As a Boy Scout we concern ourselves with helping other people. Boy Scout Law does not end at Eagle or when you turn 18 and is a life-long commitment to your fellow Scouts and more importantly to yourself, your deity and Community.
The motto of the Boy Scouts organization is “be prepared”. Over the last two weekends and through self-discipline with the support of my family, I have undergone various training in order to prepare myself again as a Scout and to help assist the program for the benefit of our children.
I view the leadership role of Cub Scouts no different than Boy Scouts. In Boy Scouts it is youth that run the program with the parents in the background to help ensure a safe environment. However, now instead of a Boy serving as the Patrol Leader “you” are appointed to that role as their Akela (Parent).
However, you cannot be a successful Patrol Leader[i] for your Scout(s) without the help of the Senior Patrol Leader. Having never served as a Senior Patrol Leader I will look forward to ongoing training along with guidance of our Pack Committee and Cubmaster.
I want to thank the Pack Committee for instilling their confidence in my abilities, my family for their support and a special thank you to Craig Johnson, District Training Chairman for his time in offering very insightful New Leader Essential Training and Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO) Training. Having completed these required training courses our Den will not have any interruption in our local outdoor hikes and/or other activities that require Council Permits such as our hike at Tucker next weekend.
This Tuesday our Pack will be holding the Monthly Pack Meeting (yes, it is scheduled for the 3rd Tuesday; however the meeting was moved forward a week in order to relieve holiday and school schedules for Thanksgiving week) in which I will be presented the official Den Leader Patch and Trained Insignia by our Cubmaster. Please accept my apologies for the late notice on the changed schedule. I will be making personal phone calls over the next day to each parent to help me update records and get us all prepared for the Pack Meeting.
Following the Pack Meeting I will be holding a Patrol Leader (Akela) Meeting for about 10 minutes in order to more formally introduce myself and help answer any questions you may have regarding the change.
Pack Meeting Reschedule
Early this month our Pack Meeting was rescheduled based on vacations during the Thanksgiving Break. Please accept my apology for the late notice. The new date and time:
Tuesday, November 13, 2007, at 6:30pm
24042 Via La Coruna, Mission Viejo, CA 92691
Merits, Advancements, Awards – Please contact me today or by noon tomorrow if your Cub has completed any requirements for Sports, Academic, Project and/or fulfilled the requirements and have not yet been presented their Bobcat.
Outdoor Activity Award
Last year various Cubs completed the requirements to earn their Outdoor Activity Award and these will be presented at the Pack Meeting. If your Cub Scout attended a Council or District Camp (such as, Tiger Safari, Summer Day Camp or other theme-based event that engaged the Cub in multiple activities helping complete the tasks in more than one belt loop based requirement) and three (3) of the following, please let me know so we can present his Award at a Pack Meeting:
1. Participate in a nature hike.
2. Participate in an outdoor activity such as a picnic or park fun day.
3. Explain the buddy system and tell what to do if lost.
4. Attend a pack overnighter.
5. Complete an outdoor service project in your community.
6. Complete a nature/conservation project in your area.
7. Earn the Summertime Pack Award pin.
8. Participate in a nature observation activity.
9. Participate in an outdoor aquatic activity.
10. Participate in an outdoor campfire program.
11. Participate in an outdoor sporting event.
12. Participate in an outdoor Scout's Own or other worship service.
13. Explore a local city, county, state or national park.
Harvest Carnival: The Great Pumpkin Chase Rescheduled
November 16-18, 2007 – Campout ($14-$20/person)
November 17, 2007 – Main Activities ($7-$17/person)
This is the LAST event scheduled at the Rancho Los Flores Facility and I encourage every Cub Scout to make an effort to be part of this farewell event. Our Den will be represented at the event on Friday and Saturday! If you are interested in joining us, please inform me at the Pack Meeting on Tuesday so we can turn in our monies and forms in together.
Fees per Person:
$7.00 Saturday Only
$4.00 Commemorative Patch
$6.00 Saturday Evening Dinner
$14.00 Weekend Camping (includes Saturday Carnival and Patch)
If you are interested in the Weekend Camping, please remember to bring a sack dinner for Friday night or eat before heading out of the
Use this link for Directions: Ranch Las Flores
Den Chief & Denners
As an added resource to the Cub Scouts I am in search of a Boy Scout who wants to serve our Den as the Den Chief[ii]. This youth will serve a critical connection in the development of the long term program.
In addition, I want to instill within our Den the role of a Denner[iii]. The Denner will be assigned based on the month the Hosting Family will be helping with the Den Meeting and Outing. I encourage the Akela to ask leading questions in selecting what snacks, hikes, activities the Scout wants to see in the meeting. This will help them in feeling a sense of belonging (leadership) and develop the skills necessary to be future Boy Scouts.
