Cub Scout Pack 375 May, 2020 Newsletter |
|
|
It has been an emotional few weeks for those of us in Pack 375. With just 2 weeks of school left, I'm looking forward to less Zoom and more time outdoors with the family. The above image is, in my opinion, a recipe for an epic Summer. I know we are all sick of quarantines and social distancing, but the unexpected side effect of all of this is that we have more time to spend with our families. The Pack Committee met last Wednesday and has come up with some activities that we hope help make this a memorable time for our Scouts. Please continue reading for information about all the activities we have planed. When does a joke become a dad joke? |
|
|
Our Pack lost an amazing mom and a champion of Scouting this month. Gerrie Kolesar passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, May 6th, leaving her husband Mark, daughter Abbie, and son Alex (Wolf Den 6).
As of now, Mark and the kids have received an abundance of meals. So, our Pack has a different opportunity to help during this unimaginable time. Please consider a gift card for gas or restaurants as they make multiple trips to Johnstown, where Gerrie’s family is located, gift cards for activities in town for the kids (Get Air, Northland Bowl, College 9 cinemas etc.).
|
|
|
Once these businesses reopen, their activities may give Abbie and Alex something to do during those long summer days without their mom. Another option is to make a personal offer of help for things like mowing the yard, running errands, offering to entertain the kids for an afternoon, or whatever else you can think of. If you have any questions, please email Joe Zanghi at cubscouts375@gmail.com. Gift cards and personal offers can be dropped off or mailed to Lena Sheaffer at 50 Pauls Lane, Port Matilda PA 16870. She will be collecting and delivering to the family periodically. A Scout is kind, and a Scout is helpful. Most of all, a Scout steps up. Please remember what a wonderful and giving person Gerrie was, keep her family in your thoughts, and find some way to offer them your support as they face the days ahead. Gerrie Kolesar Parent Volunteer Award As you all know Gerrie volunteered to help every opportunity she had. She was always volunteering to help with Pack activities, including helping to run stations at Den Meetings and she co-chaired the Blue and Gold Banquet Committee for the past two years. To memorialize her spirit of volunteering, the Pack 375 Committee is honored to announce the "Gerrie Kolesar Parent Volunteer Award." The award will be be presented each year at our annual Blue and Gold banquet to a parent volunteer who, like Gerrie, went above and beyond while volunteering with Pack 375. |
|
|
Pack 375's May Virtual Pack Meeting Wednesday, May 20th @ 6:45 PM |
|
|
Unfortunately, we are still not able to meet in person, so we will meet again via Zoom this month. |
|
|
Last month's Zoom Pack Meeting seemed to go well, however in our ongoing effort to keep meetings interesting and engaging, we are going to do a few things differently this month. We will acknowledge advancement in the Den Updates (see below), not during the meeting. We will play a short game of "Scout Says" rather than singing a song. Please have your Scout in an area where he or she can move around! We would like to feature short skits from Pack 375 families during the meeting. If you would like to participate, please send a video of your skit to cubscouts375@gmail.com no later than Tuesday night. We will use break-out rooms to play Scout Bing for prizes! Bingo cards will be e-mailed out ahead of the meeting to be printed at home.
REMINDER: Please read through the following information as it may be different than what you are doing for other Zoom meetings. - Make sure your Zoom Profile Name shows a first and last name that we will recognize, preferably your Scout(s) name(s). When you log into the meeting, you will go into a "waiting room." From there, one of the leaders will admit you to the meeting. If you are logged in with a name we do not recognize, (i.e., "Sally" or "Bob's iPhone"), you will not be admitted to the meeting. This is being done based on BSA recommendations for the safety and security of our Scouts.
- Microphones will be muted. Due to the large number of Scouts, all microphones will be muted for most of the meeting, except for the people who are presenting.
- Log in early. Please log in a few minutes early so that we can start promptly.
- Wear Uniforms. While not strictly required, all Scouts and Leaders are encouraged to wear their Class-A uniform while attending the meeting.
