Cub Scouts Pack 515

May - Houston Lake Camping Trip

2011-07-07T16:17:00.001-07:00

June Kickball Game at Gene Green

2011-07-07T16:06:00.001-07:00

Feb 2011 - Blue & Gold Banquet

2011-07-07T15:58:00.001-07:00

November Pics - Pie Throw & Brazos Bend

2010-12-07T07:25:00.000-08:00

Recent pics - Sept and Oct

2010-11-05T05:40:00.000-07:00

2010-10-30T10:08:00.000-07:00

Hey Scouters!
Welcome to first time readers and "howdy" for those of you who know our ropes! October has been a fantastic month of celebration and once-in-a-lifetime memories. To review, many of us attended the ShacJam Celebration in College Station to celebrate the 100 Years of Scouting Anniversary. Over 20,000 scouts were in attendance and it's a day we will never forget. For those of you who camped out at Bovay Scout Ranch near Navasota for the event, that was the best and most relaxing weekend I have had all year! Thank you all for participating and sharing a great weekend. We have also had much interest in joining our Cub Scout unit and have welcomed three new official Cub Scouts to Pack 515. We are so glad that these families are joining us and adding valuable family-time back into their schedules. Speaking of family-time, last night was our annual Pie Throw and it was everything I expected... a dozen wild and crazy scouts chasing after their parents with cream filled pies and then all of them together got me in the end...I didn't expect anything less. LOL! It was great! This was my 7th annual pie throw and I can honestly say this is one of the best experiences that my boys, and all my Cub Scouts, remember doing with their families. There's just nothing else like it and nothing can compare. It's worth the extra long shower and extra load of laundry to do something so fun and outrageous with your kids isn't it?...OFCOURSE IT IS! We, meaning us parents, can go back to being boring parents the next day, but the kids will remember that one night a year they got to play in the church yard and cover their parents, their Cubmaster, me and their friends with pie! 'nough said! See you at Brazos Bend next week or the Friday aftwards back at the church. I'm looking forward to November. God's Blessings to you all. ~v

2010-10-16T10:35:00.000-07:00

Pack 515 would like to congratulate and welcome James F. to the Wolf Cub Scouts! We are glad you have joined the Brotherhood of Scouts!

2010-09-24T18:38:00.001-07:00

Welcome New Scouts!

Pack 515 is pleased to announce the new memberships of Edward G. and Jason B. Congratulations, New Scouts!

We are glad to have you join this great program for boys and we are going to make it worth your while!

See ya'll at the Raven Fishing Derby tomorrow morning. Don't forget to bring your worms!

2010-09-15T10:36:00.000-07:00

COME JOIN US!

Pack 515 will be holding a rally to answer questions, register new scouts and describe the Boy Scouts of America program along with the great opportunities that Cub Scouts Pack 515 can offer to your son and your family. There is no obligation to join so come on out and see what we are all about!

Date: Friday, September 17, 2010
Time: 7pm (end at 7:30pm)
Location: Williamson Elementary in the Cafeteria
(formerly Freedom Elementary)
1. Start from Wallisville and Uvalde Rd. intersection
2. Travel Uvalde Rd. heading towards Beltway 8
3. Go past San Jacinto College to New Forest Pkwy (0.9 miles)
4. Turn RIGHT onto NEW FOREST PKWY. (go 0.3 miles)
5. Go past Cobb 6th grade Campus
6. Williamson Elem will be at the end of New Forest Pkwy (about 2 blocks past Cobb)

2010-09-01T05:58:00.000-07:00

Hey Scouters!

Our Gene Green Park Family Night was a big success! Thank you to everyone for coming out and helping make the night a great time for our scouts and their families. Our traditional end of summer party would not have been complete without a watermelon eating contest and it proved to be a favorite highlight as always! With sno-cones, hotdogs and "mentos & diet-coke fountains" to round out the night, the kids were well pleased with the event and ready to take on a brand new year of Scouting! Wooohooo!

Please spread the word about joining the worth-while program of Scouting during this time of planning rallies and recruitment for our new year. Joann will be making wallet-cards for our parents and leaders to be able to hand out whenever an opportunity presents itself. Israel, Michael and Alicia are working on great plans for the upcoming popcorn fundraiser which helps fund your sons' plans for many months to follow. They are also working on the upcoming rallies and I'll be there to help too! A promising, fun event coming in September will be a Raven District Fishing Derby that we are planning on making the most of by camping out(optional), cooking, laughing, orienting new families and fishing ofcourse! It's going to be great!

Later this week, we'll be getting together for a Fall Planning night and Rally discussion. Don't miss it! These are necessary discussions, but we have fun by turning it into a pot-luck night and just tackling it and gettin' it DONE!

See you then & have a blessed week!

2010-08-18T09:30:00.000-07:00

Hi Scouters!

This summer is flying by too fast! I hope you have all been having a great time with your summer vacation and scouting, too!

Here's the latest news!

