Arrow of Light

Way back in August at the end of the summer

before he turned 11 Jack graduated from Cub Scouts!

He earned his Arrow of Light, the highest rank

given in Cub Scouts. He also received a special "20" patch

to put on his uniform for earning all 20 awards

available to earn as a Webelo. He'll spend the next year as an

11-year-old scout (formerly Blazer scout) before

becoming a Boy Scout when he

turns 12, because that's the way the church does it.

He's well on his way to becoming an Eagle Scout like his dad.

Each troop has their own way to award the Arrow of Light.

In our Pack the tradition is a face painting ceremony

used to illustrate an accompanying legend told of

a Native American boy becoming a brave.

I painted Jack's face while our Cub Master told the story.

Jack with his patches and a celebratory arrow

given him by our Cub Master.

The Arrow of Light patch is the only patch

that moves to the Boy Scout uniform with the scout.

Jack with mom and dad making

his final appearance in his Cub Scout uniform

showing his accomplishments over the past three years.

Then the following month found me picking

all of those patches off of Jack's old uniform,

and switching the Webelo's kerchief

out for a regular Cub Scout one because

in September Henry became our newest Cub Scout!

Last week was his first pack meeting

Henry leading his den and the audience in the Cub Scout Promise

another (den 768?) Cub Scout tradition -

when the new cub earns his bobcat pin

dad holds him upside down while

mom pins the pin on - when the

cub does a good deed he can turn the pin

around so it is facing the right side up

Henry with dad and mom

and his biggest fans Grandma and Grandpa

dad helping Henry out with a pack meeting

activity - making a tom tom drum while

learning about Native American cultures

Next year Jed will become a Cub Scout, and we'll be

in with him for three more years. That means

I'll have been a Cub Scout parent for seven years in a row.

Good thing this is a program we really believe in!