Gardiner Cub Scout pack honors service members at monthly meeting

Gardiner Scouts from Pack 672 stands around a fire. From left are Cody St. Amand, Angel Vinton, Arthur Levitre, Andy Hopkins, Owen Campbell, Landon Harris, Declan Manion, Declan Noyes, Sawyer Guilmette, Delilah Howard, Owen Howard, Lana Pratt, Francesco Thouret, Mason St. Amand, Brittany St. Amand, Lucas Pratt and Woody Hopkins. Submitted photo

The monthly pack meeting for Gardiner Pack 672, held Jan. 31 at the Christ Episcopal Church, featured activities, awards, a solemn U.S. flag retirement ceremony and ended with pies to faces.

During part of the meeting Scouts gathered outside around a central fire ring, placing pieces of cloth into the fire. The pieces had been U.S. flags that had become tattered, faded, ripped or otherwise unserviceable, according to a news release from Chuck Mahaleris, district chairman for the Kennebec Valley District of Scouting.

Lion Cub Scout Delilah Howard cuts a flag. Submitted photo

Following their leaders’ instructions, the Scouts cut up each flag into pieces, leaving the blue field in tact “because nothing can divide the nation,” said Cubmaster Scott St. Amand. “It is a good lesson in citizenship. The Cubs enjoyed the patriotic activities at the start of the meeting and we used those to introduce the idea of the proper and respectful way to dispose of the flag of our nation.”

Karen and Sawyer Guilmette work on a “Cub Scout Find a Word.” Submitted photo

After each Scout tossed a section of the former flags into the fire, the group had a moment of silence for all service members, living and dead.

Bear Cub Scout Mason St. Amand holds up a coloring. Submitted photo

The final portion of the Pack meeting was the highlight of the Cubs. Those Cubs in each den who had raised the most money for the Scouting program during the recent pizza kit fundraiser would be able to throw a pie into the face of their den leader. One Cub, Joshua Riddle, raised enough to put a pie in the face of his den leader and Cubmaster St. Amand.

“That’s the beauty of Scouting,” St. Amand said. “We can have fun and we also teach important citizenship lessons.”

Cubmaster Scott St. Amand after getting a pie to the face. Submitted photo

Pack 674 serves youth in grades K-5 in Gardiner, Hallowell, West Gardiner, Dresden, Pittston and Chelsea. To join Cub Scouts in Pack 672, email cubscoutpack672@gmail.com.

To join Cub Scouts overall, go to BeAScout.org.