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| Scouting lets families have fun and grow. |
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PURPOSES OF CUB SCOUTING
Since 1930, the Boy Scouts of America has helped younger boys through Cub Scouting. It is a year-round
family program designed for boys who are in the first grade through fifth grade (or 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 years of age). Parents,
leaders, and organizations work together to achieve the purposes of Cub Scouting. Currently, Cub Scouting is the largest of
the BSA's three membership divisions. (The others are Boy Scouting and Venturing.)
The ten purposes of Cub Scouting are:
- Character Development
- Spiritual Growth
- Good Citizenship
- Sportsmanship and Fitness
- Family Understanding
- Respectful Relationships
- Personal Achievement
- Friendly Service
- Fun and Adventure
- Preparation for Boy Scouts
| Pack 66 is again a Quality Cub Scout Unit in 2005! |
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HOW DO I JOIN?
Your boy can join any time during the year. Pack 66 meets all year long with activities like
campouts and events planned during the summer. You can always come to a Pack or Committee Meeting to meet the cubmaster.
Or you may contact us directly. It is important that no boy will be left behind for the lack of money. Financial assistance and camp
scholarships are available for those with a need. You can ask the cubmaster or your den leader in confidence.
You may also visit the Narragansett Council website for additional information:
BE A LEADER AND MENTOR
With a few hours a month, make a BIG difference in your childs life by becoming
a Cub Scout Leader or just by helping out. There are tons of fun activities boys can do including sleeping on the Battleship
Massachusetts or at the Boston Museum of Science, camping at fun places such as Aquapaug or Camp Feinstein, going to
sports games like URI Basketball or Pawsox, and doing almost any other fun activity that you can think of.
It takes one person to organize one trip to make a memory that will last a lifetime.
If you're interested in making a great experience for your son then consider helping out. If
you want to do more, the link below gives a general description of leadership positions available in the Pack. Please
talk to the Cub Scoutmaster to learn more about how you can make a difference.
All adult leaders must attend Youth Protection (on-line web training) and Cub Scout Leader Basic
Training (one-day training course). Den Leaders plan and organize den meetings, keep
track of the boys' advancements, and attend Committee meetings.
THE PACK
We have about 50 boys in the Pack. The Pack is a group made up of six
to eight dens. The Pack includes not only the boys in those dens, but also their families, and their leaders.
The Pack meets once a month with Cub Scouts, leaders, parents and other family
members attending. The Pack meeting is the climax of the month’s den meetings and activities. There are games, skits
and songs. It gives the dens something to look forward to and work toward. This is a chance to recognize the scouts,
their parents, and their leaders for achievements.
In addition to its regular meetings, the Pack sponsors certain special projects.
These include community projects (e.g. food drives), outdoor activities (e.g., field trips, family campouts, etc.), and fun
competitions (e.g., Pinewood Car Derby).
The pack is run by the Pack Committee, which is headed by the Committee Chairman. The Committee
meets once each month to plan pack meetings and other activities. Parents are always welcome at these meetings.
The Cubmaster is in charge of the pack meetings and reports to the Committee.
He organizes many of the Pack activities.
The Den Leaders are the ones who work with the boys one-on-one and who have the most fun. Den Leaders should try to engage the parents in the den meetings to the greatest extent possible, both to make
the Den Leader's job easier and to increase the boys' enjoyment. Help is available to Den Leaders just by asking the Cubmaster,
other Den Leaders, experienced parents, and the Council that holds regular training sessions.
Cub Scouting is a family activity and den meetings are a great place for family involvement.
Parents play an important role in the pack. The leaders will do their best to provide a quality program,
but all the leaders in Pack 66 are volunteers and have many other obligations. We depend on parents to help provide the good
program we have. We ask every parent to help the pack in some capacity. You should take your share in organizing den meetings,
working with the den leader of your son's den. In addition, you should help with at least one pack activity a year (e.g. Pinewood
Derby or a campout). A parent should attend the pack meetings together with the Cub Scout. Every handbook for boys has a parent
guide at the beginning. We also have a child protection videotape which you can watch together with your boy. There are no
secrets in Cub Scouts; parents are welcome in any organizational meetings of the pack, district or council.
