January—TrusTworThy
TiTle
1
The GreaT race
A SCOUT IS TRUSTWORTHY. HOW DOES “THE GREAT RACE” RELATE TO THIS
POINT OF THE SCOUT LAW?
Being a member of any type of racing team provides an opportunity to demonstrate trustworthiness.
The team members must trust each other to always be prepared and perform their tasks to the best of
their abilities. They trust that in the event of a loss, the entire team will demonstrate good sportsmanship
toward each other as well as toward the other team.
NOTE TO cubmasTEr
Pack meetings are best when they are no more than an hour and a half in length. Pack meeting plans
are guides and can be adjusted to fit the needs of your pack.
You might consider setting up tables or areas for each den to display pictures and items made during
this month’s adventure.
If using a car race theme, you can decorate with previous pinewood derby cars or soapbox cars, items
from a local racing club if one is in your area, items demonstrating a vintage cross-country auto race,
and other like objects. Racing decorations may be found online or at local party supply stores.
As Cubmaster, you may wish to wear racing attire or a racing cap with your uniform. You can invite
local racing celebrities if there are any in your area.
BEFORE THE MEETING
Set up tables or areas for den displays, if applicable.
Be sure the following materials are available for the meeting:
• American and pack flags for the opening ceremony, plus six colored flags for the second part of
the opening
• Recognition for advancements, etc.
• Decorations for the room
• Two-liter bottles, toy bowling pins, and marking cones for the gathering activity
• Finish line tape or checkered flags for the rank advancement portion of the meeting
• Small black-and-white checkered flags for each Cub Scout
GATHERING
Oops, the Tires Are Flat game (See the Resources section.)
OPENING CEREMONY
A preassigned den presents the colors. The audience stands and recites the Pledge of Allegiance and
sings “America the Beautiful.”
January—TrusTworThy
2
Cub SCout
America, the Beautiful!
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
—Katherine Lee Bates
(A preassigned den retires the flags.)
Race flags—A preassigned den can assist with this. Have one flag of each color—the flags can be made
of paper, fabric, felt, etc. Have one boy as the narrator, and one boy for each flag who will step forward
with his flag and recite the line(s).
Narrator: “Flags have had many uses throughout our history to communicate information. Colored flags
used in auto racing can be an example of how we travel through life.”
Cub Scout 1: “Green—This flag signals the beginning of our race—we can go as fast as we dare,
trusting there are no obstacles to get in our way.”
Cub Scout 2: “Yellow—This flag signals caution—we need to slow down and continue cautiously.
Danger may lie ahead.”
Cub Scout 3: “Red and yellow stripes—This flag means a barrier is ahead with debris on the track!
We sometimes meet challenges in life. A trustworthy Scout meets these barriers
and overcomes them to race ahead cautiously but surely toward the goal.“
Cub Scout 4: “Red—STOP! There IS danger ahead. We must stop and rethink our plan before
moving forward.”
Cub Scout 5: “Black—Sometimes in a race, mistakes are made. We all make mistakes, but a
trustworthy racer admits the mistake, corrects it with the help of the members of his
team, learns how to avoid that mistake, and gets back out on the track.”
Cub Scout 6: “White—There is only one lap to go. The goal is up ahead, so we stay the course to
reach the finish line.”
Cub Scout 7: “Black-and-white checkered—WE DID IT! We finished the race. We didn’t give up and
did our best.” (This flag should be waved enthusiastically.)
OPENING PRAYER
“We give thanks for all we have and are, and trust in the higher power which guides us. May we always
be trustworthy Scouts.”
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
The Cubmaster welcomes new families, introduces them to the pack, and thanks those who helped
prepare the pack meeting.
DEN DEMONSTRATIONS
If there is a den that needs to do some type of activity at a pack meeting for the completion of an
adventure, please insert here.
3
January—TrusTworThy
AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
Divide the audience into four groups and assign each group the part that matches their word. As the
story is read and they hear the word, they should say their part.
Pinewood derby: “Vroom, vroom”
Trust: “A Scout is”
Someday: “In the future”
Cub Scout: “Do Your Best”
The Little Pinewood Derby Car
Once upon a time, there was a very young pinewood derby car. His biggest dream was to someday be
in a pinewood derby race. Sadly, he was still in the box sitting on the shelf. He was really just a block of
wood, some wheels, and some nails. But in his mind he was the fastest, shiniest pinewood derby car
that would ever go down the track.
Time after time, excited Cub Scouts came into the store and grabbed a box that said “pinewood
derby car” on it. But somehow this little car had been pushed to the back of the shelf where his box was
hard to see and even harder to reach.
He thought and he thought about how could he get a Cub Scout to notice him. He asked one of the
display pinewood derby cars about it. They sat by his shelf with their beautiful paint jobs and racing
decals and a sign that said “not for sale.” The car said, “My little friend, you must have trust that you
will be picked by your perfect Cub Scout and go race at the pinewood derby. It may not be today, or
tomorrow, but someday, yes, someday it will happen.”
