Police Station Tour

The Cub Scouts of Pack 777 will be visiting the Topanga Police Department in Canoga Park for a tour on Tuesday night as our scheduled Pack meeting.

The Cub Scouts and their leaders will drop in to learn about the police and what they do. The scouts will learn the inner workings of how L.A.P.D.'s emergency operations are handled.

They also learned about the booking process and see the inside of the jail cells. Rounding out the evening will be demonstrations of the equipment on and inside a patrol car. 

This event will satisfy adventure requirements for all levels

Time: 6:15pm (be prompt) 
Dress: Full class A uniform required for this event.
Location: 21501 Schoenborn Street, Canoga Park CA 91304

We will assemble by the front entrance before being escorted in. Arrive a little early if possible.

Enter The Boy's Life 2017 Say Yes To Reading Contest!

Write a one-page report titled “The Best Book I Read This Year” and enter it in the Boys’ Life 2017 “Say Yes to Reading!” contest.

The book can be fiction or nonfiction. But the report has to be in your own words — 500 words tops. Enter in one of these three age categories:

• 8 years old and younger
• 9 and 10 years old
• 11 years old and older

First-place winners in each age category will receive a $100 gift card from Amazon.com. Second-place winners will receive a $75 gift card; third-place winners, a $50 gift card.

Everyone who enters will get a free patch like the one on this page. (And, yes, the patch is a temporary insignia, so it can be worn on the Boy Scout uniform shirt, on the right pocket. Proudly display it there or anywhere!) In coming years, you’ll have the opportunity to earn different patches.

The contest is open to all Boys’ Life readers. Be sure to include your name, address, age and grade in school on the entry.

Send your report, along with a business-size, self-addressed, stamped envelope, to:

Boys’ Life Reading Contest
S306
P.O. Box 152079
Irving, TX 75015-2079

Entries must be postmarked by Dec. 31, 2017 and must include entry information and a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Parent and Leader Training Event

Pow Wow - University of Scouting

Pow Wow is the premier parent and leader training provided by our very own Western Los Angeles County Council.  It's A day of fun-filled, action-packed, hands-on, supplemental training sessions for adult leaders and parents to help us better deliver a Fun and Exciting program to our youth. Most sessions are 50 minutes. A few are longer and are shown on the course schedule. No prior signup for each class is required. Simply attend the 6 you want on the day of training.

$20.00 includes a full day of training, lunch, and a commemorative souvenir embroidered patch (The pack will reimburse you for admission).  On-Line registration closes at 5:00pm, Wednesday, January 17, 2018. 

$30.00 at the door on the day of the event.

HAT Outing Leader Course is an ALL DAY course and is an additional $10.00

For the latest information on WLACC-VHC Pow Wow / University of Scouting, follow us on Facebook@: WLACC-Powwow

A preliminary class list and registration information can be found in this flyer 

"Wine and Hor D'Oeuvre" Reception for Scouting

Attention Scout Parents

The Las Colinas District, Pack 777's district, will be hosting a free "Wine and Hor D'Oeuvre" Reception for Scouting. This event is next Tuesday, October 24th from 6:00 - 9:00 pm in Calabasas and is free to attend. This is a parent only event.

If you would like to attend please respond ASAP to our District Executive, Jim Garrett at Jim.Garrett@scouting.org All he needs is name and number of people.

In addition to the wine and hor D'Oeuvres there will also be a silent auction with items including (but are not limited to): signed memorabilia from the hit TV series "The Walking Dead", an autographed guitar from Alice Cooper, an autographed Jersey from a Heisman Trophy winner (but whoooo!! Come and find out), a glorious-looking opportunity to bid on a time share experience by Playa Vista, a variety of Camp Experiences (Emerald Bay), as well as many more!

Also present will be our Council Camping Team's own Jonathan Williams, who's Virtual Reality company will have tours of Camp properties, as well as whatever other cool stuff he's got programmed.

This will be a great opportunity to meet with other scout packs as well as our local scouting leadership.

