CUB SCOUT PACK 451
2010-2011 INFORMATION SUMMARY

WHAT IS CUB SCOUTING?

Cub Scouting is the program established by the Boy Scouts of America for boys in Grades One through Five. In Cub Scouting, boys, families, and adult leaders work together to achieve these objectives:

Influence a boy's character development and spiritual growth
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 a boy's ability to get along with others.
Foster a sense of personal achievement by developing new interests and skills.
Provide fun and exciting new things to do.
Show a boy how to be helpful and do his best.
Prepare him to be a Boy Scout.

For some great information about Cub Scouting, particularly from the perspective of parents, check out the Scout Parents Website.  Also, check out the Cub Scout Parent Information Guide

WHAT ARE THE IDEALS OF CUB SCOUTING?

The Cub Scout ideals are expressed in the Cub Scout Promise, the Cub Scout Law of the Pack, and the Cub Scout Motto:

The 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.

The Cub Scout 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.

Cub Scout Motto:

Do Your Best.

HOW IS CUB SCOUTING ORGANIZED?

Cub Scouting uses terms and phrases taken from stories in The Jungle Book, by Rudyard Kipling. Cub Scout leaders, parents and responsible adults with authority, are all called “Akela.”  The boys are called Cubs, and they and their leaders are organized into small units called Dens.  Dens are part of a larger Pack.  A Pack is chartered by an organization - Pack 451 has been chartered by Westminster Presbyterian Church since 1975. The Packs in Durham belong to the Mawat District (Mawat is an Native American Indian word, taken from the Lenni Lenape/Unami language, meaning “one” or “unity”), and Mawat District is one of 13 districts in the Occoneechee Council. Occoneechee Council stretches through most of central North Carolina, from the Virginia line down to Fayetteville, and west through Orange County. The Occoneechee Council is headquartered in Raleigh.

Some additional information on Cub Scouting can be found at the BSA National Website and at our District Website.

Cub Scouting is for boys currently in First Grade through Fifth Grade, or rising in late spring to the First Grade through Fifth Grade.  Boys do not have to go to any particular school or live in any particular area to join Cub Scouts with Pack 451.  The choice of a Cub Scout Pack is usually a matter of where friends are joining and/or the convenience of the meeting location (in our case, Westminster Presbyterian Church).  Pack 451 is one of five packs that serve boys in the Southern Durham area of Mawat District.  The other Southern Durham packs are Pack 437, chartered by Community Baptist Church; Pack 486, chartered by Christus Victor Lutheran Church; Pack 461, chartered by Epworth United Methodist Church; and Pack 495, chartered by Parkwood United Methodist Church. The rest of this document is devoted to Pack 451.

Contact information for other Durham Packs can be found at the Mawat District Website.
Information on Occoneechee Council can be found at the Occoneechee Council Website:

Dens are organized by Grade, with age-appropriate programs and activities for each grade:

Each Den is a group of at least four, but no more than twelve, boys in the same grade. Each Den is led by an adult called the Den Leader (usually but not always a den parent), who in turn is assisted by other den parents.  Boy Scout Troop 451 also provides one or more older Boy Scouts to assist each den as a Den Chief.  Dens meet at times and places that each den decides.  Den meetings usually take place about 2-3 times per month, at meeting places provided by Westminster Presbyterian Church.  Dens can also meet at someone’s home, at a school, or at some other location and time determined by the den leaders and parents. Den meetings last about an hour, den parents usually rotate bringing snacks/drinks to the meeting, and the boys work on various program activities, play games, and have fun.

Once a month, Pack 451 has a meeting of all the dens in the Pack.  These Pack Meetings are not just for the boys, but for the parents and siblings as well.  It could therefore easily be called a Family Night. The monthly Pack Meeting/ Family Night usually takes place on the second Thursday of each month, starting around 7 PM at the Westminster Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall.   The Pack Meeting last about an hour, and usually involves activities, games and fun, like the den meetings, but may also include songs and skits, ceremonies, and recognition awards for individual Cubs. The Pack 451 Pack Meeting/Family Night is led by Mr. Jim Smith, the Cubmaster of Pack 451.

