Suffolk News-Herald

Cub Scouts from Pack 366 played &uot;Santa,&uot; and put in a special holiday appearance at Autumn Care of Suffolk. They sang Christmas Carols to the residents of the nursing care facility.

Hilton Young, Cub Master of Pack 366, said the youngsters strolled the hallways to sing their hearts out for the residents and patients.

&uot;I think the staff even enjoyed the Christmas Carols,&uot; said Young. &uot;The boys also stopped by the rooms to visit with patients and we delivered little baskets containing gifts for the men and women,&uot; said Young. &uot;They decorated the baskets and they also purchased items to put in them. The gifts included candy, nicely scented soaps and other hygiene items and little snacks.&uot;

He added that the gifts were purchased from Scout dues.

&uot;These boys were generous in their gift-giving because they planned to save up for a field trip or some type of activity,&uot; Young said. &uot;I think they stand as an excellent example of what Cub Scouting can do in the life of a boy. It is such a great feeling of joy to see them working for others, rather than their being in the streets to do something other than good.&uot;

Young said he established Pack 366 in October 2002 because he realizes that youths today needs every bit of encouragement they can get.

&uot;I see the youths in the streets and it breaks my heart to see some of the things going on with them,&uot; he said. &uot;If we can get a boy involved in Cub Scouting, he won’t have time to get into anything but all the activities and field trips we do.&uot;

Young is somewhat of an authority on the values of Scouting since he is the father of an Eagle Scout, Hilton T. Young, and Corey Young, who was also a Scout.

The members of Pack 366 who participated in the Christmas Caroling expedition included Jonathan Hicks, Ephraim Crocker, Peter Elliott, Daishon Beamon, Troy Baker, Deandre Sawyer, Vaquan Wilkins, Antonio Elliott, and Lavender Baker. Since that time, the pack has added several other members and they welcome any young man from 7 to 11 years old to join them.

Pack Leaders include Young’s wife, Patricia, and two other volunteers, Monique Hunt and Angel Hicks. Young also noted that adult volunteers are needed to help bring the boys along as they journey through their Cub Scouting years.

For more information on Pack 366, or to volunteer as a leader, call Young at 934-0592. The pack is sponsored by Rising St. James Pentecostal Holiness Church and Pastor Bishop Dwight Whitfield. The pack meets at 5 p.m. Tuesdays at the church.