Some of the best things about Cub Scouting are the activities that scouts get to do: camping, hiking, racing model cars, going on field trips, or doing projects that help your hometown and the people who live there. Here are descriptions of the larger activities that our pack participates in each year. You may also find additional information on these by clicking on the links on the left side of the page.
Pinewood Derby
Parent and son work together to build a gravity-powered miniature race car from a special kit. We have a Pack Derby which consists of “Group Qualifiers” and the “Pack Championship”. The top three finishers from each Group Qualifier compete for the Pack Championship. The Two Rivers District of the Lincoln Trails Council sponsors a Pinewood Derby at the Village Square Mall. Competition at that Derby is based on age group as well.
Blue and Gold Banquet
Our Pack hosts a pot-luck dinner for this event. The Pack provides the meat and tableware and each family is requested to bring a side dish or dessert. We usually celebrate at this event with a special program. This year, the dens were asked to sing and act out a skit at the banquet. We also have our annual Friends of Scouting Appeal at this event.
Scouting for Food
This food drive is held each year to benefit local food pantries. It is part of a nation-wide program of the BSA to help feed the hungry. We distribute bags one Saturday morning and then return to collect them on the following Saturday.
Pack Camp-Outs
We hold two campouts each year at Camp Kick-A-Poo at Lake Sara, one in the fall and one in the winter. The boys participate in a variety of activities, including nature walks, story-telling, cookouts, fishing, and other sporting activities.
Cub Scout Day Camp
The Two Rivers District of the Lincoln Trails Council provides a two-day camp for Cub Scouts. Special activities include BB guns, archery, and crafts. This camp is usually held at the Sportsman Club near Lake Sara in Effingham. Siblings are welcomed to participate in some of the camp activities (excluding BB guns and archery).
Overnight Camps
The Lincoln Trails Council provides several overnight camping activities at Rhodes France Scout Reservation in Pana, IL. Special activities at these camps include catapults (during the fall camp-out), crafts, BB guns, archery, swimming (during the summer camp-out), and more. The fall campout, known as Spook-o-Ree is planned as a family event and siblings are welcomed to participate in many of the camp activities (excluding BB guns and archery).
Trail’s End Popcorn “FUN”draiser
This is our annual fundraiser for the pack. Thus far, we have been able to avoid charging additional Pack dues (aside from the Registration fee charged by the Council) because of the success of our Scouts in selling popcorn. Each Scout is encouraged to sell as much popcorn as possible and then is rewarded for doing so with various opportunities to earn prizes based on the total amount sold. Each scout who fills up an entire order form gets to throw a pie at the Cubmaster.