Rain Cannot Stop Cub Scout Fun

As I was making my favorite spinach salad potluck dish this morning, I was lamenting that our Cub Scout Recruiting Event was going to be a failure. Surely no new recruits would bother to head out to the State Park when they looked at the weather forecast. But I had RSVP'd and I knew the Pack had already purchased the hamburgers, so I figured I'd head out there anyway. My Bear, soon-to-be Webelo, scout, was reluctant to come having just finished playing soccer in the rain, but he's a good sport. As I entered the park gate I asked the ranger, are there really any Cub Scouts still out there in the rain. And she told me, "Oh yes, they're still out there, just follow the signs to the Main Beach."

As we approached, I could not believe the great turnout and not just our current reliable Pack 26 families, there were lots of new families eager to join too, about 120 people in all. Instead of heading home after the morning geo-caching, everyone stayed for lunch too. The scouts played games in the field oblivious to the rain while parents chatted under the trees. We finished off the event with a fun watermelon-eating contest and I think most of the new families who attended, will end up joining Cub Scouts.

This morning's events were just another great reminder of why we love Pack 26 and Cub Scouting in general. Two of our core values, "Perseverance" and "Resourcefulness," really shined through today. The whole pack pulled together to put on this fun event, and the whole family could attend together, it was not just for the scouts. Cub Scouting has been such a positive experience for my family. My oldest has recently "crossed-over" to Boy Scouts, but I look forward to two more years of Cub Scouting with my middle child.

If you have a boy entering grades 1-5 in the fall, now is the time to sign up. Hopkinton has three Cub Scout packs. Each pack meets at a different location and different night of the week, but they all have great programs. Most people choose based on schedule or to be in the same pack with friends. If you are thinking of joining, get in touch with one of the Cubmasters or Recruiting Chairs and they can answer your questions and send you an application. I'm happy to answer questions too.

PACK 26: Dan Wood, Cubmaster danwood@hotmail.co.uk 508-625-1543. Tricia Shamus, Recruiting tshamus@verizon.net 508-544-9811. http://www.pack26hopkinton.org/

PACK 4: Bob Murchie, Cubmaster pack4hop@gmail.com 508-625-1121. Damian Packer, Recruiting damian@alum.mit.edu  508-497-8640. http://pack4hopkinton.org/

PACK 97: Kim Brennan, Cubmaster kim.brennan@comcast.net 508-435-4183. Deb Kelly, Recruiting debkelly8@verizon.net 508-435-8392. http://www.pack97hopkinton.org/

Hopkinton also has Boy Scouts, Venturing and Girl Scouts. Read more at http://www.hopkintonscouts.org/ or http://hopkintongirlscouts.org/.