FOCUS
Cub Scout
Roundtable Leaders’ Guide
What kind of people were
the Pilgrims?? How did they live and what did they mean to our nation’s
history?? The Pilgrims and American Indians who helped them gave us many
things, including Thanksgiving. This month, Cub Scouts will reenact the First
Thanksgiving, which lasted three days, with games and contests in addition to
a bountiful meal. Prepare Pilgrim costumes and American Indian traditional
clothing. Design some games that Pilgrim and Indian boys would have played.
Dens can prepare a game or food for the feast, and help by building props or
scenery. Consider a Raingutter Regatta as a modern day version of a game that
boys might have played at the First Thanksgiving. Most of all, remember to
give thanks for all the blessings we enjoy.
CORE
VALUES
Some of the purposes of Cub
Scouting developed through this month’s theme are:
Cub Scout Roundtable Leaders’ Guide
ü
Spiritual growth, Boys will be reminded of a higher power
as they learn about the faith of the Pilgrims.
ü
Good Citizenship, Boys will be encouraged to share their
goodwill with less fortunate people.
ü
Family Understanding, Boys will be encouraged to share
and promote family values.
The
core value highlighted this month is:
ü
Cooperation, Cub Scouts will become aware that
cooperation is needed in life to accomplish goals.
Can you think of
others??? Hint – look in your Cub Scout Program Helps. It lists
different ones!! All the items on both lists are applicable!! You could
probably list all twelve if you thought about it!!
COMMISSIONER’S CORNER
Well, it has been another
busy month. My first Fall Roundtable (67 leaders attended), the Pack’s “Join
Scouting Night,” (My wife and I inherited a Wolf Den when the Tiger leader did
not return. With our son and daughter both in college it has been a long time
since we were front line with a group of second graders.) Luckily there are
very interested parents who are helping. We are working at having them take
over after they are trained.
Besides all this, I am on
a 21st Wood Badge staff and we had the first weekend right
after Isabel came through South Jersey. The staff was in camp when the storm
hit and knocked out the electric power. One staff member who works for a
generator service, got us a large portable generator and we were able to power
the refrigerator, all the electronics needed for a 21st Century Wood Badge
course and light up the Troop Room and Dining Area and a few other things.
To make coffee, we unplugged the refrigerator and plugged in the coffee pot!!
The course went off great!! Participants left Sunday night all enthusiastic
to return in a few weeks. I am the course Quartermaster and with my staff, we
fed almost 70 people all weekend (Thankfully, the cooking apparatus and
hot water are propane!!) This was my first experience with 21st
Century Wood Badge and I recommend it highly. Wood Badge is
Scouting’s advanced training course. It shows you how to be a better leader,
how to create teams, how to plan projects and a lot more. The training
techniques are the latest being used in the best corporate training programs.
On another front, in a few
weeks my Pack will have its first family camping trip of the year – we
have over 65 people signed up. Almost every family in the pack is
attending!! When we were first allowed to do family camping as a pack,
I was a little skeptical. Probably because I was a Cub in the 50’s when there
weren’t even Day Camps for Cubs and my son was a Cub in the 80’s when you
couldn’t get a tour permit approved for Pack camping. But I have seen
tremendous growth in the Pack from our family camping weekends each
year. And it is almost unsurpassed as a retention tool for boys and leaders!!
You really should get your pack out family camping and see what it
does!! Remember, boys join Scouting to go camping!!
Have them work on the
Front Country guidelines (See Leave No Trace award in Special
Opportunity)
BUT first, get a few
leaders B.A.L.O.O. trained!!!
(See description in
Training Tip)
Have a great month!!!!
Commissioner
Dave
