All Pack 843 Cub Scouts and their families are invited to attend this annual celebration of Cub Scouting!  We will be recognizing the achievements and advancements within the Pack, as well as celebrating the Arrow of Light scouts crossing over into Scouts BSA!  Eating together is a great way to build fellowship and encourage team building so, we would like you to come and enjoy a small meal with your Den, Pack and BSA Troops.  

We ask that scouts be in full uniform for this event.  If you need help with your scouting uniform please reachout

Additionally the  Classy Cobra Patrol (Our AOLs) with the help of our Webelos  invite you to explore scouting around the world in a short program that will allow scouts of all ages to explore what scouting looks like in other places in the world.  The scouts are researching and designing a presentation for you.   If you would like to help us celebrate scouting around the world please bring a dessert that you love and a note card about it in the world it originates from, any significance or traditions and what the ingredients are in it. 

Pack 843 Blue and Gold Celebration – February 25, 2024 at Oakdale Community Center from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm   Ticket prices are as follows: 

• $5 for Adults and Scout Troop Members
• $3 for Cub Scouts and children ages 5 and up.
• Pack 843 Arrow of Light scouts and children 4 or under are FREE 

To purchase tickets, please use this link to sign up and make your payment or use a paper copy, available from your den leader.

Please complete your sign up to let us know you’ll attend by February 22!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSddy_Vfb_2RvbHrf6x3iJv9VeQcKrKJTAoCKgWVYpk0VGTrZw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Pack 843’s Pinewood Derby will be held on Saturday, January 20 at Crossroad Church, 1120 Boyce Rd. in Upper St. Clair. Please see the schedule below for your scout’s race time. Please plan to arrive 10-15 minutes before your race time. The race schedule is organized like this:

9:00 AM AOL (Fifth Grade)

9:15 AM Webelo I (Fourth Grade)

10:00 AM Bear (Third Grade)

11:00 AM Wolf (Second Grade)

12:45 PM Tiger (First Grade)

1:45 PM Lion (Kindergarten))

2:45 PM Winner Race – Championships!

Weigh in will occur Friday, January 19 from 7-8 PM. Bring your completed car to make sure they are in accordance with the rules, be dropped off, and officially entered in the race roster.  If you are not available at that date and time, please make arrangements with another scout to bring your car. All cars must be at the weigh-in in order to race!

Information about the rules and regulations for the Pinewood Derby can be found here:

http://pack843.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/pinewood_derby_rules_2024.doc

To help prepare for this, we are hosting two build nights at the Oakdale Community Center. We will help communicate how the event works, discuss rules, and help you transform your block of wood to the car of your dreams. So come with your imagination! We will meet two evenings, from 6:30 – 8:00 PM to help you build:

Wednesday December 27

Wednesday January 10

The Oakdale Community Center is located at:

104 Seminary Ave.

Oakdale PA 15071

https://maps.app.goo.gl/TBvF8cejb9VQyuyw8

Feel free to reach out to Cubmaster Jon Spink at jon.spink@gmail.com with any questions regarding the Pinewood Derby race or these build nights.

Get out of the house this winter at Heritage Reservation’s Cub Scout Winter Weekends! Cub Scouts and their families are invited to join us for a weekend of fun and friends. Have some with outdoor STEM activities too!

Our pack will stay in the Potomac Homes overlooking Lake Courage at Camp Independence. Cafeteria style meals are provided in our dining area at Pathfinder Lodge. Come with your personal gear and enjoy winter with its exciting program features. Choose from several weekends – each of which is open to Scouts from any Pack. Winter Weekends at Heritage Reservation are a tremendous opportunity for Cub Scouts and their families to enjoy a fun-filled day in the great outdoors while experiencing the beauty of winter.

Day passes are available for those families that wish to come up for the day and enjoy the winter fun!

Siblings welcome!

Program Features

• Shooting Sports (BB, Archery, Giant Slingshots)
• STEM Activities
• Games
• Nature Hikes
• Saturday evening campfire for Full Weekend Participants

Activities are subject to change. Should there be sufficient snow, some activities may be switched out for sledding and/or snowshoeing.  All needed equipment is provided. 

Our council’s camp is in the Laurel Highlands at:

Camp Independence

300 Heritage Rd

Farmington, Pennsylvania 15437

https://maps.app.goo.gl/gpbhkQYhn5Kbsti89

The cost is $130 per person for the full weekend. Day passes are available to come up on Saturday for $40 for youth and $20 for adults.

