Feb 13

Feb 13 Promoted

From Bystander to Cub Master

Somehow, I got the fine idea that our son, Forest, should become a Cub Scout in Boy Scouts of America (B.S.A.). Forest was about seven and a half years old in mid-1987. I figured he needed to be involved in more than just family and elementary school to enhance his life a little. When I heard about a Cub Scout meeting at Meiners Oaks Elementary School, I went to check it out. I was impressed and even volunteered my wife, Kris, to be a Den Leader.

I figured Kris would jump at the opportunity, and Forest couldn't say no to joining Cub Scouts since his mom would be holding the meetings in our home. I was correct. Kris loved the idea! Amazing! All I had to do was stay out of the way during the den meetings. Wrong!

It wasn't long before Kris had me assist at some of the Den meetings, like when the boys made scrapers with brushes for knocking mud and gunk off shoes, then learned to use power tools like circular saws and electric drills. Nobody lost any body parts, and nobody even got injured. The boys had a blast. I generated a lot of sweat and a few gray hairs.

Several Dens comprise a Pack, and in the Ojai Valley, these smaller groups gather monthly for a Pack meeting. Contrary to the weekly Den meetings, these events require parents to attend. Dens have leaders (like Kris). Packs have leaders. A Cub Master and an Assistant Cub Master run the Pack Meetings. Our Ojai Pack was Pack 3502 and met at the Methodist Church across the Maricopa Highway from Nordhoff High School.

I attended the very first Pack meeting in which Kris's and Forest's new Den participated. Jim Bell was the Cub Master. But guess what? He lacked an Assistant Cub Master. But again, guess what? That didn't last for long because my dear Den Leader wife volunteered me to become Cub Master Bell's assistant!

I had a good time assisting Jim. I hardly had to do anything but be up in front of all the Cub Scouts and parents with him at the Pack meetings. I smiled a lot, laughed at his antics and jokes, and handed him the awards that he, in turn, distributed to the Cubs. Easy-peasy, and only once a month!

The following year, Jim bailed.

It had not dawned on me that the next step up for me would be the top dog at the monthly pack meetings: the Cub Master. WHOA, Nellie Belle! The Cub Master has to be in contact with all the Den Leaders because they know which Cubs have earned what awards. The Cub Master has to drive to the B.S.A. Scout House in Camarillo to file all kinds of paperwork (which he is required to complete) and to buy the Cubs' awards at the Scout Store. I'm just touchin' the tip-of-the-iceberg of all the Cub Master duties.

My Dear Wife pretty much made me take the Cub Master reigns from Jim. But, I told Kris, I don't mind gettin' up in front of a crowd to lead the monthly meetings and other events like the Pine Wood Derby, campouts, etc., but in no way would I be the dude that organized the Pack meetings. I told her I'd run the meetings and hand out the awards, but it would be entirely up to her and her fellow Den Leaders to set me up each month. She and they agreed – dang it.

I wound up being Cub Scout Pack 3502's Cub Master for three years. I'm not bitching. The experience truly enriched my life, but... Man, oh man, alive, it sure was a lot of work! Even with all of Kris' and the others' assistance. I coulda never have pulled it off without them.

TEAMWORK!

Cub Master Drew Mashburn while performing the "Buffalo Blood" skit at a monthly Pack Meeting. [ED.— DIFFERENT TIMES]

So dang, many things — good and bad — happened during those four years of Adult (Cub) Scouting. All of them were memorable. Let me tell you a couple of stories from that time — I’m sure you’ll get a kick out of ‘em!

Each year, our Pack participated in the Ojai Fourth of July Parade. One year, I was driving my 1976 Ford F250 "Camp Special" pickup with the Cub Scouts in it. That ol' pickup had a light blue cab with a dark blue bed and an engine that was sorta on its last legs. How we wound up using it instead of a nicer one owned by another parent is lost to time. We hung large rolled-out butcher-paper banners on both sides of the pickup that identified us as Pack 3502 and had some other Cub Scouty sayings and drawings on them. The excited and raucous Cubs, clad in their uniforms, were in the pickup bed a hoopin' and a hollerin', wavin' at the spectators, and having a grand ol' time while Cub Scout Michael Corbett rode in the cab with me. The parade's judges were set up at about the east end of the Pergola, which graces the front of Libbey Park in the downtown area of Ojai. Here we go! Everybody looks their best! Wave and smile at the judges when we pass them!

Cub Scout Pack 3502's entry in Ojai's 1989 "4th of July" parade. Den Leader Kris Mashburn driving the Mashburn Family 1976 Ford F250 "Camper Special" pickup with Cub Scouts in the cab, the bed, and on bicycles behind the pickup. The two Cubs on bicycles directly behind are Eric Schmidt and Forest Mashburn. Cub Master Drew Mashburn drove this same pickup in the 1990 parade with the barfing, overheating, and "Nice truck!" shouting.

