Cubmaster's Notes2004 - 2005
August 3, 2005
I hope everyone's summer has been great. It's hard to believe summer is almost over. We've got a lot of things coming up so I wanted to remind everyone about so of the items we discussed. If you are not on my email list, please take the time to download the minutes and review them in case I've missed some things.
The Homecoming is this weekend. We will be marching in the parade both Saturday and Sunday. You are welcome to march on both days if you like but either day will cover your August activity for the summertime award. We also need to help clean up the park grounds in the morning on Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning. We will be meeting at 8:00 at the depot each day. As I work on Monday, I will not be able to attend, but I would appreciate any parents/scouts who are free to help out Monday as well. This is our way of showing appreciation for using the park facilities, including the depot, for no charge so a good turnout is needed.
The Pack Family Campout is coming up the following weekend. You need to let your leader know if you will be attending and if your scouts would like to participate in the Raingutter Regatta. We are putting together of schedule for some activities, but we will also make sure there is plenty of free time for you to do what you wish. It promises to be a very fun weekend and the more the merrier!
I know it seems a little early to talk about Popcorn Sales, but we are trying to get a jump on it. Mindy will need a couple of people to help her with it this year. She will not be available to distribute on the Saturday morning after we pick it up. Lisa Gorman has said she would like to help but we still need another person. If interested, you can call or email Mindy or myself and let us know.
Join Scouting Night is September 1. We are doing it at the Depot in Scheve Park this year. We will be setting up at 6:00 with gathering at 6:30. I would like to invite any scouts/parents who would like to attend and share their scouting experiences with the families interested in joining scouting. I would also like to extend a special invitation to all of the Tiger Cubs and their partners/parents to attend as well. It has been nice to see most of you so involved over this past summer and getting a jump on scouting. I would like to ask you to share you thoughts so far with the new Tigers we will be getting that night.
Another special date you need to mark on your calendars is the Parent Meeting/Pack Meeting for September. The parent meeting will begin at 6:00 with the Pack Meeting following at 7:00. We will have leaders keep the children occupied as we did last year. It is very important for the parents/partners to attend this as we will review the program for this next year as well as the budget and other important information that you need to be fully informed and make the scouting experience the best for your family as well as your scouts. Please do take the time to attend.
Lastly, I would like to share some good news for scouting in Mascoutah. Holy Childhood of Jesus is starting another Boy Scout Troop this fall. It will be chartered as Troop 57, which was originally chartered many years ago by the Knights of Columbus here in town. We welcome Troop 57 into the scouting community and, in conjunction with the existing Troop 44, more boys can have the opportunity to reap the benefits of personal growth, fun and adventure in Scouting!
Welcome Troop 57 !
July 11, 2005
A few important notes as we near our midpoint in summer.
First, I would like to thank John Harris for agreeing to be the Tiger Cub Den Leader for our new Tiger Cub Den. Your new Den number is Den 3. John is very excited about taking on this challenge and I ask everyone to lend him any help that you can.
Also, I would like to thank Giovanni Estrada who has agreed to join our Committee and fill the much needed role of Secretary for the Committee. This will be a great relief for the Committee to have someone to fill this role.
Our Program Planning meeting and Swim Party is scheduled for Saturday July 23. The meeting will begin at 6:30 with swimming to follow from 7:30 to 9:30. You may bring food and drinks into the pool area, but please remember that this is a scout function so alcoholic beverages are not allowed. New Baden has a nice park at their pool so I would encourage as many parents to attend the planning meeting as possible. We are putting together a very exciting program for next year and would like some more input to make it even better. The theme for our swim party is "Christmas in July" and we are collecting food for the Mascoutah Food Pantry. For each two non-perishable items brought, a person can get a ticket to a drawing for attendance prizes. The more food you bring, the better your chance to win. With the washout of our food collection effort at the 4th of July picnic, we desperately need food donations for the pantry.
The Homecoming is coming up on August 5, 6 & 7. We will be helping to clean the park grounds on the mornings of the 6th and 7th and need good scout participation. This is our chance to give back to the park for being able to use the facilities for free during the year so let's all show our appreciation by helping in the cleanup.
We will be marching in the parade on both the 6th and 7th. We need to meet at the Leu Civic Center between 4:15 and 4:45. Scouts need to be in Class A uniforms. Parents are more than welcome to march with us as well. You are more than welcome to march both days, but either day is all you need to meet your August participation requirement.
We are going to have our First Annual Pack Family Campout at Camp Joy on August 12th & 13th. This campout is for the entire family and promises to be a great time. For those of you that have not been to Camp Joy, it is just one of the most beautiful camp areas around. We have two camp sites reserved as well as the showers and a pavilion. We need to get a head count on how many to insure we don't need more sites than just the two. Also, we are planning on having a Raingutter Regatta Saturday afternoon. We will build the boats Saturday morning and then race them in the afternoon. The cost for a kit is $3.50. If you want to participate, please let your leader know. We will pick up the kits at the shop and bring them and then you can pay for them at camp. We are also planning some fun game activities. Also, there is fishing as well so you are more than welcome to bring your rods, tackle & bait.
We are planning on meeting at St. Johns at 5:30 Friday and should be done by 3 or 4 Saturday afternoon. Hope to see you there!
July 5, 2005
I hope everyone is having a great summer and no one took too much damage from the nasty storm yesterday. We needed the rain but it would have been nice to be in lighter/longer spurts instead of a 2 hour drenching with lightning, thunder and tornadoes.
I would like to thank everyone who volunteered to work the games yesterday. We didn't have a very good location and the storms hut us down for two hours but those of us who were there had quite a bit of fun. We even had an adult sack race when it was slow with the kids!