On the Monday evening before a Pack Meeting, the adut parents and pack and den adult leaders of Pack 451 have a meeting of the Pack Committee. The meeting of the Pack Committee is not restricted just to the leaders, but is open to any parents in the Pack. The purpose of the Pack Committee is to plan and prepare for events, set pack policies consistent with BSA national policies, and to support the den leaders and pack leaders.  The actual dates and meeting times of the Pack Committee will be posted on the Pack Calendar Page.

CUB SCOUT PARENT INFORMATION GUIDE

The Boy Scouts of America publishes a very helpful Cub Scout Parent Information Guide pamphlet.  We distribute these at our Join Scouting Nights to the extent we have them available.  There is also an online English language version only of the Cub Scout Parent Information Guide.

 ¡BIENVENIDO! - THE PACK 451 HISPANIC INITIATIVE

Cub Scout Pack 451 is continuing its efforts to reach out to families in Durham’s Hispanic community.  This is part of an overall national effort on the part of Boy Scouts of America, which is explained in more detail at the National BSA Hispanic Initiatives website.  For its Join Scouting Nights, Pack 451 will prepare Spanish-language materials for Hispanic families.   Pack 451 will, within the guidelines of Scouting, work out how Hispanic boys and families join in the fun and become an integral part of the Pack 451 Scouting family.

BECOMING A DEN LEADER AND FORMING A DEN

Many willing boys each year are unable to join Cub Scouting because an adult doesn’t volunteer to be a den leader.  Having a den leader for a den of Pack 451 Cub Scouts is absolutely critical, so let’s talk about what’s involved.

The Duties: A den leader meets weekly for about one hour with a den of Cub Scouts.  A den can have anywhere from a minimum of four to a maximum of twelve boys.  The den meeting is held at a meeting place assigned by Westminster Presbyterian Church, or at a place selected by the den leader. The time, place and frequency of den meetings is at the convenience of the den leader and families in the den.

Support and Training: Pack 451 is committed to providing den leaders with the necessary training and support to carry out their duties.  In addition to support from current leaders and online Fast Start Leader Training and online Youth Protection Training, there are district-wide Cub Scout training opportunities that we strongly encourage den leaders to attend. Pack 451 will pay the modest registration fees for any leader completing the training.  Pack 451 also provides helpful support publications free of charge to den leaders.

Starting in the Fall of 2010, Cub Scouting is promoting the Den and Pack Meeting Resource Guide as a new way of having successful den and pack meetings.  This program was originally called “Fast Tracks” when it was a BSA Pilot Program, but the program’s apparent success has moved it to the recommended mainline method of delivering the Cub Scout program.

Den Chiefs:   Boy Scout Troop 451 will provide each den with one or more older Boy Scouts to assist the Den Leader.  These older Boy Scouts are called Den Chiefs, and are trained for this very special job.

It’s Fun for the Leader, Too! This is absolutely the best part of being a den leader.  You’ll find that the den meeting time passes quickly, and that, if you let yourself, you’ll end up having as much fun as the boys.

The Excuses (NOT!):

I  Don’t Have the Time - Time is, of course, scarce for everyone. However, Pack 451 believes in den leaders working as a team in the Pack, to share the load.  The Cubmaster, Asst. Cubmaster and other den leaders will be there to help when you need it, and you’ll find help among the other den parents. In addition, Pack 451 has a very close relationship with Boy Scout Troop 451 (the Scouting program for older boys ages 11 through 17), and the troop will provide assistance and expertise as needed. 

