Welcome to Pack 265 Our Guide to New Parents and Scouts

Strong Rock Christian SchoolLocust Grove, GA

Welcome to Pack 265 • • •

The Oath

On my honor I will do my best To do my duty to God and my country And to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong,

mentally awake, and morally straight.

BSA Mission Statement

It is the mission of the of America to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

Welcome Parents Ÿ 1 Welcome to Pack 265 • • •

Welcome Parents We welcome you and your family to our family!

"Scouting is fun with a purpose." It is with that statement in mind that we hope to encourage fun and continued education outside of the classroom. By developing good character and instilling the habits and attributes of good citizenship, we are preparing our Cub Scouts to continue on their scouting journey to become Boy Scouts. Working together with our families, we can encourage personal growth for our scouts while having fun. Scouting reinforces the pillars of character taught in our schools through the Character Counts program.

• Citizenship • Compassion • Cooperation • Courage • Faith • Health and Fitness • Honesty • Perseverance • Positive Attitude • Resourcefulness • Respect • Responsibility The Parent Cub Scouting is a program that parents and sons can do together. Parents who volunteer spend an average of two to four hours per week involved in Cub Scouting activities. This includes meetings with the boys and planning time. Your son’s pack is run entirely by volunteer leaders; they are parents just like you. Volunteering helps strengthen the bond between parent and child. Training is provided.

The Den As a , your son is a part of a group of boys his own age called a den. With his den, your son will build confidence and self-esteem and earn recognition. He will also gain a sense of personal achievement from the new skills he learns. Dens are usually between six and eight boys with one or two parents who are the Den Leaders. Den meetings have games, crafts, songs, ceremonies and lot of FUN!

The Pack The pack is led by a Cubmaster and is made up of several dens. Your son’s den will meet once a month as part of the pack. These meetings are a time for boys to be recognized for their accomplishments, and to have fun with the entire family. The pack will also hold several special activities each year.

The Funding Because we are a self sufficient pack dependent upon fundraisers to fund our Pack activities, we are able to keep our costs per scout low. The cost for each Cub Scout is a total of $95. This amount covers the following for your Cub Scout:

District Council Fees: $41 Advancements: $25 (required belt loops & rank, ~5 electives, pinewood derby car) Pack Administration: $7 (registration fees, adult leader fees) Gear: $25 (t-shirt at re-charter, neckerchief and slide for next rank at Crossover)

The Uniform The Class A uniform is the official uniform. The Cub Scout uniform consists of the official Cub Scout blue shirt (ranks Tiger, Wolf & Bear), the appropriate rank neckerchief, slide, hat and blue belt. The Webelos uniform consists of the blue shirt for first year Webelos, khaki shirt for second year Webelos, the appropriate rank

Welcome Parents Ÿ 2 Welcome to Pack 265 • • • neckerchief, slide, Webelos Colors, blue shoulder loops, hat and blue belt. The pants can be blue jeans or the official Cub Scout pants. No camouflage clothing per BSA rules.

All uniform pieces can be purchased at the Scout Shop or at www.scoutstuff.org. You will need to also get a Flint River Council shoulder patch, World Crest badge, badges of rank and our pack numerals to be sewn on the uniform shirt. We currently do not require patrol emblems or den numerals.

HOURS ADDRESS PHONE M - Th: 8:30am to 6:00pm 1361 Zebulon Road Friday: 8:30am to 5:00pm (770) 227-9125 Griffin, GA 30224 Saturday: 9:00am to Noon

For further information about Cub Scouting go to The Flint River Council website at www.flintrivercouncil.org.

The Organization Your den is in a pack that belongs to an organization chartered by the (BSA) to operate a Scouting unit (a chartered organization). The chartered organization approves leadership, helps secure a meeting place, and makes sure that the pack works within the guidelines and policies of their organization as well as those of the BSA.

Your pack is a member of a district, a geographic area of the BSA local council that helps support the pack in providing a successful and high-quality program. An employee of the local council, a unit-serving executive (district executive), is assigned to assist the packs in your district.

My son is in Pack 265, which meets at Strong Rock Christian School, at 7:00pm on the 3rd Monday of the month.

He is in Den ______, which meets at Strong Rock Christian School at 7:00pm on every Monday.

Our pack’s chartered organization is . Our pack is in district is Tussahaw. Our local council name is Flint River Council. Phone Number: (770) 227-4556. Website: www.flintrivercouncil.org.

Our pack website is http://strongrockpack265.ScoutLander.com. You will need to create a login if you are not currently registered.

Welcome Parents Ÿ 3 Welcome to Pack 265 • • •

The Current Leadership Scouting operates through volunteer leadership. Volunteer unit leaders are an example of Scouting’s principal of service to others. Naturally, parents are the primary source of leaders in the Scouting program. You volunteer not only to serve Scouting, but also to serve your son and his friends, and to have a chance to be a positive influence on the youth in your community. The following courses are REQUIRED for all Cub Scout leaders. All courses are offered online by the BSA at http://flintrivercouncil.org/Volunteer/Training.

Fast Start Training This is Scouting Cub Specific Training (Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelos) Youth Protection

Chartered Organization Strong Rock Christian School

Chartered Organization Representative David Mann

Pack Committee

(See Pack Committee)

Pack Trainer Open

Cubmaster

Jessica Benefield-Smith

Assistant Cubmaster Open

Tiger Cub Den Wolf Cub Den Bear Cub Den Webelos I Den Webelos II Den Leader Leader Leader Leader Leader Michael Bartlett Vince Harris Bill Witham Mike Holmes Buckie Norton

Assistant Assistant Assistant Tiger Assistant Wolf Assistant Bear Webelos I Den Webelos II Den Cub Den Leader Cub Den Leader Cub Den Leader Leader Leader Katie Bartlett Open Open Buffy Sims Open

Welcome Parents Ÿ 4 Welcome to Pack 265 • • •

The Pack Committee Leadership The Pack Committee runs the pack. The committee is made up of other parents who want to help the pack. The committee should meet once a month to discuss and plan pack activities, fundraising, leader training and advancement.

