Area Cub Scouts rebound with Pinewood Derby

WASHINGTON — Local Cub Scout members got to participate in an iconic tradition of the organization last weekend, as Washington and Riverside dens celebrated their growing memberships with a Pinewood Derby at St. James Elementary.

The youngsters gathered Saturday morning in the private school’s gymnasium, where volunteers set up a specially made racetrack for the event, and sent their homemade wooden vehicles down in a test of speed. For many, it was their first time partaking in the competition.

“We did have one last year, with a small group of scouts that we had, but the pack itself basically went dormant for a period of time,” said Kathy Fields, a former organizer of the Pinewood Derby in Washington, and a volunteer at Saturday’s event. “And if there’s not Cub Scouts, there’s not a Pinewood Derby.”

The series of wooden car races represented not only a morning of friendly competition, but a return to form for the local groups, which saw their numbers decline early in the pandemic, and only recently start to rebound.

In contrast to a Pinewood Derby of three of four people last year, Saturday saw roughly 20 Scouts excitedly scattered around the gymnasium with their families. They raced their cars in three-run trials, taking one trip down each lane to balance out any imperfections of one track versus the others. A high-tech system started the clock the moment cars were released and stopped as each crossed the finish line.

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Washington Den Leader Ryan Schardon’s son — Owen Schardon — won the competition by a few thousandths of a second. The father said he appreciated the event immensely as a parent.

“It’s something that me and my son can work on together,” he said. “It’s a learning opportunity. My son’s six, so it’s really helping him develop life skills in a fun, enjoyable manner … and it’s another opportunity to learn more about sportsmanship.”

Riverside Scoutmaster Steven Bowman said his daughter joined the Cub Scouts specifically to get involved in the derby, which also drew a few volunteer older scouts from the troop to the north.

He said Saturday’s event was enjoyed by all.

“It seemed like all the kids were having a good time watching their cars race,” he said. “I think both packs really enjoyed having it … it was a fun time for everybody involved.”

Lead Pinewood Derby Organizer Nick Juelsgaard, whose daughters participated in the event, said the local dens planned to keep it an annual tradition moving forward, and already planned another derby for next year.

“It’s going to be up to me, and I’m for sure going to do it again,” he said. “It went really well, everyone was really happy … and we’re really excited about it.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com