Four girls in Southwick Cub Scout Pack 114 participated in the pinewood derby on Saturday. (Photo courtesy of Lori Grazia)
SOUTHWICK – Southwick Cub Scout Pack 114 had their own pinewood derby at The Daily Grind last Saturday. This specific pack consists of four girls, Gabrielle Grazia, Riley Westcott, Autumn Estee, and Grayson Davidson.
Prior to the derby, each girl was given a pinewood kit to create their car. Each kit consists of a block of pine, four wheels, and four axles. No car could weigh more than five ounces.
Although there was no actual competition that declared a winner, it was considered a fun and successful event.
“It was fantastic,” said Pack 114 Den Leader John Westcott. “Everybody stayed until we cleaned up and left.”
Starting this pack a little over a month ago, it is one of only five or six cub scout packs in Western Massachusetts that has girls. Westcott, who has been a Den Leader along with other roles for cub scouts and boy scouts for over 32 years, was asked to help create this pack. He helped all the girls pre-register as cub scouts on the national website. On the Boy Scouts of America website, it notes that in 2018 the cub scouts program started to open up to both boys and girls.
Westcott was pleased that Southwick could have a pack consisting of girls. Over the years, he would see girls involved in cub scouts, but they’d never get awarded or recognized since they couldn’t register in the pack.
“I think it’s fantastic,” said Westcott. “I’ve always had sisters of cub scouts as part of the pack.”
Along with Assistant Cub Master Todd Wescott and Assistant Leader Lori Grazia, John Westcott is looking to expand Pack 114. They’re not just accepting girls from Southwick, as they currently also have members from Westfield, Agawam, and Feeding Hills. If a girl or boy from kindergarten thru fifth grade wants to join cub scout pack 114, contact Westcott at 413-569-6693.
