FOCUS

Cub Scout Roundtable Leaders’ Guide

This month Cub Scouts will share their Holiday Traditions with others in the pack and in the community.  Lights on a Christmas Tree, candles on a Menorah for Hanukkah, candles on a Kinara for Kwanzaa - many of our holiday traditions involve lights.  Boys can be stars this month by brightening someone's holiday season with a gift of compassion.  A den can plan a visit to a nursing home or children's ward.  They might also sing holiday favorites.

CORE VALUES

Cub Scout Roundtable Leaders’ Guide

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

ü  Family Understanding, Cub Scouts will learn about their family traditions and those of others, and help spread cheer among others as they share and learn.

ü  Spiritual Growth, Boys will focus on their own Duty to God and others around the world.

ü  Friendly Service, Cub Scouts will learn to be friendly while making the lives of others more cheerful.

The core value highlighted this month is:

ü  Faith, By learning about their faith and sharing that with others, Cub Scouts practice their Duty to God.

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

Baloo is a little shorter than usual this month.  The first three Pow Wow books I went to all had identical material.  They all copied from the same source I guess.  (Probably Baloo's Bugle)  And it was great holiday material but not Holiday Lights material.  So I called on my friends Rachel and Alice in Sam Houston Area Council and got a copy of their "Holiday Lights" file.  It was right on target!  Thank you.  So if you want some more Christmas or other December holiday material just check back issues of Baloo for December themes. 

Speaking of Sam Houston Area Council, did you see the article on their Themes Conference in Scouting?? A great idea to inspire all their Roundtable people. I would love to start a regional one up here,  If I did it in my council, we three RT Commissioners (One of our four Districts no longer does CS RTs) would have a hard time pulling it off. And be sure to check out the full page picture of my friend Diane in Scouting magazine with the article!!  Diane lead my course on using Garfield in 1999 and I have seen her all six times I have been there since. She was awarded the Silver Antelope and the Silver Buffalo this year!!

Thanks for all the kind letters in response to Mike's "Seeds of Kindness" note - Here is a very touching one -

Unbeknownst to me, when I agreed to be Tiger Cub Leader, I was committing to being a Cub Scout Leader for the next five years!  Wrapping up my tenure, brings bittersweet closure to my time in Cub Scouts.  I've thoroughly enjoyed teaching the boys about taking care of our environment, taking the high road and taking time to be boys.  Of all the many resources I seek out to enhance the program I bring to the boys each week. Baloo's Bugle is the very best.  The inspiration I find in each issue has me considering a role at the district and/or council level.  Thank you so much for your tiring efforts.  I do a simple pack newsletter and it's a daunting task so I can't imagine a monthly project like Baloo's Bugle.  I sincerely appreciate each and everyone who contributes their time and energy and want each of them to know their seeds are spread far and wide!  The tiny acorn seed becomes a might oak and I know in my heart we are raising strong young men to be proud of.

THANK YOU!

Laurie, Webelos Den Leader & Secretary, Pack 546

This has been a long year for me (Cancer treatment in California) and some of the contributor's to Baloo.  Scouter Jim , Kommissioner Karl, Pat, the guru of the Baltimore Pow Wow book, and more had medical problems, too.  Thanks to God we are doing better now.  Keep us in your prayers as we ready for 2009.

God Bless!!

 
Months with similar themes to

Holiday Lights

Dave D. in Illinois

If you are looking for more December Holiday (Christmas, Hanukah, and Kwanzaa) ideas for your Den, just check any December back issue of Baloo.   CD

National makes a patch for every Cub Scout Monthly theme.  This is the one for this theme.  Check them out at www.scoutstuff.org go to patches and look for 2008 Cub Scout Monthly Theme Emblems.

CUBCAST

National has started a monthly podcast for Cub Scout leaders. It is called Cubcast. Rob and Kristin are the hosts and they do a great job. They also use actual volunteers from around the country as guest speakers. Check it out at

http://www.scouting.org/CubScouts/Cubcast.aspx

to pick up some really great ideas for the next theme.  No special equipment needed.  Chances are (Johnny Mathis, 1957) your computer can play it now!!!

DEN MEETING IN A BOX

National has den meeting kits available with projects for Cub Scouts.  They issue a new one every month for the upcoming theme.  Although I am not sure what schedule they use as December 2008's are not out yet. 

Usually I don't promote the "Den Meeting in a Box" kits BUT I have few thoughts -

P In looking for the December 2008 Box to see what it has, I found last December's box on sale for half price ($18.75) and at that price, it is probably worth a shot with good holiday theme related stuff.  Although not "Holiday Lights" but "Celebrations Around the World" for the December theme it would work. 

P Also, I found "Leaf It To Cubs" on sale for half price.  I bought two and we had a blast on our Pack Family Camping trip looking for leaves and talking about trees at a Cub level.  Every one was gathering acorns to bring home.  They couldn’t seem to get enough acorns.  I gave them plastic bags to put them in and encouraged them to find lots of loose acorns and bring them home.  Now remember my kids are 23 and 27 and were not there, so none were coming home with me!!!

Check out Den Meeting in a Box at:

www.scoutstuff.org

IMPORTANT DATES IN DECEMBER

Baltimore Area Council

7th Pearl Harbor Day

21st 1st Day of Winter

21st Hanukkah begins at Sundown

24th Christmas Eve

25th Christmas Day

26th Kwanzaa begins

31st New Year’s Eve