Cubmaster Archives - Cub Scout Pack 279

Join us for Parent Information Night 2019

By Michael Fedor | August 28, 2019

Calling all parents!

Are you looking for a club or activity that teaches your child about leadership, friendship, and conservation, while having an amazing time?

Tired of the endless rush to and from sports practices where you just sit and watch, wishing you could be spending more quality time with your child?

Cub Scouts may be the perfect program for you.

We will have our fall recruitment Parent informational session on Thursday, September 12, 2019 at 7:00 pm. Hosted at St James Presbyterian Church where our Pack is sponsored at 1425 Orrs Bridge Rd, Mechanicsburg, PA, we will give you everything you need to know about the world of scouting. Children are welcome; we will have activities for all scouting age children in which to participate. Children younger than age 6 need to say with their adult.

Our program is open to all boys and girls in grades kindergarten to fifth grade. You can help your child to be as involved as best fits their interest and schedule.

Grade level “den meetings” occur with 10 -15 peers of the same age at least once a month for two hours (younger dens meet twice a month for one hour). Parents attend these meetings and are encouraged to participate alongside their scout in the monthly meeting, especially for scouts grades k-3.

All students in our organization meet once a month in a Thursday night meeting call the “Pack Meeting.” This ninety minute gathering is a time to learn, have fun, receive awards and recognitions, and socialize with other families in the pack.

Cub Scouting with Pack 279 is a family focused program. Siblings, parents, grandparents, and the scouts are welcome to attend and participate in the many outings and adventures we have organized throughout the year.

Here’s a sampling of the types of activities we have planned for 2019-2020:

Lake Tobias Outing and Safari in September
Walking in the Mechanicsburg Halloween Parade in October
Fall Family Camp (24 hours camping in a cabin or tent) along with lots of fun outdoor and science activities.
Community Service events for those in need in November
Caroling in December
Snowtubing in January
Pinewood Derby in February
Conservation Project in April
Spring Family Camp in April
Summer Camp (extended time camping with a parent in the woods) in June

Scouting is truly a unique and memorable program that gives parents positive quality time learning with their child. We hope you’ll consider our Pack for membership for your child. Here are some more Questions and Answers about how, when, and what it means to join us.

Hope to see you on September 12!

Our 2019-2020 Scout Year Activity Calendar Will be Revealed This July

By Michael Fedor | July 15, 2019

On Monday, July 15, Parents will meet to plan the 2019-20 Scout Year. It is always a truly exciting meeting as the inspiration and creativity flow from parents to make the year an exciting and fun one for our scouts.

Parents will be selecting a theme for the year. In the past four years we have enjoyed such creative themes as A.I. – Adventure Intelligence, Pirates of Scouting, Jungle Safari, and Merlin’s Mighty Scouts just to name a few. We can’t wait to see what parents come up with tomorrow.

We will also set den meeting times, Pack meeting dates, select a new conservation project for the year, and select about six or seven Pack outing activities to take us into the outdoors, museums, and to explore science and the world around us in Pennsylvania.

Cub Scout Pack 279 is one of the largest and most active packs in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. If you are in search of a unique and fun activity for your son or daughter, check us out this fall. Our Parents Information Night is set for Thursday, September 12 at St. James Presbyterian Church in Mechanicsburg. We’d love to see you out!

Matt Weitzel installs Michael Fedor as Cubmaster

As Your New Cubmaster

By Michael Fedor | March 22, 2019

Last night it was an honor to be installed as the new Cubmaster of Cub Scout Pack 279. The list of leaders who have proceeded me in this role over the 52 year history of our Pack. Each Cubmaster has brought their own personality, ideas, and priorities to the job of Cubmaster. As parents, I want you to know what you can expect from my service to the pack.

