April 2022 Newsletter

First of all – CONGRATULATIONS AWESOME SCOUTS on the food drive! Our scouts collected almost 700 lbs of food – most given to the Issaquah Food Bank and some donated to the Auburn Food Bank. This surpassed anything we’ve done in prior years. Thanks again, Hang Cu, for organizing us.

Also, a big shout out again to Sandra Slutz and Kristin Lovelady for leading the pack meeting and scavenger hunt, respectively. Both were a smashing success, and we really appreciate our parents getting involved!

There are pictures of all of the above events on our Facebook page!

In this issue:

  1. Pioneer Farm Outing – Sold Out!
  2. Pinewood Derby Reminder – Only 8 days left to finish those cars!
  3. April Earth Day Service Outing
  4. A Look Ahead
  5. Uniform Reminder
  6. Microsoft Employee Volunteer Match
  7. Upcoming Camping Opportunities
  1. Pioneer Farms – SOLD OUT

Saturday, April 16 10:00am-5:00pm

For those of you who are signed up, you will receive an email soon with more details about what to bring. Don’t forget to bring a check to the farm – $40 per scout/$60 family max.

  • Pinewood Derby – Get your car ready!

Wednesday, April 20, 6:30-8:00pm (come a little early if you can)

It takes a lot of hands to make the Pinewood Derby run smoothly (checking in cars, staffing a spare parts table, getting cars lined up to race). We will need all parents on deck to help out. Please be prepared to participate – assignments will be given out as families arrive. Thanks in advance for helping out! Please arrive early if at all possible. We will get through everything as quickly as we can but be aware that this meeting may run long.

Lastly, these are the OFFICIAL RULES for the Pinewood Derby:

  1. Width shall not exceed 2-3/4 inches.
  2. Length shall not exceed 7 inches.
  3. Weight shall not exceed 5 ounces.
  4. Axles, wheels, and body shall be from the materials provided in the kit. Additional wheels can be purchased separately.
  5. Wheel bearings, washers, and bushings are prohibited.
  6. No lubricating oil may be used. Axles may be lubricated with powdered graphite or silicone.
  7. The car shall not ride on any kind of spring.
  8. The car must be free-wheeling, with no starting devices.
  9. No loose materials of any kind are allowed in the car.

A fast car is not the only goal. We are also looking for creative and/or realistic cars! Here’s our awards:

  • Fastest Car (1st, 2nd, 3rd within dens and overall)
  • Most Creative
  • Most Realistic
  • Coolest
  • Turtle Award (slowest car)

Above all – HAVE FUN!

  • Earth Day Service Event

Saturday, April 23, 10:00am-12:00pm, Rose Hill Meadows Park

Our scouts will have the opportunity to participate in forest stewardship at Rose Hill Meadows Park. This event is run through Green Kirkland Partnership, and participants must pre-register. We have space for 25 individuals, and scouts must have a designated adult present. There are still spots open.

Thanks to Brad Beckmann for organizing this event for us!

  • A Look Ahead – Save the Date!

In May we will be camping at Tolt McDonald Park, May 13-15. We will celebrate our Webelo IIs crossing over to Scouts BSA at our May 18 pack meeting, as well as building rockets to launch on June 4. More details on all these events will be coming as the dates get closer.

  • Uniforms Reminder

We had a lot of great looking scouts at the last pack meeting. Scouts should wear their full uniforms to den and pack meetings. Uniforms or Class B (tshirts) are appropriate for pack outings. Information on what uniforms should look like and how to buy them is on our website: Cub Scout Uniform | Boy Scouts of America (scouting.org). You can also shop locally at the Trading Post in Seattle (limited hours): Trading Post – Chief Seattle Council (seattlebsa.org)

  • Microsoft Match

For Microsoft employees volunteering with Pack 428, be sure to record your volunteer hours to collect matching dollars. These donations keep our scout fees low and make scouting affordable for as many kids as possible.

  • Go to https://microsoft.benevity.org/volunteer/external/track
  • Search for the cause “Pack 428”
  • Choose Cub Scout Pack 428 via Lake Washington United Methodist Church and click Add
  • Enter your hours, volunteer dates and description of work, then Confirm
  • If you are regularly volunteering time, please get in the habit of recording your hours each quarter, as it helps the pack manage the budget.
  • Upcoming Camping Opportunities

More details will be coming soon about these great camping opportunities:

  • May 13-15: Family Camping at Tolt-MacDonald Campground (near Carnation) – No cost! Sign up coming shortly.
  • June 17-19: Family Camping at Rasar State Park
  • July 7-10: Camp Edward Residence Camp – Information/sign ups coming very soon.
  • July 11-14: Cub Scout Day Camp ‘Twilight’ session at Lake Sammamish State Park – Registration now open!

CUBS IN SHINING ARMOR is this year’s theme. Activities include shooting sports, archery, songs and skits.

  • Day camp is staffed by parent volunteers. Please plan to volunteer for at least one of the days that your scout is attending. You will need to volunteer for one day per child attending, so if you have more than one scout attending camp, please plan to sign up for the necessary number of dates!
  • Go to the day camp website at Lake Sammamish Cub Scout Day Camp (sammtrailsdaycamp.org) and click on the Register Here button. It will take you to the registration system. 
  • You may attend either session (registration is on your own), but our pack typically attends the twilight session. We may also try to arrange carpools.

We purposely leave off emails and signups from our public page. If you have questions about anything, but don’t know how to get in touch, please feel free to use the “contact us” link on this website.