Westminster Hall at the Village Church of Northbrook, which has hosted pancake breakfasts and Cub Scout Pinewood Derby events over the years, became a community destination again on Saturday, Feb. 11.
A 48 foot aluminum track in the middle of the downstairs hall fulfilled the need for speed for 55 racers at the annual Cub Scout Pack 463 Pinewood Derby.
Forty Scouts participated with siblings, parents and one guest of a Scout, bringing the grand total to 55.
The overall winner with the fastest average time was Benny Reguly, 8, a second-grader from Northbrook.
The Pinewood Derby, a popular part of the Scouting program, features derby cars with a five ounce weight limit.
“I’m just proud of all the kids, it’s a lot of fun,” said Lili Ullrich of Northbrook, the parent of Kris Ullrich, 11, a fifth-grade Scout. This was the last Pinewood Derby for Kris who was, “sad, I love the Pinewood Derby,” Kris said.
Pack 463 Scoutmaster Matt Morgan of Northbrook said, “I’ve been really proud of the way our pack puts on the Pinewood Derby.
“Usually for Cub Scouts, the Pinewood Derby is one of the crowning achievements, it’s like one of the highlights of the year and for me it is personally, and I have to believe it is for the Scouts also,” Morgan added.
Morgan and his wife Elisa Morgan are the parents of Scouts Rachel, 8, a third-grader, and Andrew, 11, a sixth grader. Rachel is among four girls who are Scouts with Pack 463. Andrew graduated from Pack 463 last year and is in Scouts BSA Troop 55 in Glenview.
Rachel’s car featured a white bunny and a puppy on top, going not for speed but for, “mostly looks,” Rachel said with a smile.
“I was thinking of like, sleds for a car and like, animal sled, animal sled, yes!” Rachel said, her arms pumping jubilantly while recalling the inspiration.
In October 2017, the BSA, Boy Scouts of America, “announced programs to allow females into single-gender Cub Scout dens and Boy Scout troops,” according to https://www.scouting.org/programs/venturing/about-venturing/history/.
Matt and Elisa Morgan are proud that girls including Rachel can choose to pursue the prestigious Eagle Scout rank.
“I love it,” Matt Morgan said. “I’m also an Eagle Scout and so I know what it means to be an Eagle Scout and I wish that for both of my kids.”
Elisa Morgan said, “I grew up as a Girl Scout but it shouldn’t matter if you’re a girl or a boy.
“I like that everyone’s allowed.
“We’ve got friends whose daughters are working on Eagle (Scout rank),” Elisa Morgan added. “It’s awesome.”
STEM or STEAM principles of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics enhance the official derby kit. Kits, distributed by the pack last December, include wheels, axles and a block of wood.
“I am blown away by the creativity that some of these cars show,” Matt Morgan said.
Chris Hersee of Evanston owns the metal track and has been staging Pinewood Derby events for two decades.
“I do some other things for a living too but every weekend in January and February, I’m doing races, so it is busy,” Hersee said. “It’s a lot of fun. I enjoy it a lot.”
Hersee added, “I think it’s really, really good,” the BSA program has,” both boys and girls.
“It’s really good to be able to have families participate,” Hersee said.
Assistant Cubmaster David Adams of Northbrook and wife Kirstie are the parents of Scouts Karina, 11, a fifth-grader, Ethan, 7, a first-grader and Jack, 5, a kindergartner. Karina is also among the four girls of Pack 463.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for Scouts to get involved with hands-on activities, also being involved with doing things with the environment, so those are great opportunities to leverage the knowledge and experience in STEAM to kind of grow a foundation of knowledge on the top of it,” David Adams said.
Ami Goldenstein of Northbrook is the parent of Pack 463 Scout Roni, 9, a third-grader.
“I don’t like separating boys from girls, I think there should be mixing,” Roni’s father said.
For her second Pinewood Derby, Roni made a gold car, going for speed, called “Goldie” and made weight adjustments on Goldie per derby rules.
“I learned that you have to put these two thingies inside, how’s it called … weights … inside of the car,” Roni said.
Roni’s father said, “We weighed it. We made sure it’s maximized weight. We made sure it goes straight.
“It’s a science.”
Roni started working on her Pinewood Derby car, “maybe three weeks ago,” Ami Goldenstein added. “We worked a bit every time. We didn’t do it last minute.”
Phil Wasik of Northbrook, assistant Cubmaster, who checked in and weighed cars, said about Pack 463’s ratio of Scouts, “I wish we had more (girls).
“I think it brings more families together,” Wasik said. “Scouts is more of a family and when mom and dad and brother and sister can come and do things together, everybody has fun.”
Aimee Solo of Northbrook, Pack 463 Bears third grade den leader, said, “I am so excited” that her pack has boys and girls. Solo’s den has two girls.
“Cub Scouts is for boys and girls,” Solo said. “It’s not just for boys anymore.
“It’s a real opportunity for kids to make friends for life.”
Karie Angell Luc is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.
