Activities
During the Scouting Year Our Cubs are engaged in various pack activities which are different than Den activities. Den activites are scheduled by Den leaders, Den activities are derived out of Den Activity guides some are mandatory while others are optional activities, all den activities are geared towards fun and learning with keeping "Do your Best" Motto in mind. Here you will find links to some Pack Activities that Cubs in Pack #33 get involved in.
Rocket Derby
 Building the Space Derby ship is meant to be an easy and fun experience for the kids, especially our new Scouts, so don't worry about putting too much into it. That said, we've learned a few lessons to help us all this year.
PACK 33 TIPS
Make sure to read the included directions (first) and the tips below (which will only make sense after you read the directions) carefully before starting, and check out some of the links at the bottom. Not everything in constructing the vehicle is entirely intuitive or obvious. Put the little plastic straw on before you assemble the propeller - it's much easier that way. Slide it on the straight end and push it all the way around the curve, but make sure to leave the gap open to hook the rubber bands on. The plastic straw MUST go over the hook (not just the shaft as the drawing in the kit illustrates). This is where the rubber bands will hook on - the wire hook will cut the rubber bands without the plastic straw liner! The propeller should have the rounded shaft-end pointing into (touching) the small metal bushing and nose cone. The other end has a little protrusion that faces forward and is designed to catch the wire when it is bent over. (For a visual example, see Steps 6 to 9 of the  eTek Gadget site). Also, don't cut the wire too short - it can slip off the propeller catch. Leave a little more than you think is necessary and bend it over to form an inverted 'U', with plenty to grab the prop notch. Do not glue the front nose/propeller assembly into the front of the space ship or put any glue around it - it needs to rotate freely and is pulled off to re-load new rubber bands! Groove out or V-notch the back of the fuselage so the dowel can sit in it without rotating, as it is the base attachment for the rubber bands to unwind and spin the propeller (don't cut the notch where the two halves join - there is a lot of force when the rubber bands are wound). Do not glue the back dowel onto the fuselage - it needs to pulled off to re-load new rubber bands! - The rounded end of the hanger (the plastic bullet-like piece which goes on the top) must point forward. The hanger should not protrude into the rubber-band chamber - it will interfere with the rubber bands. The hanger must be very firmly glued on the fuselage. Note the picture above also shows the rocket carrier attached to the hanger which allows it to hang off the line - this is not included in your kit and will be provided at the Derby.
- The vehicle should be well-balanced to reduce drag on the line. Test the rocket's balance by hanging it from a string through the hole of the hanger fitting. If the rocket is nose-heavy, carve or sand a little wood off of the end. It it's tail-heavy, remove wood from the tail area.
Lubricate the rubber bands (spray silicon, ethylene glycol, castor oil, ...)! Pull the rubber bands through with a wire hook - you can make one from a wire coat hanger. Stretch them numerous times before loading, hand wind the bands numerous times before races (20 winds, then 40 winds, then 60, 80, 100) -- this helps relax the elastic properties of the bands and makes them more pliable and durable (this is exactly why clowns stretch the balloons before blowing them up!). Generally about 120 winds is the max. Most people use two rubber bands at a time, sometimes three.
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OTHER HELPFUL SITES
Below are some links to tips on how to build a good ship, and also an expalantion of how the race is conducted. There is a bit of duplication among the sites, but overall a lot of useful information. If you come across anything else uselful that you think should be added to this section or our website please contact our Webmaster. |
Rain Gutter Regatta
HOW IT WILL WORK
Kits are typically given out at the pack meeting or are distributed by the respective Den Leaders. If you didnt get yours, you can ask your den leader or contact the Cubmaster. Scouts should prepare their boats before the pack meeting. We will have pairs of straight, 10' long raingutters set up on tables. They will be capped at each end and filled with water, making two racing lanes for each den. Dens will conduct their own regattas as they see fit, making sure that all Scouts get an equal chance to race. We are emphasizing having fun, not winning. There will be no prizes, overall winners, or other competition. For each heat, two Scouts will place their boats into their den's two gutters. They then will each blow on their sails through a straw, walking alongside the gutters, propelling their boats to the other end - first boat there wins! Hands are only to be used to upright a turned over ship, and are not to be used to advance the boat. In addition, boys should not use their faces, lips, hats, nose or other bodily parts to move the boat - just the air in their lungs!