- Speaker View. Please make sure you are set to "Speaker View," not "Gallery View" so that your Scouts can see the person who is talking. We will have too many people participating to have everyone shown in Gallery View at once.
A separate e-mail will be sent ahead of the meeting with log-in information and the bingo cards. |
|
|
The Summer Camp seesaw continues! As I was writing this newsletter, the Council just announced another Summer Camp Zoom meeting on Wednesday evening to "provide updates." No other details were provided, but my gut feeling is that they would not have another meeting without a major change. I have heard that almost all of the BSA camps around us have announced that they are closed for the summer. I don't know if 7MSC is following suit, but as soon as I know, I will update you all. |
|
|
In the meantime..... If you have not yet registered for camp, please hold on to your registrations until we know what updates are announced. If you have registered and still plan to still send your Scout to camp, please hang tight until we know what changes are announced at the new meeting. If you previously registered for camp but cannot send your Scout to camp due to one of the changes made (schedule, lack of transportation, 4 days instead of 5), I urge you to request a refund from the council before the changes are announced on Wednesday. Before you do, please call me so that I can share some information that will hopefully make the process go more smoothly. Please call me at home (814) 862-9616. |
|
|
Advancement There has been some questions relating to advancement due to the BSA announcement that Cub Scouts can continue to work on their current den’s advancement through July 31, 2020. Here are some key dates along with some additional clarification: Tuesday, June 9th, 2020 - First day Scouts can start working requirements for their next rank assuming the following has been completed: - All requirements for current rank have been completed.
- Your Scout is done working on elective adventures for his or her current rank.
- Your Scout's Den Leader has "approved" the completed rank for your Scout in scoutbook.com
Friday, July 31st, 2020 - Last day that advancement for current rank can be approved by Den Leaders. - Please make sure your Scout has completed their requirements well in advance of the deadline. It is not reasonable to expect your Den Leader to log into Scoutbook to approve advancement that you record at the last minute.
- If you are unsure if your Scout has completed all of the requirements for their current rank, please check in scoutbook.com to see their progress.
- If you need help completing a requirement, please contact your Den Leader or me.
Notes - Please keep in mind the following: - Cub Scouts can only work on requirements for their current rank. For example, a Tiger Scout could not start working Wolf requirements while they are still completing Tiger requirements.
- Once the Scout starts working on requirements for their next rank, they may not go back to complete requirements from their previous rank
- Any requirements completed for their next rank during the summer will have to be recorded "off line" until the Dens have been "advanced" in scoutbook.com, which will happen on or after August 1st.
|
|
|
2020 Pinewood Derby Weigh-In: Friday, June 5th, 2020 Race: Saturday, June 6th, 2020 |
|
|
Since it does not look like we will be able to get together in person as a Pack any time soon, we will be doing our Pinewood Derby a little differently this year. Registration is required: If you plan to participate in the Pinewood Derby, please register using the link below no later than Monday, June 1st. Note that racer name AND car name are required during registration. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0C48A8AD2FA4F49-20201 |
|
|
Weigh-In: Friday, June 5th, 2020 After registration has been completed, all racers will be assigned a 5-minute check-in time on the evening of June 5th. It is important that racers arrive on time so that we can check in the cars while maintaining appropriate social distancing. All PA State guidelines regarding COVID-19 must be maintained when dropping off cars. Upon arrival, racers will turn their car over to the Race Officials. Once the car has been turned over, it cannot be handled by the Scout or their family again until after the race. If any changes need to be made to the car to pass inspection, they will be made by race officials under the guidance of the Scout. Race: Saturday, June 6th, 2020 The race will be run by the Race Officials, but unfortunately no in-person spectators will be allowed. Instead the race will be live-streamed to watch from home. Links and schedules will be sent out prior to the race. All other Pinewood Derby Rules are still in effect. Please see our website for additional details. https://www.cubscouts375.org/pinewood-derby |
