Monday, March 27, 2006

The Pack Overnighter at McWane Center is here.
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The Pack overnighter at the McWane Center is scheduled for Friday, March 31st. If you have signed up, but not paid, please make sure you pay your den leaders before Wednesday, March 29th. We need to try to make one payment to McWane for the entire Pack.

We will be staying on the second floor where the Inside Africa exhibit is located. The movie on the IMAX will be Wild Safari.

Here is some information you need to make the experience a fun one.

You can park for free in the parking deck next to the center. You can begin to check in as early as 5:00 pm, and Pizza dinner will be served at 6:00 pm. If you are going to be much later than 6:00 pm, please let me know so we can make sure you can get in (and get warm pizza). The building and parking deck will close at 7:30 pm. The IMAX film will begin around 7:00 pm and the the badge programs will begin around 8:00 pm. There is one program for the Tiger, Wolf and Bears, and one program for the Webelos. A final snack and lights out at Midnight. Breakfast begins at 7:30 am.

All children must have a completed Guardian Release form turned in Friday night. Your den leaders have a copy and extra copies will be available at the door if necessary.

What to Bring:

• Pillow, sleeping bag, and overnight bag labeled with the camper's name and pack affiliation. Cots or air mattresses are ok since the floor is hard.
• Tooth brush and other toiletries.
• Money for extra snacks or T-shirts ($10 for all sizes). Change or dollars for the vending machines.
• Change of clothes
• Excitement and eagerness to learn and have fun.

What NOT to Bring:

• No radios, walkmans, electronic games or devices.
• Non-essential items such as jewelry or stuffed animals are discouraged.
• No alcohol allowed.
• ALL food and drink in designated areas only.

We will be given rules at the door, but remember, we are guests of the McWane Center so we must:

• Clean up after ourselves, behave ourselves, stay with the assigned group, sleep in the assigned areas, no running or unnecessary screaming.

I look forward to seeing all of you there that can attend. This is a great opportunity for the Pack to have some fun together.

Farewell From Mr. Ed
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Folks,

I want to thank you for your kind show of support on Saturday night's Blue & Gold Banquet. I put in two years as Cubmaster and five years as Den Leader (with my two sons) and I want to encourage you to stay in Cub Scouting with your son. One aspect of the program is designed to build stronger families by having adults participate with their children. Everywhere I went with the "Cubmaster" and "393" patches on my sleeve I was proud to talk about our boys, our parents, and our leaders. I meant it and I believe it.

We need your input and involvement to have a Pack program that is fun and interesting to the boys. I know you will support Scott Beatty with your time and ideas. We are all volunteers and undertake this mission because we believe in its purpose and results.

I hope to see you all in Boy Scouts at some point in the near future!

Mr. Ed
Ed Dolensky
(Former) Cubmaster Pack 393

The Pack 393 Overnighter Is Coming Up At The End of March 2006
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Folks,

On Friday night March 31 we will be having our Pack 393 Overnighter at the McWane Center. If you recall, this event replaced the USS Alabama trip on our calendar. The cost is $30 per boy and $15 per adult (a responsible adult must be there with each boy) payable at the Pack Meeting on March 11 (Saturday night).

Check-in begins at 6:30 p.m. and the cost includes a pizza dinner + soda that night (plus salad for adults). The boys get to roam the exhibits at McWane and enjoy them, plus watch an IMAX movie, and get to earn the SCIENCE belt loop/award that night. After a restful (!) night of sleep, a light breakfast of cereal is provided and we will leave by 9 a.m.

You will want to bring an air mattress or cusion of some kind to sleep on, a sleeping bag and a pillow, and a toothbrush/paste for a really fun night. This event is just for Pack 393 so feel free to bring brothers/sisters/anyone else as long as the responsible adult is there as well. The costs above apply to all attendees.

This is a signature event for the Pack and is sure to be lots of fun. Don't be left out of the pictures from this great event. I hope you all sign up on Saturday!

Thanks,
Mr. Ed
Ed Dolensky
Cubmaster Pack 393

The 2006 Pack 393 Catfish Rodeo Is Just Around The Corner!
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Folks,

Here are the details about Saturday at the Grant Street Catfish Pond in Bessemer off Exit #1 on I-459. Note that the cost per fish is $2.25 per pound (last year's big fish was nearly 9 pounds). Bring a fishing rod with at least 10-pound line and a 5-gallon bucket to hold all your fish as you catch them. You can donate the filets to the Pack when you get them cleaned or take them home. They sell chicken livers, shrimp, and other bait (a little chicken liver goes a long way!)

