Tag: adventure

Join us for Parent Information Night 2019

Join us for Parent Information Night 2019

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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!

2018 Hot Dog & Movie Night!

2018 Hot Dog & Movie Night!

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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).
Cub Scout Pack 279 Cumberland Valley
Cub Scout Pack 279 is Gold Again!

Cub Scout Pack 279 is Gold Again!

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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.

Rank Adventures
Blue & Gold Dinner with Surprises

Blue & Gold Dinner with Surprises

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Everyone knows that Cubmaster Weitzel loves to include surprises into the Blue & Gold Banquet, right?

This year is no different. This week Mr. Weitzel and Mr. Fedor prepared more than 88 bags of awards, achievements, and special recognitions for the Scouts of this Pack. It is so exciting to see so many of you excelling in your Dens!

Don’t forget to dress in your “Class A”  – also known as your Field Uniform – on Friday for dinner. Have a parent or guardian make sure your uniform is clean, pressed, and looking extra sharp.  We are going to take photos as Dens and as a full Pack! It will be our largest group photo yet.

Our ceremony will begin at 6:00 pm, so arrive in time to sign in, pick a seat with your family, and visit with your friends.  We will begin with the presentation of the Colors and a blessing.  Then dinner begins! Awards and recognitions to follow.

And we have an extra special announcement coming on Friday that will surely change Cub Scout Pack 279 for the better for years to come. So bring your listening ears, your singing voices, and your appetite. We are going to have a bucket of fun on Friday night, Scouts!

Join the Lion Den!

Join the Lion Den!

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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

  1. Attend Den meetings September – May twice a month for 45 minutes with an adult partner
  2. Attend at least 3 pack meetings (held monthly)
  3. Wear the Pack 279 “Class B T-Shirt” to all events (The BSA Lion Scout T-Shirt and cap are not required)
  4. Do your best
  5. Have fun
  6. Complete 5 adventures and 1 elective. Last year the Den completed 5 adventures and 5 electives together.
  7. Complete the enrollment paperwork and pay the $55 dues. Lion Scouts are not required to sell popcorn.
  8. Lion scouts will be invited to try the Pinewood Derby for fun! (with fewer rules than other scouts)
  9. Lion scouts will be welcome at all Pack Family events and outings
  10. 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!

Welcome to Tigers!

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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

Hooked on Scouting

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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!

Pack 279 Movie Night Coming Soon!

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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:

  1. Cub Camp Awards
  2. Webelos Camp Awards
  3. The movie will be a major clue about this year’s theme.
  4. Learn About Two “New Patches” to earn for your uniform
  5. 50 Years
  6. Popcorn Previews
  7. What is “Hooked on Scouting”?
  8. Delicious Quartermaster Menu!
  9. New beads!
  10. 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 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.

Cub Scout Camp 2017

Cub Scout Camp 2017

Our Tiger, Wolf, and Bear Scouts will be camping out for two nights under the stars at Camp Tuckahoe. Boys will complete advancements on their path to earning their next Rank. Camp Tuckahoe programming includes:

  • Archery
  • Swimming
  • BB gun range
  • Fishing
  • Boating safety
  • Hiking
  • Nature center
  • Fun & Games

Registration is now closed for this event. Plan to attend Cub Scout Camp in June 2018! Dates to be announced in June 2017.

Contact Pack 279

St. James Presbyterian Church
1425 Orrs Bridge Road
Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
cubscouts@pack279.us

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