November Den Meetings: Flags and Real Life CSI

We've got TWO Den Meetings in November prior to the Pack Meeting!

The first Den Meeting is this coming Monday, November 2. We will be learning how to conduct a Flag Ceremony and practicing the ceremony several times. Den 11 is in charge of the Flag Ceremony for the November Pack Meeting!!! By participating in a Flag Ceremony, your Scout can complete Achievement 4f.

The second Den Meeting is on Monday, November 16. We will complete Achievement 7, Law Enforcement is a Big Job. The City of Mesa Police Department's Chief DNA Criminologist, Kim Fiorucci, will be visiting our Den. We will set up a crime scene with planted evidence (and probably a chalk outline) and our special guest will explain how she looks for DNA and other types of evidence at a crime scene. Our Scouts will then put on their latex gloves and go searching for evidence! Our guest will also run some DNA experiments on Horse blood and the boys will be able to put their fingerprints in their Bear books. This will be a really fun night.

Both Den Meetings will be at the church and start at 6:30 and end at 7:30.

Running With The Pack

Daniel's technique for stealing tape never failed him!

Don't fall off the cliff!!!!

Watch out for that alligator, Conner!

Mr. Stork, Crocodile Hunter

Way to go Micah on earning that Bobcat badge tonight!

We had a really fun Pack Meeting tonight! Our friends in Den 13 provided a terrific gathering activity and our very own Daniel Keller won the first round of "Steal The Tape From Your Friend's Nose." All of the boys enjoyed running the Jungle gauntlet, walking the cliff's edge, going through the monkey forest, and avoid the hungry crocodile. Every boy who was there tonight earned at least one belt loop. And Micah received his Bobcat badge. Way to go guys! We missed Owen and Tristan!

Helping Those In Need

As you probably heard from Phillip, the Pack is seeking to help fill the Salvation Army's Chandler Food Bank. Please consider bringing a canned or dry/boxed food item to the Pack Meeting on Monday night (October 26 at 7pm). You can also donate at the November Pack Meeting. Wouldn't it be great if the Pack filled up the food bank? Thanks in advance for your help and your generosity.

Sports Night!!

Congrats to Matthew, Connor, Daniel, Tucker, Conner, Tristan, and Cayman on earning your Soccer Belt Loop!! We sure missed Micah, Owen, and Justin!! The boys had a great time learning the basics of soccer and then playing several three-on-three games against each other. They all demonstrated remarkable sportsmanship and they all did their best!

Parents, there is no need to fill out the paperwork for the Belt Loop. We will make sure that the boys get their award at Monday's Pack Meeting. If your Scout has earned additional belt loops, please e-mail me at tkeller@ij.org before this coming Friday in order to make sure those belt loops are awarded this month. If you've already turned in the paperwork to me or to Harlan there is no need to send an e-mail.

DATE CHANGE: Please Read and Respond!!

First, please accept my apology. Due to a typo in an earlier document, I had the wrong date for the October Pack Meeting. It is NOT on Monday, October 19. The Pack Meeting is on Monday, October 26 from 7:00 to 8:00pm. Again, the Pack Meeting is going to be at First Baptist Church of Chandler on Monday, October 26! Please respond to this e-mail to let me know that you got this note.

This means that we are moving up our planned Sports Loop Belt Night to this coming Monday, October 19. And that means you need details about that night. So here they are:

We will gather at 6:30pm at Discovery Park in Gilbert, located at the Northwest corner of Santan Village Parkway & Pecos Road. We will end at 7:30, but if kids want to linger and play and parents want to stay and talk we'd certainly encourage you to do so.

Details about the park here:

http://www.ci.gilbert.az.us/parks/popups/discovery-park.cfm

Your Scout will be able to earn one Sports Belt Loop this evening. He will be able to choose to earn either the Basketball Belt Loop or the Soccer Belt Loop. We will have equipment for both, but your Scout will only have time to earn one. They will receive their Belt Loop at the October Pack Meeting on October 26.