Please consider attending if you are able to. Again, this is a free, parent only event.

Cyber Chip

Long gone are the days of the "be home before the sun goes down" kind of parenting that a lot of us grew up with.  Unfortunately however, the more kids are inside, the more inclined they are to engage in some kind of online, electronic activity.  Being the parents of boys of Cub Scout age (1st - 5th graders), we have seen news reports about cyber bullying, online security, location services on devices, geotagging of photos and social networking predators.  It would be nice to think these topics won't impact our youth, but we need to be proactive and realize that we are in the thick of it!



Crazy fact - did you know that over 5 MILLION Facebook users are actually kids under the age of 10 even though the age limit to even have an account is 13?


If you have a son, you've likely heard of.... Minecraft.  I know my boys absolutely LOVE watching YouTube videos that have to do with Minecraft and their other favorite video games.  However, if you think, for a second, they should watch these unsupervised, you're in for a shock.  A great deal of the content in these videos is highly inappropriate. Trust me on this one!

More and more children have iPads, iPhones, tablets, Ipods and more and more access than ever to a whole worldwide web that is not the most friendly to the eyes, heart and especially to the spirit and character of our children.

With the electronic world aimed against us, how can parents teach our children internet safety principles?  

In partnership with NetSmartz®, the Boy Scouts of America developed the Cyber Chip program. Along the same lines of how the Whittling Chip is designed to teach the boys pocketknife safety, the Cyber Chip is designed to teach them internet safety. There are BSA Cyber Chip requirements for boys in grades 1-3, grades 4-5 so your Cub Scouts are covered!  In fact, there are programs available from grades 1 - 12!  Even if your children aren’t in Cub Scouts, you can still take advantage of NetSmartz’s awesome programming.

Click here to take your Cyber Chip training

Each Cyber Chip level covers topics such as cyber bullying, cell phone use, texting, blogging, gaming and identity theft. To earn the Cyber Chip, Cub Scouts sign an Internet Safety Pledge, watch an age-appropriate online video and share what they’ve learned with their den or den leader. Older boys complete additional activities.

The Cyber Chip is required for all cub scout ranks.
The Cyber Chip expires annually. Our boys can “recharge” the chip by returning to the NetSmartz® website to learn more information.

It is definitely hard to navigate these waters, but we have a responsibility to keep our kids safe and we can only do that by first educating ourselves. By encouraging our kids to participate in programs like the Cyber Chip, we are taking steps to ensure they are equipped with the tools to keep them and their friends and siblings safe.

Cyber safety -- it's all of our jobs!  It’s never too early to begin talking about it with your boys. Start your conversation today and help them earn this awesome temporary patch that can be worn with their uniform -- the Cyber Chip!

New Parent Orientation Night and Parent Information Guide

The new Pack 777 Parent Information Guide is available now by clicking HERE or by clicking on the link located under "Scouting Links" on the menu to the left.  This is an excellent resource for new and returning parents.  We encourage you to download your copy today!

We welcome and encourage all new families to come to the Pack Meeting on October 10th because we will be covering a great deal of this information and answering questions that anyone may have! 

Bring your questions!

Parents, please make plans to join us for an informal but important Parent Information and Orientation meeting Tuesday, October 10 from 6:30-7:30 pm at the West Valley Christian Church. 

If you have printed your New Parent Orientation Guide, please bring that with you to follow along or download it to your device and go paperless.

Camp Josepho Cub Parent Weekend

Cub Parent Weekend

October 20-22 2017

At Cub Parent Weekend at Camp Josepho, we create two opportunities for parents to teach the values of the Cub Scout program, and for Cub Scouts to learn more about their parent’s values and believes, all while sharing in outdoor activities and memories that will last a lifetime. We have noticed that dedicating time to your child one-on-one brings the best out of parent and child.

Registration

***Click here to register***

All registered Cub Scouts can attend. Cub Scouts must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. This is a one-on-one weekend that provides a unique and special bonding experience between a Cub Scout and a parent or legal guardian. 