Unfortunately, with the rain, we only got to play games for about two hours. Needless to say, we did not collect any food for the food shelter except the items I had brought and they were ruined in the downpour. I would really like to see a great turnout at the swim party and see everyone bring a couple of non-perishable items for the food shelter. The shelter always needs food at this time of year and I know they will appreciate anything we can collect for them.
For those of you who were unable to work due to the rain, your volunteering will STILL count for a July activity towards your summertime pin. The weather is a little beyond our control and I really appreciated those of you who volunteered. That's it for now. More details after Committee Meeting on Monday. As always, all parents are invited to attend. It is Monday at 7:00 in the library at St. Johns.
June 9, 2005
I'll try to keep my notes brief as I still need to finish packing for Fun With Sun tomorrow. I believe I have spoken to everyone going tomorrow evening, but just want to remind you to meet at St. Johns at 5:00. We would like to leave by 5:15. If anyone has any questions, please give me a call tomorrow.
Thanks to all of the scouts and parents who attended the Shriners' Parade. It was a long walk (3 miles) but we had a good time and I think the crowds liked seeing the scouts there.
Also, the Visitors Center will be opening in town on this Tuesday. They would like us to have information available and someone to answer questions. If anyone could spend some time there during either the day or evening, I would appreciate it. I will have some information there as well. Also, I am trying to arrange for a closing flag ceremony of some sort. I know this is last minute and as soon as I can figure something out, I'll let you know.
Also, I would like to thank some new and changing leaders in our Pack. Donna Forster has agreed to step down as Assistant Den Leader and become our Advancement Chair on the Committee. This is a very important role in our Pack and is the position responsible for keeping our advancement records.
Also, Kenda Haas has agreed to become the Wolf Den Leader and David DiCenso has agreed to be her assistant. I know the hard work needed for den leaders and I would like to thank these two for taking on these roles.
Don't forget about the Pack Hike and Picnic this Sunday. We will be meeting at St. Johns at 12:00 and leaving by 12:15. It will be a very fun day down at Camp Van so please try and make it.
For those of you who have purchased Grizzlies Game tickets, we will be meeting at 4:30 at the statue in front of the stadium. Please remember to wear your Class A uniforms.
We have been asked to arrange some games for kids to play at the 4th of July picnic. We would like a few parents to volunteer to organize this for us. If anyone is interested, please let me know as soon as possible. We will also be collecting non-perishable food items for the Food Pantry. We will continue this theme at the Pack Swim Party. For each two non-perishable items you bring, you will receive a ticket for an attendance prize drawing. The food will need to be delivered the following Saturday and I would appreciate any help that you can offer as I will be at Webelos Resident Camp that weekend with some of our Webelos Scouts.
That's about it for now. Stay cool and I look forward to seeing you!
May 31, 2005
I have finally gotten around to updating the calendar. I have June, July & August, which carries us through the summer. I do not anticipate any changes, but check back periodically to make sure. As always, if anyone has questions, please feel free to call either myself or one of the other leaders. I will also be updating with notes after each Committee Meeting as well. Remember, they are the first Monday of the month (except July) and everyone is welcome to attend and give your input. Have a safe and fun summer!
May 21, 2005
First, I would like to thank everyone for the wonderful attendance and excellent participation of everyone at our Advancement this past Monday. I also want to give a special thanks to our Committee Chair, Tony Mueth, for helping me out as Jeff Davis was out of town and I felt quite unorganized without my Assistant Cubmaster. The boys also deserve a special thanks for being so well behaved and attentive throughout the evening.
I also want to thank the Duck Pond workers from last evening. They did a terrific job and kept things moving. It's been a big hit the last couple of years and the booth can get quite hectic at times and they handled it quite well. Thanks again for all of your hard work.
Also, a special thanks to those who came up this morning to help clean up the mess from the Streetfest. It's hard to believe how quick things went and how wonderful it looked when we were finished considering how messy it looked last night when I left about 10:30. You did a spectacular job this morning. Thanks also to Main Street Mascoutah who donated coupons to Lickity Split for those who helped clean up this morning.
For those of you who took a summer schedule, Mrs. Gorman pointed out that I had the wrong dates for the July Day Camp. My schedule has the 14 - 16 of July but it's supposed to be the 13 - 15. It is correct on the Day Camp forms, but please correct your schedule. I apologize if this has caused anyone an inconvenience. I have added the summer schedule as a link on the main page.
Mindy has also gotten me the info on the Shriner's Parade. We will be meeting at St. Mary's School Yard at 6:30 pm on June 3. The parade will begin at 7:30. You should be dressed in your Class A uniforms and bring along a water to drink along the parade. It is quite a long walk so you will need plenty of water to drink along the way, especially if it is hot. I have put together a document with a map of the parade route and some additional instructions as well and it can be downloaded from the following link - Parade Directions. Leaders will also need to carry a card, which I will be getting from Mindy so please see me before the parade begins.
Also, The Mascoutah Visitors Center will be having a grand opening on June 14. They would like the civic organizations to be present and perhaps participate in some type of activity. I do not have the details as yet because I have not received my letter from them, but as soon as I know more I will let you know.
We have also been asked to put together some activities/games for the 4th of July picnic in the park. I'm not sure exactly what we will be doing but Tony and I were talking about some simple games like three legged races or sack races - things like that. Any ideas anyone has would be great so please let Tony, Jeff or I know if you could help out.
Please don't forget I need the money and reservations for the Grizzlies Game by June 5th. For those of you who have not been to a Grizzlies Game before, it is a very nice stadium with plenty to keep the kids busy. It promises to be a very fun evening,
Also, make sure you mark your calendars for the Pack Hike & Picnic on June 12th. We will be meeting at St. John's at Noon.