* The Galveston Go & See It was great! I admit, I'm not the first to jump up and say I love sand in everything I own, but it was still great...let me tell you why! First, many of our scouts attended and I'm glad to say that although the beaches were calling out loudly, all scouts and their families honored the Scouting traditions of wearing their uniforms and proper shoe apparell before and during the event. As we explained that morning, it is important to wear our uniforms with pride and always be prepared for unknown conditions while we participate in an event. The safety of our scouts and families will always come first! After that brief discussion and completing our initial preparations, then we geared-down and had a great time playing in the sand, creating a one of a kind keepsake composed of interesting objects found on the beach as well as spending quality time with our families and friends. Thank you for attending! I hope to see you at the next one!

Next, many of you may not be aware, but several of our leaders have been attending trainings and preparing plans for our new season starting in September. It is the participation of many, many adults that make our pack strong, well-run and fun for the boys!

Get ready for more as the month of August finishes out...all too soon! We'll take this week off due to school preparations, but next Friday promises to be fun for all at Gene Green Park! Be early, be happy, but don't be late! The spray park closes early!

Have a blessed week and may each and every Scout and family have a safe and great beginning to the new school year!

2010-07-17T15:04:00.000-07:00

Hey Scouters!

Today we had our Rocket In My Pocket Summertime Event. It was a blast! I'd like to especially thank our activity leaders for providing some awesome entertainment and good fun for our scouts and their families. We can't do these events without the help of our many volunteers! For those of you who were not able to make it, we hope to see you at our next event! Today's activities included a pretty neat hiking adventure that included making plaster casts of animal prints...it was pretty nifty! After some water games and fun, we had a great time making ice cream in a bag and we built and decorated our own air-pressure powered rockets! Now that is something you don't get to do everyday! And what about that Kool-aid drink? It was nice to see the looks of surprise and delight at seeing the kiddos see Kool-aid bubbling away due to the hidden surprise of dry ice at the bottom the cooler! Last, but not least...thank you to Ms. Martha for the great hotdogs and healthy fruit..yum! The next event promises to be just as fun...HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

2010-06-15T09:21:00.000-07:00

Hi Scouters!

The summer program has started and the schedule will be going out this week!

A few thoughts on the past and the future:

First the past, we've had a challenging, interesting, inspiring, giving, sharing, fun and all-around amazing last 8 months together. I hope that you all have had a great time and are looking forward to a slower program schedule for the summer. One thing that was quite different this last year was the number of awesome one-of-a-kind opportunities for our cub scouts in celebrating the 100 Anniversary of BSA. I'm so glad that many of our boys and families were able to take advantage of at least one of those special events. We only have one more to go in October and I hope to see most of you there!

The summer has started off with a blast including our annual fishing derby and graduation of ranks then on to Twilight! Here are a couple of notes: First, the derby was fun and relaxing and I hope everyone was able to appreciate the quality of family time that this type of outdoor activity can provide. Starting with wonderful scenery that only our Heavenly Father can provide for us and with which we are entrusted to care for, the park grounds are great for fishing and family time. The alligators provided plenty of awareness and entertainment and the lure of the elusive fish was so enticing to all of our first time fishermen and scouts. "I almost got it" was constantly the refrain of our morning...and then "I got one!" was hilarious, run-for-the-camera, don't lose it!, and can the smiles be any bigger? I couldn't tell who smiled and laughed more...me or the scouts! It was a great day! The graduation included several ceremonies and awards, but in case you missed it here's the significance on the Silent Ceremony. The Silent Ceremony was by far my favorite, I hope you enjoyed it, too. Why? Well, because it was quite powerful if you could see it all from beginning to end... The Scouts greeted an Akela at the beginning of their imaginary and real trail...they proceeded alone through the woodsy trail and were greeted and guided by an Akela at each and every turn...the Akela always pointed them in the right direction to help the Scout along down the winding paths of the trail..over and over at each turn an Akela would guide the scout on his trail..and at the end the Scout left the trail having completed his rank and returning with his new rank neckerchief signifying the crossing over. It was all silent and profound, but you may want to explain it to your Scout someday...although they are quite intelligent fellows and probably already "get it". Congratulations to both Scouts and their supportive parents and family members and leaders...all Akelas.

Twilight Camp was also a great event! Yes, it was hot...it's June! Other than a few bumps along the way, the event was actually really a lot of fun! Our boys earned numerous belt-loops, totally enjoyed themselves, got wet, sweaty and dirty...did I forget smelly?!...and are all set for next year! Thank you to all of our parents who attended and helped out. We couldn't do it without you!

Looking forward to the future, we'll have the remaining summer schedule out by the end of this week, with a little luck. We'll have 2 events in July and two in August. Majority discussion is leaning towards more nature, outdoor, low-cost, park events. Sounds like fun! Before you know it, it will be time to start planning the new rallies. I've committed myself to becoming the Webelos I Den Leader, but start considering that your sons and Scouts will need new rank leaders and assistant rank leaders. Start planning now to train yourself and give them the best experience possible which is nothing short of what they deserve!

If you have not signed up for SHAC Jam yet, the deadline is the first event in July. More details will be posted during the week. Refer to the e-mail sent out about a week ago for costs, info, etc...

That's it for now! Stay in touch with each other and send me a note once in a while. Summer is slow down...not disappear altogether! And of course, we are always recruiting and happy to register new scouts at any time!

Have a safe and blessed summer!

2010-05-13T10:15:00.001-07:00

Hey Scouters!

