Photography by Nicolas Rietsch and Tim Pacl
Like others in the North Shore District, Pack 170 celebrated Cub Scouting’s birthday a little late this year so we could do it safely, in person, and as a pack. On Sunday, March 21st at Reunion Ranch in Georgetown, Texas, the familes of Pack 170 gathered in person, via Zoom, and streaming live on Youtube.com to extended family across the nation to celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime experience for our 14 Arrow of Light Scouts. We were joined by special guests Councilwoman Christine Sederquist of Leander, Mayor Troy Hill of Leander, Sara Goff of State Representative John Bucy’s office, and Dr. Tim Urban who leads the Capitol Area Council STEM program.
Our Blue & Gold Chair, Ms. Mehria, is really in touch with the spirit of Scouting and she delivered an exceptional event this year. She handled a lot of it herself but she called on others to do their part. AOL families were heavily involved, I coordinated with public officials, and Pack 170’s Health & Safety Officer, Mr. Nick, ensured we were following COVID-19 safety protocols with temperature checks on arrival, social distancing, and face masks. Tables were arranged in family groups to minimize the opportunity for infection. Thank you to all of you that made this event a success and especially to Ms. Mehria!
You can contact Great Promise for American Indians about presenting at your pack meeting, Blue & Gold, or court of honor at their website or reach out to communications at NorthShoreDistrict.org.
Our Blue & Gold program began with Cubmaster Dylan welcoming our families and guests followed by a nondenominational invocation by our pack Chaplain, Mr. Rob. The meeting was officially opened by our 14 Arrow of Light Scouts doing their final opening flag ceremony as Cub Scouts. Then Cubmaster Dylan introduced our featured cultural performance presented by “Great Promise for American Indians“, the same group that puts on the Austin Powwow every year. They educated us on different Native American dances and songs in both traditional and contemporary regalia and complimented the demonstartion with an explanation of the cultural elements including their significance and their origins. The program concluded with all 14 AOL Scouts joining the GPAI performers in a final dance celebrating the culmination of their Cub Scouting journey and the beginning of their new trail in Scouts BSA.
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The outdoor portion of our program continued with the recognition of the Scouts for earning the Arrow of Light and other Webelos achievements. All 14 Scouts earned Cub Scouting’s highest honor and 3 completed all Webelos / AOL adventures. Although they would all be a part of other units in just minutes, they also recieved their Journey to Excellence Gold and Pack 170’s 25 year veteran bar which they each helped us to earn.
Then came the moment that we all had been waiting for… the crossover to Scouts BSA. Our AOL Scouts, 6 girls and 8 boys, all chose linked BSA troops, troops 16/91 and troops 358/258, because they had safe but active programs. Cubmaster Dylan presided over the ceremony, calling out each Scout’s name to start them across the pack bridge on to new adventures in Scouts BSA. The Scouts were surprisingly cool but looking out at the audience, I could see the swell of pride from parents and leaders alike for a job well done. Troops 16 and 91 and troops 358 and 258 each recieved half of our graduating Scouts with 7 Scouts going to each.
With the conclusion of the bridging ceremony, our families and guests moved inside where a dinner awaited, including a gluten free option. The Reunion Ranch staff were friendly, helpful, courteous, and kind, making it a very pleasent meal. The table centerpieces weren’t flashy but will continue to inspire fond memories for years to come. We asked our Scouts to decorate garden rocks for each family to take home with them. These rocks will stay with our families forever with only a little wear over the years, just as the memory of this event will. Each table also had one or two Mexican Buckeye saplings that families could plant and watch grow as their Scouts grow.
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As families were finishing their meals, we talked to them about Friends of Scouting and how especially important it is now with the hardships of the global pandemic impacting our council’s budget. The spirit of the occasion was proof of the value that Scouting delivers and our families and guests opened their hearts and wallets to donate as they could, raising $1430, $2290 with company matching funds, for the Capitol Area Council and North Shore District.
Congratulations as you graduate from Cub Scouts and earn the Arrow of Light Award. What an esteemed honor you have earned. As a Scout myself, I salute you for your participation in Scouting. You are maturing into an outstanding young Texan, learning important and timeless values that will serve you well in the future. I could not be more proud that you call Texas home. Dare always to dream and do – you are the Lone Star State’s brightest promise for the future.
For each of our past 3 Blue & Gold, Pack 170 has reached out to civic and community leaders asking them to recognize this major milestone in the lives of our AOL Scouts. Each year, the response has been amazing with Governor Greg Abbott providing a letter from the State of Texas each of those 3 years. Pack 170 thanks Governor Abbott and First Lady Cecelia Abbott for their inspiring words and their support of Scouting in Texas and our community.