For those of you who will be going to the June Fun With Son, I will be contacting you some time the week before. I will plan on meeting at St. John's but I don't know what time yet. I'll let you know when I call you. Also, those of you who would like to go straight to Camp Joy can download a map from the Camping section of our website.
For those of you going to the June Day Camps, I will have one of our leaders contact you prior to the camp. For both Day Camps, I would like everyone to meet at St. John's at least on the first day to make sure everyone gets there. The second and third day you are more than welcome to go straight to the Day Camp, but you will need to remember to check in as a Pack.
Also, please remember that we have a Committee Meeting on June 6 at 7:00 in St. John's Library on the lower level. I invite any adults who would like to come and help us finalize things for summer and begin planning for next year. I really would like to get a few more parents registered as Committee Members and boost our "thinking power".
Last but not least, I would like to welcome all of the new scouts who have joined our unit in the last month or two. We will certainly have a lot of fun over the next few years and appreciate any boys who like to have fun too. Welcome to Pack 43 and I look forward to seeing each of you over the summer activities.
That's about it for now. If you need anything or find I've left something out, please let we know as soon as possible.
May 6, 2005
It's been a hectic week but I finally have Committee Minutes up on the website. Advancement is May 16 at Scheve Park. We would like everyone to bring a snack of some sort for after the ceremony. We have also got the majority of summer activities planned. I will try to update the calendar some time this weekend.
April 15, 2005
Just a quick little note. St. John UCC has approved our By-Laws so they are now official. The link on the main page now reflects a document without the "Proposed" watermark.
April 20, 2005
Just a few reminders after the Pack Meeting Monday evening. First, I want to thank everyone for taking the time to attend. I feel like we will all be better prepared as we come to the close of another school year.
Please remember to get your camp fees in as soon as possible. I will be turning them in by May 1st so that we all get the discounts we are planning on. If you can't get them to the Camp Coordinator, please get them to me and I will get them to the proper person.
Also, I would like to get the reservations and fees for the Grizzlies Game as soon as possible so I can figure out if we need to lower our reservation amount.
I would like to express a special thank you to those parents who took the time to sign up for a slot on the Duck Pond list. I have a few more spots to fill so I will be contacting some parents in the next few weeks to get that completed. If you have a time you prefer, please contact me ASAP sop that I can let you know if the time is available.
I hope everyone understood that the Pack Hike & Picnic was changed from June 5 to June 12 at Camp Vandeventer. Unfortunately, the 5th wasn't available. I have also changed the calendar here on the website.
Also, there has been a change on the Spring Roundup. I had told you that we were planning on doing that on Tuesday May 3rd. Unfortunately, I got my ball teams schedule tonight and that is our first game so we have changed that date to Wednesday May 4th. You do not have to wait until then if you have a son you wish to enroll such as a kindergartener. If you contact me, we can get him registered before then and then you can take advantage of the discount fees for the camps. I apologize for the change in dates but I didn't realize our games would start that soon.
I also forgot to mention the Adopt-A-Block cleanup the day after the Streetfest. I'm not sure exactly what time we will be meeting, but I will make sure I let you know no later than at Advancement on the 16th.
I still am looking for someone to help us with Advancement. We have most of the details worked out but it sure would be nice to have some to keep track of them and make sure we don't forget something. If anyone is interested, please give me a call.
See you at the Skating party next week!
April 8, 2005
It's been a busy week for me since ball season is here so it has taken a few more days than normal to get things updated after Committee Meeting on Monday.
We have a final version of the Pack 43 Guidelines available on the website from the main page. The Proposed By-Laws had one minor change in the Uniform section, which has been updated, and it is being submitted to our Executive Officer for review and, hopefully, approval by St. John UCC at their next board meeting.
We have a lot of things coming up the next few weeks and I want to make sure everyone has them on their calendar. The Pack Meeting is on April 18th. I would like everyone to bring their Fun With Son and Day Camp fees/forms to the Pack Meeting. We need to get this organized by May 1st so that we can all get the discounts available. I will also be meeting with the Bear and Webelos parents and scouts at 6:00 that evening before the meeting. we need to discuss Webelos Resident Camp and figure out who is going so that we can get our Pack's reservation turned in.
Our pack Skating Party is Thursday April 28th from 6 to 8 pm at FunSpot in Belleville. The Pack is renting the rink that evening and we will cover the cost of basic skate rental. If you want in-line skates, you will need to pay the additional $1.50. We have also invited the other Cub Scout pack, the local Boy Scout Troop and the local Girl Scout Unit. If you have any friends in these organizations, please feel free to invite them as well.
The StreetFest is coming up on Friday May 20. We will be running the Duck Pond again this year. I will need parent/scout volunteers to work in half hour shifts from 4:00 to 9:00. I will have a signup sheet at the Pack Meeting and would appreciate if we could get the entire list filled that evening. We will also be having an Adopt-A-Block cleanup the following morning on May 21st. We haven't decided on what time yet, but it will probably be somewhere between 9 and 10 am.
Our Advancement Ceremony is planned for May 16 at 6:00 in Scheve Park. For those of you who are new to the pack, this takes place at the bridge and pavilions by the playground area. The Committee has asked me to contact Bob Ellison and see if he can return again this year. Those of you who were present last year will remember what a great performance he gave. I am still working on the details, but I would like to have someone help me to coordinate everything this year. We need to come up with plans for refreshments, ceremonies, etc. and I would like to ask for one of you parents to fill this role for me. If you would be interested, please feel free to give me a call or talk to me at the Pack Meeting. he date is fast approaching and we need to get moving on it.
