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January 10, 2008
Dear Cub Scout Leader:
Happy New Year to everyone!!!!! Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season
with the ones you love the most!! I was very pleased to see that Pack 275 from
Niota won a trophy for their float in the Niota Christmas parade and that many
Cub Scouts were represented in local parades. Thank you all for your efforts
during the busy month of December. I’m sure there were many “good turns”
performed by many Cub Scouts benefiting our wonderful communities!!!
Just thought everyone needs to know that the Great Smoky Mountain Council has
been named a CENTENNIAL QUALITY COUNCIL by the National BSA Council. This award
is in recognition of quality program being delivered to young people across East
Tennessee by trained volunteer leaders. Pat yourselves on the back for a job
well done!!!
Our January district event will be the long-awaited CUB SCOUT LOCK-IN, set
for Friday, January 25th, from 9:30 p.m. – 6:00 a.m., at the Athens YMCA. This
will be an evening planned by all packs. If you have not informed me of the
activity your Pack will provide that evening, please get in touch with me right
away so I can come up with a schedule of all activities. The boys will need to
bring their own basketballs clearly labeled with their names (we already know
what a popular activity that is!!). The price for the event will be $10 per
Scout and $5 per adult, which will include use of the Y, pizza and drinks, all
activities, and the lock-in segment. Deadline for payment will be Friday,
January 18th. Please encourage everyone’s participation in this super fun
event--let's hope for a large crowd with this very central location!!!
Tuesday, February 5th is the date of our
second Scout Skate Night at the Athens Skate Center, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. All
Scouts, from Tigers to Webelos, and their families are invited to participate in
this fun event. The cost is only $3.00 per person.
Thursday, February 7th, is the date of our next big district event, our local
Eagle Scout and Volunteer Recognition Banquet at Allen Memorial United Methodist
Church in Athens, starting at 6:30 p.m. The theme of this year’s awards banquet
will be a picnic. Historically, the Cub Scouts have helped with decorations for
this banquet by making placemats for all the adults. Please get your laminated
placemats to me as soon as possible. If you cannot get them laminated yourself,
please get them to me at least one week in advance so that I will have time to
laminate them. I am also asking each pack to fix a small picnic basket for one
table, with items you think Scouts might need for a picnic. Please don’t forget
the theme and try to us it in a Cub Scout way. Please encourage your boys to be
as creative and colorful as possible with these original pieces of art!!
Everyone looks forward to seeing what our Cubs can come up with!!!
Click here for a copy of the
invitation/RSVP form.
If you have not already received a banquet invitation, please let me know
immediately!! As a sign of the times, I have emailed invitations out and have
added it to the end of this newsletter. Also, PLEASE get your reservations made
on time (no later than January 31st!) for a nice and rewarding evening with your
fellow Scouters!!
Finally, Phil Seibert, District Training Chairman, requests that every pack
submit to him in writing those adults who are deserving of training awards.
“Progress cards” are available in your Cub Scout Leader’s Manual and on the
district website (click here), and must be turned
in to Phil ASAP in order to be ready to be presented at the District Leaders’
Banquet next month. If you have any questions, please contact Phil at 336-1925
or PhilSeib@concentric.net.
I need to let you know:
- that there will not be a Roundtable in February; the District Banquet will
be our gathering for that month. Our next Roundtable will be Thursday, March
13th, beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Mars Hill Presbyterian Church. Please plan to
be there!!!
- that I do need some people to help me with the decorations and setting up
for the District Banquet, beginning at 3:30 p.m. that day. PLEASE CALL AND LET
ME KNOW ASAP IF YOU CAN HELP. PLEASE HELP!!!
- that Scout Day with the Mocs will be Saturday, January 12th. The Lady Mocs
will play Elon at 12:30 p.m.; the men will play Western Carolina at 3:00 p.m.
Free admission coupons for both games are available in the Chattanooga Scout
Shop. Scouts must be in class A uniform to qualify.
- that Mark has scheduled a re-chartering “help session” on Thursday,
January 17th at 7:00 p.m. at Mars Hill Presbyterian church. Don’t forget that
these important forms are due by the end of this month!!!
- that the next Trainer Development Conference is scheduled for Saturday,
February 9th from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Council Service Center. This
training is free to all adult leaders and lunch is provided. This Conference
is designed to train adult volunteers to lead BSA training courses. To
register for this course, please contact Brian Carl at 865-588-6514, ext. 30.
Click here for flyer.
- --that Wood Badge Training is coming up fast. If you have not sent in your
deposit yet, now is the time to do so! Time is getting short and space is
limited. Unaka District needs to have more people involved in this high-level
training event!
Click
here for flyer.
- that The Harlem Globetrotters are coming to the Thompson-Boling Arena in
Knoxville on Friday, January 18th at 7:00 p.m. Tickets for Scouts are $13.50
each (and include a patch), and must be pre-ordered by Monday, January 14th.
Scouts attending may arrive at 5:30 for Globetrotter University. Please call
1-865-656-444 to reserve your tickets!!! These guys are always FUN!!!
- that the next Boy Scout Hockey Night is set for Saturday, January 26th at
7:30 p.m. at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum. Tickets are $7.00 for all youth (3
– 14), and $8.00 for adults. Call Michael Keeney at 865-525-PUCK for your
tickets!!! This is always a fun night for the boys!!!
