Did you know that scouting doesn’t end with Cub Scouts? Once a scout reaches eleven years old or fifth grade, they can join a Scouts BSA Troop. The transition from a Pack to a Troop is celebrated in a Bridging Ceremony, so named because traditionally the scout walks across a bridge between the two units.
The Bridging Ceremony typically takes place in the early spring, and is a joint effort between the Pack and whichever Troops the scouts have chosen.
It is up to each scout and their family to choose which Troop they will bridge to, as different Troops have a different focus, preferences, and, of course, meeting location. Troops chosen by members of Pack 8 in the past include: Troop 8, Troop 201, Troop 350, Troop 94, and Troop 95.
In this picture, Den 4 (2014-2019) poses with their den leader before bridging to various Troops.
Kevin White joined Pack 8 with his Daughter in the fall of 2018. He started his leadership role as an Assistant Den Leader and now serves as Den Leader for Den 8 and as Assistant Cubmaster. His prior scouting experience was when he himself was a Cubscout around 1985. He has fond memories of these times and wants to share them with his two scouts. Liza, 8, will be a Bear this year (2020) and her sister Charlie, 5, will begin the program as a Lion. Kevin is specialist in mapping and geospatial information. His career has allowed his family to live in very interesting places including 5 years in interior Alaska. His favorite things about Cubscouts is that it shows kids that things don’t have to be on a screen to be fun and interesting and that it provides opportunities to do interesting activities as a family
When did you join Pack 8? August 2019, when our oldest joined as a Tiger Cub.
What scouting experience did you have before volunteering? I joined Boy Scouts in fifth grade and finished as an Eagle Scout with weeks to spare. Kia Kima Scout Reservation in Hardy, Arkansas was my favorite (summer) camp, where I really enjoyed the Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience (COPE) high ropes courses, canoeing the Spring River, and was the 1995 Freak (of Nature) of the Week. I’m an Ordeal member of the Order of the Arrow.
What is your current role with Pack 8? Wolf Den Leader, and possible rotating Lion Den Leader.
How long have you had this role? I’m new to the Wolves this year; I moved up with my Tiger. Helping with Lions is new this year (and could be dizzying).
What previous roles have you had and for how long? I held several leadership positions in my scout troop, but Quartermaster was my favorite. I was briefly a Jr. Assistant Scoutmaster with my old troop before I started college and forgot when meetings were. After that, I took a brief 20-year hiatus before serving as Tiger Den Leader (2019-2020) for Pack 8. It was a fun, weird year.
How many Cub Scouts are you raising? Two (a Wolf and a Lion). They are getting heavy, so I should set them down somewhere.
Something interesting about you?
I was mistaken as an Elvis impersonator once, and it earned me a free lunch. If you don’t know who Elvis is, ask your parents (or grandparents).
I am an Eagle Scout, like my father before me.
Favorite part of being in Pack 8? Post-meeting snacks. After that, it’s helping kids to learn and live the Scout Law.
I have a malformed seriousness gland, and I can provide a doctor’s note if needed.
Earlier this year the BSA announced that for the first time ever, girls would be allowed to join the Cub Scouts. What is your reaction to this announcement? Pack 8 will be hosting an open house in March for parents to discuss the BSA’s announcement and voice their opinions regarding how Pack 8 should move forward. If you have questions, please review the information and watch the videos at these links:
Packs could have girl dens and boy dens, but not coed dens.
Packs could remain all boy and not serve girls.
A new all-girl pack could be started.
At the Boy Scout level, troops will not be integrated. A Chartered Organization may choose to sponsor an all-girl Troop that would share the same Committee, but have separate Scoutmaster, Asst. Scoutmaster, etc.
Congratulations to our 2018 winners!! All of these are eligible to participate at the Talakto District Pinewood Derby on March 10, 2018. The top three Scouts in Speed and Looks will receive trophies at our Blue & Gold Banquet on March 3, 2018.
The theme for this year’s Madison Christmas Parade was “The Sights and Sounds of Christmas”. Of course our chimney again played a prominent role in the design, flanked by two artificial trees. The big additions this year were a giant plywood tree, complete with decorations, and a detailed, hand-painted gingerbread house. Coming from the chimney of the gingerbread house floated bubbles filled with smoke – our interpretation of snow. Elf hats were available for the boys, but the night was so bitterly cold that most opted to wear a beanie.
For the 4th year running we were pleased to receive the Mayor’s Large Float Award.
Jennifer White joined the Pack 8 leadership as Committee Secretary in 2017. If you know her, remind her to send her bio and a picture to the webmaster…
Our Night Owl program began on Friday evening in the Croft Center at the Nashville Zoo. After everyone had arrived, our leaders, Kelly and Danielle, went over the itinerary and the rules. Our first activity was exploring the Unseen New World – the area where we would actually be sleeping later that night. Scouts, siblings, and adults enjoyed exploring and learning about the various fish, reptiles, and insects that inhabited the exhibit. The Unseen New World also houses the bird aviary, but they were asleep and not to be disturbed.
Poison dart frogs in the Unseen New World
When we had finished exploring, we returned to our classroom in the Croft Center for a time of learning (all about endangered animals and bird migration patters), crafts (DIY fossils), games (the scouts got to be migratory birds), and snack (goldfish and lemonade).
Scouts making their fossils
Then we bundled up (just a little), and grabbed our flashlights for a night walk in the zoo. Kelly instructed everyone to turn our flashlights off and we found that there was plenty of ambient light for us to find our way. Near the Meercat exhibit we stopped for a “magic trick” – letting one eye adjust to the dark by keeping it closed and covered while the other eye stayed open while Kelly shined her flashlight around. When she turned the flashlight off and we opened both eyes, we found we could see colors in the dark!
It didn’t take us long to move our gear from the classroom to the exhibit area downstairs and each person staked out a place to spend the night. Scouts enjoyed sleeping with iguanas, turtles, and bats.
The next morning started early, as we had to get our gear packed up and out to our vehicles before breakfast (cereal & milk, orange juice, and a banana). It was during this time that Heather (zoo coordinator) came in and informed us that it was Kelly’s birthday! Of course we had to sing to her. Once everything had been cleared out and everyone had finished eating, we moved to a different classroom for an animal presentation. We got to meet a baby toucan, a boa constrictor, and an affectionate hornbill. The toucan, Pete, is learning tricks and needed to practice hopping across “branches” (see picture at top of page). Everyone got to pet the birds and the snake.
The last activity was a morning walk. It had started to sprinkle, but that didn’t slow us down as we headed out. The first stop was the flamingo enclosure where we got to watch all 23 flamingos come running for their breakfast. Their keeper talked to us about the birds for a few minutes and answered every question we could come up with. As the rain started coming down a little harder we walked through the bamboo forest to the Clouded Leopard and Red Panda enclosure which provided some shelter from the rain.
Our program now completed, we thanked Kelly and Danielle and headed to various areas of the zoo (admission was included in our fee). All in all, Pack 8 had a great time at the Nashville Zoo and highly recommend the Night Owl program to other groups looking for an overnight experience. Special thanks to Heather for helping us coordinate our trip, and to Kelly and Danielle for a wonderful experience.
Pack 8 is Great 