Hello Everyone,
I hope you are all well. I wanted to pass on some information about the Pack’s Blue & Gold Banquet. I remember being new to the pack, not knowing what this banquet was and wondering why we didn’t have it at the end of the scout year since the term banquet implies a celebration at the end or beginning of something to me.
To clear up the mystery, the Blue & Gold Banquet is a celebration of the birthday of Cub Scouting (or Cubbing as it was originally called) which started in 1930. So this Blue & Gold Banquet is in celebration of Cub Scouting’s 86th birthday. Over the years, it became combined in with the Webelo II Den briding to Boy Scouts and many families assumed that it was a Webelo II Graduation. While the Webelos II den will be “graduating” to the Boy Scout Troop that night and that is certainly a big part of the night, it is also a birthday party for Cub Scouting.
In terms of your calendar, the Blue & Gold Banquet is set for Friday, March 4th. There is a series of events associated with the banquet. Some families come to all of the parts of the evening and some can only come to the banquet. Please do what works best for your family.
- At 5:30 PM, in the Mt Tabor UMC Sanctuary, there will be an Arrow of Light Ceremony. The Webelos II who have earned their Arrow of Light and/or the Cubmasters’ Award will receive their awards. The Webelo I den is asked to be charge of the Flag Ceremony.
- At 6:00 PM, the Boy Scout Troop will meet us in the Fellowship Hall for the Bridging Ceremony which means that the Webelos II will cross the bridge from the Pack to the Troop. They then become Raven Scouts.
- At 6:30 PM, or when those attending the Bridging arrive and are seated, the banquet will begin. Please note: The Pinewood Derby Awards will be given out at the Banquet as well.
I think it is helpful for the younger boys to be able to see what they will be doing as they progress in Cub Scouts and where the “trail” leads so if it is possible for the younger boys to see some of the early ceremonies, please bring them.
This year, we would really like to bring out the birthday party theme for the boys. With a pack our size, we will need lots of help. Thank you to those of you who have already spoken with me about helping with Blue & Gold Night. However, we will need more help. Here is the way the tasks are broken down to prepare for the event and for Night of the actual Event:
- Webelos II – Plans the night, works with the dens on their parts of the night & everything else
- Webelos I – Flag Ceremony at the Arrow of Light/Cubmaster Award Ceremony, Serves the food & clean up (everyone needs to help with this)
- Bears – Decorations and Check in to the banquet
- Tigers & Wolves – Games and Dessert Competition
Please click here for the Blue & Gold invitation form, please fill out and return to the sign up table. I had some of these out on the sign up table last Tuesday. Please note: there is a charge to attend the banquet, we charge to recover part of the cost of the food only.
We would love to have you and your family attend. Please come, enjoy the party and say goodbye to your Webelo II friends.
Please email me back if you want to volunteer to help get ready for this event, we will be grateful for whatever scrap of time you can give us.
“Many hands make light work.” – John Heywood
Take care-
Shannon