Please reach out to Jon Spink at jon.spink@gmail.com with any questions and to pay for your spot and ensure that medical forms and adult clearances are in order.

All participants will need to complete health forms, parts A and B:

https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/HealthSafety/pdf/680-001_AB.pdf

Here’s a packing list for the weekend:

https://scoutingevent.com/Download/52724317/OR/WW_Packing_List.pdf

Our pack has a table at the school holiday market on December 8 from 4:00 – 8:00 and December 9 from 10:00 – 2:00. Please sign up to volunteer at the table for an hour to help sell the crafts we have made.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040E4AADA72CA0FB6-46044782-holiday#/

Happy Holidays!

All of our scouts and the families are invited to join our December pack meeting, the Holiday Party!  We will have a pot luck style meal and activities planned by the Bears. This will be Friday, December 15, at 6:30pm in the Elementary School cafeteria.  PLEASE sign up on the sign up sheet and note what you will be bringing!  Please note the number of attendees under the ‘Item Quantity’. We encourage families to bring any unique or special family/cultural recipes!  Because of this, we are not assigning anyone a type of dish to bring – so bring something to share with our fellow scouts!

The signup sheet is here:

Please sign up to come out and help the Pack make crafts on Nov. 29 from 6-8. We will meet at the South Fayette Fire Station on Millers Run Rd. The address is: 661 Millers Run Rd, Cuddy, PA 15031

https://maps.app.goo.gl/NPWfgRyeqqkQBFb69

We have a table at the school holiday mart this year, to show that we are a part of the community and to sell crafts for students to buy for their families and friends. Please come out and help the pack and help out the school that does so much for us!
The sign up sheet is here:
https://pack843.org/sign-ups/?sheet_id=207

Thanks for coming out and having fun at our monthly Pack meeting and Tent or Treat. The scouts received their advancements they have been earning with their dens and got to make a pumpkin craft, set up and decorate a tent, and go trick or treating! And the rain didn’t deter us!

Our October Pack Meeting will be held at the Rotary Pavilion in Fairview Park on October 29th from 1-3PM. Dens will gather at 1PM to build and decorate their tents, then the Scouts will parade through the tents collecting candy provided by the Pack. Scouts can have fun doing a pumpkin craft. Scouts and siblings are invited to wear a costume to this event.

In addition to Tent and Treat, 2024 dues will be collected so parents and guardians of returning Scouts, don’t forget your checkbook to renew your scout’s membership for this year. Once your Scout’s dues are paid, they will receive their Pinewood Derby kit. The Pinewood Derby will be held in January, so get your kit early so you have plenty of time to work on it. Please note, it you have a new Scout who just signed up in September or October, you will only owe us the Pack fee, as you have already paid your national and council fees with your application, so please remember to pick up your Scout’s Pinewood Derby car at this Pack Meeting.

Please sign up with scouts and siblings planning on attending so we have an estimate of how many will attend. We ask that you volunteer to bring a package of non-candy treats, trinkets, or drinks. Please also sign up with what treats you will be contributing. The sign up page is https://pack843.org/sign-ups/?sheet_id=206

The Cub-Out is the 2023 Cub Scout Event for all new and existing Cub Scouts in the Laurel Highlands Council.  The event will take place at Camp Independence, Heritage Scout Reservation on Saturday, September 30^th.  Cub Scouts and their families will participate in several different stations throughout the day, including fishing, shooting sports, nature, crafts, rocket launches, a Lego Pinewood Derby and so much more!

Registration begins at 9:00 AM.  Program stations run from 9:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M.  Families can purchase lunch at the event for a small fee, or may bring their own lunch.  New Scouting Parents will have the opportunity to learn more about Scouting during lunch in the Independence dining hall.  This day offers fun for the whole family!    

Please register with the council at

https://scoutingevent.com/527-73035-179607

Please also sign up on our page, so I can coordinate everyone participating with our pack: Pack Signup

Last night, the scouts from our pack joined with many others from our council to enjoy a night at the ballpark! We saw the Washington Wild Things win the game and then got to sleepover on the field at the stadium. We didn’t get much sleep, but had a great time! I hope everyone can come join us for this event next year!