SHIP BUILDING TIPS
Keep hull flat. Do not round the hull into a V as with a normal boat. The flatter and wider the hull the more stable the boat. Put sail as low on mast as possible to promote stability. Use strong, waterproof glue to attach the rudder and keel to the hull. Gorilla Glue works well. Secure the sail at a 90-degree angle so it doesn't rotate around the mast when blown. Two possible methods:
Glue the sail to the mast using strong glue. Tie back the sail by tying thread to each of the lower corners of the sail and then securing the "lines" to each side of the boat (tying to a straight pin and then pushing the pins into the hulls is an easy way to do this.)
Keel. Some recommend to place the keel about 3/4 of an inch behind the mast, contrary to the instructions in the kit Rudder. Make sure the rudder is aligned with the centerline of the boat and the keel. Keep it up. Boats may sail better if balanced with a little weight to the rear, to keep the bow up - Blow evenly with the straw at a point about 1 inch from the bottom of the sail. It is not how hard you blow but how straight you blow that makes the difference.
Pinewood Derby
Car kits and weights are given out in the Pack meetings or distributed by respective Den leaders. Remember the main point of this event is designing and building the car, learning craftsmanship and having fun, it is NOT about winning. The cub scout should do as much of the work as he can, and the design should be appropriate to his age and skill level.  Click here for an interesting article from the Wall Street journal on over -enthusiastic dads.
Make sure you are familiar with the  Official Pack 33 rules rules on car consstruction and racing.
 Here you will find the basic mimimun requirement.
As always if you come across some interesting links, please contact our Webmaster.
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HOW WE WILL RUN THE RACES
We race one rank at a time (i.e. Tigers, then Wolves, etc.) Every car for that rank will run one race in every lane sequentially. Standings are determined by which cars have the lowest average times over all their races, thus rewarding the cars which consistently run the fastest. This is different from the "tournament" format, but really more fair, since it picks the fastest car overall in each division. So what matters is how fast your car runs in every race, not whether or how many times your car came in first, second, third, or fourth in any particular races. Times and averages will be displayed on the screen, so everyone can see how the race is going.
The fastest car from each rank (including Senior Webelos, who are eligible to race even though they graduated at Blue & Gold, as a separate rank) - will be eligible to race in the Algonquin District championships.
Camping Trips
All Pack 33 Cub Scout camping is about family camping. Pack 33 hosts three camping trips every scouting year. Fall, Winter and Spring at Durland Scout reservation. A parent or a legal guardian must accompany each boy. A Cub Scout cannot come with a friend's parent or the parent of another Cub Scout. Siblings and other family members are welcome to join as well if space permits. Fall and spring camping is tent based, winter camping is cabin based. Camping trips are announced in pack meetings, and dates are published well in advance on our pack website. Scouts go on a pack hike, tell jokes and stories around camp fire and simply have fun!!!!
The pack camps at Durland located off the Taconic Parkway, (Peekskill Hollow Road). Click here for a map and directions.
The pack will provide dinner on Saturday night and breakfast on Sunday morning. Lunch on Saturday, is not provided.
All adults are expected to pitch in and help with setting up the kitchen area, preparing meals, cleaning up, generally helping out and assisting the pack den leaders.
The pack leaders will bring along any required equipment outside of tents and sleeping bags. Cub Scouts and their parents should not bring along axes, hatchets, saws or knives. In particular, Pack 33 does not permit Cub Scouts to bring or use knives on camping trips.
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Bowl-o-Ree
Bowl-o-ree typically occurs at AMF-White Plains lane, located at Tarrytown Road/Rte 119, phone no. 914-948-2677. The date of the event is typically governed by District Council and includes scouts from other packs in Westchester/Putnam council. The date is published on the website and communicated via email, during pack events and den events.
The Bowl-o-Ree raises funds for Scouts with special needs, so they can participate just like everyone else. Everyone’s participation helps us match our fund-raising success of the past. (funds are raised for needy scouts, but a percentage also goes to Pack 33.) Even if you can't make it, please consider raising funds for this worthy cause.
You can download a pledge form and instructions here. Although the form includes space for per-pin pledges, to make it easier we ask that Pack 33 members get fixed amount pledges and bring the money/checks with you to the event.
Scouts should arrive promptly, wear their uniforms, and bring their pledge forms and donated funds. Please collect all your pledges before the event.
Each Scout must raise at least $30 to bowl for free (shoes included also). There are prizes for raising other amounts, but this year we want to focus on having as many Scouts as possible participate, so please come join us no matter how much you raise. All bowlers get a patch.
The Pack buys pizza and soda for lunch. Also, there are special Pack 33 prizes and awards for the dens and individuals for fundraising, participation and bowling!
