DEN LEADERS UNITE! - A message from our Cubmaster

Leaders of 437,
First of all, thank-you for taking this on. It is already a great year. Fantastic recruiting! Enthusiastic Cubs and parents! People who want to make a strong impact on these boys with and emphasis on God and Country!

Please help me by sending me your den meeting calendars along with location and meeting times(If you haven’t already done so). With your permission (and advance notice) I want to attend at least one of your meetings. I also want to check to see how you are laying out the completion of requirements on your calendar if possible or at least a quick sentence on how you will accomplish this. I want to review these prior to the next Pack meeting.

I am here to help and will make myself available to any of you to who need help with these calendars and the plan for your den. I am so excited about the caliber of people we have to lead our Pack and the prospect for making this our best year ever!

Thank-you,
John Mercier
Cubmaster 437
612-366-0343 (cell)

POPCORN PICK-UP

Hello Pack 437,

Popcorn Pickup
Starting today, Friday Oct. 2nd after 4pm, popcorn will be ready for pickup for Show & Deliver popcorn sales. Contact Steve Hanke at 612-812-8284 or sh_24680@yahoo.com to arrange a pickup date/time. Remember popcorn sales start on Saturday Oct. 3rd. Sell more popcorn by setting up in front of a busy retail store! Always prearrange with the location before setting up.

Blitz Day Promotion
First 250 scouts across the council to sell $250 of popcorn will qualify to receive a FREE Vikings ticket for the Dec. 13th game vs. Cincinnati Bengals. Quantities are limited. How to redeem: As soon as you sell $250 or more popcorn, have your parents call popcorn hotline at 651-287-3697 and leave your Name, Pack#, Den# and your Phone number. Free tickets can only be redeemed with purchase of one adult ticket. One free ticket per scout. Scouts will be notified by Oct. 31st if they qualified.

Popcorn Selling Tips
Always wear your uniform
Always smile and introduce yourself with first name only
Always tell your customer why you are selling popcorn
Know the different types of popcorn you are selling
Always say "Thank You"
Always record sales on Popcorn Sales Sheet

Any questions regarding popcorn contact
Steve Hanke
612-812-8284
sh_24680@yahoo.com

POPCORN NEWS 2009

Cub Scout Parents:
Pack 437 is excited to begin one of our annual fundraisers for 2009. Our popcorn sales have been very successful in helping Cub Scouts earn "Scout Bucks" to be used towards various scouting activities such as camping, swimming, etc.

This year Pack 437 is adding an additional way for your Scout to increase their sales potential with a new "Show & Deliver" option. A brochure is attached that explains the differences in these two methods. Your Scout can use one or both of these methods as they choose.

Some key dates to remember are:
Popcorn sales begin: October 3
Popcorn sales end: November 1
Order Pick-ups: November 19 & 20

Please review the attached brochure for all the information. If you have any questions, please contact your Den Leader or the Popcorn Coordinator, Steve Hanke at sh_24680@yahoo.com or 612-812-8284.

Thank you and Good Luck!

-Pack 437 Leadership Team

Pack 437 POPCORN News 2009


Pack 437 is offering 2 ways to sell popcorn this year, your scout can select to sell one way or both. The choices of selling popcorn are: Show & Deliver and Take Order, here is a detailed description of both.

Take Order popcorn selling: this is the method Pack 437 has used in the past
This is the most traditional way to sell; going door-to-door with the popcorn take order form. Your customer chooses the product(s) he or she wishes to buy and writes the order on your form. You collect the money at time of sale. Several weeks later, you deliver the product to your customers.
Here are the steps with dates:
1) Start date: Saturday Oct. 3rd
2) Using popcorn take order form, Scout sells popcorn with the popcorn sheet
3) Record customer's order on popcorn order form
4) Collects money at time of order, checks payable to Pack 437
5) Popcorn sale ends on Nov. 1st
6) Scout's total Popcorn Order due to Steve Hanke by Nov. 4th
7) Email popcorn orders to Steve Hanke at sh_24680@yahoo.com
8) Popcorn product will be available for PickUp at Steve Hanke's house on Nov. 19th & 20th
9) Money due to Steve Hanke at Popcorn product pickup, Checks only, NO CASH
10) Scout delivers popcorn product to customers that ordered.

Show & Deliver popcorn selling: this is a new method for Pack 437
This method is similar to Take Order, except you carry Popcorn products with you to show to your customers as you visit them. The customer is able to select the products he or she wishes to buy from your product selection. You then hand over the product and collect the money right then and there. This is a proven method to increase your Scout's popcorn sales, earning better prizes and more Scout Bucks. Scout Bucks are used to pay for scouting activites such as camping, swimming, etc. There is no risk with Show & Deliver as all the popcorn can be returned.
Advantage: No return trip required for product delivery and money collection.
Here are the steps with dates:
1) Start date: Saturday Oct. 3rd
2) Popcorn product is picked up prior to selling, at Steve Hanke's house starting Oct. 3rd. Contact Steve at sh_24680@yahoo.com or 612-812-8284 to arrange date/time.
3) Scouts simply sell popcorn using actual product, customers select products they wish to buy
4) Hand over the products and collect the money right then and there
5) Record customer order on Popcorn Order form and mark "paid" and "delivered"
6) Unsold popcorn is returned to Steve Hanke by 10pm on Nov. 1st.
7) Money for sold popcorn is due to Steve Hanke on Nov. 1st at time of popcorn return
Show & Deliver also gives scouts the ability to sell in front of a retail store or in the local mall. You set up a display with products for people to purchase as they walk by. Have plenty of products on display for people to buy. Get permission from the retail store or local mall prior to setting up. Suggested locations include grocery stores, hardware stores, and busy gas stations.

Advantages: Gives you access to a large number of potential customers and promotes the Boy Scouts of America in the community.

OCTOBER 2009 NEWSLETTER

Cub Scout Families:
Attached please find the October edition of the monthly "Scout Shout" newsletter. In it you will find lots of useful information for upcoming meetings and events.

Our next Pack meeting is on Monday, October 12 beginning at 6:15 at Otter Lake Elementary. Please see a meeting summary in the newsletter.

Please take a moment to review the newsletter and mark your calendars. If you have any questions on any of the information, please see your Den Leaders. Thank you and we look forward to seeing everyone at the next Pack meeting.

-Pack 437 Leadership Team

Caryn Henriksen
Pack 437 Newsletter Coordinator

October Pack Meeting
Class B Shirt Tie-dying
Tool Box Assembling
MONDAY, Oct 12th, 6:15 p.m.
Location: OLE Gym
All Scouts, adults & children should wear older clothes, as the Pack meeting activity is to tie-dye Class B t-shirts.

