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Cub Scouting—A Parent’s Call to Action

Cub Scouting was launched in 1930 by the Boys Scouts of America as a home- and neighborhood-centered program. Cub Scouting has nine purposes. They are to:

• Positively influence character development and encourage spiritual growth
• Help boys 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 boys’ ability to get along with other boys and respect other people
• Foster a sense of personal achievement by helping boys develop new interests and skills
• Show how to be helpful and do one’s best
• Provide fun and exciting new things to do
• Prepare boys to become Boy Scouts

Pack 343 believes in these purposes and pledges to uphold the national policies set forth by the Boy Scouts of America, as well as any local policies set by the BSA Central Florida Council and the BSA Canaveral District. Pack 343 policies and guidelines will also reflect the guidance and direction given by our Chartered Organization, Merritt Island Presbyterian Church. While some policies set by Pack 343 may be more restrictive in nature than those of BSA; in no instance may a local policy be less restrictive. When in doubt, the national policy directives contained in the Cub Scout Leader Book will be observed.

The Pack is a group made up of several dens. The Pack includes not only the boys in those dens, but also their families, and leaders. The Pack meets once a month, typically the last Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall at the Merritt Island Presbyterian Church (refer to the Pack Calendar or Web site "http://www.pack343.com" for specific dates). The pack meeting is the climax of the month’s den meetings and activities. It gives the dens something to look forward to and work toward. Pack meetings reflect the monthly theme set by BSA in the current year’s Cub Scout Program Helps guide and is led by the Cubmaster, with the help of other adult pack leaders. The pack meeting is a special time where the individual dens display items they have made and the boys, their parents, and leaders are recognized for accomplishments and achievements earned.

Cub Scouting is a year-round family program! Pack 343 believes in the family as the heart of the Pack and believes in the nine purposes of Cub Scouting. To this end, Pack 343 requires that a parent or other family member over the age of 21 or an adult designated by the parent accompany the scout to den meetings, pack meetings and pack, district or council events and remain with him throughout the duration of the activity. Scouts will not participate in the given activity without a parent, other family member over the age of 21 or an adult designee present.

The role of the Pack Committee cannot be overemphasized. The purpose and goal of the Pack Committee is to provide support to make the pack go and grow. It is imperative that every scout family participates at some level within the Pack Committee. Pack 343 requires that at least one parent/adult guardian for each registered scout family serve as an Organizational Group Volunteer, Pack Support Committee Chairperson, or participate as an active member of 2 Pack Support Committees. Adults who serve in a trained adult volunteer leader position are exempt from this requirement. Families with multiple registered scouts are considered only one scout family.

At the annual pack planning meetings held in May, June and July the Pack Committee establishes and approves the pack calendar and pack budget, oversees any changes to the pack leadership and amends the Policies and Parents Guide as appropriate for the new scouting year.

The following lists the19 voting members of the Pack. This list can only be modified by a majority vote from the Pack Organizational Group.

Voting members of the Pack Organizational Group include the following persons:

Pack Committee Chairperson

(Does not vote unless needed to cast a tie-breaking vote)

Pack Treasurer

Pack Secretary

Cubmaster (trained leader position)

Assistant Cubmaster (trained leader position)

Den Leaders (one per Den) (trained leader position)

Voting members of the Pack Support Committees include the Chairperson from the following committees:

Advancement & Awards

Training

Public Relations

Outings

Membership & Re-Charter

Fundraising

Community Service

Holiday Activities

Pinewood Derby

Blue & Gold Banquet

Webelos Crossover

Annual Trip

Space Derby

Family Fest

Kiwanis Island Park clean-up/Picnic

Graduation

Pack Vittles

Special Projects

These voting members must approve; all pack expenditures beyond what has been established in the budget for the current year; changes to the Policies and Parents Guide; changes to the current years calendar and; other pack related activities unless noted otherwise within this document. Votes will be approved by a simple majority of voting members present. You must be present to cast your vote. Voting by proxy is not permitted. At least 4 voting members must be present for a vote to be taken.