We have also begun planning our summer activities. I would like to see more of our scouts earn the Summertime Award this year. To earn this, the boys must attend at least one event in each of the months of June, July and August. Since we participate in the district camp activities as a Pack, these will count towards this requirement. In addition the Pack has always planned an activity on our own as well. This year, we are going to provide two Pack sponsored activities each month. I do not expect everyone to try and make every event we schedule. The intention is to provide more opportunities for you to make an event each month. As these events are finalized, I will add them to the Pack Calendar located here on our website.
Our June activities have pretty much been finalized. We will be having a Pack Hike and Picnic at Camp Vandeventer on Sunday June 5, pending approval from the Scout Shop. We will be leaving St. John's at 12:00 which should put us down there by 1:00. Please be sure to mark your calendars. Our second event in June will be a Grizzlies Game on Sunday June 26th. I do not have the specific times as yet, but will pass them along as we get them. You will need to be in your Class A uniforms that day because our Pack will be participating in the opening ceremony.
Our July and August activities have not been finalized yet, but do we have some ideas I would like to pass along. In July we are planning our annual swim party as one of our activities. For the second activity, we are thinking about doing a Raingutter Regata and Pack Barbecue. For those of you who are not familiar with this event, it is simlar to a Pinewood Derby except the boys make boats and they have to provide the "wind" for the sails. Many other Packs host these type of events and I will be attending one on April 20th to see one for myself. We will have to either make or borrow the equipment for the event so if any of you have prior experience with this, I would greatly appreciate it if you'd let me know.
As for August, we will be participating in the Homecoming parade again this year as our first activity. As our second activity, we are looking at having an overnight campout from Friday Night to Saturday afternoon probably at Camp Vandeventer. Camping as a Pack can be a very fun time for everyone involved and I think with a group this size, it will be a blast.
As you can see, we have a lot of planning to do to make the next few months go smoothly. I'm willing to bet that there are a few of you out there that think it might be fun and a little rewarding to help plan these events and make them a fun time for your son and family. We could use some additional Committee Members to help us make these things happen. We also have several Committee positions that need to be filled. If you would like to join the Committee, the registration fee is minimal. We meet on the first Monday of the month. If you are interested, please let me know and I will get you an Adult registration form and get the process rolling.
I also wanted to let you know that Boy Scout Troop 44 is having a fundraiser on Sunday April 17th. They will be having a Chicken Dinner at the Moose Lodge from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. They would appreciate your support. Let's show our Scouting spirit and get lunch there that day!
Also, for those of you who are interested in additional information on the 2nd Ranger Battalion, I have added a link to their website in our Links page. The battalion will be participating the in WWI Weekend at Jefferson Barracks on April 23 and 24. They have more info on their website so check out the link!
Tony's Place Restaurant will be a focus of "Show Me St. Louis" on Tuesday April 12 at 9:00 am. Let's show our community spirit and show up in our Scout uniform! Good publicity for Tony's Place AND our Cub Scout Pack!
Last but not least, I have updated the Contact Us page to reflect the changes in leadership over the last couple of months. I have not added anyone's address, email or phone number without their permission. Leaders, if you would not mind me adding this information, if its not their yet, please send me an email and let me know so I can get it up their.
That's about it for now. Please keep checking the website for updated information. I will add it as it becomes available.
March 29, 2005
I apologize for taking so long, but I have finally gotten the Proposed By-Laws and Guidelines up on the website for review. There are two links on the main page that link to PDF files for each. Please take time to review them prior to the Committee Meeting on Monday. Thanks again for your patience. Hopefully, this will be the last set of revisions.
March 22, 2005
Just a few notes after our meeting last night. I hope everyone enjoyed the 2nd Ranger Battalion presentation as much as I did. I know it was a little chilly but all in all I think everything went very well. I would like to express my gratitude to Dave Paterline and his group for putting on such a fun and educational show.
I'd also like to thank those of you who made it for the Adopt-A-Block clean up on Sunday afternoon. We picked up quite a bit of trash but it went quite fast with the number of participants. Thanks to all the boys, parents and siblings who helped.
A special thanks also to the parents who have taken on the responsibilities of Camp Coordinators. This is a big help to us as a Pack and I really appreciate their efforts. I will be getting the information to them in the next week or so, but feel free to get any needed forms from the camping section of our website. I would like to ask the Bear and Webelos parents to please check out the information on the Webelos Resident Camp. I have both the Health Form and the Leader information on the website. This will give a pretty good idea of the fun the boys will have. I will be speaking to the individual leaders to arrange a special meeting to review this with everyone as a group so please watch the website for further information.
March 10, 2005
Sorry it has taken so long to get some notes up after Committee Meeting. This is the first evening I have been home to work on it. I also would like to apologize for not thanking everyone for a fabulous Blue & Gold Banquet. I know it ran loner than expected, but I think everyone had a pretty good time. We had some very nice cakes made and I hope everyone had fun baking them.
We covered a lot of information so I would really like to suggest that you download them from the Committee section of the website, but I would like to highlight a few things here.
We have an Adopt-A-Block cleanup on Sunday March 20 at 2:00 in the afternoon. We will meet at the corner of 2nd and Main next to Bergheger Auto. We would like to get the streets cleaned up for Easter.
As I said last week, we are having the March Pack Meeting on March 21 at Scheve Park. It will be at 6:30 instead of 7:00 so that we can get a little extra daylight. The 2nd Ranger Battalion will be there and it promises to be an exciting evening.
Also, I'd like everyone to start thinking about camping. I'd also like to thank Clayton Carmichael and Guy Spickard who have agreed to help us by being Camp Coordinators. I should have some final information on the camps in the next week or so and I will update the website as soon as I do. I am still looking for a parent to coordinate the Fun With Son camp sessions so if you might be interested, please let me know.
