Pack 97 had a blast last month at

our annual Family Camp. This

year, we camped at ONeil Region-
al Park in Trabuco Canyon. We
had over 150 scouts and family
members in attendance!
This year, James and Valerie Mer-
rill ran camp and delivered a
smooth and exciting program.
Friday night was camp fire at the
amphitheater where the scouts
regaled us with songs, skits, and
jokes. Then Mr. Merrill lead the
Pack in the retirement of many
flags.
Saturday morning started briskly
with a long hike up to the water
tower guided by the Park Ranger.
The afternoon was dominated by a
lively series of games that
included the always exciting
water balloon sling shot, cub-
mobile races, and sack races.
Later that afternoon,
several scout pro-
grams were run in-
cluding knots, We-
belos How to Start a
Fire, Whittling Chip,
and a Wolf activity
program.
Camp concluded
Sunday morning and
a fun time was had by
all. Thanks Pack 97!

Family Camp Pack 97 and
the Great Outdoors
Pack 97 News
The core value of July is Cour-
age! Courage is not always
about racing into danger to save
the day. It is about character
and integrity; doing what is
right in the face of peer pressure
or even when no one will know.
To me, the Scout experience is about help-
(Continued on page 3)
Cubmasters Corner
Riverside Cub Scout Pack 97
July, 2014
Volume 1, Issue 4
Important Dates 2
Den 1 at Work 3
Fishing Derby Details 4
Bike Rodeo 5
A Flag for Every Hero 6
Popcorn Sales 79
Popcorn Sales FAQ 10
Inside this issue:
Core Value of the
Month: Courage
Being brave and do-
ing what is right
regardless of our
fears, the difficul-
ties, or the conse-
quences.
Exploring new territo-
ry and challenging
oneself with new
skills takes a cer-
tain amount of
courage.
You will never do
anything in this
world without
courage. It is the
greatest quality of
the mind next to
honor.
- Aristotle
Page 2 Pack 97 News Vol ume 1, I ssue 4
Important Dates Mothers Ribbons
Proudly show off your pins on a mothers rib-
bon! When your scout advances in rank, he is
given a rank pin to give to you. What a won-
derful way to show how proud you are of your
Scout!
Dan Dotson of A&Es Storage Wars is a friend of
Pack 97. You might remember that he ran our cake
bake auction at the Blue and Gold this year. Well, he suffered a double brain aneurysm a few weeks
ago. But thanks to the quick thinking of his wife, Laura, he was saved and was able to be taken to the
hospital. A few surgeries later and he is on the mend without any further complications
Pack 97 made him a get-well card and got him a Cub Scout hat and took it to him in the hospital. He
was grateful to see us and thanked us for our thoughts and prayers.
July Pack Meeting @East Hills
Church
7/18/14
Camp Wiley 2014 A Space Odys-
sey
Session 1May
23rd to 26th
Session 2June
29th to July 2nd
Session 3July
3rd to 6th
Session 4July
27th to 30th
Session 5July
31st to August
3rd
Mt. Rubidoux Day Camp @ Jurupa
Cultural Center
7/14 to 7/18,
2014
Mt. Rubidoux Popcorn Sales Kick
Off Meeting @ Johns Incredible
Pizza
7/22/14
Fishing Derby / Family Picnic
Fishermans Retreat
7/26/2014
Lake Elsinore Storm Scout Night 8/9/2014
August Pack Meeting 8/15/2014
Raingutter Regatta 8/22/2014
Tiger Safari Overnighter 2014 September 20th,
2014
Mt. Rubidoux District Webelos
Woods @ Camp Emerson
October 3rd to
5th, 2014
2014 Archery Shoots (Wolves
and Bears Only)
Saturday, October
25th
2014 Archery Shoots (AMCubs
ONLY, PMWebelos Only
Saturday, Novem-
ber 1st, 2014
2014 Archery Shoots (Webelos
ONLY)
Saturday Novem-
ber 15th, 2014
Dan Dotson on the
Dan Dotson on the
Mend
Mend

ing the boys learn to exercise courage in their
own lives. To become men of character.
When we begin to feel that life is hard and the
task before us is more than we can handle,
stop and remember those who forged the
trails before us. They left for a life in the un-
known. They didnt know what lay ahead of
them, but with courage they moved on. They
hiked over mountains and through dry hot de-
serts, just to name a few of their difficulties.
But they drew upon their faith, and their cour-
age and determination to get the job done.
Remember: It takes courage to accomplish
our goals in life, even when it seems as if they
cant be done. It worked for our forefathersit
can work for you!