Set-up 6:00 p.m.: Webelos I
Clean-up: Wolves
Opening & Closing: Bears
Skit/Song: Wolves
Snack: Webelos II

PACK MEETING TIMES

* 6:00 Meeting Set-Up

* 6:15-6:30 Pre-Meeting Gathering

* 6:30 Pack Meeting begins

* 7:30 Pack Meeting ends

Scouts: look for your Rank seating area.

Parents & siblings are asked to sit behind their Scout.

We also ask all families to help put folding chairs away at the end of meetings.

Thank you for your support.

Thanksgiving Food Drive
Pack 437 will once again conduct a food drive for the
White Bear Lake food shelf.

Food items will be collected at the November Pack Meeting.

More information to come with a flyer and November Newsletter.

2009/2010 Pack 437 Leadership Team
Committee Chair: Ken Purdham 653-4271 kpurdham@comcast.net

OUTGOING - NEED A VOLUNTEER

Cubmaster: John Mercier 407-6462 john.mercier@hmshost.com

Asst. Cubmaster: OPEN - NEED A VOLUNTEER

Treasurer: Shauna Galatzer 762-7645 thegalatzerfamily@msn.com

OUTGOING - NEED A VOLUNTEER

Camping Chair: Marc Johannsen 653-5697 rovinglion@aol.com

Advancement Coor.: Mike Cogan 651-426-2315 stats_man@hotmail.com

Activities Coor.: OPEN - NEED A VOLUNTEER

Newsletter Coor.: Caryn Henriksen 407-9532 kchenriksen@msn.com

OUTGOING - NEED A VOLUNTEER

Popcorn Sales: Steve Hanke 424-0170 sh_24680@yahoo.com

Wreath Sales: Jill Dalhoff 653-0890 tomjill_dalhoff@msn.com

OUTGOING - NEED A VOLUNTEER

THANK YOU
…to Shauna Galatzer for assembling all the orientation folders. Thanks also to those that were able to help her out. It’s a big job but a great communication tool for our Pack.
. . . to Barb Rodriguez for providing the work space and photo copies for the orientation folders.
. . . to Troop 494 for helping out at September’s Pack meeting.

WREATH SALES
Sale Begins: September 15
Sale Ends: October 23
Orders Due: October 24
Pick-up times:
Wed. 11/20 4:30-9:00p.m.
Thurs. 11/21 4:30-9:00p.m.

Pick-up location:
Dalhoff’s house
5297 Carolyn Lane – WBT
Money Due: December 8
Checks Only - Payable to Pack 437 No Cash
*Please collect all money in advance when orders are placed.

POPCORN SALES

start Oct. 3
Pack 437 is offering 2 ways to sell popcorn this year.

Your scout can select to sell one way or both.
The choices of selling popcorn are:
~Show & Deliver and Take Order~
Watch for a special Popcorn email with detailed instructions.
By selling popcorn, scouts earn great prizes and Scout Bucks!

HEALTH FORMS
All Health Forms (found in your orientation folder) are

due by the 10/12 Pack meeting.

Please turn these in to your Den Leaders.

LEADERSHIP MEETINGS
All parents are welcome to attend the monthly Leadership meetings.

Our next one is scheduled for

Thurs. 10/29 from 7-8:30

in the OLE Teacher’s lounge.

Fresh ideas are always welcomed!

Come check one out and help us support our Scouts!

Fall Festival Camp
October 25, 2009
Activities may include Pumpkin Picking, Hayrides, Crafts,

Field Games, Hay Maze, Obstacle Course, BB-guns, & Archery.
The Fall Festival Day Camp is for all Cub Scouts,

including New Tiger Scouts, and their parents and leaders.
*Cub Scouts and Siblings 6 and older - $28.

*Adults - $7.
*Siblings under 6 years old – free.
Location : Kiwanis Scout Camp near
Marine-on-the-St. Croix
(This is the Pack’s selected date. Other dates are available – see goscouting.org.)

Leadership Training Opportunities
Below is a list of the upcoming training sessions available to all Leaders in Scouting
New District Website: http://manywaters.nsbsa.org
*Thurs. 10/1 – District Round Table
Leader Specific Training
Maranatha Assembly of God
6:00 – 7:15 PM
*10/24 – University of Scouting.

See the new district website for all the details

SCOUT BUCKS
Scout Bucks are earned by selling products the Pack has chosen to sell for

fundraisers such as popcorn & wreaths. These funds then can be used for any fees

incurred in Cub Scouts, such as camping fees, annual activity fee, etc.
Pack 437 Treasurer, Shauna Galatzer, can generate reports of account activity & balances.

Sibling Care
NEW VOLUNTEER NEEDED!
In the past, Shauna Galatzer has graciously volunteered to entertain the

younger siblings during pack meetings with a box full of fun things such as coloring books, crayons, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels, etc. Due to Shauna’s many leadership areas in our Pack, we are looking to have someone else take over this volunteer position.

If you are interested, please contact Shauna at 651-762-7645 or thegalatzerfamily@msn.com.
If you have any suggestions or offerings for this
box, please bring them to the October Pack Meeting.

UNIFORM EXCHANGE
Don’t know what to do with those old uniforms? Does your scout need a new uniform?

Good News - the Pack has implemented a “Uniform Exchange” to hand down those outgrown uniforms. The plan is to have a box at the pack meetings for people to donate their “gently” used garments. The benefit, besides cost, is that most of the uniforms should already have a lot of common patches on them, like pack numbers, World Emblem, Indianhead Council, etc.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Do you want to help Pack 437 but aren’t sure how?
Please consider the many options:

activities coordinator, librarian,

photographer, webmaster, district activities,

Blue and Gold coordinator . . .

Available positions will be shown in RED on this blog site.
Your involvement will be greatly appreciated.
Some positions involve ongoing Pack support while others are one-time event support positions.
Contact any Committee Leadership member for questions – we are happy to share in this rewarding experience.

SAVE THESE DATES
~Oct. 3 – Popcorn Sale Starts
~Oct. 12 – Pack Meeting 6:15 p.m.
~Oct. 25 – Fall Festival Camp – 9:00-3:00
Kiwanis Scout Camp
~Oct. 23 – Wreath Sale Ends
~Oct. 24 - Wreath Sale Orders Due
~Nov. 5 - Popcorn Sale Ends
~Nov. 6 - Popcorn Sale Orders Due
~Nov. 9 – Pack Meeting 6:15 p.m.
Flag Folding & Retiring
~Dec. 12 - Boy Scout Lock-In
8:15-Midnight
(Webelos II until 5:00a.m)
Shoreview Community Center
~Dec. 14 – Pack Meeting 6:15 p.m.
Adopt-a-Family Project
~Jan.11 – Pack Meeting 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Activity TBD
Friends of Scouting Preview
~Feb. 5-7 Polar Camp
Camp Greenwood
Buffalo, MN
~Feb. 25 – Pinewood Weigh-in
~Feb. 27 - Pack Meeting 3:00 – 6:00 PM
Pinewood Derby
Otter Lake School Gym
~Mar 21 – Blue & Gold Banquet
White Bear Armory
~April 12– Pack Meeting 6:15 p.m.
Public Safety
~April 24 – Scouting for Food 9 am – Noon
~May 10 – Pack Meeting 6:15 p.m.
Graduation

WELCOME BACK!!!