|
|
Summertime Pack Award Despite restrictions, the Pack Committee is still trying to provide Scouts with the opportunity to earn the Summertime Pack Award. To earn the award: Scouts: Must participate in all three events Dens: at least 50% of the den must participate in all three events (does not have to be the same Scouts for each event). June Event June 6th, 2020 - Pinewood Derby See details above July Event July 24th - 25th, 2020 - Virtual Campout Details will be provided closer to the event, however a Scout must participate in at least one Zoom check-in to qualify. August Event August 26th, 2020 - Advancement Ceremony Details will be determined closer to the event based on COVID-19 guidelines in effect at that time. |
|
|
I wish we could all hike together this Summer, but that's just not a possibility. Instead, we can all hike the same trails but not all at the same time. To facilitate that, the Pack is creating our own geocaching type scavenger hut to be completed during the Summer months. |
|
|
Six laminated mini posters (one for each Cub Scout rank) will be hidden on area trails. Their locations will be sent out in an e-mail after we have them all "hidden." Families are encouraged to find each of the signs and take a picture of your Scout with it. Scouts who have their picture taken with each of the six signs before the end of the Summer will earn a custom patch that can be worn on the right pocket of their uniform. Patch design ideas can be submitted to cubscouts375@gmail.com |
|
|
Den Updates It's great to see that our Dens are staying active even if they can't meet in person! |
|
|
Den 9 - Boy Lions Lion Den 9 got together on Zoom for our second virtual Den Meeting this month. The Scouts had so many fun and happy memories to share from the last time we all got together. These boys are excellent examples for always finding something positive to be happy about! During our meeting, we completed two of our requirements for King of the Jungle by talking about what it means to be a Leader and a Good Citizen. We talked about ways that even kids can be good Leaders and the Scout Law guides us in the skills of good Leaders. We also talked about how we can be Good Citizens by helping others, taking care of our community and following the rules. The boys have also been busy sending positive messages into our community as part of our Spread Joy, Not Germs service project. |
|
|
Den 7 - Tigers The Tigers have been working hard at home and meeting via Zoom to finish our last required adventure for Tiger. We started off learning all about nature and wildlife with My Tiger Jungle. Miss Kelly taught us all about birds native to our area and many of us have seen some of the birds in our own back yards. We also built birdhouses from kits made and delivered by Cubmaster Joe. Not a single finger was hammered the entire meeting! We also learned all about our Family Stories and had fun interviewing family members, learning about the origins of our names and designing our own family shield. |
|
|
Den 2 - Webelos We were socially distant Scouts who went Into the Woods on the forest moon of Endor! Hardwoods, softwoods, deciduous, evergreen...Mr. Ted taught us a lot about trees. We counted rings and listed different trees near our homes. We even learned the right way to plant a tree, just in time for Arbor Day! Three Webelos picked up trash, with Wyatt Stimer collecting a record *6* bags!! Then we started Project Family by interviewing older relatives, working on family trees, and inspecting our homes for security problems. During the rest of May, the Webelos will repair things at home, help with chores, and organize their own Family Fun Nights. This is our last spring as Cub Scouts in Pack 375 and we're not going to let COVID-19 hold us back. There is always another path forward and we are finding it together! |
|
|
Fundraising Thank you to everyone who participated in our Moe's Drive-Up Fundraiser! It was a delicoius success and we hope to do another one sometime soon. |
|
|
Calendar Here is an updated list of Pack 375 meetings and events for the coming year. Information for Den meetings and events will be coming from your Den Leaders. |
|
|
May - Wed, May 20 @ 6:45 - Zoom Pack Meeting
June - Mon, June 1 - Last day to register for Pinewood Derby
- Fri, June 5 - Pinewood Derby Wheigh-In
- Sat, June 6 - Pinewood Derby Race
|
|
July - Sun, July 19 - Thur, July 23 - Webelos Resident Camp
- Mon, July 20 - Thur, Jun 23 - Cub Scout Day Camp & Family Camp
- Fri, July 24 - Sat, July 25 - Pack 375 Virtual Campout
August - Wed, August 26 - Advancement Ceremony
|
|
|
When it becomes apparent. |
|
|
Contact Information Cubmaster - Joe Zanghi cubscouts375@gmail.com (814) 862-9616 |
|
|
|
|
