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MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII — Prospective members came to play on
the water slides, munch on snacks and meet the leaders of Cub Scout
Pack 225 during the pack's annual water roundup and membership drive
at Riseley Field aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Aug. 22, 2015.
This is the only recruitment event of the year for the pack,
which consists of boys ages 7 to 10 years old and meets weekly.
Because the pack is made up mostly of military children, many have
left due to their parents making a permanent change of station move.
In addition, others have moved on to be Boy Scouts. However, it
seems recruitment went well this past weekend.
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Kayden McIntyre competes in a water relay during the Cub Scouts Pack 225 annual water roundup and membership event at Riseley Field aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Aug. 22, 2015. “They're a high quality unit,” said Richard Galluzzi, the district executive for the Boy Scouts of America Aloha Council. “I see all the good they do for both the kids (who) are involved and also the community. It makes me happy to come here and see how it benefits the community and the base (to have a Cub Scout pack). I think it's a big asset.” The cub scouts do many different activities throughout the year, learning new skills, visiting new places and eventually moving up in rank in the Boy Scouts of America. The pack, which meets weekly, has many military children as members. Volunteers from Marine Corps Base Hawaii support the pack and the scouts, which helps the overall mission of the base, to take care of the families aboard the installation. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Kristen Wong)
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“I'm extremely excited,” said Irene Zaborowski, the
pack's committee chair. “It looks like we're going to have a
huge pack. We have a ton of events planned.”
Zaborowski, a Fairfax, Va., native, has been involved with
the pack for four years, ever since her son joined the Cub
Scouts as a Tiger.
“I was seeking an extracurricular
program that offered volunteer service (and instilled) good
morals in kids,” she said. “The scouts offered that.”
Among the events, there will be an overnight campout for
multiple Cub Scout packs called the Cuboree. The Cub Scouts
also incorporate service projects and fundraisers into their
year, such as beach cleanups, bake sales and canned food
drives.
In February, the pack celebrates the
organization's founding at its annual blue and gold banquet,
promoting the boys who've earned their next rank. Another
major event is the Pinewood Derby in March, which is held in
conjunction with the annual Boy Scouts Aloha Council
Makahiki event at Ala Moana Beach Park. The boys build and
race their own cars at the derby.
“The most rewarding
aspect for me is seeing them grow and develop life skills
that they're going to carry with them for the rest of their
lives (such as) good self-esteem (and) being a helpful
citizen,” she said.
Zaborowski commented that there
are similarities between military and scout values. She said
many scouts join the military, and many of the parents
involved in the pack are former scouts themselves.
“These kids are resilient because (many of them) deal with
deployed parents and the stresses of being a part of a
military family,” she said. “We're a very close group
because we're used to that in the military — a group
approach to raising kids.”
Ashley Wilson, of Dayton,
Ohio, has been involved with the pack for little more than
two years. She led the Bears and Tigers dens last year, and
continues to support the pack before she leaves the island
this year.
Wilson's co-worker, who was a den leader,
encouraged her to help volunteer with the pack. She started
out as an assistant den leader, then underwent training and
eventually became a den leader. She described her time with
the pack as a learning experience.
“I love them like
they are my own nephews,” Wilson said. “It's amazing to
teach them and see them grow as people ... especially because
I don't have kids of my own. I've always been ‘Aunty.'”
In one instance last year, Wilson remembered supervising
the boys as they were earning their whittling chip. She said
she was impressed by how the boys demonstrated responsible
use of pocketknives, but could still enjoy themselves.
Wilson said she will miss the scouts. She said the most
memorable moment during her time with the pack was watching
the Cub Scouts officially reach their highest level and
transition into the Boy Scouts. She said she felt a sense of
accomplishment in helping them achieve their goal.
“I
hope the next pack in Virginia has the camaraderie and love
that this pack has,” Wilson said.
Richard Galluzzi,
the district executive for the Boy Scouts of America Aloha
Council, calls Pack 225 a "high-quality unit."
“I
see all the good they do for both the kids (who) are
involved and also the community," he said. "It makes me
happy to come here and see how it benefits the community and
the base (to have a Cub Scout pack). I think it's a big
asset.”
Galluzzi does monthly visits and supports the
pack. He officiated relay races at the annual water round
up.
“(Cub Scouts is) a moral development program,”
Galluzzi said. “We're there to turn these young men into
good people. There (are) not a lot of programs out there
that teach the same quality of values that scouting does and
I think that's why it's important that scouting is on this
base.”
The Honolulu native has been at his current
position for little more than two years, and is a former
Eagle Scout.
“(Boy Scouts) allowed me to grow into an
ethical adult,” Galluzzi said. “(The organization taught me
the) importance of giving back to others, conducting myself
and holding myself to a high moral standard (which is) very
important for our society to have.”
Volunteers from
MCB Hawaii support the pack and the scouts, which helps the
overall mission of the base, to take care of the families
aboard the installation.
By U.S. Marine Corps Kristen Wong
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2015
The U.S. Marines
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