- Cub Scouts recruited? Check.
- Dens formed? Check.
- Leaders volunteered? Check.
- Applications submitted and filed? Check.
- Dens are meeting? Check.
- Training completed? Ummm….
Something’s missing here.
It seems like in the hubbub and rush to get our Cub Scout dens cranked up and running again, families invited and involved, pack meetings held, popcorn sales organized, supplies, handbooks and uniforms obtained and den programs up and running, that one essential aspect of Cub Scouting – the one that tells you how to do it – is frequently ignored. Continue reading “What about training?”
If your Cub Scout pack is typical, you’ll not only be recruiting Scouts this fall – you’ll also be recruiting adult leaders. Den Leaders are the ones that packs usually need the most, and they’re the most important because they deliver the program.
When you think about Scouting, you think about doing things in the great outdoors. Fishing, archery and hiking all come to mind. So do aquatics like swimming and boating. But certain activities have traditionally been off limits or restricted for various age groups because of safety, training, or other considerations. You’re probably aware that Cub Scouts weren’t supposed to go canoeing, kayaking or rowing unless it’s at a camp or program operated by the Boy Scouts of America or your local council – but not as an activity conducted by your pack.
If you’re on one of your council’s committees, you might have seen the announcement from Chief Scout Executive Michael Surbaugh last week summarizing the discussions held at the Boy Scouts of America National Annual Meeting over the Memorial Day weekend. One of the topics of discussion was about broadening the constituency of our traditional programs in Scouting. Essentially, they’re considering the topic of bringing girls in, particularly to Cub Scouts.
It’s May, so summer is almost here, and many Cub Scout packs are wrapping up their school year meeting schedules with springtime events designed to cap off a year of fun with a lighter activity or a ceremony to mark the transition from one year to the next. Our pack combined a crossover-of-sorts from one rank to the next along with an ice cream social.