1 – Make It Fun

The number one goal of Cub Scout programming is to make each outing, den meeting, and pack gathering fun and enjoyable for the scouts. They are our number one priority and they remain my number one priority. We are going to continue our rich tradition of lighthearted skits, themes, and laughter that make being part of Pack 279 so enjoyable. If the kids have fun as a scout, we’ll keep them coming back month after month, year after year. After all, our goal is to create lifelong learners and scouters.

2 – Encourage Us to Get Outdoors More

As a suburban township pack, we can sometimes get stuck in the rut of classroom style gatherings indoors. The cool, wet Central Pennsylvania weather of late that has spanned October to April has not made the job of getting us outdoors more often any easier. However, we are not about to give up. We are going to take on one major conservation project a year as a Pack to help push us into the outdoors more and I am going to encourage our Dens to hike locally and meet outdoors rather than inside the church recreational hall anytime weather permits.

3 – Lean In and Listen

A great teacher listens more than he or she speaks. As you might know, I have been a lifelong educator with experience teaching every age group from kindergarten through adulthood. I am here to listen to our scouts and our parents for opportunities to make our programming better or keep wonderful traditions and programming alive. My phone and email are open to you, but so am I for any one-on-one conversation you want to have about your scout’s experience in our Pack.

4 – Stay Committed to the Well Run Machine

The Cubmasters who have come before me have developed a robust system of tools to keep communication flowing in our Pack. No parent should ever have to guess what programming opportunities are coming up next for their scout. We will keep using Scoutbook, Timetosignup.com/pack279 and our monthly Pack announcements slides to ensure parents have all the information they need get their scouts active and involved in activities to earn rank, learn, and have fun.

5 – Parent Partnership

I am supremely proud that every leader in our Pack is a parent of a current scout. This ensures we stay focused on the kids. I also know that a pack of our size (back down to 73 for now with the bridging of 12 AOL awardees, but surely we’ll be up into the 80s again this fall) cannot succeed without the time, talents, and energy of a robust corps of parents who are involved and giving of themselves to make our programs wonderful. I encourage you to join me in this journey. Attend Parent Planning Meetings once a month (We meet the Monday before the Pack Meeting at St. James generally). Volunteer for the Quartermaster Corps to help with cooking, supplies, and set up. Become a Popcorn Sale team member to ensure that fundraiser is as successful as we need it to be each year. Suggest to us other ways you can help make Cub Scout Pack 279 a fun and exciting experience for K-5 students for the years ahead.

Thank you for this opportunity to serve our youth and your family. I am looking forward to fun that will create lifelong memories together.

Arrow of Light Bridging

By Michael Fedor | March 1, 2019

Be sure to join Cub Scout Pack 279 on Thursday, March 21, 2019, as we celebrate an end as well as a new beginning.

Our Webelos II Den will be awarded their Arrow of Light Awards. In addition, those cub scouts choosing to continue their scouting journey will be invited to “bridge over” to the Scouts, BSA Troop of their choosing.

It is an evening of ceremony, celebration, tradition, and symbolism. We encourage all scouts to attend and honor the achievement of their fellow scouts.

Pinewood Derby 2019 – All the Stuff Parents Need to Know

By Michael Fedor | January 7, 2019

Our 2019 Pinewood Derby is fast approaching. In fact, qualification night (registration, measurement, and weigh-in) is on Friday, February 1.

To prepare your scout for the Pinewood Derby, here are the most often requested resources and questions, all in one location.

Rules

Here is the link to the Official Pack 279 Pinewood Derby Rules for 2019.

Race Times

9:00 – 9:45: Web II
10:00 – 10:45: Web I
11:00 – 11:45: Bears
12:00 – 1:00: Wolves
1:00 – 2:00: Tigers
2:00 – 2:30: Lions
3:00 – 4:00: Finals

Medals will also be awarded for “Most Original” and a “Judge’s Choice”.

