents. If you have any interest in being a Den Leader, Assistant Den Leader, or any particular activity that you would love to do with our Cubs or are just curious, please reach out and we can work with you.

We are also preparing our Webelos and AOL Dens for Webelos-O-Ree, a weekend overnight camping event which introduces our Cubs to the Scouts BSA Patrol method used in the older Scout program. In this model, the Scouts are the leaders of their Patrols rather than adult lead Dens with the adults acting as Advisors and mentors. It's a lot of fun as the Cubs get to do camping as a group (family camping is usually done for Cubs), do a variety of activities, including firebuilding, ropes, orienteering, and shooting sports, as smaller Patrol groups. They'll also get to develop a Patrol Cheer and Yell, Skits, and Flags, as well as determine which activities in which they want to participate, downtime activities, and cook for themselves (and the other Pack representatives). This requires some advanced coordination, so Webelos and AOLs may participate in a couple of Zoom calls to work out their roles, menu, and other activities.

To allow plenty of time for construction before our Pinewood Derby in January, we will also be ordering our cars and distributing them at our October Bobcat ceremony and campfire (27 October 2023 at the Shrine at St. Anthony's). The BobCat Ceremony initiates our new Cubs and Tigers into the Pack with face painting, a flag ceremony, and smores. Parents and siblings will paint their Cubs and our Lion Cubs will paint any new Adult Leaders. If you have any flags that are ready for destruction, please reach out so we can respectfully retire the flag as part of our event. This is not limited to US flags. This is a family event, so all are welcome.

Speaking for the Pack and Den Leadership, we are looking forward to a fun and exciting year for our Cubs. As always, any questions, comments, or suggestions are welcome.

Respectfully,

Tara Lydick, Cubmaster Pack 333

302-275-9478

tmlydick@gmail.com