Hello and welcome back to the Pack! We are so excited to have started the 2009-2010 school year and be back in action with Den and Pack meetings! We hope everyone had a wonderful summer!

I'm sorry that this has started late this year, but I will work hard at getting everything on here for the rest of the year. If anyone is interested in helping me out, we are looking for someone to take over this blog and post new information as it becomes available. My son is a first year Webelos so I'd love to start working with someone on continuing this when I'm gone. I think this is a wonderful tool for those of us that rely on the internet for our info and we can use this to keep everyone up to date, have a historical record of our activities, and as a tool to show people how much fun we have in Scouting! If you are interested, please feel free to call or email me at anytime! Thanks everyone!

Shauna Galatzer

Pack 437 Treasurer

PACK 437 NEEDS YOU !

PACK 437 NEEDS YOU !

Please consider helping Pack 437 by taking on a Leadership Role for the

2009 - 2010 Scout year.

Asst. Cubmaster

Support the Cubmaster and fill in for Cubmaster in case of absence.

Typically this person would be in training for Future Cubmaster position when current position vacates.

Committee Chair
Conducts monthly committee meetings.
Delegates responsibilities to committee members.
Responsible for all necessary paperwork including new membership enrollment, adult leadership enrollment, Boys' Life subscriptions and re-registration.

Helps recruit additional leaders as needed.

Includes Annual Re-Chartering of Pack in February.

Includes scheduling building facilities with school district.

Newsletter
Attend Monthly Leadership Committee meetings to produce monthly newsletter and distribute to all scout families.

Includes keeping historical data of past newsletters.

Activity Coordinator
Knowledgeable about how the various pack activities are run and handled (i.e. Blue & Gold Dinner, Pinewood Concessions, Scouting for Food, etc).

Supports the individual event coordinator(s) in making arrangements.

Keeps historical records of each event, and collects new data, so easier to track year to year. Provides storage of items needed for activities (plates, napkins, cups, plastic ware, etc).

August Picnic Coordinator(FILLED FOR 2009)
Plan August Potluck Picnic.

Includes reserving location (usually Podvin Park Pavillon), set-up of tables, food, beverages, paper goods, grills, serving utensils, etc.

Picnic Games to be coordinated between Den Leaders.

Includes sending out invitations to all pack families.

Blue & Gold Coordinator
Plan February's Blue & Gold Dinner.

Includes reserving location (usually WB Armory).

Coordinating set-up of tables, decorations, food, beverages, paper goods, serving utensils, etc. Blue & Gold program coordinated between Den Leaders.

Includes invitations to pack families.

Webmaster
Develop and support Pack 437 website, including Pack Calendar, District Calendar, Photos of Events, Event Information, Fund Raiser Information, Pack Newsletters, and Pack 437 T-shirts & Sweatshirts.

Photographer / Historian
Takes pictures at all pack meetings and activities.

If not able to attend activity, requests another parent to take pictures and collects pictures from that parent.

Collects scouting event photos from families.

Pictures are arranged in a Pack Scrapbook for display at Pack Meetings and Join Scouting Events.

Recognition
Prepares Certificates of Recognition for Leaders, Adults, or Scouts who have done an outstanding job.

Includes making Certificates of Achievement for Graduating Scouts at the May Pack Meeting.

Swim Nite Coordinator(FILLED FOR 2010)
Contact Community Center to Make Reservations

Collect Payment from Scouts.

Pinewood Derby Concessions(FILLED FOR 2010)
Coordinate food and beverages.
Communicate to Pack.
Determine prices per item and create signs.
Coordinate setup and clean up.
Provide silverware, tableware or other items needed from Pack inventory.
Coordinate individuals to serve food and collect money.
Manage the cash box.

If you are interested in helping with any of these positions, or have questions about the time commitment, please contact either our Cubmaster, John Mercier (651) 407-6462, or Committee Chair, Ken Purdham (651) 653-4271

SCOUT SHOUT NEWSLETTER - MAY 2009

Hello Scout Parents:
Attached is the May Scout Shout Newsletter. Please take a moment to review it. This edition is full of important information. Other items attached are:

*Summer Camping 2009 Flyer - Lots of details regarding several summer camping opportunities. (Please see Summer 2009 Camping Blog for flyer details.)
*Volunteer Opportunities List - Descriptions of the various volunteer opportunities for Pack 437 for next year. (Will be listed on Blog - not separate entry.)

Some key things to note:

*Location change for the 5/11 Pack Mtg & Graduation - WBL United Methodist Church (1851 Birch St.)
*August Picnic Date change - Now held on August 23 4-7 PM due to park availability. Please make a note on your calendars.

It's been a great year! We hope everyone enjoyed it. The leadership team is looking into some fun summer events this year for the Pack to enjoy. Please watch for notification on those as the summer progresses. Happy Graduation!

-Caryn
Caryn Henriksen
651-407-9532 (home)
651-307-8791 (cell)
kchenriksen@msn.com

THE SCOUT SHOUT

NEWSLETTER

CUB SCOUT PACK 437

MAY 2009

NEXT PACK MEETING
Monday, May 11 at 6:15 PM
GRADUATION!
LOCATION CHANGE!
*White Bear Lake United Methodist Church
*1851 Birch St in White Bear.
*1 block SE of the intersection Hwy 61 and Cty Rd F.
We will meet in the fellowship hall. Use the east entrance. Please note this change.
Set-Up: Tigers
Opening & Closing: Tigers
Clean-up: Wolves
Snack: Webelos I
Skit/Song: Tigers

LEADERSHIP MEETINGS
All parents are welcome to attend the monthly Leadership meetings.

Our next one is scheduled for

Thurs. 5/21/09 from 7-8:30

in the OLE Teacher’s lounge.

Fresh ideas are always welcomed! Come help plan next year for your Scout!

2008/2009 Pack 437 Leadership Team
Committee Chair Ken Purdham 653-4271 kpurdham@comcast.net
Cubmaster John Mercier 407-6462 john.mercier@hmshost.com
Asst. Cubmaster Tom Dalhoff 653-0890 tomjill_dalhoff@msn.com
Treasurer Shauna Galatzer 762-7645 thegalatzerfamily@msn.com
Camping Chair Marc Johannsen 653-5697 rovinglion@aol.com
Advancement Coor. Tom Dalhoff 653-0890 tomjill_dalhoff@msn.com
Activities Coor. OPEN
Newsletter Coor. Caryn Henriksen 407-9532 kchenriksen@msn.com
Scouting for Food Christy Bartlett bartlett_five@yahoo.com

SCOUTING FOR FOOD
We had a great turn out for this year’s Scouting for Food. Both Troop 494 and Pack 437 participated, bringing 26 Boy Scouts & 14 Cub Scouts to collect.

