September 25-27, 2025 at Raccoon Creek State Park Sioux B Campsite – Please sigh up here: http://pack843.org/sign-ups/?sheet_id=248

Raccoon Creek State Park Sioux B Campsite is about 35 minutes from South Fayette. It is a primitive camping site with vault toilets nearby and water in the site. 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.

We’d love to have you and your family join us for one night or both, depending on your schedule. 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 Park, 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.

The pack will meet on Station Street in Bridgeville by the American Legion Post at 9:15 AM. The parade starts at 10:00 AM and takes less than an hour. We have popsicles for scouts at the end of the parade route.

The parade begins near Station Street and ends at the Cemetery past the GetGo. It is suggested to park either at the cemetery or in the Aldi parking lot so you don’t have to walk all the way back to your vehicle after the parade.

Button-down class A uniform shirts are required to be worn by the Scouts and adult leaders for the parade. The exception would be the Lions who may wear their blue Lions t-shirt. Official Scout uniform caps are permitted (and encouraged!) as well. Bring sunscreen!! Parents who are joining who are not leaders / don’t have the khaki shirt should wear the green Class B Pack 843 t-shirt. Lions and Tigers need a parent or responsible adult to walk with us during the parade, other ranks’ parents are permitted to join but are not required.

Please sign up at this link so we can have enough candy for scouts to throw!

Let’s get outside and have some fun, wrapping up a year of hard work!

Don’t forget to bring sunscreen!

The pack will have water jugs as well, so bring your water bottles!

Please sign up at this link to indicate how many are joining us and mark what you’re bringing.

Registration is required!  Pack 843 will sign your scout up and pay the $10 participation fee.  Please fill out this form by May 2 so we can get folks registered!

We need to meet at 9:00 AM in the parking lot, and sign in together as a group.  Scouts will be placed in groups of 2-4 based on age for the Cubmobile races. All scouts MUST bring a bike helmet and wear their helmet during races.

The Cubmobile races include:

1. Downhill (each scout will start at the same spot and see how quickly they can go down the hill with no push)
2. Monte Carlo Relay (circle track – each scout will take a turn riding and a turn pushing)
3. Serpentine (slalom race – going around cones; each scout will have a turn driving and a turn pushing)
4. Drag Race (push race – each scout will have a turn to push and be pushed)

We do not know what the bike derby piece of the event will look like as this is new this year, but with all our enthusiastic scouts on bikes, I know we will have fun!  Bring your own bike and helmet.

https://goo.gl/maps/X7ca3GhaPi15VUtC9

Before the meeting we will be collecting shelf stable food for our Scouting for Food Drive. Please see the attached flyer.  

During the meeting we will have announcements, advancements and go over bicycle safety. After learning about bike safety and performing a check of the bikes and helmets we will go for a ride on the Montour Trail. Please bring water for the ride and afterwards. 

 After the ride we will meet back at the pavilion for an ice cream treat. 

Please complete this form to sign up so we know how many are coming and can have ice cream for everyone: https://forms.gle/YPS6ACQc78RwYebB7

Xander R. & Nathan H. crossed to Troop 228 under the direction of Scoutmaster, Dave Kraska. Former Pack 843 members, Landon W., Max R. and Kali L. provided their assistance during the ceremony.

Harshita K., Nathan S., Owen G., Luke B., Eli G. and Zachary C. were welcomed to Troop 248 by Scoutmaster Tom Taylor and former Pack 843 Scout, Arjun Y.

Nivedh L. crossed over to Troop 2. ASM Dave Speidel welcomed him to the troop.

March Pack Meeting
Please join us for the March 2026 monthly pack meeting. We’ll gather at the Lafayette Pavilion at Fairview Park from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM on Sunday March 22 to make hiking sticks and go for a hike. If the weather requires, we’ll meet at an indoor backup plan at St. Mary’s Hall in Cecil. We will monitor the weather and let those signed up know. We’ll have advancements for the scouts to celebrate their achievements and then have some fun making hiking sticks and going for a hike. Please contact Cubmaster Jon Spink with any questions at pack843sf@gmail.com.
Please see the pack website to sign up here:
http://pack843.org/sign-ups/?sheet_id=244

