Press release:

Cub Scouts from Pack 6069 and Boy Scout Troop 6069 placed flags in front of the headstones of veterans at the Batavia Historical Cemetery on Thursday, May 26th.   The Troop has been working with the cemetery's historical society several years on this project.  It is a pleasure for the Scouts to provide this service to their community.  Pack 6069 Committee Chairman Brown made sure to take the Cub Scouts to the grave site of Samuel Wood who is buried there.   Sam Wood is the name sake of Iroquois Trail Council's Cub Scout Resident Camp located in Pike, NY.  Sam Wood was the first Eagle Scout recorded in Genesee County.  Boy Scout Troop 6069 is chartered through the 1st Presbyterian Church in Batavia, and Cub Scout Pack 6069 meets at Jackson Primary School.

Cub Scout Pack 112 is looking for donations of nonperishable food items for a holiday food drive. The items will be donated to the Jackson School Elementary Backpack Program for children in need. 

If you received a hanger on your door you can leave the food outside for pick up this Saturday, Dec. 15^th. If you did not receive a door hanger and would like to donate, please send an email to dtvburns@yahoo.comwith an address for pick up this Saturday. 

Last week on Memorial Day when she marched in her first parade with a boy lead troop, little did Emma McJury know she would get noticed and that the attention would have an impact on her new cub pack.

The 8-year-old (pictured above) is the first girl to register and join Cub Pack 6069 of Jackson School in Batavia. 

Emma was motivated by her sibling to come to meetings and learn more about Cub Scouts. She saw her brother participated in a meeting learning about police safety, building a pine wood derby car, overnight camping trips and will be attending summer resident camp in a couple months.

She’s really excited to do day camp and resident camp and being able to officially participate in activities, said her mom Justine McJury.

Her favorite activity is camping and outdoor-related activities such as hiking, fishing and nature observation.

Her goals are to introduce more girls to the program so they can enjoy scouts and all the great activities that are offered as much as she does. Since she found out that girls could join scouts, she has been asking her friends if they want to join with her and has been encouraging them to do so.

The pack meets on Mondays from 6:30-7:30 p.m., meetings run from September through May at Jackson School.

The pack is having a meet-and-greet activity, putt putt / ice cream social on Saturday June 16^th at noon at Terry Hills Golf Course, located at 5122 Clinton Street Road, Batavia.

Costs are minimal to attend. If interested in coming to the activity or to join the pack contact, Anthony Merica, cubmaster, at 813-7485.

On Friday night at John Kennedy School Pack 6112 ran its pinewood derby on the city’s longest and fastest track. With nearly 50 feet of racetrack the Lions, Tigers, Bobcats and Wolfs ran the cars they made themselves in a night of racing.

The scouts were more than a little excited about the event. After the official round of racing, the scouts had fun races even running the cars backwards. 

Twenty racers from Cub Scout pack 6069 of Batavia were registered with their cars to do their best in the annual Pinewood Derby held at the First United Methodist Church this morning.

Pack den leader Lisa Brown said she has been with the pack for 13 years of its 48 years of existence. Boys competed in their age-appropriate den. Tigers, Wolves, Bears, Weblos I and II. A lot of parents, grandparents look forward to watching the race and it’s a lot of fun for boys to participate.

Track official Paul Crowley said there are four heats and boys get a chance to race in different lanes. Den Leader heather Crowley said all the kids get a trophy in addition to the first-, second-, third-place finishers.

Sixteen extra trophys were also given out to the boys for best color, most Cub Scout pride, super racer and aerodynamic to name a few.

This fall there will be a new "Lion's" den added for kindergarteners.  

Anyone interested to join contact Cub Master Tony Merica at TONY@koolatron.com  

Pack 6069 meets at Jackson School when in session September through June at 6:39 p.m. on Mondays.

The Pavilion Cub Scouts collected more than 250 food items this morning for the Pavilion food pantry. The pantry helps more than 30 families in the area and this is its busiest time of year.

Info and photo submitted by Tom Stringham.

Photos and information submitted by Marsha Geiger.