We collected 1,657 lbs of food for the White Bear Lake Food Shelf.

A HUGE thank you to Christy Bartlett & Deb Clarke for their coordination and to all the drivers and those who helped deliver the food to the food shelf.

SAVE THESE DATES
May 11 - Pack Meeting 6:15 p.m.
Graduation
Aug. 23 - Summer Picnic 4-7 PM
Podvin Park, WBL
DATE CHANGE DUE TO PARK AVAILABILITY
Mark your calendars!
More details to come.
Sept. 14 - First Pack Mtg of the New Year.

BIRTHDAY BAGS
The Birthday Bags that the Scouts assembled last month went over very well. 22 bags were delivered to Alley's Shop in St. Paul. The bags will be given to children whom have birthdays that month when they come to get other items their family needs. The volunteers were very impressed again with the decorated bags and they said (with tears in the one women's eyes) that this really is probably the only gift that a child may receive on their birthday.

Our Scouts can feel very proud of their work and what they did for these other children.

Great work!

A big THANK YOU to Kelly Deery for coordinating this worthwhile activity!

LION CUB
Pack 437 is interested in starting Lion Cubs for incoming kindergartners.

It’s a pilot program but we need a parent to step up now who could be a Den Leader or it won’t happen. Please let us know before the end of the school year if you’re interested. You can contact John Mercier for more information at 651-407-6462 or john.mercier@hmshost.com

LEADERSHIP TRAINING
*5/7 - Cub Scout Leader Specific Training from 6:00-7:15 pm at 1st Lutheran in WBL.
*5/30 - OWLS Training from 8-5pm at Kaposia Park in South St. Paul.
*8/15 - All Leader Training courses are offered at Rolling Hills District Training Day.
Many training courses are available online too so please check them out at http://www.northernstarbsa.org/

SCOUT BUCKS!
Shauna Galatzer, Pack 437 Treasurer will have Scout Bucks reports for year end to pass out to everyone at graduation on May 11. Any one not in attendance will receive their report by mail. Scouts with balances owed will be contacted to pay their balance by 5/31.

Please feel free to contact Shauna at any time with questions at 651-762-7645 or thegalatzerfamily@msn.com.

Thank you.

NEW BLOG
Shauna Galatzer has set up a new Pack 437 Blog.

She will be updating it after every Pack Meeting, special activity and leader meeting.
The website is http://pack437.blogspot.com/

This will be another excellent communication tool for our Pack.

Please take a moment to check it out!

Contact Shauna with any questions or feedback.

PACK 437 NEEDS YOU!
Pack 437 has a history of attracting volunteers to help run the Pack. Everyone from Cubmaster John Mercier, Committee Chair Ken Purdham and all the leaders listed on the first page of this newsletter, volunteer their time to help make your boys' scouting experience the best possible. A number of our long time volunteers and their boys, have moved on to Boy Scouts.
As we begin planning for the 2009-10 year, we have a number of positions to be filled. Many of the positions are not year long time commitments. Typically, they are one-time events requiring perhaps 2-3 weeks of planning. Please take a look at the list below, and consider volunteering your time to help the pack in some capacity. Descriptions of each position can be found on the email attachment.
Ken Purdham, Committee Chair
Leadership Roles Available
Asst. Cubmaster
Committee Chair
Newsletter
Activity Coordinator
August Picnic Coordinator (FILLED)
Blue & Gold Coordinator
Webmaster
Photographer/Historian
Recognition
Swim Night Coordinator (FILLED)
Pinewood Derby Concessions (FILLED)

CAMPING CORNER
There are many camping opportunities for the Cub Scouts this summer. Below are a list of events and dates. Please see the Summer Camping 2009 flyer for more specifics for each event. For questions, please contact:
Marc Johannsen – Camping Coordinator 651-653-5697
rovinglion@aol.com
or
Shauna Galatzer – Treasurer 651-338-5898
thegalatzerfamily@msn.com
July 9-10 – Webelos Adventure Days
(Webelos)
Phillipo Scout Reservation
Near Cannon Falls, MN
July 24 – 26 – Camp Akela
(Tigers, Wolfs, Bears, 1st year Webelos)
Phillipo Scout Reservation
Near Cannon Falls, MN
July 24-26 – Campout with the Stars
The Mn Astronomical Society
Onan Observatory at Baylor Regional Park
(Near Norwood/Young America)
Remember…Scout bucks can be used to pay for camping!
Hold the Date:
2009 Fall Festival on October 24

SUMMER CAMPING 2009

* 7/9-7/10 - WEBELOS ADVENTURE DAYS

Dens 2 and 4 are scheduled for Webelos Adventure Days camp on Thursday, 7/9/09 and Friday 7/10/09 with an overnight stay on 7/9/09. We will be working on the Readyman, Scientist, Engineer, and Forester activity pins/badges. Any other Webelos that have not yet signed up or any current Webelos I's (moving to Webelos II's next year) that would like to join us can contact Shauna Galatzer. Each scout that has already signed up will be receiving info sheets from Shauna at the May 11th Pack Meeting. We will be at Phillipo Scout Reservation near Cannon Falls, MN and check in is from 8:05am to 8:30am.

*7/24-7/26 - CAMP AKELA

Camp Akela is a weekend program for Tigers, Wolfs, Bears and 1st year Webelos (as of Spring). Cub Scout Resident Camp is an opportunity for Cub Scouts and their adult leadership to spend quality time together working on advancement, enjoying recreational activites and learning about camping. Activities will be age specific based on rank - so a cub can come back to Cub Scout Resident Camp each year, and get a different experience. 1st Year Webelos can stay at camp for an extra night of camping called the Webelos Outpost. Campers sleep in two person canvas tents that are supplied by the camp. Activites at Camp Akela have included pony rides, archery, bb-gun target shooting, swimming in a pool, boating, crafts, nature, and games. Food service is provided in a dining hall. Camp Akela is held at Phillipo Scout Reservation in Cannon Falls, MN.

Right now we have 5 families signed up to go.

If any additional families would like to attend they can contact Shauna Galatzer or Marc Johannsen.

