Cub Scout Pack 546 hosts Pinewood Derby

An excited and enthusiastic gathering of the local Cub Scout Pack 546 took place at Dougherty Elementary School, which served as host venue for the annual Pinewood Derby.

The Pinewood Derby is a tradition handed down through generations and the first ever event took place in 1953 in Manhattan Beach, California under the leadership of Scoutmaster Donald Murphy. Scouts who have participated in the event reminisce fondly about the first car they constructed and who was involved in supporting them.

Cub Scout Pack 546 is chartered by Murray Elementary PFC in Dublin, CA and forms part of the Twin Valley District of the San Francisco Bay Area Council. It is one of the oldest and longest standing packs in the district and serves the following Elementary Schools in Dublin: Murray, Frederiksen, Dougherty, and Green. The pack will be celebrating its 53rd birthday with a special event on February 24th, from 5-8pm.

All Cub Scouts are eligible to compete in the Pinewood Derby and each participant is required to construct their own car using materials supplied through official BSA Pinewood Derby kits. Using a block of pinewood, four nails, and four wheels, each Cub Scout designs and constructs their own vehicle. John Nobrega, Cub Scout Pack 546 Outdoor Activities Chairman said that they expected about 84 cars and 200 people at the derby. The cars from each individual Den ran against each other.

Scott Dillon, Assistant Cub Master and Den Leader, who was also the main photographer for the event had his son, Travis, participating and the latter was proud to point out his creation.

There were several race categories, including parents and siblings, and prizes were awarded in each. The audience was also given an opportunity to vote for their favorite cars.

In order to gain entry into a race, a car must contain all nine pieces and meet race specifications. They must weigh five ounces or less, and must not exceed 2 3/4 inches in width and 7 inches in length.

Cars that are eligible to participate are then loaded in fours on a pre-constructed, ramped, racetrack. The ramp is raised providing a launching platform where the cars can gain momentum as they race down the track. It is not uncommon for elite Pinewood Derby cars to reach speeds of up to 20 miles per hour.

Digital monitoring of cars on the racetrack allows accurate determination of the winning vehicle as the four competing vehicles hurtle down the ramp.

Making your first Pinewood Derby car is a significant milestone in the life of a cub scout. First time attendee and entrant, Anirudha Das, who enrolled in the scouts following a recruitment event at Murray Elementary was excited to compete and was grateful to his Uncle Amar Lad for his encouragement. His Mom, Rupa Das also attended to support him.

Several other Moms including Deepali Saindane were on snack table duty. When asked about her experience of having a son in the cub scouts she indicated that the pack becomes like an extended family and the Moms all enjoy providing support while their children compete. The scouts have opened up new learning opportunities for the whole family including places that they discover when attending excursions and events.

Winners announced on the day at the Pinewood Derby were as follows:

Most Original:

1st: Andriy Plakosh (Wolf Den 2)

2nd: Joshua Wu (Webelos)

3rd: Landon Lacey (Bear Den 2)

Best Paint Job:

1st: Andriy Plakosh (Wolf Den 2)

2nd: Braedyn Mendonca (Wolf Den 2)

3rd: Paulo Duarte (Bear Den 1)

Best Of Show

1st: Westin Zuehlsdorf (Tiger)

2nd: Tyler Dillon (Webelos)

3rd: Max Tong (Arrow of Light)

Grand Final Winner:

1st: Shivansh Bansal (Arrow of Light)

2nd: Giovanni DiVecchio (Tiger)

3rd: Daniel Silva (Webelos)

Paulo Duarte (3rd Grader, Bear Den 1) was asked about how he felt about receiving a third place for “Best Paint Job’. He graciously responded “When I was a Tiger (1st grade), I got a trophy for being the 2nd fastest car in my Den. When I was a Wolf (2nd grade), I got 2nd fastest again, and 1st Place for Best Paint Job. This year as a Bear, I didn’t place in my race but I won 3rd Place for Best Paint Job. I feel sad but I feel really good about my friends who won.”

Ed Duarte, Paulo’s Dad and Hiking Coordinator for the pack remarked that “This is one of my and Paulo's favorite activities of the scout year. It’s a great father son activity, using our hands and tools, and learning new life skills. And the races are so much fun, a real one of a kind experience for the kids.”

Current Scoutmaster, and ex Cub Master, Larry Woods explained that his current role is to provide a safety net where boy scouts are given the opportunity to lead and make all the decisions while in a controlled environment. They learn by doing and can make mistakes, which lead to lasting lessons. He recalls one camp with amusement where the boys made decisions regarding meals and decided to have hot dogs and ramen noodles. However, when the boys saw the adults eating delicious meals including chicken teriyaki, they quickly realized that putting more effort into the menu selection would be to their benefit.

Jana Frank-Nobrega, Mom and Committee Chairman said, “I have enjoyed seeing my sons become men a little bit at a time as they progressed through their Scout training. They have learned to be respectful, display good citizenship and have learnt practical physical skills like using knives to do whittling. “Cub Scouts is not a drop-off-and-go activity for parents,” she said, “as parents are on-hand and involved in all the activities. Other adults have a different level of influence compared to parents and your own kids can be quite delightful to others so it’s a great nurturing environment.”

Major events for the pack include a Blue and Gold Dinner, Pack Campout on Memorial Day Weekend and Popcorn Sale in October. There is also a Summer Day Camp at Shadow Cliffs that includes the whole district.

Any boy in the first through fifth grade is qualified to join Cub Scouts and there are plans to extend the membership to include girls. Primary recruiting time is May to September.

For details on how to join Pack 546, contact dublinpack546@gmail.com or call James at 925-640-3180

Photo credit: Scott Dillon