Thursday, May 17, 2012

Franklin cub scouts running registration event after tying up shoe drive loose ends


Franklin Packs to hold Spring Registration May 20th on the Town Common after a successful 5-week shoe drive.

Franklin Cub Scouts have Fun!

FRANKLIN, MA – May 15th, 2012 – This past Saturday marked the fifth and final weekend of the Franklin Cub Scouts’ shoe drive.  During this town-wide drive, the five Cub Scout packs in Franklin collected hundreds of used shoes that will be finding new homes and keeping our landfills a little less full.

“If I had to make a rough guess, I would say the packs collected at least 500 pairs of shoes,” said Chris Botchis, cubmaster of Pack 17.  “I believe we can call our 
community service project a success.  Our thanks go out to the Franklin community and to those volunteers who both manned the stations and spread the word to family and friends.”
 
On Sunday, May 20th, the five packs will be hosting a membership registration event on the Franklin Town Common from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.  This week the packs are taking a final tally and will reveal the number of shoes collected during the event. The lucky boy who guesses the closest to the actual number of shoes collected will win a free registration to Cub Scouts for a year, a prize worth $60. Additionally the pack that’s collected the most shoes will win an ice cream social, courtesy of the other four packs.

“We will have a number of fun and interesting Scouting stations set up for the boys to sample,” said Botchis.  “One of the more popular events for Pack 17 is our annual Rocket Night that we hold each summer.  I think the parents are as excited as the Scouts to see the rockets take off, and it becomes a competition of who spots the parachute first.  We will be displaying some of the models that have been built, along with examples of the launching systems at the event on the Common.”

Kids will also be able to participate in a “Rain Gutter Regatta” that involves actual rain gutters filled with water on which the boys race small boats that they build themselves.  The event is one of many that Cub Scout packs across the country include in their annual programs.  The goal of the Regatta and other Cub Scout competitions, such as the famous Pinewood Derby, is to stress the Cub Scout motto of “Do Your Best.” While learning good sportsmanship, the competitions give the Scouts a chance to learn new building skills. At Sunday’s event, there will be both pre-made boat kits as well as some that kids will be able to build and race themselves.

Other events that day will include a compass course, a knot tying demonstration and an interactive animal tracks display.

“Our goal is to include a number of activities that touch upon the skills the boys will acquire and some events in which the boys will participate while in Cub Scouts,” Botchis said.

Boys currently in kindergarten through fourth grade will be able to sign up right at the event.  One important benefit of signing up on Sunday is that they will be able to start participating in all of the summertime activities that all five packs have planned right away, including marching in this year’s Memorial Day parade through downtown Franklin.

Like the other packs, Pack 17 already has a number of activities planned for the summer.  In addition to the parade, the Scouts will do their part during the Memorial Day weekend and join all the packs and Boy Scout troops in town to honor veterans by helping replace worn flags on veterans’ graves.  Later in the summer, Pack 17 will take part in a two-night sleepover at Cub World in Rhode Island.  Additional activities will include day hikes, the July 4th parade, a fishing derby and plans to see a Brockton Rox baseball game with a sleepover in the outfield.  Other events from throughout the past year include the Pinewood Derby, a sleepover on the USS Massachusetts and their annual holiday party in December.

Pack 17 is chartered by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge 71 and is made up mostly of boys from the Helen Keller and Davis Thayer schools’ neighborhoods. The Pack meets one night each month from September through June to present awards earned the prior month, perform skits, and generally to have a great time together.

Of course, while having fun in Cub Scouts is an important aspect of the program, just as important is the goal of the Boy Scouts of America, which is to provide a program for young people that builds character, trains them in the responsibilities of participating citizenship and develops personal fitness.  The Boy Scouts of America believes – and, through over a century of experience, knows – that helping youth is a key to building a more conscientious, responsible, and productive society. And the Cub Scout program strives to accomplish this in a safe environment for the boys.  Adult leaders are required to take a course specific to youth protection, and there are numerous resources and training courses available to leaders and parents alike.  These courses provide information on various topics including safe swimming, physical wellness, hiking and camping.

So in between church or brunch and your weekly yard work, this Sunday bring your sons down and get them started on the road to becoming courteous, trustworthy and kind young men.  Registration for new recruits is $60 per boy for more than 18 months worth of programs, and the fee includes a rank-specific handbook, neckerchief and neckerchief slide.  For those who cannot make the event, visit BeAScout.org today to register with your local pack.  The packs of Franklin hope to see you there.


4 comments:

  1. Where is the park in that photo? Is that in Franklin? I don't recognize it.

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  2. Lars, not sure. I'll ask the Scout contact who submitted the photo where it was taken.

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  3. Thanks so much, that would be great.

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  4. Here is what I received from my Scout contact: "That park is not local. It came from one of the other packs in town and I was told that it was snapped while they were on a trip, perhaps down in RI somewhere - some place not too close, nonetheless. It does look like a nice playground, though .."

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