End of Term Party - 24th November 2006

This was out last meeting for the year and we had a most enjoyable time at the Wimpy Roadhouse - bar the rain that came pelting down!

Akela Joy with 9th Benoni Cub Pack

Thoriso, Jerome and James - having fun!

Matthew and Martin de Jager deciding on what they are going to order!

Till next week - keep Cubbing.

Akela Joy

1st Southern Suburbs - Cub Pack

I spent a Friday afternoon last week with 1st Southern Suburbs. They have 30 cubs - not all invested as yet - and we had a good time together.

This is their Pack with Akela standing in the background on the right and Rikki on the left.

A great group of girls!

and a very lively bunch of boys!

1st Southern Suburbs is in desperate need of second-hand uniforms. Should you have any that they can use please drop me an email on joyhutch@mweb.co.za

Till next time

Akela Joy

Remembrance Day - 11th November 2006

We remembered those who had fallen in World War 1 by taking part in the Armistice Day parade held at the Benoni Town Hall on Sunday 12th November. Scouts and Cubs from the District were present.

9th Benoni Greayspear Scouts

Laying the SA Scouting Association wreath at the Cenotaph - a representative from each branch of scouting - Land Scouts, Air Scouts and Sea Scouts.

Till next time

Akela Joy

1st Kibler Park Sea Scouts

I spent this Friday with a lovely cub pack in Kibler Park.

What a great group of cubs and I spent a super afternoon with them.

Group photo

Just look at these stunning Christmas Cards these Cubs were making for their parents.

This is a "New Chum" - a lovely little girl - with such a special smile and a very loving heart.

Till next time - keep cubbing.

Akela Joy

10th October 2006

1st Mondeor

The Pharoahs were calling today!

I visited 1st Mondeor Cub Pack in the south of Johannesburg where six delightful cubs had great fun visiting and learning more about Egypt from their much loved Raksha.

1st Mondeor Cub Pack

Raksha on the left with Akela on the right.

Samantha at the back

and all the cub scouts!

Making their very own cartouche!

Doing some fancy hieroglyphics.. I wonder what they were saying!

.... and you can imagine how much fun this was!

This was a wonderful programme and everyone had a good time.

Till next time ... keep cubbing!

Akela Joy

Guy Fawkes - 3rd November 2006

This was certainly a campfire to remember! ..... a floating campfire! But let me start from the beginning.

The cubs joined the scouts for a fun "guy fawkes" programme. The evening started off with the cubs trying to catch "rockets" that the scouts were shooting up. This is a bottle half filled with water, inverted into a contraption and air pumped into it with a pump. Eventually it just shoots off ..... the cubs love this activity.

Each cub then had a sparkler to light while the scouts got the fireworks display ready in Arrow Park. We watched as the rockets were set off, one by one, illuminating the dark night sky with their beautiful colours.

Floating campfire.

A trip in a million..

Cubs were loaded onto boats and paddled across the dam to Arrow Park where the floating campfire was waiting for us. You can just imagine how excited all the cubs were!

Lighting sparklers

Cubs catching the "water bottle rocket"

Until next week.... keep cubbing

Akela Joy

Prize Giving - AGM Evening

Friday night - 27th October 2006 - was the AGM and Prize Giving of the 9th Benoni Group. Straight after our pack meeting, and a quick wors roll, the chairs were arranged in the hall. This event is normally held outside but due to ominous clouds about, it was held indoors. Just as well cause on a number of occassions we had to break for a few moments to let the rain pass.

Our Cub recipients are:

Excellent Attendance : Kendra McAravey

Good Attendance : Jonathan Campbell

Six of the Year : Grey Six

Best Cubbing Spirit: Thomas Witt

Cub of the Year: Dean Verheyke

Thomas Witt - Best Cubbing Spirit on the left and

Dean Verheyke - Cub of the Year on the right.

..... and now I have to do a little bragging of my own!

My son Luke, Patrol Leader for Leopards, received the cup to Senior Scout of the Year and his whole patrol received "patrol of the year". Well done guys!

Luke Hutchinson - trophy for Senior Scout of the Year - 2006

A great campfire was held after the AGM and Prize-giving - one with a difference! It was held indoors around an electric "fire" but the atmosphere was just the same!

Until next week - keep cubbing

Akela Joy

AREA CUB FUN DAY - GILWELL

Our Area Cub Fund Day was held on Saturday 20th October at Gilwell in florida. Approximately 250 cubs attended with family and friends.

Cubs completing the bases would earn their Flying Models interest badge. The only further requirement was to find out the Safety Rules for flying kites and be examined.

Bases were manned by the Cub Leaders from each district.

Cubs busy making their aeroplanes.

Part of the obstacle course.

Fake wounds!

Rockets!

A great time was had by all.

Akela Joy

Friendships around the World - 20th October 2006

Being the Joti/Jota weekend, we celebrated friendship around the world. Here the cubs are playing a game - singing like opera stars at Covent Gardens!

Dean and Thorisa - our great opera singers!

Cheese from Holland! Nishlan is seeing how far he can roll this cheese!

We received a wonderful scrapbook from 1st Otumoetai Cubs in Tauranga New Zealand. It is jam-packed full of information about their Pack. We are also going to put together a scrapbook for them about Benoni and South Africa. Here the Cubs are busy telling them about what we do at 9th Benoni and a little about themselves.

Our Friendshop Totem is made up from the different characters from the Jungle Book. The pictures I have included show the cubs sticking their Jungle Characters onto the cups making up the final totem. Aren't they great!

See you all next week

Akela Joy

HALLOWEEN

With Halloween fast approaching, we decided to do a bit of "Trick or Treating" ourselves. We asked the Cubs to dress up appropriately for Halloween and our programme was filled with fun throughout!

Above you can see the whole bunch of them ready for their Trick or Treat mission.

Apple Bobbing was a 'devil' of a game! and it is harder than it looks!

The cubs made their very own "Trick or Treat" bags...

...a very scary Thoriso.... who won the prize for the best dressed outfit.

and here we have Luke and Conner...

All cubs had face painting done and here we have Jared having a bat painted onto his face.

Some more SCARY FACES!

Thanks to our Girl Scouts for helping with the Face Paining.

All in all an enjoyable programme.

Akela Joy

13 October 2006

Pow Wow - 2006

Not only is Cubbing a whole lot of fun for the cubs but it is great lot of fun for the leaders as well. Every two years a National Pow Wow is held somewhere in South Africa. This year Durban was lucky enough to host this event.

This is the Gauteng contingent - well over 40 delegates.

The theme was HERITAGE and at the banquet at the end of the weekend, each province has to do a skit. Here is Gauteng doing the Gum Boot Dance which is a traditional dance that the black miners did many years back to "talk" to each other in code so that the white bosses would not understand.

A visit to the iShaka Water World and Aquarium was certainly a rewarding and most beautiful experience. Dolphins certainly have a special place in my heart. This is Ruth and myself inside the aquarium.

A collection of coral.

An evening of fun and games! Here some of the leaders - apple bobbing!

Some craft work - making animal puppets.

And finally.... what would going to Durban be without taking a trip to the beach! Nevermind that the wind was howling and gusting! As you can see these fearless Gautengers waded in the water and took a gentle "stroll" up the beach and back while others waited patiently in the restaurants or any availble shetler they could find!

Pow Wow is certainly not to be missed. It is a time to make new friends as well as renew old friendships; it is a time of laughter and fun while learning and sharing new ideas and skills to bring home to the pack to teach the cubs.

The next Pow Wow takes place in Cape Town in May 2008 - see you all there!

Akela Joy