The Cub Scout Program

Imagine a program designed for elementary school age boys that has a purpose dedicated to: character development, good citizenship, health and fitness and other values to help them make good decisions throughout their lives and give them confidence as they become the adult leaders of tomorrow … Now imagine these values delivered through fun, age-appropriate family and group activities within a convenient schedule … Does such a program exist?

Yes, it does! It’s called Cub Scouting.

The Cub Scout program is designed for boys who are in first through fifth grades to be a year-round, family-oriented experience. Parents, leaders and organizations work together to develop the 10 purposes of Cub Scouting: Character Development Spiritual Growth Good Citizenship Sportsmanship and Fitness Family Understanding Respectful Relationships Personal Achievement Friendly Service Fun and Adventure Preparedness for Boy Scouts

The Cub Scout program weaves lifetime values into fun and educational activities for boys to enjoy together, and with their families. Cub Scouting’s 12 core values are: Citizenship Compassion Cooperation Courage Faith Health and Fitness Honesty Perseverance Positive Attitude Resourcefulness Respect Responsibility

Fun and adventure abound as the boys participate in both indoor and outdoor activities just right for their age group. Scouting is fun with a purpose!

The Dens

Each boy is placed in a group of boys his own age called a “den.”

The den meets numerous times throughout the school year according to a schedule that works best for the boys and their families.

Each den minimally has “two-deep” adult leadership, in compliance with BSA guidelines, that coordinates meetings with activities arranged to complete the advancement goals of the program.

The goal for the den leadership is to have the boys in their den complete activities (as described in their handbook) for their specific rank before May 31. On June 1, all boys advance to the next rank, whether or not the previous rank was earned.

The ultimate responsibility of a boy’s advancement in Cub Scouting lies with the family, not the den leaders. Yet advancement requirements are often done den meetings, in addition to at home with the family.

The Pack

Since 1983, Cub Scout Pack 71 has been committed to providing a quality Cub Scouting program to all of its registered boys and their families.

The dens collectively make up the pack. Once a month, all of the dens attend a pack meeting. The Cubmaster and Assistant Cubmaster run pack meetings, which include games, activities, awards and announcements.

The monthly Pack meetings occur September through May, on the third Thursday (with a few exceptions) from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall at the First Presbyterian Church in Libertyville, corner of Maple and Douglas. Any schedule changes are announced well in advance.

Scouts have opportunities to develop personal skills and serve the Pack at its meetings by providing (on a rotating basis) a flag ceremony, a Scouting devotion, a simple skit and games.

Pack 71 strives to achieve the goals of Scouting while recognizing the importance of the family – family members are welcome at all meetings, activities and events!

In addition to the goals of Scouting, Pack 71 has a goal of raising the community awareness of Scouting by becoming more visible within the community. Many age-appropriate service opportunities are available throughout the year.

Most communication within Pack 71 is via e-mail. In addition, our Web site www.libpack71.orgprovides up-to-date information and is a wonderful source for an inside look at various events and pack member recognition.

Pack 71’s membership consists mainly of Rockland students, but is not exclusive to this school.

District Council

Pack 71 is a member of Aptakisic Distict of the Northeast Illinois Council. The NEIC provides guidance on policies and procedures for all District and National functions.

National Affiliation

Pack 71 is a member of the Boy Scouts of America

First Presbyterian Church

Cub Scout Pack 71 is chartered by the First Presbyterian Church of Libertyville, located at the corner of Maple and Douglas in Libertyville. The church approves leadership, provides a meeting place and helps keep our pack within Boy Scout guidelines and policies. Pack 71 members do not need to be First Presbyterian members to join.

Scouting Ranks

Tiger Cub is the rank for first-grade boys
Wolf is the rank for second-grade boys
Bearis the rank for third-grade boys
Webelos is the rank for fourth- and fifth-grade boys.

Tiger Cub

Tiger Cub is the rank for first-grade boys who, along with their adult partner, become familiar with Scouting in this introductory year. “Search, Discover, Share” is their motto as they complete their “Family,” “Den,” “Go See It!” and elective activities. Some Tiger dens arrange it so that each Scout/parent team within the Tiger Cub Den coordinates one or more of these activities. The boys are given a pocket totem to hold the tally beads that keep track of their progress. Once all activities have been completed, the Tiger Cub badge is awarded at a Pack meeting.