Fun-filled Activities! All registered Cub Scouts can attend. Cub Scouts must be accompanied by a parent(s) or legal guardian(s). Siblings and other family members can only attend the Family Camp Weekend at Camp Whitsett and Camp Emerald Bay. Each season has a different program with different crafts and events. Common to all seasons are the B.B.’s and archery events, which are a favorite among the boys. Boys participating in these events can earn the B.B.’s and archery belt loops, only available through programs such as this.

Activities Include:

• Program Activities 
• Campfire Programs
• Disco Dance Party
• Assorted Crafts
• Archery
• B.B. Shooting
• Cooking
• Field Sports
• Much, much more!

Cool 4-segment Patch!

This cool four-segment patch is earned by attending all three seasons!

• Cub-Parent Weekends Section: You earn this for attending any session.
• Spring Fling Section: You earn this for attending any spring season Cub/Parent Weekend at Camp Josepho.
• Autumn Event Section: You earn this for attending any fall season Cub/Parent Weekend at Camp Josepho.
• Summer Sizzle: You can earn this section for attending Family Camp at Camp Whitsett.

Easy Camping!

This is an easy way to do camping. All you bring is your tent, sleeping bag and toiletries. All of your food is provided at the Lodge!

Complete Camping Experience for One Low Price!

The weekend includes all food from Saturday breakfast to Sunday breakfast, all craft supplies, patch and camping fees. T-shirts are available for pre-order on the registration page.

Weekend Camping Fees

• Cost is $110 for one Cub and one adult together.
• NO REFUNDS

Details

• Deadline for registration is the Friday one week before camp starts, or 300 people.
• Register early to secure a space.
• Family Camp opportunities are available at Camp Emerald Bay and Camp Whitsett.

Required Forms

• Medical Form – Annual Health and Medical Record Form is Required for All Campers (Youth& Adult). If you filled this out for our Pack's Fall Camp out, I can provide you with the medical forms so you don't have to fill them out again.  
• Cub Parent Release – Firearm, Josepho Road, and Photo Releases – one per family.

For additional information contact the Camping Department at (818)933-0130/camping@bsa-la.org or Sunday Moore at cubparentcamp@yahoo.com.  

PARENTS WANTED!!!  PLEASE ATTEND TUESDAY'S COMMITTEE MEETING TO HELP THE PACK MAKE PLANS AND DECISIONS ABOUT YOUR SON'S SCOUT ACTIVITIES.

 

This meeting will focus on the following topics:

1. Fall Camp Out review. talk about what worked and what didn't work for our latest campout
2. Upcoming events.  We have camp Josepho, The Santa Monica Mountain Clean up, Police Station Tour, and Zoo Camp out to discus and plan.

This meeting is on Tuesday September 26th,  at 6:30 pm at the West Valley Christian Church in the Connecting place (the big room where we have pack meetings).A Cub Scout pack committee is essentially the board of directors for a Cub Scout pack. This committee is a group of at least three people who assist with supervision and management of a the unit. They provide resources and support to the Cubmaster and Den Leaders so they can provide the program in accordance with Boy Scout policies and regulations.

We invite all Interested Scout parents who would like to take a more active role in the activities of our pack to attend these meetings, where typically the Pack Chairperson, cubmaster, and den leaders attend. This is were we plan and formulate our events and calendar for the year. We also discuss new directions and programs to integrate into the existing program. These meetings are held at least quarterly or monthly depending upon upcoming events.

Fall Community Service

This fall we are going to head out to the Santa Monica Mountains and help with the Potrero Creek Restoration on October 14th, from 9:00 am - Noon.

Please Join Pack 777 and the Mountains Restoration Trust to help maintain our restoration site on National Park Service land in Newbury Park. You’ll be helping to maintain the land by removing invasive plants, mulching, and watering. We are working to return this critical habitat back to the oak woodland it once was after years of ranching and farming. The natives you will be maintaining include Coast Live Oak, Valley Oak, Western Sycamore, and supporting vegetation in a riparian flood plain, alongside Potrero Creek.