Yours in Scouting
John D. Skiff
Cubmaster, Pack 97
(Continued from page 1)
Cubmasters Corner continued...
Page 3 Pack 97 News Vol ume 1, I ssue 4
"I wanted you to see what
real courage is, instead
of getting the idea that
courage is a man with a
gun in his hand. It's when
you know you're licked
before you begin but you
begin anyway and you
see it through no matter
what. You rarely win, but
sometimes you do."
-Harper Lee: To Kill a
Mockingbird
Den 1 Bears Building Muscles!
Den 1 Bears working on their first Bear
Achievement, Number 16 Building Muscles.
Games, stunts, and contests with other Cub
Scouts help you become physically fit and
alert. Den and pack activities are aimed at
keeping you healthy.
This achievement will develop your speed, bal-
ance, and reactions. The more you practice, the stronger you will become. A strong
body is important to you now, and it will be even more important to you as you
grow older.
Page 4 Pack 97 News Vol ume 1, I ssue 4
Awkward Turtles in the Hidden Valley
The Awkward Turtles went on a Natu-
ralist hike at Hidden Valley Nature Cen-
ter back in June. As part of earning
their Naturalist activity badge, the boys
participated in a scavenger hunt for the
local fauna and flora.
Hidden Valley Nature Center is a wild-
life preserve located along the Santa
Ana River. It showcases our local wet-
lands biome and focuses on restoring native flora and fauna to the area. The boys
were able to see the American Goldfinch, Mosquito Fish, and several other creatures.
Plus they were able to identify local plant life like Poison Hemlock and Wild Grapes.
They also got to take their new walking sticks out for a spin!
Page 5 Pack 97 News Vol ume 1, I ssue 4
Bike Rodeo 2014Spectacular!!!
The 2014 Pack 97 Bike Rodeo was incredible! We had an
amazing turn out of boys testing their bicycling mettle
against one another. The boys showed their best Cub
Scout spirit by doing their best and being good sports.
And lets not forget the music and the
shaved ice. Thanks to Maria Es-
tabrooks, Jacqueline Potochny and
Michael McBride for putting on a won-
derful event!
A Flag for Every Hero
Pack 97 participated in the Memorial Day A Flag for Every Hero
event at the Riverside National Cemetery. The boys helped
place thousands of flags to honor the memory of those that
have served our country. The Flag for Every Hero programs
happens twice a year on Memorial Day and Veterans
Day.
Page 6 Pack 97 News Vol ume 1, I ssue 4
Den 2Feats of SKILL!!!
Den 2 started their Wolf program with a
fun set of activities from the Feats of Skill
program. The Wolves of Den 2 can be
seen Walking the Rail of Doom (AKA,
Walking the Line), Standing High Jump,
and Elephant Walk.
You are growing. You are getting stronger.
Try these feats of skill. Test your speed.
Test your balance. Test your strength.
Great work Wolves!
Page 7 Pack 97 News Vol ume 1, I ssue 4
Pack 97 will start our annual Popcorn Fundraiser
on August 1st. This year will be different from
years past. Here are a few things that will be dif-
ferent this year:
Goal Oriented Selling
Earn your quota while on Store Front Sales
Custom Awards program for high selling scouts
by rank.
Our goal this year is to encourage families to sell
more popcorn and to make it easier to sell. We al-
so want to at least reduce or stop additional fund-
raising and/or charging for programs.
Why Do We Sell Popcorn?
The Popcorn Fundraiser through Trails End is the mandated fundraising program from
the California Inland Empire Council (CIEC). We have to do this fundraiser in some
fashion; this is the primary income source for our council.
This fundraiser is also the primary income source for Pack 97. The Pack 97 Cub Scout
program is year-round and multi-faceted. It also costs a lot to run on a per scout ba-
sis. Our fundraising and registration fees are used to cover these costs, including your
BSA dues, Boys Life subscription, derbies, Blue and Gold, awards, and more for the en-
tire Pack. And this doesnt include den dues and costs for siblings.
Our goal will be to sell enough popcorn to cover our entire Pack budget for the 2015
program year. What this means is that if we make this number; we will not have to do
additional fundraisers to make ends meet and we will not have to pay an a la carte fee
for every event. It is the goal we will shoot for; we may not make it, but we must do
our best.
Page 8 Pack 97 News Vol ume 1, I ssue 4
Popcorn Sales Goals!!
In an effort to make our fundraising goals more clear and transparent, this is an outline
of our Popcorn Fundraiser and our thinking. Read the Popcorn Sales FAQ too!
