ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Webelos Encampment, Oct. 6-8, 2006, Camp K – Sally Byer ( This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it ). 
• Please begin thinking and planning for this event – get it on your unit planning calendars now. 
• Focus is on showcasing the exciting “stuff” Webelos can expect to do when they become Boy Scouts (knots, compass, firecraft, cooking your own meals, etc.).  It’s all hands-on for the Webelos. 
• Encouraged for Webelos and their parents.  Parents (or new Webelos leaders) get a good chance to learn basic camping skills, too.

• Cub Scout Day Camp – early bird registration is over, but they are still collecting registrations at the regular price.  Medical forms must be turned in this year with copies of insurance cards (definitely for Camp K and WAC – check with Council office for Belzer).  Deadline for medical forms is 5/28.
  
• Nat Baker – the Friends of Scouting campaign this year in Del-Mi District has been fantastic this year.  Goal was $162K and so far we are at 178K.
  
• Nat Baker – Quality Unit forms – be sure your unit turns a form in, even if it doesn’t expect to reach Quality Unit, so the District can better understand what areas units are missing.
  
• Earth Day Cleanup in Noblesville on Saturday 4/22 – Southside Park, 4^th and Pleasant Streets. 8AM-12PM.
  
• 2^nd Annual Cub Scout/Webelos Campout – Camp K – May 6-7, 2006 – contact Paul Kempton ( This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it , This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it ), space is still available – contact Paul ASAP.
• Lunch is provided – units cook their own dinner and breakfast.
• Come prepared with songs and skits for the campfire program.
• Scout’s Own Service on Sunday morning.
  
• Wood Badge Training – spring May 1-6, fall August 26-28 plus September 16-18 – contact Ken Steppe ( This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it ) or Joe Ward ( This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it )

• Crossroads 50 Bike Ride June 3^rd (starting from Tipton), with camping June 2^nd at Camp K – contact Pat Donnelly ( This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it )  

TONIGHT’S TOPIC:  Cub Scout Ceremonies

• What special ceremonies does your Pack conduct?
• Blue & Gold in February/March
• Graduation/Bridging/Crossing Ceremony
• to promote the boys moving on to their next rank
• usually done in May,
• frequently held outside, pitch-in or cookout,
• sometimes done in the evening with desserts only. 
• Have parents take off Scouts’ old neckerchiefs and into their new ones.
• Pass out new handbooks for Scouts to start working on next rank over the summer.
• Tiger/Wolf/Bear rank advancement ceremony (many scripts available on MacScouter and other web resources)
• The key to ceremonies is to make them memorable to the participants (the boys).
• Tie the ceremony to whatever theme you are trying to promote at the time.
• Make the ceremonies fun, too.
• Special ceremony just for Bobcat advancement.
• Many ceremony ideas are available online.
• There are many different flag ceremonies, too.  One good idea for a flag ceremony uses flashlights.
• How often do you include recognition?  Many responses are that you do recognition every month.
• Campfire program in the fall separate from regular Pack meetings.
• Do you invite guests to your ceremonies or recognition meetings?  What about your Chartered Organization rep?  What about your District representatives?

• Rocket launch as a separate meeting.  Pack 116 uses it as a Tiger recruitment event in the fall.
• Paper tigers – made of construction paper, very inexpensive, cost is in the engines.  Can make many in an hour and then launch them  (see meeting minutes from Sept/Oct/Nov 2005 Roundtable)
• If you launch at a school, make sure you have their permission, and you might need an insurance waiver from the Council office. 

TOPIC:  Cheers, Jokes, Ice-breakers

• Do you use cheers, jokes, stunts, skits, applauses, etc. in your meetings?
• It can help to break up your Pack meetings – improve the flow, reduce the monotony, make it more fun.
• There are many Scouting resources available – Meeting Sparklers book, and also in the Cub Scout Leader’s How-To book.  There are also lots of resources online. 

June Theme:  Invent a Reason to Celebrate