Welcome

Welcome to Pack 36 and the wonderful world of scouting!  Your family is about to undertake an adventure that will last a lifetime.  We meet monthly as a Pack at Benn’s United Methodist Church on the third Wednesday of the month with a few exceptions, please consult the ‘Pack Calendar’ for meeting schedules.  The Carrollton Ruritans have kindly provided their hall as a meeting place for our dens and most of the dens meet there weekly.  Each Den meets weekly at different times on different days, so please consult the enclosed ‘Den Meeting Schedule’ for your child’s den meeting day, time, and location. 

We are glad that you chose Pack 36 to begin or continue your Cub Scouting experience.  We feel that it is very important that the boys in the immediate area are involved in a group with their friends from their neighborhoods and schools.  This familiarity with their peers and surroundings provides a relaxed atmosphere that is conducive to sharing the Cub Scouting experience as well as making the experience both an enjoyable and fun one.  

 Our mission is to deliver a Cub Scouting program that complies with the goals and objectives of the Boy Scouts of America and provides a safe and fun Cub Scouting experience.

The Purpose of Cub Scouting

Cub Scouting began in 1930 when the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) began a home- and neighborhood-centered program for boys 9 to 11 years of age.  Today with the addition of the Tiger cub program that age span is now 6 to 10.  One of the key elements of the Cub Scout program is to place an emphasis upon caring, nurturing relationships between boys and their parents, adult leaders, and friends. Currently, Cub Scouting is the largest of the BSA's three membership divisions. (The others are Boy Scouting and Venturing.)[i]

You can pick up the newspaper and watch television news on any given day and very easily be informed about the bad things that are going on in the world.  It requires effort to find information about the good things that are happening in our community today.  Cub Scouting is one of them.  The Cub Scout program serves boys who are in first through fifth grade (ages 7 to 10).  Boys, families, leaders and chartered organizations work together to achieve the following objectives, as defined by the Boys Scouts of America:

• Positively influence character development and encourage spiritual growth
• Help boys develop habits and attitudes of good citizenship
• Encourage good sportsmanship and pride in growing strong in mind and body
• Improve understanding within the family
• Strengthen boys' ability to get along with other boys and respect other people
• Foster a sense of personal achievement by helping boys develop new interests and skills
• Show how to be helpful and do one's best
• Provide fun and exciting new things to do
• Prepare boys to become Boy Scouts

In short to instill the values and qualities that will prepare our sons to become the leaders of the future.

Cub Scouting Ideals[ii]

Apart from the fun and excitement of Cub Scout activities, a number of ideals are expressed in the day-to-day life of the boy and his leaders.

Cub Scout Promise

I, (name), promise to do my best
To do my duty to God and my country,
To help other people, and
To obey the Law of the Pack.

Cub Scout Motto

Do Your Best.

Tiger Cub Promise

I promise to love God,
my family, and my country,
and to learn about the world.

Tiger Cub Motto

Search, Discover, Share.

Law of the Pack

The Cub Scout follows Akela.
The Cub Scout helps the pack go.
The pack helps the Cub Scout grow.
The Cub Scout gives goodwill.

Colors

The Cub Scout colors are blue and gold. The blue stands for truth and spirituality, steadfast loyalty, and the sky above. The gold stands for warm sunlight, good cheer, and happiness. Together, they symbolize what Cub Scouting is all about.

The Pack

Pack 36 is part of the Colonial Trails District, which in turn is part of the Colonial Virginia Council.  We participate in District and Council sponsored events as much as possible.  A Pack is you!  Members join a Cub Scout pack and are assigned to a den, usually a neighborhood group of six to eight boys. First-grade boys (Tiger Cubs) meet twice a month, while Wolf Cub Scouts (second graders), Bear Cub Scouts (third graders), and Webelos Scouts (fourth and fifth graders) meet weekly.

Once a month, all of the dens and family members gather for a pack meeting under the direction of a Cubmaster and pack committee. The committee includes the pack leaders, parents of boys in the pack, and members of the chartered organization.

Tiger Cubs BSA is a program designed for boys who are in the first grade and their adult partners.  As previously stated, the Tiger Cub Dens will usually meet twice a month.  All adult partners share in the leadership of the den, with the guidance and support of the Tiger Cub coach.  The Tiger Cub den activities are based on one of the seventeen big ideas listed in the Tiger Cubs BSA Family Activity Book.

Cub Scouting is for boys in the second and third grades.  The Wolf (second graders) and Bears (third graders) scouts are assigned to dens.  The Wolves and Bears meet once a week with the supervision of an adult volunteer leader.  All adult family members are expected to help when called upon with den activities.

Webelos (WE’ll BE LOyal Scouts) is for boys in the fourth and fifth grades.  These boys are members of a Webelos den.  Their den meetings are held weekly.  The Webelos den program is built around one of the Webelos activity badges.  Outdoor activities, including parent-son overnight camping, are also an important part of the den’s program.

The pack is led throughout the year by a group of dedicated VOLUNTEERS. We’ve mentioned briefly the Cubmaster and Den Leaders but there are many others who keep the pack on the go.   Pack 36 also has the following positions that serve as part of the pack committee:

·        Committee Chairperson

·        Assistant Cubmaster

·        Treasurer

·        Secretary

·        Advancement Chairperson

·        Tiger Cub Coach

·        Program Director

The pack committee sets up the annual program, determines the budget and means for funding it, coordinates awards and ceremonies, keeps the pack chartered and plans the monthly pack meeting.  The pack committee usually meets the Wednesday prior to the pack meeting. 

