Cub Scout Pack 117

08/30/2026

🐻🌲 MEET OUR AMAZING BEAR ASSISTANT DEN LEADER — CINDY HIMMELBERGER! 🌲🐻

Every great adventure needs someone willing to jump in, get involved, and make the memories happen—and we are SO lucky to have Cindy Himmelberger helping lead our Bear Den!

Cindy’s Scouting adventure actually started years ago with her daughter in Girl Scouts, where they spent nine amazing years making memories together. Then, in late 2022, it was time for her son to begin his own adventure—and the family joined Cub Scout Pack 117!

Since then, Scouting has become so much more than a program for Cindy and her family. It has become FAMILY.

Cindy serves as an Assistant Den Leader because she gets something incredibly special: the chance to grow, learn, explore, and be a kid alongside her son!

From campouts and projects to meetings and adventures, she loves being part of a community where the same families show up, cheer each other on, tackle challenges together, and celebrate victories together.

School friends may come and go, but Scouting gives kids a community where they get to watch each other grow up.

And Cindy isn't afraid to admit it—there's still a little kid inside her! She loves getting to experience the adventures with her son that she never had the opportunity to experience growing up.

HER FAVORITE PART?

Watching her son grow and seeing the excitement on his face during all of their summer camps! There’s nothing quite like watching your Scout discover something new and realizing, “We get to experience this together!”

AND SCOUTING SKILLS REALLY DO MATTER!

One of Cindy’s favorite real-life Scouting lessons has been learning how to safely respond when someone gets a fishing hook stuck in their skin.

That skill came in handy this summer when her son and a friend found themselves in exactly that situation. Thanks to the skills and confidence they had gained through Scouting, they were able to help take care of the situation and get right back to enjoying their camping adventure!

That’s what Scouting is all about.

It's not JUST camping.
It's not JUST badges.
It's not JUST meetings.

It's learning confidence, teamwork, responsibility, respect, leadership, and real-life skills—all while having an absolute BLAST!

Cindy, thank you for showing up, jumping into the adventure, and helping our Bears grow into confident, capable Scouts. Most importantly, thank you for being a mom who gets to walk this trail alongside her son.

Pack 117 is better because you're part of it!

08/30/2026

🚨🌊 A HUGE THANK YOU to Benton Franklin Sheriff Posse Search & Rescue & Columbia Basin Dive Rescue! 🌊🚨

Our scouts had an incredible opportunity today to meet some of the amazing people who dedicate their time to keeping our community safe.

Thank you for meeting us at the river and taking the time to share what you do, explain the important work of Search & Rescue and Dive Rescue, and teach our scouts real-life survival and water safety skills.

You covered so much valuable information—including what to do if your vehicle ever ends up in the water, why certain gear is used, and how that equipment helps during an emergency.

The scouts LOVED getting an up-close look at your rig and boat, checking out the equipment, and asking questions. For many of them, this was more than just a fun outing—it was an opportunity to learn skills that could someday make a very real difference.

Thank you for sharing your time, knowledge, experience, and passion with our Pack. The lessons you taught today will stick with these scouts far beyond this adventure.

Thank you for serving our community and for investing in the next generation!

From all of us at Cub Scout Pack 117 — THANK YOU!

Send a message to learn more

08/29/2026

🐻🔥 MEET OUR AMAZING BEAR DEN LEADER: KYLE LARSEN! 🔥🐻

Pack 117, our Bears are in for an AMAZING year! Help us give a huge WELCOME TO THE PACK to our new Bear Den Leader, Kyle Larsen!

For Kyle, Scouting isn’t just something he’s doing for his son, William—it’s a tradition and an experience that helped shape who he is today.

Growing up, Scouting was a place where Kyle found friendship, adventure, encouragement, and opportunities to grow. Some of his favorite memories include camping, exploring the outdoors, and making memories with fellow Scouts. Now, he’s excited to help give William and our entire Bear Den those same incredible experiences!

WHY SCOUTING?

William can be the most outgoing AND the shyest kid in the room—sometimes all in the same day! And that’s exactly why Kyle believes Scouting is so valuable.

He wants William and every Bear to have a place where they can:

✔️ Build confidence
✔️ Make new friends
✔️ Learn valuable life skills
✔️ Discover their strengths
✔️ Try new things
✔️ Learn teamwork, patience, and understanding
✔️ And most importantly… HAVE FUN!

LEADERSHIP WITH PURPOSE

Kyle brings 8 years of U.S. Army experience to his Scouting leadership, where he learned the importance of teamwork, accountability, leadership, and service.

