Pack <P#>
Parent Handbook
2015-2016
Pack <P#>
Chicopee, Massachusetts
General Knox District
Western Massachusetts Council
Boy Scouts of America
Table of Contents
Pack <P#> Mission 5
Cub Scouting and Your Family 6
Scout Oath 7
Scout Law 8
Cub Scout Motto 8
Lion 9
Bobcat 9
Tiger 10
Wolf 10
Bear 11
Webelos 11
Arrow of Light 11
Registration 13
Renewals 13
Uniforms 14
Other Items Needed 17
Financial Aid & Camperships 18
Parent Responsibilities 18
The Structure of Cub Scouting 19
Dens 19
Lion Den Program 20
Pack 20
Chartered Organization 22
District and Council 22
The Pack <P#> Cub Scout Program 24
Pack Meetings 24
Camping 24
Blue & Gold Celebration 26
Pack <P#> “High Adventure” trip 26
Pinewood Derby 27
Summer Program 28
Special Events 28
SCOUTStrongTM Healthy Unit Program 28
Parent’s Pins 29
Family Assignment – Duty to God Adventure 29
Family Assignment – Cyberchip 29
Family Assignment – Den Homework 29
Bead Program 30
“Leave No Trace” 30
Fundraising 31
Pack Fundraising Events 31
Individual Scout Accounts 32
Friends of Scouting 33
Website 33
Pack <P#> Program Planning 35
Pack Program Schedule 35
Program Budget 35
Voice of the Pack 35
Financial Obligations to Pack <P#> 36
Pack Dues / Recharter 36
2015-2016 Registration Cost 36
Den Dues 37
Fundraising 37
Pack Bowl-A-Thon (November x, 12-2PM) 37
Pack Walk/Bike-A-Thon (May x) 38
Camp Card Sales (Spring 2016) 38
Service Project Events 38
<SCHOOL> Clean up (October x) 38
Ray Ash Park Clean up (April 2016) 38
<SCHOOL> Clean up (Summer 2016) 38
Den Service Projects (TBA) 39
Special Pack Events 39
Halloween Pack Meeting (October x) 39
Holiday Festival Pack Meeting (December x) 39
Blue and Gold Banquet (February x) 39
Pack Pinewood Derby (March x) 39
Fella’s Cake Bake (June x) 40
Pack Outings 40
Fall Family Campout (September x) 41
Randall’s Corn Maze (October x) 41
Fall Fun Day (October x) 41
Fall Fun Day Overnight (October x) 41
Veterans Day Parade (November x) 41
St. Rose Caroling (December x) 41
Springfield Falcons Hockey (December x) 42
Bosquet Tubing Trip (January x) 42
Yukon Derby Day (January x) 42
Scout Sunday (February x) 42
St. Patrick’s Day Parade (March x) 42
Carnival Day / District Pinewood (April 9) 43
Spring Family Campout (April x) 43
Memorial Day Parade (May x) 43
Webelos Woods Campout (June x) 43
Chicopee Rocket Day (June TBA) 43
Pack Picnic (July x) 44
Battleship Cove Overnight (August x-x) 44
General Knox District Day Camp 44
Rules of Conduct 44
Youth Protection 45
Two-deep leadership on all outings required. 45
One on-one contact between adults and youth members prohibited. 45
Two-deep leadership and no one-on-one contact between adults and youth members includes digital communication. 46
Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse 46
Inappropriate Behavior 46
Electronic Entertainment 46
Camping Guidelines 47
Safety Guidelines 49
Use of Knives by Cub Scouts 49
Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Use and Abuse 50
Guide to Safe Scouting Extract 51
Guidelines for Safely Using Chemical Stoves and Lanterns 51
Flammability Warning 51
Fire Safety 52
Fireworks 52
Guns, Firearms, and Archery 52
Transportation 53
Leader / Committee Roles 54
Cubmaster 54
Den Leaders/Asst Den Leaders 54
Committee Chair 54
Committee Treasurer 55
Committee Secretary 55
Committee Membership 55
Committee Activities 55
Cub Scout Glossary 56
Den & Pack Meeting Schedule 63
Lions Pride Meetings: 63
Den Meetings: 63
Pack Meetings: 63
Committee Meeting Schedule 63
Committee Meetings: 63
Leader Info 64
Pack <P#> Mission
The Leaders of Cub Scout Pack <P#> are committed to providing a quality, year-round program of Cub Scouting activities. Special emphasis is placed on character development, outdoor activities, sports, citizenship, and family.
