Well I thought that I would take the opportunity in my first blog to introduce myself and lay out what I hope to convey in these pieces. As some of you know, Long Valley is extremely fortunate to have a diverse and active scouting program for boys and girls. For boys, the town has three long-standing and active Packs that are generally geographically oriented. I represent Pack 36, charted at the Long Valley Presbyterian Church, and the majority of our boys attend the Old Farmers Road School.

The Boys Scouts of America celebrated its 100^th anniversary in 2010 and remains relatively unchanged from the original goals. The Cub Scout program has been a fun and educational experience concerned with values. Besides providing a positive place where boys can enjoy safe, wholesome activities, Cub Scouting focuses on building character, improving physical fitness, teaching practical skills, and developing a spirit of community service.

Cub Scouting is different from the younger-boy programs because it is centered in the home and neighborhood and requires participation from the boys' families. With the encouragement of family and leaders, boys enjoy a program that covers a wide variety of interesting things. It suggests activities that boys enjoy doing on their own when adults are not supervising them.

Coming up this month is the event that all cub scouts look forward to… the Pinewood Derby. In my next blog I’ll talk about this almost 60 year old event and how the boys from Pack 36 are preparing for this year’s races.