All parents are invited to attend this important night so that you can find out all of the things planned for the coming year.

The evening will also serve as our registration evening for 2000 as annual registration fees are now due. A new scheme to assist the Mums and Dads reduce the registration fees will be explained and a letter will also be sent home at the start of Term 2 giving further details.

We are well into our Cub programme for the year 2000. The Cubs energy levels did not diminish at all after their long summer holiday - in fact I think their energy levels have probably increased! A big 1-2-3 WOLF to Melinda Latimer on gaining her Yellow Cord Award, which was presented to her at Angle Crossing in the presence of Wombat. This award is a high achievement for a Cub and requires hard work and persistence to earn, including many badges and some nights under canvas!

After the award presentation at Angle crossing, the Cubs discovered Yeti footprints, built sand bridges into the Murrumbidgee River, skimmed stones, ate jelly babies, tiny teddies and chocolate cake, and ended up wet and sandy! What a night!

Very soon the Cubs will be off on their first Mystery Night for the year. I wonder where that will be? The Cubs have had a dress-up-in-paper night too, making weird clothes, as well as necklaces and belts out of food .... yum!

The week before the Burra Fair, the Cubs will be decorating their push bikes so that they can ride them in the Grand Parade at the Fair ... don't forget to give the Cubs a cheer as they ride by ... they will be the colourful ones on wheels!

Jamboree countdown - 10 months to go. The Jamboree is to be held from 2^nd to 13^th January 2001,. The Jamboree site is Cataract Park, which is about 30 minutes drive north of Wollongong.

The Jamboree is now only ten months away and Scouts who were born between 31/12/85 and 31/0389 are eligible to attend. Application forms are available from Wombat. Applications close 31 March 2000.

The Jamboree, also known as AJ2001, promises to be a dazzling ,exciting and rewarding activity for Scouts. It will be BIG. As big as the Sydney Olympic Village, with up to 16,000 participants, including 4,000 Leaders.

The Jamboree website is www.jamboree.scouts.com.au

It has been a slow start to this year's Venturer activities with most activities revolving around basketball, puzzles and pool competitions.

Forthcoming events include an Initiative Course, a weekend swimming trip to Batman's Bay, a canoe expedition on the Shoalhaven River, some rock climbing at Wee Jasper and a First Aid Course. That should provide a challenge. Are the Venturers up to it?

Classic 40 Hour Famine is skipping food for 40 hours, but World vision has invited Scouts Australia to create their own special 40 Hour Famine by doing something action-based! Ideas like:

• 40 laps of an oval or pool
• 40 hours up a tower
• 40 abseils down a building
• 40 km bike rally
• 40 hours underground

The ideas are endless. Last year's winners, 2^nd Busselton Venturer Scouts ran 40 laps of one of the longest jetties in the world.

Or, you choose to simply skip food (maximum 8 hours for children 12 and under)! The important thing is to be creative, have fun, and, of course, raise lots of money for World Vision's vital work.