Cub Scouting and Your Family
Do you want your son to grow up to be self-reliant, dependable, and caring?
Is it important to you that he learns traditional values such as honesty, trustworthiness, and respect for others and the environment?
Are you looking for a program for your boy that supports his development and your family?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you should discover what Cub Scouting has to offer your son.
The Cub Scout program combines fun with educational opportunities and lifelong values. It helps parents to help their boys strengthen character, develop good citizenship, and enhance both mental and physical fitness. The program also provides boys with a positive peer group and the tools to shape their future.
In Cub Scouting, boys learn ideals like honesty, bravery, and respect. These values help boys make constructive decisions throughout their lifetimes and give them the confidence they need to grow and develop. The unique aspect of Cub Scouting is that you, his family, join the program with your son. You will help him along the way.
What is Cub Scouting?
In 1930, the Boy Scouts of America launched a home- and neighborhood-based program for boys up to age eleven. The program focused on nature, hobbies, games, preparation for Boy Scouts, and above all, character. The Cub Scouting program has changed and evolved over the last 75 years and has grown from 5,102 boys and 243 Packs in 1930 to over 1.9 million boys in more than 53,000 Packs today. Even with all of these changes, the focus of the program is still on preparing boys to become better adults.
Boys, families, Leaders, and chartered organizations all work together to achieve the ten purposes of Cub Scouting:
- To influence the development of character.
- To encourage spiritual growth.
- To help boys develop habits and attitudes of good citizenship.
- To encourage good sportsmanship and pride in growing strong in mind and body.
- To improve understanding within the family.
- To strengthen the ability of boys to get along with other boys and respect other people.
- To foster a sense of personal achievement in boys by helping them to develop new interests
and skills.
- To show boys how to be helpful and to do one’s best.
- To provide fun and exciting new things for boys to do.
- To prepare boys to become Boy Scouts.
We achieve these purposes by teaching the ideals of Cub Scouting, which are represented by the Scout Oath, the Scout Law, and the Cub Scout Motto.
Scout Oath
On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.
Scout Law
A Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly,
Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave,
Clean and Reverent.
Cub Scout Motto
Do your best!
Who Can Be a Cub Scout?
The Cub Scouting program is for boys in the Kindergarten through fifth grades. Boys who have started kindergarten may join as early as June 1st, or can wait until the Pack <P#> Recruitment Night in September. The program is broken into ranks, and the boys work to earn a specific rank each year in the Pack. Here are the Cub Scout ranks:
Lion
The Lion program is a kindergarten-age level in the Cub Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America it is currently a pilot program of the National Council of the BSA and is only being piloted in the Western Massachusetts Council, Northern Star Council and the Hudson Valley Council. Lions are boys in Kindergarten or 6 years old. To earn their Lion badge, boys must complete six required adventures and one elective adventure. They join with an adult partner. All of the adult partners share in the leadership of the Lion Pride with the guidance and support of the Lion Pride Coordinator.
Bobcat
The Bobcat badge is the first rank that is earned by ALL Cub Scouts when they join the Pack, regardless of their age or grade in school. The Bobcat badge signifies that the new Cub Scout has learned the basic elements of the program, including the Cub Scout Promise, Motto, Handshake, Salute, Sign and the Law of the Pack. Most new Cub Scouts earn this rank award within the first two months of joining the Pack.
Tiger
Tigers are boys in the first grade or 7 years old. To earn their Tiger badge, boys must complete six required adventures and one elective adventure. They will earn a belt loop for each completed adventure. In addition they must complete the cyber chip award and discuss youth protection with the scout. The Tiger program is a simple and fun introduction to the excitement of Cub Scouting for the boys and their adult partners.