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Others that have recognized our Scouts include US Senator Ted Cruz, US Representative John Carter, Mayor Troy Hill of Leander, and Mayor Corbin Van Arsdale of Cedar Park who joined us last year to personally present recognition from the City of Cedar Park.
This year, Mayor Troy Hill of Leander once again recognized the achievements of our AOL Scouts and joined us to personally present certificates of commendation. Pack 170 thanks Mayor Hill for his generous donation to Friends of Scouting and his kind and thoughtful words to our Scouts and our Scouting community.
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I want to thank all Leander community parents and leaders who are working hard to prepare our young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes. By instilling in them important Scouting values, and encouraging them to always Do Your Best and Be Prepared, you are preparing them for a lifetime of success. Great job, North Shore District!
The skills learned in Scouting are among some of the most valuable we can teach our children. They’re learning how to think on their feet, be mentally and physically prepared for whatever situation may arise, and how to work with and care about others. It’s no surprise that kids who stick with Scouting tend to be self-disciplined, highly successful adults.
Also joining us was Christine Sederquist of the Leander City Council who met with our AOL Scouts earlier in the year for their Duty to Country adventure. She made a lasting impression on our Scouts and was a strong, positive role model for our AOLs, especially our girls. Councilwoman Sederquist presented each Scout with a personal letter acknowledging their hard work on the journey to AOL. Thank you Ms. Sederquist for your commitment to our Scouts and our community.
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Representative John Bucy III has awarded certificates of achievement from the State of Texas for the 3 years we have been doing this. He attended our 2019 Blue & Gold to personally recognize our AOLs but was unable to attend this year because of family commitments. But, Ms. Sara Goff, a member of his staff, joined us to recognize our AOLs on his behalf. Representative Bucy often meets with Webelos Scouts to teach them about our system of government. Thank you Representative Bucy and Ms. Goff for your service to our state and your commitment to Scouting.
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The skills that are acquired through scouting are skills that will serve you throughout every phase of your life. After all, teamwork, community service, and leadership are just some of the skills I use in my daily life as a State Legislator. My love of camping and state parks was born when I was a cub scout and is what drove me to serve on the CRT Committee last session and to protect our parks for future generations of Texans to enjoy.
If you would like to know more about getting recognition from public officials for your Scouts at your pack meeting, Blue & Gold, or court of honor, feel free to reach out to communications at NorthShoreDistrict.org or through your unit commissioner.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) principles can be found in each Cub Adventure and everything that Scouts do – from nature hikes and first aid, to archery and bb-guns, to Pinewood Derbies. The BSA Nova award program promotes STEM and cultivates the natural curiosity of youth to explore how our world works. The BSA Supernova awards recognize those scouts seeking a greater STEM challenge. For Pack 170, I am pleased to recognize the efforts of Aasiyah, Charlie, and Elizabeth with the Dr. Charles H. Townes Supernova Award. Each year the Capitol Area Council honors about twenty Cubs at the Supernova Award level (both Alvarez and Townes Awards). For perspective, nearly 500 scouts in council earn Eagle each year. Less than one half of one percent of all scouts earn a Supernova. Congratulations to them for their considerable work earning this rare award!
Pack 170 was also pleased to welcome Dr. Tim Urban, the Capitol Area Council STEM Coordinator. Dr. Urban joined Pack 170 STEM coordinators Mr. Cris and Mr. Emmet to present Supernova Awards to 3 of our graduating Arrow of Light Scouts. Thank you Dr. Urban, Mr. Cris, and Mr. Emmet for keeping science, technology, engineering, and math alive and well in Pack 170 and the North Shore District.
But that wasn’t the end. The AOL Scouts also received the traditional arrow representing their Cub Scout journey
and their pack portrait surrounded by a heartfelt letter of congratulations signed by all of the pack leaders.
In a surprise move, the AOL Scouts turned the tables on us and presented their own recognition to the den and pack leaders that guided them along the Cub Scout trail. They say that “It takes a village…” and it is true. AOLs recognized the whole village because everyone helped in one way or another. Thank you Scouts for a wonderful year, even amidst the turmoil and hardship of a global pandemic.
It was a landmark year for us reaching 25 years for the pack, earning JTE gold again, 3 Supernova Awards, 3 adults and 1 AOL earning the President’s Volunteer Service Award at bronze, silver, and gold, 3 super-achieving AOLs, and 14 Arrows of Light with all 14 transitioning into Scouts BSA. All of this while meeting safely both in-person and virtually with no cases of COVID in our Pack, We are proud of our AOLs, our Cub Scouts, and their families for sticking with it in these tough times.
Yours in Scouting,
Pack 170
