Kaleidoscope of Cubbing

It is still school holidays here in South Africa so I thought I would just post some fabulous photos!

This photo was taken on a Cub Camp where we had go-cart races. We put the cubs into their Sixes and they had to push their friends around a track - great fun!

This is absolutely awesome and the Cubs thought this was the best thing since sliced bread! We did these photos when Harry Potter was the rage. As you can see we taught all the Cubs how to fly! If you would like to know the secret, leave me a comment below and I will be sure to let you know how we did this!

At Kontiki each year, the Cubs have to do a "Beaver Challenge". That particular year - the theme was Harry Potter - and here the 3 leaders are dressed up in costume.
On the right of the picture you can see matchboxes that have been painted black and stuck together. The cub had to push one matchbox in, answer a question that was inside of that box and he would win a prize.

We also had another table where cubs could make their very own magic wand - typically Harry Potter style.

The magic of omelettes in a bag! ..... and so much fun for the Cubs!

We did this on a camp for breakfast and the Cubs loved it!

Let me know if you would like more information.

Our one programme theme was Mount Everest - and here you can see the Cubs in Action. A net was erected in the cub hall and the cubs had to climb to the top and back down again .... and as you know this is what the Cubs enjoy!

On another camp in Arrowe Park we made fishing rods. The crabs in the dam just LOVE biltong .... they are true South African crabs!
Biltong - for those that do not know is a South African delicacy of dried and spiced meat.

Now this is also a fun activity to do on camp!

Cut a banana in half lengways, place 2 Marshmallows on top of the banana and you can put some chocolate sprinkles in as well but these make it very, very sweet.

Wrap this up in tin-foil making sure that you leave enough tin foil on the edges to twist to form handles to go over the edge of the shoe-box.

In a shoe-box place 2 x tea-lights under each banana roll and light.

Every 2 minutes turn the banana roll.

After about 20 - 30 minutes blow out tea lights and carefully open the tin foil. Be very careful as these can burn.

They are delicious!

Enjoy!

Such a lovely photo!

Our 2 singing Cubs!

This is an annual event for the Scouts - river rafting down the Sabie River.

As both of my boys are scouts (one has just become a Springbok Scout!) and I am Akela, it is always good to join in on these activities....... and needless to say EXTREME FUN!

Depending on the flow of the river it can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours from start to finish - gently gliding down to going over some quite awesome rapids.

If you have any queires, or would like to know how to make something, or want to find out about an activity or an idea, please let me know.

Till next Time

Keep Cubbing

Akela Joy

Through the Graveyard!

We love doing this activity with our cubs - and to see their faces is a real treat!

This is what we call a 'sense game' and develops their imagination. All the cubs sit in a circle and we blindfold them. We start off by setting the scene and as a particular gruesome part is read, a particular parcel or item is sent around for the cub to feel. His imagination is working overtime but mean while it is just and everday article - nothing sinister.

This particular story comes from a Cub Camp we did a few years ago with the theme of Tom Sawyer - a true children's adventure!

"Tom and Huck began to creep slowly through the graveyard to have a closer look at the murder taking place. It was pitch dark. There was no moon and it was cloudly. Neither Tom nor Huch could see where they were going so they had to feel their way around the graves. Unfortunately for them the grave-diggers were a lazy lot and they never bothered to dig the graves deep enough and seldom covered them properly.

Tom slid his hand foreward carefully and felt something cold and solft and oval.... but it was only Mr Moss's eye (grape covered in vaseline) that had rolled out of the coffin when he was buried the previous Tuesday.
Tom shivered and moved on. Then, his foot touched something that felt like porridge. When he felt it, he ralized it was Mr Moss's brains .. (cooked spaghetti)

.. that had dribbled out of his skull. They seemed to gleam wetly. Tom was no coward, but he was beginning to feel scared. he moved away only to touch something hard and rectangular but these were only Mr Moss's teeth that must have been knocked out of his skull. (mielie pips)

Tom, by now, was really terrified! His skin seemed to crawl with fear. He was too scared to go further. He looke up to call out to Huck but Huck was too far ahead and he decided to crawl faster to catch up with him. He'd feel safer then. He slid on his belly as fast as he could. Cold wet hair, wet with blood slid past his face (wet rope)Tom jumped, but crawled dterminded on. the blood dripped off the hair and over his hands (oil dripped over hands)

as he brushed the hair aside. He had to get away. He scrambled on, becoming careless in his haste and he fell into an open grave. It had been dug that morning for old Mrs Mickle but the grave-diggers had managed to dig up oart of another body as well.

