Pack 320's
Blue
& Gold
and
Webelos Cross-Over
Saturday, May 13th, 2006
4:00 pm - Welcome from our Cubmaster Bobby D
4:30 – 5:30 - Scout Games and Activities.
5:30 – 6:30 – Dinner and Clean up
6:30 – 7:00 – Adult Awards
7:00 – 7:30 – Webelos Cross-Over
7:30 – 8:00 – Closing Ceremonies
A Special Time to Reflect
In 1933 "Cub Leaders' Round Table" suggested Parent/Cub dinners. Soon thereafter, Pack 1 of Michigan City started a tradition of pot-lucks where the dads were to bring utensils made of wood; whittled by the Cub with his dad. In the 1930s father/son 'bean dinners' and 'Cub family dinners' began to become commonplace. Finally, in 1943 the name "Blue and Gold Banquet" first appeared in BSA literature, and became synonomous with "celebrating the birthday of Scouting."
Today, the Blue and Gold banquet is one of the highlights of the program year. It brings together your Pack's families for a dinner and an evening of fun. The meal is important, but even more important is the warm, congenial atmosphere created as families enjoy each other's company. The Blue and Gold Banquet is a special time for special ceremonies. Ceremonies held at this banquet all share a common spirit of Scouting, friendship, family, and spirituality.
We will have had a lot of fun at this celebration of the birthday of Cub Scouting and celebration of the birthday of our own pack. As Cub Scouts and leaders, we are following the trail left by millions of other boys and leaders who have been involved in Cub Scouting since it began in 1930.
The Scouting movement exists in 115 countries - almost every nation of the free world. Those Cub Scouts are much like us. They have similar ideals, a similar promise, and the same brotherhood of service. So let's think of our brother Cub Scouts around the world as we celebrate at this annual banquet.
Ceremony
All 2nd year Webelos, their parents, their leaders, the Cubmaster and a few select Boy Scout troop members and their Scoutmaster, are invited on stage. The boys are called one by one to "cross" over the "bridge" to Boy Scouts, each step representing each Boy Scout law. Once "over," a Boy Scout gives the new Boy Scout a new Boy Scout neckerchief, shakes his hand and he is welcomed "into the fold." The new scouts are asked to stay after the meeting to meet with the Scoutmaster and discuss the next steps in Boy Scouting. The new Boy Scouts going into Troop 320 will leave the Blue and Gold to go on their first camp-out with their new Troop.
This grand and personal crossover ceremony will be held to celebrate the Webelo’s hard work and accomplishments on his path towards Boy Scouting. Friends and family of each participant will be encouraged to attend the evening ceremony to make this a memorable event for all of them to remember.
It is very important to have this ceremony for the boys to mark the transition to Boy Scouts, but it is also very important for the rest of the boys to see them graduate. This helps them prepare for the day that they will crossover or transition from being a Cub Scout to a Boy Scout. We hope this ceremony will encourage our young Cub Scouts to stick with Scouting, so that they too may join Boy Scouts.