Sudden Pond Camping this Weekend!

Our fall overnight camping event is Saturday, October 8 to Sunday October 9, at the Sudden Pond campsite at the Harold Parker State Forest.  We had such a great time there in the spring that the committee thought it would be nice to go back.  It's a beautiful site and close to home.

Please RSVP if you plan on attending, and please include your contribution for dinner on Saturday (see below).

Also, if you have a canoe or kayak, and would consider bringing it to the camp-out, please let us know by responding to this email.  The boys had a great time in the spring getting out on the water.

Where?

Sudden Pond Campsite at Harold Parker State Forest, North Reading, Massachusetts.  Driving time from Wakefield is 15-20 minutes.  Directions to the site -- along with some pictures of the site -- are posted on our website.  Click here for directions and a map.

Some pictures from our last visit are on our website, check them out here.

When?

Arrival is anytime after noon on Saturday; come whenever your schedule allows.   When you arrive, please check in with Ben or Jeff. We know folks have soccer games, etc on Saturday so if you'd like to come early to set up your tent and then leave for your game, feel free to do so.

You should have lunch before arriving at camp, as it will not be provided.

What to Eat?

The dinner on Saturday is a potluck. You can either bring something that's already prepared, or cook it on-site. There are several families that like to cook in dutch ovens, or on charcoal grills.  The campsite has some fire rings with grates if you want to go that route.  The pack provides drinks (bottled water and juice boxes) and all the paper goods.  Breakfast on Sunday is light -- continental, if you will.  Feel free to bring something if you like.

Whatever you plan on bringing, please respond with an RSVP so we don't have too much of one thing.

The Schedule

The schedule for Saturday is as follows:

• 1:00 - 3:00 pm:  Arrival, Setup, Fishing
• 3:00 pm - Pack Hike/Nature Scavenger Hunt
• 4:30 pm - Group activity/game.  We will need parent volunteers to help set up dinner at this time.
• 5:30 pm - Dinner
• 7:00 pm - Cleanup, Dens practice skits
• 8:00 pm - Campfire. Skits, songs, the works.
• 10:00 pm - Lights out for Cubs.   We ask for your cooperation at this time in making sure the boys are in bed. 

Sunday morning after breakfast we will go on a hike. Usually everyone is packed up and on their way home by mid-morning, but we do have use of the campground until 12 noon.

We encourage Scouts to sleep over, of course, but we understand that some of the little guys might be overwhelmed.  It's OK to come on Saturday for the activities and go home to sleep.

Please Note:

• BSA regulations mandate that a child can not sleep in a tent with an adult that is not his parent or legal guardian.  Webelos are permitted to sleep in tents (with other Webelos) without an adult.
• Alcoholic beverages are not allowed on BSA-sanctioned overnight trips.
• Due to the proximity of the campsite to the water, children must be supervised at all times.  We are  counting on you, the parents, to keep your children safe.

What to Bring:

•     Sleeping Bag, pad and pillow
•     Tent. The Pack has some to lend; contact the Cubmaster if you'd like to borrow one.  There is no cabin at this site.
•     Flashlight
•     Rain coat or poncho
•     Toothbrush, toothpaste
•     Winter hat and mittens/gloves
•     Change of clothes
•     Chair for Fire-side
•     Fishing pole and tackle
•     Mini First Aid kit
•     Bug Spray

Finally...

Everyone must be aware of our Pack pocketknife policy:

As for toilet facilities, the camp has porta-potties.  You may want to bring a small bottle of hand sanitizer.

Given our past experience, the weather always seems to rear its ugly head, but somehow, it usually ends up working out.  So unless there's a major storm,  the overnighter is on, "rain or shine".

If you need any more information, please call your den leader or respond to this email.  On the weekend of the camp-out, you can reach Jeff via cell phone at 781-258-3298.

Fall Registration Roundup this Thursday

Our Fall Registration Roundup will be held this Thursday, September 15, from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at the Greenwood Union Church, located at the corner of Main and Oak streets in Greenwood. You can drop in whenever it suits your schedule.

Designed for boys in grades one through five, the Cub Scout program teaches boys about community, family, self and the outdoors through a set of fun, organized activities. Pack leaders will be available at the Registration Night to answer your questions and to show off some of the fun activities that Scouts do.

While it's not required for returning Scouts to do the paperwork, we encourage you to come to the signup night if you can. Pack leaders will be there to answer any questions or address concerns that you might have. See you then!

Den Numbers for 2011

The den numbers for 2011-12 are as follows:

• Webelos 2 - Den 4
• Webelos 1 - Den 5
• Bear - Den 1
• Wolf - Den 2
• Tigers - Den 3 and Den 6

Each den carries the same number from year-to-year.  Tigers pick up the number from the previous year's Webelos 2 den.

Parent Handbook available

The 2011-2012 version of the Pack 722 Parent Handbook is available for download. Click here to get the PDF.

If you find something is missing, or this document doesn't answer a question you have about the Pack, please let us know. We intend for this document to be the quintessential reference for all things Pack 722!

Red Sox Game and Color Guard

Pack 722 had a great time at Fenway Park watching the Red Sox play the Royals on a beautiful summer night. We saw a great game that included a David Ortiz grand slam!

Then, a week later, our Pack was chosen to be the Color Guard prior to the Red Sox-Yankees game on August 6, 2011. Five scouts, one from each den, represented the Pack by marching the colors into center field for the national anthem. The even met Wally and tried on a World Series ring before the game. And to top it off, the Sox crushed the Yankees!

Click on the image below to see pictures from both games.



Here is a video of the pregame ceremony (lacking in zoom, however). David Ortiz says "hi" and salutes at the 0:45 mark.