Cub Scouts vs. Seniors Wii Bowling Event

This weekend, the St. Bede Cub Scouts went to a Senior Center in Monroeville for some multigenerational bonding over Wii bowling.

It was a really neat event.  The Pittsburgh Post Gazette also picked it up so you can read more online or on the front page of the Region section of today's Sunday paper.  A big thank you to Matt Hartman for organizing it!

Pack Newsletter - Winter Camping Edition

We have four exciting events in this Special Edition newsletter AND there's an updated schedule too!  Items 1 and 2 require action so please read carefully. 

1. Cyber Monday Deal:  Sign up today for a 2 night Getaway Weekend in a cozy lodge near Nemacolin Woodlands Resort AKA "Winter Camping"--Space is filling up fast so sign up now for January 16-18!  If you don't feel that "Winter" and "Camping" sound like fun together, I'm with you, but bear with me because this is worth it.  Despite the name, you stay in a warm house with beds, toilets, running water, etc. but get all the benefits of Heritage Camp.  Dave and Andrew went last year and had a blast with all sorts of winter activities (broomball, snow tubing, sledding, klondike games, etc.)  We signed up this year for Winter Weekend I but if that weekend doesn't work for you, feel free to choose a different weekend.  Register for yourself and your son online: http://www.heritagereservation.org/winter/winterc.php  "District" is "Fort Pitt".  Private rooms are already sold out for our weekend so sign up quickly (but common rooms aren't bad either).  Our pack is 646 and the cost for a shared room is $58/per person.
   
2. Harlem Globetrotters are coming to Pittsburgh on December 26.  If you are interested in purchasing tickets, we will need a final head count at Monday's meeting (12/8)--please bring your checkbook.  Tickets are around $20/person (final price TBD).
   
3. Mark your calendars for the First annual Pack 646 vs. Beatty Pointe Village UPMC Senior Center Wii Bowling tournament next Saturday, 12/13 at 2:30!
   
4. Christmas Party/Winter Recruiting on 12/15:  We will have our Pack Christmas Party on 12/15.  New this year, we're inviting our Scouts to bring a buddy who might be interested in joining Scouts (no obligations). It is not too late to join.  We're also looking for volunteers to help with food and activities.  If you're interested, please contact Darrell or Mary at cubmaster646@gmail.com.

Yours in Scouting,

Darrell & Mary

Pack Newsletter - Alcosan Open House

The Alcosan Open House is this Saturday from 9-4.  It's open to the public and you don't need to RSVP.  Every year families who attend have great things to say about it.  If anybody would like to meet up, please feel free to coordinate a time independently or just plan the trip at the time most convenient for your family.  More information is available on this flyer.

Our first Pack meeting was lots of fun.  A big thank you to the Boy Scouts for their help with the kids at the end of our meeting.  Our next Pack meeting is October 6th.  In order to receive achievements at the next Pack meeting, the deadline to have the achievements signed off my your Den Leader is September 29.

We chose Class B uniform shirt designs at the Pack Meeting.  If you think you might want to order one or more shirts for your family ($12 each) and have not already done so, please let me know what sizes you would like so we can place an initial order.  

Den Meetings are set for Monday and generally still meet at 7:00 in the Cafeteria but check with your Den Leader for the most up to date information.  Tiger Scouts will NOT be meeting this week!    

Save the date for CAMPING, October 4-5 at Camp Guyasuta.  More information to come...

Finally, I have done my best to get the most up to date email list.  If you wish to be removed from this year's Pack 646 list, please respond privately to let me know.

Yours in Scouting,

Darrell & Mary

Welcome to Pack 646: 2014-2015

Welcome to St. Bede Cub Scout Pack 646!  We have a fun year planned of camping, service projects, sporting and racing events.

If you're new this year, here's the quick guide to getting started:

1. Register - If you are not yet a registered member of Pack 646, please join!  To do this, you'll need to complete a registration form and pay dues.  Dues this year is $75 and go towards our fees to register and insure the Cub Scouts, supplies for Den activities, Spring and Fall Pack camping trips, and Pack activities like the Raingutter Regatta, Pinewood Derby, and Blue and Gold Ceremony. We are committed to making sure that every boy who wants to join Pack 646 can do so, regardless of income so if dues are a problem, please come talk to one of the Pack Leaders and we'll find funds to help you out.
   If you missed or can't make it to our Roundup Night on September 8th at 7pm in St. Bede's playground, please email cubmaster646@gmail.com to join our Pack.
2. Know your Den - Cub Scouts is for boys in 1st through 5th grades:
   1st grade = Tiger Den
   2nd grade = Wolf Den
   3rd grade = Bear Den
   4th/5th grade = Webelos
   After 5th grade, boys are welcomed into Boy Scouts. 
3. Mark your Calendar - We meet Mondays while school is in session from 7-8pm in St. Bede cafeteria.  Most weeks, boys work with their Dens to advance to the next rank before the Blue & Gold banquet, scheduled for May 3, 2015.  About once a month, all the Dens get together for a Pack Meeting or a special event like the Pinewood Derby on February 28th.  We also have several camping trips planned that are open to the entire family.  Download the entire calendar here.
4. Acquire your Scout Materials - While you don't need to go out and buy a full scout uniform, we do recommend buying a Scout handbook for your rank immediately.  Eventually, you'll also need a Class A uniform, which includes a Scout shirt, neckerchief and slide, and patches (Council patches, Pack numerals-6,4,6, and World Crest patch).  You can get all of these at the Scout Shop.  We planning a Uniform Exchange in September so you may want to wait to see what you can acquire there.  You can either sew or use Badge Magic to attach the patches.
   We will also have Class B uniforms (a Pack 646 T-shirt) available for sale this year.  Class A and Class B uniforms are both acceptable for Den and Pack meetings.  
5. Start work on the Bobcat rank - All Cub Scouts, regardless of age, will always begin by earning the Bobcat rank.  After that, they will work on the rank of their Den.  Bobcat requirements are in the handbook and can also be found here.  Note that Cub Scouts are switching to the Boy Scout Oath and Law but the books are not yet updated.
6. Have fun! - This is the most important thing on the list.  We have lots of fun activities planned but are always looking to improve so if you have feedback, ideas, questions, concerns, please let us know.

Yours in Scouting,
Cubmaster Darrell and Assistant Cubmaster Mary

Thanks to Pack 90 for the handy checklist!