Here is an outline of the requirements for the Tiger Cub badge:

No.	Title	Character Focus	Family Activity	Den Activity	Go See It!
1.	Making My Family Special	Responsibility	Do a chore.	Make a scrapbook.	Visit a historical place.
2.	Where I Live	Citzenship	Look at a Map of your Community	Say the Pledge of Allegiance	Visit a Police or Fire Station
3.	Keeping Myself Healthy and Safe	Health and Fitness	Do a fire drill at home; review what to do if separated from family in public setting	Make a food guide pyramid.	See a sporting event
4.	How I Tell It	Respect	Have a family conversation at a meal	Play “Tell It Like It Isn’t” (Operator-type game)	Visit a radio/TV/newspaper station or office
5.	Let’s Go Outdoors	Faith	Look at the weather	Make a leaf rubbing	Take a hike

Wolf
Wolf is the rank for second-grade boys. They work on 12 different achievements, plus electives that are outlined in the Wolf handbook. A pocket totem holds tally beads to keep track of their progress. Once all achievements have been completed, the Wolf badge is awarded at a Pack meeting. Additionally, Arrow Point patches are awarded for every 10 fun elective activities/skills completed.

Bear
Bear is the rank for third-grade boys. They work on 12 different achievements from a selection of 24 in the subcategories of “God,” “Country,” “Family” and “Self.” The handbook also offers a variety of elective activities. A pocket totem holds tally beads to keep track of their progress. Once all achievements have been completed, the Bear badge is awarded at a pack meeting. Additionally, Arrow Point patches are awarded for every 10 fun elective activities/skills completed.

Webelos
The Webelos program begins for boys on the June 1 prior to fourth grade and ends when they “graduate” from Cub Scouting, usually during the January of their fifth-grade school year. Within this time period, boys work on requirements to earn the Webelos badge (which includes acquiring 3 of 20 possible activity badges), and the highest award in Cub Scouting, the Arrow of Light Award (which includes acquiring 8 of 20 possible activity badges). An impressive ceremony celebrates the earning of the Arrow of Light and the Crossover in to Boy Scouts.

Sample Pack Calendar

The following is a sample of the activities available through Pack 71 and the NEIC. Actual dates and specific information for events are communicated via e-mail, our Web site, announcements at meetings and/or flyers. Please remember these activities are all optional and are opportunities to enrich your Scouting experience.

Spring

• Scouting for Food - food collection for local food banks
• Memorial Day services – flag placement on Veterans’ gravesites at Lakeside Cemetery; march in the Memorial Day parade
• Cabin Camping
• Outdoor pack meeting

Summer

• March in Libertyville Days parade
• Car Wash
• Fishing Derby
• Bike Ride
• Various day and resident camp opportunities

Fall

• Flag raising for LHS football games
• Boo Camp (Halloween-themed activities)
• Costume Party
• Veterans’ Day Service
• Camping

Winter

• Pinewood Derby
• Blue and Gold Banquet
• Marble Shoot
• PADS Service
• Stockings for Maristella

Volunteerism

All of Pack 71’s Scouting events operate through volunteer leadership. Volunteer leaders are an example of Scouting’s principle 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 help your son and his friends, and to have the chance to be a positive influence on the youth in the community.

We ask that each family sign up for at least one service opportunity. Each year, we update and distribute a Family Volunteer Form.


Scouting Eligibility

All boys who are entering first through fourth grades are invited to join Cub Scouting.

Kindergarten boys may join during May of their kindergarten year so that they can be ready to enjoy summer activities (the Scouting year begins on June 1) before the dens of new Scouts are formed in the fall.

Fifth-grade boys may join previous to the January of their fifth-grade year, which is when they may “cross over” to Boy Scouts. (Note, however, that the two rank badges for this age group require at least 3 and 6 months of active membership.) Prior Cub Scout experience is not mandated in order to join Boy Scouts.

Steps to Join:

Submit an application and the annual dues of $50.00

Consider ordering Boys’ Life magazine. The subscription is $12 per year ($1 per issue) and is paid for according to the fiscal calendar link below:

Speak with your Pack 71 contact, Cubmaster or Den Leader regarding the next upcoming meetings and events. You can always check our website for up-to-date information.

Acquire uniform elements. Speak with your Pack 71 contact, Cubmaster or den leader regarding den placement and den number.

Have a great time in Cub Scouts!

