Welcome to the Scouting family of the Garden State Council, Boy Scouts of America. We proudly serve

more than 10,000 young people in South Jersey. Our website is www.GardenStateScouting.org and our

Council phone number is (609) 261-5850 or (856) 327-1700. Please contact us with any questions you

may have.

Cub Scout Pack FAQ Sheet

What Does the Cub Scout Program Teach: The program is designed to build upon the values you are

already teaching your child at home. The focus is on giving our boys the skills and knowledge they need

to achieve success at home, in school and in life; teaching teamwork and cooperation; encouraging

environmental awareness; building self-esteem and self sufficiency; and instilling the importance of

becoming good citizens and active members of the community. To be “Prepared. For Life.”

Scout-Parent Connection: Cub Scouts is unique in that parents actively work with their children to

help them achieve their Scouting goals. In addition, it is critical that parents volunteer to help on the

Den and Pack level in order for us to run a successful program. You can volunteer by helping to set-up

for meetings, sharing your hobby or special interest, or by joining a pack committee.

Eligibility: All boys entering 1st through 5th Grade are eligible to become Cub Scouts. Boys currently in

Kindergarten can join on June 1 of their Kindergarten school year. (Some units do offer a *Lion Cubs

program that starts in September for youth entering Kindergarten that fall).

Ranks: The Cub Scout program is designed to be grade specific and the boys are grouped accordingly

into Dens that include boys of that same rank: *Lion (Kindergarten), Tiger (1st grade), Wolf (2nd grade),

Bear (3rd grade), Webelos-I (4th grade), Webelos-II (5th grade).

What is a Den: The Den is a small group of 5 to 10 boys with at least 2 trained adult leaders. The Den

meets 2 to 3 times a month depending on the rank. One of these meetings can be a field trip or other

outdoor activity.

What is a Pack: The “Pack” is the large Scout group that encompasses all the Den ranks. The Pack

typically meets once a month for an hour-long meeting. The Scouts will receive their awards and

participate in a group activity that can involve skill building (ex: first aid, setting up a tent and knot

tying), presentations by outside speakers (wildlife experts or Indian folklorists), games, and fun.

Leaders: Any adult/parent/guardian over 21 can be a Den leader, anyone over 18 can be an assistant

Den Leader. An application needs to be filled out and you must complete Youth Protection and Cub

Scout Leader Specific Training. These courses are offered online and in person. Go to

www.myscouting.org and create an account to do the training.

What Den will my son be in? Boys are assigned to Dens based on their current grade in school.

Friends can usually stay together in the same Den, but check with your Pack leadership.

The Cub Scout Handbook: This outlines all the activities and achievements the boys need to complete

to attain their specific Scout rank (Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelos). Topics include citizenship,

environmental awareness, family values, fitness, craftsmanship, science, history, camping, first-aid,

safety and more.

Scout Supplies: Uniforms, handbooks and other Scouting supplies can be purchased at the Garden State

Council Scout Stores located in Millville and Westampton, N.J. For contact information, addresses and

store hours visit: http://www.gardenstatescouting.org/scout-stores

Special Scouting Events:

Pinewood Derby - The boys build and decorate a car from a special kit that includes a block of wood,

four wheels and four nails. The cars are then raced down a special track. Boys that win can go on to the

District Derby Race held in the Spring.

Rain Gutter Regatta - Boys build a boat from a special kit that is raced down a rain gutter track.

Blue & Gold - This is the annual awards ceremony, usually held in Feb. or March, where the boys earn

their Scout rank badges which they have been working towards all year.

Camping - Everyone can camp, even the Tigers!

Special Scout Trips: Many Packs sponsor trips for Scouts and their families to sporting events, like

Blue Claws games, Camden Aquarium, Battleship NJ, Liberty Science Center, Philadelphia Zoo, etc.

Scouting Activities: Pack and Den level activities are designed to be fun, educational, promote

community service, and to instill the values of Scouting.

Pack Examples: Bicycle safety program, karate demo, caroling at the senior citizens homes,

Pinewood Derby Car races, game night, food drives, family camping, Blue Claws games, and

more.

Den Examples: Dens follow the Cub Scout Handbook for their rank and include field trips,

nature walks, museum visits, sports, science projects, craftsmanship, music, art, learning

activities and more. Blue & Gold: The annual awards banquet in February when the boys receive their rank badges,

and when Webelos cross over to Boy Scouts.

Summer Camp: Garden State Council owns and operates four camps and provides a variety of Cub

Scout Day Camp, Webelos Overnight Camp and Boy Scout Camp program options to choose from

during the summer. For more information go to: http://www.gardenstatescouting.org/summercamp

Costs: Costs vary depending on the type of uniform shirts, pants, and options you choose and the items

your Cub Scout Pack requires. The average cost for just a uniform shirt, pants, hat, neckerchief and

basic patches is around $100.

The annual Council Registration Fee of $27 covers the costs of local and national registration

fees and insurance.

Boys Life Magazine costs $12 for an annual subscription

The Pack Registration Fee covers the costs of programming, awards, materials and supplies.

Den Dues (optional) cover the costs of Den activities and supplies.

Additional Fees: These may be required for the Blue & Gold, special trips or events, or other

items as described by your Pack.

Friends of Scouting: This is an annual campaign conducted by the Council to raise funds to support our

camps, programs, training and operations. None of the fees you pay to your Pack or for National

registration are used by the council for these purposes. This funding is critical to keeping Scouting

strong in our communities.

9/24/2015