I Don’t Know How - Unless you were a Cub Scout or Boy Scout, or have some other Scouting experience, it is entirely likely that you don’t know anything about how Scouting works.  Don’t let this bother you.  In addition to the support and training listed above, Scouting itself, and our District and Council, have all kinds of resources to help you succeed. All you need to bring to the table is a little time and a positive “I can do this” attitude.

JOINING REQUIREMENTS FOR PACK 451

Cub Scouts – To join Pack 451, a youth candidate must: (1) be a boy; (2) in the first through fifth grade and between 6 and 10 years old, (3) is part of a den with a den leader forming to receive him and other boys, or is joining an existing den which is willing to add him as a member and (4) pays the fees to Pack 451 which are set out in the next section.

Parents – Our basic rule is that if your son joins Pack 451, so do you.  Except for den leaders, parents of youth members are not required to submit an application nor pay any annual fee to participate in troop activities with their sons. Without solid parental participation, dens cannot form, and Pack 451 cannot provide a quality program to the youth.  It is in large part due to parental support and encouragement that our youth members advance in Scouting and realize their full potential.

Den Leaders and adult Scouters - Male and female adults over the age of 18 can join Pack 451 and the Boy Scouts of America as an adult Scouter (den leader, den assistant, committee members, etc.) provided that his or her application is accepted by the Pack Committee and approved by the Boy Scouts of America.   NOTE:  All registered adult volunteers are now required to complete the online Youth Protection training even before submitting the application referred to next - the certificate of completing this online Youth Protection training has to be printed out and attached to the application.  There is a $15 registration fee for adults (prorated for our charter year depending on the date of registration).  Adult leader candidates must provide their social security numbers and submit to background checks which include searches for criminal convictions. The Boy Scouts of America will deny membership to adults with criminal convictions involving drugs, sex crimes, or violence.  Den Leaders and other Adult Scouters receive Scouting Magazine as part of their registration.  Registered adult leaders are also eligible to participate in online and live Scouting training programs.

FORMS AND FEES

The required fees to join Pack 451 vary by Grade Level, as follows:

Tiger, Wolf and Bear $48 ($15 to BSA/Council, $33 for Pack dues)

Webelos  $60 ($15 to BSA/Council, $45 for Pack dues)

In addition to the required fees, boys have the option to subscribe to Boys Life Magazine for an additional $12 per year.

Pack 451 collects these fees from existing Scout families every September with the start of the school year.  Scouts joining at other times of the year pay a prorated amount which is calculated based on the time of their joining.  As noted above, Pack 451 collects these fees and in turns pays out the Council fee and any Boys Life Magazine subscription fees to the Boy Scouts of America, Occoneechee Council. The remaining Pack fees are kept by the Pack Treasurer as annual dues, and used to defray pack expenses, such as badges and pins for advancement recognitions, and providing a graduation neckerchief to each Scout as they move from one grade-level of Cub Scouting to the next.

IMPORTANT NOTE ON SCHOLARSHIPS:  Pack 451 wants every boy to experience the fun of Cub Scouting.  Although the cost of joining Cub Scouting is not very expensive, if there is any financial difficulty with the joining fees, or with the cost of things like the uniform, patches or handbook, please contact Committee Chairman Brendan Turner or Cubmaster Jim Smith (see the Contacts Page) to confidentially discuss the availability of Pack and/or Council scholarship funds.  It is the express policy of Pack 451 that no boy will be denied the benefits of Cub Scouting simply because of financial reasons.

Youth – For a boy to officially join Pack 451, we determine that the boy will be part of a den being formed to receive him and other boys, or that the boy is joining an existing den which is willing to add him as a member. If there is no designated den, Pack 451 will still accept a youth membership application pending the formation of a new den of boys in the same grade level.  In order for their sons to join, one parent or legal guardian must (1) complete the official youth application form and (2) submit a check payable to Pack 451 for the fees listed above, as prorated for the time of joining.  The youth application form can be secured from the Cubmaster or Assistant Cubmaster (see Contact Page) or can be downloaded online at this link: Youth Application Form (print out and complete only page 5 of the downloaded form)

