Reminders

DEAR PACK 43:

Please remember that Sunday April 3rd is the last day that achievements can be entered into Scout Tracks in order for your son to receive his awards at the Next Scout meeting, Anything entered after Sunday will not be included in this month's meeting, Den Leaders make sure that you have entered all the achievements and that everything has been reviewed and signed off on.

ALSO, This Friday April 1st, is the last day you can sign up for the Final Family Camp ( held at Camp Soule ) for the season. You can register on line at the West Central Florida BSA website.

MARK your calendars for April 16th. The Cub Scouts will be selling Drinks at the Safety Harbor Great fruit Festival, held on Main Street in Safety Harbor  from 4:30=10:00 PM. We will be sending out a volunteer sign up sheet for your scout (and yourself) to volunteer your time. to “help The Pack Grow” this is one way our Pack has come up with to help with our Pack funding. Please Make the time if possible, to volunteer.  Thank you Peggy Keller  for helping us get this set up !!!

Our Den Graduation and Cross over ( blue and Gold) will be held on Sunday May 15th @ Philippe Park @ 2:00 pm. Please make sure that your scout has completed all their achievements for rank completion prior to this date. Please feel free to invite Family and Friends to this event. The Boys have worked hard, and this is a time to celebrate their accomplishments. We will also have a Potluck luncheon following the ceremony. I am Looking for a few volunteers to help with set up, and planning. So let me know at the next pack meeting if you are able to help. Together we can make this a Wonderful day for the Boys.

Yours in Scouting:

Bonnie Wurtz

Meet and Greet the BSA Indy Car and Dale Coyne Racing Team

Well ... Its finally here.... SEE YOU FRIDAY @ Tyrone Square Mall! We plan on meeting there around 7PM. Please feel free to stop by earlier if you can't make our designated time. Make sure your Cub Scout wears his uniform. It’s a great way to show Pack 43 spirit !!

Scouts don't forget your autograph book and your Pinewood Derby cars!
Parents don't forget your camera and an item to donate to the homeless shelter!

Eco Expo

The Coliseum in St. Pete will be hosting the Tampa Bay Living Green expo on April 2nd and 3rd. Admission and parking is free! This is a fabulous opportunity to teach your scout about recycling! They can even take what they learn and apply it to their recycling requirement, as well as their Leave No Trace patch.

They also have some fun kid specific activities planned:

Children who come to the Kid's Korner have the opportunity to create a variety of fun make-and-take projects designed to open their eyes to ways that they can use everyday items in a different way.
They can fashion hats out of recycled newspaper, use card backs to make necklaces, make water cycle bracelets, and learn about plants that are native to Florida.
The theme of our projects is to reduce, reuse and recycle items that would be thrown away, while conserving water and striving to craft a more sustainable environment.

Check out the site for additional information: http://tampabaylivinggreenexpo.org/

Pack 43 Newsletter: March

Our March Newsletter is available for viewing online or downloading here.

We have plenty of informative and entertaining articles for you this month, including a new scout-written article series, kicked off by Marcus Drennen in his entertaining missive titled 'My First Family Camp'. We also have updates on all of the dens, the monthly calendar, the story of how the Civil War came to Florida and more!

There's still time to register for Family Camp!

There is still time to register for Family Camp at Sand Hill in March and/or Camp Soule in April! Get your reservations in fast - spaces are limited!

CUB SCOUT FAMILY CAMP

WHO: All registered Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, Webelos and family members. Children must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. The activities are designed to meet the abilities of the Cub Scout.

WHERE: Camp Soule is located at 2201 Soule Rd. in Clearwater between US 19 and McMullen Booth Road. Sand Hill is located on State Road 50, 2 miles east of Weeki Wachee. (large sign by the entrance).

WHEN:
March 19-20, 2011 at Sand Hill Scout Reservation
April 9-10, 2011 at Camp Soule

Check-in 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM Saturday
Program starts at 12:00 PM
Check-out Sunday 11:00 AM

BRING: Tent, sleeping bag or blankets, suitable clothing, including rain gear, personal items, lunch for Saturday and snacks. (Alcoholic beverages are PROHIBITED.)

PROGRAM: An afternoon of fun-filled activities like Volleyball, Soccer, Kickball, Archery, BB Shooting, Flag Football, and Wrist Rockets, just to name a few that we sometimes do! Plus, a Saturday dinner, an interactive camp fire, Sunday breakfast followed by an Interfaith service and last but not least a recognitions and awards ceremony to close camp.

FEE: $13.00 per camper (maximum of $60.00 per family of five or more members)

REGISTER: This is a family activity. A parent or legally responsible guardian must accompany all Tigers/Cub Scouts/Webelos. It is not necessary to register through your Cub Scout Pack. Registration forms must be received at the council service center by the deadline noted on the reservation form. Reservations will be closed when a maximum of 400 campers is reached regardless of the cut-off date. Family Campouts are conducted regardless of the weather; the council service center will confirm any closures or problems but not registrations.

