FOCUS

This month our boys will learn about the importance of conservation and ecology. Have a conservationist or park ranger come to your den or pack meeting to talk about the dangers and effects of pollution and littering. Take your den to visit a local government conservation or reclamation project. Your den can plan its own conservation project and work on the World Conservation Award. Don't forget collecting and recycling old toys and clothes for those who are less fortunate. Your den may want to collect aluminum cans to sell and donate the proceeds to be used on a conservation project.

CORE VALUES

Some of the purposes of Cub Scouting developed through this month’s theme are:

ü       Friendly Service, Cheerfully completing activities to help the environment can start a Cub Scout on a life-long mission of service.

ü       Fun and Adventure, Working together and keeping the outing in Scouting delivers the promise of fun and adventure.

ü       Preparing for Boy Scouts, by participating in service projects for the environment and being exposed to outdoor camping.

The core value highlighted this month is:

ü       Citizenship, Activities and conservation projects help Cub Scouts understand the importance of a citizen’s duty.

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

The Cub Scout “Leave No Trace” Award was featured as a Special Opportunity in the October 2003 issue of Baloo’s Bugle, but I figured with this theme, it was time to remind you about the -

Cub Scout Leave No Trace Pledge

I promise to practice the Leave No Trace front country guidelines wherever I go:

1. Plan ahead.
2. Stick to trails.
3. Manage your pet.
4. Leave what you find.
5. Respect other visitors.
6. Trash your trash.

And to drop a hint that as you plan your spring Family Camping Trip, you work in some of the requirements for the award.  If you want more information check the websites at the end of this issue, or Google “Cub Scout Leave No Trace Award.”  I got over 10 pages of hits!!

Be sure to check out the Edible Landfill in the Cub Grub area.  Maybe you would want to build these in a den meeting and then go visit your local landfill.  The landfill trip was highlight of our son’s Bear year in Cub Scouts.  A properly run landfill is a great place to visit and learn.

Using the Fiesta theme, our Wolf Den has almost completed the Language and Culture Belt Loop.  Be sure to take advantage of all the opportunities like this that you can find for your den.

Final Request – don’t you hate letters that begin that way or are you happy, hoping they mean it and you will not receive any more ads from the company?? Anyway, the theme for May 2004 is “My Home State.”  This presents a challenge for me.  I don’t think everyone wants to learn all about New Jersey so Baloo will need some help.  Now New Jersey does have a great website set up children to learn.  It is http://www.state.nj.us/hangout_nj/   If you know of a similar website for your state, please send me the link.  My goal is to have a list of 50 such websites in that issue of Baloo.  Last month I received E-mails for Maine (the first one, thank you Kathy), Connecticut and Texas.  That leaves 46 states to go!! Please help!

It was an interesting month for letters, too.  I received nice input and great game from an Australian Scout Leader.  Thank you Hayley.  Questions from a 4H leader who wanted to know if she could use ideas she found in Baloo.  Of course, we said yes, Baloo is for everyone.  She found our site by searching on “moral skits.”  How about that??  I gave her references to several other good Scouting Skit sites.  Then there was a question on Climbing for Cub Scouts.  I learned something in researching this.  It is within the age-appropriate guidelines of the Boy Scouts  (http://www.scouting.org/boyscouts/resources/18-260/chart.html ) to take Cub Scouts to commercial climbing gyms as long as they have equipment in the correct size for our young cubs and have professional supervision.  Wow, a new opportunity.  Outdoor climbing and climbing at Boy Scout camps is not considered appropriate.

And I must say thank you for the Baltimore Area Council and the Annawon, Narragansett, Old Colony, & Cape Cod and Islands (That’s one Pow Wow coordinated by all four councils) Pow Wow books I received this month.  I still have Southern NJ books to offer in swap for your book.  Just drop me an E-mail.