Parent Participation

Parent participation within the Pack and Den is very important.  The boys need positive role models both at home and in the pack.  The boys want to share their pride in themselves and their family.  We want the boys to have fond memories of their scouting experience.  We strongly suggest that you add to your son’s scouting experience by becoming an active member of the pack.  Not sure that being active in the leadership of the pack is for you?  Most of the adult leaders of Pack 36 probably shared that same apprehension, but ask anyone of them today and they will share with you the rewards of assuming active roles in the leadership of the pack.  Den leaders and active parents have the privilege of seeing first hand, boys learning skills and values that will make them an asset to our community.  

This is a family adventure!  It would be impossible to accomplish all of the tasks required to advance within the time allocated for den meetings.  It is therefore extremely important that you, the parent, be an active participant.  Read the handbook and go over the requirements.  You will be surprised at how many of those requirements you can accomplish during the normal course of your day.  Advancement should be a fun learning experience for you and your son.  Remember no one’s perfect, but in Cub Scouts we do ask that you “Do your best!” 

Numerous opportunities present themselves every month for a person to volunteer to serve within the pack.  We can always use help, so if we forget to ask, please ask us!  If we appear to have forgotten you asked, please ask again! We are all volunteers; mothers and fathers just like you, looking to make this a rewarding experience for our sons.  The Pack has the following opportunities to volunteer:

·        Secretary

·        Pinewood Derby Chair

·        Blue and Gold Chair

·        Fund Raising Chair

·        Christmas Parade Director

·        Publicity Coordinator

·        Day Camp Coordinator

·        Recycle Coordinator

·        Adopt-A-Highway coordinator

·        Refreshment coordinator

·        Uniform Closet coordinator

Pack Budget

The primary means for the raising of operating funds for Pack 36 is through fund raising activities.  As an example we have conducted car washes, sold hams and popcorn, and held silent auctions at the Blue and Gold Banquet.  This covers the expense of awards, and pack activities.  The pack also collects annual pack dues for each Cub Scout.  These dues are reduced if you have more than one boy in the pack.

Below is a table showing operating expenses for 2000-2001:

Table 1 Pack Operating Expenses

Advancement

Recognition is important to young boys. The Cub Scout advancement plan provides fun for the boys, gives them a sense of personal achievement as they earn badges, and strengthens family understanding as adult family members work with boys on advancement projects.[iii]

Bobcat

The first rank, Bobcat rank is for all boys who join Cub Scouting.

Wolf

The Wolf program is for boys who have completed first grade (or are age 8). To earn the Wolf badge, a boy must pass twelve achievements involving simple physical and mental skills.

Bear

The Bear rank is for boys who have completed second grade (or are age 9). There are twenty-four Bear achievements in four different categories. The Cub Scout must complete twelve of these to earn the Bear badge. These requirements are somewhat more difficult and challenging than those for Wolf rank.

Webelos

This program is for boys who have completed third grade (or are age 10). A boy may begin working on the Webelos badge as soon as he joins a Webelos den. This is the first step in his transition from the Webelos den to the Boy Scout troop. As he completes the requirements found in the Webelos Scout Book, he will work on activity badges, attend meetings led by adults, and become familiar with the Boy Scout requirements - all leading to the Arrow of Light Award.

The Cub Scout Sports and Academics program provides the opportunity for boys to learn new techniques, develop sportsmanship, increase scholarship skills, and have fun. Participation in the program allows boys to be recognized for physical fitness and talent-building activities.  There are two levels of recognition and requirements for the Sports and Academics program.  The first is the belt loop with approximately three requirements and the other is the pin, which has varying and more difficult requirements.

Den Meetings

Dens meet weekly to work towards achievements for various awards and in preparation for the pack meeting.  Den programs are prepared by the Den Leader and usually revolve around a monthly theme.  The den meetings are a time to work together and to have fun.  Within the den the boys hold positions of responsibility.  These are the Denner and Assistant Denner, who can be selected by various means (e.g., selecting names from a hat, or secret ballot, etc.).  Each boy should be given the opportunity to hold these positions so that they can learn responsibility.  The Denner and the Assistant Denner should have meaningful jobs such as setting up for the den meeting, leading the den meeting opening and helping to clean up afterward.  Cub Scouting is a family activity, and den meetings are a great place for family involvement!

The schedule for 2001-02 is shown below in Table 2.

Table 2 Den Meeting Schedule 2001-2002

Uniforms

Cub scouts buy their own uniform, including council patch, pack and den numerals. The pack provides badges and awards as the boys advance. Tiger cubs have an orange T-shirt. Wolf and Bear cubs use the blue Cub Scout uniform, while Webelos can choose whether to wear blue Cub Scout uniform or tan Boy Scout uniform shirt. The salesperson at the Scout Store can help you buy the right stuff including the right color for the neckerchief. Pack 36 accepts any dark blue pants with the blue Cub Scout uniform.  Uniforms can be purchased at the following locations:

Table 3 Where to buy uniforms and accessories

Den Assignments

Check the printed version of this manual, provided during Parent Orientation for your son's Den Assignment.  If you need a copy please contact Jim Shinn.