Cub Scout Pack 9 Family Orientation & Guide
Welcome! Whether you're considering joining Cub Scouting, or you're a new Pack 9 family looking to get your bearings, you've come to the right place. Whether you're curious about the sorts of adventures we have, need to buy your Scout's uniform, or just want to understand Scouting, read on!
Why Scouting?
Robert Baden-Powell’s original scouting manual was entitled Scouting for Boys: A Handbook for Instruction in Good Citizenship. The subtitle is essential: beyond the important practical skills, Scouting is fundamentally about the formation of good character and self-discipline, preparing young Scouts to be adults who have:
Habits of duty to God, country, family, and self
Habits and attitudes of good citizenship
Self-esteem founded upon proven personal abilities
Self-direction in developing interests and skills
Cub Scouting starts children on this path in multiple ways, by offering fun and enjoyable adventures that allow them to:
Get outdoors and away from screens
Socialize with each other face-to-face and work on joint projects
Learn useful life skills
Participate in service projects
Interact with positive role models in a safe and exciting environment
Become more confident and capable through their achievements
Explore their duty to God in and out of the family
Learn about citizenship and civics
Pack Structure
Cub Scouting is for children in grades K-5. Each Pack is divided into six named Dens:
Dens meet on average every 2-3 weeks and their activities are coordinated by the Den Leader. Rank adventures (see more below) are almost always completed in den meetings.
Lions and Tigers require an adult partner (parent/guardian) to accompany them to every meeting and activity. Wolves and up do not require an adult partner, but parents/guardians are warmly encouraged to participate in meetings and activities.
The pack as a whole meets monthly, and those meetings are run by the Cubmaster. They may involve special competitions such as Raingutter Regatta or Pinewood Derby, or ceremonial occasions such as the Blue & Gold Banquet. Occasionally, a pack meeting may be prepared to complete an adventure for all ranks simultaneously.
Cub Scout Rank and Adventures
The Scouting year begins on June 1 of each calendar year and ends on May 31 of the following calendar year. During the Scouting year, each den works towards that den’s named rank, e.g., the Lion den is working towards the Lion rank. Cub Scouts automatically move to the next den on June 1 whether they earn rank or not.
To earn rank, each Scout must complete eight adventures: six required and two elective.
Required Adventures
Each rank’s required adventures are structured around the same topics, with following ranks building on and going beyond prior ranks:
Elective Adventures
Electives seek to round out the Scouting experience with a variety of special topics:
Biking, Swimming, Boating, Fishing
Archery, BB Guns, Slingshot
Participation in Summer Activities
Knife Safety (Bear/Webelos/AoL)
STEM
Art
Building/Carpentry
Entertainment
Summer Camp
Scout Oath and Law
The Scout Oath and Law are important symbols of what it means to be a Scout and are recited after the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of meetings and events.
Oath
On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country; to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.
Law
A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.
Uniform
Cub Scouts wear two different uniforms depending on the activity and the level of formality or solemnity involved.
Field Uniform (previously called Class A)
The Field Uniform is the uniform associated in public imagery and popular culture with Scouting, and is worn for most whole-pack events, for many den meetings, and for evening meals at camp.
The Field Uniform consists of a collared shirt, neckerchief, and neckslide. The shirt must be purchased from the Scout Shop, and is navy blue for Tiger through Webelos ranks, and tan for Arrow of Light. A set of patches indicating the council and pack to which the Scout belongs must also be purchased and sewn on the uniform, as well as blue epaulettes that slip over the shoulder straps on the tan shirt. The pack has a complete shopping list available to take with you to the Scout Shop.
If you are joining the pack in the Webelos den, we recommend you buy a tan shirt, as your Scout will almost surely grow out of the blue shirt too quickly and you’ll have to buy two shirts in quick succession. As the Scout Law teaches us, A Scout is Thrifty.
Official uniform pants (blue for the blue shirt, olive for the tan shirt) are also sold by the Scout Shop, but Pack 9 does not require that they be used. Any decent pants/jeans/shorts/skirt are acceptable.