As a bonus the Cub Scout will wear a special Denner Cord at the Den Meetings and the monthly Pack Meeting.
Monthly Den Meetings & Outings
In an effort to help develop a schedule for 2008 I am working closely with the City of Mission Viejo to host our Den Meetings at the Norman Center (24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo, CA 92692) on the first Monday of each month at 6:30pm (except April and September which would be held the second Monday). This will help in two ways for both our Parents (Akela) and Scouts. It will relieve the pressure of parents having a dozen kids in their home at one time and will help the Scouts feel comfortable having a centralized meeting place.
This will also enable us to have a Scout Outing during the second or third weekend of each month to help our Scouts work on electives and other outdoor tasks. These could include things like our Tucker Hike, Den Campout, Beach Day, Soaring Swings & Slides (Park Day) and other wonderful outings.
Fundraiser – Mistletoe
I would like to extend an idea to everyone as I have received mixed opinions on the benefit of hosting a Mistletoe Fundraiser on December 1st and 2nd. Following the Thanksgiving Weekend I would like to get the Den together for a Mistletoe sale on either Saturday, Sunday or both.
From experiences as a child I remember selling Mistletoe and making trips every weekend with our family to
At the Council Pow-Wow last weekend one of the class lecturers mentioned his Cub Scouts did it last year and had to end the fundraiser early after earning over $500 and selling 4 trash bags full of Mistletoe.
The proceeds from the sell would help in offsetting the cost of renting the
Closing
If you have not turned in your fees for the 2008 Cub Scout Program (newly enrolled families are exempt from the new renewal date change and no additional fees will be collected), please have a check or cash available for collection at the Pack Meeting. If you are renewing and current financial restrictions (such as, bi-weekly or monthly payroll, fire related/unexpected hardships and so forth) make it necessary to ask for an extension, please let me know and we can make sure we include your Scout in our communications to the Council this month.
I look forward to helping make all of us Patrol Leaders and help both you and the Cub Scouts in gaining the experience of the program and having FUN!
From: Kim & Scott Stroud [mailto:stroudville@cox.net]
Sent: Saturday, November 10, 2007 5:27 PM
To: Sartoris Family; Fatigate Family; Alan Schuh-Munn; Angie Schuh-Munn;
Cc: Tom and Julie Miller; Scott Stroud; Robertson Family; Mark Robertson; Lisa and Peter Puchalski; Larry Dalphy; Kimberly at Apria; John & Jeanette O'Keeffe; Jeannie King; Denamarie Baker_wk; Denamarie Baker_hm; Amy Dalphy_wk; Amy Dalphy_hm; Tom Miller
Subject: Change in Wolf Den Leadership
Dear Den 6 Parents and Scouts -
Wally Nelson, along with Kaio and Lukas, has decided to exit Scouting at this time. We have thanked him for his efforts and hope to see the Nelson family return to Scouting in the future.
We are very excited to announce that Alan will assume the Leadership role for the Wolf Den. Alan has demonstrated a great enthusiasm for Scouting and the desire to create the best experience possible for all of your Cubs. Please provide him your support and assistance.
If you have any questions, please contact anyone on the Leadership Committee; and stay tuned for further communications from Alan about upcoming Den and Pack events. The Wolf Den has a terrific year ahead, and it's just getting started.
Yours in Scouting,
Pack 766 Leadership Committee
[i] Patrol Leader in Boy Scouts is the Boy who the team (patrol) elects/appoints as the leader of the other Boy Scouts and is in charge of meetings and outings. In the role of Cub Scouts the same responsibilities falls on the Akela (parent) in helping lead their Cub Scouts. Senior Patrol Leader (Den Leader) is the person who oversees multiple Patrols within the Troop (Den). Do not worry about understanding the terms and it is merely a reference. The biggest thing is understanding that this program cannot exist without you the Akela (parent) and you are critical to the success of your Cub Scout.
[ii] Den Chief is a trained Boy Scout, who as part of his program, undertakes a very critical aspect of Boy Scouts by helping others be prepared and is part of the Scout Law. The Den Chief plans and is in charge of a small 10-15 minute activity and allows time for the Akelas and the Den Leader to take care of administrative tasks (such as, planning, task verification and so forth).
[iii] Denner is a Cub Scout who is in charge of helping setup (to the best of his ability) and also leads the Den in the monthly song and/or skit, with our help. The immediate reward of the Denner is being in charge of the snacks. Long term this role enables the Cub Scout to take on greater leadership roles and touch on some of the basics required among Boy Scouts.
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