Blue and Gold

[Den5Pack457]

I'd love to hear what your pack has planned for your Blue and Gold. Do you have a banquet? How lavish or basic is it? Do your Weblos cross over? Who do you have there as guests? Does OA come out? How about your Friends of Scouting chair?

[Westergaard]

The unit that I am involved with has invited one of the District's oldest active scouters to talk to the pack about the history of scouting as he has experienced it.
There will be a pot luck dinner and awards ceremony in addition to the guest speaker.

[Den5Pack457]

Happy Chinese New Year, by the way. :)

[Den5Pack457]

Our Blue and Gold was outstanding! The food was great (Catered Chinese Buffet); the FOS got to lay down their program, and the coolest part was the Weblos Crossover/bridging ceremony courtesy of the local OA ceremonial crew. I'm glad all of the boys got to see it. What motivation it must be now, to earn their arrow of light then bridge into the Boy Scout Troops. All of my Tigers received their Tiger Cub Ranks, and a so did most of the Wolves and Bears, too.

[WB Bear]

I believe that you will find a great benefit of having a crossing over ceremony at the Pack level. It is a great tool to help to inspire all the Cubs and their parents.

Years ago I was a UC and was assigned a pack that in the fall that all they had was a Webelos Den and had recruited a new group of Tiger. When the Webelos were ready to cross over I assisted them in having the OA team into to do their crossing over ceremony. The Pack continued holding those each year. When it came time for those Tigers who joined that first year to crossover it was their turn. I was talking with one of them prior to the ceremony and he was so excited and told me he had been waiting 4 years for this.

I am a firm believer that a crossing over ceremony is a very beneficial and that it belongs at the Pack level. I am wondering what some of your other thoughts are about it.

[Nuts4Scouts]

When is a Webelos crossing over to Boy Scouts ceremony NOT held at the Pack level?

What other level would it be held at?

[WB Bear]

What I mean for example I have seen crossing over ceremonies help at Webelos Woods, a District crossing over ceremony and for that matter the Pack having a special ceremony for crossing over that just the Webelos and their parents go to.

[Den5Pack457]

Thanks for words of wisdom. Seeing the reaction of our younger boys, and the Weblos crossing over of course; I could think of no better venue. Heck, I wanted to cross the bridge, too! :) I'm looking forward to my Son crossing over in 5 years. I sure hope he will.

[DYB-Mike]

Greetings!

Our pack also did the Chinese New Years theme with a catered Chinese buffet, theme decorations and activities (one of our committee members is of Chinese descent so that helped a lot), and a Lion Dance performed by a professional martial arts troupe. Our Committee Chair received her Wood Badge beads and our Webelos II received their Arrow of Light in a special ceremony that involved the Webelos Is, a sort of passing the torch. It was a great time.

Our Cross Over is traditionally held in May during a Pack camp out. The Cross Over Bridge is set up by the campfire and it makes for a moving scene. Our local OA chapter is scheduled to participate in this year’s Cross Over so that should really be memorable. This year my oldest son will be Crossing Over and my youngest son will be coming on board as a Tiger at the same time. I thought that might be nice to work into the ceremony some how – more “passing the torch”.

YIS
Mike

[Den5Pack457]

We're already working on the upcoming Blue and Gold. Thanks for all the great input.