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September 9, 2010
Dear Cub Scout
Leader:
Welcome to another fantastic year in Cub Scouting!!! We have a year's worth of
exciting events planned--hope you and your Scouts will make every effort to
participate in them!!! Our very first district event of the year is our
BIKE RODEO, done
with the help of the ever-wonderful Optimist Club of Athens. This
hands-on learning event is set for this Saturday, September 11th at (the back
of) the Athens Junior High from 8:00 to approximately 11:00 a.m. The
Bike Rodeo will be similar to the one done last year, with an inspection
station, safety/riding skills program, police officer present to discuss rules
of the road, and a short street ride. Light refreshments will be served.
Please know that several rank achievements can be completed at this
event. Also, please instruct your boys that they should bring their bikes and
their helmets in order to participate. Optimist Club members will be present to
oversee all stations, but would appreciate assistance from any adults,
especially at the inspection station. If you can help that day, please let me
know ASAP.
As many of you
know, last fall we worked on a service project for the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park, specifically Cades Cove, as part of our
once-in-a-lifetime chance to earn the Boy Scout
100th Anniversary Service Project patch. The patch, shown here,
could have been earned by participating in this “100 years, 100 miles”
service activity.
I have been in contact with Tom Pendleton, chairman of this
event, and he says that the following packs have completed all requirements:
Packs 114, 614, 177, 615, and 275. Packs 616 and 561 need to send pictures to
Thomas of the event only, and will then have completed the requirements for that
phase. If you have any questions about any of this, please contact Thomas at
thomastr911@yahoo.com You may order patches, depending on the number of
hours spent on the service project, for $3.50 each through the Council Office.
The
district POPCORN SALE begins September 17th! Our very
own Brandi Jones of Pack 615 is Popcorn Chairman for Unaka District this year
(THANKS SO MUCH, BRANDI!!!). Each pack should select a "popcorn chairman" now
to handle this fund raiser. Packets with all the pertinent information have been
distributed; if you are reading this and have not yet received yours, please get
in touch with Brandi at
865-414-2171 or
brandi@djconline.net.
Please encourage everyone to approach all boys to see if they want to sell these
items, whether or not the pack does. A pack can make a lot of money by
participating in this sale—a basic 25% of sales, with up to 35% when certain
criteria are met. In addition, each Scout can earn prizes or cash (5% of their
sales), as well as a patch and a hatpin. There is much discussion about how
the boys can work toward their advancements by participating in this sale. Be
sure and talk to Brandi or Melissa about this!!! Also, visit the website:
www.trailsend.com.
Please note the
following important dates:
September
9th—Show & Sell order deadline
16th—Show & Sell popcorn delivered
17th—Popcorn Sale starts
October 2nd
- 10th--BLITZ WEEK
November 3rd—FINAL
popcorn order deadline
5th—Show & Sell money due to the council
11th—Popcorn Distribution Day
December 9th—ALL
POPCORN MONEY DUE TO THE COUNCIL
Please don’t forget that Brandi has reserved dates and
times for sales for the Athens and Madisonville Wal-Marts. You will need to
contact Brandi at 865-414-2171 or
brandi@djconline.net to reserve your
date. You cannot just go to the store yourself without securing a date and
time!!! However, if you have another regular location at which you sell popcorn
(besides Wal-Mart!), you do not need to contact Brandi.
The first of 3 October district events is
the first-in-a-very-long-time CUB SCOUT CAMPOREE!!!
This weekend-long event will be held at Gee Creek, starting on Friday October 8th
at 5:00 p.m., and going until Sunday, October 10th. Cost for
the event is $7.00 for Cub Scouts and $5.00 for Adults and siblings. We have
received the wonderful information that all packs do not have to be BALOO
trained to attend; however, untrained packs must hook up with a trained pack for
the weekend—and they must indicate that they are teaming up with Pack ___ on the
tour permit that is required for this event. Also you should know that each Cub
Scout should have a medical form—parts A and C (which do not require a
doctor)—to be filled out and returned to you, as they have to be turned in for
this camporee.
Lots of activities are planned for the weekend,
including basic outdoor skills activities (putting up tents, cooking outdoors,
etc.), campfires, shooting sports, a scavenger hunt, and much, much more. I
hope you will encourage your Cub Scouts and their families to participate in
this wonderful activity. As with any Cub Scout camping activity, each Cub must
be accompanied by an adult. Siblings are welcomed, but may not participate in
the planned activities. You will need to provide your tents, food and other
gear. If you have any questions about the camporee, please contact Stan
Weslowski (423-829-0651) or Deb Weslowski (829-0652).
The second October event is the CORN MAZE AT
MAYFIELD FARMS celebrating Scouting’s 100th anniversary!!!
As you can see by the attached picture, Michael Mayfield, Eagle from Troop
118, has created a maze using our centennial as its theme. To help Cub and Boy
Scouts in the area have a second fund-raiser (after popcorn!), he is allowing
Scouts to sell tickets to the Corn Maze for the cost of $8 each; troop profit
will be $2.00 per ticket. In addition, he is having SCOUT DAY AT THE
MAZE on Saturday, October 16th. Scouts will pay only $4.00
to enjoy the maze and all other Cub Scout and Boy Scout activities. Please let
me know if your pack is interested in selling tickets and I will see that you
get some!!
