Welcome to my home! Sit down and have a coffee or a brew. I'm easy. As I give the blog a 2023 update. Thanks for popping in and I hope you enjoy some stories under the moonlight. I support American products and occasionally will feature some of my favorite finds. Find me on Amazon at Stephanie Burkhart. My website is: http://www.stephanieburkhart.com
I thought I'd share some pictures from my recent adventure to camp Emerald Bay on Catalina Island. My son, Joe, is a Bear cub scout and I'm his den leader. The opportunity to go to Emerald Bay presented itself and I just had to sign us up. We left out of Long Beach on Friday, 27 MAR at about 0615 pm. We were the only ones from our pack with is out of Valencia, CA. Almost immediately a great den out of Pack 377, Palm Springs adopted us and Joe had other boys to share the experience with.
On the boat w/new friends
I just want to thank Irena, Susie, and Cara for adopting me, too. It was just great to hang out with other den leaders and moms who truly enjoy the scouting experience!
Cara, Susie and Irena from Pack 377, the Palm Springs area
Camp Emerald Bay, Catalina Island
On Saturday, after breakfast (and the chow hall was great!) we picked our own activities and set out:
Petting sharks at the Marine Museum
Hiking up to Parson's Beach. It took 1 hour there and 1 hour back
Every year in America, scouting observes its birthday on 8 Feb. While I’m new to cub scouting, America is celebrating 105 years of rich scouting tradition.
So…without further ado: Happy Birthday Scouts!
I got involved in scouting when my husband’s work schedule was switched up and I had to be the parent who took Joe to his meetings. I soon discovered scouting was a lot of fun (even for parents!) and introduced a lot of great values to the boys – reverence for the country and God, respect, courage, outdoor skills, respect for the environment, and I could go on. Scouting really does promote a positive atmosphere for boys at an early age that they can carry forward in life.
Lord Baden-Powell
I have Lord Baden Powell to thank. His extraordinary vision began the scouting movement. He was a British officer who participated in the Boer War in the late 1800’s. Upon returning to England, he took 20 boys camping off the southern coast and scouting was born.
Baden Powell believed scouting built character, citizenship, physical fitness, spiritual, mental, and emotional strength. He wanted peace and believed that the values which promoted peace started with the young people of the world. He began a “cubbing” program in England in 1914 basing a lot of his cub scouting elements on Rudyard Kipling’s “Jungle Book.”
Scouting in America had its start when Chicago businessman William D. Boyce got lost in the fog in England. An unnamed boy scout did a ‘good turn’ and helped Boyce find his way to his destination.
William D. Boyce
Boyce was so impressed with the boy scout’s demeanor, he brought scouting to America. Upon his return from England, on 8 Feb 1910, Boyce incorporated the Boy Scouts of America.
“Cubbing” as it was called in America started in 1930, incorporating elements from Kipling’s “Jungle Book,” like “law of the pack,” “Akela,” “wolf,” “den,” and “pack” along with Native American elements such as “gold and silver arrow points,” “Webelos,” and “arrow of light.”
As I begin my cub scouting adventures, I’m learning a lot about scouting and what a dynamic program it is. It’s changed several times over the years as the decades have changed. Cub scouting was originally known as “Cubbing.” In 1945, it became “Cub Scouting.” As early as 1912, “Boy’s Life” magazine was the official magazine of the scouts. In 1967, “Webelos,” replaced the Lion rank and in 1976, women were allowed to become Cubmasters.
Nowadays you can find scouting in 190 countries. 8 Feb is the anniversary of scouting in the States. It’s also celebrated as Scout Sunday as approx.. 50 percent of charter organizations involved are churches, synagogues, and other religious organizations. Most Cub Scouting Packs host their Blue and Gold in February. The Blue & Gold banquet is intended to recognize the scouting anniversary in the U.S.
Me, Mr. Loo and Den 1
This year I attended the Blue and Gold as the full-fledged Den Leader of Den 1. It’s a bit overwhelming to think I’m in charge of 5 boys’ cub scouting adventures, but I hope to have fun and “teach” the boys without them realizing they’re “learning.” I introduced “Barry” the Bear (our den mascot) and made a Bear Board. I’ve planned several “go-see-its” including the Reagan Library, Castaic Lake, Mountain High for snow tubing, and a beach clean up at Carpentaria state beach. I hope to share the adventures with you as the year goes on!
