2017-18 Archives - Cub Scout Pack 279

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.

Join the Lion Den!

By Michael Fedor | August 25, 2017

So you successfully completed the first week of kindergarten and you are thinking you want to try out a fun, valuable, and rewarding after school program with your boy. Look no further; the Lion Den Program at Cub Scout Pack 279 has a program for you.

Last year, the Lion Den Pilot Program was offered to kindergarteners in Cub Scout Pack 279. We had 10 kindergarteners begin the program in September 2016 and 90% of them completed their Lion Rank, earned their Lion Badge, and advanced to become Tigers by June 2017.

The Lion program is back in 2017-18. It continues to be a Pilot Program and Cub Scout Pack 279 – a Gold Level Journey to Excellence Unit – was selected to offer the pilot for a second consecutive year. The Den will meet on the First and Third Sunday of every month beginning Sunday, September 17th. If you want to learn more or want to enroll your scout, come to Parent Info Night or the First Pack Meeting.

So what is the Lion Rank and what will the boys do if they join?

Lion Rank Program Structure

Each Lion Scout attends a Den meeting twice a month. Meetings are no longer than 45 minutes total in length. Like Tigers (First Grade), the Lion Scouts complete their adventures and electives alongside their parent or guardian or participating adult (grandparents welcome!). Adventures are completed at the Den meetings (no homework).

Lions is fundamentally an introduction to Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. Here are some of the fun activities we’ll do in 2017-18 as a Den:

Attend Pack Meetings together with the other dens
Earn Wampum Beads for being good scouts
Collect food for a local food bank
Go Christmas caroling at a Senior Living community
Explore a local zoo together
Meet a police officer
Explore the value of independence such as tying your own shoes and learning to dress yourself
Playing games with rules together
Taking turns
Being respectful
Exploring the outdoors
Attending family camp outs and outings with the rest of the Cub Scout Pack 279

Requirements for Lion Scouts in Cub Scout Pack 279

Attend Den meetings September – May twice a month for 45 minutes with an adult partner
Attend at least 3 pack meetings (held monthly)
Wear the Pack 279 “Class B T-Shirt” to all events (The BSA Lion Scout T-Shirt and cap are not required)
Do your best
Have fun
Complete 5 adventures and 1 elective. Last year the Den completed 5 adventures and 5 electives together.
Complete the enrollment paperwork and pay the $55 dues. Lion Scouts are not required to sell popcorn.
Lion scouts will be invited to try the Pinewood Derby for fun! (with fewer rules than other scouts)
Lion scouts will be welcome at all Pack Family events and outings
Lion scouts will complete one community service project with the Den.

Lion Program FAQ

Here is a helpful Lion Program FAQ prepared by the Boy Scouts of America. You’ll find it helpful as you explore whether or not to give Lion Scouts a try.

Here’s where to find the enrollment paperwork to join the Lion Den of Cub Scout Pack 279.

Welcome to Tigers!

By Serena Fedor | August 22, 2017

Hello Parents!

I hope everyone had a wonderful summer. It is hard to believe school started this week. I hope all of the kids are having a great transition back into school and that you are ready to return to scouts. If you have questions about returning this year or know you have a conflict for our first Den meeting, please contact me via Scoutbook.

I am happy to announce that we have two assistant Den Leaders that will be helping to ensure our den has a fantastic year: Mr. Kris Clymans and Mr. Tim Pyle. I’d like to personally thank them both for stepping up to help out as we move forward as Tigers.

Here are some upcoming events you should save and plan to attend!

Parent Information Night
Where: St. James Presbyterian Church
When: Sep 7, 2017, 7pm – 8pm

On September 7, we will be holding a Parent Information Night to provide prospective Cub Scout parents with information about Pack 279 and the BSA scouting program. If you know of any boys in grades K-5 that are interested in scouting or any parents looking for a great activity for their sons, please share the following flyer.

Parent Information Night Flyer:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5f9erkbjcdirzpm/2017%20Parent%20Night%20CV%20Bulletin.pdf?dl=0

Parent Information Night is also open to all the current parents of Pack 279. There will be plenty to do for everyone.

First Tigers Den Meeting
Where: St. James Presbyterian Church
When: Sep 17, 2017, 2pm – 3pm

At this meeting we will be working on the following:
– Introductions/ Welcome back: I’d like each of the scouts to plan to introduce themselves and have one thing to share about what they did over the summer. For our scouts that attended the boy scouts summer camp, this is a great opportunity to talk about the activities they did there.

– Review the requirements for the Bobcat Badge. This is the first rank all of the scouts will earn. You can find all of the requirements outlined in the Tiger handbook, but we will plan to cover them together as a group. If you are able, it would be great if you reviewed the scout oath, scout law and scout sign with your son before the first meeting. I know we worked on learning these last year, but many scouts may need a refresher from the summer.

– Begin work on our first Tiger Rank requirement:
Backyard Jungle. I will have the materials for requirement 4 for the Tigers to work on building their very own birdhouses out of empty milk cartons. We will be painting, so you can have your scout wear an old T-Shirt under their Class A.

– Cheer for upcoming pack meeting. Tigers have the responsibility for performing a cheer at our first pack meeting on September 21st. We will work together to learn a simple cheer.

– Closing and upcoming announcements.