Last week’s Earth Day Celebration of Dirt Cake Night was great! Thank you to Alicia for suggesting this fun and tasty idea in honor of our Earth. From all appearances the Scouts had a great time!

After the Dirt Cake activity, Israel conducted his first Roundtable Update for the parents outdoors while the Scouts played. It was a pleasant evening for it. There were quite a few notes. Be sure to stay informed.

By a unanimous vote of all present and a validated committee member vote, the parents and leadership decided to implement a formal standard in regards to fundraising and sharing our profits with our sponsor. Beginning with the 2010 Scout Fair Fundraiser and for all future fundraisers, the bylaws will be adjusted to reflect that the profits will be shared as follows:

• As routine, profit will be calculated according to SHAC standards and distributed to our unit.
• From whole profit amount, 10% will be set aside for the sponsor organization and delivered by pack check to them.
• From the remaining profit amount, our normal standards of dividing the profit between the unit and stipend accounts for the scouts will follow.

We are proud to formalize this sharing of profit with our sponsor organization as we have talked about it in the past and are now in a position of sharing back in thanks for the premises, support and appreciation of our church sponsor. Please be sure to explain to your Scouts that they are directly contributing to sharing with the church in thanks and appreciation.

2010-04-27T12:13:00.000-07:00

Hey Scouters!

April was great! It seems like we all got a little break with a couple of Friday nights off, yet we still accomplished a lot with our time. Thank you all for participating with the Scout Fair Fundraiser! You all did a great, no INCREDIBLE, job this year with the fundraiser! It was our most profitable Scout Fair fundraiser in the history of Pack 515. Thank you all for selling the coupon packs and can I just say that your time was so incredibly well spent! Almost all of our Scouts earned their minimum goal and yet, most of our scouts totally surpassed it in incredible leaps. I don't think there is a single doubt left that you can do anything when you put your mind to it. The only limits you have are the ones that you set for yourself. Your Scouts "told ya'll" that no one can set limits on them! 'NUFF SAID!

The profits/commissions will be announced just after we receive our check from the council. Hopefully, we'll have that between now and the middle of May. Yay!

Also, Israel deserves a huge round of applause for building our Bean Bag Toss game for the Scout Fair. THANK YOU! Each and every parent and scout deserves a great Thank You for assisting with our booth and "making it happen!" I'm so glad to see you all working as a team and taking charge.

Start getting your ideas and suggestions ready for our Summer Program Planning meeting on April 30. Bring your calendars, pencils, etc...ideas with information and let's plan a super summer program. Last year's program was so much fun...we can do even better!

Think and consider the power of God.
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
Psalm 119:105

2010-03-31T11:20:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Pack 515 on the excellent Blue and Gold Banquet this week! I can't thank you all enough for all of your contributions to make the event memorable and fun. The food was excellent, the company could not be better and the night was full of memories in the making. I would like to say so much more, but there isn't enough room on the web. Let's just say that the Blue and Gold would not have happened if it were not for you...the parents and volunteers. Thank you to each of you for taking charge, helping where needed and making the night fun for all. Please send me pictures and notes (good ones, I hope) to post on the web. As soon as I receive the final treasury information I will post all of the auction information. For the Cub Scouts, thank you for your good manners and attention to instructions. You all behaved excellently for your guests. A special thank you goes to McKinley, Israel and Gabriel for taking on Lead Scout roles with the ceremonies.

As I said at Blue and Gold, I thank each and every adult, leaders and volunteers, for your contributions to the Pack. We couldn't do this without you and it is the Scouts who benefit from your example of generosity and leadership.

On a somber note, thank you for all who covered for me in my initial absence of the event. The Freeman Family thanks you for your well wishes and messages. It has been suggested that we take up a collection for Jacob to help him in Scouting for a short while. If anyone would like to make a contribution to be given to Jacob, please place it in an envelope and give to Veronica by the end of April.

In addition, Frank Granados called last week to say that Monica has recently lost an Uncle to join our Heavenly Father. Please keep them in your prayers and we hope to see the Granados family again soon.

Happy Easter to All
May all of our hearts be transformed during this most Holy Season

2010-03-22T17:08:00.000-07:00

Hi Scouters!

You do know what a Scouter is by now, right? It's you! A Scouter is anyone who does Scouting whether you are a den leader, other leader, parent or brother or sister of a Scout. You are all Scouters and should be proud to be one! I'm proud of you!

I hope everyone had a great Spring Break. It went by much too fast, but all good things are like that. In case you took a wrong turn lately and missed a meeting, here's what we've been up to:

* Thank you to those who took time to nominate leaders in our unit and submit to the District for awards at the District Dinner earlier this month. It is not often that our adult leaders receive the recognition they deserve, so always, always take time to thank your leaders and parents because awards don't come around all that often for the grown ups! No one likes to feel like they don't matter so always participate in nominations when the opportunities are there.