Cub Scout Promise
I, (name), promise to do my best,
to do my duty to God and my country,
to help other people, and to obey the Law of the Pack

The Law of the Pack
The Cub Scout follows Akela*.
The Cub Scout helps the Pack go.
The Pack helps the Cub Scout grow.
The Cub Scout gives goodwill.
*Throughout the program handbooks and materials,
you will see the word “Akela” (ah-KAY-la). This word means
“leader” and refers to the parent or another adult family member
or guardian committed to supporting the boy throughout his
Cub Scout tenure. Akela also can be used to refer to the den
leader or other adult leaders in the program.

Boys' Life Magazine
We encourage subscribing to Boys’ Life magazine. Boys’ Life is the official publication of the Boy Scouts of America and has different editions to serve the varying age groups. It is a full-size, monthly publication that has easy-to-read articles on Scouting, sports, hobbies, science and U.S. history. There are also jokes, comics and short stories. Statistics show that those boys who receive Boys’ Life stay in Scouting longer. Regardless of tenure, all boys who subscribe to Boys’ Life love getting their next issue in the mail! Mini-sized samples are available for review. The subscription fees are as follows:

Month Joining	Boys' Life Fee
January	$12.00
February	$11.00
March	$10.00
April	$9.00
May	$8.00
June	$7.00
July	$6.00
August	$5.00
September	$4.00
October	$3.00
November	$2.00
December	$1.00

Uniform and Rank Elements
The following table details the uniform requirements for Scouts:

Rank/Grade-->>>> Uniform Piece	Tiger Cub (1st grade)	Wolf (2nd grade)	Bear (3rd grade)	Webelos (4th & 5th grades)
Shirt (Req'd)	Blue/short sleeve	Blue/short sleeve	Blue/short sleeve	Blue or khaki/short sleeve
Pants (Opt)	Blue/switchback	Blue/switchback	Blue/switchback Blue or olive /switchback
Belt (Opt)	Blue with Tiger Cub buckle	Blue with Cub Scout buckle	Blue with Cub Scout buckle	Blue or olive with Webelos buckle
Socks (Opt)	Blue with yellow stripe	Blue with yellow stripe	Blue with yellow stripe	Blue with yellow stripe or olive with red stripe
Hat (Opt)	Tiger Cub	Wolf	Bear	Webelos
Neckerchief and Slide (Req'd)	Orange with Tiger Cub slide	Gold with Cub Scout slide	Lt. Blue with Cub Scout slide	Plaid with Webelos slide
Red Vest (Opt)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Patches (Reqd)	NEIC shoulder patch “7” & “1” Pack numerals World Crest symbol Den numerals**	NEIC shoulder patch “7” & “1” Pack numerals World Crest symbol Den numerals**	NEIC shoulder patch “7” & “1” Pack numerals World Crest symbol Den numerals**	NEIC shoulder patch “7” & “1” Pack numerals World Crest symbol Den numerals**
Handbook (Reqd)	Tiger Cub	Wolf	Bear	Webelos

* Your first neckerchief and slide will be provided by the Pack. All subsequent neckerchiefs and slides will need to be purchased.
** These will be assigned.

You can purchase Scout supplies at the following Scout Store Locations:
Council – Scout store
(847) 433-1813, ext. 630
2745 Skokie Valley Road
Highland Park, IL 60035
Click here for more information on hours and offerings.

Ace Hardware – Round Lake
(847) 546-4668
659 W. Railroad Ave.
Round Lake, IL 60073


Frequently Asked Questions

Regarding Joining
Q. Who can join Cub Scouts?
A. Any boy from May of their kindergarten year, up through January of their fifth-grade year.

Q. Will my son be with kids his own age?
A. Yes -- he will be put in a same-age "den." (i.e. first-graders are Tiger Cubs, second-graders are Wolves, third-graders are Bears, fourth- and fifth-graders are Webelos). He also will benefit from taking part in "Pack" meetings, where all grades come together to take part in activities, receive awards, etc.

Q. Do I have to join in the spring?
A. No, but by doing so your son will be able to participate in the summer activities as a member in uniform, rather than as a guest. The Scouting year official begins June 1.

Q. We want to wait and have our son join when he’s a little older. Is this possible?
A. Yes, the door to Scouting is always open.

Q. Can I join anytime during the year?
A. Yes, but keep in mind that each program year (Sept-May) involves required activities to earn the rank advancement (Tiger Cub, Wolf, Bear, Webelos). While it is not mandatory for any Scout to earn a certain rank badge, most do; joining mid-year may not give your son enough opportunities to fulfill the requirements.