- that “Scouting for Food” dates are set for Saturdays February 2nd (for bag
distribution) and 9th (for food pick-up and delivery). We will have bags again
this year; they will be passed out tonight. This is a very worthwhile activity
for all Scouts, as they collect canned food items for local food pantries. All
units are encouraged to report their food collection totals to the Council
office and to the National Good Turn for American website at
http://www.goodturnforamerica.org/ You will need the Unit ID to register
and create a user name/password. If you don't know your unit ID, contact our
District Executive Mark Janeway. Click here for
an instruction sheet and tally sheet to be sent to the Council.
- that Boy Scout Lady Vols Night will be Sunday, February 3rd at 3:00 p.m.
at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tickets are $7.00 per person, and can be obtained
online at the UT Sports website. Deadline for getting tickets is February 1st.
Click here for flyer.
- that Scout Sunday is set for Sunday, February 10th. Everyone is encouraged
to attend the church of his/her choice in uniform, to celebrate the 98th
birthday of Boy Scouting and the 88th birthday of Cub Scouting in the USA.
This is a day to have the boys in your pack or den recognized in church as a
group. Please get with your pastor to help make this an extra special event in
your church.. This is also the appropriate time for your pack to schedule your
BLUE AND GOLD BANQUET to celebrate the birthday of Cub Scouting.
that Tuesday, February 5th is the date of our second Scout Skate Night at the
Athens Skate Center, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. All Scouts, from Tigers to Webelos,
and their families are invited to participate in this fun event. The cost is
only $3.00 per person, which includes the cost of skating and shoe rental.
Please note that if anyone wants to rent speed skates or roller blades there
will be an additional $2.50 charge; those wanting to bring their own specialty
skates may do so, but still must pay the $3.00 fee. Family members are invited
and encouraged to attend at the same price.
- that the Freezoree for Boy Scouts is scheduled for the weekend of February
22nd. The Order of the Arrow is planning this event at Gee Creek. Webelos can
attend if invited by a Boy Scout troop and accompanied by the correct adult
ratio.
- that Scout Day at The Dixie Stampede is scheduled Saturday, February 23rd
at 4:00 p.m., with a special pre-show set for 3:00 p.m. The new show is “The
Journey West”, and features cowboys, longhorns, and a wagon train. The special
price is $22.81 per person. Call 1-800-356-1676 to make your reservations!!!
This is always a very memorable event for Scouts!!!
Click here for flyer.
- that the University of Scouting will be held Saturday, March 1st, 2008 at
Crown College in Knoxville. This is a fun learning experience and is the
largest supplemental training opportunity offered by the Great Smoky Mountain
Council to Scouting volunteers at all levels. We'll be discussing this more as
the time draws near, but be sure and save the date!!!
Click here for flyer and course descriptions.
- that our District Pinewood Derby will be Saturday, March 8th, at the
Calhoun school gymnasium. Weigh-in and registration begins at 7:30 a.m., with
the derby set to begin around 9:30 a.m. Please try to schedule your pack’s
derby before this date to encourage more participation at the district level.
Pack 616 is in charge of the derby, so we can all look forward to a
well-organized event!! By the way, if you need pinewood derby kits (BSA KITS
ONLY!!), you can find them now at Crafters’ Closet. Don’t wait until the week
before the derby and try to find a kit.
- that another March event will be Cub Scouts helping with the River
Clean-up event on either Saturday March 8th on the Tellico River or March 15th
on the Hiwassee River. Details will be forthcoming.
- that there is yet another event that second weekend in March. March 8th -
9th are the dates for the first ever Webelos Jamboree, a Webelos-only event.
There will be separate programs for 1st and 2nd year Webelos, with a Crossover
Ceremony by the Order of the Arrow on Saturday night for all deserving Scouts.
Applications will be available after the first of the year.
2/2/08- ADDENDUM --- THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED --
Click here for flyer.
- that our April event will be our District Hike on Saturday, April 19th.
Notorious long-distance hiker Stephen Cartwright of Pack 177 is in charge of
this event; details will be announced later.
- that Scout Night at Smokies Park is scheduled for 2 nights: Friday, April
25th when the Smokies will play the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx and will
include the famous campout on the field) and Friday, August 15th, when they
will play the Jacksonville Suns. Game times are both at 7:15 p.m., and gates
opening at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are available to Scouts at the discounted price
of $7.00 per person in April, and $8.00 in August for the field level seats;
or for $5.00 for bleacher seats for both dates. Tickets must be purchased 4
days before each event. Scouts and Leaders should wear their uniforms. A Scout
in full uniform will be randomly chosen to throw out an opening pitch.
Click here for flyer.
- that our May event will be a new one, a SHOOTING SPORTS EVENT, at the site
of the spring camporee, if at all possible. More details in the
future.............
- that our theme for our twilight and day camps is “NORTH TO ALASKA!” The
dates for twilight camp are June 16th – 20th in Madisonville, and for day camp
June 23rd – 27th in Athens, with our wonderful directors back for more action
this year. SAVE THESE DATES AND BE THINKING ABOUT HOW YOU CAN HELP!!!
- that you need to be thinking about the 2010 Centennial National Scout
Jamboree. GSMC will take a contingent of 5 troops with 36 youth and 4 adult
leaders in each group. If your son is a Webelo now, you might want to consider
reserving him a place in the group attending with a $100 application deposit.
Total estimated price should be $1,000 - $1,200, which includes pretty much
everything. He will need to be at least 12 years of age by July 1, 2010 or not
18 by August 2, 2010, and have earned his First Class Rank. Something to think
about and plan for! A Centennial comes but once, and no doubt this will be a
spectacular event!
Click here for flyer.
That’s it for now!! Hope to see all of you at the district banquet on
February 7th!!!
Connie Akers
Unaka District Cub Scout Program Chairman
746-9132
connieakers@hotmail.com
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