We have scheduled two Pack Family Campouts, so save these dates:
June 21-23, 2023 at Raccoon Creek State Park Sioux B Campsite
September 20-22, 2023 at Raccoon Creek State Park Sioux B Campsite

Raccoon Creek State Park Sioux B Campsite is about 35 minutes from South Fayette. It is a primitive camping site with vault toilets and water nearby. There is plenty of room for families to set up tents and for the Scouts to play in the group tenting area. The weekend activities will include a one mile hike, fishing, swimming and kayaking for both of these trips to Raccoon State Park.

For all trips your family can join us for one night or both. If you are unable to camp overnight, please feel free to join us on Saturday for morning activities, a hike, time spent at the lake in the afternoon and cooking our own dinner over the campfire or in a Dutch oven. Don’t let a lack of tenting equipment keep you out of the fun… many of us have plenty of equipment to share.

Our typical schedule looks something like this:
Friday after 4PM– arrive at camp, set up tents, families cook their dinners, kids play and parents hang out by the campfire. Lights out by 10PM for the kiddos.

Saturday morning– families cook their breakfasts, kids play
Saturday 10AM to 12PM – activities and hike
Saturday 12PM to 1PM – families prepare lunch
Saturday 1PM to 4PM – activities at the lake
Saturday 4PM to 7PM – dinner – tinfoil meals or dutch oven (Pack provides)
Saturday 7PM to 9:30PM – Scouts play and hang out by the fire
Saturday 10PM – Lights out for the kiddos

Sunday morning– families cook their breakfasts, kids play
We have the campsites until 3PM on Sunday. Families can choose to enjoy the amenities at the State Parks, including fishing, swimming and boating. Families choose when they would like to pack down their tents and head home.

All families will bring their own food and prepare their own meals, with the exception of the dinner on Saturday. We will have tin foil pockets for dinner that evening which adult leaders will assist the Scouts in preparing in a sanitary manner. There will be a $5/person or $20/family charge for this dinner meal. Exact payment expected at the campsite.

Pre-registration is required even if you are just joining us for the day.
Signup sheets for all trips can be accessed here: http://pack843.org/sign-ups/
The sign up sheets for all trips will close five days prior to each event.

Come join your friends in Pack 843 as we race against other cub scout packs in the area!  The race is on Saturday May 11 from 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM at the Settlers’ Cabin Wave Pool parking lot (https://maps.app.goo.gl/g3HZGMdXSLruB3VL6). Races include a downhill/gravity race, a slalom, a circular track with scouts pushing each other, and a distance push!  We have 2 Cubmobiles and will bring as many scouts as want to attend, but we do need a team to be able to participate!  All riders need to wear shoes and a helmet, so bring your bike helmet! Ask a leader for more information. Sign up on the pack website at http://pack843.org/sign-ups/?sheet_id=213

For our pack meeting this month, we’ll be meeting at the Hendersonville Pavilion at Hendersonville Park On April 27th at 1:30 PM. Please see the location here:

https://goo.gl/maps/X7ca3GhaPi15VUtC9

The pack meeting will start at 1:30, but we’ll gather early to gather everyone’s food they collected for Scouting for Food. The pack meeting will have our usual announcements, advancements that the scouts have earned, then we’ll talk about bicycle safety, and then go for a ride on the nearby Montour Trail! Please make sure to bring water for the ride and if you want it afterward. After we all get back from our ride, the pack will provide an ice cream treat for everyone, so please sign up to let us know how much to get! Hope to see you there!

Please sign up here

Check out the flyer for the Scouting for Food collection here

On Wednesday, August 7th, Pack 843 will be serving as the Color Guard for the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Our Pack will be going onto the field at PNC Park and presenting the flag for the National Anthem.  Afterwards, we will have seats to watch the Pirates battle the Padres.

The cost of the tickets is $29 each and include $10 towards the concession stand.
You must sign up in advance and pay by a check made out to Pack 843, or Zelle to Pack 843. Please give all payments to Deb Whitewood, Jon Spink, or Treasurer, Matt Bizzack. Payments must be received prior to July 24th.
You can drop payments off at the den meetings or at Deb’s home, 173 Greenwood Drive, Bridgeville, PA 15017.

Signup here prior to July 24, 2024. https://pack843.org/sign-ups/

All scouts and leaders MUST be in Class A uniform to go onto the field.  The game begins at 6:40PM, but we will need to assemble around 5:00 at the cul-de-sac on Mazeroski Way to get prepared.  As in prior years, we need to purchase 50 tickets in order to get the $29 per ticket price, so bring the siblings and Grandparents to the game! In the past we have had 70 scouts and family members attend this event. It is always a memorable night for everyone!

If you have any further questions regarding this event, please contact Deb Whitewood at whitewoodD@msn.com

Join our Pack July 11-14 at Laurel Highlands Council’s Camp Independence, for the ultimate Cub Scouting camping experience. Scouts, their leaders, and parents/guardians stay overnight for three days at the camp, part of the council’s Heritage Reservation, nestled in the Laurel Highlands wilderness. The camp has many activities for the scouts to enjoy, like BB guns, archery, slingshots, climbing, hiking, swimming, fishing, boating, campfires, and more! And the Webelos get the option of staying an extra day through the day Sunday for more fun!

Camp is $275 for Scouts to spend three days and $365 for four days (extra day for Webelos) and $120 for adults. Spots are still available!

Please contact Jon Spink with any questions or if you’re interested at jon.spink@gmail.com

Congratulations again to our scouts! We celebrated scouts that earned their Arrow of Light and other advancements this past Sunday at the Blue and Gold/Crossover ceremony. And we wish good luck to those that crossed over to their selected Scouts BSA troop. Thank you to all that planned and attended this wonderful event to celebrate our scouts’ achievements!