*7/24-7/26 - CAMPOUT WITH THE STARS

The Minnesota Astronomical Society is having their 2nd Annual Campout with the Stars 7/24-7/26. Here is a link to some more information:

http://www.mnastro.org/events/showevents.php?dd_CalMY=072009&pbGetCalendar=Get+Calendar+Page&baseMonth=5&baseYear=2009#01477

It starts at 7pm on the 24th and is located at the Onan Observatory at Baylor Regional Park. This is near Norwood/Young America. We are told the cost would be around $7.00 and that although this is a public event, they will be doing special scouting activities and have separate camping areas for the scouts. We understand this is the same date as our Camp Akela, but we hope the cost difference will allow more families to attend this event. Also, MN Astro has many, many star gazing opportunities throughout the year that are open to the public and are FREE events. Here is the link to the Star Parties dates and location info:

http://www.mnastro.org/events/showparties.php

CAMP CONTACT INFORMATION

Please feel free to ALWAYS contact your Den Leader with camping questions. They should be able to direct you to the right person or help you with your questions themselves!

Also feel free to contact ANYONE on the leadership team. That's what we are here for!

Marc Johannsen - Camping Coordinator

651-653-5697 rovinglion@aol.com

Shauna Galatzer - Treasurer

651-338-5898 the galatzerfamily@msn.com

REMEMBER THAT SCOUT BUCKS CAN BE USED TO PAY FOR CAMPING!

Be sure to participate in fall fundraisers to earn lots of Scout Bucks!

Leadership Meeting 4/30/09

Hello everyone!

We had a leadership meeting on Thursday last week. We went over a LOT of information for one night! Please read below for some of the information that was covered. If anyone notices that I forgot something, please email me and I can add it. As always, please feel free to contact me or any other committee member with questions, concerns, or just new ideas!

OUR NEXT LEADERSHIP MEETING IS

THURSDAY, MAY 21st

7-8:30PM

OLE - TEACHERS LOUNGE

ALL LEADERS AND PARENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO

ATTEND TO HELP WITH PLANNING, NEW IDEAS, AND

JUST SUPPORTING THE KIDS!

UPDATE Leadership Roles Available
Asst. Cubmaster
Committee Chair
Newsletter
Activity Coordinator
August Picnic Coordinator (FILLED)
Blue & Gold Coordinator
Webmaster
Photographer/Historian
Recognition
Swim Night Coordinator (FILLED)
Pinewood Derby Concessions (FILLED)

Lion Cub Den Leader - Must fill NOW to apply for pilot program!

THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO STEPPED UP TO FILL THESE POSITIONS!

Let's see if we can get the rest filled up before our last leadership meeting of the year!

Please talk with a committee member if you would like to volunteer your time to our boys!

May Pack Meeting 6:15pm on 5/11/09

GRADUATION!

LOCATION CHANGE!
*White Bear Lake United Methodist Church
*1851 Birch St in White Bear.
*1 block SE of the intersection Hwy 61 and Cty Rd F.
We will meet in the fellowship hall. Use the east entrance.

Please note this change!

SUMMER 2009 CAMPING OPPORTUNITIES

7/9-7/10 - Webelos Adventure Days

7/24-7/26 - Camp Akela

7/24-7/26 - Campout with the Stars

Please see additional blog post for more detailed information!

SAVE THESE DATES!

FALL FESTIVAL 2009

10/24/09

Pack Picnic Date Change!

Sunday, 8/23/09, 4-7pm

Date change due to park availability.

Stay tuned for more information!

First Pack Meeting for 2009-2010!

Monday, 9/14/09, 6:15pm

SUMMERTIME PACK AWARD 2009
http://northernstarbsa.org/Camping/Awards/Summertime.aspx
Pack 437 would like to invite you to participate in the Summertime Pack Award!
We will be having Pack activities throughout the summer to earn this award.

• Qualifying packs receive a colorful streamer for their pack flag.
• Dens with an average attendance of at least half their members at the three summer pack events will be eligible for a colorful den participation ribbon.
• Boys who participate in all three pack events are eligible to receive the National Summertime Pack Award pin, which they can wear on the right pocket flap of their uniform.
  
  Activities:
  June - Fort Snelling Historic Trail http://northernstarbsa.org/Forms/AdvAwards/HistoricFortSnelling.pdf
  July - Relay for Life Service Project with Troop 494
  August - Heritage Days Parade
  These activites are tentative and more information with dates, times, and locations will be shared as soon as we have everything in place. If you or anyone you know may be interested in helping us plan these activities, your help would be greatly appreciated! Please notify any committee member if you'd like to lend a hand!

See you all at next Monday's Pack Meeting!

REMEMBER THE LOCATION CHANGE!!!

SCOUT SHOUT NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2009

Scout Parents: Attached is the April edition of the Scout Shout Newsletter. It's full of information for your Cub Scout. Please take a moment to review it. Some specific items to make note of are:
*Birthday Bag details for Pack Meeting (see attached brochure for details)
*Scouting for Food
*Book Drive
*Volunteer / Leader Opportunities
*Graduation Location Change - May 11
We look forward to seeing you at the April 13th Pack Meeting. Have an enjoyable Easter weekend!
-Caryn
Caryn Henriksen
651-407-9532 (home)
651-307-8791 (cell)
kchenriksen@msn.com

THE SCOUT SHOUT
NEWSLETTER

CUB SCOUT PACK 437
APRIL 2009
NEXT PACK MEETING

Monday, April 13 at 6:15 PM

OLE School

Birthday Bag Assembly

Scouting for Food Preparations

Set-Up: Wolves

Opening & Closing: Tigers

Clean-up: Tigers

Snack: Webelos I

Skit/Song: Webelos I

LEADERSHIP MEETINGS

All parents are welcome to attend the monthly Leadership meetings.

Our next one is scheduled for

Thurs. 4/30/09 from 7-8:30

in the OLE Teacher’s lounge.

Fresh ideas are always welcomed! Come check one out and help us support our Scouts!

2008/2009 Pack 437 Leadership Team

Committee Chair Ken Purdham 653-4271 kpurdham@comcast.net

Cubmaster John Mercier 407-6462 john.mercier@hmshost.com

Asst. Cubmaster Tom Dalhoff 653-0890 tomjill_dalhoff@msn.com

Treasurer Shauna Galatzer 762-7645 thegalatzerfamily@msn.com

Camping Chair Marc Johannsen 653-5697 rovinglion@aol.com

Advancement Coor. Tom Dalhoff 653-0890 tomjill_dalhoff@msn.com

Activities Coor. OPEN

Newsletter Coor. Caryn Henriksen 407-9532 kchenriksen@msn.com

Scouting for Food Christy Bartlett bartlett_five@yahoo.com

SCOUTING FOR FOOD

When: Saturday, April 25

Time: 9:00 am – Noon

Where: Meet at Polar Lakes Park At 8:50 am

1281 Hammond Rd, WBL (Otter Lake Rd. & Hammond Rd)

Sign up sheets for drivers and scouts will be at the Pack meeting on Monday night. We will also need some help delivering the food to the WB Food Shelf from a few families. Volunteers would be great!

