Frequently Asked Questions

How old (or young) can a youth be to join Cub Scouts?

• Children can join Cub Scouts as early as their kindergarten year. They will be assigned to dens with similar aged youth as follows: Lion (entering kindergarten), Tiger (entering 1st grade), Wolf (entering 2nd grade), Bear (entering 3rd grade), Webelos (entering 4th grade), and Arrow of Light (entering 5th grade). Youth who are already 11 years old would join Scouts BSA, Venture Scouts or Sea Scouts.

Are girls allowed in Cub Scouts?

• Yes! Cub Scouting is a family activiy. Pack 96 is registering girls and boys.

What is a den and what is a pack?

• A den is a group of Cub Scouts in the same school grade. The dens are: Lions (Kindergarteners), Tiger (1st grade), Wolf (2nd grade), Bear (3rd grade), Webelos (4th grade), and Arrow of Light (5th grade). A pack is all the Cub Scouts from all of the dens.

Do I have to be a US citizen to join Cub Scouting?

• No. Citizenship is not required of youth or adult members.

Do I have to be a member of a certain religion to join?

• No. The Boy Scouts of America has always held steadfastly to the principle, embodied in the Scout Oath, that a Scout has a duty to God. The BSA does not promote any specific religion, and has always embraced all faiths. We encourage youth members and their families to be active in their own faith.

How much does it cost?

• The exact cost for registration and dues varies year to year. The cost is prorated depending on the time of year that a child joins the pack. There may also be additional, optional events that have separate costs associated with them (for example, a campout or museum visit). Many of these costs can be offset with fund raising activities, potentially making the out-of-pocket expense negligible. When compared with other youth activities in our community, Cub Scouting is extremely economical and the benefits provided, both material and personal, far exceed the monetary cost. If a family has a financial hardship there is assistance available. No child will ever be denied the Cub Scouting experience for financial reasons.

Why do Cub Scouts need to wear a uniform?

• The uniform creates a sense of unity and symbolizes the principles to which we are committed – character development, citizenship training, and physical and mental fitness. The scout uniform also allows each scout to display individual accomplishments and recognition. By wearing your uniform, you show others that you are a member of the worldwide Scouting program.

How do the Cub Scouts earn awards?

• While having fun, scouts also earn badges and awards. Scouts will work on projects with their dens, the pack and their family members. Many of these achievements will be recognized during pack meetings, giving the scout the opportunity to feel a sense of pride and accomplishment.

If you have more questions, please see https://www.scouting.org/about/faq/

How often do you meet?

• Each den (scouts of same grade) meets once a month for a den meeting and maybe once a month for an outing. The pack (all dens together) meets together once a once for a meeting. The pack will also have an outing once a month either as a one day event (example: hike) or a weekend overnight (example: campout).

When do you meet?

• Pack meetings are held one Sunday afternoon a month, generally from 2pm - 4pm. Den meetings are scheduled to best meet the needs of the scout families involved. Outings depend on the event.

Is my child required to be at all the den and pack meetings?

• The Cub Scout motto is "Do your best!". Attendance is not required, but if you miss meetings, you may miss out on opportunities to advance along with the others and to form strong bonds with your fellow scouts.

Are parents involved?

• Yes. Cub Scouting is a family event. At least one parent or guardian must be in attendance at each meeting their child attends. Packs are parent led with many volunteer opportunities.

Where do you get the Cub Scout leaders?

• The leadership of this Cub Scout Pack is made up of volunteer parents (like YOU!) who want give each scout the best possible opportunity to become upstanding citizens of their community. Parents like you are needed to make the pack go!

Is scouting safe?

• Yes. The local council also provides insurance in case of accidents. All leaders must complete required training. In addition, each parent or gradian must CORI with St. Catherines.

Are there monthly dues?

• No, but it is expected that each family participates in the yearly popcorn fundraiser in order to pay for awards, supplies and to offset outing costs. In this way, we are generally able to pay the outing costs for each registered scout.

What supplies and equipment are needed to participate in Cub Scouting?

• At minimum, each child in Cub Scouting will need an official cub scout uniform shirt. For Lions (Kindergarteners) it is a Lion t-shirt. For Tiger, Wolf, and Bear (1st-3rd grade) it is the blue uniform shirt and blue pants/shorts. For Webelos and Arrow of Light (4th-5th grade) it is the tan uniform shirt and green pants/shorts. The pack will supply awards (belt loops, pins and rank badges) as well as the rank specific neckerchief, and neckerchief slide.

Do you go camping?

• Yes. Generally our Sept and May/June outing we camp in tents. For other overnights, we may sleep on the floor in a function hall. In both cases you will need your own sleeping bag. If you do not own a tent we can try and find one for you to borrow.

How do I register?

• For Pack 96, use the online form (https://my.bsa.us/227paa0096mb) otherwise search for pack (beascout.org). If transferring from another Cub Scout pack, request a paper form.

If you have more questions, please reach out to one of the leaders: Contact the Leaders