* Scout Fair Kroger Booths continue to be out of this world! Last Friday's sale (3/19/10) resulted in $60 per Scout to add to his sales. Almost all of our Scouts completed their minimum sale of 10 packs weeks ago and many have continued to take advantage of Kroger Booth Sales and have blasted their goals out of the water. We have many scouts over the $200 dollar mark, several over $300, two over $500 and one young go-getter over $700 and all of these Scouts want to keep selling. THAT'S THE SPIRIT! Like I've said many times, if you are having trouble selling your coupon packs, sign up for the next Kroger Booth! We only have 2 left and then the opportunities are gone. The next sale will be on April 3. Contact Veronica by phone or e-mail to sign up before the slots are full!

* Spring Break was especially fun because some of our Scouts got together for a last minute gathering at our local rollerskating rink for a night of fun, hilarious falls and the chance to earn the rollerskating beltloop. It was so much fun. We must do this again!

* Reminder: No meeting this Friday night due to the Trash Bash Conservation Event on Saturday morning. Your Cubmaster, Israel Gasca, will be the onsite in-charge guy. PLEASE CALL HIM BY PHONE AND NOTIFY HIM OF YOUR ATTENDANCE. Please send me an e-mail as well. Thanks!

* The Blue and Gold Banquet is coming up on Monday, March 29. PLEASE SEE THE NOTES BELOW TO GET CAUGHT UP ON ALL OF THE LAST MINUTE DETAILS! There are three articles below including the banquet, Scout Cake Auction and Silent Auction. We need everyone to pitch in and Do Their Best to make this a great event for the Scouts and their guests.

See you soon & Keep on Scoutin'!

NEW PICTURES BELOW

2010-03-04T07:15:00.000-08:00

Hello Scouters!

What a month! February was PACKED with so many opportunities in the scouting world. I hope you were all able to take advantage of atleast one or two. Below are the highlights, but first let me say that this Friday's Pack Pinewood Derby is sure to be a blast so don't miss it! Bring your cameras and get ready to race!

Hmmm, where to start? (Start humming that horse-racing song in your head NOW!)

First, Pack 515 and Troop 512 united to collect 500 lbs of food in the National Scouting for Food Campaign. St. Vincent de Paul sent us a very nice thank you letter! Then, there was the Superbowl..not scouting..but some of the dad's would protest if I didn't mention it...it was a great afternoon! Scout Fair Fundraiser kicked off next and we're in the middle of a great surge of effort...our boys are making lots of mullah and they are helping their unit and the council all at the same time..way to go guys - keep it up! Quite a few of us went to the Minute Maid Celebration and froze, but still...Mike Rowe is soooo coool, plus astronauts...awesome! And some of the scouts recognized Daniel Cardinal DeNardo which sent me soaring..a tear in my eye now. Alrightee then, there was the 7-8 mile long hike for the 15th Annual Ten Commandments hike...yes, Alicia Gasca barely made it...that's a mom for you! What more? Yes, there was the District Pinewood Derby and Frankie was seen by old Pack friends. Then we sold more scout fair coupons and now it's March! Thank Goodness, now rest...a little!

2010-02-02T07:22:00.000-08:00

Hey Scouters!

It's a new week and the world is offering so many wonderful opportunities for life! Be sure to build in some Scouting time. Why is that so important,afterall? Well, because in Cub Scouting, when we encourage you to be a better Scouter, we are really encouraging you to spend more time with your Scout, your family and a little scouting fun which could be anything from reading the Scout Handbook with your son to doing something fun outdoors, practicing your religious faith through scouting or teaching your son to pick up a hammer for the first time or maybe administer first-aid to Mom or Dad's thumb when they picked up a hammer for the first time! First-aid which your son probably learned right out of his scout handbook. Ha, ha, ha.... Yes, we have a lot of opportunities ahead!

Looking back a little, we've been having a great time. Since the holiday season, we have started a new charter, been to a "slammin'" Aeros game (literally), started building derby cars with your Akela, presented new advancement awards last week and are now full gear into Scouting For Food and so much more! It's going to be a great ride and I hope to see you all be part of it. This year is especially meaningful as it is the 100 Anniversary of BSA and you and your son will remember it because YOU WERE HERE living the life of a Scouter! Start your Centennial Scrapbookin' now!

We have a new Committee Chairman! Applause please for Qwinyette Cormier! We will also be having more changes in our Pack Leadership. Look for more news to come and don't hesitate to volunteer and offer your talents. In case you guys have not noticed, our Leaders have been working hard and have a great unit to be proud of. Maybe they are nervous in their shoes,but take another look at the last month and I think you'll see that they have been making things happen! I applaud you all! ALWAYS support each other and offer encouragement...none of us get paychecks...we get personal rewards! To All - Leave the stress, the frowns, the complaints at home!..not that I've seen much of that anyway...we've got a great set of families here! Keep up the good work!

P.S. No, I'm not leaving! You're stuck with me as a Committee Member and Webelos Den Leader, starting in June, for at least another year.

God Bless,
Veronica

2010-01-21T07:35:00.000-08:00

Hey Scouters!

The Aeros game last weekend was a blast! I hope everyone had a good time and look forward to doing this again with everyone.

Be sure to stay in touch with your Den Leaders for questions, news and updates. Remember, the Scout can't do this on his own...he needs his family to help him reach his goals. It is up to the adults to lead the way!

