You may join Cub Scouts at any time throughout the year. Below is information about what we do, the benefits of Scouting, the time commitment required from Scouts and their parents, and the cost. Contact us for more information at pack393@aol.com.

Why Cub Scouting?

Parents of young boys face a lot of choices in extracurricular activities. Boys want to have fun, while parents want them to learn positive values and skills that will last a lifetime. If your son is about to enter first through fifth grade, Cub Scouting may be exactly what you are both looking for.

As a parent, you can be assured that Cub Scouting

• involves a variety of family activities
• encourages good behavior
• teaches lifelong values
• strengthens the bonds of family

As a kid, your son can be assured that Cub Scouting is fun!

What do Cub Scouts do?

Everything in Cub Scouting is designed to keep the boys active while achieving the aims of Scouting — citizenship training, character development, and personal fitness.

Many of the activities happen right in the den and pack meetings. These and a few other key events are explained below.

Den Meetings:
Your son will meet with a small group of boys in his grade. This provides him a chance to make new friends and do new activities with boys his own age. The activities are focused on achieving the "rank" of that den and require learning new skills, completing craft projects, doing community service, and more. Some dens meet once a month, others meet more frequently. The dens are

• Tigers (first grade)
• Wolves (second grade)
• Bears (third grade)
• Webelos 1 (fourth grade)
• Webelos 2 (fifth grade)

Pack Meetings:
This is a monthly meeting for all the dens (Cub Scouts and their parents) to get together to recognize the Scouts for their achievements that month. Awards, skits, games and jokes are some of the activities during a Pack meeting.

Cake Bake Auction:
The cake bake auction is an annual fundraising event for the pack. Each of the Scouts bakes and decorates a cake (with minimal adult assistance). The cakes are brought to the pack meeting and auctioned off to fast and furious bidding.

Pinewood Derby, Raingutter Regatta, and Space Derby Races:
Each Scout makes his own vehicle (racecar, sailboat, or rocket) and enters it in an exciting pack competition.

Blue & Gold Banquet:
This is a large pack meeting in February where families come together to celebrate the birthday of the Cub Scout program. We enjoy a catered dinner and celebrate the graduation of our Webelos 2 den into Boy Scouts.

Camping:
Campouts are packed with action that brings Scouts and their families into the great outdoors. Camping combines fun and excitement with doing one's best, getting along with others, and developing an appreciation for ecology and our world.

What are the benefits of Cub Scouting?

There is a reason for everything boys do in Cub Scouting. Apart from the fun and excitement, the aim of Cub Scouting is to help boys grow into good citizens who are strong in character and personally fit. This is why we say that Cub Scouting is "fun with a purpose." Cub Scouting

• Develops character and encourages spiritual growth
• Reinforces habits of good citizenship
• Encourages good sportsmanship and pride in growing strong in mind and body
• Improves understanding within the family
• Strengthens the ability to get along with other boys and respect for other people
• Fosters a sense of personal achievement by developing new interests and skills
• Teaches boys to be helpful and to do one’s best
• Provides fun and exciting new activities
• Prepares boys to become Boy Scouts
• Teaches respect for nature and America’s natural resources

How much time will all this take?

Time with one’s child is the most important time we have. Cub Scouting is family-centered and succeeds because parents get involved. Cub Scouting is not a "drop off" activity. Some families choose to carve out this time as a special parent/son activity with just their Scout; others involve the whole family. Siblings are always welcome to join in on pack activities.

All Scouts attend monthly pack meetings (last Thursday of the month for about an hour), individual den meetings (typically 1-2 per month, depending on the den), and periodic service projects, field trips, hikes, and other activities.

Tigers: A parent will need to attend all Tiger activities, including pack and den meetings.

Wolves, Bears and Webelos: Parents are not expected to attend the den meetings of second through fifth grade boys, but are always welcome to do so. However, a parent must attend all pack meetings, as well as special events, camping outings, and so on.

Each boy will also require a parent's time at home to help him advance through the rank on which he is currently working.

We ask that parents also consider volunteering time to benefit the den and/or pack. A position as an adult volunteer can be one of the most rewarding experiences you can have. It provides you with that outside opportunity to see your son change before your eyes. See the “Leadership” page for open positions, or speak to the Cubmaster.

How much will it cost?

Cub Scouting is one of the least expensive activities around, when compared to children's sports, music lessons, clubs, and other activities. This is because at the pack level, it's an all-volunteer organization. Any money you give to the pack goes directly to support our Scouts.

Cub Scout registration is $24 per year. Most of that money goes to the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) to help that organization continue to develop programs for our boys and to cover insurance costs. Our pack collects dues of $5 per month to pay for awards and other recognition that the boys achieve. Individual dens may collect additional monthly dues to pay for supplies they use at den meetings, typically $1-2 per month. Uniforms are a one-time expense that run in the neighborhood of $65 per Scout.

We also ask that all pack families participate in any fundraisers we hold. Our primary fundraiser is our October "Cake Bake Live Auction." Each Scout bakes and decorates a cake (with as little adult assistance as possible), then the cakes are auctioned off at a pack meeting. The money raised pays pack expenses and helps keep our dues low. In addition, we ask Scouts and their families to contribute to a service project in December. The specific project varies (we welcome your suggestions), but in recent years this has often been a food or book drive. Serving our community and helping those less fortunate are important values for our Scouts to practice.

If any family has a financial hardship regarding the payment of registration, dues, or camping fees, BSA has assistance available. We will never turn away a Scout because of financial considerations.

Cub Scouting is a wise investment in your son's future!