Den Leaders and Adult Scouters – For an adult to officially join Pack 451 as a den leader or other adult Scouter, he or she must: (1) complete the official adult application form; (2) provide his or her social security number (3) submit to a background check; and (4) submit a check payable to Pack 451 in the amount of $15 (prorated as noted above).  The adult application form can be secured from the Cubmaster or Assistant Cubmaster (see Contact Page) or can be downloaded online at this link:  Adult Application Form (print out and complete/sign BOTH pages 4 and 5 of the downloaded form).  NOTE:  All registered adult volunteers are now required to complete the online Youth Protection training even before submitting the application referred to next - the certificate of completing this online Youth Protection training has to be printed out and attached to the application.

THINGS YOUR SON NEEDS RIGHT AWAY

Once your son is registered in the Pack and his den is formed, the den leader will get up with the den parents to work out the den meeting schedules. Once this is done, your son will need two things right away to get involved with Pack and Den activities: (1) a Handbook for his Grade Level (Tiger, Wolf, Bear or Webelos); and (2) a Cub Scout uniform. The only uniforming requirement for Pack 451 members is the official Cub Scout shirt and Cub Scout neckerchief for his Grade Level.   The Cub Scout uniform is worn at den meetings and Pack meetings, and while traveling to and from camping trips.

Uniform by Grade Level:

The Tiger Scout (First Grade) uniform is the dark blue official shirt with the official orange Tiger Cub neckerchief.

The Wolf Scout (Second Grade) uniform is the dark blue official shirt with the official yellow/gold Wolf Cub neckerchief.

The Bear Scout (Third Grade) uniform is the dark blue official shirt with the official light blue Bear Cub neckerchief.

The Webelos Scout (Fourth and Fifth Grade) uniform is a choice of the den.  Webelos Den members can decide to either wear the dark blue official shirt, or the khaki colored official shirt, or a combination of either of them.  In either uniform choice, the official plaid neckerchief for Webelos is required.  The Webelos “colors” are strongly suggested for the activity pins.

Provided that the Pack has a sufficient supply, you can buy the Grade Level Handbook from the Cubmaster.  You can buy the uniform, handbook and other Scout supplies at the Council Scout Shop in Raleigh. The Scout Shop is located at the Occoneechee Council Service Center, 3231 Atlantic Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27604, Telephone:  850-0301.  You can also buy all of these things online at the BSA Online Store.  Be sure to get the correct Grade Level Handbook, and ALSO BE SURE THAT YOUR SON WRITES HIS NAME IN HIS HANDBOOK AS SOON AS HE GETS IT!

Uniform Patches

In addition to the uniform shirt, you will also need to purchase and sew on/affix to the uniform the following patches: (1) an Occoneechee Council patch; (2) the Pack numerals of 451 (these can be secured as a single patch from the pack, or as three individual numerals from the Scout Shop) and (3) the Den Number patch.  The Den Number is the number of your son’s den, assigned by the Cubmaster.  If the den number hasn’t yet been assigned or you don’t know what it is, you can wait on getting the den number patch until you’re sure about the den number.  For placement of patches, get a uniform insignia sheet from the Scout Shop, or download one online here:  Uniform Inspection Guide.

YOUTH PROTECTION

The Boy Scouts of America has adopted strict policies, known as the Guide to Safe Scouting, to provide safety and security of its youth members. These policies are primarily for the protection of our youth members; however, many of them also serve to protect our adult leaders from false accusations of abuse.  Click here for the online version of the current Guide to Safe Scouting.

In the front of each Grade Level Handbook is a tear-out pamphlet entitled “How to Protect Your Children From Child Abuse - A Parent’s Guide.”  The reading of this tear-out pamphlet is a required part of your son’s advancement in the Cub Scouting program.

See also important new changes requiring all adult volunteers to have successfully completed the online Youth Protection Training.  BSA FAQ on Youth Protection training is here.