But his goal isn’t to turn our Bears into little soldiers! His goal is to take those lessons and create a positive, encouraging, age-appropriate environment where every Scout feels safe, welcomed, supported, and ready for adventure.

Kyle believes every Scout has something special to contribute—and he’s looking forward to helping our Bears discover just how capable they are!

WHEN HE’S NOT SCOUTING…

Kyle is a hands-on guy who loves building, fixing, and creating! Before moving to the Tri-Cities, he spent years working as a residential contractor.

These days, you might find him:

▪️ Riding ATVs
▪️ Working on older vehicles
▪️ Exploring the outdoors
▪️ Working toward raising livestock
▪️ Growing their own produce
▪️ Working on the family’s five-acre property

Kyle and his family moved to the Tri-Cities a little over a year ago, and they’re excited to put down roots in a community that values family, service, and ADVENTURE!

We are SO excited to have Kyle leading our Bears!

Here’s to a year filled with new skills, big adventures, muddy shoes, unforgettable memories, plenty of laughs, and a whole lot of DO YOUR BEST!

Welcome to the Bear Den Leadership, Kyle! We’re lucky to have you!

DO YOUR BEST! 🐻⚜️

08/28/2026

🐯🌿 MEET OUR AMAZING ASSISTANT TIGER DEN LEADER: MISTY SEWARD! 🌿🐯

Every great adventure needs an amazing leader—and our Tiger Den is lucky to have Assistant Tiger Den Leader Misty Seward helping lead the way!

For Misty, Scouting is all about adventure, growth, learning, and making memories together. As a mom and an aunt, she loves having opportunities to experience all the fun alongside her littles—and she’ll be the first to admit that she has just as much fun as the kids do!

Scouting is a family tradition for Misty, but this is only her second year serving in a leadership role. And what started as volunteering has turned into a passion for helping our youngest Scouts discover just how much fun Scouting can be!

Misty’s family lovingly embraces being “neurospicy,” and she knows firsthand how important it is for kids to have a place where they feel safe, supported, included, and accepted for exactly who they are.

For her family, Scouting provides opportunities to build social skills, try new things, learn alongside others, celebrate differences, and—most importantly—be themselves.

HER GOAL AS A LEADER:

Create a safe place where kids can grow, learn, explore, and discover who they are.

Misty wants every Scout to know that it’s okay to make mistakes, try again, and not have everything figured out. We’re all learning together, and there’s no better way to learn than while having FUN!

SOME OF HER FAVORITE SCOUTING MEMORIES:

⚡ Learning about electricity during our PUD adventure
🚒 Visiting the fire station and climbing into a real firetruck
🏕️ Camp Grizzly—swimming, boating, exploring, and of course… S’MORES!

Those are the moments that make Scouting so special—the adventures, the laughter, the new experiences, and the memories our Scouts will carry with them for years to come.

Misty, thank you for bringing your enthusiasm, kindness, and adventurous spirit to Pack 117! We are SO lucky to have you helping our Tigers navigate their very first Scouting adventures! 🐯🌿

Adventure is better together!

08/26/2026

🌟🦁 MEET OUR AMAZING LION DEN LEADER: DAWN STODDARD! 🦁🌟

Behind every awesome Cub Scout adventure is an amazing leader—and we are SO lucky to have Dawn Stoddard leading our Lion Den! 💙💛

Dawn’s Scouting story actually started when she was a kid! Her little brothers were Cub Scouts, and her mom was what they called a “Den Mother.” Dawn got to tag along on their adventures, and apparently the Scouting spirit stuck!

Fast forward to becoming a mom herself, and Dawn helped FIVE of her sons journey through Cub Scouts, earn their Arrow of Light, and move on to Scouts BSA. She even served as a Den Leader along the way! Her sixth son is now in the final year of his Cub Scout adventure—and Dawn is still making Scouting memories with her family.

🌎 A LITTLE ABOUT DAWN:
Dawn grew up in a big family in Oregon and has lived all over the world, including Idaho, Germany, Texas, Alabama, South Korea, and Oregon! Today, she and her family are a BIG Scouting family with 10 kids and 9 grandkids—including two grandkids in Pack 117 this year! 🦁🐾

❤️ HER “WHY”:
Dawn believes Scouting gives every child a place to belong, while helping them learn new skills and build character along the way.

