March Hikes
Pack 1776,
Thanks to Camping Chair Bernard, we will be having not one, but two hikes this month. Scouts, friends and family are welcome to these hikes. Evites will be coming your way. Please reply so we get a headcount for patches. Hikes detail below.
Thanks,
Stella the webmaster
Hike # 1: Presidio Historic Trail
Date: Saturday, March 17, 2012
Time: 2:00 PM
Location: Presidio of San Francisco. Meet at the Visitors Center and Officer's Club (map)
Cost: Free
Attire: Class B
Award: Presidio Historic Trail patch for scouts
Detail: Trail map (bmp) & info (doc)
RSVP: Evite by Monday, March 12th
San Francisco Bay Area Council established the Presidio Historic Trail Program over four decades ago. It has a trail for Cub Scout Packs and Boy Scout Troops. The Cub Scout Trail is about 3.5-miles as it starts from the Visitor Center, down to Fort Point and then around to Battery Chamberlin. The Boys Scout Trail is between 6.4 to 8.1 miles depending upon whether the troop hikes all across the Golden Gate Bridge and back.
Hike # 2: Forest Conservation Day
Date: Saturday, March 24, 2012
Time: 1:45 PM - 4:45PM
Location: Sanborn county park (map)
Cost: $6 park entrance fee
Attire: Class B
Award: Forest Conservation Days patch for participating scouts
Detail: Forest conservation day flyer (pdf)
RSVP: Evite by Monday, March 19th
We will be having a 2-3 hour interactive, hands-on hike with a forester through the redwood forest and the oak woodlands of Sanborn Park. Included will be tree identification, and instruction/activities on geology, soils, wildlife biology, native culture, fire fighting, forest products, demonstration of a vintage 1882 Steam Donkey, and more!
This is a great opportunity to fulfill requirements of the Webelos forester and geologist activity pins, Bear elective #15 (water & soil conservation), Wolf elective #18 (outdoor adventure), belt loops and pins for geology and wildlife conservation, etc. Cloth patches commemorating this event will be available for participating scouts.
Mt Diablo Silverado Council Friends of Scouting Campaign
Hi Pack 1776!
It's that time of the year again for the Friends of Scouting fundraising campaign. For those families that have joined the pack within the last year, this is the annual fundraising drive where the Mt. Diablo Silverado Council asks for our support. Whether your family as been a part of the pack for years, or you are new to the pack, please do consider contributing to this worthy cause.
When I consider donating, I often have many questions. Allow me to share some information that I hope help answer some questions you may have.
What is the Mt. Diable Silverado Council and why should I provide support?
The MDSC is located in Pleasant Hill and serves over 14,500 scouts in Contra Costa, Solano, Napa, Lake, and northern Alameda counties. The activities and services provided by the Council are training, camp Herms and Wolfeboro, recruiting materials, administrative services, professional services, insurance, and most everything we need to run Pack 1776.
How do I donate?
Brochures (attached) and envelopes will be passed out by the Den leaders to the families in their dens at the Pack meeting Wednesday. Families are asked to fill out the section in the brochure, and then return the pledge card and donation in the envelope to their Den leader, or me, at the pack meeting. If you want more time to review, you can turn in to me up to Sunday March 18th. I'd like to get these turned in by March 23rd.
What are my options for donating?
Cash, check, or credit cards are accepted. Donating tomorrow may not be convenient for some, so pledges are another convenient option and can be spread out over time. Pledges for $25 can be taken and reminders mailed. Pledges can be annually, semi-annually, quarterly, or monthly.
How much should I donate?
The Council estimates it costs approximately $200 annually to support each scout, and this is the amount Council hopes each family will contribute. Pack 1776 families have been very generous in the past…some families give more than the recommended amount, some give the recommended amount, some give less. At the end of the day, this is a personal decision, and all contributions are appreciated.
Is my donation tax deductable? Yes!!!
Attached is a brochure with more information. In addition, I will be showing a brief video at the Pack meeting to help provide information.
On a personal note, I sincerely believe in the Boy Scouts of America and support the Mt Diablo Silverado Council Friends of Scouting campaign with all my heart. As a boy growing up, I was both a Cub Scout and Boy Scout in the Mt Diablo Silverado Council, and I was fortunate enough to attend many of the events and camps supported by the Council. As a Boy Scout, I went to Camp Wolfeboro 4 consecutive years and had the time of my life. In scouting I established friendships with guys that are still great friends to this day. I could not have experienced all that I did if it weren’t for the generous folks that supported the Council then. Now it’s time for me to give back, and I hope you will join my family and support the Council’s Friends of Scouting campaign.