The Pack Support Committee meeting will be held in conjunction with the monthly Pack Organizational Group meeting, which is typically scheduled for the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Merritt Island Presbyterian Church Scout Hut (refer to the Pack Calendar for specific dates). All pack parents are encouraged to attend at least one these meetings during the year. Annually during the month of May the Pack Organizational Group will solicit changes to the current edition of the Pack 343 Policies and Parents Guide. These changes will be discussed and voted on during the pack planning meeting in July.

A Cub Scout Pack is divided into small groups of six to eight boys called dens. The den meets weekly under the direction of a trained adult Den Leader and Assistant Den Leader. Tiger Dens usually alternate Den meetings with "Go-See-It" activities. A den may have a Den Chief (a Boy Scout) to assist in accordance with the BSA Den Chief policies. Den Leaders are trained adult leader volunteers. Each den must have a trained Den Leader. The local district provides training and if fees are charged they are paid for by the pack. A budget for training has been included in the annual budget.

The den allows boys to get to know each other better and engage in activities that would be difficult in larger group settings. The boys are also presented with leadership opportunities within the den. These positions are Denner and Assistant Denner, and they usually assist the Den Leader, Assistant Den Leader and Den Chief with set up and cleanup of the den meeting place; helping with games, ceremonies and puzzles; or leading a song. Normally, the Denner and Assistant Denner post is for one to three months, depending on the type of den, with each boy having equal opportunity to serve in each position.

Den meetings and activities are normally planned around the monthly theme set by BSA in the current year’s Cub Scout Program Helps guide. This can include games, crafts, skits, songs, field trips, and the like. Every month, varying dens will be called upon to perform certain ceremonies and activities at the pack meeting. Normally, dens work on advancement requirements during the den meetings.

Dens are organized by grade and age as follows:

• Tiger Den 1^st grade or 7 years old
• Wolf Den 2^nd grade or 8 years old
• Bear Den 3^rd grade or 9 years old
• Webelos I Patrol 4^th grade or 10 years old
• Webelos II Patrol 5^th grade or 10 years old
• Arrow of Light 6 months since completing 4^th grade or 10 ½ years old
• Boy Scouts Completed 5^th grade, age 11 or earned Arrow of Light

Dens are not to be combined unless approved by the Cubmaster and Pack Committee Chairman. Attendance is limited to the boys of that particular den and their adult family member. Attending den meetings with younger or older siblings will only detract from your son’s experience. The Den Leader must give prior approval if attendance with more persons other than the particular scout and his family member is desired. If granted, the additional persons shall be adults or if siblings, shall have their own adult supervision. The requirement to have the family member in attendance and involved at the den meeting with the scout is not waived.

Dens will set and collect their own dues. Den dues can be collected weekly or monthly as agreed to by the den. The costs should not exceed the expenditures expected (i.e. no reserve fund) but shall be sufficient to avoid having any member owed money by the den. The den shall appoint its own treasurer to oversee this function. Dues shall be based on a budget established by the Den Leader, Assistant Den Leader and the families to support the planned activities for the scouting year. The Pack does not collect dues from each Den to support pack activities. These costs are included in the Pack budget and are included in each boy’s financial commitment to the Pack.

The financial burden of supporting a yearly program cannot fall on a few scouts but instead must fall to all. The pack calendar and budget are created during the May, June and July planning meetings and a financial responsibility, Pack Dues, is charged for the upcoming year to each scout, new and returning, based on this budget. All pack parents are welcome to attend the planning meetings. The scout and his family are made aware of their responsibility at the August Graduation ceremony (for returning Scouts), School Night recruitment (for new Scouts) and again for all scouts at the "Back to the Pack’ orientation meeting in early September. New scouts are required to register with the Council at School Night and pay a small fee ($14.25) to cover Council activities and insurance. New scouts can also elect to purchase the monthly scouting publication "Boys Life" for $15.30 per year.

