CUB SCOUT

PACK 161 “PACK FACTS”

Pack 161 is a member of York District of the Palmetto Council, BSA

 LOCATION:    Bethesda Presbyterian Church, Hwy 322 in McConnells, SC

MEETING TIMES:  

• Tiger, Wolf, Bear and Webelos Dens meet every Tuesday night at 7:00 pm

•  Starting November 1st Webelos II will meet on Monday nights at 7:00 pm with the Boy Scouts

If there is NO SCHOOL (holidays, etc), then there is NO CUB SCOUT MEETING

Parents should escort their Cub Scout into the Scout Room.  Scouts should not be dropped off outside.  Likewise, parents should come into the Scout Room to pick up.  Parents are welcome to remain at meetings to see what Cub Scout Fun is all about!

DEN Meetings are the regularly scheduled weekly meetings during which individual dens meet and Cub Scouts work on activities, projects and advancement requirements.

PACK Meetings are typically the 4^th Tuesday of each month (though sometimes we skip a month).  All Dens meet together in the gym to perform songs, skits, and receive awards earned along the course of the year.  Refreshments are often served. Parent attendance is expected.

We ask our parents to help us by doing the following:

1. READ all information sent home to you from Scout Leaders.

2. POST the activities calendar in a prominent place in your home and make the activities a priority for you family activity planning.

3. Try NOT to DISCIPLINE your son by restricting his participation in Scout activities.  Scouting may be the element  he needs the most for his character development.

4. REALIZE that to miss an activity will begin to diminish his interest in the Scouting Program.

5. STAND behind the Scout Leaders in the enforcement of the “Scout Discipline” procedure.

6. NOTIFY your son’s Den Leader if your son will not be able to attend a meeting or activity.

7. Feel free to VISIT our meetings and outings, and consider joining the ranks of adult leadership in our Pack.  This may be  the best opportunity you will ever have to spend quality time with your son(s).

CUB SCOUTING

“HOW MUCH DOES IT COST”

Initial fee for Pack 161 is $35.

    This fee includes:   

                      Your son’s Cub Scout registration

                      His Subscription to “Boy’s Life” magazine

                      His den neckerchief

                      Palmetto Council shoulder patch

                      “161” numeral patch

                      Hand book (specific for den)

This initial registration fee covers the new Cub Scout’s registration for the first 16 months of membership.

Scouts who continue in Pack 161 will re-register every January, paying $35 at that time.  However, if our Pack Fund Raising efforts are successful each year, Scouts who participated in the fund-raising will have their re-registration fee paid by the Pack!  New Hand Books will also be provided by the Pack, provided we achieve our fund-raising goal.

We hope that each Cub Scout will purchase a uniform.  Most Scouts have a shirt, belt and cap.  Some will also acquire a pair of shorts and/or pants.  All uniform items can be purchased at the Scout Shop, located at the corner of Tryon Street and Westinghouse blvd in Charlotte, just off I-77.

Many families recycle uniform items and our Pack will try to hold a Uniform Swap Meet to help families acquire uniforms for their Cub Scout.

The Scout Uniform is a vital part of the scouting program.  It symbolizes that your son belongs to a special group of young men that believes and represents the values and ideals of the Boy Scouts of America.  We encourage all of our scouts to have and wear with pride their scout uniform at all scout meetings and functions.

Special Note: If your son is 10 years old, he will be joining as a second year Webelos Scout.  He may, therefore, elect to wear the khaki shirt and olive green pants of the Boy Scouts, with blue shoulder loops.  In this way, he can wear the same uniform next year when he becomes a Boy Scout, changing to the red shoulder loops at that time.

CUB SCOUTING FACTS

Parent Participation:

    The Cub Scout Program is designed for the scout to work closely with his parents on the advancement requirements and activities found in the Handbook.  While we often work on advancement requirements at our Den and Pack meetings, it is virtually impossible for your son to complete his individual advancement requirements if he does not work on many items at home with the aid of his family.  When you get your son’s handbook, please read (along with him) the information in the front of the book about child abuse and drug abuse.  Talk together about these important problems and sign off on this requirement.  This is the first requirement for ALL new Cub Scouts, regardless of age or level at the time they join.

As you begin to learn about the program with your son, you will learn that the name given to the one who helps the Cub Scout learn is “AKELA”.  “AKELA” can be a parent, a grandparent, a teacher, a Boy Scout (often serving as a “DEN CHIEF”) or a Scout Leader.  As you work through the handbook, there will be places for you (“AKELA”) to sign off as your son completes each requirement.  We will work on some requirements at den meetings, but most work should be done at home.  Weekly den meetings will be designed around a monthly theme which is designed toward fulfilling specific badge requirements.  We structure our program to (hopefully) meet those requirements that are difficult to meet at home, with major emphasis on activities, crafts, skits, songs and team fellowship.  By working together and with your help at home, we can create a well-rounded scouting program.

Discipline:

Pack 161 Leaders believe that scouting can be an important part of a young man’s growth and development.  We encourage you to avoid punishing your son by depriving him of his time at scout meetings or activities.  Just as you would not punish him by keeping him out of school or church for his misbehavior, please allow him to join us at each meeting while you find other appropriate ways to discipline any of his transgressions.