Reminders:
* Recharter payments are due by the end of this month.
* Award Requests for January Pack Meeting are due to your Den Advancement Chair by this Friday night. Late requests will be placed in the February lists.
* All Scouts should be at least at the halfway point in his Rank handbook by now. If you need help, contact your Den Leader as soon as possible. The goal is to be done by the last week in April.

See you on Friday!

2010-01-09T15:51:00.000-08:00

Hey Scouters!
As you can see, the January Roundtable was super-productive. The blog will be tweaked-updated-tweaked and updated again almost every other day. Be sure to visit the site often to stay on top of the news. I will try to put the most recent news up top, but that isn't always possible when reminders for current events need to take the top spots. So that means, BE SURE TO LOOK AT IT ALL! January and February are going to be exciting and a bit hectic with many things happening at once. Don't get overwhelmed. Many of these things are happening now in preparation of carrying things out later in the Spring. If you must miss meetings, be sure to contact your Den Leader and Cubmaster for updates. We don't want any Scouts to miss out on great events!

2010-01-07T07:28:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year holiday! We have a lot of great things planned for the Scouts this year! This post will be short since we have Roundtable tonight for the leaders (address/time at bottom of blog/right side) which means that we'll be getting NEW news tonight. For this week, the biggest news is that we will NOT BE MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT DUE TO WEATHER. An update e-mail will be sent out over the weekend.

Note: The Aeros tickets are in, but I still need everyone's final payments. My credit card already paid the total amount. Please have the difference in charges ready when you pick up your tickets next Friday night. Feel free to come by my home sooner if you would like your tickets before Friday next week.

Have a safe and happy weekend! ~v

2009-12-16T07:25:00.000-08:00

Hey Scouters!

I hope you all had as much fun as I did with the Pie Throw last week! It was awesome fun! Pie throwing is always good, "clean" fun, but I want to remind everyone that it would not have taken place if it were not for the Scouts who worked hard to earn it by selling popcorn like crazy and taking a leadership role by conducting their each individual food collections. I am really proud of everyone for helping the Scouts achieve their goals!

Please take a look at all parts of the blog to be sure you are staying informed with Pack events. For leaders who have parents without e-mail/internet access, please be sure to keep them in the loop with events and information.

There are a few really IMPORTANT notes coming up in a second here, but first I think it's really important to comment on the Bobcat Ceremony last week. It was very, very nice. For all of you who are brand-new to Scouting, you don't see the impact and "awe" that us old-timers see. We see that our own kids have grown A LOT in the last few years and watching you new guys is a constant reminder that our own time with Cub Scouts is counting down. YOU GUYS are the future of our Pack. We are so proud of you with each and every step you take to help your Cub Scouts with their program. It is up to you to learn to take the lead and help keep the Pack growing. Take opportunities to seek training and assist your leaders because the more you know, the more the pack can go. Every Scout deserves a trained leader.

Last, but not least!

For Friday:
* Several parents are offering to help with this Friday's Christmas Party. Thank you! Everyone can help out by bringing cookies, hot-chocolate, paper plates, napkins and cups. Please let Qwinyette know ASAP if you can volunteer for one of these items. If you are bringing a craft or want to lead a game, please let Qwinyette know ASAP!
* The Christmas Party theme is "Polar Express." Thank you to Monica and Frank Granados for the idea! All Scouts and Me-too's are encouraged to wear appropriate pajamas, slippers and robes.
* We will also be holding a Christmas Wish Money Donation for an "adopted family." Each Scout is asked to bring $5.00 for the Donation. It is optional. If you would like to donate more than $5.00, that would be great.
* The Live Nativity Event is this Saturday at WPChurch. Scouts are meeting at 5:30 PM. Dress according to the weather needs. Be prepared to assist with live animals, decorations, refreshments, clean up, etc.. It's going to be fun. Bring your cameras!
* The Aeros Game ticket purchase is this Friday. The game is on 1/16/10, 7:35 PM at Toyota Center. Each ticket is $8.00. Cash only PLEASE!

That's plenty for now! See you Friday!

2009-11-18T07:29:00.000-08:00

Hello Scouters,
This is a great time in our Scouting Trail. New Cub Scouts and Parents are starting to feel like they are getting a handle on all this new "cub scout stuff" and many great events have already taken place. The holiday season will slow us down another notch and allow us all to soak up the experience of scouting while at home during holiday breaks and time with family. Take this time to encourage your cub scout to spend more time with mom, dad, grandpa and other visiting relatives while completing achievements and requirements in their handbooks. If your son has extra time on his hands, then pull out that handbook and set a goal to complete some of his achievements. You'll find that you can get a lot done over the holidays and set him up to return to the program with a very successful attitude. Yes, completing achievements is important, however the most important goal is to spend time with your Scout while having fun and learning new things. It is not just a "dad job". The whole family should help the Scout. In most families, it's mom who really helps the scout move forward. No offense dad, but mom usually gets a few more minutes with the kids in the day or on the weekends, so it's natural for mom to throw you and the kids out into the yard to work on a fun scouting project. Moms are great aren't they? It's dad's job to get mom out in the yard, too! Enjoy this time together and make the most of it by working in some Scouting. You'll see, it's time well spent and cherished memories forever.