Parents’ Race

We will be having our fifth annual PARENTS race, to take place immediately after registration at the church on Friday, February 1st. The only rules are: the car body can’t extend to the sides past 2-3/4″, the length is a maximum of 7″, and weight is 10.000 OZ. Everyone will be responsible for their own car. The pack has several “scrap” kits you can use (first come, first serve) or you can purchased a new kit at the scout shop. There will be a trophy for first place.

FAQs

2018 Hot Dog & Movie Night!

By Matt Weitzel | August 21, 2018

If you are a returning scout to Pack 279, you’re not going to want to miss our Movie Night on Friday, August 24. The movie night is the last event you need to attend this summer to qualify for the Pack Summertime Activities Patch (if you attended other scout events in June and July).

Let us know you are coming by completing the TimeToSignUp.com form.

On movie night, we gather as a pack and award recognitions earned at Cub Camp and Webelos Camp. We eat great food, we preview popcorn sales. We give parents a chance to sign up for popcorn Show and Sales. We watch a great movie on a screen under the stars.

Returning scouts who complete all paperwork and are paid in full on Scout Movie Night receive a very special bead for their wampum.

The 2018-19 Scout Year is shaping up to be a year completely full of fun, adventures, and activities!

We welcome new families to Hot Dog and Movie night. Especially if you are feeling out scouts to decide if it is the right program for your boys. Here’s what to bring:

Water bottle and snacks for the film
Comfy chairs for each member of the family
Boy Scout Application Forms and Dues if you are committing to joining the pack
Bug spray
Comfy clothes
Pillows, blankets (If it rains, the movie will move inside. Consider adding a bit more cushion to your seating on the hard gym floor, such as pillows, blankets, and an air mattress or bed roll).

Be a Giraffe!

By Matt Weitzel | June 3, 2018

The giraffe can teach us a lot about responsibility. First of all, it stands tall – and when the giraffe is out on the African plains, there’s no doubt where he stands. Each of us should also stand tall, and make sure that whatever we do is something we can be proud of – so stand tall! The giraffe is adaptable – willing to bend his long neck and stretch out his legs when he needs water. So be willing to bend – to adapt to change or follow a needed “Plan B.” The giraffe is willing to stick his neck out to accomplish something – like eating the best leaves high in the tree. And we should also be willing to stick our necks out – to reach the highest goals and take responsibility for all that we do. So, do your best and be a giraffe!

Family Scouting Off to a Roaring Start

By Michael Fedor | March 19, 2018

We had a feeling Family Scouting was going to be a big hit in Cub Scout Pack 279 here in Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County. Gee, we were right.

We had six girls in grades kindergarten through fourth grade sign up immediately to join Cub Scout Pack 279. These girls got to work right to way after their induction into the Cub Scout Pack on Thursday, March 15. We are happy and proud to report two have already completed their Bobcat Badges (3 days might be a new record!).

Female scouts join the pack — A female scout receives her Webelos neckerchief at a ceremony on March 15, 2018. Cub Scout Pack 279 was among the first to open its program to girls in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.

The female scouts got right to work with their very first Den meetings on Sunday, March 18. By Sunday, the ranks of female cub scouts grew to 8 in our pack, and two more picked up information on how to join. We could easily finish the Scout Year with 10-15% of our total Cub Scout membership as female scouts.

We know the success of the Family Scouting program relies heavily on the experience of our pioneer girls. We are actively seeking feedback from them and their parents on how to do this right. We are also funneling that feedback up to the District and Council levels so that more Packs in the area may learn from our experiences.

If you have a girl in the Cumberland Valley School District (or surrounding area) who wants to challenge herself to have more fun, meet new friends, and learn new skills in conservation, citizenship, science, and so much more, visit our Join Our Pack and FAQ pages to learn more on how to sign her up. Females who join for the rest of the school year will have their membership fee of $100 waived by our Pack.

Cub Scout Pack 279 is Gold Again!

By Michael Fedor | February 27, 2018

We are gold once again.

