By Steven Chen
Pack 178, the Great Neck Chapter of Cub Scouts of America, held its annual celebration at the Blue and Gold Dinner in the Adria Hotel reception hall on the evening of Feb. 8.
The dinner commemorated the birthday of the Cub Scouts as an organization. The celebration also served as a bridging ceremony for its fifth-grade Arrow of Lights Scouts to cross over to become new members of the Boys Scouts.
Among the more than 180 guests who attended the celebration was Rabbi Daniel Schweber of Temple Israel of Great Neck, who led a nondenominational prayer during the opening remarks.
Great Neck Public Schools (GNPS) Board of Education Trustees Donna Peirez and President Barbara Berkowitz also attended the celebration as distinguished guests. Berkowtiz shared her experience as a den leader for the Cub Scouts when her son attended the pack.
The dinner also celebrated the retirement of Pack Cubmaster David Lau, who led the group in a successful, record-breaking year in terms of cub membership and fundraising through the group’s popcorn sale drive.
The evening ended joyfully with a magic show for the Scouts.
For the 2018–19 year, Pack 178 will be co-led by Lee Korn and Steven Chen as Cubmasters, and will have two major new initiatives. The first is to establish a new Lions Den group for pre-K students. The group’s second mission is to accept girls as members of the Cub Scouts. In the coming months, the pack will be reaching out to the community with details for interested families.