Unlike years past, we WILL have a Pack Meeting in April. I feel we need this time to get together, share some awards and information before our advancement in May. This will be on the third Monday of the month, April 18, just like any other Pack meeting.
Our Pack Skating Party is scheduled for Thursday April 28 from 6 to 8 pm at Funspot Skating Rink in Belleville. We will pay the basic skate rental for all those who wish to skate, but the inline skates will cost you $1.50 if you wish to get those. There also will be no admission fee since we have rented the facility.
Our Advancement Ceremony will be May 16 at 6:00 at the bridge in Scheve Park. I would really like to have a parent help me coordinate this event so if you feel like you might be interested, please contact me as soon as possible.
As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to give me a call.
March 3, 2005
Just a couple of reminders and notes. I know I will have more after the Committee Meeting on Monday but there were a few things I wanted to pass on before then.
First, I would like to thank the two Bear Dens, their leaders, parents, scouts and siblings for helping paint a room off of the sanctuary at St. John's Don asked me if our Pack could help get it painted. They were in a hurry to get it done and I spoke to the two Bear Den leaders and they got it painted the following week. I appreciate their coming through for me on such short notice.
The District Pinewood Derby races are this Saturday. We all wish our scouts good luck in the race on Saturday.
Our March Pack Meeting will be at Scheve Park on March 21 - not at St. John's. We will be having a special group coming and felt it would be better to have it outdoors. It will be at the bug pavilion by the depot. Please pray for nice weather. we will have the depot that evening in the event of cold or rainy weather but let's hope we don't need to use it.
That's it for now. I'll have more notes after our Committee Meeting on Monday and I will also update the calendar.
February 8, 2005
First, I would like to thank all of the scouts and families who attended the 10:30 service at St. John's on Sunday. I know St. John's appreciated our being there. Although I would have liked to see more scouts, I would like to believe that those of you who could not attend, remembered to wear your uniform to your own church.
Next, I would like to remind everyone about Blue & Gold Banquet this coming weekend. We need a lot of parents to help set up the hall in the Civic Center on Saturday afternoon after about 3:00pm. There should be plenty of tables & chairs upstairs so we shouldn't need to carry any up from below. Also, don't forget your cake for the Cake Bake. I can't wait to see (and eat) the great creations you come up with.
I also want you to reserve a couple of hours on Sunday February 20 at 3:00. Our second year Webelos Scouts will be crossing over to the Boy Scout Troop. This is a special time for these boys and is the ultimate goal of all of our scouting youth. It is a very worthwhile ceremony that I believe the boys will thoroughly enjoy. I would love to see as many people there as possible.
We had a very busy Committee Meeting last evening. I have added my notes to the website but wanted to update you on a few things here in case you don't get a chance to read the notes. Its that time of year again and we are starting to talk about camping. There are some spring day camps on Pulaski Day and the teacher's institute for the public school. Your leaders should have the necessary forms. You can turn these in directly at the Council office, but it is imperative that if the scouts attend, we need at least 1 adult for every 4 scouts. Please make sure, if you cannot attend, that you check with your leader to find out if any other adults will be attending.
There is also a Day of Reconciliation coming up as well. This is an interdenominational gathering and is generally a very fun day for all.
We have information on the other camp sessions as well. I am looking for three parents to help me out with these camps. The Spy Cubs Day Camp, Fun With Son and Webelos Resident Camp take a little bit of organization and I need a parent to take care of each one. Basically, you will be the focal point for people to turn in their forms and fees. If anyone is interested in filling one of these roles, please give me a call or let your leader know.
Please take some time to review the notes so that you are aware of everything that is coming up. See you on Saturday and Sunday.
January 22, 2005
Well it was a very busy, fun and exciting Pinewood Derby this year. I like to congratulate all of the scouts who made cars and participated today. I hope everyone had as much fun as I did. I also want to congratulate all of the scouts who will be representing our Pack in the District races. I will let everyone know when they will take place.
I also like to thank all of the leaders who worked hard to make this possible today. Its takes the contributions of a lot of people to make things run as smooth as they did today. We were through racing and cleaned up in record time today and I'd like to thank everyone for their cooperation.
I'd also like to give a special thanks to Robert Forster for his redesign of the finish line. I know everyone who has been in a derby the last few years can appreciate how much better the track is because of his hard work.
We had a meeting of the Blue & Gold Committee today after the race. We are still trying to finalize the details but one issue that needs to finished up this week is the RSVPs for everyone attending. I will be giving a list to each of the den leaders of those families who have not sent an RSVP. We need to have your numbers this week so that we can let the Moose Lodge know how much chicken to prepare. If you have not told your leader how many people will be attending, please do so this week so that we can get an accurate count on attendees.
Also, I would like to remind everyone about Scout Sunday. It is February 6. We would like as many scouts as possible to attend the service at 10:30 that day at St. John's. We will be presenting the Church with their Charter for their 40th year. This is a very special day and not many packs can say that they have been around for 40 years. We could not have done it without St. John's and the great organization that Church has been for our Pack. If you cannot attend the service, I would like to ask you to wear your uniform to the church that you do attend.
As a last note before I quit writing this evening. I apologize for not updating the Pack Calendar here on the website. I have been waiting for that slow day or two to do it and have not seen one since before Christmas. As it is almost 10:00pm as I write this, I will probably not get it completed this evening but I will promise to have it updated by tomorrow evening. Again, thanks to everyone for a great derby and good luck to those who are moving on to districts.