Q. Can a non-Rockland School student join Pack 71?
A. Yes. Although Rockland is the main source of membership for Pack 71, any boy within the age range is eligible for membership.

Regarding Attendance/Time Commitment
Q. What if my son/family can't do all of the things scheduled?
A. Everything is optional; opportunities exist for YOUR choosing and taking.

Q. How often do you meet?
A. The pack meets once a month -- typically the third Thursday of the month at the church. Den meetings take place on a schedule the den leaders and members agree to (i.e. whether it's after school, evenings, etc.) one or more times per month.

Q. What if we can't make it to a meeting?
A. Our members are busy individuals who also take part in sports, music and other activities. All members occasionally miss meetings or possible activities. There is no mandatory attendance at any of our activities, though the more one attends, the more fun he or she has, of course!

Q. Can mothers and fathers (and siblings) take part?
A. Of course. Scouting recognizes there are valuable contributions that all parents can offer to the program so no one is turned away. We also realize busy schedules mean parents might need to juggle schedules so the same one might not be able to attend various functions. We’ve all “been there and done that”! As for siblings, they are welcome at almost every event, and often there are side activities available for them. Some activities are designed only for Scout participation, but Cub Scouting makes it easy for parents to avoid having to get baby sitters or miss activities because they're worried about what to do with non-Scouts in the family!

Regarding Costs
Q. Will there be any other fees and dues expected other than annual dues during the year?
A. Activities such as the Blue and Gold banquet and camping events require a small fee ($3-$6 per person, typically) to help subsidize event costs. Only those who attend are asked to pay these fees.

Q. Are there any other funds needed to support the pack and its program?
A. We have a few fun fundraisers throughout the year. All are optional except one. All new first-year Scouts are exempt from fundraising. Otherwise, families are given the option of personally contributing the amount to be raised or rather than selling any product.

Regarding Activities
Q. What are some of the fun activities you do?
A. Pack 71 has a Pinewood Derby (model car races), a Blue and Gold Banquet with great entertainment and meal, an outdoor pack meeting with games, two camping trips per year, a costume party, opportunities to march in parades, fishing, biking and much more! The NEIC also offers activities such as the Cubmobile, Scout nights at local sporting events, Scout Day at Great America, day and resident camps and many other opportunities to meet fellow Scouts from other packs.
Q. What will my son get from Scouting?
A. A chance to explore his world with his peers, other students in different grade levels, other Cub Scouts within Libertyville and surrounding communities. Each activity is based on one of the core values of Scouting.

Q. What are some of the good causes you pursue?
A. Pack 71 actively serves the Libertyville community. At various times, Scouts will have the opportunity to provide flag ceremonies for various events, pick up litter at various locations, collect food for local food banks, provide necessities for those in need, assist the seniors center with various functions, provide games at community events and take part in other worthy causes.

Regarding Advancement
Q. Does my son have to earn certain badges?
A. No. The basic program focuses on earning the rank badge (e.g. Tiger Cub, Wolf, Bear, Webelos). But whether or not your son earns his rank badge, he will still be a member. Other patches also may be given simply representing attendance and/or participation at an event.

Regarding Leadership
Q. Who is eligible for adult leadership?
A. Each den needs leadership from within. Two or more parents of the den members usually step up as den leaders, sometimes more. All must complete an adult volunteer application.

Q. How is the leadership structured?
A. The pack is run by 1) the Cubmaster, who with his Assistant Cubmaster, oversees each den leader, runs each pack meeting and provides leadership to pack events and pack representation at leader meetings within NEIC, and 2) the Committee Chair, who oversees each event and its chairperson. All adult leaders collectively make up the pack committee, which meets once a month to set the course for pack events, policies and other topics.

Q. What’s involved in being a den leader?
A. The first steps are to complete an adult volunteer application. Then, there are many opportunities to get trained where fellow parents/leaders will outline what the den meeting components and the goals of Scouting are. During the program year (Sept - May) the den leader plans and delegates den meeting duties. He or she also keeps a progress chart for members, communicates to the den regarding activities such as outings to fulfill requirements and orders awards as needed. During the Tiger Cub year, each Scout/parent team is expected to lead some portion of one den meeting – easily done with the assistance of others, if needed.

Q. Who do I contact for more information?
A. Contact the Cubmaster, Committee Chair or other member of the pack committee (see our home page).