SAVE THESE DATES

April 13 - Pack Meeting 6:15 p.m. Birthday Bags Scouting for Food Preparation

April 25 - Scouting for Food 9 a.m. – noon

May 11 - Pack Meeting 6:15 p.m. Graduation

Aug. 16 - Summer Picnic (tentative date) Mark your calendars! More details to come.

BIRTHDAY BAGS

We’re guessing all our Scouts love to celebrate their birthdays. At our April Pack Meeting, Pack 437 will be assembling birthday bags to donate to families who are unable to have a party for their child due to cost. Below is a list of items to bring to help fill a birthday bag. Dollar stores are great places to find the items at deep discounts. Feel free to bring extra items or just what you are able to contribute. All Scouts will participate even if they are unable to provide the items. For questions, please contact Kelly Deery at 651-653-3170 or dottie0512@q.com

Cake mix – standard box mix

Frosting – in a can

Candles – at least 1 dozen

Party Plates – 8-12 dessert size

Napkins – 8-12 snack or regular size

**Try to coordinate plates and napkins for a festive touch.**

Generic Birthday Card

Small token gift (optional)
PLEASE SEE ADDITIONAL BLOG ENTRY FOR MORE BIRTHDAY BAG DETAILS!

BOOK DRIVE

Are your children’s bookshelves full of forgotten books or books that they’ve outgrown? North Metro Pediatrics, a medical clinic specializing in serving uninsured & underinsured children and teens in our area, is in need of books for children of all ages. To promote reading, each child seen at the clinic is encouraged to pick out a book to bring home & keep. If you have any new or gently used books that you would be willing to donate,

please bring them to the

APRIL 13th Pack meeting.

We will have boxes to collect them and will donate them on behalf of Pack 437!

LEADERSHIP TRAINING

BALOO and OWL training on Saturday April 16 at Ham Lake Park. Please see council website for more information.

Cub Scout Leader Specific Training on Thursday, May 7 from 6:00-7:15pm at First Lutheran Church 4000 Linden Street, White Bear Lake.

SCOUT BUCKS!

Shauna Galatzer, Pack 437 Treasurer will have Scout Bucks reports for year end to pass out to everyone at graduation on May 11. Any one not in attendance will receive their report by mail. Scouts with balances owed will be contacted to pay their balance by the end of the year. Please feel free to contact Shauna at any time with questions at 651-762-7645 or thegalatzerfamily@msn.com. Thank you.

NEW BLOG

Shauna Galatzer has set up a new Pack 437 Blog. She will be updating it after every Pack Meeting, special activity and leader meeting. The website is http://pack437.blogspot.com/ This will be another excellent communication tool for our Pack. Please take a moment to check it out! Contact Shauna with any questions or feedback.

LOCATION CHANGE FOR GRADUATION!

Otter Lake Elementary will not be available this year for our

Cub Scout Graduation on May 11, 2009.

We will move it to:

*White Bear Lake United Methodist Church

*1851 Birch St in White Bear.

*1 block SE of the intersection Hwy 61 and Cty Rd F.

We will meet in the fellowship hall. Use the east entrance. Please make a note of this on your calendars. Thank you!

PACK 437 NEEDS YOU!

Pack 437 has a history of attracting volunteers to help run the Pack. Everyone from Cubmaster John Mercier, Committee Chair Ken Purdham and all the leaders listed on the first page of this newsletter, volunteer their time to help make your boys' scouting experience the best possible. A number of our long time volunteers and their boys, have moved on to Boy Scouts. As we begin planning for the 2009-10 year, we have a number of positions to be filled. Many of the positions are not year long time commitments. Typically, they are one-time events requiring perhaps 2-3 weeks of planning. Please take a look at the list below, and consider volunteering your time to help the pack in some capacity. Descriptions of each position can be found on the email attachment.

Ken Purdham, Committee Chair

Leadership Roles Available

Asst. Cubmaster

Committee Chair

Newsletter

Activity Coordinator

August Picnic Coordinator

Blue & Gold Coordinator

Webmaster

Photographer/Historian

Recognition

Swim Night Coordinator

Pinewood Derby Concessions

SEE YOU ALL AT THE APRIL PACK MEETING!

BIRTHDAY BAGS!!!

Here is the information provided on the Birthday Bags flyer Kelly Deery sent out with the newsletter. Please feel free to contact her with any questions!

Hey, Cub Scouts of Pack 437!
Do you like having a birthday party to celebrate your birthday?
Do you enjoy that special cake with candles to blow out?
Do you like having everyone around sing “Happy Birthday to You”?
Well – we think you probably do and we’d like to ask the Cub Scouts of Pack 437 to help those kids who are unable to have a birthday celebration due to the cost of the extra supplies. If we all give a little bit – many kids will be able to celebrate on their special day!
The birthday bags will be supplied by a local charitable organization.

Each Cub Scout need only supply the following items:
Cake mix – standard box mix
Frosting – in a can
Candles – at least 1 dozen
Party Plates – 8-12 dessert size
Napkins – 8-12 snack or regular size
**Try to coordinate plates and napkins for a festive touch.**
Generic Birthday Card
Small token gift (optional)
(Remember – local “deep, discount” stores
will often have these supplies on their
shelves at a really bargain price.)

Leadership Meeting 4/2/09

Hello everyone!
We had a leadership meeting on Thursday, April 2nd. I was unable to attend unfortunately but was able to catch up with some of the things that were covered at the meeting. Please read below for some important information that was covered. Please feel free to contact me or any other committee member with questions, concerns, or just new ideas!

OUR NEXT LEADERSHIP MEETING IS

THURSDAY, APRIL 30TH

7 - 8:30PM

OLE - TEACHERS LOUNGE

ALL LEADERS AND PARENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND TO HELP WITH PLANNING, NEW IDEAS, AND JUST SUPPORTING THE KIDS!

Leadership Roles Available
Asst. Cubmaster
Committee Chair
Newsletter
Activity Coordinator
August Picnic Coordinator
Blue & Gold Coordinator
Webmaster
Photographer/Historian
Recognition
Swim Night Coordinator
Pinewood Derby Concessions

April Pack Meeting 6:15pm on 4/13/09

Birthday Bags - see newsletter for information on what to bring

Book Drive - bring used or new books to be distributed to North Metro Pediatrica

Prep for Scouting for Food

SCOUTING FOR FOOD
When: Saturday, April 25
Time: 9:00 am – Noon
Where: Meet at Polar Lakes Park
At 8:50 am
1281 Hammond Rd, WBL
(Otter Lake Rd. & Hammond Rd)
Sign up sheets for drivers and scouts will be at the Pack meeting on Monday night. We will also need some help delivering the food to the WB Food Shelf from a few families. Volunteers would be great!

MAY PACK MEETING CHANGE!