This past weekend, we held our pack’s Pinewood Derby race day. Undeterred by the weather, it was a huge success! Congratulations to the scouts that participated!

Each den level raced among themselves, with awards given to the best decorated cars and then the winners competed to determine the overall champion from our Pack. The final Pack 843 standings are:

1. Eliana W. – Tiger
2. Owen R. – Wolf
3. Owen G – Bear

And, an overall “Best in Show” award was voted on by the leaders and presented to Kali L. for her amazing dragon car!

The top finishers can now compete at the Frontier District race, against winners from other Cub Scout packs in our area, on Saturday, March 2. Good luck and thank you for representing our Pack!

All Pack 843 Cub Scouts and their families are invited to attend this annual celebration of Cub Scouting!  We will be recognizing the achievements and advancements within the Pack, as well as celebrating the Arrow of Light scouts crossing over into Scouts BSA!  Eating together is a great way to build fellowship and encourage team building so, we would like you to come and enjoy a small meal with your Den, Pack and BSA Troops.  

We ask that scouts be in full uniform for this event.  If you need help with your scouting uniform please reachout

Additionally the  Classy Cobra Patrol (Our AOLs) with the help of our Webelos  invite you to explore scouting around the world in a short program that will allow scouts of all ages to explore what scouting looks like in other places in the world.  The scouts are researching and designing a presentation for you.   If you would like to help us celebrate scouting around the world please bring a dessert that you love and a note card about it in the world it originates from, any significance or traditions and what the ingredients are in it. 

Pack 843 Blue and Gold Celebration – February 25, 2024 at Oakdale Community Center from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm   Ticket prices are as follows: 

• $5 for Adults and Scout Troop Members
• $3 for Cub Scouts and children ages 5 and up.
• Pack 843 Arrow of Light scouts and children 4 or under are FREE 

To purchase tickets, please use this link to sign up and make your payment or use a paper copy, available from your den leader.

Please complete your sign up to let us know you’ll attend by February 22!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSddy_Vfb_2RvbHrf6x3iJv9VeQcKrKJTAoCKgWVYpk0VGTrZw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Pack 843’s Pinewood Derby will be held on Saturday, January 20 at Crossroad Church, 1120 Boyce Rd. in Upper St. Clair. Please see the schedule below for your scout’s race time. Please plan to arrive 10-15 minutes before your race time. The race schedule is organized like this:

9:00 AM AOL (Fifth Grade)

9:15 AM Webelo I (Fourth Grade)

10:00 AM Bear (Third Grade)

11:00 AM Wolf (Second Grade)

12:45 PM Tiger (First Grade)

1:45 PM Lion (Kindergarten))

2:45 PM Winner Race – Championships!

Weigh in will occur Friday, January 19 from 7-8 PM. Bring your completed car to make sure they are in accordance with the rules, be dropped off, and officially entered in the race roster.  If you are not available at that date and time, please make arrangements with another scout to bring your car. All cars must be at the weigh-in in order to race!

Information about the rules and regulations for the Pinewood Derby can be found here:

http://pack843.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/pinewood_derby_rules_2024.doc

To help prepare for this, we are hosting two build nights at the Oakdale Community Center. We will help communicate how the event works, discuss rules, and help you transform your block of wood to the car of your dreams. So come with your imagination! We will meet two evenings, from 6:30 – 8:00 PM to help you build:

Wednesday December 27

Wednesday January 10

The Oakdale Community Center is located at:

104 Seminary Ave.

Oakdale PA 15071

https://maps.app.goo.gl/TBvF8cejb9VQyuyw8

Feel free to reach out to Cubmaster Jon Spink at jon.spink@gmail.com with any questions regarding the Pinewood Derby race or these build nights.

Get out of the house this winter at Heritage Reservation’s Cub Scout Winter Weekends! Cub Scouts and their families are invited to join us for a weekend of fun and friends. Have some with outdoor STEM activities too!

Our pack will stay in the Potomac Homes overlooking Lake Courage at Camp Independence. Cafeteria style meals are provided in our dining area at Pathfinder Lodge. Come with your personal gear and enjoy winter with its exciting program features. Choose from several weekends – each of which is open to Scouts from any Pack. Winter Weekends at Heritage Reservation are a tremendous opportunity for Cub Scouts and their families to enjoy a fun-filled day in the great outdoors while experiencing the beauty of winter.

Day passes are available for those families that wish to come up for the day and enjoy the winter fun!

Siblings welcome!

Program Features

• Shooting Sports (BB, Archery, Giant Slingshots)
• STEM Activities
• Games
• Nature Hikes
• Saturday evening campfire for Full Weekend Participants

Activities are subject to change. Should there be sufficient snow, some activities may be switched out for sledding and/or snowshoeing.  All needed equipment is provided. 

Our council’s camp is in the Laurel Highlands at:

Camp Independence

300 Heritage Rd

Farmington, Pennsylvania 15437

https://maps.app.goo.gl/gpbhkQYhn5Kbsti89

The cost is $130 per person for the full weekend. Day passes are available to come up on Saturday for $40 for youth and $20 for adults.

Please reach out to Jon Spink at jon.spink@gmail.com with any questions and to pay for your spot and ensure that medical forms and adult clearances are in order.

All participants will need to complete health forms, parts A and B:

https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/HealthSafety/pdf/680-001_AB.pdf

Here’s a packing list for the weekend:

https://scoutingevent.com/Download/52724317/OR/WW_Packing_List.pdf