January 4, 2005
Just a few quick notes after Committee Meeting last night. We have a couple of busy months coming up with the Pinewood Derby and Blue & Gold Banquet. We will be holding a little workshop for the Pinewood Derby this Saturday from 8 to 10 in the Fellowship Hall at St. John's. I have a couple of parents who have agreed to help and any more would be appreciated. We could use some tools as well if possible.
The notes from Committee Meeting have much more information and I would advise downloading and reviewing those for more details. I will try and update the calendar later this week when I get some time.
I would like to remind everyone to get their Blue & Gold reservations and fees in as soon as possible so that we can get an accurate count on the number of attendees expected. Also, I would like you to keep Saturday afternoon February 12 open. We will be setting up for the banquet at 3:00 at the Civic Center.
Get those derby cars made and we'll see you at the Pinewood Derby!
December 22, 2004
Just a brief note on Andy's condition. I spoke to his mom this evening and he had a very painful first day. He ended up needing a trip back to the hospital, but he is back home again and has some extra medication to help him manage the pain. For those of you who would like to keep up on his progress without having to bother his mom and dad (I felt bad calling, but couldn't help myself), his mom has set up a blog on her website to keep everyone updated on his progress. The link is http://womans-net.com/blogs and Kim has been updating it as often as possible. Please keep them in your prayers as you celebrate the holidays over the next few weeks.
December 20, 2004
I would like to thank everyone who came to the Pack Meeting this evening. We had a very good turnout and I had a lot of fun. I know the kids were full of energy with Christmas so close, but all in all they did pretty good.
I would also like to thank Santa Claus for taking time out of his busy schedule to pay us a visit. I know that you older boys are getting to expect this each year, but it gets harder and harder for him each year and we should thank him for his time and not just expect him to be there.
I few quick notes and one forgot to mention. First, I would like to welcome and thank Don Taylor. He has taken the role of Executive Officer for our Pack within St. John United Church of Christ. Unfortunately, we have not had anyone fill this role since Pastor Jack left and we have become somewhat distant from the church. With Don's help and our cooperation, we will rectify this problem and become a more integral part of St. John's. We will be looking for ways to help out the Church over the coming year as a way to show our gratitude and appreciation for all that they do for us.
If any scout was unable to attend the Pack Meeting, please contact either your Den Leader or myself so that you can get your Pinewood Derby car. I wouldn't want anyone to miss out on any time they may have over the holidays. I will be off of work for the next two weeks, so I could probably make arrangements to get your car to you.
Finally, I want to ask you all, once again, to keep Andrew Haas in your prayers. His surgery will be at 8:00 am tomorrow and if we all ask God to watch over him, I am sure everything will go as planned. I will certainly post any news that I receive as soon as I can get it on the website.
It's getting late (about 11:30 pm), so I am going to call it quits for this evening. May all of you have a very Blessed and Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year!
December 10, 2004
Just a few quick notes after Committee Meeting on Monday evening.
Don't forget the upcoming Pack Meeting on December 20. Popcorn prizes have arrived so they will be distributed at the meeting. Also, we are looking for a small workshop or facility to hold a Pinewood Derby Workshop on January 8, 2005. Any parents who would like to share their tools or talents, please let me know. If you are aware of any facilities, I would be interested in hearing about that as well.
The Pinewood Derby will be held on Saturday January 22, 2005 in the big gym at Mascoutah Elementary School. Check in will begin at 8:30 with races to begin at 9:00 am. More details will follow in a couple of weeks.
Scout Sunday is February 6, 2005. As this is our 40th anniversary of our charter with St. John's, I really would appreciate as many people attending the 10:30 service as possible. It would be great if a large number of scouts and families could attend the service to show our gratitude to St. John's. If you are unable to attend, please be sure to wear your scout uniform when you attend services at your family's church.
Our Blue & Gold Banquet will be Sunday February 13, 2005 at the Leu Civic Center. We are planning some activities at 4:00 with gathering at 5:00and dinner at 5:30. We will need many volunteers on Saturday the 12th about 3:00 in the afternoon to help move tables upstairs to the banquet hall. Likewise, the committee would like everyone's help in cleanup afterwards. There is still a lot of planning and preparation and workers needed for the evening. If anyone can help out, please contact Mary Crawford and let her know what you can help with. Also, the Blue & Gold Committee will be meeting on Wednesday December 15 at 7:00 pm at the Leu Civic Center for the next meeting. This will give everyone a chance to see the facilities we will be using and make final arrangements.
The Echo is now available online at http://216.114.121.202/~echo/. You can also have yourself added to the email list so you receive an email each month when it is available.
I would also like to ask that everyone keep Andrew Haas in their prayers this week. Andrew is one of our Bear Scouts and has recently been diagnosed with Perth's disease. He will be getting tests on Monday and may possibly require leg braces or surgery and a body cast on Tuesday. He and his parents Rod & Kim (our Den 5 leaders) will have a rough way to go for quite awhile to come and will need everyone's prayers and help in getting through this trying time. Having grown to know Rod, Kim and Andrew over the past year, I know with their strength, determination, our prayers and God's help, they will see this through to a happy end. I would like to ask everyone to join me in supporting them and help out if we are needed.
November 21, 2004
I apologize for not getting notes up sooner after the Pack Meeting, but it has really been a hectic week for me.
First, I would like to thank all who attended the November Pack Meeting. We had a very good turnout of both scouts and family. I would like to also thank the adults who helped with Turkey Bowling. We could not have done it without you. I know the boys had a great time. Also, I know the siblings who bowled enjoyed it as well. I am glad that we had enough space to be able to fit in a lane for siblings. They missed that last year so we really wanted to make sure they got a chance this year. Also, I would like to apologize for the confusion about soda after the bowling. Unfortunately, we cannot buy enough soda for all of the siblings to get a bottle as well. It really is intended for just the scouts. I'll try to be a little more explicit next year and I apologize if I hurt anyone's feelings.