The scout year runs from September to August. To ease the financial burden and to take advantage of the scouts efforts during fundraising Pack Dues are collected 3 times per year, (September 1st, December 1st and March 1st). The dues are divided equally and can be paid directly to your Den Leader, the Cubmaster, the Asst. Cubmaster or the Pack Treasurer. Checks should be made payable to "Cub Scout Pack 343".

During the month of October, the Membership & Re-Charter Committee will prepare the Pack’s Re-Charter paperwork for those returning scouts from the previous year’s roster (those recruited in the fall paid a prorated amount equivalent to 16 months when they joined). As a part of their responsibility, this Committee will examine the pack roster as presented by Central Florida Council and shall make adjustments as necessary to reflect the true make-up of those returning scouts and leaders (i.e., trained leaders, inactive or transferred scouts, etc.). This roster will be presented to the Pack Organizational Group at the November’s Pack Organizational Group meeting for final review. A check, issue by the Pack Treasurer, will accompany the final document when delivered to the Central Florida Council Re-Charter Committee Chairperson at the December District Roundtable meeting. Submittal of this document will register each returning scout and leader for the next 12 months.

Fees for re-charter are included in the pack budget and are paid from Pack Dues collected. The pack will pay for each scout’s re-charter and Boys Life subscription if they have paid their scout Dues as described above.

The Pack Treasurer will set up an "Individual Scout Account" (ISA) program for each registered scout in Pack 343. The ISA shall function as follows:

1. The scout will earn money for his ISA through distribution of a portion of profits from fundraising activities he participates in. Refer to Fundraising below.
2. The ISA program will be a "paper" account maintained as a portion of the Pack General Fund allocated to the ISA.
3. All funds in the ISA program must be spent on; BSA products (refer to current BSA retail catalog), Pack 343, District or Council out-of-pocket activities, Pack Dues, Cub Scout or Boy Scout (for boys entering Boy Scouts) summer camp or individual camping equipment. All requests to spend money from an ISA must be approved by the Pack Committee Chairman, the respective Den Leader, and the scouts parent(s) or guardian(s) prior to purchase. Purchases are evaluated based on Cub Scouting principles and policies. All expenditures must be made to support the individual scout and to promote his continued involvement in scouting. If the Pack Treasurer does not conduct the purchase then a receipt must be submitted to allow payment to be made to the scout and his family.
4. As long as a scout is active in the pack his account remains active and requests for purchases can be submitted at any time during his tenure with Pack 343.
5. Under the following conditions, any funds in an ISA remaining 60 days from the date noted below shall revert back to the Pack:

• If a scout transfers from the roles of Pack 343 (date of request for transfer),
• Graduates to a Boy Scout Troop or elects not to continue into Boy Scouts (date of Webelos crossover),
• Is inactive as defined below or,
• Elects not to continue to the next level within the pack (date of pack graduation)

1. Parents can view their son’s ISA balance and expenditures by forwarding a request via e-mail to the Pack Treasurer or by attending the monthly leader meeting.

Under the supervision of the Fundraising Committee, Pack 343 participates in two fundraising projects during the year. The annual Popcorn Sales drive which runs from September through November and the Family Fest candy bar sale, which runs from March through May. These two fundraisers help to offset the annual financial commitment for the scouts and their families. They also fund the central council scout camp and activities. All scouts and their families are expected to participate.

The Fundraising Committee is one of the most important to the pack. It is this committee’s efforts that provide the ability for each family to meet their financial commitment through community support. This fundraising opportunity also teaches scouts leadership, salesmanship, self-confidence, and communication skills. Fundraising is well-organized and easy to support. The Gourmet Popcorn, which is exclusively sold to the Boy Scouts through Trails-end Popcorn, can be sold ‘on-the-spot’ at area locations (i.e., Eckerds, Supermarkets, etc.), door-to-door order sales and family at-work sales. The candy bar fundraiser in the spring is generally a smaller fund-raiser and is sold as ‘on-the-spot’ sales.