Support the troops
Pack 33 collects care items and packs boxes to send to our Troops serving in Conflict zones (Iraq & Afghanistan). Below please find a few ways that we can get our Scouts involved. We ask that the Scouts and their parents:
Distribute flyers to the Larchmont community, by both asking local business to post in their shop windows, and by distributing them in your neighborhood. Please Click here for a sample flyer used in previous years.
- Make holiday cards and banners for the troops
- Collect food and other items for the troops
- Help pack the packages at St. Augustine's cafeteria on December 6th from 10am-1pm
Patches for all Pack 33 Scouts who participate!
Contact cubmaster to find out how you can help:
| Foot powder |
Microwavable foods |
Black socks |
Sports |
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| Razors |
Cheese & Cracker Packets |
Knit skull caps |
Health & Fitness |
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| Q-tips |
Beef Jerky |
Under Armor T-shirts |
Cars |
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| Chap sticks |
Store bought cookies |
Hand warmers |
Outdoors |
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| Shaving Cream |
Slim Jims |
AA and AAA batteries |
Puzzles |
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| Wet wipes |
Tuna Fish in packets |
Crayons |
Comic Books |
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| Nail clippers |
Dry Cereal |
Blank Discs |
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Cup-a-soup |
DVDs |
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Granola Bars |
AT&T calling cards |
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Sunflower or pumpkin seeds |
Small flashlights |
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Gatorade (powdered mix) |
Mini travel games |
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Gum |
Flip Flops |
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Scouting for Food
The Westchester-Putnam Council of Boy Scouts mobilizes its 10,000+ youth members every year to address hunger in Westchester & Putnam Counties. Scouts help kids and families through the annual "Scouting For Food Canned Food Drive - Good Turn Project." The campaign involves a door-to-door food collection effort by Cub and Boy Scouts, and Food-PATCH.
What is the Need?
Hunger hurts. Approximately 200,000 families are now served by food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters in Westchester County alone. Hunger strikes all ages. The elderly, the disabled, the homeless, the unemployed, women and children all need food. In fact, approximately 36% of the clients of the Food-PATCH are children. This Good Turn is about “Kids helping Kids.” Food shortages abound. Over 200 agencies rely on Food-PATCH as their primary source of food.
What Can We Do to Help?
A great deal. Any canned food in good condition are welcome. However, specific foods are preferable for their nutritional value. These preferred goods include peanut butter, canned meat, stews and tuna, chunky-type soups, baby formula, and any complete packaged meals. Health laws prohibit collection of home-canned, home-packaged goods or foods with broken seals. Perishables like produce, milk, ice cream and frozen foods cannot be collected.
Close to 100,000 food donation collection bags are distributed by area Scouts in communities and neighborhoods in Westchester & Putnam Counties. Scouts collect canned food items and deliver them on a pre-determined and published date for pickup by the Westchester County Food-PATCH, which insures that the donated food items are given to needy families. Prior year's efforts have yielded over 20+ tons of food! Pack 33 has collected over 200+ bags and we hope to exceed that amount every year.
Scouts should wear their uniforms when out collecting and dropping off, and should be accompanied by an adult as necessary. In addition to doing a good turn and helping people in need, participating scouts will receive an award patch, so make sure to count and report how many items of food you collected when you drop off your bags. Also for the first time this year we will have prizes for those who collect the most items, dens with the highest participation, etc!
If you have any questions, contact the Cubmaster.
Rocket Derby
Reach for the Skies! Pack 33 Holds Rocket launches in Flint Park, this activity is quite popular amongst our cubs and has been published in the local newspapers. Cub Scouts in Pack 33 build and launch their own rockets! Rockets are handed out to all den leaders for distribution to their dens or passed out in pack meetings. Rockets can be built as a den activity or individually. Launch dates are published on our website and parents are notified via email and during pack meetings.
Launches are staggered based on Ranks and to get done at a fairly quick pace. Parent participation is always welcomed in helping to run the activity and to keep scouts away from the Launchpad area. Below are a number of helpful documents.
Click here for Rocketry 101 - Other useful information regarding launching rockets
Memorial Day Parade
 Cubs Participate in Larchmont/Mamaroneck Memorial day parades every year.
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Fordham Football
 Cubs visit Fordham University to watch the game and cheer the football teams (Fordham Preferred!!! but not required).
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Community Day
 Our cubs help keep the community clean and the pack partners up with local parks and municipality and calls the cubs to action when needed.
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