MEETINGS:
Den meetings: Most dens meet weekly or every two weeks. At least two adults are
required to be present at all times though parents are encouraged to stay and participate (especially with younger boys).
In Pack 66, each den has a designated den leader, but the parents take turns in organizing the weekly den meeting activities.
You can go to the advancement pages to get ideas for what activities you'd like to arrange whether it be for an advancement badge (Tiger, Wolf, Bear or Webelo), an elective activity (arrow points), Academics & Sports activity, or other special award. Fun and interesting activities are also encouraged. You can usually find some sort of way to tie in your
special activity so the Cubs can get points towards a badge or belt loop.
Pack meetings: The Pack meets once a month on the scheduled Friday (please consult the
schedule). Pack meetings are for all the boys of the Pack. We expect a parent or the whole family to attend the pack meeting.
When not announced differently, pack meetings are at Peace Dale Elementary School. A "gathering
game" starts at 6:45 to keep the boys occupied until the formal start of the meeting at 7PM.
There are many special events: family campouts, field trips, etc. In the winter the boys make small
wooden race cars and compete in the Pinewood Derby. There are also council events like camporees,
Scout-O-Rama, etc. We plan to have about one special event per month.
Committee Meetings: Leaders and interested parents of Pack 66 discuss organizational matters, future events and exchange
ideas. All parents are welcome. Contact the cubmaster for dates and times. You may also consult the schedule.
District Roundtables: Idea exchange and announcements for leaders of the whole
district. Leaders are encouraged to attend roundtables. Parents are welcome. These are held at different locations every month
at a location close by to make it convient for most leaders within our district to attend.
WHO PAYS FOR IT?
Pack 66 obtains income by working on approved money-earning projects such as popcorn and candy sales
and by asking for Pack dues at the begining of the year. These contributions help offset the cost of activities including
the Pinewood Derby, day trips, campouts, Blue & Gold entertainment, and other fun stuff. It also helps pay for the
awards that kids get.
As compared to other activities, the cost of scouting is very low. If ever a family is challenged
by the cost of an event, there are always funds to ensure that no Cub is left behind for financial reasons. There are
members of Pack 66 that need financial assistance and are eligible for camp scholarships and other assistance from time
to time. Ask the cubmaster in confidence about how you can qualify for financial assistance. Scouts is about fun
and learning.
| Camp Aquapaug Water Fun Day |
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ACTIVITIES
Cub Scouting means "doing." Everything in Cub Scouting is designed to have the boys doing things. Activities
are used to achieve the aims of Scouting—citizenship training, character development, and personal fitness.
Many of the activities happen right in the den and pack. The most important are the weekly den meetings
and the monthly pack meetings. Dens go out on local field trips and hikes to places like the Tri-pond trail nature walk,
Police/Fire stations, local museums, South County Bike Path, Kingston Train Station, and other interesting places. The
Pack participates in larger group activities like the Boston Museum of Science Sleepover, URI Basketball Game & Sleepover,
Providence Bruins Games, and more. See the Newsletter for past activities and information.
PUBLICATIONS AND MAGAZINES
Boys may subscribe to Boys' Life magazine (circulation 1.3 million) that includes a bunch of
interesting age appropriate articles and activities. Adult volunteers are informed of national news and events through Scouting
magazine (circulation 900,000). Both are published by the Boy Scouts of America. Also available are a number of youth and
leader publications, including the Tiger Cub Handbook, Wolf Handbook, Bear Handbook, Webelos Handbook, Cub Scout Leader
Book, Cub Scout Program Helps, and Webelos Leader Guide.
PACK POLICIES
Safety and health of our cub scouts and our families
is the most important job we have. As leaders and parents, it is our responsibility
to ensure all our cubs have fun while being supervised in a controlled safe environment.
To accomplish this, leaders and parents must team together to ensure that all our children are secure while enjoying
activities. After all, the Pack 66 family is a big part of our lives and there
is no higher concern than ensuring the health and welfare of our children.
To assist in accomplishing
this goal, the Pack 66 Committee has written the following policies to help guide us.
Code of Conduct
Pocket Knives
Events and Meetings
Website Information
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