Summer Resident Camp 2026
It’s not too early to start thinking of summer plans, so make your plan to join the Pack July 10-12 at Laurel Highlands Council’s Camp Independence for the ultimate Cub Scouting camping experience. Scouts, their leaders, and parents/guardians stay overnight two nights 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!
For more information, see the council webpage for this event at: https://scoutingevent.com/Registration/ca7778f9fec1cb0ad61a6cdc7ddefd2ab6daedf7ab5918f8bf1f9076d0df3428NDU2NDU4Nw/Summary

Camp is $290 for Scouts to spend three days and $120 for adults. Spots are still available! Please contact Jon Spink with any questions or if you’re interested at pack843sf@gmail.com.
Please complete the sign up sheet here http://pack843.org/sign-ups/?sheet_id=245

Camp is expensive, we understand! The costs, as outlined earlier, are $290 for youth and $120 for adults when registered and paid by April 1. In order to help, our pack is offering a $50 campership for those scouts attending summer camp for the first time. This means, if this is your first time going to summer camp, you’ll pay $240. Please let me know who is interested and we’ll figure out your total. Payment can be made to the pack with a check or by Zelle.

Our council, the Laurel Highlands Council is also offering camperships. There is no requirement to have a financial need, so if you’re interested in camp, please complete the form here and see how our council can help: https://247scouting.com/forms/527-LHCCampership2026. CAMPERSHIP APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY BY MARCH 1st!

Congratulations to all of the Cub Scouts who participated in the Pinewood Derby! It was quite a day with lots of fun, cheers, jokes and songs mixed in with the races!

A big congratulations goes out to Xander R. who won Best in Show, as well as our overall winners as listed below:
1st placewent to Morrigan G. (whose mom accepted her trophey as Morrigan was sick.)
2nd place went to Nathan H.
3rd place went to Luke B.

A big thank you goes out to Max R. and Landon W. from Troop 228. They assisted throughout the day in a variety of ways and kept the Cub Scouts excited and enthuastic!

Den Rankings are below. The top three cars in each den are eligible to race in the Frontier District Pinewood Derby on March 14. More information will be sent to eligible Scouts’ families.

Arrow of LIght Rankings & Awards
1. Owen G.
2. Nathan H.
3. Luke B.

Best Theme – Nathan S.
Scout Spirit – Xander R.
Best Decorated – Eli G.
Most Creative – Luke B.

Webelo Rankings & Awards
1. Brycen C.
2. Zachary G.
3. Addalyn Vecchio

Best Theme – Brycen C.
Best Decorated – Zachart G.
Most Creative – Addalyn V.

Bear Rankings & Awards
1. Morrigan G.
2. Caleb D.
3. Caden K.

Best Theme – Easton C. & Eleanor S.
Scout Spirit – Isaac O. & Delaney V.
Best Decorated – Lincoln H. & Caden K.
Most Creative – Morrigan G. & Finnian R.

Wolf Rankings & Awards
1. Joseph K.
2. Anna Mc
3. Kyle X.

Best Theme – Matthew B.
Scout Spirit – Daisy Mc.
Best Decorated – Louie B.
Most Creative – Tair S.

Tiger Rankings & Awards
1. Anagh A.
2. Remington R.
3. Alexandros G.

Best Theme – Kellen S.
Scout Spirit – Alexandros G.
Best Decorated – Anagh A.
Most Creative – Anderson H.

Lion Rankings & Awards
1. Lucas L.
2. Owen H.
3. Benedict G.

Best Theme – Nolan C.
Scout Spirit – Lucas L.
Best Decorated – Owen H.
Most Creative – Benedict G.

All Scouts and their families are invited to attend the February Pack Meeting and AOL Crossover dinner ceremony on February 28 from 3-5PM at the Oakdale Community Center. We will celebrate our Arrow of Light Scouts and their accomplishments while in the Pack. Cub Scouts that attend will receive their awards and advancements as well participate in the bridging ceremony for the AOL Scouts.

This event is free for Scouts. For leaders and non-Scouts the cost will be $5. Children 2 and under are free. Signups are required for this event. Please follow this link to sign up for this event by February 18. https://forms.gle/bPgD3voV5TpEY5gb8

Oakdale Community Center is located at 104 Seminary Ave, Oakdale PA 15071.

If you have any questions about this event, please contact Cubmaster Jon Spink at jon.spink@gmail.com