September 2000

Pocket Ceremony #2

(Prepare pockets of blue paper with different emblems on them ahead of time and hold up as each is referenced in speech).

Young boys and pockets--I don't think they can be separated. Pockets hold the treasures of lifetimes, a yo-yo, a shooter and four aggies, a few baseball cards, and a Canadian penny. When a boy walks home from school anything of interest goes in a pocket, stones, pine cones, nails, a rusty bolt. What neat stuff!

Unlike other boys' pockets, the pockets of the Cub Scout's uniform cannot only hold a lot of things, they are used to display a boy's accomplishments. Cub Scout achievements can be divided into four categories: God, Country, Family and Self.

A boy can earn separate awards for all these areas:

For God, he can earn the emblem of his faith;
For Country, the World Conservation Award;
For Family, the Cub Scout Family Award;
For Self, the camp, special events, and sports/academic program patches.

The most important part of this colorful shirt is the rank; Bobcat, Wolf, Bear, Webelos, and Arrow of Light. Tonight we have someone/boys who has/have earned…

Present awards to parents to give to boys.

Give boys and parents a round of applause for a job well done.

This is Cub Scouting

PERSONNEL: Six Cub Scouts parents, Cubmaster

EQUIPMENT: Candleholder made from cedar post or other wood, three blue and yellow candles, table.

ARRANGEMENT: Lights out, Cubmaster with six candles, three blue and three yellow , on a table. The six parents each light a candle and give their part of the ceremony.

PARENT 1: Some people think Cub Scouting is only for boys, but it isn't. Cub Scouting is for the family.

PARENT 2: Mothers and dads, as they work in Cub Scouting with their boys, are able to maintain their natural relationship with them, yet they come to see their boy's play and leisure in a new light. The Cub Scout advancement program ensures a closer boy-parent relationship.

PARENT 3: Cub Scouts are considerate of others. They promise "to help other people" and to do their best. When parents sign their boy's membership application, which is also a family contract, they take as their motto, "We will help our son do his best."

PARENT 4: Cub Scouting is the basic part of the three-phased Scout program for boys and girls of high school age. Each part is packed with challenges most appropriate to the age involved and leads to the next phase. Thus, when our Cub Scouts join the Webelos den and earn the Arrow of Light award they are prepared to enter Scouting with their joining requirements.

PARENT 5: Cub Scouting in all it's phases operates to strengthen the home - not to weaken it. You and your family will strengthen your home only by living, playing, and growing in it together.

PARENT 6: Your boy has only a few more years of boyhood left before he looks away from home for his principal interests. What you do together today is important. Tomorrow may be to late.

CUBMASTER: Will all parents pledge their support to Cub Scouting? Now join with the Cub Scouts in the Cub Scout sign and repeat the Cub Scout promise with me. " I (name). promise to do my best....."