Tom's hand touched something wet and spongy, probably some lungs (wet sponge)

Pulling his hand away he put his other hand into a wet, hollow - this must have been the stomach (chamois leather).

Hangin out of the stomach, Tom felt long tubes filled with something soft. The tubes seemed to go on forever! These must have been the intestines (lamb sausage)

Tom searched despirately but instead he touched a heart instead (heart from the butcher)

It felt soft and slimy with tubes coming out of it. He tried climbing out the other side. This time successfully but not before he touched some bones (chicken bones)

He could not decide what part of the body they came from...... can you?

Dropping the bones, Tom stood up and ran towards Huck, no longer caring if he was seen or not and reach Huck safely".

Cubs are then asked to take off their blindfolds and each item they were given to feel, is shown to them.

Till next Time

Keep Cubbing

Akela Joy

Remembering the 6th Scout Law

A Scout is a Friend to Animals

Being school holidays, there are no Cub Pack Meetings for the next four weeks. I thought I would post an article about two donations the 9th Benoni Bambanani Cubs made the past couple of years.

Crime is rife in South Africa and whenever there is a house break-in and the suspect flees, it is often the dog who makes first contact with the suspect. It is said that a dog does the work of 10 men. The police superintendent indicated that often police dogs were shot but stabbings are their biggest concern.

The Cub Pack wanted to help out and we contacted the manufacturers of the bullet proof jacket for the police dogs. They agreed to help as well - so the Cubs put all their efforts into raising as much money as possible.

The above photo shows the 9th Benoni Bambanani Cub Pack handing over the bullet proof jacket to the police dog. It was a happy occasion - knowing that one more dog would be protected.

The Cubs of 9th Benoni shared the award in the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) in the category Young Animal Superhere - domestic animal category. Well done!

A year later the Cubs decided that they would like to sponsor a Guide Dog! This meant lots and lots of 'funny money' and lots of fund-raising. "Funny money" is collected each week from each Cub and this is his or her contribution towards a 'Good Turn'. At this stage to sponsor a Guide Dog was in the region of R7500.

So the fundraising started! We held raffles, Mother's Teas, and a Flea market.... and after much blood, sweat and tears we reached our target! It took well over 10 months and many nights counting out small change.

Once the money had been collected, we invited the SA Guide Dog Association to visit. A darling, little black puppy bounded out of the car .... and this was Ike! ..... the puppy we were sponsoring! He was gorgious to say the least. What an absolute joy it was to finally meet him and know that all our hard work was worth every cent!

Marina, Ike's puppy walker, keeps in touch with me and regularly updates me on Ike's progress. Ike and his new owner now live in Namibia and travel around the country spreading the Gospel. Ike's new owner, Izak, lost his sight as a young man and has had 5 other guide dogs. Izak enjoys Ike's energy and eagerness to learn. Due to the tremendous heat and humidity, Izak is hoping to have special 'shoes' made for Ike to wear whilst they travel spreading the Word.

We, at 9th Benoni Bambanani, are thrilled to hear that they are doing so well!

This is a photo of Gaia. Gaia is a new little candidate and has been identified to be placed with a blind person for training at the end of the month. Well done Gaia!

Should anyone like to sponsor a Guide Dog, please contact the SA Guide Dog Association directly.

Should you wish to email me - I may be contacted at joyhutch@mweb.co.za.

Till next Time

Keep Cubbing

Akela Joy

Easter Programme - 14 March 2008

This Pack Meeting is our last for the term as we now have school holidays until mid April.

It was Kendra's 11th birthday - being Easter, her birthday as well as her last day as a Cub we allowed her to wear her "bunny ears for the meeting.

One of our Cub Moms very generously organised an Easter Raffle for us and donated all the prizes! Isn't that just wonderful. These are the stunning prizes and later on you will see who the winners are....

Our first game was the 'egg and spoon' race. The leader responsible to bring these had unfortunately left them on her dining room table and there was no time to go back and collect. But as Baden Powell has taught us "be prepared" .... so here we are having the egg and spoon race with spoons that we have in the den and film canisters!

These were not the easiest to carry on a spoon!


This is one of the Scouts that always comes down early - and we rope him in to help us! (Pardon the pun!) Here he has quickly shown the Cubs a Jury Mast Knot - this is not a knot we teach the Cubs!

Here the Cubs are tyring to learn the Sheet Bend!