A few important notes from the meeting before I go on to a few other things. First, the next Blue & Gold Committee Meeting is December 15 at 7:00 pm at the Leu Civic Center. I would really appreciate any parents who can attend to help finalize plans and see the facility we have available. Also, we will have a sign up sheet for Blue & Gold reservations at the December Pack Meeting.
Please don't forget that we will have a uniform inspection the next Pack Meeting. Please make sure that your scout's uniform has all necessary patches in the proper locations. Also, the only required uniform components are a shirt, neckerchief and slide. Belts, pants, caps, etc. are additional options but are not required for inspection.
Also, I would like to thank everyone for getting their popcorn money turned in to Mindy. I know she has a lot of work to do to finalize everything for final payment to council and I know she appreciates getting everything in.
Also, I would like to remind everyone to get their information sheets back to their leaders. The recharter will need to be completed shortly and I must have up-to-date information.
I would also like to thank everyone who attended the Scouting for Food bag distribution and pickup. With the large number of attendees, the additional unit in the area and the help from the Beta Club at Mascoutah High School, we were finished with bag collection, sorting and clean up in record time this year. In my final run through town, I only found 9 additional bags of food. That is excellent considering the number of homes we have.
I would also like to thank the scouts, parents and siblings who attended the Adopt-A-Block cleanup we had earlier this afternoon. I know it was a late notice so I did not expect a very big turnout. We had 6 scouts, 4 adults and 1 sibling and cleaned our section and the north side of Main Street as well in about 40 minutes. I have asked Main Street Mascoutah to please give us more advanced notice on the next event. Hopefully, we will have a bigger turnout. I would also like to thank Jeff Davis for getting us a box of gloves to use so that we had some protection for our hands.
Don't forget the Santa Parade on December 4. We need to meet at 12:30 in the big parking lot across from the old Conoco. It is the future site of the Mascoutah Welcome Center. In the event of rain on Saturday, it will be held on Sunday December 5 at the same time.
I have tried to update the calendar today as well so please make sure you have everything on your calendar. I know we are moving in to a time of year where everything gets a little more hectic, but we have to keep our kids in site during this busy time.
As a final note, I would again like to ask if anyone has a facility, work area or tools for a Pinewood Derby Workshop. I would like to have a place where we can have scouts and adults come in, pick from a few designs and get the major cutting out of the way. They can then take their cars home to finish sanding, painting etc. January is fast approaching and will be here before we know it so anyone who can help is appreciated.
Take care and try not to let everything get to hectic. I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving and I look forward to seeing everyone in December, OUr Pack Committee meeting is December 6 at 7:00pm at St. Johns in the library. As always, everyone is welcome. Pack Meeting is December 20 and I believe we may be having a special guest, so don't forget to mark your calendars.
November 3, 2004
Well I cannot thank you enough for all the hard work that went into popcorn sales. As a result of your hard work, we are one of the top selling units in The Great St. Clair District. It may even qualify us for an extra bonus award. Thanks again for all of your hard work. The popcorn is going to be picked up on Friday afternoon or early evening. You may pick it up on Friday after 7pm at Mindy Schiefer's house (call your Den leader, Mindy or myself for directions). If not Friday evening, you can pick it up on Saturday morning at the Leu Civic Center between 9 and 11. The money needs to be turned in at the Pack meeting on November 15 so please be sure to get it delivered as quickly as possible.
Also, we have cancelled the trivia night on November 13. There has not been very much interest in volunteers and the date is fast approaching. I know everyone has been busy with selling popcorn so the committee decided that, with the great sales we had, we may be able to do without the extra funds from a Trivia Night. If we feel that it is need later in the year we can do one in March or April when things are less hectic.
Also, I'd like to remind everyone about the Pack Meeting on November 15. We will have our annual Turkey Bowling which is always a blast for the kids. I will need some parents to help keep score and set up the pins (soda bottles). lease come forward if you feel you can help with either one.
We will be having a clean up for our 2 blocks sometime this month. I will let the leaders know as soon as Main Street Mascoutah gives me the information.
Also, keep in mind the Santa Parade will be on December 4 this year. We will walk as a unit, but are interested in them ideas. If anyone has any thoughts please let us know.
Also, the revised budget for the Pack (based on actual registered scouts) is available in the Committee Minutes section. Please feel free to take a look.
Also, Donna Forster has compiled a list of events at Savvis Center. If anyone is interested in any of these evetns, either as a Den or as a Pack, please let me know. and we can make arrangements.
October 19, 2004
I would like to thank all who attended the Pack Meeting last night. We had a very fun filled and entertaining evening. I'd like to remind everyone about the upcoming events that I mentioned last night. I would like to thank all of the scouts, parents and families that sold Popcorn. Although we came up a little shy of our goal, I think we still did a fantastic job. Also, I would like to thank Mindy for keeping it all organized and getting it turned in to the Scout Shop on time.
The Trivia Night is fast approaching. It is the evening of November 13 and we really could use some help getting things together.
The Blue & Gold Committee is having a meeting on Wednesday November 3 at 7pm in the Fireside Room at St. Johns.
Adopt-A-Block will be coming up at the end of the month. I will let the leaders know as soon as I receive information from Main Street Mascoutah.
One last reminder about dues. If you have not turned them in for the first quarter, please do so at your next Den Meeting. If there is a financial issue that prevents you from paying at this time, please feel to contact either myself or Susan Shaw so that other arrangements can be made.
October 4, 2004
We just finished a very productive committee meeting. I'd like to thank all of the leaders who attended. I would also like to extend an invitation to any parents who would like to participate in this portion of running the Pack. We can always use additional input and ideas and welcome anyone who would like to contribute.
