By Lynnea Nielsen
Cub Scout Pack 127
Have you ever wondered which weeds tasted the best on your pasta? The Cub Scouts of Pack 127 recently got to find out while helping clean up Cherokee Marsh for Earth Day.
Twenty-six people — scouts, siblings, parents and even grandparents — arrived in the marsh ready to pull out the invasive weed garlic mustard. They were joined by many other volunteers for a cleanup event coordinated by the Friends of Cherokee Marsh and the Madison Parks Division.
The scouts worked hard at filling bags with the invasive weed and enjoyed the beauty of the marsh in spring. They spotted lots of local wildlife, like garter snakes and Sandhill cranes, and spring plants, like May Apples and Jack-in-the Pulpit. The day ended with homemade garlic mustard pesto for dinner — a surprisingly delicious way to get rid of this invasive weed.
Service projects like this one are part of the Cub Scout curriculum for these boys, who range from first to fifth grade. On Earth Day, the boys learned how to care for our marshes and appreciate our Northside ecology, while experiencing the value of volunteering.
Recent adventures for these scouts and their families included touring the manure digester in Waunakee to learn about creating biofuels and keeping our local watershed clean. They visited our firefighters at Station 10 and prepared treats for the firefighters as a thank-you. They hiked around Lake View Elementary School to pick up trash and appreciate the wooded areas that ring the school.
Pack 127 offers many opportunities for fun and learning. A campfire is planned, as well as a campout at the Sherman United Methodist Church where they meet. This is a great introduction to camping for those boys and families who haven’t had the opportunity to camp. The boys are also building boats from recycled materials for our annual Riverboat Regatta down the Yahara River in Tenney Park. This summer the scouts and their families plan to tailgate at a Mallard’s game, take a pontoon boat ride, visit the zoo and enjoy some ice cream at the Reindahl Park splash pad.
Pack 127 is a welcoming, inclusive group who are always looking for adventure, learning and fun together. If you are interested in learning more, email Cubmaster Justin Sargent at iscuba@sbcglobal.net or call 220-2342.
Now get out there to have some fun, clean up our planet and eat some weeds.