Members of Newtown Hook & Ladder provided assistance to Cub Scout Pack 270 on Friday evening, May 7, allowing the Scouts to test the mettle of egg drop contraptions the young men had created.

Approximately 20 Scouts, their families, and Scout leaders gathered at the 12 Church Hill Road fire station to watch their (hopefully) well-cushioned boxes, in which eggs were nestled, be hauled up the Hook & Ladder’s ladder truck to be dropped first from a height of 50 feet, then 75 feet, and finally a long drop of 105 feet.

According to Pack 270 committee chair John Oldi, balloons, water, paper towels, marshmallows, and even a loaf of bread were among the items the Scouts hoped would protect their eggs as they plummeted to the earth. A few more fun items used in the creation of egg containers, said Oldi, were popcorn, Styrofoam, memory foam, tissues, cotton stuffing, and air bags. Containers included hard plastic shells as well as cardboard boxes,

“Only eight containers survived the 105-foot drop,” reported Oldi. “Many were lost at the 50- and 75-foot drops.”

Since it is late in the Scouting year, the egg drop event was just a fun way for Scouts to spend the evening. A $150 donation was made to Hook & Ladder for their assistance, as well as a card signed by Scouts.

Editor Nancy Crevier can be reached at nancy@thebee.com.