Two events which are being organized require the help of additional parents. The first event is the Blue & Gold Banquet in February. The leaders will be contacting parents to ask their assistance in this very important event. It takes a lot of effort to prepare such a complex event and is much easier with a few additional helpers. Please give some of your time if they request it of you.
The second event is our Trivia Night. We will be contacting parents to both help us prepare and actually work that evening. It will be Saturday November 13 so we really need to get moving this week. I have spoken to the City Manager, Mr. Terry Draper, and he has graciously agreed to read our questions that evening. If you get the opportunity, please take the time to thank him.
Most importantly, I'd like to thank all of the scouts and parents who participated in Popcorn Blitz Day this past Saturday. We had 30 scouts sell over $5,000 of popcorn in one day! I cannot tell you how proud I am of our scouts. Last year we had 11 scouts sell about $1,600 in popcorn so it is a fantastic improvement. We have almost achieved 1/3 of our goal so keep up the good work. We have this week and next to sell so I am confident that we can make it. I also would like everyone to give a special thanks to Mindy Schiefer. She is our Popcorn Kernel who made this all possible. She picked up the information from the scout shop and got all of the paperwork distributed to the den leaders so that we could be ready.
Take care and good luck and be safe selling popcorn! See you at the Pack Meeting on October 20.
September 20, 2004
I would like to thank all of the parents, grandparents and guardians who attended the Parents' Meeting tonight. We had a pretty good turnout considering the time of the meeting. I know it is tough to make a 6:00 meeting but we felt it would be better than tying up another evening. For those of you who missed the meeting, we covered quite a bit of information on the Pack plans for this year. We are also in need of some additional help on the Pack Committee as well as activity committees. If anyone did not get a chance to sign the adult volunteer sheet, please contact me and I can give you more information.
I would also like to thank the leaders and parents who supervised the children outside while we met. We could not have had a productive meeting without their efforts. Also, all of the kids, scouts and siblings alike, deserve a big hand for being so well behaved. I know I appreciated the great behavior and I'm sure your parents did as well.
Congratulations to all of the boys who earned awards over the summer. They had a lot of fun and I know very many parents did as well. I look forward to another great year with the Pack and working with the scouts, leaders and families in providing an educational, rewarding and fun-filled year.
September 13, 2004
It was a very busy evening at St. Johns tonight. The third floor was hopping with Tiger Cubs, Wolfs and Webelos Scouts. I would like to thank all of the parents who attended and helped us get this year under way. A special thanks to the Webelos I parents who took the time to meet with Melinda Etling and myself in order to discuss breaking the group into two dens. It has grown quite large and this will certainly make the year better for everyone - scouts , parents and leaders. A special thanks to the parents who have stepped up to be the new leaders and assistant leaders for both of these dens. Also a special thanks to Kenda Haas and Missy Porter. Kenda stepped up and took the Tiger Cub Den so that Missy could take the new Webelos I Den. Also thanks to Pam McGinnis, Jill Averett and Chris Peel. Pam will be Melinda's new Assistant and Jill & Chris will be helping Missy.
After meeting with the new dens it was time for Committee Meeting. It was a very productive meeting reviewing the plans for the upcoming events. There are a few date changes to the calendars that I had printed. The Popcorn Orders will be due on October 15. This should give the popcorn people time to get everything totaled and organized so it can be turned in on the 19th. Popcorn will arrive on the 5th and will be distributed on Saturday November 6. The location will probably be St. Johns about 9:00am but this still needs to be confirmed. The money will need to be collected and turned in by November 15.
Please remember to try to make the parents meeting before the Pack Meeting next Monday. I would like everyone to give some thought to how you might be able to help contribute to the success of our Pack. We have some important Committee positions that need to be filled. Likewise, we are always looking for Committee Members to contribute fresh ideas and help with the monthly planning. Also, we need some parents step up and help leaders to organize and plan some events. Most important at this time is our Trivia Night planned for November (was October in the calendar) and our Blue & Gold Banquet. The Trivia Night will help to raise money for our 1st Annual Pack Campout next summer and we need to get started right away.
Have a good week and I look forward to seeing you next Monday.
September 6, 2004
Sorry that I haven't added any notes or updated the website that last month but its been very hectic at my house and getting ready for the new scout year, I would like to thank everyone who participated in both the Swim Night and the Homecoming Parade. These were both very successful events. A special thanks to all of the leaders who helped to make these two events so successful.
I also would like to say that Join Scouting Night was the biggest turnout I have seen in my three years with the Pack. A special thanks to Carol Agne, our District Executive, who spoke at both of the grade schools on the fun and educational aspects of scouting. I am sure we would not have had a great a night if she had not taken the time to talk to the boys. I also would like to thank all of the leaders, parents and scouts who helped out that evening. I know we had a large crowd, but with your help I think we took care of everyone. So far we have 14 new scouts registered, 4 new adults and two additional scouts needing information or fees. I would like to take this time to welcome all of the new families who are now a part of our Pack family. I look forward to a very fun and rewarding scouting year.
As a reminder, please try to attend our first committee meeting on Monday September 13 at 7:00 at St. Johns. We will making a final review of the program calendar and preparing for our first Pack Meeting which is the following Monday, September 20 at 7:00. Also, I would like all parents to try to attend the Pack Parents meeting at 6:00 immediately before the Pack Meeting. I will be reviewing the program calendar and our budget for the year. This is a very important meeting so that you, as parents, have a better understanding of what makes the pack function.
I would also like to remind the new Tiger Cubs and Adult Partners that Tiger Cub Zoo Day is Saturday September 18, 2004.