Chartered Organization Representative The direct contact between the pack and the chartered organization, and the chartered organization and the BSA local council. Responsible for recruiting the pack committee, Cubmaster, and other adult leaders. The organization’s contact with the district committee and the local council. If the chartered organization has more than one unit, one representative serves them all.

Committee Chairman Sees to it that all committee positions are filled, presides at annual planning conference and regular monthly meetings of committee, and supervises committee operations. Plans for pack charter review, membership recruiting, and formation of dens as needed. Asks the committee to assist with recommendations for Cubmaster, assistant Cubmasters, and den leaders, as needed. Seeks needed help from unit commissioner and district committee. Sees that the charter application is completed and turned in to council office before the expiration month. Supports the policies of the BSA.

Committee Secretary (can be combined with Treasurer) Keeps notes of business meeting items needing follow-up. Maintains membership, leadership, attendance, and advancement records in the Pack Record Book and/or MyScouting Tools. Keeps an inventory of pack property. Notifies leaders of committee meetings and other activities. Keeps informed of all Cub Scouting literature and provides to den leaders to help them function effectively. Handles correspondence for the pack.

Committee Treasurer (can be combined with Secretary) Helps the pack committee and Cubmaster establish a pack budget plan. Keeps up-to-date financial records and is responsible for the pack bank account that requires two signatures. Collects dues from den leaders for deposit in pack account. Approves all budget expenditures and pays bills by check. Guides the pack in conducting council-approved money-earning projects. Makes regular monthly reports to the pack committee and reports to the chartered organization as often as desirable on the financial condition of the pack.

Advancement Chair Has a working knowledge of the Cub Scout advancement plan. Educates parents, guardians, and pack committee members in ways to stimulate advancement, including Boys’ Life magazine as an aid to advancement. Promotes the use of den advancement charts and other tools to recognize and record advancement in the den. Collects den advancement reports and orders badges and insignia. Helps plan and conduct induction and advancement ceremonies. Helps build or obtain advancement equipment to make ceremonies more effective. Promotes the wearing of the uniform and proper use of the insignia.

Public Relations Chair (Social Committee within our Pack) Keeps the pack visible to the public and to the families in the pack. Invites new boys to join the pack through recruitment fliers and brochures. Identifies and promotes pack service projects in the chartered organization, school, and community. Urges pack participation in appropriate programs of the chartered organization. Keeps families informed and promotes family participation in all pack events. Promotes pack participation in Scouting Anniversary Week activities. Makes use of the news media in publicizing pack events. Pack 265 will

Welcome Parents Ÿ 5 Welcome to Pack 265 • • • utilize this position as our Social Committee Chair which will include organizing and finding leaders for at least the following pack activities: Holiday Party, Pinewood Derby, Blue & Gold Celebration, Crossover.

Outdoor Activities Chair Helps boys develop a love for the outdoors. Knows and carries out BSA outdoor program policy and reviews all activities to ensure unit leaders comply with BSA policies in the Guide to Safe Scouting. Helps plan and arrange outdoor activities, including first aid, equipment, safe transportation, necessary permits, proper training, and filing tour and activity plans. Promotes day camp and resident camp opportunities. Ensures at least one adult has completed Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO) before any pack campout. Helps the pack and dens qualify for the National Summertime Pack Award. Is aware of BSA health and safety requirements and sees that they are implemented. Pack 265 will require this position to organize at least three camping trips per year: Spook-o-ree in October, Cub-o-ree in April and Crossover in May.

Membership/Re-registration Chair Develops and carries out a plan for year-round membership growth. Follows up on Cub Scout dropouts to help return them to full, active membership. Plans, coordinates, and leads the annual charter renewal process. Helps the Cubmaster and chartered organization representative plan and conduct a formal charter presentation. Sees that all eligible boys transition to the next rank and have a smooth transition into a Boy Scout troop. Recruits former pack members to be den chiefs. Arranges for periodic uniform inspections with the unit commissioner.

Friends of Scouting (Fundraising within our Pack) Chair In cooperation with the treasurer, supports the council’s Friends of Scouting (FOS) campaign. Enrolls as a Friend of Scouting. Attends an FOS kickoff meeting. Arranges for or gives a Friends of Scouting enrollment presentation to the family members and Cub Scout leaders. Follows up until all FOS cards have been accounted for. Pack 265 will utilize this position to lead and organize two pack fundraisers Popcorn Sales in September/October and Camp Cards in February.

Pack Trainer Under the direction of the pack committee chairman, the pack trainer helps leaders and parents under- stand purposes, policies, and procedures of the Cub Scouting program. Conducts, or facilitates, the training of leaders and parents in the pack. Promotes training to help leaders learn to plan and conduct pack and den meetings and activities. Orients parents and leaders and guides pack leaders in carrying out their specific position responsibilities.

Welcome Parents Ÿ 6 Welcome to Pack 265 • • •

Committee Secretary (Combined with Treasurer for this year) Linda Lingafelt

Committee Treasurer (Combined with Secretary for this year) Linda Lingafelt

Advancement Chair Rick Brooks

Public Relations (Social Committee) Chair Open

Outdoor Activities Chair Patrick Lingafelt Patrick Committee Chair Committee Art & Sheila Slayton

Membership/Re-registration Chair Open

Friends of Scouting (Fundraising) Chair Christina Scott

Pack Trainer Open

Welcome Parents Ÿ 7