About

For more than 100 years the Scouts BSA has provided high quality, fun and educational programs designed to help young people build moral strength and character, develop fitness, and become active, responsible citizens. 

The Cub Scouting program emphasizes a year-round, home-centered program at the local level that helps to strengthen the family. Cub Scouts - including Lions, Tigers, Wolves, Bears, and Webelos - is the largest of Scouts BSA’s programs. The other programs are Scouts BSA, Venturing, Sea Scouts, and Exploring. 

As a parent you want your child to grow up to be self-reliant, dependable and caring. Scouting has these same goals. For more than 100 years, Scouting has helped children be prepared for life through fun and educational activities designed to assist parents in strengthening character, citizenship, and physical and mental fitness in youth.

But children don’t join Scouting to build character. They join because it is filled with fun adventures! 

The number one priority of Scouts BSA is the safety and protection of your child while involved in any Scouting activity. For this reason, we work closely with our chartered organizations to help recruit the best possible leaders for their units. We take great pride in the quality of our adult leadership and in our application review process. Each registered adult leader goes through an extensive background check and is required to take Youth Protection Training courses every two years. 

As a major youth-serving organization, Scouts BSA has a unique opportunity to help protect the youth of our nation. In addition to helping families address the problem of child abuse, Scouts BSA has adopted a comprehensive set of policies and procedures designed to ensure that Scouting continues to be safe for all participants.

The Cub Scout Pack is a group of kindergarten through fifth graders. Led by the volunteer Cubmaster, the Pack meets once a month. A Pack meeting can be games, activities, presentations, and ceremonies for awards earned. The Pack also runs many special programs, such as Pinewood Derbies, community service projects, hikes, and weekend campouts. 

The Pack is broken into smaller groups of 6-8 children by grade levels, called dens. Den meetings are led by volunteer den leaders and help from den parents is encouraged and greatly appreciated. 

Den leaders and parents decide on a convenient meeting place and time, and meet weekly to work on age appropriate activities. Den leaders will be announce the den meeting schedules as the school year starts.

Parents and family members are encouraged to play an active role in our programs.  Cub Scouts may also complete some elective adventures with their family. (Note that for Lions and Tigers, an adult partner is required to participate in Cub Scout events.) In cannot be overstated - your role as a parent, guardian or family member is the secret to a successful Cub Scouting program!

The most important help that you, as a parent or guardian, can give your child is to work with them on their Cub Scouting adventures as they work toward their badge of rank. The Cub Scout handbook is full of age-appropriate activities; some of them you do together at home. Den meetings are designed for Cub Scouts to complete adventures that are required for them to earn their badge of rank. When you have completed a requirement at home, make sure your den leader is informed so that they can properly record it and your child can be recognized for their achievements. 

The den and the pack rely on parent participation to run a successful program. Cub Scouting operates through volunteer leadership. Volunteer leaders are an example of Scouting’s principle of service to others. By volunteering in Scouting, you are also giving your child and family the gift of your time. What could be more valuable? You will have an opportunity to be a positive in uence in their life and in the lives of their friends.

If you would like to become involved in any way, whether through a special skill to teach or an idea for an event, Pack 868 is excited to have your help! Please reach out to the Cubmaster, Committee Chair, or your Den Leader!

Does the Pack engage in fundraising? The answer is YES! 

Pack 868 sells popcorn throughout the year (primarily in the fall) and relies on those sales to help defray some of the Pack’s expenditures and control the annual Pack dues.  www.trails-end.com

Pack 868 also partners in Springfield, VA to staff a local holiday tree sale. Funds earned help defray some of the Pack’s expenditures and control the annual Pack dues.

Mandatory training includes:

 ●     Youth Protection (YPT) is required for every adult volunteer: Taken online at my.scouting.org  Scouts BSA has established strict procedural and leadership selection policies, along with providing the finest resources necessary to help parents and leaders safely lead their Cub Scout, Scouts BSA and Venturing programs.

●     Adult Leader/Position Specific Training: Taken either in a classroom setting or at my.scouting.org.

●     Hazardous Weather Training: Taken online at my.scouting.org.

Optional training includes:

●     University of Scouting: University of Scouting is a day-long event that offers the widest variety of training opportunities, in all program areas, all in one place!

●     Cub Scout Leader Outdoor Experience:  Leader Outdoor Experience (LOE) is an overnight supplemental training for all leaders involved in the Cub Scouts program. It is required before taking Cub Scouts on an overnight camping trip.  Check dates on stlbsa.org.

●     STEM Nova Counselor Training: Taken online at my.scouting.org.

●     STEM Supernova Mentor Training: Taken online at my.scouting.org.