CUB SCOUT CAMPING

Visit the Pack 451 Campouts! Page for detailed information on Pack 451 camping.

OTHER FUN CUB SCOUT THINGS

There are so many fun things available for Cub Scouts, it's hard to list them all. Also, the Cub Scouting program is designed so that Cubs at each Grade Level can do activities suitable for that age. Den activities include crafts, telling jokes and stories, learning about our country, and playing games (ESPECIALLY playing games!). Here are some activities at the Pack level that all Cub Scouts seem to enjoy:

Pinewood Derby: From a rectangular piece of pine, Cubs work with parents to shape, sand, paint and decorate a race car. The Pack gathers in January for the Pinewood Derby, where all Cubs race their cars on a special track owned by the Pack. Winners get to race at the Mawat District Pinewood Derby.

The Blue and Gold Banquet: All the families in the Pack gather for Scouting's annual birthday party (usually in February) and celebration of Scouting. The Blue and Gold Banquet usually features good food and fellowship, topped off with skits by the Scouts themselves.

Cub Scout Day Camp: In June, our District puts on a great Day Camp for Cub Scouts, right here in Durham.  At Day Camp, Cub Scouts can do extended activities, all day long, including activities such as BB-gun shooting and Archery that can’t be done at den meetings.

Religious Emblem Program:  The Cub Scout Religious Emblem program offers a partnership between the boy’s family, the family’s religious leaders, and Scouting, to explore age-appropriate faith issues. Scouting is strictly non-sectarian, so each faith partnering with Scouting has developed a curriculum and workbooks for its own Religious Emblem Award. Cub Scouts who complete their faith’s Religious Emblem program receive a Religious Emblem medal.  As with the academic and sports loops, the choice of working on the Religious Emblem Award is completely optional with the Cub Scout.  Click here for more information on the Religious Emblem programs

CONTROVERSIAL BSA MEMBERSHIP RULES

The National Office of the Boy Scouts of America, based in Irving, Texas, sets all of the overall policies of Cub Scout packs and Boy Scout troops in the United States, including such things as advancement requirements, uniforming, and joining requirements.  In response to social activism and court challenges, the BSA has taken several controversial policy stands regarding exclusionary membership rules for its youth and adult membership.  You should be aware of these national BSA positions. The BSALEGAL website has a lot of information about these subjects, especially on their Legal FAQ Page.  Pack 451 does not necessarily agree with these national BSA rules, nor does Pack 451 ask preemptive joining questions actively seeking to exclude any Scout or adult leader because of these national BSA rules. However, all Pack adults and parents need to be aware that national BSA does have the ultimate right to revoke youth or adult membership or deny advancement to any Cub Scout or Boy Scout who does not comply with these BSA rules.  These national BSA positions are:

(a) Belief in God. Virtually every religion is represented in Scouting. Each Cub Scout promises to live by the Cub Scout Promise (...do my duty to God...). BSA has interpreted this to mean that a Cub Scout or adult Scouter cannot be an avowed atheist or agnostic.  The choice of religious preference by a Cub Scout or adult Scouter is of no consequence to the BSA or Pack 451, so long as that religious preference includes a belief in God. The Boy Scouts of America and Pack 451 do not define nor interpret the term, “God.”  Interpretation of the term, “God,” is the role of the Cub Scout’s family and religious advisors.

(b) Gay, lesbian and/or homosexual lifestyles are prohibited.  The national BSA has determined that a youth or adult holding a gay, lesbian and/or homosexual lifestyle may not be allowed to join Scouting.  If such a lifestyle becomes declared or evident in a Cub Scout or Scouter after joining, the membership certificate of that Cub Scout or adult Scouter may be canceled by the BSA.

(c) No official youth female members. This prohibition applies ONLY to youth under the age of 18 in Cub Scout packs.  Female adult leaders are welcome at ALL levels of Scouting.