Webelos Weekend

Erick leads a nature hike

Each year Erick's troop hosts a "Webelos Weekend" and invites other packs to participate. Pack 321 sent two Webelos, and Gary went along to help out. We have a good relationship with Erick, even though he's Carl's older brother, and we look forward to this campout every year.

Although the weather looked dismal the entire weekend, in actuality, it stopped raining every time we had an outdoor activity. How's that for luck?

There's also a photo gallery available for those who want a longer look.

Hessel International Scout Rally

Troop 321 cir. 1849

Hessel International Scout Rally enjoyed precisely 1,016 registered participants in this, our first year of attending. This year's theme: "Miner '49ers." We invited Pack 321's Webelos, and they made a good showing for themselves.

Unlike merit badge oriented summer camps, units set up campsites and activity centers to share with others. Each unit then traveled as a group from site to site participating in the various activities. We also competed for prizes in events that included cooking, costumes, cleanest campsite, and campsite entrances.

Carl and Darryl set up a "gold" panning station where the kids could wash out gold painted iron pellets. Robert set up an "Old Tyme" photo booth to take group pictures. While we didn't win any prizes, our free souvenirs were very popular, and we received many thank-you emails for the photos.

We've also posted photo galleries for Saturday and Sunday for those who would like to see the troop in action.

Potato Picking

Looks like Scouting

Troop 321 invited Pack 321 to go potato picking and share a picnic lunch today. For the past couple of years we've driven down to Melvin Johnson's Farm to glean from their fields what the automated machines miss. It's a great experience for the kids and a real boon to our local food pantries. 

After walking the fields in what amounted to a great, big, dirty, Easter egg hunt (the boys were thrilled), we packed up and headed over to Dawson Lake Park for lunch. The weather held out, and a few of the kids went swimming. Others beat the cattails for frogs, grasshoppers, turtles, and whatnot. 

You can find the rest of the photos in our photo gallery.

As for the potatoes; we kept some for ourselves, but most went to local food pantries. 

Rod & Gun Club Youth Day

Tyler draws a bead

The Negaunee Rod & Gun Club hosted its annual "Youth Day" today, and both Pack 321 and Troop 321 jumped at the chance to learn more about firearms, firearms safety, trapping, and bow hunting. And by learning, we mean getting to shoot!

The boys got to shoot pellet guns, bows, shotguns, .22 caliber rifles, and a muzzle loaded .45. They also got to hand-load and shoot their own .45 caliber bullet. The grownups were invited to use their cameras.

At the end of the day, the club raffled off door prizes. Everyone walked away with something, but there were only six coveted prizes to include shotguns, rifles, and hunting bows. Happily, our kids walked away with three of these!

Camp Hiawatha

Jackson mixing it up

Crossing over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts, merit badges, rank advancement, camping skills, popcorn sales, spaghetti dinners, it all comes down to... summer camp!

At Camp Hiawatha the scouts really had a chance to cut loose and explore their interests. Some boys took up space exploration and built their own model rockets. Others took on sculpture, basketry, rifle shooting, Indian lore, wood carving, and more.

The boys also took on more responsibility around the campsite than they had when they were cubs. As Boy Scouts, they helped prepare and clean up after meals, maintain the fire and firewood supplies, participate in flag ceremonies, and set up their own tents.

We had a great week, and the boys played while they learned. If only school could be like this! Check out our album to get an even better picture.