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November  2001
    

Den Meeting Report: Our October meetings provided the scouts with opportunities to focus both on the world around them and inward, to themselves. Our first meeting continued our work towards the citizenship badge. We reviewed the proper handling of "Old Glory" and practiced flag raising and lowering. We also scoured the newspapers for articles about politics, heros and other civic-type items. These articles were cut out and pasted on a board which now hangs in our meeting room. Thanks to the parents who helped with the pasting.

One requirement for obtaining a WEBELOS badge is that a scout must be an active participant in den activities for three months. Each scout constructed an attendance totem out of a leather scout insignia. For attending a den or pack meeting, each scout will be given a bead. This will mark a scout's attendance for purposes of the requirement. Each boy made his own design using lether stamping tools dpicting indian lore. It should be worn as part of their uniform at each den or pack meeting. At our October pack meeting, our den were greeters, providing seating information for scouts and their parents as they arrived at the gym. They also helped at the sign-in table as needed. As a result, each scout should have completed all requirements for the citizenship badge. We will be checking books and folders at an upcoming meeting to confirm.

At our second meeting we began work on the fitness badge. This badge is the one required badge for WEBELOS. We discussed nutrition as well as drug, alcohol and tobacco use. Each scout was given informative booklets for review and must complete a meal log and plan a week's-worth of meals as part of the requirements. Thanks to Steven's mom for some helpful material. We will continue working on the fitness badge at our next meeting.

Our meeting on November 3 consisted additional activities with respect to the fitness badge. Each scout was given material to start a safety notebook. Please work with your son on the notebook, meal plan, and daily meal record, as well as any other requirements (see WEBELOS Scout Book pages 64-77) for the fitness badge that he has yet to finish. have him bring all fitness-related material at our November 17th meeting. Also, some scouts have not yet brough in the material completed at home for the citizenship badge. If you haven't, bring it on November 17th.

Upcoming Den Meetings: On November 17th, we plan on completing fitness badge requirements and starting on craftman's badge. Also, each scout will be asked to explain the WEBELOS insignia and the significant parts of the Webelos uniform and the proper time to wear the uniform (another requirement). Information about time and place for our Nov. 17th meeting is tentative, but may be found on our Den Calendar.We will update and confirm this information by e-mail.
The 21st Annual BOWL-O-REE fundraiser for scouts with special needs will be held for our Pack on November 18 at the White Plains Bowl. Information and forms were distributed by back-pack. Please participate for this worthwhile cause. The Pack also benefits, as the BOWL-O-REE also is a Pack fundraiser. 30% of the money raised goes back to the Pack!
Our December 1 Den meeting will continue with the craftman work. See below for a special December 15th meeting!

Westmoreland Sanctuary: We have completed arrangements to visit Westmoreland Sanctuary for a special meeting. Steve Ricker, the Westmoreland director will work with the boys on the geologist badge requirements. This meeting will be on December 15th at 10:00AM. We will provide particulars regarding transportation as the date approaches. This will certainly be a highlight for this year, as those scouts that attended our Westmoreland event last year on animal tracking will know. Steve is very good with the boys Permission slips and information on fees will be distributed at an upcoming meeting. Please return all permission slips as soon as possible.

IMPORTANT We have yet to receive updated medical information sheets for a number of scouts. Without these completed sheets in hand, we cannot receive a permit for the Westmoreland trip from the Westchester-Putnam Council covering those scouts who have not submitted the medical form for our records. These forms were distributed at our parents' meeting in September. Please complete them and return them to us as soon as possible.

Working on Badges As you see from the activities we have had over these first few months, by January, each scout will have the opportunity to have earned the Aquanaut, Citizenship, Fitness, Craftman and Geologist badges. A pretty good start to the year. Come January through June, we hope to work on Forester, Outdoorsman, Scholar, Naturalist and perhaps others, time permitting. Certain badges lend themselves to being earned at home. For example, Andrew has been working on Artist (p.86) and Traveler (p.144) when circumstances and time permit. Other possibilities for home are Family Member (p. 208) and Sportsman (p. 78). Consider working on one or more of these with your scout!