So the little car waited . . . and he waited . . . and he waited. It seemed like forever, but he never lost that
trust and knew that someday he would be picked by his perfect Cub Scout and race in the
pinewood derby.
And then the day finally came. A very excited Cub Scout ran into the store and straight to the shelf
where all the pinewood derby car boxes sat. He was so excited that as he reached for a box, he
knocked several of them off the shelf and onto the floor. As the Cub Scout stacked the boxes back onto
the shelf, he saw the box with the little pinewood derby car way in the back. He reached way, way back
and grabbed hold of the box. Somehow he just knew this box held a winner!
At this point in our story, we aren’t sure who is the most excited, the Cub Scout or the pinewood
derby car.
After some sawing and some painting, and having his wheels put on, the pinewood derby car was ready
for his big day, and his Cub Scout was even more excited than before.
Once they got to the race, the pinewood derby car was checked in and weighed to be certain he was
worthy to race on the track. He knew it would be fine—he had trust that his Cub Scout had followed the
rules in building him, and would follow the rules while racing.
And suddenly it was HIS turn to sit at the top of the track. He was the most excited pinewood derby car
you could imagine. As the race started and he zoomed down the track, he saw his Cub Scout
waiting for him at the finish line and knew that no matter what happened, he was glad he had sat on the
shelf and waited for someday and had trust enough to wait for his perfect Cub Scout.
Cubmaster: “Let’s give ourselves the pinewood derby car cheer.”
“Vroom” (quietly)
“Vroom!” (louder)
“VROOM!” (LOUD!)
4
Cub SCout
RECOGNITION
Adventure Loops and Pins:
(Note: Adventure loops and pins can be presented at a meeting or as immediate recognition in the den.)
By den, call the names of those Cub Scouts who have completed the month’s adventure to
come forward.
• Have the den leader pass out the awards to the boys as they receive a Cub Scout handshake from
the Cubmaster.
• If time allows, invite the den leader or den chief of the den to speak about the adventure work done
for that month and have the den stand and be recognized.
• Use a positive cheer to recognize their accomplishments.
Other options:
• Have the den stand and be recognized or come forward to receive certificates for the adventure they
have completed. This option would be appropriate for a den that has already received the adventure
loop or pin.
• Adapt the advancement ceremony for the month’s theme into an adventure loop presentation if no
rank badges are being presented.
RANK ADVANCEMENT
The Cubmaster calls the names of those Cub Scouts who have earned their Bobcat rank and says, “We
ask these Scouts who have finished the first lap of our Cub Scout race, the Bobcat, to come forward
with their parents or guardians, who, like any trustworthy great pit crew, helped keep them on the track.”
As each of the following ranks is presented, the Cubmaster says:
Tiger: “The Tiger lap of the race included many adventures with their partners, making them a
trustworthy team for this leg of the race.”
Wolf: “The Wolf lap of the race became even more difficult, but our trustworthy Wolves stayed on their
course, working as a team through their adventures.”
Bear: “The Bear team raced their lap at a fast pace, learning many new skills that served them well in
running an honest, dependable race.”
Webelos: “The Webelos Scouts learned new skills in leadership and the outdoors that helped them
stay true on their race. Their Webelos badge is proof that they are trustworthy to lead others and are
steadfast in their Cub Scout knowledge.”
Arrow of Light: “These Scouts have reached the highest rank in Cub Scouting, the Arrow of Light. They
have been in pole position throughout the race and now cross the finish line of their Cub Scout race and
stand in victory lane, ready to move on to Boy Scouts, trustworthy and true to the Scout Oath and Law.”
CUBMASTER’S MINUTE
“We have seen that being trustworthy is important to our success in the great Cub Scout race and each
stage of our lives. By being steadfast and honest, we can overcome any barrier or mistake and celebrate
when we see the checkered flag at the end of every race we run.”
Have all checkered flags wave for a few moments.
5
January—TrusTworThy
CLOSING
My Race Car
Tune: “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean”
I wanted to build a fast race car,
As fast, oh as fast as can be,
But something went wrong with my race car,
It ended up stuck in a tree.
Give back, give back,
Give back my race car to me, to me.
Give back, give back,
Oh tree, give my car back to me.
(A preassigned den retires the flags.)
6
Cub SCout
resources
Oops, the Tires Are Flat
(Simple ring toss game)
Materials:
• Rings (canning jar rings, ring toss rings, etc.). One set of four rings for each set of “car tires.”
• Four “car tires” (2-liter bottles, toy bowling pins, marking cones, etc.). The number of sets will de-
pend on the size of your pack.
Instructions:
Set up the “car tires” to look like the tires on a car—two of them side by side about 2 feet apart, then
the second two the same distance apart, but about 3 feet over from the first set. They should create a
rectangle when placed. (See below.)
0 0
0 0
Cubmaster: “The tires have gone flat on our race car, and the Cub Scout must get all four tires changed
to get us back in the race.”
Decide how far back you want the Cub Scouts to stand. When the first Scout is ready, have him toss the
rings until he has one on each of the “tires.”
Once he has a ring on each of the four tires, the next Cub Scout plays.