Joe, as a Tiger Cub, helping to plant a tree
Question for you: Do you have a scout? Boy or girl? Are you involved in scouting? I’d love to hear from you.
Truth be told, I've got my fingers in too many
"pies." It's a wonder I still have curls in my hair, but when Joe's
den leader asked for an assistant and no one else volunteered, I started
feeling bad for the boys and raised my hand. After all, Cub Scouts is a big
adventure to a 6/7 year old. How
could I let my son down?
Being a Cub Scout assistant den leader has more pros than
cons. I love watching the boys grow and learn and have fun. There's always a
new adventure around the corner. My big stress is getting to the meetings on
time with everything I need.
Just recently the pack (We belong to Pack 40 out of
Valencia, CA) spent family cub weekend up at Camp Whitsett. The camp is up in
the Sequoias near the Kern River. Kernville is the nearest town. It takes a
good 3-3 ½ hours to get there.
We waited until the boys got out of school on Friday and
left at 4 pm., stopping for a dinner break. We arrived at 8:15 pm at Camp
Whitsett and signed in. We were staying at the Tillamook Camp. We found our way
over there, unrolled our sleeping bags on the cots and passed out. I got to
share a tent with Andrew, my 11-year-old. The tents are canvas and on a
slightly evaluated wooden platform with 2 cots. I really can't complain about
the sleeping arrangements. If anything, the porta-potty was a hike in the
middle of the night. Uncomfortable.
Our Tents
The staff that runs the family camp are very friendly and
helpful. We talked to a bunch while waiting in the Saturday morning breakfast
line. One lady helps because her son, now a teenager, wants to be there. It
just shows the positive influence of scouting in a boy's life, being outdoors,
doing things with your hands, learning skills that will last a life time. These
qualities resonate with a young boy and provide the building blocks for
responsibility, discipline, and leadership as they get older.
The staff provides the food under a big tent. This weekend
there were 400 people. For me, all the food was edible. I'm not a big
complainer. Joe ate the food which is fantastic considering he's the pickiest
boy I know. (Being a fond believer
in the zodiac, I just learned that Virgos can be picky eaters. Go figure. Joe
is all Virgo.)
Opening Flag Ceremony
After breakfast the boys participated in a flag ceremony.
Then we went back and changed into our Camp Whitsett t-shirts. We took Joe
fishing first, but the trout didn't nibble on his line and he lost patience.
After lunch we "tie-dyed" t-shirts and worked on beads. The boys
rushed off to BB guns while I finished the beads. I caught up to them on the
Archery range. The bow was as tall as Joe. He was a little tired, it being the
end of the day, but he did manage to hit a target or two with the instructor's
help. Afterwards, they let the adults shoot some arrows, so I got up and had a
go at it. The last time I shot a bow was in junior high (about 32 years ago)
and I forgot how much fun it was. After adjustments I was sticking it to the
target something fierce.
BB Gun Targets
Before dinner I played chess with the boys and I won. (It
was hard to lose) I used to play all the time when I was Andrew's age, not so
much since, but chess is like riding a bike – you never really forget once you
learn.
Joe at the archery range
After dinner, our group had clean up. I helped out in the
kitchen. Andrew was right at my side and I'm glad. He was always willing to get
his hands dirty. Afterwards, we crashed on the cots, totally pooped.
Me at the Archery range
My son, Joe, said the best part about the weekend was
spending time with his family. He also liked the BB guns.
Andrew and I loved the archery. Heck, I had fun tie-dying
the shirts too, but it's being outdoors that invigorates the soul - and watching
the smiles on the boys' faces.
A member of Generation X, Stephanie was born in Manchester, New Hampshire. After graduating from Central High, she joined the U.S. Army. She spent 11 years in the military, 7 stationed in Germany. While in the military she earned her B.S. in Political Science from California Baptist University in Riverside, CA in 1995. She left the Army in 1997 and settled in California. She now works for LAPD as a 911 Dispatcher. The New England Patriots are still her favorite football team. Stephanie has been married for over 19 years. She has two boys, Andrew, 8, and Joseph, 4.