Finally, our third event
for October is our ever-popular
CUB SCOUT OLYMPICS, set for Saturday, October 30th,
beginning at 12:30 p.m. This family-oriented event is at Ingleside School in
Athens. Please remind parents and Cub Scouts that they should eat lunch before
the Olympics; the hot dogs and trimmings are for late afternoon supper!
Registration, which includes paying a $1.00 fee per boy, begins at 12:00 noon,
with the Olympics beginning promptly at 12:30 p.m. Upon registration, each boy
and his adult partner will be assigned a team number, which will be used for
identification purposes throughout the event.
Some
basic guidelines for this event are:
l. ONLY
ONE BOY PER FATHER OR MOTHER OR 18 YEAR OLD OR OLDER SIGNIFICANT MALE OR
FEMALE. If there are 2 or 3 boys in a family, each boy must have one
adult. There will be NO EXCEPTIONS to this rule.
2. There will
be 8 groups (one group per station), each representing a different rank,
depending on the numbers of boys present from each rank. We shall attempt to
make groups equal in size as much as is possible. Latecomers will be evenly
distributed.
3. Each
Cub/Parent team must stay with their assigned group during all group
activities. Certain individual stations (such as the obstacle course) may be
done individually as time allows.
4. Olympic gold
medals will be presented to ALL participants. (WE NEED EVERYONE TO
DONATE FROZEN JUICE LIDS OR USED CANNING LIDS ASAP IN ORDER FOR THIS TO
HAPPEN!! Ask your parents for help with this!! I NEED THESE BY OUR
NEXT ROUNDTABLE ON OCTOBER 14th) First, second, and third place
Olympic medals will be presented for each rank of each activity. Trophies
will be awarded to the top 3 winners of each rank, as well as the top 3
overall. The one dollar fee is to pay for all these awards, and should be
remitted either before or the day of the Olympics PLEASE.
5. Every boy
should wear a Cub Scout T-shirt of some kind,
not necessarily
his uniform, and bring a poncho in case of rain.
6. EVERYONE
HAVE FUN!!
We can teach our
boys valuable lessons in sportsmanship with a positive attitude throughout
this event.
The
different activity stations and their assigned packs are:
1. Scouting Skills Contest (Pack 614) 5. Penny Toss (Pack 177)
2. Potato Relay
(Pack 116) 6. Wheelbarrow Race
3. Timed
Obstacle Course (Pack 616) 7. Gorilla Relay
4.
Shooting Sports 8. Ladder Golf
(possibly Pack 74)
***Please
know that you do not have to do one of these; you may have a better idea!!***
Two additional
stations will be:
9. Registration 10. Food
preparation/Serving
I MUST HAVE A
MINIMUM OF 4 PEOPLE AT EACH ACTIVITY STATION.
Each pack should
provide the necessary staff and materials for their activity. I will assist
you in every way possible if you will let me know that you need help!
Stations should be set up and ready for play no later than 12:00 noon.
Persons working registration should be present no later than 11:45 a.m.
After
all the preliminaries, there will be play-offs at each station for each rank,
and for overall standings. When all competition is completed, we will have a
family hot dog supper. Thanks to Gary Imlay for supplying the grill for the
Olympics!!! We are asking the Order of the Arrow to do our cooking that day,
but may need help there. Each pack is responsible for providing enough
hot dogs, buns, condiments, chips, cookies, drinks, ICE WATER, cups, plates,
napkins and garbage bags for their numbers. PLEASE BRING AT
LEAST DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF CUPS YOU NEED. These items will be pooled together
at mealtime, and the pack or Boy Scouts responsible for food preparation will
set up the food and cook the hot dogs. I would suggest that you have every
family bring a 2-liter drink, every other family a pack of hot dogs or hot dog
buns, etc. Each pack is also asked to bring a large cooler of ice (not a
bag of ice!!) in addition to their cooler of ice water.
Medals
and trophies will be awarded at the day's end!! Please let your people know
that this is a very long event lasting several hours. Please plan to stay the
entire time and remember that CLEAN-UP IS EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY!!!
Please let your parents and boys know about this event and encourage their
participation. This is a really fun event, and one of the most popular of the
entire year. Also don’t forget to call our INFOLINE number (745-3100, ext. 2470)
in case of inclement or questionable weather!!
Coming up pretty
fast will be our November event, our CUB SCOUT BOWLING DAY set for
Saturday, November 20th. Dotty Herd and Pack 561, from Ten Mile, are
in charge of this fun event. They did a fantastic job last year, and I’m sure
we are in for a repeat!!! This much-loved event is at Classic Lanes in Athens
from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. The cost is $4.00 per person, which includes shoe
rentals. Please note that ONLY CUB SCOUTS WILL BE ALLOWED
TO BOWL THIS YEAR. We had such a huge turnout last year, and with
adults and siblings bowling it was just too much.