Pack 9 provides each Scout with their den’s proper neckerchief, which is exchanged for the next one at the end of the Scouting year. Each rank also has an official neckslide, but Scouts are permitted to make their own neckslides. Pack 9 encourages this as it is generally less expensive than the official slides, which can be lost or damaged easily. If you need assistance or ideas, several leaders know how to make slides from leather or PVC pipe, or weave paracord to make the traditional “woggle,” or Turk’s Head knot.
Activity Uniform (previously called Class B)
The Activity Uniform is worn for any event where Scouts anticipate being active or getting dirty, or for ease and comfort in hot weather. It consists of a branded purple T-shirt provided by Pack 9, worn with any suitable pants/shorts/skirt. Scouts in the Lion den wear their neckerchiefs with the Activity Uniform shirt as their own Field Uniform, instead of buying the blue Lion T-shirt from the Scout Shop. Again, A Scout is Thrifty.
Your first Activity Uniform shirt is free. As your Scout grows, you may exchange it for the next size if it is clean and in good condition, or you may purchase additional shirts for $15/each.
Fundraising (a.k.a. Popcorn)
Pack 9 has historically not charged its own fees separate from the $85 national membership fee. Delivering the Cub Scout program nonetheless costs money, and while some generous benefactors give us donations, our principal source of revenue is our annual fall fundraising drive, where we sell popcorn obtained through our local council.
In addition to funding the pack’s activities, including financial assistance for our families that need it, Scouts who participate in popcorn sales practice setting and achieving personal goals, gain experience in presenting themselves in a public forum, and feel the joy of accomplishing a useful task. As a reward for their efforts, the pack saves 3% of each Scout’s popcorn sales as a credit which can be used to reduce the cost of summer camp. The pack receives 33% of the total revenue; the rest is allocated according to this chart:
It costs about $200/Scout/year to deliver the program; on this basis, we set a goal of $600/Scout in popcorn sales.
Program Organization
Pack Committee and Leadership
Each pack must be sponsored by an external Chartering Organization (CO) which owns its bank account and, if eligible, provides the pack with tax-exempt status. The CO selects one of its members to register as an adult leader and serve as the Chartering Organization Representative (COR) on the pack committee. Every pack requires at least three people to occupy the Key 3 roles:
Committee Chair
Responsible for the overall operation and management of the pack
Identifies and recommends new leaders
Cubmaster
Responsible for delivering the program together with Den Leaders
Public face of the pack
COR
Represents the CO and approves leaders
The remainder of the committee is formed by the Den Leaders, Secretary, Treasurer, Popcorn Kernel, any Assistant Cubmasters, and any parents who wish to be involved.
Safety and Safeguarding Youth
Adventure necessarily involves risk, but risk must be prudently managed to safeguard the whole Scout, in body, mind, and soul. Cub Scouting has an extensive framework of safeguards intended to give Scouts adventures they will enjoy and come back from whole:
Youth may not wander off alone, even to the bathroom, but must use the Buddy System to ensure they are not without help in case of emergency.
Activities must be planned in accord with the Guide to Safe Scouting, which enumerates age-appropriate practices and prohibits activities that carry unnecessary risk.
Two-deep leadership is required in all interactions with youth.
Unobserved one-on-one contact is not permitted between leaders and youth.
Electronic messages sent to youth must be copied to another leader, a parent, or both.
Youth may not be transported by a solo leader.
At least one female leader is required at all times when girls are present.
Youth and adults may not share a tent or other accommodations.
An exception is made for a youth’s parents or legal guardians, who may share accommodations with them.
Youth may only share a tent or other accommodations if they are of the same sex, and are no more than two years apart in age.
Again, exceptions are made for parents/guardians with their own children.
Hazing and bullying are not tolerated.
Youth who engage in these behaviors will have a conference together with their parents and pack leadership. If the behavior is not corrected, the family will be asked to leave the pack.
Leaders who engage in such behavior are dismissed from the pack, and referred for criminal prosecution if applicable.
More Information
If you have additional questions:
Email the Cubmaster at pack9cubmaster@gmail.com
Visit the official website at https://www.scouting.org/programs/cub-scouts/
