2023 Pinewood Derby

[Peter Kostik]

Hello P195 families,

We have set our date for 2023 PD race and it's Sat Feb 25th. We want to give scouts a plenty of time to work on their cars, and will offer up few days in January to do the rough cut (tentative Mon Jan 30, Mon Feb 6th), and other prep. Now is a good time for them to start thinking of the designs. Try to lookup Pinewood Derby race car ideas online. See attached pic with last year's cars.

All the scouts will get a PD kit purchased for them free of charge. If you have any siblings that would like to participate in the sibling race, please let your den leader know, as to how many are needed (sibling kits will be at $5 per kit, payable to the Pack). You will get a PD kit from your Den leader between this week and our next Den mtg on Jan 23. If you want any of the siblings to compete, please let your Den leader know ASAP, so they can have Carla order extra kit(s).

The race will tentatively start at around 9-10am on Sat Feb 25th, and will run tru ~12-1pm. We will be checking in the completed cars the night before, on Fri the 24th, at 6pm. We will try to have the race live streamed on youtube for those who are not able to attend in person, We also be serving snacks and refreshments during the race (will need food serving volunteers).

If this is your 1st time participation at Pinewood Derby, please check out the post from last year's event, incl. the youtube video https://www.scoutpack195nj.com/#h.yue136s8w00q

Thanks,

Peter Kostik

Upcoming events:

Mon Jan 16 - no mtgs, MLK holiday

Mon Jan 23 - den mtg (also pick up the kit if you dont yet have it)

Mon Jan 30 - pack mtg - 1st rough-cut workshop

Sat Feb 4 - RV klondike derby (optional for webelos/aols only)

Mon Feb 6 - den mtg - 2nd rough-cut workshop

Mon Feb 13 - den mtg

Mon Feb 20 - no mtgs, Presidents Day holiday

Fri Feb 24 - PD check-ins

Sat Feb 25 - PD race day

[Peter Kostik]

Hello P195,

many of you picked up the PD kits yesterday. If you have not, please speak with your Den leader. All  cubscouts get one for free. Please refer to my earlier mail regarding the workshops, check-in and the race dates/details.

Let me also attach a mail trail from last year, as it has a lot of additional information, about the car prep, as well as about the way we run the event (obviously, ignore the dates there, as it's from 2022, and also the covid/masking restrictions). If you still have questions after reading it, do not hesitate to speak with your Den leader or myself.

Please do spend some time with your son/daughter helping them design a car, ideally as a drawing on a paper, and then try to transfer the rough cut line on the block of pinewood, so we can cut it for you with a band saw next Mon the 30th, after the Pack mtg business is done. Another (and last) opportunity to do the rough cut will be the following Mon the 6th.

One last point, if you've never worked on PD car, try to focus on the wood (cut, drill, sand, paint, decorate), and don't worry too much about the wheels and axles, we can help you with those later (can be a bit tricky to insert axles w/out wood chipping).

Thanks,

Peter

[Peter Kostik]

A quick reminder to bring your scouts PD design rough cut line on the wood to the Pack meeting tomorrow, we will have a station there after the mtg. Scouts (lion-aol) and siblings, if they are compeeting.

[Peter Kostik]

Hello all,

Our 2023 PD race is this Saturday. Here are a few logistic items:

PD car check-in's - Friday Feb 24 6pm - 8pm

- your car should be finished and weighted (under 5oz). If you have not mounted the wheels yet, we can help you do it there during check-in's, but the car needs to be otherwise ready (meaning weighted incl. wheels and axles), so we checkin all the cars efficiently.

- if you are a dad with basic tools and willing to help, please bring your toolbox, and try to help others with finishing touches to get their car ready, or help them fix it, if it doesn't pass the initial inspection

- we will need most of the den leaders there, to man the check-in stations.

- we will also like to borrow few dads to help us move the race track from the garage in the back, to the cafeteria, and set it up + tune. If you can spare this time, you will make Sat go so much smoother

PD race - Saturday Feb 25 9am - 1pm

- we will try to meet there at 9am, if we managed to setup the track and complete all the check-in's on Fri, we can start the race at 9:30am

- we will race in rank order, Lion+Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelos, AOLs, Siblings (if any), and the final Pack race.

- if any kids have other commitments in the am, and can't be there for their slot, we can move the dens around if needed.

- the race will be live-streamed on youtube, for those who can't be there (or to share with family members/friends)

- we will have light snacks, and there will also hot dog vendor from 11am

- we will need help with snacks, cleanup, and track break-down at the end

Thanks and see you all on Fri/Sat.

Peter Kostik

908.494.0786

[Peter Kostik]

Hello all,

Thanks for coming out today to check-in your PD cars. Let's all meet in the cafeteria at 9-9:15am tomorrow. We will try to start as soon as we can, hopefully around 9:30-10:00am.

The youtube live stream link - https://youtube.com/live/HkPBEKSU-aU?feature=share

The food for scouts will be provided (hot dogs, chips, popcorn, soda), and also additional food can be purchased.

If things go smoothly, we should be able to finish by 1pm.

See you all tomorrow, and good luck scouts!

Peter Kostik