2009-11-04T08:48:00.000-08:00

Wow! Our Pack is moving and making strides! Thank you all to who participated in the popcorn fundraiser. As you know, this fundraiser is a major part of our operating budget. Although we need every penny, we happily share the profits with our Scouts by allowing them 50% of their profit to go into their own individual Cub Scout Accounts. These accounts will help them pay their own way for Scout items needed and for event fees. We know they need the funds, too!

Be sure to bring your paper sack to this Friday's meeting. Tip: In a zip-lock bag, bring your own scissors, glue and a few markers and crayons, too.

Our Food Drive is underway for this month only so Do Your Best to help out area needy families.

Be sure to review the entire blog for new information.

There is A LOT going on so it's up to the parents to bring your Scouts to meetings regularly for information, participation and advancement. Things are falling into place but your Scouts will only receive the best of the program when you attend regularly.

Lastly, thank you for all of your efforts. Our unit is coming together and we have big plans for our Scouts. See you Friday night!

A CLUE: BRING YOUR CAMERAS. REPORTED SCOUTS WILL TAKE PART IN AN OUTDOOR BOBCAT CEREMONY.

2009-10-21T09:30:00.000-07:00

Hello Scouters!

Each den is now meeting on their own, so please be on time and ready to help your Den Leaders throughout the meetings. Remember, many of them are new to their Den Leader jobs and they are just regular parents like everyone else, except they've volunteered to help mentor and lead our Scouts. Be really kind and helpful to your Den Leaders!

Veronica and Roger will not be on site this Friday; however, Qwinyette will be available for any questions or concerns. Henry Cavazos and Carl Privette, Boy Scout Leaders, have agreed to be in charge of opening and closing the gates after the night ends. If anything unusual comes up during the night, I recommend going to Qwinyette, Jennifer and Joann first. If more assistance is needed, please go to the Boy Scout Leaders.

Only 9 days left to sell Popcorn! Do your Best! Be ready to report your sales figures so your Scout can participate in the weekly awards. Go Pack 512!

2009-10-14T08:27:00.000-07:00

Hello Scouters!

Last weekend’s Family Fun Day was a great success! I have received many positive comments and hope that all Scouts and their families were pleased with the turn-out. We enjoyed a full day of outdoor activities including hikes, games, earning the Map & Compass Belt Loop, wildlife observation (and chasing armadillos), campfire s’mores and a well-deserved break that included spending time with all parents and explaining the Cub Scout program in more detail. I look forward to seeing you all again at our next event and strongly encourage all new Scouts and Families to participate in a weekend outing or camping trip as soon as possible! These experiences are priceless and afford us all more one-on-one time to get to know each other and answer questions.

A huge “Thank You” to Tina and Nick Nichols for making the event possible on the Newport Private Grounds. Who could ask for a better setting to get to know the “camping experience” without actually camping? The river, swampy bogs, winding dirt roads, wild boars, raccoons, armadillos, feinting birds, etc… was absolutely awesome! Also, let's all be sure to also thank Carl Privette for donating and bringing the firewood and also Mr. & Mrs. Solis for transporting the canopy and campfire ring. Thank You!

Notes for the week:
• Reminder, everyone is welcome to bring lawn chairs to the meetings.
• Reminder, all parents are responsible for taking notes and writing down important dates and details.
• Please have the Scouts go straight to their classrooms when arriving to meetings. No unsupervised children in the courtyard.
• Room 5 is for the Boy Scouts. Scoutmaster: Roger Tijerina
• Room 6 is for the Webelos. Den Leader: Frank Granados
• Room 7/8 is for all others.
o Tiger/Wolf Den Leader: Nely Solis
o Bear Den Leader: Alicia Woods
• Pack 512 has always had one of the highest ratings in the Raven District regarding our program. We are still working diligently with the church regarding our den meeting arrangements in our new location. Please be patient with us during this time of adjustment. Remember, we are all volunteers and are doing our best to make this a great program for our Scouts and Families. Parents are welcome and encouraged to assist and offer talents, gifts and help. Let’s all be part of the solution.
• Webelos have been invited to attend the Boy Scout camping trip at the end of this month. The invitation has been “out there” for several weeks. If you want to attend, please be sure to speak with your Den Leader and the Troop Scoutmaster as soon as possible!

2009-10-08T09:03:00.000-07:00

Hey Scouters!

The blog is loaded with information and much more is coming soon. Be sure to check at least once a week to stay informed and up to date. The best way to stay informed is by attending meetings regularly. Regarding training information and required documents, I am happy to help in any way. Please feel free to call me for information and guidance. It is not as hard as it may seem.

We will be adding oscillating fans to rooms 7/8. We encourage you to bring your own lawnchairs to meetings at the church. Please bear with us during our adjustment time in our new surroundings.

C-you next Friday!

2009-10-01T11:50:00.000-07:00

Hello Scouters,

I hope you have all had a great week and are ready to meet tomorrow night! Here's what you can expect:

* All Dens will be divided, go through handbooks, proceed with Bobcat Trail, HAVE A GOOD TIME, etc...
* Den Leadership placed.
* An Awards Ceremony will follow. Scouts will receive awards earned over the summer and in September.
* Popcorn Kickoff
* Questions/Answers
* Signups for Camping Trip

The camping trip has been set for October 10-11 at Newport. The cost will be $10.00 per person. Age 3 and under are free. More details tomorrow.

