Pack 4 Den and Pack Meetings

Den Meeting

Our co-ed Cub Scout Pack is structured so kids in each grade are divided into Dens. 

• Kinder - Lions
• 1st grade - Tigers
• 2nd grade - Wolfs
• 3rd grade - Bears
• 4th grade - Webelos
• 5th grade - Webelos 2

Dens meet on their own to have fun together and work on advancements. These projects earn the kids badges and adventure loops for their belts. The projects are related to life skills (budgeting for an event, assembling materials for an event), cooking, civics, safety (whittling, first aid, and much more), STEM activities, handcrafts, and other things that promote personal growth, leadership - all in a fun environment with friends. 

Every month we have a Pack meeting where all the Dens come together. One den will be assigned a simple skit, another to the formalities of a Pack meeting such as the flag ceremony or leading Pledge of Allegiance. Each Pack meeting has a theme, such as Thrify, Kindness, Reverence, Courage, Honesty. 

It's interesting how material that could be dry in another setting is exciting for them in this one. I was surprised how my kid loved a civics-oriented advancement: a presentation by Gene Masuda, a Pasadena council member. For the next week, he spoke a lot about the elements of City government. 

These are the types of experiences you get in our Pack that are hard to get elsewhere. It's very different than learning in school. 

We also have optional group activities and community service events that people participate in as their schedules allow. 

• Hiking and camping
• Food drives and other support for Altadena Food Pantry
• We occasionally do cleanups
• The annual Pinewood Derby that all Packs do
• Our annual Bike Rodeo with CHP
• Our annual booth at Christmas Tree Lane where donations support Altadena Food Pantry and our Pack 4 accessibility fund
• Our annual Things That Fly, where kids and parents meet at a park to make paper rockets that are fueled by air pressure and play with frisbees and anything else that flies. 

Our kids usually have other activities in their life, such as sports, dance, gymnastics, and art. It all works out.

Our awesome Scout House is located at Westminster Presbyterian Church and have memorabilia going back 100 years. We welcome you to check out one of our Den or Pack meetings. Click here to contact us for more info. 

Joshua Tree Camping / Shooting Day / Thanksgiving Food Drive

October and November Fun

Joshua Tree

We love Joshua Tree, and we did a weekend of camping there in October. This always is a big hit with parents and kids. We have a well-oiled system for camping, and all pitch in for our trips. It's great when we can introduce new people to camping, so don't let that intimidate you if you've never been.

If you have any old gear in good condition you want to donate to our Pack, we are collecting extra gear to make camping more accessible for everyone. 

One of our little Lions (Kinder) did NOT want to come, and the minute she set foot on the rocks and sand, mentored by the older kids, that changed, and she was one of the leaders of the trip.

The kids did much climbing on huge rocks; it's hard to spot them in the picture below. We hiked. We had gorgeous nighttime views of the Milky Way and an impromptu lesson about the universe from one of our parents. The kids told stories by the camp fire, and of course s'mores, too.

 

 

Camp Trask Shooting Day

Camp Trask is a Boy Scouts of America camp in the San Gabriel Valley that holds organized events for Scouts. Shooting Day is popular event for the kids. Bow and arrow, sling shots, and BB guns are taught in safe ways, and on this day there also were crafts.

It's so fun for the kids. Some people even chose to camp again after camping the week prior. (Not all of us are hard core campers, and some are not interested at all, so if camping isn't your thing, still come check us out. Events like this are appealing and educational for everyone!)

Thanksgiving Food Drive

Every year we participate in a Food drive in conjunction with our host organization, Westminster Presbyterian Church. WPC is one of five churches of different denominations that join together as Altadena Food Pantry to provide meals and community for people who are in a place of needing help. They are a lovely organization.

We support the Altadena Food Pantry throughout the year via donations we receive at our booth at Christmas Tree Lane, and at other times when they make the request.

If you're at the Altadena Christmas Tree Lane lighting ceremony this year, come say, Hi!

Cub Scouts Pack 4 Pasadena Things That Roll with CHP!

Cub Scouts Pack 4 Pasadena Things That Roll!

Our annual Things That Roll was a great success with our partners the California Highway Patrol. 

Kids (and parents) rode: 

• bikes
• skateboards
• scooters
• rollers skates
• a wagon
• a stroller
• even a motorized go-cart!

The safety presentation engaged the children and included helmet fitting, navigating driveways, riding at night and basic rule of the road.  

This is what we like: fun and safety!

Thank you to our local Altadena CHP! For more safety tips and to follow the CHP Altadena Instagram page go HERE.

Campout Safety Checklist from BSA

The Pack is soon heading out to Joshua Tree. We will plan together before we go, but please review this campout safety checklist guide from BSA. 

Click the photo to go to the checklist:

Things that Roll - this Sunday 9/24

Join Cub Scouts Pack 4 Pasadena and CHP  for a Bike Rodeo and Bike Safety Class this Sunday September 24 (2:30pm-4:30pm)

* Bring your bike, scooter, skateboard - and helmet

* Come with a decorated ride and participate in a "best dressed" contest

* Maneuvering skills course

*Speed skills course

AND

* Bike rodeo and safety presentation presented by California Highway Patrol (CHP)

Where:

Westminster Presbyterian parking lot:    

1757 N. Lake Avenue

Pasadena, CA 91104

When:

Sunday September 24

2:30pm-4:30pm 

September 2023 - First Pack Meeting of the Year!

We had our first pack meeting last night at the Scout House. Theme: Trustworthy. 

Meetings begin with a short game, and tonight is was, "How many cheerios can you string on a pipe cleaner...?" 

This initially sounded like something that would appeal only to the younger kids - but when you add "...in one minute?" that changes everything! They loved it. (Then they ate their "bracelets" and left many Cheerios on the floor, of course....and learned to pick them up at the end of the meeting before they again played. Fun and responsibility...)

The Bear den presented the Scout Law & Oath and opening prayer/affirmation. The latter included words from Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. (Over the course of the year, we aim to honor all belief systems, as well as meeting themes, and themes like September's Hispanic Heritage Month.)

Great to see new faces and old. Looking forward to the great activities kids do in their dens this coming month, and also Things That Roll this weekend. Check out the next post for more on that!

 

Catalina Adventures!

Sailing, kayaking, snorkeling, hiking, eating, crafting, shooting sports, swimming, paddle boarding, skit performing, nightly campfires, fun with friends. What a way to end the summer!