We have received information from the school that we are not able to use the cafeteria and gym for our May 11th Pack meeting. We are currently looking for an alternative location and will notify everyone as soon as the location is obtained.

See you all at next Monday's Pack Meeting!!

District Pinewood Derby

Hi all!
I know this is a little late, but I wanted to put a little something out there about the Pinewood Derby District Race on Saturday, March 14th. Race day went very smooth and fast actually. We were surprised to find that when we arrived, Webelos I had finished racing early and there was a lot of down time between their race and the start of the Bears race. I'm not sure how the rest of the day went, but Bears were able to do 2 full race sets before their time was up. That meant that the boys' cars were in 8 races instead of the 4 we are used to.

The results are posted on the district website, although I was disappointed to find out they only listed the top 3 finishers in each race. Here is the link to the results: http://manitou.nsbsa.org/pinewood_results.html

Congratulations to the Bears as all 3 of our boys finished in the top half of the competition out of a total of 38 racers in this rank.
Jacob Galatzer placed 5th
Ethan Menne placed 8th
Garrett Johnson placed 13th

Anyone else that has their placings, please send them to me and I will update this entry to include your results.

I also want to send a special thank you to Tom Dalhoff for collecting the recycling at the Armory during the races. It was a surprise that recycling wasn't set up at this District event but Tom did a great job getting things going for the rest of the day. Thanks again!

Thanks everyone for a great race and for representing Pack 437 in Districts! We're excited to see all the cars again next year!

March Newsletter

Here is the Scout Shout Newsletter in text format. Please feel free to email Caryn Henriksen or me for a PDF or Word copy of this newsletter. I will be working on getting a better format on here. Thanks everyone!
Shauna

THE SCOUT SHOUT NEWSLETTER

CUB SCOUT PACK 437

MARCH 2009
No Pack Meeting in March
Pack 437 hopes you enjoy your Spring Break with your family!
NEXT PACK MEETING
Monday, April 13 at 6:15 PM
OLE School
Birthday Bag Assembly
Scouting for Food Preparations
Set-Up: Wolves
Opening & Closing: Tigers
Clean-up: Tigers
Snack: Webelos I
Skit/Song: Webelos I

LEADERSHIP MEETINGS
All parents are welcome to attend the monthly Leadership meetings. Our next one is scheduled for Thurs. 4/2/09 from 7-8:30 in the OLE Teacher’s lounge. Fresh ideas are always welcomed! Come check one out and help us support our Scouts!

2008/2009 Pack 437 Leadership Team
Committee Chair Ken Purdham 653-4271 kpurdham@comcast.net
Cubmaster John Mercier 407-6462 john.mercier@hmshost.com
Asst. Cubmaster Tom Dalhoff 653-0890 tomjill_dalhoff@msn.com
Treasurer Shauna Galatzer 762-7645 thegalatzerfamily@msn.com
Camping Chair Marc Johannsen 653-5697 rovinglion@aol.com
Advancement Coor. Tom Dalhoff 653-0890 tomjill_dalhoff@msn.com
Activities Coor. OPEN
Newsletter Coor. Caryn Henriksen 407-9532 kchenriksen@msn.com
Scouting for Food Christy Bartlett 762-7455 bartlett_five@yahoo.com

THANK YOU!
…to the many, many individuals who helped to make our Blue & Gold dinner a wonderful event. Whether your contribution was large or small, everyone’s assistance was appreciated. Please accept Pack 437’s thanks!!
…to Deb Clarke for her fabulous coordination of the Blue & Gold Dinner.
…to Troop 494 for providing excellent table service at the Blue & Gold. Our dinner was enhanced by your involvement.
. . . to Ken Purdham for managing Pack 437’s rechartering & Friends of Scouting paperwork.
…to Barb Rodriguez for supplying photo copies and for the rechartering prizes for the Blue & Gold dinner.

LEADERSHIP TRAINING
Get all of your leader training completed in one day at one of these March events:
University of Scouting on Saturday, March 21 from 8:30-4:30 pm at Lakeville South High School.
Link to info: http://training.nsbsa.org/info/UniversityOfScouting.aspx
OR
Manitou District Training Day on Saturday, March 28 from 8:00-5:00 pm at First Lutheran Church White Bear Lake.

SAVE THESE DATES
April 13 - Pack Meeting 6:15 p.m.
Birthday Bags
Scouting for Food Preparation
April 25 - Scouting for Food 9 a.m. – noon
May 11 - Pack Meeting 6:15 p.m.
Graduation
Aug. 16 - Summer Picnic (tentative date)
Mark your calendars!
More details to come.

SCOUTING FOR FOOD
Mark your calendars for the Pack’s annual Scouting for Food drive.
Saturday, April 25
9:00 AM – Noon
More details to come…

NEW BLOG
Shauna Galatzer is working on a new Pack 437 Blog. She will be updating it after every Pack Meeting, special activity and leader meeting.
The website is http://pack437.blogspot.com/

Check it out!

PINEWOOD DERBY
Congratulations to everyone who participated in the 2009 Pinewood Derby! Pack 437 would especially like to thank all the friends and family that came to cheer on our Scouts! We got off to a rocky start but we made it through.

Here is a re-cap of the winners this year:
Appearance:

Tiger

1st place- Henry Bridgeman

2nd place- Gabe Bartlett

3rd place- Tyler Mattson

Wolf

1st place- Nathan Zerwas

2nd place- Josh Peterson

3rd place- Kyle Maxson

Bear

1st place- Mitchell Hanson

2nd place- Zach Toner

3rd place- Connor DeBoer

Webelo 1

1st place- Spencer Monson

2nd place- Matthew Baumgardner

3rd place- Sam Henriksen

Webelo 2

1st place- Wyatt Newman

2nd place- Will Golding

3rd place- Nathan Schlief
Speed:

Tiger

1st place- Jonathon Jamieson

2nd place- Tyler Mattson

3rd place- Henry Bridgeman

Wolf

1st place- Tryg Solberg (This was the fastest car of the day)

2nd place- Nathan Zerwas

3rd place- Michael Cogan

Bear

1st place- Jacob Galatzer

2nd place- Garrett Johnson

3rd place- Ethan Menne

Webelo 1

1st place- Matthew Baumgardner

2nd place- Jacob Dalhoff

3rd place- Max Risdall

Webelo 2

1st place- Wyatt Newman

2nd place- Will Golding

3rd place- Nathan Schlief

We will also send out a big congrats to Jenny Golding for taking home the coveted Open class trophy!
We hope everyone enjoyed the event this year and that the Scouts took pride in their accomplishments!
A HUGE THANK YOU to ALL that helped make this year’s derby a success. Here’s just a few:
Jim & Shauna Galatzer, Jim Golding
Sidge Bridgeman – Emcee & his wife, Carla
Kurt Henriksen & Dan Baumgartner – Car runners
Stephanie Peterson & family, Kelly Deery – Concessions
Mike Cerney – check in, Ann Cerney – getting us in the building!
John Mercier – helping where needed.

