Annual Cub Scout Pack Annual Cub Scout Pack Program PlanningProgram Planning

Tom Pahl, Pack 597Tom Pahl, Pack 597

Mustang DistrictMustang District

Class ObjectivesClass Objectives

• Introductions– Me– You

• How Long have you been in Scouting? Cub Scouts? Boy Scouts? What Positions?

• What do you want to learn, what objectives do you have for this class?

• My Objectives:– Answer your questions to the best of my ability– Explain what is an Annual Pack Program and how

planning for it could / should work for Cub Scouts

Pack PlanPack Plan

• Elements of a Pack Plan:– FUN is first and foremost– Events– Details – Costs/Budgeting– Responsible organizers / planners– Recorder / Secretary / official copy– Published – what is sent to everyone

Pack Planning MeetingPack Planning Meeting

• Summertime is a good time– Keep people thinking about scouting – year round– Make it a party! Food is friendly and social– Host can be anyone, but Committee Chair or

Cubmaster are good choices– Leave 2-3 hours for discussion items and general

brainstorming

• Don’t forget Calendars for planning:– School Calendar– Chartered Organization Calendar– Sports Calendar, etc.

Pack Planning MeetingPack Planning Meeting

• Things to Bring to the Planning Meeting:– Calendars for dates– Cub Scout Program Helps book: Use the

monthly themes for ideas and “Old Faithfuls”!– Last year’s plan for what worked and what

didn’t work – The Good, Bad and Ugly (GBU)– Any issues from last year – make sure that

they are discussed or mitigated (GBU)– FUN!

Pack Planning MeetingPack Planning Meeting

• Outcome from the meeting will be a Pack Plan and agenda!

• Pack Plan is your roadmap to a successful year in Cub Scouts – parents are busy too

• Don’t be afraid to make changes as necessary – update the information and websites

Pack PlanningPack Planning

• Questions:– We don’t have a pack plan for this year – is it

too late? No, but get started NOW.– We want to make some changes to our pack

plan, but people don’t want to change – what can we do? Delegation is the key to dissension / discussion.

– No one has time to make a Pack Plan – what can we replicate in our pack? Email and plagiarize from others

Sample Pack PlanSample Pack Plan

Second Sample Pack PlanSecond Sample Pack Plan

Sample Pack PlanSample Pack Plan

• Month by Month Agenda/Program• Awards

– Some choose not to have them every month– Save them up for more awards – more boys receive

awards

-- Be mindful of timing issues / delays (Log jam effect)

• Pre-meeting activities– Keep the boys occupied until the meeting starts

(sparklers)– Set up chairs if needed / parental involvement

Sample Pack PlanSample Pack Plan

• Song– Can’t be underestimated! Everyone loves

cheesy Cub Scout songs! There are plenty out there – books or on-line.

• Flag Ceremony– Tigers later in the year– Have a standard ceremony which is

distributed to all leaders – on-line resources such as www.usscouts.org/cubscouts/ceremony

Third Sample Pack PlanThird Sample Pack Plan

Detail on Pack PlanDetail on Pack Plan

• Dens should keep their own calendar– Merge with Pack calendar– Avoid Conflicts (Scout Tuesdays)

• Detail to the level that is needed– Everything can be planned out in advance– The more you plan ahead… The better the

activity will be!-- Involve your “helper” parents – they want to

help but fear the commitment.

Ideas for Places to goIdeas for Places to go

• Camping!– BALOO trained – OWLS for Webelos– Beautiful camps – Northern Star Council is lucky– Nothing like a campfire and scout vespers to finish the evening

• Mill City Museum• Science Museum/Sleeping with Dinosaurs• MN History Museum• Nature Centers (Three Rivers/Ramsey Co.)• Pack Bowling!• Park at MOA/Waterpark and Grand Rios• Bell Museum / Raptor Center• Others?

Ideas for SpeakersIdeas for Speakers

• Magicians

• Visiting Science / Wizards (3M, etc)

• Excel Energy demonstration

• Bug guy

• Raptor Center (visit there too)

• Congressman – citizenship (keep it short!)

• Mayor – City Council (Flag Ceremony)

SummerSummer

• Our plan only goes through the May Crossover

• Plan for the summertime activities during the months of March through May

• At least two activities per month almost assures the summertime activity award and keeps the boys and adults thinking about Cub Scouts – Camping counts.

Summertime ActivitiesSummertime Activities• Memorial Day Parade• A Baseball Game (Saints or Twins have scout deals)• Twins Overnight – lots of fun!• Resident Camps• Splash Party (reserve a park, squirt guns, water balloons, etc.)• All pack swim event (Shoreview community center, YMCA, Ramsey Beach,

etc.)• 2 Liter Bottle Launching• Pack Picnic / Combine with Ice Cream Social or Bike Ride• Service Project (Pack Cleanup)• Vertical Endeavors (indoor climbing – a blast! ~$20/boy)• Fishing event• Estes Rocket Launching• Pack Camping• Rain gutter Regatta• Space Derby or Rocket Launch• Pack Planning meeting with committee

– Some do it the last committee meeting

ConclusionConclusion

• Pack Planning– Have a good plan for the entire year– Have fun making your plan!

• Summertime Planning– Start thinking in the spring about your summer– Make the plan and let it go!

• Questions?

ClosingClosing

• Have I covered all of your questions?

• Are there any follow-up questions?

• http://www.pack597.org/schedule.html– Pack Administration Handouts

Helpful Internet SitesHelpful Internet Siteshttp://www.macscouter.com/ EXCELLENT material!http://www.scoutxing.com/ EXCELLENT material!http://boyscouttrail.com/ EXCELLENT material!http://www.scoutingresources.org.uk/ UK Scout ideas – Very Good material!http://www.scouter.com/default.asp Good site for Materialhttp://www.cubmaster.org/ Good site for Materialhttp://www.scoutorama.com/ Good Material

http://www.woodbadge.org/ Wood Badge Websitehttp://www.scouting.org/cubscouts/resources/34304/index.jsp Online Program Helps!http://www.scouting.org/cubscouts/resources/ Official Cub Scout Infohttp://www.scoutingmagazine.org/ Scouting Magazine onlinehttp://www.scctv.org/ Suburban Cable Channel (Tiger go-see it)http://www.scouting.org/ BSA official websitehttp://www.trails-end.com/ Popcorn sitehttp://www.northernstarbsa.org/ Northern Star Councilhttp://www.scouting.org/forms/ Every BSA form!http://www.nccs-bsa.org/ National Catholic Committee on Scoutinghttp://www.troopmaster.com/ Software for managing your packhttp://www.mninter.net/~blkeagle/insignia.htm Best Insignia Site!http://www.goscouting.org/ Camping for Northern Star Councilhttp://www.fastpine.com/ Pinewood Secretshttp://www.scoutstuff.org/ Official Scout cataloghttp://trax.boy-scouts.net/ Spreadsheets for tracking progress for Dens

Thank you!Thank you! tpahl@foleymansfield.comtpahl@foleymansfield.com