🔥 HER FAVORITE PART OF SCOUTING:
Watching friendships grow! Dawn loves seeing those first few den meetings turn into kids wanting to stay longer just to keep talking and playing with their new friends. And, of course, camping trips are some of her favorites—including watching her boys take the Polar Bear Plunge and participate in campfire programs!

🌟 HER LEADERSHIP GOAL:
Dawn wants to create a space where Lions feel comfortable trying new things, asking questions, and discovering new interests—while inspiring them to head home and keep exploring with their families.

💪 HER LEADERSHIP STYLE:
Show by doing! Dawn believes in jumping in alongside the Scouts and reminding them that it's completely okay if something doesn't work the first time. Sometimes you just have to try, try again!

And her advice to families considering Scouting?

👉 “It’s a great experience. Jump in and try it!”

We couldn't agree more!

Please join us in giving a HUGE Pack 117 WELCOME & THANK YOU to Dawn for pouring her time, experience, energy, and heart into our youngest Scouts! 🦁💙💛

Dawn, we are SO excited to see where you take our Lions! 🚀🏕️🦁

08/23/2026

Meet Cub Scout Pack 117's Chartered Organization: Kennewick Nazarene Church

Kennewick Nazarene Church is a Christian church in the Tri-Cities community whose mission is to Love God, Love Others, and Make Disciples. Founded in Kennewick in 1924, the church has a long history of serving local families and investing in the community. Today, Kennewick Nazarene welcomes people of all ages and seeks to create a place where individuals and families can grow in faith, build meaningful relationships, and serve others.

08/19/2026

PACK 117 IS DIVING INTO ADVENTURE!

Our final Summertime Fun outing of the summer is going to be one you DON’T want to miss!

On August 29th at 12:00 PM, Pack 117 is heading to Columbia Point Marina Park in Richland to meet with the incredible teams from Benton Franklin Sheriff Posse Search & Rescue and Columbia Basin Dive Rescue!

SEARCH. RESCUE. SURVIVE.

Our Scouts will get to learn what happens when someone is in trouble on the water and how trained rescue teams respond. We’ll be talking about:

🚤 Water Search & Rescue
🤿 Dive Rescue Operations
🌊 Water Safety & Emergency Preparedness
🚗 What to do if a vehicle enters the water
🛟 How to respond in an emergency

This isn’t just another outing—it’s a chance for our Scouts to learn real-world skills that could one day save a life.

So grab your family, bring your curiosity, and get ready to DIVE INTO ADVENTURE!

📅 August 29th
⏰ 12:00 PM
📍 Columbia Point Marina Park, Richland

PACK 117: SEARCH. LEARN. BE PREPARED.

Let’s make our LAST summer outing one to remember!

08/18/2026

Did you know Cub Scout Pack 117 has a website that is filled with awesome information on all things scouting & pack related?

Our committee has been hard at work making updates and adding all sorts of things for you all to check out.

Come check it out: http:

08/17/2026

$5.00 per youth. $5 per adult. Price includes an exclusive showing of 'Worlds Beyond Earth' in the planetarium, space themed activities outside, and viewing of the eclipse through the CBC Observatory.

Please join us for this viewing event at the CBC Observatory on August 27th. The event starts at 6:00 pm. There will be activities for the Scouts. Viewing of the eclipse begins at 7:33 PM. CBC will be helping participants to view the eclipse using their telescopes. Those wanting to work on on the astronomy merit badge are welcome to join this event and come to the merit badge clinic at CBC on October 24th. A seperate registration is required for each event.

Upcoming Lunar Eclipses

The most significant lunar event is a deep partial lunar eclipse on August 27–28, 2026. During this event, about 96% of the Moon will pass into Earth's dark umbral shadow, making it appear a striking reddish-orange.

Because it doesn't cross into 100% totality, it isn't a true "blood moon," but it is the most impressive lunar eclipse to occur until 2028.

Register at: https://scoutingevent.com/604-eclipse

08/16/2026

We believe that every adventure comes with a responsibility to care for the world around us. Leave No Trace teaches Scouts to enjoy the outdoors while protecting the places we explore.

Scouts learn simple but important habits—plan ahead, stay on trails, respect wildlife, dispose of waste properly, leave what they find, and be considerate of others. Whether we are hiking a trail, camping under the stars, or enjoying a day at the park, we want to leave each place as good as—or even better than—we found it.

By practicing Leave No Trace, Scouts develop respect for nature, learn to be responsible stewards of the outdoors, and discover that even small actions can make a big difference. Adventure is more meaningful when we help make sure others can enjoy it too!