Five earned the highest achievement in Cub Scouts, the Arrow of Light, before bridging over to join Scouts BSA Troop 334.

It was a night of explosions and fire.

On Friday, May 19, 2023, in Westminster Hall of Leverington Chruch, Cub Scout Pack 334 held its annual Blue and Gold celebration. There was music and food, a slideshow, traditions and ceremony, a few tears, big words, roaring laughter, and many awards. By the end, five Cub Scouts, who had been with Pack 334 for years, earned their Arrow of Light and bridged to become Scouts in Troop 334.

Organized by the Leadership of Pack 334, the annual event included all Cub Scouts in the Pack, parents, family, and friends. The room was packed, spirits were high, and the candles were bright.

Setup & Welcome

The setup crew started arriving around 4:00 p.m. to turn the hall at Leverington Church into a magical space festooned with blue and gold decorations. Committee Treasurer Jeff Wong and Jim McHale got to work on the grills to have the food hot and ready, and when one of the grills failed, Jeff and Jim were resilient as ever; backup plans were created on the fly, and dinner was ready with just the briefest of delays.

By 6:30 p.m., families started to arrive and were greeted with a slideshow and music prepared by Den Leader Sarah Winchowky. As the food came off the grill, families were able to fill their plates and sit together to enjoy a BBQ-style dinner while the slideshow played on the big screen.

Around 7:20 p.m., the formal portion of the evening began with Assistant Cubmaster Kym Williams leading all in the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by Cubmaster Adrian Hoppel conducting a candle-lighting ceremony for the Scout Law using the “Scout alter” that Troop 334 has used for special events for many decades.

Cubmaster Adrian and Assistant Cubmaster Kym guided the Pack through the program, which was interspersed with a “commercial” from Den Leader Sarah asking for more parent involvement, a “commercial” from Den Leader Ken reviewing our big plans for next year, and a special announcement from Assistant Cubmaster Kym. Although it was a serious night, Assitant Cubmaster Fury Colubriale kept things fun and lighthearted with various dramatic gadgets and contraptions, starting with an air-powered confetti cannon.

Awards and Recognition

The awards included trophies for success at this year’s Pinewood Derby, both required and elective Adventure awards, and even some extraordinary awards earned by Ezra W. (Shooting Sports Award for Archery and BB Gun for Bear Scouts, and Cub Scout World Conservation Emblem). Cubmaster Adrian also had all the adult volunteer leaders step forward to receive a certificate of appreciation.

After awards were handed out, we had a moment of ranking up for each Den. One den at a time was called up to stand behind their flag, Scouts along with their parent/adult, and as their current den flag was replaced by their new den flag, their parent/adult removed their current neckerchief and replaced it with their new den neckerchief.

Next, our oldest den came forward with their parent/adult, and each scout was awarded the highest achievement in Cub Scouts, the Arrow of Light. The Arrow of Light is the culmination of the Cub Scout Advancement Trail and is the only rank or award earned in Cub Scouts that can be worn as a member of Scouts BSA.

As Leadership reorganized the stage for our main event, Assistant Cubmaster Fury entertained the room with his air-powered hand-shaped balloon explosions.

Bridging Over

Finally, with all awards and achievements recognized, it was time to bid farewell to our oldest Cub Scouts and cheer them on as they undertook the ceremony to become Scouts BSA Troop 334 members.

With their parent/adult, each Cub Scout had their neckerchief and shoulder loops removed, then crossed a bridge on the stage, and was received on the other side by Scoutmaster David Craighead and Assistant Scoutmaster Bill Dunn, who placed on their new Scouts BSA neckerchief and shoulder loops.

Once all five Cub Scouts became BSA Troop 334 members, it was time for cake!

As is tradition, Assistant Cumaster Fury set up a display on top of the cake to demonstrate fire safety while camping, resulting in half the cake being burned away.

We were, however, prepared for this outcome, thanks to a helpful reminder from Assistant Cubmaster Fury’s wife, Cheryl, about how his cake presentation often ruins a bit of the cake; we followed her advice and had four dozen freshly made blue and gold cupcakes and lots of other treats on standby.

After some closing remarks from Cubmaster Adrian and Scoutmaster Dave, as well as the Scoutmaster’s Benediction given by Scoutmaster Dave, we were about to end the night when Assistant Cubmaster Fury reminded us all that we still had some “paperwork” to do…

The Scouting Trail is a Circle

The celebration was a great end to a great year of Scouting. We wish our five departing Cub Scouts all the best as they go forward on the Trail to Eagle. We will miss them, we will remember them, and our freshly minted Arrow of Light Den will work hard to follow in their footsteps.

Scouting is about tradition, and Blue and Gold is a great tradition in Cub Scouts, a bittersweet night that bids farewell to Cub Scouts who are ready for bigger challenges while recognizing younger scouts as they move up.

Many of our leaders once completed their own bridging ceremony as Cub Scouts and then earned their Eagle Scout as Boy Scouts, then returned to give back to Scouting as adult volunteers. We hope to see the same from these young Scouts as they continue on the Scouting trail.

The circle of Scouting continues.

— Adrian Hoppel, Cubmaster, Pack 334

Note: a special thank you to all of the adult volunteers who worked with me to help to make this past year so special, including Ken Carmichael, Fury Colubriale, Dave Craighead, Bill Dunn, Janet McHale, Jim McHale, Jason Ovens, Kym Williams, Sarah Winchowky, and the heart and soul of Pack 334, Jeff Wong.