Noah Burke, Luke Geiger, and Nicholas Grover were honored by Pack 112 of Batavia on Sunday for receiving both the Arrow of Light Award and the Super Achiever Award. The Arrow of Light is the highest award in Cub Scouting. To earn the Super Achiever Award, the boys had to complete all 20 Webelos achievements.

Photo and information submitted by John Petry.

A group of Cub Scouts from Pack 69 were recently promoted to Boy Scouts and all received the Arrow of Light Award, the highest award a Cub Scout can earn.

Pictured, from left, Webelos Assistant Leader Mike Pehrson, Aaron Whiteford, LJ Petry, Dylan Pehrson, Jack DeMarzo, Cubmaster Bruce Bartz, and Webelos Leader John Petry. Front row: Shayne Moak.

Alexander Cub Scout Pack 650 has been holding pinewood derbies for who knows how many years, but this year was a little different.

The scouts collected more than 20,000 bottles and cans and raised $1,000 toward a new $1,500 three-lane racetrack with all the bells and whistles, and the track was dedicated to the memory of Burton Bigsby.

Bigsby is the late husband of Melinda Bigsby. The former den leader died following a long battle with cancer. His son, Jonathan, is now a Boy Scout in Troop 650 and was the official starter for today's races.

Pack 650 had 28 scouts and Cub Master Jason Davis said all of the scouts and families are very active in the pack.

Participants in the race are given a block of pinewood and instructions on how to cut it into a proper racer. There is a five-ounce weight limit, except in the unlimited division, in which cars can weigh up to a pound.

The event teaches the scouts about sportsmanship along with the craftsmanship of making something, Davis said.

"The race teaches them a little of the skills they'll use later in life," Davis said.

And the secret to winning? Davis said, graphite our axles, hit the weight limit and build a well-balanced car.

Donations that helped pay for the track came from Batavia Police Benevolent Association, Crystal Clear Pools, Select Collision, Harrington's Produce and Alexander Troop 650.

Here are the winners and awards:

Tiger Scouts
1st Place -- Bradley Begiers
2nd Place -- Matthew Wirth
3rd Place -- Paul Schmitt Jr.

Wolf Scouts
1st Place -- Jay Cogdill
2nd Place -- Zachary Salemi
3rd Place -- Caleb Nichols
Bear Scouts
1st Place -- Matthew Jasen
2nd Place -- Vincent Prebeck
3rd Place -- Shawn Calmes

Webelos 1
1st Place -- Jackson Staba
2nd Place -- MacNeil Ruston
3rd Place -- Colton Judd

Webelos 2
1st Place -- Johnathan Worthington
2nd Place -- JT McCarthy

Unlimited 1 pound cars
1st Place -- Cooper Davis
2nd Place -- Jett Davis
3rd Place -- Noah Bruggman
4th Place -- Jay Cogdill

Special Awards
Best Paint Job -- Matthew Jasen
Unusual Design -- Noah Bruggman
Judges Favorite -- Austin Ruston
Fastest Looking -- Carter Edmonds
Scouts Favorite -- Cooper Davis
Most Kid Involved -- James Strang

Participation Super Racers
Carter Edmonds, Jaden Snyder, Oscar Staba, Lukas Ladd, Matthew Cecere, Austin Ruston, James Strang, Regan McPhee, Justin Bennett, Dominic Lamitina, Noah Bruggman.

To purchase print copies of the photos, click here.

Cubscouts from the area gathered in Alexander on Saturday for their annual Cubmobile Race.

Twenty-six racers participated, ages 7 to 11, representing Alexander, Batavia, Elba, Holley and Kendall.

Winners were:

Tigers: 1st place- Garrett Heale, 2nd place- Max Schlaggel, 3rd place- Jacob Weaver
Wolf: 1st place- Frankie Warriner, 2nd place- Cody Windslow, 3rd place- Colby Kerry- Rhone
Bear: 1st place- KJ Biedlingmaier, 2nd place- David Peet
Webelo 1: 1st place- Grey Huntinton, 2nd place- Jayden Pieniaszek, 3rd place- Holden Brinkman
Webelo 2: 1st place- Mathew Grover, 2nd place- Evan Bartz, 3rd place- Zach Lovell

Information and photos submitted by Steve Ognibene

"Best Decorated Car" Jayden Pieniaszek