PARENTS:
– A parent partner should plan to attend all meetings and participate with their scouts at events very much like we did last year.
– Scouts should plan to wear their blue Class A uniforms to every den meeting unless advised otherwise. If you have not yet purchased, you can get everything you need from the scout shop.
– Scouts should purchase a Tiger handbook and plan to bring it with them to all meetings.
– If you have not completed the registration materials for your scout, you can fill out the paperwork prior to the meeting and bring it with you. All the forms you need are linked on the website here: https://www.pack279.us/join-scouts/ If you are not able to complete before the meeting, that is ok. You can turn in everything at our first pack meeting on September 21st.

If any parent has concerns about participating in scouts due to affordability, please send me an email. We have many forms of assistance available.

3. First Pack Meeting
Where: St. James Presbyterian Church
When: Sep 21, 2017, 7pm – 8:30pm

You won’t want to miss the first pack meeting to kick-off the scouting year. We have some very exciting special guests that will be there. As Tigers we will also play a role in each of the pack meetings. For the September meeting, we are responsible for a cheer, which we will practice at our first den meeting.

I’m looking forward to seeing everyone on Sunday, September 17th.

Hooked on Scouting

By Michael Fedor | August 15, 2017

Do you have a boy in grades K-5 in Cumberland Valley, East Pennsboro, Mechanicsburg, West Shore, Camp Hill, or even the Carlisle School Districts of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania? Ever consider getting him hooked on scouting?

Are you looking for a program in the 2017-18 school year that will give him positive relationships with peers, exposure to strong role models, and opportunities to earn awards and recognition to build positive self esteem?

Are you looking for a fun activity you can do together on a weekly or monthly basis to get out of the house?

Are you looking to learn new skills as a parent and meet new friends and families from your area?

Does your boy love adventure and to try new things?

Does he have friends participating in scouts?

Did you or a spouse or partner participate in scouts when you were young?

Then scouting may be just the program you are looking for. Join us for a Parent Information and Sign up Night on Thursday, September 7, 2017. You will have an opportunity to meet the parents who lead the pack, ask questions about time commitments and cost, understand the diverse opportunities we offer throughout the program year (community service, hiking, camping, competitions, sports and games, family friendly events, field trips just to name a few).

Get Hooked

As a special incentive, every new scout who completes enrollment paperwork and is fully paid in dues by September 30 will receive a free rod and reel fishing combo courtesy of Bass Pro Shops and the New Birth of Freedom Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

Help your son discover new abilities, make new friends, and explore new worlds. Build an Adventure with Cub Scouts.

Pack 279 Movie Night Coming Soon!

By Michael Fedor | August 12, 2017

If you are a returning scout to Pack 279, you’re not going to want to miss our Movie Night on Friday, August 18. The movie night is the last event you need to attend this summer to qualify for the Pack Summertime Activities Patch (if you attended Space Derby and Scout Night at the Senators).

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.

Scout Year 17-18 is shaping up to be a year completely full of fun, adventures, and activities. Here are the top 10 surprises for movie night:

Cub Camp Awards
Webelos Camp Awards
The movie will be a major clue about this year’s theme.
Learn About Two “New Patches” to earn for your uniform
50 Years
Popcorn Previews
What is “Hooked on Scouting”?
Delicious Quartermaster Menu!
New beads!
New scouts!

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).

Pack Meeting – Kick off 2017-18

Pack 279 always kicks off the scouting year with a bang, and we have made plans to ensure the first pack meeting of the new year makes you excited to be part of our pack. The first loops and achievements of the year will be awarded. We will receive the activities schedule, learn our theme, and meed some special guests. You won’t want to miss this meeting.

If you haven’t renewed or registered your scout at Hot Dog Night or Parent’s Info Night, then this is the night. Bring your forms found on the JOIN SCOUTS Page along with your payment. Pack 279 will accept check or credit card to pay scout dues.

Hot Dog & Movie Night

Please join us for our Hot Dog and Movie Night to learn about Pack 279 and what cub scouting is all about. We will be serving hot dogs, drinks and popcorn and showing a special family friendly movie as soon as it is dark enough, around 8:15 pm. And while the kids watch the movie, parents may preview this year’s popcorn goodies and be the first sign up for Pack 279 Show & Sales.

Boys and their families, entering grade K–5 are welcome to join Cub Scouts. Pack Meetings are every 3rd Thursday of the month, September through May, at St. James Presbyterian Church on Orr’s Bridge Road, from 7:00pm to 8:00pm.

*If you can’t make the meeting, don’t worry. Just contact us for more information to get your son started in the exciting world of Cub Scouting. We will also be holding a parent information night on September 7 at 7pm. Our first Pack meeting is on September 21 at 7pm. Please come out and visit us to see what Cub Scout Pack 279 is all about.

For more information, contact:

Matt Weitzel, Cubmaster: cubscouts@pack279.us or by phone, (717) 421-2436

Michael Fedor, Assistant Cubmaster: acm@pack279.us or by phone, (717) 350-8409

Parent Information Night

Curious how to enroll your boy in our Pack in Cumberland County? Interested in returning to Pack 279 after a great experience last year? Want to be first to sign up for Show and Sales for our 2017 Popcorn sales?

Then this event is for you. The Cubmaster and Assistant Cubmaster will:

Introduce you to each Den Leadership by Grade Level
Provide background on why scouting is a valuable experience for k-5 school age boys.
They will outline some of the activities planned for 2017-18.
They will walk you through completing the enrollment application.
They will also detail why we sell popcorn to support scouting and give you the TOP 5 TIPSs for a successful popcorn sale for your scout.

Light refreshments served.

We will have scout applications on hand or you may bring your own paperwork found here on our site.

Tag: 2017-18