What happened to camping on October 17-18? There did not seem to be a great demand for it so we are extending our Family Fun Day (10/11) into a camping trip instead.

By the way, although we will be in classrooms, you are welcome to bring your own lawnchairs for seating. We are limited on chairs so they need to go to the scouts first. Thank you!

LAST BUT NOT LEAST:

** Thank you to Frank Granados, IV, and Quentin Burgess for representing Pack 512 at the Texas Adopt-A-Beach! A Good Turn never goes unnoticed.

** The Bovay Camping Trip was a BLAST! Be sure to sign up the next time around.

2009-09-24T06:40:00.000-07:00

Hello Scouters,

We are off to a great start! There is still much to do, but don't miss out on the fun. There are many choices of events coming up that are not only just plain fun, but also most events help your son complete various requirements and achievements in his rank advancement. Take advantage of events whenever possible in order to maximize family-time as well as help your son achieve his scout goals. Here's what's coming up:

Friday - No meeting
Saturday - Some of us are camping at Bovay Scout Ranch. It's awesome!
Saturday - Some of you are going to the Texas Adopt-A-Beach Event. This is a great opportunity to participate in a conservation event which helps your son earn the World Conservation Badge.
Saturday - If you aren't doing something already, then try attending the Raven Fishing Derby at Gene's Polaris on I-10 East. Details below.

Like I said...lots of choices and that's only the beginning! October will offer more events and I'm working on scheduling a camping trip by popular demand.

Remember to spend time helping your son complete the "Bobcat Trail" in his handbook. It is not hard, but takes a little time to help your son learn the steps. The Bobcat Trail must be earned first before he can start doing the rest of his rank handbook. Help him out!

Lastly, although we are not meeting this Friday night, I will be at the church from 6:30pm to 7:00pm anyway for different reasons. If you need to finish paying or finish paperwork, please stop by and let's finish it up. I plan to submit all completed forms and payments on Monday morning to the council which will make your sons official members of Boy Scouts of America. I will TRY very hard to have more handbooks for sale as well. I know many of you want Wolf books and others.

Have a great weekend!

2009-09-18T07:21:00.000-07:00

Welcome Scouters!

This message goes out to our already devoted Scouting Families plus all of the new Scouts who joined last week or are planning on doing so tonight! We look forward to seeing you at tonight's meeting!

A big THANK YOU goes to each and every Scouter who assisted with this year's rallies. As you all experienced, we never know what kind of response we will receive and it seems that all three schools had a good response, but Tice received a huge crowd! We look forward to offering a great program and moving towards future plans for all of these new Scouts.

"Scout" - A young man, age 6-18, in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts of America.
"Scouter" - Any parent, leader and friend who assists and participates in Scouting.

2009-09-09T08:30:00.000-07:00

Hi Scouters,

Are you ready for a great week? It's rally time! Before jumping into what is coming up, let's look back a few days:

Thank you to Alicia for coming through on her commitment to attend the September Roundtable. Once regular meetings are normal, she will be talking with the Den Leaders about creating Den Doodles to reward Scouts, inspire participation and show off the dens.

Thank you to Pastor Cortinas for meeting with Unit Leaders last night. It was a very positive meeting and good changes are coming soon.

Last but not least - Thank you to all of our Parents for spreading out on rally nights and running these very important registration/meet and greet nights. We have high hopes for a great turnout at each one!

New News:

* Alicia will represent our Pack at the Popcorn Kickoff/Fishing Derby to pick up our Popcorn Kit. TY Alicia!
* It looks like Galveston is the chosen site for Pack 512's participation at Adopt-A-Beach.
* For those camping at Bovay this month: If you still owe forms, etc...it's over-due!
* Troop 512 will now be meeting on Friday nights, effective this week. They will occupy rm.5.
* Reminder, No Den Meeting this week due to rallies.

Have a great week! C-you at the rallies!

2009-09-02T12:18:00.000-07:00

Hello Scouters,

Stay on top of events by checking the blog often. We're in "ramp up" mode so we'll see a lot happening very soon...it will last about a month...then things will slide into a more normal mode. Please bear with our growth! It's a great time of year and I'm looking forward to seeing you all again on a regular basis. The notes from last week's meeting are below. Let me know if you have questions. See you Friday!

P.S. I did speak with Pastor Joe Cortinas about our room and obtaining more tables and chairs. We will be meeting on Tuesday night, along with the other unit leaders, to discuss our needs and general information and expectations. Things sound really good! This Friday night we will have the same room set up, but next week should show some changes.

Have a great week! ~v

2009-08-25T08:57:00.001-07:00

Welcome back to Scouting!

I truly hope that everyone enjoyed their summer and are all set to get back to school and scouting. As for me, I'm ready! As many of you know, I suffered many years due to a painful condition which was finally resolved last year. I thank God each and every day for the graces and blessings he has bestowed upon me. I don't think I'll ever forget that for each painful day I experienced, I am blessed with a new day with new beginnings. What you may not know is that Cub Scouts was a big reason that I survived that period of my life so well. If it were not for the people in scouting, especially the kids, I might have just stayed home instead and wallowed in my own problems. But I didn't do it because I knew those little kids were counting on me, lots of parents too, and I looked forward to playing around a bit and getting my mind off things. Why am I telling you this? Because sometimes we all need a reminder to not wallow on the daily problems we can't seem to fix...but instead to take a break from them and thank God for our blessings. Keep Scouting in your plans!

