Shavin' & Chippin'...(3-22-08)

No boy's Cub Scouting experience is ever complete without a basic course in pocketknife safety.
This past weekend, the Den leadership embraced the challenge.

It's not an easy course to teach.
There are a ton of bases that need to be covered before the class starts and parental cooperation is a must.
That in mind, I want to thank the parents who participated this weekend.
Your presence made all the difference in holding a safe course. And the 1:1 ratio really allowed the leaders plenty of leeway in keeping the instruction running smoothly.

As with all our classes, the first thing we started on was the basics. In this case, the boys learned the Cub Scout rules about pocketknife use.






The next step of the class was to show the boys exactly how a knife worked.









Displaying various kinds demonstrated to the boys just how versatile a knife could be.







No knife safety course is complete without a "pass the knife" exercise. Using a plastic knife and a little lipstick, the boys practiced passing the knife to their parents. Afterwards, everyone checked their hands for lipstick to see who got cut!





After all the instruction was complete, the guys got down to some soap carving. (With a parent standing by, of course.)






This was the first meeting for our newest scout, J.M. Talk about great timing! The boys gave him a great welcome.







After carving, the Cubs started to clean up, thinking that the meeting was over. But little did they know....







POW! A written test!
The guys were a little surprised, but they retained a lot of the material that was taught to them. I was so proud.
















Speaking of proud, my Baby Girl (A.Z.) showed up around test time to cheer the guys on and distract the leaders. See? She's got M.F. wrapped around her finger!










In the end, the majority of our guys took the pocketknife pledge and earned their Whittling Chip. As a reward, I gave each recipient a Pinewood Derby car kit to be completed by next month's Pack Meeting (4-18-08), when the Pack will gather for our own Pinewood Derby race!

I can't wait to see what the guys can make.

Next Den Meeting...

OK, this next meeting is going to be very important. So please be sure to read and weigh this information carefully.

We will be presenting a special class on knife safety this Saturday starting at 10:00 am, March 22, 2008. The class will be held at the LDS Church building on Wasatch blvd. The class is designed to teach the safe handling and proper care of pocketknives. For our Bear Scouts, this will fulfill Bear Achievement 19: “Shavings and Chips” and allow all our Cubs to earn the Whittling Chip card which is required for any Cub Scout to carry a pocketknife at Cub Scout functions.

While I am sure some of you may be concerned with the idea of the boys carrying a pocketknife, I assure you that this program is designed to teach knife safety. Even if a Cub does not receive the certification, the class is important since most boys will use kitchen and other knives in the future. The actual Whittling Chip card will be given to the boys only with a parent's approval at the end of the class. As such, I must require that each Cub intending to receive this card be accompanied by a parent. Any scouts participating in the course without a parent will only be allowed to observe the class and not participate in any knife work.

Besides the basic knife safety rules, the boys will learn these additional rules that must be followed:

1. They must have the card in their possession at all times while using a knife.

2. At any time, Akela (any adult including parents) can ask for the card and it must be presented or the knife will be collected and returned to the parent.

3. No knife will be carried on school property at any time even by mistake. Violation of this rule means permanent loss of the card as well as any punishment from the school.

4. Any injury to another person will result in permanent loss of the card.

5. Any time a safety rule is violated, Akela may tear a corner off of the card. Loss of all four corners will result in the loss of the card which must be re-earned by attending and passing another Whittling Chip class.

Once again: Due to safety concerns, a parent must attend with each boy. This person will make the decision of whether or not the card will be issued.

Parents, please bring a pocketknife suitable for your son to use. (It doesn’t have to be new, just sharp and in good condition.)