Hooray! at last a Sheet Bend!

We teach them the uses of a Sheet Bend and if time permits, play an interactive game involving the different knots.

Practise makes perfect!

Being Easter soon we had to do an Easter Craft!

This beautiful little Easter Basket I found on the internet. Here the cubs are personalising it!

Making pretty!

Fluffy pink bunnies - getting ready for those Easter Eggs!

Colouring in complete - ready for cutting out!

Busy, busy, busy! Cubs at Work!

Our finished product!

The cubs were sent out to find where the "Easter Bunny" had hidden the eggs and put them in their specially made baskets!

Of course, the Easter Bunny always leaves extra for sisters and brothers and here the cubs are rounding up those!

Happy Birthday Kendra!

She brought everyone a little cake!

..... and here is James singing Happy Birthday to Kendra in 3 different languages! In Zulu, Afrikaans and English. Well done James!

In South Africa we have 11 official languages!

Now before we go any further, I must explain the quality of the photos! My photographer - a scout (need I say more!) was getting a little adventurous with the settings. So that is the reason for some being okay and some being blurred and also for the lack of some!

And here are our prizewinners!

1st prize went to a ticket sold by John!

Well done!

2nd Prize went to Shavannah

... and 3rd Prize went to a ticket sold by James!

We are very proud of all our cubs for trying to hard to sell all their raffle tickets to raise funds for a worthy cause. Well Done guys!

This year - for the first time - we participated in the Thinking Day - Postcard Exchange. Brownies and Girl Scouts trade postcards with others around the World. This is pretty awesome and I sent out about 40 postcards to some weird and wonderful places! In return I received the most wonderful postcards which we read to all the Cubs and now have pinned to the back wall. This is just a reminder that no matter where in the world you are, the spirit of Scouting is alive!

Till next Time

Keep Cubbing

Akela Joy

"Stick 'em up!"

Our Cubs came fully dressed to the Pack Meeting in Cowboy outfits. They truly looked fantastic and after opening we had them walking around the 'ranch' for us to choose the best dressed! (This was not easy.)

As they arrived we started taking pictures....

.... our young model in action!

Cowgirls at their best!

Our Steam Release game was called "The Hiss of the Snake" and broadly based on the game whereby one cub is on and has to catch the other who must stand still until another cub crawls through his legs to 'free' him.

Cowboy James looking for his next victim!

Next up was Advancement and we broke into Cheetah, Leopard, Lions and Leaping Wolves. I do the Leaping Wolves and these 3 are my responsibility. On the way to do our Instruction they first of all had to go and "look for crabs"!!!!!!
..... and what would Cubs be if we didn't have lots of fun!

We did the Scouts Pace which is teaching them how to conserve energy. BP knew all about how the early trackers in Africa were able to cover great distances because they used to run a short way then walk a while, then run again and walk - always taking care to breath through their noses. They also knew exactly how long it would take them to walk/run 1km and in doing so they could estimate how long any distance would take them.

During Instruction Time, the Leaping Wolves threw a ball 15 metres and did 35 push ups.

These are the Lions and they learnt how to say a Prayer and Stranger Danger.

The young Cheetahs learnt all about the Outdoor Code.
Here in South Africa our Outdoor Code is:
"I will do my best to protect and care for the wildlife, trees and flowers;
I will do my best to keep the countryside, roads and beaches free of litter."

Listening to a Cowboy Yarn.

Being boys!

Another Game we played - "protect the livestock" whereby the cubs had to use their "guns" to shoot the stock thieves. Each cub had to stand at a pre-determined mark and shoot at 500ml coke bottles with water pistols. This was great fun!

The green team protecting their livestock!

Two fashionable cowboys ... on the lookout!

Our next game was "pin the nose on the cowboy".

Here we had a beautiful picture of "Woody" from Toy Story and different types of noses. Some were big, some were small, some were elephant noses, one belonged to Pinocchio - so they really were funny!

... and all our cubs did extremely well....

..... I wonder if they were peeping.....

..... I don't think so as all our cubs are such angels! .....

Just look at them!

For our craft section the cubs made special "Sheriff" and "Deputy" badges as well as moustaches that they proudly wore.

The Cowboy / Cowgirl Crew....

As part of our National Cub Challenge we shall be running a Tuck Shop to raise funds for the underpriviledged packs in Mpumalanga. Please support us in our endeavour to raise funds for Badges for these Packs.

Till next Time

Keep Cubbing

Akela Joy