I hope to see you all at this week's Friday night meeting. We are back into our regular scouting calendar now so save your Friday night's to give that time to your boy's in Scouting. Ofcourse, the whole family is welcome...that's what it's all about in our unit...to strengthen your family time and make the most of it. This week's meeting is a planning meeting, so bring your pencils, calendars (2009 - 2010) and your list of ideas of things you want to do and places you want to take the scouts. If any of your ideas involve money, please bring information on costs.

Last weekend's baseball game is a great example of family time. We had fun! Israel, Dominik, Gabriel and Jermaine's big brother, Chris, all received a literal grand slam jam when the baseballs left their mark on them...but they handled it really well. Chris is so much bigger ofcourse that the hits didn't seem to bother him much...he just brushed them off and kept playing. It was great to see all the parents playing the game with all the kids. It's a great time for all, the kids will not forget it, and it helps remind us older folks that "playing" baseball is harder than "telling" a kid how to do it! Still, we had a blast!

2009-08-12T09:15:00.001-07:00

Hey Scouts and Scouters!

Can I just say that we have the best Scouts and Families that a Cub Scout Pack could ever want! My hat goes off to all of you for showing your Scouts and everyone else that you all know how to have a great time with family and friends. Last Saturday's event to Splashtown was our first one of that kind and I was happy to see that everyone played with their kids, had the scouts hang out with other scouts all day and had a generally awesome day. I don't remember what made me think that I could ride the "Tornado" without having a panic attack, but I'm glad I did it and I feel proud to say that I'm now a member of the Pack 512 Tornado Survivor Club! AWESOME!

Be sure to read the updates on the blog below for current information. Always check the blog for the latest updates and news! The next Summertime Event is posted below. Sadly it will be our last Summertime Event, but the good news is that the new Scout Year is about to start and I'm really pumped about that. It's going to be a great year!

Note: For those Scouts who attended the Battleship Tour and have not forwarded their journals or pictures, time is almost up! Please mail to me or be sure to turn in at our next event which is your deadline. The event will not count as "complete" until I receive your journal or picture.

Have a blessed week & See you soon!

2009-07-21T06:59:00.000-07:00

Hi Scouters!

What a great event last week! I hope your Scouts and Me-too's had a great time. If anyone has pictures, please send me a few. I would love to see any of the mentos-diet coke explosions for posting. Congratulations to McKinley for winning the watermellon eating contest. We had several runners up. Thank you all for coming out and enjoying the evening together. Many of you are well on your way to earning the National Summertime Award. Keep up the good work!

A few notes:
* Parents voted on cancelling the summer fundraiser in favor of putting a greater effort into our Popcorn Fundraiser coming up this Fall.
* While cancelling the event on the 24th, we moved the 2nd July event to the Friday evening of July 31st. This will be a super-easygoing event. We'll watch the night sky for passing shooting stars (we're smack in the beginning of the Perseid meteor shower for the year) and have hot-dogs and good conversation. I'm still looking for a good location with few trees and no light-posts so if anyone can help me out with this - help!
* I know all of our parents are in chill-out mode, but I've been hard at work answering e-mails left and right from the district pertaining to recruitment, events, etc and working quite a bit behind the scenes. Sorry to rain on your parade, but it's time for my awesome parents to ease back into volunteer mode. At this time, I need two volunteer chairmen or women: (1) Popcorn Fundraiser Chairperson (2) School Night Recruitment Chairperson. I cannot meet my responsibilities as Unit Chairman while trying to be all the other volunteer chairposts as well. I burn out just as easy as the next guy - or gal. Please let me know if you can volunteer before I have to ask you! Thank you! I need to know ASAP!

That's it for now ~ Have a blessed week!

2009-07-03T12:56:00.001-07:00

Hi Scouters,

Please see the updated Summertime Event Information below. Please note that the prices listed for Splashtown Park are discounted. In order to obtain those prices I will need all payments no later than July 17. After this date, you will have to pay their regular prices in order to attend. That is about $10 more per ticket!

2009-06-28T09:42:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the new blog! I hope this one stays bug-free for a very long time. I will be rebuilding the site over time, so please continue to refer to the old blog for a couple of weeks longer in regards to viewing the calendar and anything else you may need.

To bring us up to date, we've had a great June. The fishing trip and USS Texas Battleship were very successful! Many of you attended the Battleship Tour last Saturday. Be sure to have your Scout complete his journal and mail to me this week. I will try to post them if at all possible.

For July, several e-mails went out last week, and weekend, regarding Fundraiser opportunities and upcoming events. Only a couple of responses have come in so far. I will not proceed until I hear from everyone, so please respond as soon as possible. These activities take much planning and coordination, so it is important that I see everyone's responses or it would appear that it is not necessary to follow up on what is presented. But we all know that it is important so please do your part by maintaining communication and participation. Thank you!

2009-06-15T18:45:00.001-07:00

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