SCOUT BUCKS!
Shauna Galatzer, Pack 437 Treasurer, would like to remind you that all Scout Bucks accounts must be paid to zero if they are in the negative by the May Pack meeting. She will be sending emails out to those families that still owe Scout Bucks. Please be sure to bring your check books to the April Pack Meeting to settle your account if you are in the negative. Thanks to all the families that have promptly responded and gotten their Scout Bucks up to date! Should anyone have any questions or if you would like to see you son's Scout Bucks report, please feel free to contact Shauna at any time! thegalatzerfamily@msn.com or 651-762-7645 Thank you!

BOOK DRIVE
Are your children’s bookshelves full of forgotten books or books that they’ve outgrown? North Metro Pediatrics, a medical clinic specializing in serving uninsured & underinsured children and teens in our area, is in need of books for children of all ages. To promote reading, each child seen at the clinic is encouraged to pick out a book to bring home & keep.
If you have any new or gently used books that you would be willing to donate, please bring them to the APRIL 13th Pack meeting. We will have boxes to collect them and will donate them on behalf of Pack 437!

Polar Camp FUN!
Great camp, lots of participation, all cabins were full.
Everyone dealt with being out of water from Friday night through mid-day Saturday. No whimpering, everyone pitched in, Mr. Cerney and Mr. Golding were excellent water haulers. Outdoor toilets were exhilarating!
Fun activities throughout the day, which finished with a great all-Pack dinner and some skits by the Boyscouts and followed by toasted marshmallows by the bonfire.
Sunday morning hike to Friendship Point was a big challenge but everyone made it!

Pinewood Derby Manitou District Race

Here is the Pinewood Derby Districts Race info. Please feel free to attend and cheer on your Pack-mates! I have a list below of who will be attending also. Congrats to all those going to Districts!!!

The 2009 Manitou District Pinewood Derby will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2009 at The White Bear Armory in White Bear Lake Minnesota. 2228 4th Street, White Bear Lake, MN
Race and Registration times-
1. 2nd Year Webelos- Registration 8:00 AM, race time 8:45 AM
2. 1st Year Webelos- Registration 8:45 AM, race time 10:00 AM
3. Bears- Registration 10:00 AM, race time 11:30 AM
4. Wolves- Registration 11:30 AM, race time 1:00 PM
5. Tigers- Registration 1:00 PM, race time 2:30 PM
6. District Championships 3:30 PM

Scouts Attending:
Tigers:
Jonathon
Tyler
Henry Bridgeman

Wolves:
Tryg Solberg
Nathan Zerwas
Michael Cogan

Bears:
Jacob Galatzer
Garrett Johnson
Ethan Menne

Webelo I:
Matthew Baumgardner
Jacob Dalhoff
Max Risdall

Webelo II:
Wyatt Newman
Adam Cerney
Nathan Schlief

Polar Camp

What a great weekend everyone had at Polar Camp!

Thanks to Marc Johannsen for setting up a great camp experience and pulling everything together! The weather was warm and it was a little bit sloppy, but the boys had a ton of fun! Due to the warm weather, the much anticipated tubing hill was closed, but the boys were still able to do some sledding down the big ice hill and the daycamp had a really fun visit from a sled-dog team. From what I hear, that was the high light of most of the kids day! Lunch during camp left a lot to be desired, but as those of you that attended dinner on Saturday night know, DINNER WAS AWESOME! Thanks to Tom DeGayner from Troop 494 for getting dinner for us! We had a lot of help from our dad's as the Troop help was pretty scarce this year. Watch for the pictures on Shutterfly - dad's CAN do dishes! No need to leave all the work to the mom's anymore! Thanks Dad's! In all seriousness, everyone at dinner was very helpful and it was a great success because of all the parent help we had. We couldn't have done it without such supportive families! For those of you that missed it, we had lasagna, salad, garlic bread, and brownies with ice cream! YUM!!!

Friday night, the boys got up to camp and got settled. The cabins they stay in are heated with wood burning stoves so the first order of business was getting a fire started for each cabin so they didn't freeze to death overnight! After that they just relaxed and hung out for the night.

Saturday was the day camp. The day campers from our Pack all arrived and joined the boys that were staying the weekend for a day of fun activities - from making bird feeders to rock wall climbing to sled dogs... It was a full day of really fun activites! After camp, everyone started getting ready for dinner with the Troop.

Before dinner, the kids were able to go sledding, check out the Trading Post and buy some candy, practice their whittling skills, and just plain run around in the warm weather! After dinner, there were a few skits, a bonfire with s'mores, and a late night trip to the snow tunnel hill at the camp.

Sunday morning after everyone got up and had breakfast, some of the boys went on a hike to Friendship Point. It's about a 2 mile hike (?) and according to Jacob Galatzer, they saw raccoon tracks and a raccoon that had been eaten for breakfast. This translates to some raccoon tracks near some fur! After that, it was finally time to head home.

It sounds like everyone had a really great time! Thanks to everyone that helped organize this, pitched in to help with dishes, cooking, cleaning, and watching over our boys. Like I said, these activities wouldn't be the same without our wonderful Pack Parents!

Remember to check back in after Pack meetings, Pack activities, and Leader meetings. I will update this whenever something seems interesting to our Pack. Again, if you have any questions, please ask! I'll post them here with answers and I'm sure many other parents will be wondering the same things!

Welcome!

We have heard that there are a lot of people having a hard time keeping up with Pack 437 activities. I have decided to start this site in an attempt to open up the communication to more families on a hopefully more convenient level. Please come to this site to find out about the upcoming events, date and time information, and various other helpful tidbits. Please feel free to contact me with any questions - chances are if you have a question, it's the same one many other parents have! I'll be happy to answer them or find the answers for you. Happy Scouting!
Shauna Galatzer
Pack 437 Treasurer

UPCOMING EVENTS
3/6-3/8 - Polar Camp Weekend
3/7 - Polar Camp Daycamp
4/2 - Pack Committee Meeting at OLE Teacher's Lounge 7pm - ALL leaders should attend, all
Scouting parents strongly encouraged to attend!
4/13 - Pack Meeting at OLE 6:30PM - Birthday Bags for Food Shelf
4/25 - Scouting for Food at Polar Lakes Park 9am to Noon
4/30 - Pack Committee Meeting at OLE Teacher's Lounge 7pm - ALL leaders should attend, all
Scouting parents strongly encouraged to attend!
5/11 - Pack Meeting at OLE 6:30PM - Graduation
5/21 - Pack Committee Meeting at OLE Teacher's Lounge 7pm - ALL leaders should attend, all
Scouting parents strongly encouraged to attend!