Vista-Lewisboro Pack 101 Cub Scouts Celebrated the Boy Scout Crossing Over, The Arrow of Light, Webelos and Bobcat Badge Ceremonies During Their Blue and Gold Dinner Last Week
Vista-Lewisboro Pack 101 Cub Scouts Celebrated their Blue and Gold Dinner while holding the Boy Scout Crossing Over Ceremony, The Arrow of Light and Webelos Ceremony and Bobcat Badge Award last week at Meadow Pond Elementary School with a packed room of scouts and proud parents, said Adam Wiles, Cubmaster for the Pack.
Westchester-Putnam Council Commissioner Leonard Arcuri, who has served the scouts for six decades and Former Cubmaster Rob Gorman attended the event, as well as other dignitaries from the Council and Troop 101 Boy Scouts and Leaders.
“It was a great night for our local cub scout pack. We have a strong group of scouts working through their requirements to earn badges, while learning scouting and life skills and having a good time all along,” said Wiles. “Our volunteer leaders make it all possible and we owe them a debt of gratitude.”
The Blue and Gold Dinner is a time to celebrate The Boy Scouts of America and Scouts and their families. During this important event cub scouts receive their Merit Badges they have earned up to this point.
Niles Sood, whose brother, Neel, made Eagle Scout at age 14, not only crossed over to the Boy Scouts in the Crossing Over Ceremony, but also earned the prestigious Arrow of Light badge.
The younger Sood, age 10, had some profound words to say prior to his crossing over, “Our character is tested in many different ways every day - at school, at home and in the community. We would not have some of the problems in our community today if more young people were active in quality programs like Scouting. First and foremost, being in scouting has instilled in me new confidence to lead, and important values such as to be patient, to be responsible, to be helpful and kind and to be resourceful. I am picked for every game at school recess because I simply get along with everyone.”
The highest rank in Cub Scouting is the Arrow of Light Award. Earning this rank prepares a Webelos Scout to become a Boy Scout. Webelos Scouts who have earned the Arrow of Light Award have also completed all requirements for the Boy Scout badge. This award is the only Cub Scout badge that can be worn on the Boy Scout uniform when a boy graduates into a troop. Adult leaders who earned the Arrow of Light Award when they were young may also show their achievement by wearing a special square knot on their adult uniform.
The Arrow of Light ceremony included the lighting of ceremonial candles. The blue candle represents experiences as Cub Scouts. The white one reveals a bright new trail ahead filled with many thrilling Boy Scout experiences. The yellow candle is to remind a scout that a little work, along with good hearty fun, can produce rich rewards. In addition to the prestigious Arrow of Light badge, Niles also received an actual 4 feet long arrow representing the cross-over.
His mother, Sheetal Sood, Webelos 2 Den Leader and Committee Chair, said, “It's great to see cub scouts continuing their scouting journey. I am so proud of them and wish them nothing but success and glory as they become boy scouts.”
The Crossing Over Ceremony honors Sr. Webelos who have completed their Cub Scout requirements and have made the decision, with their families, to Crossover into Boy Scouts. This is the culmination of cub scouting and a very proud moment for both Scouts and Scout Families.
Will Bongiorno, Theodore Worner, Ian Potter and Blake DiMatteo earned their Bobcat Badges for fulfilling their requirements and several earned their Tiger requirement belt loops. Tigers are first graders.
The Bobcat Ceremony acknowledges the positive decision young scouts have made to join Cub Scouts and share in the adventure, learn scout skills and the principles of scouting.
Tiger Den Leader Bill Bongiorno said, “I’m so proud of all the boys for earning their badges and loops. I’ve gotten to know them over the last several months and they are fine boys.”
He continued, “A highlight of the scout year has been the Pinewood Derby, where scouts make their own cars to race. It was priceless for me and something I’ll remember forever, being able to race my own Pinewood Derby car from my cub scouts days against my son’s car. He’s already making designs for next year and said he wants us to race our cars against his son’s some day.”
Jeremy Tubbs, the Lions Den Leader, awarded his den their stickers for making their requirements, as well as their Bobcat Badges. This is the first year the Scouts had a Lion’s Den. This is for kindergarten age children.
Members of the Pack will be spending the night aboard the Intrepid Aircraft Carrier in New York, May 19. They will also be cabin camping at Durland Boy Scout Reserve June 2-3.
The final pack event for the season will be the advancement ceremony and campout June 16-17, where cub scouts that have met their requirements will receive their den badges and join their new den for next year.
“We welcome new scouts each Fall in September. We have a booth at the Lewisboro Library Fair each summer and last year we rented a climbing wall,” said the Cubmaster. “We invite the local community to come out and see what scouting is all about.”
The purpose of the Boy Scouts of America--incorporated on February 8, 1910, and chartered by Congress in 1916--is to provide an educational program for boys and young adults to build character, to train in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and to develop personal fitness.
Scouting’s purpose is directed toward helping youth become happy, healthy, positively contributing citizens. Through recreation, Scouting achieves its purpose of helping young people develop physically, intellectually, socially, and spiritually. Scouting is all about building confidence and self-esteem, learning important life skills and leadership skills, team building, outdoor adventure, education, and fun! Scouts learn how to make good choices and to take responsibility for their actions so that they are prepared for their adult life as independent persons.
For more information on the Westchester Boy Scouts, visit: http://www.wpcbsa.org
For more information on the Vista-Lewisboro Pack 101, visit: https://vista101.mypack.us
Contact:
Adam Wiles, Vista-Lewisbro Pack 101 Cubmaster, 914-356-2057 or adamjwiles@gmail.com
Bill Bongiorno, Tiger Den Leader, 914-882-5594 or bill@bluechippr.com