I need
to let you know:
--that our next
Roundtable will be Thursday, October 14th at 7:00 p.m. at Mars Hill
Presbyterian Church. Please plan to attend these very informative and
helpful sessions. (AND PLEASE BRING YOUR JUICE CAN LIDS/CANNING LIDS TO THIS
MEETING!!!) Christy Seibert is our wonderful Roundtable Commissioner
(THANKS, CHRISTY!!!), and we look forward to her usual energetic and wonderful
job!!!
--that UNAKA
UNIVERSITY, a training super day, is scheduled for Saturday, September
25th, from 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. (Registration 8:00 – 8:45, Opening
8:45; classes start at 9:00 a.m.) at a cost of only $10, which includes the cost
of lunch as well as all trainings. Phil Seibert, our District Training Chairman,
wants me to remind you that you must complete Youth Protection Guidelines
(on-line or video), New Leader Essentials, and Rank-Specific Training to be
considered fully trained. You also MUST CALL AND SIGN UP with
Phil or Melissa for this training, preferably by September 18th.
There is
a list of available classes on the website (unakascouts.com). Please wear your
uniform and come with a smile and an open mind!! Old and new leaders would
benefit from these practical sessions, particularly involving the new Cub Scout
program!! Let’s make this another great day for Unaka!!!
--that Friday,
October 1st – Sunday, October 3rd are the dates for the
Boy Scout Fall Camporee at the East Tennessee Tree Nursery near the entrance to
Gee Creek. Some Webelos might be interested in observing what a camporee is all
about. Check with the Scoutmaster of one of the troops for further details.
--that Friday,
October 1st – Sunday, the 3rd are the dates for another
corn maze: Scout Maze Weekend at the Ocoee River Maze. The cost is
$6.00 for all Cub Scouts (ages 4 – 12) and $7.00 for adults (13 and older), and
includes the maze, bonfire, farm animals petting zoo, the Goat Walk, cow train
ride, and more. If a Scout or adults brings a canned food item with that fee,
they will get an extra cow train ride or corn cannon shot. A group of 15 or
more gets in for $5.50 each, with one free Scout Leader for each 15 boys.
Scouts will also receive a patch for attending that day!!! Packs are allowed
to bring their own lunch and have a pack-sized picnic, so you could plan to make
it a full day!
Additional
events are available for a fee, such as hay rides for the children. For more
information, visit www.therivermaze.com.or call Dianne Fetzer at
338-8314.
--that Day Camp
was a wonderful experience for about 30 little Cub Scouts in Athens and Twilight
Camp for 45 boys in Madisonville!!! WAY TO GO!!!! Be thinking now
about next year’s camp and how you can help!!!
--that is looks
like we will be having our Lock-In at the Athens YMCA again this year!!! The
tentative date is Friday, January 21st from 10:00 p.m. To 6:00 a.m.
Let's be sure to promote this special event
--that I will be
doing a monthly newsletter for Cubmasters, Den Leaders, and their assistants
(and whoever else wants them!) to help keep you informed of upcoming district
events. If you are interested in receiving these letters, I will be emailing
them to everyone who provides me with their email address after each
Roundtable (in case there are corrections or additions made at that meeting), or
any time that you email and request it. These letters will also be posted on
our district website that can be found at
www.unakascouts.com.
Per our
agreement at the last gathering, all leaders agree to send these letters on to
all their parents, so that parents can stay informed about upcoming events, as
well as the leaders. Please call or email me one week before the
Roundtable if you would like something of interest to Scouters added to this
newsletter!!
--that segments
will be available again this year at a cost of 35c apiece. The Bike Rodeo,
Skate Night and Olympics segments will be available for purchase the day of the
events. These segments are meant to represent district events’ participation,
and are used around our beautiful boy-designed district patch.
--that Jim
McCutcheon and Robert Randolph are doing a wonderful job as our head District
Commissioners!!! I have asked them for a list of the pack commissioners
for this year, and am pleased to include the following information (which is
still being worked out and subject to change). If you have not been contacted
by your commissioner, please take the time to contact them yourselves. They are
your “go to person” for lots of helpful information and answers to your
questions about Cub Scouting. Please utilize them!!!
Packs 74 & 410 Christy Seibert 423-336-1925 email hobbymaker@aol.com
Pack 100 & 116 Shelley Calhoun
Pack 114 Either Jim McCutcheon or Robert Randolph
Pack 115, 561 & 614 Connie Akers 423-746-9132 email
connieakers@hotmail.com
Pack 117 Charlie Coffey 423-8874344 email
coff5196@hotmail.com
Pack 177 Jim McCutcheon 423-745-7032 email madojabe@comcast.net
Pack 275 Chase Hensley 423-8361449 email
chensle6@gmail.com
Pack 615 Joanne Ewing 423-334-5344
Pack 616 & 617 Jim McCutcheon or Robert Randolph
LDS Commissioner to be named
Hope
to see all of you at our upcoming events!! Let's work hard to make this one
fantastic year for our children!!!
Connie Akers
746-9132
connieakers@hotmail.com
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