Feel free to contact me with any questions.
Regards,
Steve Jackson
Committee Chairperson, Pack 1776
Spring Camping – SAVE THE DATES!
Date: Friday, May 18, 2012 3:00pm – Sunday, May 20, 2012 12:00pm
Location: New Brighton State Beach
SAVE THE DATES!! New Brighton Beach State Park is located about one mile from downtown Capitola, California. New Brighton’s half mile long beach is backed by bluffs that offer amazing ocean views and is forested with cypress and Monterey pine. Raccoons, deer and other animals inhabit this wooded upland as well as the park’s grassy coastal terrace where the campground and picnic area are situated. Migrating monarch butterflies winter in the park’s groves. The campground has ample bathrooms and showers and the average high temperature in May is 72° and the average low is 49°.
Details will follow in an Evite and will be posted here. Stay tuned.
SAVE THE DATES!!
Scott Spears
Camping Chair
Pack Meeting – Wed March 7 – Cake Decorating Contest!
Hi Pack 1776 Scouts and Families!
Just a friendly reminder that this coming Wednesday, March 7 at 7:00 is our month Pack Meeting Extravagana!
The big event - Cake Decorating!
"Cubmaster John, have you lost your mind?!!!"
Yes, and if any of you find it, please let me know.
Seriously, we will have our very first Pack Cake Decorating Competition. Kind of like the Pinewood Derby, but you can eat the winners.
This is a Scout/Parent procedure. The scout, under the guidance of mom or dad, bakes and decorates his own cake, brings it to the meeting. ALL ingredients must be edible. No soldiers, beyblades, plastic straws, cement. Just food - Cake mix, sugar, food coloring, marshmellows, tofu, Slim Jim beef stick, etc.
A panel of judges will pick winners in the following categories:
Spirit of '76 - Three cheers for the red white and blue. Flags, patriotic theme, etc.
Tallest - Think, Mount Everest, but edible.
Longest - Think, The Bay Bridge, but crossable
Are You Going to Eat That? - Think, most likely to be eaten because it's beautiful and looks delicious LOOKING.
Take Your Cake and Eat It! - Think, "Get that thing away from me and out of the house!" Gross, ugly, creepy, gummy worms crawling out of it, dirt made from ground Oreos.
Out of this World - Space the final frontier. Planets, stars, comets, space ships, stellar. (Stella? She IS a star!)
Cultural - We have families from all over the world, work with the scout on a cake which comes from Italy, or the Philipines or India or Greece. You get the idea. Be proud of your roots, and share them with us.
We'll add a few more categories. Winners get a Cake Decorating Patch, and special prizes. Everyone gets to have fun.
Remember:
NO Store Bought
NO Non-edible components
NO "Dad did the whole thing himself, and I'm getting credit for it" (just like Pinewood Derby, it's the scout's project)
Siblings are welcome to bring cakes too, even as small as a cupcake, but they won't be in the competition.
After, if you want to share your cake, great. If you want to bring it home and put it mnext to your Soccer Trophy, great.
Sound like fun? Be prepared to be bombarded with more reminders.
Cubmaster John
Passing on A Thank You Note for 1776 Bingo Participation
Hi Everyone,
Hope those of you who joined us Friday night at the MPR for Bingo Night had a great time. For those who can wait until the next bingo meet up, this bingo review found here should give you something to do!
I can't resist, but have to say, "I Told You It Would Be Fun!"
The stage, the lights, the microphone, the adoring fans! That's show biz! Well, maybe I'm getting a little carried away.
Two additional fans of you boys, by the way, are Stephanie Hitchcock and Heidi Boaz from the PTA, who asked me to forward this nice note to the Pack:
Amazing thanks to all of you who brought us another successful Bingo Night!
Stephanie and Lynda you have once again provided our Coyote families with the best event of the year! Thank you for covering eveything from filling a car so full of pizza that it steamed the windows to zero visibility ...to buying the prizes and itemizing the hundreds of rsvps and dollars ... to checking supplies and coordinating our scout support. The night was everything our families expected it to be. You are a great team and PTA has been so lucky to have you chair our event together for the past several years.