Est. Pack Budget for 2015 Program Year*: $11,250.00
Percentage Received from Popcorn Sales: 30%
Total Popcorn Sales Goal: $37,500.00
Sales Goal / Scout: $500.00
* Does not include annual registration fees
Sales Tools
Mt. Rubidoux Popcorn
Kickoff Meeting
Tuesday, July 22nd @ 6:00 PM
Johns Incredible Pizza @ 6187 Valley Spring
Parkway, Riverside
Scouts and Sibs 12 and younger: $6.99
All others: $9.99
Includes buffet, drinks, and $5.00 fun card per
person. Use party entrance and say youre there
with the BSA!
Online Sales
Trails-End.com
Visit www.trails-end.com and register your scout
for online sales. This allows anyone to order pop-
corn from your Scout directly and have it shipped
to them.
Trails End also features some sales tools and tips
for scouts. This includes some videos, scripts and
some promotional materials. Sign-up at:
http://sell.trails-end.com/scout/register
Read the FAQ
On Page 10
Read the Frequently Asked Questions on Page 10
for answers to many questions.
Do Your
Best!!
Do your best. That is all we ask.
Store-front
Sales
Store-front sales and dates will be announced
soon. Scouts will get a block of time from their
den leader. For the time they work at a store-
front, they will receive credit for a percentage of
the sales.
NOTE: This year we will be tracking our store front
sales. This means that your scout will get credit
towards their goal from these sales. Store-front
sales help the entire Pack and you too!
Door to Door
Sales Tools
Popcorn can be checked in small amounts from
the Pack supply during the week for door to door
sales. This means that you can sell popcorn door
to door and actually deliver the product right
away! And it counts toward your sales goal!!!!
Page 9 Pack 97 News Vol ume 1, I ssue 4
Council Popcorn Awards Program
2014 Very Important Popcorn Seller Rewards Programs (VIPS)
Starter Level All Star Level CIEC Cup Level Champions Level
Sell $500.00 Online or
Sell $1750-$2,249.00
Combines Sales
Sell $2,250$2,999.00
Combined Sales
Sell $3,000-$4,999.00
Combined Sales
Sell $5,000+
Hockey Puck Hockey Puck Hockey Puck Hockey Puck
2 Tickets to Ontario
Reign Game
2 Tickets to Ontario
Reign Game
2 Tickets to Ontario
Reign Game
$15.00 Food Voucher
4 Tickets to Ontario
Reign Game
$25.00 Food Voucher
Recognition on the
Jumbo Tron
Recognition on the
Jumbo Tron
Recognition on the
Jumbo Tron
Recognition on the
Jumbo Tron

100% CIEC Camp
Certificate to
Summer Camp or
Youth Training
Experience
100% CIEC Camp
Certificate to
Summer Camp or
Youth Training
Experience
100% CIEC Camp
Certificate to
Summer Camp or
Youth Training
Experience
Sell $2,500.00 in total sales and 6% of your total sales each year is invested in your own scholarship account for college!
Top 6 sellers in the California Inland Empire Council will ride the Zamboni at the Ontario Reign Scout Night!
2014 Filler Up-Sales-Sheet Prize Program
Fill up an order form sales sheet and submit it to the council with the entry form and submit it to the CIEC head-
quarters in Redlands, CA. One entry form per sales sheet and submit as many completed order forms as you can.
Must arrive before noon on the day of the drawings. Online and Store Front / Delivered Popcorn sales are not
eligible. Entries that do not win in week submitted will automatically be re-entered in the following weeks drawing!
Drawing Week Drawing Date Prize
1 September 29, 2014 Camping Items
2 October 6, 2014 Mountain Bike
3 October 13, 2014 Bass Pro Fishing Items
4 October 20, 2014 Amazon Kindle
5 October 27, 2014 2 Movie Tickets + Items
Grand Prize* October 27, 2014 $100.00 Best Buy Gift Card
Page 10 Pack 97 News Vol ume 1, I ssue 4
Popcorn Sales FAQ
1. Do I have to buy $500.00 worth of popcorn? (No, we are trying to sell $500.00 worth of
popcorn per scout. Please do not buy this amount yourself unless you truly love popcorn.
The idea is to earn our budget so that you dont have to pay it over the next year.)
2. What if I cannot sell $500.00 worth of popcorn? (There is no penalty. If we do not earn
our annual budget through popcorn sales, additional fundraisers will be added, programs
will be cut, reduced in scope, or will be available by way of an a la carte fee. The goal is
to try to and fund it all!)
3. Can I just pay a buyout fee and be done with it? (No, there is no buyout. However, if
you want to contribute and pay some type of buyout, buy the popcorn for yourself or buy
one of the tax deductible military donations.)