That’s right, Cub Scout Pack 279 of Mechanicsburg, Hampden Township, Cumberland County was award the Gold Level designation – the highest a pack can achieve – in the Journey to Excellence program for 2017. This marks at least the 7th consecutive year in a row that our Cub Scout Pack has achieved this honor, if not longer (still researching with Council).

Scouting’s Journey to Excellence is the Boy Scouts of America’s “planning, performance, and recognition program designed to encourage and reward the success of our units, districts and councils.” It is designed to encourage excellence in providing a high quality program at all levels of the Boy Scouts.

Cub Scout Pack 279 qualified for Gold Level designation due to our commitment to planning, budgeting, programming that generates widespread participation from dens and parents alike. We plan and complete many hours of community service each year in our community. We also see a high level of year-over-year return of scouts back to our program as well as nearly 100% advancement by scouts to the next rank by the end of the scout year. All of this contributes to our ability to receive the BSA highest rank in the Journey to Excellence program.

And as an aside, 100% of Pack 279 subscribes to Boy’s Life, the scouting magazine, which also gets us a special designation on our unit patches.

Parents as well as scouts have a role in continuing to make Cub Scout Pack 279 a Gold Level unit. Participate in events, provide feedback as to their quality and appropriateness, and plan future events. Study your scout handbook of your rank, work hard to earn your loops, and work diligently towards advancement. All of these are positive ways our scouts and parents contribute to Pack 279 being a high quality program.

So thank you for your continued commitment to scouting and to bringing excellence to our program. We couldn’t have done it without you.

It’s Official: Lions are Here to Stay

By Michael Fedor | February 26, 2018

The Boy Scouts of America have announced that the Lion pilot program was such a success that it has been officially converted to a permanent scouting rank and den, along with an official uniform, belt loop adventures, and neckerchief and slide. That means this fall Cub Scout Pack 279 will once again offer a Lion Den to kindergarten age children (That’s 5 years of age on or before September 1, 2018).

And as we announced last week, Cub Scout Pack 279 is now a Family Scouting Pack. That means the Lion Rank will be open to boys and girls in kindergarten.

The uniform for Lions will be an activity Class B Pack 279 T-Shirt, available for purchase when your Lion joins the Pack in September. They will also wear a Lion rank hat and earn their gold neckerchief and slide.

The Lion Adventures will be belt loops earned like other Scout ranks: with the guidance and help of an adult partner. The Adventure loops will include 5 required adventures and completing 1 or more of 7 electives in a range of age appropriate topics like Fun on the Run!, Animal Kingdom, Gizmos and Gadgets, Ready, Set, Grow, and more. Loops are worn on the official Cub Scout belt as part of the uniform.

Lions who earn their rank will wear it on their Class B t-shirt. Once they advance to Tiger Den, the scout will earn a Lion Rank Bar that will be worn on the lower left of their Class A (Field Uniform) below the diamond of den ranks.

The goal of the leaders of Pack 279 is to carry out the mission of the Boy Scouts of America. We provide an educational program for children to build desirable qualities of character, to train in the responsibilities of participatory citizenship and to develop personal fitness. The scouts of Pack 279 learn leadership skills while taking part in many activities and community projects.

We have a year-long program where our scouts have the opportunity to camp, hike, learn, and cook and have other rewarding outdoor adventures 12 months a year. Highlights of our pack include going to Boy Scout camps in the area, visiting local parks, hiking on the Appalachian Trail and at Hawk Mountain, racing in the Pinewood Derby, holding the annual Blue and Gold Banquet, attending Hershey Bears and Harrisburg Senators games, snow tubing, performing community service projects, and running the annual Raingutter Regatta. Pack 279 is chartered by St. James Presbyterian Church on Orr’s Bridge Road in Mechanicsburg. We partner with Boy Scout Troop 276, which is also chartered at St. James. We are grateful to be affiliated with these organizations and look forward to continue to strengthen these relationships in the future.

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Category: Cubmaster