It’s time to prepare for the 2011 Pack 919 Pinewood Derby Race! Derby car kits were handed out at the meeting this week. Please contact your den leader if you missed the meeting and didn’t get your car kit, or if you want to buy another one. Additional cars are $5 each. Here is the important information:
1. What trophies will be given out this year?
a. Trophies will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd fastest cars for the Pack and also within each Den (Tigers, Wolves, Bears, Webelos, and Sr. Webelos). Trophies will also be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd “Best Theme” and “Coolest Cars Not In Theme” of the Pack (not from each Den). Your Scout does not have to design their car within the theme, which is one of the reasons why the coolest car awards are also given out.
2. What is the theme for this year?
a. Sports teams. Please decorate your car with your favorite team colors, numbers, logos, etc. They could be the Wild, Twins, Timberwolves, Vikings, Green Bay Packers, EP Eagles, St. Paul Saints, UofM Gophers, etc.
3. When can we use EP Senior Center for woodcutting?
a. Saturday, January 15th and Saturday, January 22nd. Sign up sheets and times will be posted at the December Pack meeting. The Senior Center requests no more than 6 scouts (with parents) at a time in the facilities. One-hour time slots are recommended. Each family is responsible to pay $2 at the door per car kit.
4. Where and when is the car check in/weigh in?
a. Saturday, January 29th at Pax Christi Church in Eden Prairie, between 6 and 8pm. Please check your cars in room #239 (Chief Joseph room, right next to the new Chapel). Signs will be posted. Cars will be locked over night in this room and brought out for the Derby the next day. Please review the Pinewood Derby rules before you bring your car to check in/weigh in.
5. Where and when is the Pinewood Derby Race?
a. Sunday, January 30th, from 1-3pm at Pax Christi Church in Eden Prairie. We will be in the large gym (Nazareth room). Signs will be posted.
6. What are the Pinewood Derby rules?
a. Please see information at this link http://www.abc-pinewood-derby.com/pinewood_derby_rules.htm.
7. Can non-Scouts make a car and race in the Pinewood Derby?
a. Yes! Parents, siblings and friends are welcome to participate. Car kits are available for $5 each. Non-Scouts will race in the “Open Field” category and are not eligible for trophies.
8. Are volunteers needs?
a. Yes! We will need 4+ parents to help at the check-in on January 29th. We will need 6+ parents to help during the race on January 30th.

We are looking forward to helping your Scouts create another memorable Pinewood Derby Race. Please contact Joe Thomas, 952-934-2624, with any additional questions in this year’s race.

Pinewood Derby Car Cutting

On Saturday, January 9th, scouts from our pack can get their cars cut for $2 at the Eden Prairie Senior Center from 9 am – noon. The seniors cut the car with the boys and love to see new challenges! The Senior Center is located at 8950 Eden Prairie Road, not far from the intersection of Eden Prairie Road and Pioneer Trail. Please have a design in mind, preferably already sketched on your car.
For planning, please choose a time slot on the spreadsheet and return your request to Joe Thomas at jthomasfamily {at} comcast(.)net.

January Pack Meeting

Our January Pack meeting is on January 11th at Cedar Ridge, gathering activity at 6:45pm. We will be hosting a local ski jumper – just like you can see in the Winter Olympics!

January Parent/Leader Meeting

Our January Parent/Leader meeting is on January 15th at 7pm at the Nichols’ house. We will learn the basics of updating our Pack website from Bill Heyman as well as ensuring our next few scouting activities are ready to go.

Pinewood Derby

The Pinewood Derby weigh in is at Cedar Ridge on Friday January 22nd from 6:30 – 7:30pm and the Derby itself is on Sunday, January 24th beginning at 1pm sharp!

It is a busy and fun January! I look forward to seeing all of you there!

Our fundraiser for wreaths and popcorn ENDS on Monday, October 26. Ann Rorem will send directions about turning in money, unused product, etc., but for now remind your scouts to finish strong and sell as much as we can! We have a $250 minimum total sales for each scout — but our pack membership numbers are a little lower this year so it would great if we could all beat that!

Upcoming dates to hold:

Monday, October 26 — 7:00 (6:45 gathering activity) Pack meeting at Cedar Ridge. Fundraiser ends. Scouts should bring something funny (but not scary or gory) to dress up the leaders. We’re doing a reverse dress-up activity, where all the leaders will get dressed up by the scouts in interesting combinations of hats, masks, clothing, etc.! Should be great! Also — theme for the pack meeting is “Go on Safari.” COME see the GREAT fun we’ve got planned!
Wolves — skit; Bears — off this time; Jr. Webelos (Karol/Bruce) — gathering activity; Jr. Webelos (Renee) — flag ceremony; Raven Patrol — Song; Dragon Patrol — Jokes

Thursday, October 29, 7:00 — Parent/Leader meeting at Kim Aldrin’s house. Any parents are welcome.

Saturday, November 14 (1:00-2:30). Pack Service Project to Simpson House Shelter in Minneapolis. More details at the pack meeting.

Monday, November 16, 7:00. November pack meeting.

Thursday, November 19, 7:00. Parent/leader meeting at Ann Rorem’s house.

(See the website at www.pack497.com for more info and dates!)

Thanks! AND thanks to Kelly Zarling for putting together our Mad Science night and heading up recruiting this year! That was GREAT!

Please join Pack 497 at the Staring Lake Outdoor Center this Sunday, Sept. 13, from 1pm – 3 pm. It’s our first activity of the new school year! (Have any boys you want to join our pack? Invite them to join us!)

We will be will be catching, tagging, and releasing monarch butterflies as part of a national conservation project! All ages are welcome. This is a conservation project and meets one of requirements for the Conservation Patch (depending on your rank).

Cost: FREE for scouts and $6 for any participating sibling.
This is a RAIN or SHINE event. In the event it rains, we will be working with a naturalist inside the center!
Please contact Lori Hasan (lahasan {at} yahoo(.)com) with any questions.

Thanks!

2. Apple Orchard Trip. This Sunday we’ll meet as a pack to Minnesota Harvest Orchard in Jordan at 2:00. Please let Beth Witherspoon ( bspoon01 {at} aol(.)com or 612-867-0342) know if you’ll join us! Wear your light blue Pack 497 t-shirts (Class B uniform)!

3. Mad Science Night. October 12 is our “Join Scouting Night.” We’re in need of new recruits, esp. 1st graders, so if you know some boys that would like scouting bring them along. Come one come all to Mad Science; all ages are welcome!

Great to see so many of you last night. Hope all’s well.

AND — start thinking right now about how you are going to help the pack this year.
The saying goes, “The Cub Scout helps the Pack go, the Pack helps the Cub Scout grow.” The Pack is committed to helping ALL our scouts grow in important ways this year, but we have to have your help. We have a place for everyone, whether you can help a lot or only a little. And thanks to those already committed to serve in pack and den leadership!

See you Monday night at the Lake Riley at the Pack picnic! (Oh, and have your boys wear they BLUE t-shirts to the picnic if you can!)