Tonight, we are honored to have among us young scouts, new to Pack 217, who have completed the requirements for their Bobcat Adventure. The Bobcat Adventure is an important part of the Cub Scout Trail. Traditionally, the Bobcat Rank was the first rank a scout earned on his or her trek toward the Arrow of Light. Now, every scout completes the requirements for the Bobcat Adventure at the first Den meeting of every year. However, we continue the tradition of the Bobcat Induction Ceremony by welcoming new Scouts to Pack 217.
If this is your first year with Pack 217, please grab your parents and come forward!
Scouts, you've accomplished the first step in Cub Scouting. In all things there is always a first... the first stone laid in a new building, the first step across a bridge. The first is sometimes the hardest, but that's because it lays the foundation or the strength for what follows. The Bobcat Adventure is your foundation. The trail of Scouting lies ahead of you, but don't be afraid. You won't have to do it alone. You'll have lots of help from your parents, your den leader, and even I, your cubmaster, will help you along the trail.
Scouts, please recite the Cub Scout Motto. (Response: Do Your Best.)
I can see by your knowledge of the Cub Scout Motto, and your leader’s reports, that you have fulfilled the requirements, and are now ready to receive your Bobcat Adventure.
(With WASHABLE MARKER, parents draw on the back of the Cubs hand the 1st toe)
The first toe of the Bobcat paw is for learning the cub scout motto.
(Draw 2nd toe) The second toe of the Bobcat paw shows you have learned the Scout handshake.
(Draw 3rd toe) The third Bobcat toe says you have learned the Cub Scout sign.
(Draw 4th toe) The fourth toe stands for your effort learning the Scout Law.
(Draw the footpad) The pad of the Bobcat paw represents your time spent learning the Scout Oath.
Your parents and guardians stand here with you as a way to show how proud they are of you and that they are there to help you. I am presenting your Bobcat Belt Loop to your parents, who in turn will present it to you.
(Award belt loops to parents, who in turn present them to the scouts)
Pack 217, please join me in congratulating these scouts in their achievement with a rousing cub scout cheer!
Opening
Color guard, attention. (Scouts begin at position A)
Audience, please rise.
Scout salute. Those not in uniform, please place your right hand over your heart.
Color guard, advance. (Scouts move to position B)
Color guard, halt! (Scouts stop at position B)
Color guard, cross the colors.
(In the order of American, Texas, Pack... Follow the diagram to position C.
Do not mount the flags until the MC tells the scouts to post the flags.)
Color guard, post the flags (Scouts mount the flags)
Color guard, re-form. (Scouts return to the form line facing the stage. Position D.)
Color guard, honor your colors. (Scouts salute)
Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.
“I pledge allegiance
to the flag
of the United States of America
and to the Republic
for which it stands
one nation, under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.”
Please join me in the pledge to the Texas flag.
“Honor the Texas flag;
I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas,
one state under God,
one and indivisible.”
Please join me in the Scout Oath.
"On my honor I will do my best
to do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
to help other people at all times;
to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight."
Together let us recite the Scout Law:
"A scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent."
Two!
Color guard, about-face. (Scouts turn around to face audience.)
Color guard, return to ranks. (Scouts return to the starting position. Position E.)
Audience at ease, Scouts at ease.
Closing
Color guard, attention. (Scouts begin at position A)
Audience, please rise.
Color guard, advance. (Scouts move to position B)
Color guard, halt. (Scouts stop at position B)
Scout salute. Those not in uniform, please place your right hand over your heart.
Color guard, retrieve the colors.
(In the order of American, Texas, Pack... Follow the diagram to position C.
Remove flags from post and wait.)
Color guard, re-form. (Scouts move to position D, facing away from the stage.)
Color guard, forward march. (Scouts move to Position E.)
Color guard, halt! (Scouts stop at position E.)
Two!
Color guard, dismissed.
Adult Leader: The U.S. flag is more than just some brightly colored cloth.. it is a symbol of our nation.
Scout #1: Seven red stripes and six white strips; together they represent the original 13 colonies that gained us liberty.
Scout #2: The red stripes remind us of the lifeblood of brave men and women who were ready to die for this, their country.
Scout #3: The white stripes remind us of purity and cleanliness of purpose, thought, word and deed.
Scout #4: The blue is for truth and justice, like the eternal blue of the star-filled heavens.
Scout #5: The stars represent the fifty sovereign states of our union.
Adult Leader: The U.S. flag should be treated with respect when it's flying, and it should be treated with respect when it's being retired.
Scout #6: The American Creed states, "it is my duty to my country to love it, to respect its Constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies."
Scout #7: Therefore, we retire flags with dignity and respect when they become worn, torn, faded, or badly soiled.
Scout #8: A flag ceases to be a flag when it is cut into pieces. We cut the flag into four pieces: three red and white striped banners and the blue star field. We leave the blue field intact because no one should ever let the union be broken.
Adult Leader: As the parts of the flag are placed in the fire remember.. Old Flags never die, they just get fired up!
(Scouts begin placing pieces of the flag in the fire one by one, laying them flat and open)
Owner of Flag or Adult Leader: This flag is ready to be retired. Its history is as follows:
First Raised (when): _______________________________________________________________________
At (location): ______________________________________________________________________________
Memorable event or fact: _________________________________________________________________
(After the history has been given and all pieces have been placed in the fire)
Adult Leader: The Scouts will maintain a vigil over the fire until no traces of the flag remnants remain. Then the ashes will be collected and buried.
This concludes this ceremony. Thank you for attending.
Because the Crossover Ceremoney is long, here is a link to a printable version.
Locations Ideas
Brazos Bend State Park - Website - Map
Kleb Woods Nature Preserve - Website - Map
Lake Houston Wilderness Park - Website - Map
Mission Tejas State Park - Website - Map
Sam Houston National Forest - Website - Map
Spring Creek Park - Map
Stephen F. Austin State Park - Website - Map
Meal Ideas
Burgers and Hotdogs
Cowboy Stew
Diablo Sandwich
Silver Turtles and Other Foil Packets
Walking Tacos
Balloon Relay (Get paint sticks and Balloons)
Inflate a balloon for each team. Each team member bounces the balloon in the air with the paint stick trying to keep it in the air. They need to take the balloon all the way to the cone or chair placed 20 to 30 feet away and back without letting the balloon touch the ground. If it does they must start back from either the starting position or the cone.
Clear the Yard
Ball-pit balls work best, but you can use towels or even wadded up pieces of paper. Using a rope, divide a large area into two sides. The two teams try to throw as many balls as they can to the other teams side until 5 minutes are up. Once the timer has ended, which ever team has the least number of balls in their "yard," wins.
Don't Drop the Egg (use a ping pong ball instead)
Standard relay. Using a spoon, carry the ping pong ball to a designated point and back.
Rock-Paper-Scissors Tournament
Each scout does rock paper scissors with the person next to them. When you lose, you follow the winner to the next available player, and then on to the next as well. Do this until there are only two players left, and have a final showdown.
Candy Crane (Candy Canes)
In a relay format, attach a hook to a lanyard. The player uses the hook to pickup candy canes from one bucket and move it to another.
Simon Says
Standard Simon says game.
Dancing-gram (Dance version of telephone)
Make a line with all the scouts facing away from the starting person. The starting person shows the next person 4 dance moves. That person then shows the next person and so on. The fun is seeing how the dance move change from the starting person to the end.
Human Knot
Using 1 foot sections of rope, link the scouts together in a circle with their arms crossed. The goal is to uncross all of the participants arms without letting go of the rope.
Paper Airplane Competition
Very simple. Make a paper airplane and see whose will fly the farthest.