Cub Scouts hold banquet, reestablish Boy Scout Troop 63
Cub Scouts from Breckenridge Pack 81 held their annual awards banquet on Saturday, June 2, at First United Methodist Church, and Scout leaders announced that local Boy Scout Troop 63 will be restarted.
George Niebling, a District Executive with the Texas Trails Council of the Boys Scouts of America, speaks to the audience during Breckenridge Cub Scout Pack 81’s Blue and Gold Banquet Saturday. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
“This is the Blue and Gold Banquet; it happens once a year, and it’s a way for us to honor our boys who have worked so hard throughout the year,” said Matt Wunsch, Pack 81 Cubmaster. “These guys have done service projects; these guys have worked hard to earn badges and belt loops and that kind of thing.”
In addition to receiving awards, Wunsch said during the banquet, that many of the Cub Scouts also will move on to the next rank. He said, for example, Tiger Cubs move up to be Wolves and Wolves become Bears, Bears become Webelos.
Also at the banquet, three of the Webelos were awarded the Arrow of Light and became Boy Scouts during a Bridging Ceremony. The three boys who received the Arrow of Light award at Saturday’s banquet are Brysen Hash, Reyse Hash and Ellis Hise.
“After that point they’re no longer a Cub Scout,” Wunsch said. “I have three kids that are no longer going to be Cub Scouts today; they’re going to be Boy Scouts at the end of the ceremony.”
With the bridging ceremony, local Boy Scout Troop 63 will be restarted. According to Matt Hise, who will serve as the Scoutmaster for the troop, it has been dormant for the past couple of years. Brian Kight will serve as Assistant Scoutmaster for the troop.
“I know there’s a big tradition here in Breckenridge with the Boy Scouts,” Hise said. “One of the big things I want to bring back is the pride of scouting here in Breckenridge.”
Hise said he wants to get the Scouts out in the field and maybe do things like earn a unit award for camping year-round, which they get for camping out at least one time each month during the year. He also said he would like for the Scouts to experience camping beyond the local camps, Camp Billy Gibbons and Camp Tonkawa, which he said are great, but he also wants them to experience “high adventure” camping in a place like Camp Philmont in New Mexico or camp Sea Base in Florida.
“I just want these boys to have an experience they never forget,” he said.
George Niebling, a district executive for the Texas Trails Council of the Boys Scouts of America who attended Saturday’s banquet, said Troop 63 has a long history in Breckenridge. He said former Scoutmaster Frank Pellizzari was renowned for his ability to help boys along the trail to Eagle Scout and successfully complete the Eagle process and receive the highest and most recognized award for youth in the United States.
“If you look at the wall of Eagles in the Scout Hut, you’ll recognize names from public service, from industry, from business and from banking,” Niebling said. “The leaders in this area of Texas, many of them came from Troop 63, many of them came from Breckenridge, and it is a wonderful day that we are we are reestablishing this troop and welcoming Boy Scouts back into Breckenridge.”
Wunsch said people can learn more about the local scout groups by visiting the pack’s Facebook page. He also said they will be holding a Scout sign-up day when the new school year starts.
Cub Scouts who received awards this year are:
Adam McCullough – Bobcat Rank
Blake Gilman – Bobcat Rank
Dakota Ellis – Bobcat Rank
Jaycee Jeffcoat – Bobcat Rank
James Hise – Bobcat Rank
Zane Mayfield – Bobcat Rank
Chevy Chapin – Bobcat Rank
Robert Martin- Bobcat Rank
Tiger Den Leader – Jo Hise
Adam McCullough – Tiger Rank
Blake Gilman – Tiger Rank
Dakota Ellis – Tiger Rank
Jaycee Jeffcoat – Tiger Rank
James Hise – Tiger Rank
Wolf Den Leader – Matt Kempton
Zane Mayfield – Wolf Rank
Chevy Chapin – Wolf Rank
Colton Kempton – Wolf Rank
Robert Martin – Wolf Rank
Bear Den Leader – Matt Wunsch
Christian Lechner – Bear Rank
JP Arellano- Bear Rank
Dirk Miller – Bear Rank
Nolen Guevara – Bear Rank
Matthew Wunsch – Bear Rank
Webelos 1 Den Leader – Sarah Stark
Kason Burchett – Webelos 1st Year
Paydon Stark – Webelos 1st Year
Korbyn Rodriguez – Webelos 1st Year
Marshall Creek – Webelos 1st Year
Webelos 2 Den Leader – Matthew Hise
Brysen Hash – Webelos & Arrow of Light
Reyse Hash – Webelos & Arrow of Light
Ellis Hise – Webelos & Arrow of Light
Story by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan
Cutline, top photo: Cubmaster Matt Wunsch explains the Arrow of Light award as Webelos Reyse Hash, Ellis Hise and Brysen Hash look on. The three Webelos became Boy Scouts during a bridging ceremony after receiving their Arrow of Light award. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
