Many scouts fit inside the giant tipi. Once inside, the scouts played buffalo skin drums. The cub scouts of Pack 55 and their families celebrated another exciting year of scouting at their annual picnic. Though the weather kept the scouts from enjoying the outdoors, nothing could dampen their spirits! Putting into practice the cub scout motto, "Be prepared," the scouts quickly took their annual picnic indoors to Cathedral House, which was just the right size to accommodate a special visit from Tipi Ted and his Traveling Wilderness Museum.

Under the instruction of Tipi Ted, the boys helped set up a giant tipi, carefully raising and tying logs and then draping the covering of buffalo skin. Amazingly, the tipi, a replica of the ones used by the Plains Indians, was so large that all the scouts piled into the tent and everyone fit!

Scouts were initially puzzled when Ted compared the buffalo to Roosevelt Field Mall. He then explained that whatever was needed by the Plains Indians could be found in the buffalo. The animals provided food, shelter, clothing, and more. Buffalo bones were even used as toys.

Examing buffalo rib bones. Native American children would play a game of Pick Up Sticks with bones. The scouts practiced symbol writing in the style of the Native Americans. Each year, the tribe would choose a symbol to represent the year then record it on the buffalo hide. Women kept track of the hide and each year another symbol was added as a family record. The scouts chose their own symbols and recorded them on wood.

Switching to ceremony, the scouts then gathered around the US flag to receive their advancements and new handbooks as they graduated to the next level of Scouting. The Pack also welcomed its largest group of new incoming Tigers ever!

The Pack thanked Andrew Scott for his service as Cubmaster and launched a rubber -band F16 flyover in his honor. Mr. Scott then passed the Pack flags to his successor, John O'Hare, who promises that next year will be the most exciting ever!

Summer is a great time to join Pack 55. It's never too late to make new friends-and Pack 55 especially welcomes scouts going into 4th grade this September! For more information, call Susan Quigley 516-354-2239 or via email at SquigleyCFP@aol.com or Kim DeMaro at 741-4760 and via email at Kimberly.demaro@kattenlaw.com. Find out why Pack 55 ROCKS!

It took teamwork to raise the tipi.

Practicing symbol writing, a form of Native American record keeping.