We have a couple of special awards that require a service project or a conservation project.  This event will satisfy either of the following special awards service requirements. 

• Since it is a project in a national park, it can be used towards a special National Park Service/Boy Scouts of America award, Scout Ranger.  To become a Scout Ranger, they require one service project in a park as well as some additional park ranger classes.    

• We also have a world conservation award that this project could be used towards.  

Please visit our signup genius to sign up.  

Solar Eclipse Patch

A total solar eclipse is a rare event. A total solar eclipse whose path crosses right over the heart of the United States? Even rarer.

On Aug. 21, 2017, the solar system serves up a special treat. Aug. 21 is a Monday, but those Scouts and Venturers who are still on summer break should plan a big celebration. Like all the best celebrations, this one comes with its own patch.

THERE WON’T BE ANOTHER TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE OVER THE UNITED STATES UNTIL 2024. AFTER THAT, YOU MUST WAIT UNTIL 2045. IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN AUG. 21 ARRIVES, MAKE SURE YOU’RE READY.

How to earn the BSA 2017 Solar Eclipse patch

1. Locate a site suitable for viewing the eclipse. Search Google for “eclipse viewing” and the name of your city or town to find events near you.
   • See the exact path and precise timings at this NASA site.
2. Describe how to safely view the eclipse. (Completed at the August Pack Meeting)
   • Never look directly at the sun. Instead, look directly at these tips from NASA on how to view the eclipse safely.
3. Discuss with your group what you saw and felt during the eclipse.
   • Post your comments and eclipse photos on social media using the hashtag #BSAEclipse2017.
4. Do the following: (Completed at the August Pack Meeting)
   • Discuss what a solar eclipse is with your leaders.
5. Ask your unit leader to buy the 2017 Solar Eclipse patch.
• It can be ordered through your local council service center.

When Day turns into Night

On Monday, August 21, 2017, a solar eclipse will be visible (weather permitting) across all of North America. The whole continent will experience a partial eclipse lasting 2 to 3 hours. Halfway through the event, anyone within a roughly 70-mile-wide path from Oregon to South Carolina will experience a brief total eclipse, when the moon completely blocks the sun’s bright face for up to 2 minutes 40 seconds, turning day into night and making visible the otherwise hidden solar corona — the sun’s outer atmosphere — one of nature’s most awesome sights. Bright stars and planets will become visible as well.

Only View with Proper Eye Protection

During an eclipse, eye safety is very important.  The Sun can be viewed safely with the naked eye only during the few brief seconds or minutes of a total solar eclipse. Partial eclipses, annular eclipses, and the partial phases of total eclipses are never safe to watch without taking special precautions. Even when 99% of the Sun's surface is obscured during the partial phases of a total eclipse, the remaining crescent is intensely bright and cannot be viewed safely without eye protection.   

Avoid Eye Damage

Looking directly at the Sun (the bright disk of the Sun itself), even for just a few seconds, can cause permanent damage to the retina of the eye, because of the intense visible and invisible radiation that the sun emits. This damage can result in impairment of vision, up to and including blindness. The retina has no sensitivity to pain, and the effects of retinal damage may not appear for hours, so there is no warning that injury is occurring.

Irreversible Eye Damage within a Fraction of a Second

Under normal conditions, the Sun is so bright that it is difficult to stare at it directly. However, during an eclipse, with so much of the Sun covered, it is easier and more tempting to stare at it. Looking at the Sun during an eclipse is as dangerous as looking at it outside an eclipse, except during the brief period of totality, when the Sun's disk is completely covered (totality occurs only during a total eclipse and only very briefly; it does not occur during a partial or annular eclipse). Viewing the Sun's disk through any kind of optical aid (binoculars, a telescope, or even an optical camera viewfinder) is extremely hazardous and can cause irreversible eye damage within a fraction of a second