To assist us with registration, we would greatly appreciate that you bring proof of payment (ie. website payment receipt, council receipt, or cancelled check) to camp with you in the event of an oversight.

Click Here to Register!

Notes from March Pack Meeting

Announcements

• New website! Please bookmark http://pack43fl.blogspot.com/. All scouting resources are there.
• New newsletter! Boys and den leaders please submit by the last Sunday of each month.
• Phillipe park walk was cancelled. Will be rescheduled at moccasin lake.
• Bears doing a skit next month's pack meeting
• We need an advancement coordinator! 1 day a month to get pins and belt loops etc. THANK YOU MISTER MACK!!!!

Coming Events

• Crystal River Civil War Reenactment: Meet at the church at 9am. Picnic lunch by the cars. Mar 13, 9 to 4.
• BSA sponsoring race car. Pack is invited to go, get pics taken with driver, and even get in the car! 25th around 7pm. Wear your uniform! Bring a friend. If the friend signs up you get a recruiting badge. Back stage garage pass if you buy the 3 day pass.
• Troop 43 dinner will be at the American Legion this Saturday.
• Blue and gold meeting will be soon when we find a location. Meeting will be Sunday or Tuesday. To advance to next level in time for camp this summer, everyone's achievements MUST be completed and signed off before the Blue and Gold! Amazing race themed blue and gold last year covered skills they learned through the year.

Fundraising
The pack is growing! But that means we are running out of money :( The pack parents brainstormed for some ideas for fund raisers:

• 3rd Friday
• Bake sale
• Car wash (7-11 or mobile station)
• Crispers
• American legion
• Bingo night

Activities

• Theme for the month is COMPASSION. Talked about ways the boys can show compassion to others.
• Webelos Two did a great puppet show skit, complete with an appearance by Justin Beiber and a puppet performance of grey squirrel. They made their own puppets.
• Scouts learned about people with disabilities by doing a Braille writing activity and a main hand / off hand writing analysis.

Boy Scouts and the Honda Grand Prix in St. Petersburg!

I would REALLY like to make this a pack event. We will talk about it @ tomorrow nights pack meeting. So check your calendar, invite your friends, and let's plan on attending!

-Bonnie-

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Boy Scouts of America and Dale Coyne Racing have teamed up with the Indy Racing League for the second year running with Indy Car #19 driven by Alex Lloyd.

See the Boy Scouts Indy Show Car and meet the driver of the Boy Scout Car #19 Alex Lloyd at Tyrone Square Mall on Friday March 25th in the Dilliard’s Courtyard from 6pm to 8pm. Show up in your Scout uniform you can have your photo taken with Alex Lloyd and be entered into a drawing for special prizes. Bring a friend who is not currently in Scouting and they’ll be entered as well.

Boys in first through twelfth grades who are interested in learning more about Scouting are encouraged to stop by as well. Scouts and youth interested in Scouting will be able to race a Pinewood Derby car; bring your own car or try one of ours!

Do your Good Turn Daily by bringing a non perishable food item or toiletry item to donate to the St. Petersburg Free Clinic.

A Scout who has purchased a three day pass and attends the event in uniform will receive a Paddock pass during the event March 25th, 26th, 27th, 2011. Tickets can be purchased through the race’s website and Paddock passes will be given out at the event.

Volunteers will be needed from 9 am to 9 pm on Friday to man an information table near the car at Tyrone Square Mall. For more information please call Bruce Nichols, (727) 424-3585 or email bdn42fl@aol.com .

Time to start thinking about Summer Camp!

Summer is fast approaching, and with it the most anticipated cub scouting event of the year - CAMP!

Scouts who attend camp will get the opportunity to meet new friend, learn more about scouting, participate in all kinds of games and sports, arts and crafts, how to safely use a bow and arrow and a BB gun, and the opportunity to earn numerous belt loops and pins.

This year's camp theme is SAFARI! Campers will be doing all kinds of safari themed activities, such as making their own fishing poles and then fishing with them, learning how to write in Egyptian heiroglyphs, and making their own African drums. There are three kinds of camps available this summer:

Day Camp 
June 6-10th at Francis Ave. Park, and June 13-17th, June 20-24th, and June 27-July 1st at Camp Soule. The fee is $85.00 per child, but if we register by April 25th it's only $70.00.

Twilight Camp 
July 5-8th at Camp Soule. The fee is $70.00 per child, but if we register by April 25th, it's only $55.00.

Webelos Sleepover Camp
July 3-6th and July 6-9th at Sand Hill Scout Reservation. The fee is $80.00

At least one Adult volunteer is required for every 5 scouts that attend day camp from our pack. Full-time volunteers are given a 50% discount for their scout(s). Please coordinate with the Cub Master if you wish to volunteer or are unable to volunteer but would like to have your scout attend a week that one of our pack's adult leaders is volunteering.

The pack needs to register together for camp, so don't delay if you would like your son(s) to attend!

Camper Application for Day Camp
Camper Application for Twilight Camp
Webelos Resident Camp Reservation Form
Annual BSA Health and Medical Record (Part A & B) (Required for ALL camps)