Business Items for Den 11

It was great to see the entire Den back together last night. I also want to apologize for the chaos, I had temporarily forgot how short the attention span of 2nd graders was and put to much business into the meeting. I will try to put the business things out via e-mail ahead of the meetings for the future and put more fun activities in.
To recap then, below are the business items that we tried to cover last night.

1. I handed out Den Meeting assignments for November through March. Unfortunately, I did not write down what everyone volunteered for. Please send me an e-mail with what you have.
Den Meeting # 5 & 6 (November)
Den Meeting # 7 & 8 (December)
Den Meeting # 9 & 10 (January)
Den Meeting # 11 & 12 (February)
Den Meeting # (13 March)

Dan Lee, who has December, is looking to trade with someone. If you can trade, please contact Dan. I was also planning on doing a Den Meeting at Fall Family Camping like we did last year. I will need some help with this one as well.

2. Please let me know who is coming to Fall Family Camping, October 8-10, 2010 at Bert Adams Scout Reservation. Be prepared to sign up at the September Pack Meeting (bring your check book).

3. The next Pack Meeting is Tuesday, September 14, 2010 at Garrison Mill. We will be having a Bike Rodeo so bring your bike and your helmet. You can also look at earning the Bicycling Pin if you are so inclined.
Requirements for the Bicycling PinEarn the Bicycling belt loop, and complete requirement 1 below, and do four additional requirements:
1. Make a chart to record at least 10 hours of bicycling. (Required)
2. Participate in a pack, den, or community bike rodeo.
3. Demonstrate how to repair a flat tire on a bicycle.
4. Make a poster illustrating different types of early bikes and show it to your den.
5. Give a demonstration to your den or pack on the proper use of safety equipment and gear.
6. With the help of a parent or adult partner, register or reregister your bicycle.
7. Go on a "bicycle hike" with your family or den. Obey traffic rules related to bicycling.
8. Repair or restore a nonfunctioning bicycle to a safe condition. Include the installation of all proper safety devices.
9. Visit a bicycle race or exhibition.
10. Help set up a bike rodeo or bike competition for your pack.
4. Cub Scout Values Project: Last night the scouts drew pieces of paper to make a board representing each Cub Scout Value. Here are the more specific instructions:
a. Obtain a piece of 1” x 4” board 18” long. If you have scrap wood laying around the house you can use that.
b. Drill 4 holes in the piece of wood so that they can be tied together and hung on a standard (pole). I will supply the twine to tie them together.
c. Engrave, paint, woodburn, or otherwise permanently write your assigned Cub Scout value on the piece of wood.
d. On the back of the piece of paper is the month that we will be talking about the assigned value. Bring your assigned project for the month indicated. You can also bring your project in early if you like.
e. Each scout should talk about the assigned value with their parents and then share what that value means at the appropriate Den Meeting.

5. I handed out the “Year of Celebration” patches last night. These patches and the ribbons you can earn are an optional activity that the scouts and even adults could earn. There are no requirements to wear the patch but the requirements to earn the ribbons can be found on-line at: http://ww2.scouting.org/100years/100years/sitefiles/1000/YourSource/PlanningTools/YOC/YOC_Tracking_Cards.pdf
When you have earned a ribbon, let me know and I will complete the on-line form and order your ribbons. If you want you can also look up the on-line form and do it yourself however, if you go through the pack, the pack will pay for the ribbons.
I did print out the pocket version of the requirements for the scouts and will hand these out at the Pack Meeting on 9/14/2010.

6. Emergency Preparedness Pin
I am very proud of those scouts who earned the emergency preparedness pin. Each year we will continue to update this achievement and each year we will add more advanced learning such as Red Cross First Aid training. For those of you who have not yet completed this activity, you can complete this by doing the following:
a. Complete Wolf Cub Scout Achievement 9 (found in your Wolf handbook)—Be Safe at Home and on the Street. This is a check of your home to keep it safe.
b. Complete Wolf Cub Scout Elective 16 (found in your Wolf handbook) —Family Alert. This elective is about designing a plan for your home and family in case an emergency takes place.
c. Make a presentation to your Den on one thing that you have learned about preparing for emergencies.

7. Child Protection Home Work
Before the next Den Meeting, please review the small booklet found in the front of the Wolf Handbook called, “How to protect your child from child abuse.” Then report back at the next Den Meeting that this has been completed.

8. Next Den Meeting
We are really hard pushed to get some things in this year and September & October are very busy months. With the new school calendar, the Fall Break occupies 2 full weekends in September and there are activities each weekend in October. Therefore, I am moving forward with the next Den Meeting being Sunday 9/26/2010 from 2-3:30 PM at a local Bowling Alley. At this meeting we will work on the Bowling Belt-Loop and Achievements # 3b & 3c
3b. Tell four ways to stop the spread of colds.
3c. Show what to do for a small cut on your finger.

Please let me know if you cannot make this meeting. You can make up these activities then at home.

9. Den Calendar
Attached is the Den Calendar for the year. Note that the further out a Den activity is scheduled, the more likely it is to be rescheduled on another date. For each new sports season, we can also look at the day of the week we are meeting. I will work with you on your meeting plans and if the dates need to be moved. You will note that in March, if all the Wolfs have earned their badges the 3 Dens will have a Wolf party to celebrate. Last year after everyone earned their Tiger Badge, I felt the celebration was a bit anti-climatic and think a Wolf pizza party would be a howling good time.

Wow, that was a lot to cover, no wonder the boys were ready to head for the hills/playground. So what I need from you all is:

1. What Den Meetings did you volunteer for? _________________________
2. Can anyone switch meeting plans (December) with Dan Lee?
3. Are you going on the Fall Family Camping? _________________________

Thanks for all of your support for the scouts and participation in the Den. After one year of Cub Scouts I can definitely see the influence that scouting has had on Alex and that is due to all the parents involvement and support.


Dan