4. Why is it our quota much more than last year? (It really isnt. Our budget is only slightly
different than before due to some rising costs and a few new programs. The big differ-
ence is that we are specifically trying to hit a budgetary number with the goal in mind of
not having to pay an a la carte fee for every event. And for a year round program, that is
not so bad.)
5. I have multiple scouts in Pack 97, do each of them need to sell this amount? (Yes, they
should try to shoot for selling the goal. Remember, no penalties for missing the goal.
Just do your best!)
6. When does the Popcorn Fundraiser Start? (Online sales start August 1st, 2014. Order
forms will be available starting July 22nd. Storefront sales start August 23rd. All sales
end October 17th, 2014)
7. Why do Store Front sales if it doesnt count against my sales goal? (Now it does count
against your sales goal. Each scout will be given the opportunity to participate in a store
front sale for a specific window. Sales will be recorded and those in attendance will split
the sales evenly.)
8. What do you mean custom awards? (In lieu of the awards available through Trails End,
Pack 97 is opting to use those same resources to provide awards to the boys. The awards
will be better and more in line with the boys interests. No more key fobs or odd gadgets.)
9. Why is there so much pressure to sell? (You and your scout should feel no pressure. This
is a shoot for the stars goal. If we dont make, we dont make it. But we should always
do our best. And that is all we ask.)
Poli Cowdery
Popcorn Chair
pcowdery@hotmail.com
Contacts
John D. Skiff
Cubmaster
949-836-2399
skiffalope@yahoo.com
Kristy Smith
Committee Chair
kristy_mulkey@yahoo.com


Were on the Web!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/
riversidepack97/
Pack 97 strives to provide a quality program
to your boys. All of our programs and efforts
are based on the volunteer efforts of parents
just like you. The more volunteers that get
involved, the better we can make the pro-
gram for your Scout.
Volunteering doesnt always mean that you
have to don the Khaki shirt and lead a bunch
of cubs on a long hike. It is everything you
do to help your Pack including helping your
den leaders host meetings, helping during
events, volunteering small bits of time, abil-
ity, and patience to help pass on your skills to
our Scouts. Please volunteer! Ask your Cub-
master, John D. Skiff, or any Pack 97 leader
how.
We need you!
We have immediate openings for key roles in
the Pack!
Pack Fundraising Chair (Popcorn Kernel)
Outdoor Activity Chair (Activities)
Pack 97 Needs You!
Riverside Cub Scout Pack 97
Newsletter Submission
If you would like to submit something to-
wards the Pack 97 Newsletter (a joke,
scout drawing, etc.) please send your infor-
mation to Cubmaster, John D. Skiff
(skiffalope@yahoo.com).
Pack Leadership
John D. Skiff Cubmaster, Den Leader Awkward Tur-
tles, Asst. Den Leader Den 2
Kristy Smith Committee Chair, Bear Den Leader Den
1, Asst. Den Leader Huskies
Christine Ellis Treasurer
Maria Estabrooks Secretary
OPEN Charter Organization Rep.
Michael McBride Asst. Cubmaster, Public Relations Chair
Politimi Cowdery Membership Chair, Fundraising Chair
(Acting)
Richard Cowdery Advancement Chair
Carlene Sawyer Fitness Coordinator
Brian Kleist Quartermaster
Denice Cahill Tiger Den LeaderDen 8
Daniel Cahill Tiger Asst. Den LeaderDen 8
Valerie Merrill Tiger Den LeaderDen 9
Diane Skiff Wolf Den LeaderDen 2, Asst. Den
LeaderAwkward Turtles, Pack Trainer
(Acting)
Arlene Media Wolf Asst. Den LeaderDen 2
Jacqueline Potochny Wolf Den LeaderDen 3
Tom Smith Bear Den LeaderDen 1, Asst. Den
Leader Huskies
Matthew Nelson Bear Den LeaderDen 4
Amy Hallenberg Bear Asst. Den LeaderDen 4
James Merrill Webelos Den LeaderDen 5
Christine Slaughter Webelos Asst. Den LeaderDen 5
David Obert Webelos Den LeaderDen 6
Jennifer Obert Webelos Asst. Den LeaderDen 6
Diane Kwasman Webelos Asst. Den LeaderAwkward
Turtles
Sarah Peters Webelos Asst. Den LeaderAwkward
Turtles
George Anderson Webelos Den LeaderHuskies
Diana Anderson Asst. Den Leader Huskies
Raingutter Regatta Chair
And more...