Wolf
Boys who have completed first grade, or are 8 years old, work towards the Wolf rank. To earn their Wolf badge, boys must complete six required adventures and one elective adventure. They will earn a belt loop for each completed adventure. The boys meet as a Den under the leadership of a Den Leader. While they no longer have adult partners with them all the time, parents are still welcome and encouraged to attend Den meetings with their boy.
Bear
When a boy has completed the second grade or is 9 years old, he begins working towards his Bear rank. To earn their Bear badge, boys must complete six required adventures and one elective adventure. They will earn a belt loop for each completed adventure. These requirements are somewhat more difficult and challenging than those required for the Wolf rank.
Webelos
Webelos Scouts are boys in the fourth grade or 10 years old. To earn their Webelos badge, boys must complete five required adventures and two elective adventures. They will earn an adventure pin for each completed adventure. The Webelos program focuses on more challenging and independent activities and begins the transition to Boy Scouts. Work on these adventure pins take place in the Den and at home.
Arrow of Light
Arrow of Light Scouts are boys in the fifth grade or 10 years old. By the time your boy begins the fifth grade, he should be ready to work on his Arrow of Light. This is the highest award in Cub Scouting and the only one that can be worn on the Boy Scout uniform. To earn their Arrow of Light badge, boys must complete four required adventures and three elective adventures. They will earn an adventure pin for each completed adventure. There is a formal ceremony for the presentation of the Arrow of Light Award, which is typically followed by a ceremony to cross over from Cub Scouts into Boy Scouts. This important and meaningful ceremony typically occurs at the annual Blue & Gold Celebration for any scouts that have completed the Arrow of Light requirements by that time.
Joining Pack <P#>
Although Pack <P#> is composed mostly of boys and families from Lambert Lavoie and Barry schools, any boy in kindergarten through fifth-grade is welcome to join. Boys entering kindergarten may sign up to be Lions in May and begin June 1st. The boy’s parent(s) must fill out a Cub Scout application, which can be obtained from the Cubmaster or any Den Leader. The completed application should be turned in to the Cubmaster or Pack Committee Chairperson.
Registration
The annual registration fee for joining Pack <P#> is determined by the Pack Committee. This fee pays for registration with the Boy Scouts of America, unit insurance, an annual subscription to Boys’ Life magazine, Leader training, awards and some of our program costs. For new Cub Scouts, the registration fee should be turned in to the Cubmaster or Pack Committee Chairperson along with the completed Cub Scout application. The registration fee can also be paid through installments over the year.
Renewals
Cub Scouts who renew each year do not need to fill out new applications each year. The annual registration fee for returning Cub Scouts is due by the October Pack meeting. A $5 late fee will be charged for renewals after that time. It is important to note that the content of Boys Life magazine changes for Scouts of different ages, so check with your Den Leader or Cubmaster before eliminating your multiple subscriptions.
Uniforms
An essential component of Cub Scouting is the uniform. Cub Scouts are made to feel part of a group and have a place to display their awards when they wear their uniforms. We ask that new scouts obtain a uniform within 6 weeks of joining. There are two types of uniforms: the formal “Class A” and the informal “Class B”. “Class A” uniforms are the field uniform of Scouting, and are worn at Pack meetings and most Pack functions. “Class B” uniforms consist of a variety of Scouting-themed t-shirts, and are worn during times where the Cub Scouts are likely to be involved in physical activities or crafts. “Class-B” Scouting-themed caps may also be worn with “Class-B” t-shirts.
Official Pack <P#> “Class-B” t-shirts can be purchased from the Pack. Pack <P#> provides a new “Class-B” Pack t-shirt to all new Cub Scouts. “Class-B” shirts and caps can also be any Scout t-shirt, Scout camp shirt or Scout event shirt. Often these items are provided as part of an event or they can be purchased at any camp trading post, Scout Shop, etc. The boys develop quite a collection of “Class B” apparel during their Scouting careers!
We will designate events beforehand as being “Class A” or “Class B” events so you can plan appropriately. Although only Leaders can wear the official “Class A” Scouting uniform, we invite and encourage Pack parents to wear our Pack <P#> “Class B” shirts.