Dolly and John, thank you again for your ongoing partnership- please pass our thanks from PTA on to all CCGS and Pack 1776 participants who made this night complete. I think the community element of this night creates a complete picture and makes Coyote Creek shine with pride. We love the tradition we have with both scouting groups and it is made possible with your personal generosity and leadership.
Thank you Mr. Alpert for staying the extra hours after a big tech day to support PTA. You are always so willing to be visible and welcoming for our families. The kids will always remember nights like this. I loved that you shared a vision for TWO Bingo nights next year so that more families can participate. You truly know what families appreciate.
Special thanks to super scouting moms Meena and Judy for working the check-in table with a smile...and to Renata for taking the FINAL yearbook photos, showing up with a carload of girls to help run the kitchen and for always being willing to jump in where needed.
Thank You!
Stephanie & Heidi
That's a Wrap. See you at the next pack meeting,
Cubmaster John
Bingo Night – Tomorrow
Hi Everyone,
Just of few notes on Bingo Night:
Scouts who signed up on the Evite, but did not sign up/pay their $5/head to the PTA should not attend. The school is very strict about this, and has a list at the door. Pack 1776 isn't running this event, we're just guests, helping out, so the PTA is calling the shots.
Scouts who are paid in full, signed up on evite, please remember to wear your Class A (fancy duds) uniforms. No stage time, without the proper gear. Also, we'll behave like gentleman scouts, given that we'll have a big audience. No shyness either, we'll have fun together.
Scouts who did not sign up on the evite, but are going, feel free to join us. Come in your uniform.
Ada and I will be preparing a final list tomorrow before the event as you arrive. One by one, I'll be calling guys to the stage for individual rounds, along with a girl scout, and we'll read the numbers/letters.
We'll keep in moving along, just like Blue and Gold, so they can exit the MPR on time.
Sound like fun? It is. That's show biz!
Cubmaster John
BSA 2011 Report to Nation
The Boy Scouts of America released its 2011 Report to the Nation today. In this report, there is YOU! Watch the video and see some highlights of the accomplishments that you were part of. Find out more about the report here.
Blue and Gold is this Friday!
Pack 1776 families,
Blue and Gold is this Friday! Have you looked at the evite lately? 179 people!! Together with our guests and volunteers, this will be our biggest B&G ever! Thank you everyone for the overwhelming response! We'll see you all at the banquet.
Happy 102nd Birthday, Boy Scouts of America! 
Stella the Webmaster
B-I-N-G-O Night – “B” There, Fri Feb 24
Hi Everyone,
Just a friendly reminder that coming up is the Coyote Creek PTA's annual bingo night.
Every year, we, the cubs of Pack 1776, are invited to help with the games, by actually calling out the letters and numbers at the big games. We team up with the Girl Scouts as well.
Committee Chair Steve Jackson and I will Emcee the event, and provide the tracking of the event, and we want as many scouts to come as possible, to join in the fun.
In the Friday Folder at school, you should have received the invitation to RSVP for the evening. The cost is $5 per attendee. If you are going, and want to join Steve and me, you must let us know (watch for an Evite), and wear your fancy class A uniforms. Move quickly, however, because the event sells out quickly.
Now is your chance to stand on the stage at the MPR, and talk through the microphone. Good training for you future game show hosts (or rock stars!) in the pack.
See you soon,
Cubmaster John
Here is the note from the Coyote Howler:
Family Fun Night
Join us for Bingo Night on February 24th from 5:30pm - 8:00pm in the MPR. Admission is $5.00. Please RSVP by February 17th. For further information please contact Stephanie Tovani at [email protected] or Lynda Gann at [email protected].
Pinewood Derby Results
What a fun and exciting event!!! I hope everyone enjoyed it. Here are the results from Pinewood Derby Chair Harry.
- Heat Results
- Group Standings
- Group Statistics
- Design Awards
- Best Paint: James S.
- Most Creative: Brian L.
- Best Military Vehicle: Joshua D.
- Most Realistic: Andrew L.
- Most Detail: Nicholas F.
- Funniest: Emmett L.
- Most Futuristic: Ryan F.
- Spirit of Scouting: David X.
- Judges Choice: Jack P.
Don't forget to check out the pictures on the Pack photo site.
