Cub Scouts Pack 942 ended its spring like everybody else this year — a socially distant drive-through ceremony to celebrate their accomplishments.
On May 30, the pack set up in front of St. Luke United Methodist Church — its charter organization and the site of its regular pack meetings pre-COVID-19 — where Cubmaster Stefanie Twist had the honor of replacing the Scouts’ neckerchief and slides (they used more 200-plus feet of paracord and spent hours at home to get this accomplished) and handed out belt loops and supplies for the interactive “crossover ceremony” later that night. Twist and her son, Zachary, also handed out awards on site.
That night, the pack held a virtual campout and had a competition to see which Scout had the best blanket. Several adult volunteers and den leaders gave interactive talks about the different activities they would normally experience hands-on during a campout, such as fire building and safety, first aid, knot-tying, camp site hazards and set up and meal prep.
“We wanted to ensure that the Scouts felt their efforts to complete activities and earn belt loops was noticed and acknowledged,” said Twist. “Through donations from leadership within the pack, we were able to get every Scout who ranked up to the next level a sign to put in their front yard, congratulating them for their achievements.”
Volunteers Melanie Jacobs and Allison Fulcher delivered 36 signs in all across the county.
The local Cub Scouts pack canceled all in-person meetings and events back in March, but the learning didn’t stop. Scouts still received special patches, were sent vegetable seeds to grow at-home gardens, and were encouraged to reuse toilet paper tubes from various STEM projects. Some Scouts painted them and made sculptures, while others turned theirs into plant starters for their seeds.
“We really wanted to make sure all of our Scouts felt their accomplishments and activities meant something,” Twist added. “Scouting is a great opportunity for kids to learn about STEM activities and have fun with with friends —even if virtually — and it opens up a world of different view points and diversity. We have boys and girls in our Pack and Scouts BSA. We also have a female scout, Kaitlyn Macon, who is preparing to work on her Eagle. She would likely be one of the first girls in the Occoneechee Council, if not possibly in the state of North Carolina, to earn Eagle.”
