Rockets literally flew across the Assisted Living Lounge of Resthave Home, 408 Maple Avenue, Morrison, IL, during the Cub Scout Space Derby! Beginning at 6:30 p.m., on Thursday, December 14, 2017, 22 youngsters from Pack #328 brought their individually-designed rockets to participate in three fly-offs. In September, the Pack had supplied free rocket kits.
To prepare for the derby, each boy and an adult or two shaved the hollow, rectangular, styrofoam block form, shaping and sanding it to be aerodynamic. Paint smoothed the form and lessened wind resistance. Wings were fabricated and installed. Optional text and numbers added a personal touch.
Each boy chose an opponent for three heats. To provide propulsion each kit used an identical plastic propeller. It was connected to the rear by up-to-three supplied rubber bands, placed inside the rocket. Two leaders attached a pair of rockets to suspended wire “tracks.” They used battery-operated propeller winders, to twist the rubber bands, then released the competing missiles at the same count.
This occurred 33 times. The Scouts waited patiently for their turns to compete.
Yellow and orange blurs (visible on the left man’s shirt) are speeding rockets.
Wyatt Hoehn, a fourth grade ten-year-old, is shown at left. Shawn Common, a nine-year-old fourth grader, is at right. Common was announced as Top Seller in the recent popcorn sale; he sold “about 950” boxes. Patches and awards were presented to the boys for their sales, which amounted to $6550.
Resthave Marketing Director Karla Burn stated, “The Cub Scouts showcased the rockets they made and had races against each other, in this fun, intergenerational event. Resthave residents would like to thank the Cub Scouts for having this event [here,] so that [residents] were able to attend.” Burn sent this photograph of Cub Scouts showing their rockets up close during the rocket ship parade.