Please RSVP for this evening to tkeller@ij.org so that we have some idea who to expect. You do NOT have to tell me which Belt Loop your Scout would like to earn. You and he can decide that on Monday night.

Turtle Time with Myrtle (the Desert Tortoise)

Mr. Keller introduces Myrtle to the boys

Mr. Keller lets Myrtle do some of the talking

Everybody wanted to pet Myrtle

Thanks to the Glazier family for letting us borrow Myrtle as we discussed what it means to share our world with wildlife. I think every boy hopes to adopt a Desert Tortoise one day from a rescue organization! And thanks to Myrtle for doing a great job explaining to the boys what it is like to spend 95% of your life sleeping.

We Had A Wild Time!!

Building bird houses

Justin and his Dad

Matthew and his Dad

Justin

Matthew

Daniel

Micah

Tristan

Cayman

Connor

Congrats to Tristan, Cayman, Matthew, Connor, Daniel, Micah, and Justin for completing Achievement number 5 tonight! Parents, you may sign as Akela 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5e in their Bear Handbook. Together, those four requirements complete Achievement 5. So sign off at the end of the Achievement as well and at the next Den Meeting we will record this Achievements in the official Den Records.

We learned about the Desert Tortoise to complete 5a and met Myrtle, a real Desert Tortoise who helped us understand better this Threatened Species. We also discussed the term "extinction" and about extinct and nearly extinct animals (like the Black-Tailed Prairie Dog) to complete 5e. We then discussed what a Wildlife Conservationist does to complete 5c and ended our evening by building a birdhouse to complete 5b.

For those who did not make it tonight (Conner, Tucker, and Owen), I have hand-outs about the Desert Tortoise and the Black-Tailed Prairie Dog so you can complete those requirements at home and I've got model kits for you to build your own bird houses.

Next Up: Pack Meeting next week, Monday, October 19 at 7:00pm. Micah will be awarded his Bobcat badge and many others have earned various belt loops.

Fall Hike Info (And Den Meeting TONIGHT!)

We've got a Den Meeting tonight at 6:30pm! We'll be talking about Sharing Our World with Wildlife and we'll get to meet a real desert tortoise!

PACK 524 FALL HIKE INFO

The Den announced the information about the Fall Hike this coming Saturday, October 17:

Details:

WHERE: Saguaro Lake, Butcher Jones Trail 463

WHEN: October 17, 1:30pm

WHAT to bring: WATER, SUN SCREEN, and a HAT. The forecast is for 100 degrees on Saturday!

DRESS: Uniforms are NOT suggested or recommended. Instead, dress for a 2.5-3 mile hike in the heat.

Here is a link to the trail and a description:

http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=685

You should have also received an e-mail from Phillip with the same details. That e-mail also contains directions to the trail. If you did not, let me know if you did not get Phillip's e-mail and I'll forward it to you.

The Kellers won't be able to make this hike, but if you go please SEND PICTURES to tkeller@ij.org so that I can post them on the Den Blog!!

At the end of the year, we can place the blog into a book format so that your Scout can have a great keepsake. So please feel free to send pictures and ideas for blog posts.

Oct. 12 Den Meeting Will Be A Wild Time

We will be working on Achievement 5: Sharing Your World With Wildlife at our Monday, Oct. 12 Den Meeting, 6:30pm to 7:30pm at the Church. We will learn about what a wildlife conservation officer does (Requirement 5c), learn about the Desert Tortoise (and maybe meet one) (Requirement 5a), build individual bird houses (Requirement 5b), learn about an animal that has gone extinct (Requirement 5e), and learn how they can help protect wildlife when they are camping or hiking. By attending Monday's Den Meeting, your Scout will complete Achievement 5 and take another step toward earning his Bear rank. Join us for a fun evening! Parent participation is welcome and would be helpful I'm sure with the bird house construction.