All money collected by pack fundraising projects will be turned into the Pack Treasurer at the conclusion of the event. Money remaining after payment to the district will be deposited into the pack bank account. The Fundraising Chairman and the Pack Treasurer will maintain a Fundraising Sales Summary, which will note all of the following:

• Each scouts name and den
• Total sales for each fund-raiser
• Amount credited to the pack
• Amount collected from the scout and the amount remaining to be collected
• Total sales and total credit to the pack for both fund-raisers
• Scout and family Pack Dues by quarter
• Balance forward for any returning scout for previous years fundraising
• Amount accumulated in the Scout’s ISA
• Pack balance
• Amount of ISA spent by the scout, and
• The remaining balance of scouts ISA.

This summary spreadsheet will be available for review at the monthly leader’s meeting.

The fundraising amount credited to the Pack shall be divided between the scout and the pack with 80% going into the Scout’s Individual Scout Account (ISA) and the remaining 20% going to the Pack to support unexpected expenditures, budget shortfalls and special purchases.

Payment of registration dues to the national scout office does not constitute an active enrollment within the pack. Membership in the pack requires that each scout and his family meet the following responsibilities:

• Miss no more than 20% of his weekly Den meetings per scout year.
• Miss no more than 2 pack meetings per scout year.
• Participate in no less than one fundraising project.
• Participate in no less than 75% of pack sponsored activities.
• Participate in no less than one Summertime Activity.
• Participate in no less than 4 of the pack sponsored Community Service projects.
• Fulfill the requirement that one parent/adult guardian for each registered scout family serve as an Organizational Group Volunteer, Pack Support Committee Chairperson, or participate as an active member of 2 Pack Support Committees. Adults who serve in a trained adult volunteer leader position are exempt from this requirement. Families with multiple registered scouts are considered only one scout family.

Failure to meet any two of the above will place the scout and his family on inactive status. Removal of inactive status will occur when the causes for the inactive status are corrected.

Pack 343 organizes an Annual Trip in the spring or summer of each year to provide the scout and his family with the opportunity to participate in an ‘Adventure to Remember’ and reward the scout and his family for their involvement within the pack.

The trip is planned to places located within a five hundred mile radius of Merritt Island (BSA Local Tour Permit required). Our past trips took the scouts and their families to some very adventurous places.

• The 2003 trip took us camping at Red Top Mountain in North Georgia and tours of historic Civil War battlefields, Stone Mountain and downtown Atlanta Georgia.
• The 2002 trip took us south to Key West then aboard a catamaran for a ride 70 miles west to camp on a deserted island, Garden Key, part of the Dry Tortugas National Park. The scouts went snorkeling in the crystal blue-green water and explored Fort Jefferson.
• The 2001 trip took us via an air-conditioned chartered bus, to South Carolina to camp on an aircraft carrier, the USS Yorktown, on permanent display at Patriots Point, SC.

This year’s trip will is planned for the Florida Panhandle with tours of Pensacola, the Marianna Caverns and the historic USS Alabama Battleship in Mobile Bay.

To ensure a full experience by all trip guests and allow control of a large group, the Annual Trip has a maximum capacity of approx. 60 total people and the budget and trip agenda are planned during the trip planning meetings in the spring. All costs associated with this trip must be paid for in accordance to the Annual Trip Committee requirements and since the trip is optional, it is not included in the pack budget.

As each Scout must have an accompanying family member to participate in any pack activity this usually limits the number of scouts for the Annual Trip to approx. 30.

An essential part of Scouting is wearing the scout uniform. Boys are expected to wear a Class ‘A’ uniform to all pack meetings and to all Pack, District and Council events. Den Leaders will establish their own requirements for den meetings but must, at the least, have scouts wear a Class ‘B’ uniform. While the pack understands that the complete uniform is expensive if purchased new, there are several alternatives available. For families who cannot afford any uniform items, the pack will arrange for the scout to obtain the needed item(s). Lack of funds will not be a reason for Pack 343 scouts being out of uniform. Parents are encouraged to donate "experienced" uniform items to the pack for use by future scouts. Please talk to your son’s Den Leader if you have any questions.