Pack 334 Back in the Field

Almost four years had passed since the last time Cub Scout Pack 334 spent a weekend camping under the stars. Back then, our now-oldest Cub Scouts, those about to earn their Arrow of Light award and bridge over into Scouts BSA, were barely Wolf Scouts, and many of our current Cub Scouts weren’t even in the Pack at all.

It had been a while. For Scouts wearing the 334 patches on their sleeve, from Lion Cubs to Eagle Scouts to Leaders: we camp. It was time to get the Cubs back in the field.

So, though our gear was dusty, and our tents were musty, our hearts were on fire to return to our roots, and from May 5th through May 7th, the Pack set up camp at Knoebels Campground in Elysburg, PA.

The weekend was spectacular. After a surprisingly cold Friday night, the weather was absolutely gorgeous all weekend. Spirits were high, and though some faces had changed since our last camping trip, the Pack fell right back into our Scouting good habits and ran a fantastic camp.

Our program began Saturday morning, though families could come and set up Friday night if they wished. Many of our families did just that, and most arrived after dark. Undeterred, tents went up quickly, and eventually, everyone settled in for what turned into a rather cold night.

As the dawn broke on Saturday morning, we were treated to a greeting from a wide variety of birds, including a particularly loud crow who seemed bent on ensuring we were all awake by 5:30 a.m. Leaders got up and, with their breath steaming in the still frigid air, set up the rest of the Pack area. By 11 a.m., all families had arrived and set up, and we kicked off the day with a brief meeting and snack and then a hike into Knoebels amusement park.

One of our Den Leaders, Ken, led the hike through and around the park and included lots of history about the park and the various custom rides. By the time the park opened at noon, excitement was high.

This weekend at Knoebles was part of the park’s “Scout Days,” a special set of days where Scouts could purchase discounted day passes to ride unlimited rides and receive a commemorative patch. Our Scouts spent the day roaming the park and riding the rides with each other, with many families taking advantage of the many options inside the park for lunch and dinner.

The park closed at 7 p.m., and as weary Scouts and their families wandered back to the park, a campfire was already roaring, and everything was set for one of the essential parts of any 334 camping trip: cracker-barrel and s’mores.

We kept the fire going for several hours and roasted dozens of marshmallows; adults provided lots of advice on how to perfectly roast a marshmallow while many Scouts burned their to a blackened crisp because they “like them that way.”

It was a clear night, with a sky full of stars and a full moon; the campfire was crackling, Scouts were laughing in the shadows, and for the first time in several years, Cub Scouts felt normal.

On Sunday morning, with the temperature a bit warmer than the day before, Leaders got up early and got the kitchen fired up for a big breakfast. Coffee and hot water for tea went on first, and then leadership got to work. Sarah made fresh pancakes — plain, blueberry, or chocolate chip — while Adrian fried sausage links. The serving table had fresh fruit, bagels, cream cheese, butter, syrup, orange juice, milk, and PB&J as a backup.

After breakfast, families helped break down camp and could participate in any of the local religious services before heading home or spending a few more hours riding rides in the park.

It was an incredibly successful and fun weekend, and leadership took many lessons learned in both the planning process and the camping process. We want to continue to be better and what we do, and one thing we want to do a lot more next year is camp.

A special thanks to the leaders that joined me this weekend — Den Leaders Ken and Sarah — and to all the parents who came out and helped make is a great trip. Getting back to camping was a big initiative of our leaders, and Assistant Cubmaster Kym and Den Leader Ken have been working on this trip since last fall. Also thanks to the Pack Committee for all the help planning the details, and to our Treasurer and former Cubmaster Jeff for the sage advice and the gear (especially the portable camp grill!).

As we begin wrapping up this Scout year with our Blue & Gold next week, we will roll right into the planning meetings for next year. We have some details to sort out, but one thing you can be sure of is this: Cub Scout Pack 334 will be camping several times next year!

Cub Scout Pack 334 is Calling All 1st to 5th Grade Boys

Local Roxborough Cub Scout Pack 334 (Philadelphia, PA) will be hosting an Open House for the community on Friday, September 22, 2017, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Stop by to learn about the exciting year we have planned and find out if Scouting is right for your son. There will be snacks and games and activities for all who attend, and parents will have a dedicated space to speak with our Cubmaster and have all of your questions answered.

Why Cub Scouts?

Your son can join our active and well-established Cub Scout pack, where he’ll have the opportunity to participate in games, activities, camping, hiking, arts & crafts, leadership opportunities, service projects, and more.

You’ll have the opportunity to see your son grow and interact with other boys his age, to watch him celebrate new achievements, and witness him develop a sense of teamwork and belonging.

Cub Scouting with Pack 334 is for boys in the first through fifth grades, or 7 to 10 years of age. Boys who are older than 10, or who have completed the fifth grade, can no longer join Cub Scouting, but they may be eligible to join our Boy Scouting program.

Open House

Location: Leverington Presbyterian Church, 6301 Ridge Avenue (across from Gorgas Park)
Date & Time: Friday, September 22, 2017 at 7:00 p.m.
Questions: Contact Cubmaster Jeff Wong with any questions at (267) 738-4026 or jeffrey.k.wong@L3T.com