About ten feet before we got to the Judges, Michael told me he wasn't feeling well. He told me he was sure he was gonna barf. So, I quickly gave him an empty bag (at least, I think it was empty). Michael was in the process of violently upchucking as we passed the Judges.

Bad, right? It gets worse.

I notice the pickup is overheating, and steam is pouring out from under the hood. Nah... it ain't 'bad' yet. At about that time, some yahoo sitting under one of the arches of the Arcade sarcastically yells, "NICE TRUCK!" I mighta got out to give him a piece of my mind, but it was all I could do to keep drivin' that nice truck in a straight line while I was about to barf from smellin' Michael's nasty stomach upchuckings, as well as stressin' out about my ride burnin' up its engine.

Needless to say, no award was bestowed upon us. By the time I got the Cubs offloaded at Sarzotti Park and jammed over to a nearby neighbor's to use their garden hose to refill my radiator, the engine was pretty much toast!

But, all in the name of supporting a group of young boys that had a blast (other than Michael).

Den 4 of Pack 3502 (Left to Right): Sue Thomas (Assistant Den Leader), Chris Thomas, Forest Mashburn, Eric Schmidt, Trevor Marshall, Dustin McLean, Aaron Gushwa, Matt Thomas, Kris Mashburn (Den Leader), and Torey Rubrect.

Here's another story:

Up the Maricopa Highway about 5 miles outta Ojai is Matilija Canyon Road. A couple of miles up that road was where M.E.S.A. (Matilija Environmental Science Area) was located. I was quite familiar with the place due to the fact that before it was M.E.S.A., it had been a campground at the former Matilija Lake Park where I had been the live-on-site Park Ranger. Therefore, I was aware that Matilija Creek ran through this natural setting, which was used as an outdoor classroom for children. I also knew of a nice hiking trail on the opposite side of the creek from Matilija Canyon Road. It would be an excellent setting to bring the Cubs for an adventure!

So, Kris and I talked a few of the Cubs' parents into hauling the boys up there via a caravan-like maneuver. The cars parked just outside the gate to M.E.S.A., and we all piled out. After I finally got everybody's attention, I told them how the area had once been a park but was destroyed by the February 1978 floods. I let them know I had been stationed at the park and, therefore, knew the area well. I laid out a few Do's & Don'ts, then we headed toward the creek with me trying to stay in the lead of a herd of extremely excited boys. Due to my being a Park Ranger, I was full of outdoor-type info. It was up to me to impart a bunch of great info to the Cubs so as to broaden their knowledge and enjoyment of the natural environment.

Therefore, I was yakkin' away endlessly while we crossed Matilija Creek. The boys kinda scattered to rock hop and explore Matilija Creek, but we were still a pretty tight group. I had Kris and the other parents act as sheepdogs to keep herding the Cubs along. Eventually, we got to the other side of the creek and up onto what used to be an asphalt road in the former campground. I kept spewing all kinds of cool stuff (at least, I thought it cool) to the lads.

That's when Kris kinda pulled me to one side to whisper an important fact to me, which she said was a problem I needed to resolve. Kris said I was not to be accusatory but needed to promptly address the problem: All of the boys had picked up frogs while crossing the creek, and the frogs should not be hauled home. I had been so busy addressing and pointing out bitchin' stuff to the group that I had not noticed what the boys had been doing besides listening to me ramble. I musta been boring them to death! I went on to state I knew there was a specific species of frog that had a strong tendency to jump into the pockets of humans. I went on to tell the boys it was a good idea not to have any of the little frogs tucked away in their pant pockets. I told them should they forget how many frogs they had crammed into their pockets, it was possible one or two could remain, then be victims of laundry day and get mummified in the clothes dryer, and that would, most likely, freak out their Moms. As I addressed the problem, I noticed boys surreptitiously removing handfuls of tiny, penny-size frogs from their pockets. I mean, the ground ended up crawling with hopping frogs, of which there must have been a couple hundred!

No telling how many other amphibians and/or fish didn't get released that day. If any of you Cub Scout Pack 3502 Moms from back then are reading this... Hey, I tried my best!

Before I told the two stories, I mentioned "TEAMWORK." I could have never pulled it off without the superb assistance of Assistant Cub Master Larry Merritt (he and I were a friggin' tag team at Pack Meetings!) and Pack Treasurer Sherry Tory. Kris, Larry, Sherry, and I were the Fearsome Foursome, but there were a bunch of other adults who made things happen, too. Of course, thanks BIG TIME to those too. Yet here's the Biggie: I must give HUMONGOUS accolades to my dear wife, Kris (Den Leader and Committee Chairman), for her devout role in those capacities, but, even more, who made me a better man by urging me to accept the role of adult leadership in Cub Scouting. It was a BLAST!!! Thank You, Sweet!