Here are the details below. We will see you there between 7:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. anytime your schedule allows and then come to Discovery by 6:00 p.m. in full uniform (families and everyone else is welcome). The cost of the meal is $3/person and we have a great meeting planned.

Pack 393 2006 Catfish Rodeo and Blue & Gold Banquet

What: All scouts of Pack 393 (including family members) are invited to participate in a fun day of fishing, followed by an evening fish fry and Blue & Gold Banquet @ D.U.M.C. (Please wear your Pack 393 blue t-shirt to the fishing event and Class A uniform to the dinner/banquet.)

When: Saturday, March 11, 2006. Fishing – From 7:30 AM to 2:00 PM. Feel free to come by anytime during this period and stay as your schedule permits. Dinner, awards, and Arrow of Light ceremony scheduled for 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

Where: Fishing will take place at the Grant Street Catfish Farm and Pond. Their number is 205-481-9999. Directions: Go 459S towards Tuscaloosa and take exit #1. Go right at the exit for approximately 1.25 miles and take a left at Grant Street. The entrance will be on your left (#640). Our group will have their own (non-public) fenced pond for the day. The dinner will take place at Discovery United Methodist Church (located by the Hoover Met soccer fields -5487 Stadium Trace Pkwy – 987-4000).

Dinner Menu: Fried Catfish, side dishes, dessert, and drinks. (All beef hotdogs for those not eating fish).

Dinner Cost: The cost of the dinner above is $3.00 per person. Children under 6 eat for free. Please pay your den leader and let her/him know how many hotdogs and catfish dinners you will need.
-Over-

How the Event Will Work: Each boy (and family member) is asked to participate by fishing at the Grant Street Catfish Pond in Bessemer. Per Grant Street rules, you are to keep and pay for all fish caught. The Grant Street Catfish staff will filet your fish and charge you $2.25/lb on the whole fish weight.

Note: You are welcome to donate some (or all) of your catfish filets if you do not have a use for them. This will help defer some of the Pack 393 meal expenses. Please let Terry Rogers or another volunteer know if you will be donating filets. Thanks.

Prizes: In addition to the largest fish, several catfish will be tagged with a special identifier. Whoever catches one of these fish will be awarded a prize!

What Does It Cost: The Grant Street Catfish Pond folks have graciously waived the fee to fish. They will charge $2.00 per container of worms or $2.50 for chicken livers. However, you are welcome to bring your own bait. As mentioned earlier, you are to keep all fish caught and pay $2.25/lb. for filets. So, depending upon the number and size of the fish you catch, it will determine your cost. The Grant Street folks accept cash, VISA, MasterCard, checks, etc.

What to Bring: Fishing pole(s) rigged with at least 10 – 30 lb. test line, cork, split shot sinker, and a medium hook. You may also want to bring the following – Chairs, fishing pliers, extra tackle, landing net, cooler w/ice, drinks, snacks, sunscreen (hopefully it will be sunny!), and a 5-gallon bucket or container to put the fish in after landed.

What If It Rains: The event is on rain or shine. If we cannot fish due to lightening or severe rain, we will notify everyone.

Questions: Please call or e-mail the Cubmaster Ed Dolensky @ HM-428-7146 E-mail: Dolensky@bellsouth.net.

BLUE & GOLD BANQUET and CATFISH RODEO on SATURDAY MARCH 11, 2006
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Folks,

We have a great meeting planned for you this month. Please note our Pack meeting will be on Saturday March 11 at 6 p.m. rather than on Monday March 13, our typical time. From 7:30 a.m. on that Saturday till 1:00 p.m. we will be at the Grant Street Catfish Pond in Bessemer (see following post) then we will have our Pack meeting that same night at 6:00 p.m. at Discovery. We will take this month to say good-bye to our departing Webelo II Cub Scouts (5th graders) who are joining Boy Scouts and have earned Cub Scouting highest award, the Arrow of Light. We will have a meal for everyone and anyone who wants to come Saturday night ($3/per person). We will have Catfish dinners or hot dogs depending on your preference. We will also have the Pinewood Derby creative awards from February's meeting and our usual fun.

Satuday night if any Pack members have goodies to hand out as door prizes please bring them. We like to have a big blow-out at our Blue & Gold Banquet!

We will also need any volunteers we can get to cook and set up Satuday afternoon at Discovery. Beginning about 2:00 we will be there to get ready for a great party. If you can spare a few hours we could use you of course.

I hope to see you all there Saturday!

Mr. Ed
Ed Dolensky
Cubmaster Pack 393