Cubmaster’s Notes

I want to start this newsletter by welcoming our new scouts and their families to the pack this month! So far this year, we’ve welcomed five new scouts across several of the dens!

We’re off to a great  start to the year so far! While our September campout was hampered by the rain, we still had a great time playing games, eating, and watching a movie. I want to thank all of the parents who stepped up to help out throughout the day. I also want to extend a special Thank You to the Forks Township Fire Department for bringing a truck and to Matt Alercia for arranging to have a K-9 officer talk to the scouts about training and living with a K-9 unit dog. 

October is shaping up to be a fun and busy month for the pack. I’m looking forward to this weekend for our annual Scouts Skills Day. Our Pack 29 scouts are going to learn a lot of fun things and get to decorate some pumpkins!. 

September Den Activities

Wolves

This month, the Wolves worked on their Bobcat adventure, where they practiced the Scout Oath and Law, the Scout sign, Scout salute, and Scout handshake. They also talked about the meaning of the Scout slogan, “Do Your Best”.

Bears

The Bears also worked on their Bobcat and Forensics adventures this month. For the Forensics adventure, they practiced animal identification by learning about different paw prints.

Webelos

The Webelos also worked on their Bobcat adventure. They came prepared with a den flag, and then the worked on the oath, law, sign, and salute. They also talked a little bit about the Denner role and created a Code of Conduct.

AOLs

The AOLs worked on their Bobcat adventure and also talked about how they will operate as a patrol for the year. They also set some expectations for themselves, and the den leaders began assigning adventures for the scouts to help lead throughout the year.

October Pack Updates

Stargazing Campout Reminder

Registration is still open for the Stargazing campout, which will take place October 23-25 on Hawk Mountain. This event is being hosted by the Lehigh Valley Amateur Astronomical Society,  and they will set up different telescopes and lead us through the observable objects in the sky. During this weekend, we’ll get to see Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, several constellations and nebulas, and the Andromeda galaxy!

The cost is $30 per person, and that includes all food and consumables for the weekend. 

Please contact Mike Ehret (pack29easton@gmail.com) to register. Include the following info:

• Names of each person attending
• Dietary restrictions and/or preferences
• Any physical limitations

This is a primitive campsite with limited amenities, and we’ll all need to bring our own tents. If you don’t have a tent, we can arrange for you to borrow one from another family or the troop!

Registration closes on 10/18 so that we have enough time to plan a menu and shop for the weekend.

Scout Night at the Phantoms Game

Join Pack 29 and other scouts from around the Lehigh Valley on 11/21 for Scout Night with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. This is one of my favorite events of the year, and the kids always have a blast, so if you are available, I highly suggest going!

The deadline to RSVP and submit payment for tickets is Wednesday, 10/14. Here is a link to the Sign-Up Genius page. Please contact Al Raccuia  if you have any questions. His contact info is on Sign-Up Genius.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D4CAAAB2DA1FD0-66259790-phantoms

Fundraising

Popcorn Sales

Our annual popcorn fundraiser is live and will continue until the end of October. Families can take orders online or with the traditional paper form. Online ordering is a great way to extend your reach to friends and family who live outside the area. Parents/guardians can create an online account with our popcorn vendor, Trail’s End, that will be tied to the scout’s membership number, and then you will be given a shareable link. Paper forms will be collected at our Halloween party on 11/1. 

You can reach out to Jen Schleig if you have any questions about the fundraiser, need a paper order form, or are experiencing any issues with creating an online account.

Meatsticks

Meat sticks are one of the best and easiest ways for your scouts to earn funds for their scout account, and we’re entering Show & Sell season, so there’ll be even more opportunities to earn those funds!

Our first round of order form-fundraising for meat sticks will begin at our October pack meeting on 10/11. We’ll have copies of the paper order form for you to pick up at the meeting, and we can also send you a PDF copy of the order form upon request.  The meat sticks make great stocking stuffers or holiday gifts. In order to ensure that everyone gets their meat sticks before the holidays, we will be collecting the first round of order forms at the Halloween party on 11/1.

In addition to the paper order form, we’ll have several Show & Sell events in October and November.  Show & Sell events are days when we will set up a table at a local business from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM and sell meat sticks to customers. We are still finalizing dates and share more information, along with a Signup Genius link, in the coming days.

Recruiting

We have one more “official” recruiting event scheduled, which is our October pack meeting on 10/11. While we always welcome new scouts year-round, these recruiting events are specifically tailored towards families who are interested in Scouting. If you or your scout knows a friend who has talked about joining Scouts, this is a great opportunity to introduce them to Scouting and to Pack 29!

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, 10/6/2026, 7:00 PM-8:00 PM – Committee Meeting, Virtual

• This month will focus on planning for the October pack meeting and Hawk Mountain (Stargazing) campout.

Sunday, 10/11/2026, 2:00-5:00 PM – October Pack Meeting / Scout Skills Day

• This year’s Scout Skills Day will focus on one or two adventures that all dens can work on together. 
• We’ll focus on our “Physical Fitness” adventures, practice the Scout Oath, Scout Law, and Scout Signs, and do some campfire cooking!
• This is also another recruiting event for the pack, so it’s a great opportunity to bring a friend who might be interested in Scouting!

Sunday, 10/18/2026, 2:00-5:00 PM – Den Meetings

• Your den leaders will be sending out more details about their specific plans for their dens, so be on the lookout for that.

Sunday, 10/18/2026, 7:00 PM-8:00 PM – Committee Meeting, Virtual

• This month will focus on planning for the Hawk Mountain (Stargazing) campout and our annual Halloween party.

Sunday, 11/1/2026, 2:00 PM-5:00 PM – Pack Halloween Party, Arndt’s Lutheran Church

• This is our annual Halloween Party and Trunk-or-Treat event. Details are TBD, but we will definitely do our annual donut-on-a-string eating contest, our den leader TP Mummy Race, and of course, our Trunk-or-Treat in the parking lot!
• Scouts and parents are encouraged to come in their Halloween costumes!
• If you have any suggestions for games or activities that we can do until it gets dark, let me know!
• This is also the day when we popcorn order forms are due.
• More info and a Sign-Up Genius link to come later.