A Class ‘A’ uniform shall include the following:

• A BSA authorized Cub Scout shirt with all earned patches and insignias permanently attached in their proper location. Refer to the Cub Scout Leader Book or the particular Cub Scout rank book. This is the only required uniform item.
• BSA authorized Cub Scout shorts or pants or blue jean shorts or pants. If blue jeans are selected they must be in good condition, minor wear with no tears or rips. Understand that this is the uniform of scouting and it represents our pack and your son.
• A BSA authorized Cub Scout belt.
• A BSA authorized neckerchief and slide, appropriate to the boy’s current rank.
• A BSA authorized Cub Scout pair of socks.
• A BSA authorized Cub Scout rank cap.
• Shoes, preferably hiking type boots, plain and dark in color.

A Class ‘B’ uniform shall include the following:

• A T-shirt with; a BSA authorized logo or emblem; a scout activity function logo (i.e., daycamp, pack trip, etc); or other acceptable scout shirt (refer to the latest BSA Scout catalog).
• Blue jean shorts or pants. In good condition, minor wear with no tears or rips.
• A BSA authorized Cub Scout belt.
• Socks.
• Shoes, preferably hiking type boots, plain and dark in color.

Adult Leaders who serve as members of the Pack Organizational Group and Assistant Den Leaders are expected to wear the appropriate uniform for all pack meetings and Pack, District and Council events. The Cubmaster will have an informal uniform inspection for leaders and scouts, normally in the fall and again in the spring, to encourage the proper use and wearing of the scout uniform.

The following is a brief description of the adult volunteer positions that form the Pack Organizational Group within the pack. Full descriptions for each position can be found in the current edition of the Cub Scout Leader book. All adult volunteer leadership positions are subject to the rules and approvals of the BSA and Charter Organization rules. Positions are held for the full scout year. Notification that a leader will not continue into the next year is expected no later than May of the current scout year. This will allow for discussion and nominations of other leaders during the pack planning meetings held during the summer.

The Committee Chairperson, along with the Cubmaster, serves as a liaison between the chartered organization and the pack. The Committee Chairperson ensures the Cubmaster has whatever support is necessary for the Cub Scout program to function properly. The Committee Chairman is responsible for organizing the Pack Support Committees, ensuring that they meet their respective responsibilities and reporting to the Cubmaster and leaders at the monthly leaders meeting. Primarily administrative in nature, the Pack Committee Chairperson, through the Support Committees, facilitates whatever the pack does by making sure the planned programs and desired activities are properly executed. The Committee Chairperson is a voting member of the Pack Organizational Committee only when needed to cast the deciding vote if a tie vote exists.

Assists the Committee Chairperson in providing support to the pack. In the absence of the Pack Committee Chairperson at meetings, events, or other pack activities, the Assistant Committee Chairperson will act as the Pack Committee Chairperson with the full authority vested in the Pack Committee Chairperson. The Assistant Committee Chairperson is a nonvoting member of the Pack Committee, unless acting as the Committee Chairperson.

The Pack Treasurer is responsible for the pack financial accounts and maintaining an inventory of all pack property The Treasurer will report on the pack funds and ISA at each leaders meeting. For ease of accounting and turnover, the accounting software program Quicken shall be used. The Pack Treasurer is a voting member of the Pack Organizational Committee.

The Pack Secretary is responsible maintain up-to-date information on membership, leadership, attendance, and advancement for the pack. Handle correspondence for the pack. Keep notes from pack meetings for historical purposes and to assign follow-up tasks. Collect photos from pack events for historical purposes.

In general, the Cubmaster is the guiding hand behind the work of the den leaders and serves as program advisor to the Pack Organizational Committee. Works with the den leaders to make sure all dens are functioning well. Plans the pack programs with the help of the den leaders. The Cubmaster conducts the monthly leaders meeting, leads the monthly pack meeting and coordinates the total Cub Scout program in the Pack. The Cubmaster is responsible for attending two monthly meetings (leaders meeting, and District Roundtable). The Cubmaster is a nonvoting member of the Pack Organizational Committee. The Cubmaster is responsible for attending the monthly District Roundtable meeting and collecting all District and Council materials for distribution at the leaders meeting.

