Cubmaster Corner

The University of Scouting course titled Cubmaster Corner was really almost a round table cubmaster breakout session. Participants shared ideas and solutions, and a couple new cubmasters got oodles of wisdom from some experienced scouters. The course handout is a conversation starter with some success tips and an article from Brian on Scouting.

If you're a new cubmaster, the best advice is to get to Akela's Council for the next course. Get trained, make regular use of your cub scout leader book, and follow some of the tips here.

Cubmaster's Minute "Advise from Lightening..." ~ Scouter's Minute ~ Power Up!

Scouter's Minute - for the April 2017 Theme "Power Up!"

Advise From Lightening...

*Follow the flash of inspiration: Listen for that little voice, wherever you believe it comes from, that tells you what your Cubs need. The more you listen and heed it’s advice, the more you’ll hear it!

*Stay current: Do what works for you to keep up-to-date with information about the Cub Scout program. Oh yeah, and come back to Roundtable!

*Spark new ideas: Share your knowledge and ideas with others. You’d be amazed at what they’ll come up with after a little spark from you!

*Light up the night: Be an example to those around you, whether it be in your Den and Pack, neighborhood, church group, or family. Show them what it means to Do Your Best!

*Charge ahead!: Find something that needs doing and get it done! You have talents and skills that are just waiting to be used. Don’t be afraid to show them off.

Taken from the Hobble Creek District Facebook page.

The Donut Neckerchief Slide ~ How to make Neckerchief Slide Molds with Clay & Silicone

The Donut Neckerchief Slide

Submitted by John Patten ~ Cubmaster of Pack 1476, Hobble Creek District, Utah National Parks Council

patt253@mac.com

Stuff You Need

1 tube of 100% silicone caulking (not fast drying)

A medium-sized mixing bowl

4 cups of water

1/4 cup ordinary dish soap

A small chocolate donut (like a Hostess Donette)

A cup with a diameter larger than the donut

Oven-bake clay—tan, brown, white (a package of Bake Shop Sculpey costs $1 at Walmart & makes 2-3 slides)

Small metal rings

A cookie sheet

Glue

Acrylic spray

Make the Mold (done by the adult leader)

Mix the water and dish soap in the bowl.  The glycerin in the soap acts as a catalyst that enables the silicone to fully set up.

Squirt the silicone into the soapy water (5 ounces should be plenty).

With your fingers in the bowl, mold the “snake” of silicone into a ball.  Continue to knead it till you sense it begins to set (this should be about a minute).

Lift the ball out of the water and shake off.

With the ball in one hand, push the donut into it with the other, ensuring that some silicone goes into the hole to the halfway point.

Place the ball of silicone and the donut into the container.  Push the donut down to the halfway point.  Level the silicone around the edges so that the silicone isn’t higher on one side than the other.

Let it cure for several hours (I did mine at night and left it over night).

Once fully cured, remove the donut from the silicone and the silicone from the container and wipe the mold with a paper towel.

Duplicate and Decorate

The clay must be kneaded till soft.  There are four parts of clay per package of Bake Shop Sculpey.  I used about 1.5 parts for each donut.

After the clay is soft and pliable, roll it into a chunky snake 4-5 inches long, connect the ends into an “O,” and smooth out the seam.

Put the “O” into the mold and push down till the clay spreads out to all parts of the mold.

Remove the clay from the mold, flexing the mold if needed.  Smooth cracks and bumps.

Bake, Finish, Wear (and Salivate)

Consider adding other features if desired, such as frosting (white clay) and sprinkles (colored bits of clay or actual sprinkles).

To create a loop behind the donut, use a metal ring, such as the inexpensive adjustable ones available at Partyland.  At this point, I used a tool to push the clay snug to the ring so there wasn’t much space there.

Bake facedown following instructions on the package.

Once cooled, add a touch of glue to where the ring goes into the donut (for stability and strength), then coat the donut with acrylic spray for a glossy look.

Cubmaster Minute

Who invented the donut?  There might be more than one explanation, but likely the creator was 16-year-old Hanson Gregory, an American boy who helped in the kitchen of lime-trading ships in 1847.  What made him think of punching a hole in the middle of bread dough before it was fried?  Several of the crew were disappointed that the fried bread was uncooked in the center.  One day, Hanson cut a hole in some dough with the top of a peppershaker—“the first doughnut hole ever seen by mortal eyes,” he would later say.  The problem was solved and the donut was born! (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doughnut)

Think about that—he saw a problem, then came up with a solution that nobody had thought of before.  One of the purposes of Cub Scouting is Personal Achievement.  This means that you do great things.  Sometimes opportunities to do great things happen when you see a problem and come up with your own unique solution.  You will have chances to make a difference in your family, with your friends, and at your jobs because you will think of solutions that nobody else will.  This is the lesson of the donut.

• CLICK HERE to print a PDF explaining how to make this project
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• CLICK HERE to see more neckerchief slide ideas
• CLICK HERE to see more cubmaster minutes
• CLICK HERE to see more posts on making molds

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Scouters Minute ~ Tomb of Unknown Soldier ~ Cubmaster Minute ~ Loyal

SCOUTER'S MINUTE
We know that a Scout is true to his family, friends, Scout leaders, school, and nation. To end tonight, I want to focus on being loyal to his nation. One of the greatest examples of loyalty to nation can be witnessed in a cemetery.

Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God

This inscription is found on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. The Tomb Guards are so loyal that there has been a guard there every minute, of every day since July 1st, 1937. This includes during times of war, the September 11th attacks, and natural disasters such as Hurricane Sandy. All precautions are taken to ensure mission accomplishment and soldier welfare at all times.

Each move made during the changing of the guard and during their “walk” is very specific, choreographed, and done in respect for those they are guarding. The Tomb Guard marches 21 steps down the black mat behind the Tomb, turns, faces east for 21 seconds, turns and faces north for 21 seconds, then takes 21 steps down the mat and repeats the process. After the turn, the sentinel executes a sharp "shoulder-arms" movement to place the weapon on the shoulder closest to the visitors to signify that the sentinel stands between the Tomb and any possible threat. Twenty-one was chosen because it symbolizes the highest military honor that can be bestowed -- the 21-gun salute. Depending on the time of year, the guard is changed every 30 or 60 minutes.

The soldiers who are serve as sentinels for the Tomb, display loyalty in a way that, although we do not ask our Scouts to replicate, they can still emulate by showing loyalty to our country through respectful and well executed flag ceremonies and other events that honor our nation.