Provide assistance and support for the Cubmaster. Is ready to fill in for the Cubmaster as needed. In the absence of a den leader coach, the Assistant Cubmaster will fulfill this role. The Assistant Cubmaster is responsible for attending two monthly meetings (leaders meeting, and District Roundtable). The Assistant Cubmaster is a voting member of the Pack Organizational Committee.

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The Den Leader Coach provides immediate help and Fast Start training for new den leaders and provides continuing support and assistance for all den leaders. The Den Leader Coach is usually an experienced den leader and is the den leader’s chief helper in planning den programs and providing practical ideas to make den meetings successful. The Den Leader Coach is a nonvoting member of the Pack Organizational Committee.

At the heart of the Cub Scout program is the Den Leader. This is the front-line leader who has the most contact with the boys. The Den Leader coordinates all den activities and meetings; as well as ensuring that each boy is progressing toward his rank. Den meetings are normally held weekly (bi-weekly for Tiger dens). Webelos patrols are required to meet weekly in order to accomplish their rank requirements. The Den Leader is responsible for attending the monthly leaders meeting and is encouraged to attend the monthly District Roundtable meeting as this meeting provides the opportunity for the many den leaders in the District to come together and discuss issues and learn from each other. All Den and Patrol Leaders are voting members of the Pack Organizational Committee.

Provide assistance and support for the den leader. Be ready to fill in for the den leader as needed. Assist with weekly den meetings and coordinate den activities. Attend 2 monthly meetings (leaders meeting, and District Roundtable). Assistant Den and Patrol Leaders are nonvoting members of the Pack Organizational Committee, unless acting as the den leader.

Pack Support Committee positions are described in the descriptions attached herein and incorporated into this document as an attachment. The Chairpersons from each Pack Support Committee are voting members of the Pack Organizational Committee.

Poll all den leaders each month 1 week before the pack meeting and record all advancements. Go to the scout shop and purchase patches, belt loops and advancements using the pack account at the scout shop. Fill out advancement cards and present to the Cubmaster or Assistant Cubmaster for signature. Keep records of scout advancements

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Make a list of all adult leaders and the training schedule for all classes offered by the Council. Keep the pack informed about the dates and times for all available training. Produce training records to submit to Council for the dates and times where adult leaders watched Cub Scout fast start training videos.

Collect details and photos of pack activities. Work on flyers and newspaper articles that describe or promote pack events and accomplishments. Maintain a pack display board that can be setup during pack events highlighting recent activities.

The pack has a number of Outings and events planned. This committee is responsible for coordinating the signup sheet for outings and planning all aspects of the outing. Most pack outings are "optional" and "Al-la-Cart" but dates have been reserved for these events on the Pack calendar. The outing committee contacts the outing location and gathers information about the expected price for the outing, dates and details. The Committee then presents the outing to the Pack at a pack meeting. Examples of past outings: Horseback Riding and Scout Night at the Baseball Stadium.

The membership and Re-Charter committee is responsible for working with Council to promote School Night registration. They also work on a flyer with the Publications Committee and help setup displays during School Night. The membership committee also keeps up with the roster of active scouts and compares the pack list with the list from Council. This committee is responsible for the Re-Chartering paperwork that needs to be submitted each year in November to council..

The Blue and Gold Banquet committee is responsible for finding a location for the Blue and Gold Banquet and determining a menu and price. Some years the banquet is "pot-luck" in the social hall, and others it is a catered event at a local hotel. The committee is are also responsible for ordering a cake, planning decorations and working with the Cubmaster and Assistant Cubmaster on the agenda. Other duties include producing a flyer announcing the details of the banquet, lining up sponsors for "door prizes" and entertainment.

The pinewood derby committee is responsible for running the pack pinewood derby. They setup the track, scoring and display system, organize and run all the races the day of the derby and record all winners. They are also responsible for producing a list to be sent to the trophy shop, ordering trophies, picking up trohies and proof-checking names.