Since 1930, the Boy Scouts of America has helped younger boys through Cub Scouting. It is a year-round family program designed for boys who are in the first grade through fifth grade. Parents, leaders, and organizations work together to achieve the purposes of Cub Scouting. Currently, Cub Scouting is the largest of the BSA's five membership divisions (the others are Boy Scouting, Venturing, Sea Scouts and Explorer Scouts).

The 10 purposes of Cub Scouting are:

Character Development

Spiritual Growth

Good Citizenship

Sportsmanship and Fitness

Family Understanding

Respectful Relationships

Personal Achievement

Friendly Service

Fun and Adventure

Preparation for Boy Scouts!

WHAT ARE THE IDEALS OF CUB SCOUTING?

The Cub Scout ideals are expressed in the Cub Scout Promise, the Cub Scout Law of the Pack, and the Cub Scout Motto.

The Cub Scout Promise:                                The Cub Scout Law of the Pack:

I, (name), promise to do my best                    The Cub Scout follows Akela,

To do my duty to God and my country,           The Cub Scout helps the pack go.

To help other people, and                             The pack helps the Cub Scout grow.

To obey the Law of the Pack.                         The Cub Scout gives goodwill. 

Cub Scout Motto:

Do Your BEST!

HOW IS CUB SCOUTING ORGANIZED?

Cub Scouting uses terms and phrases taken from stories in The Jungle Book, by Rudyard Kipling. The boys themselves are called Cubs, the boys and their leaders (Cub Scout leaders are called “Akela”) are organized into small units called Dens, and the Dens are part of a larger Pack.  A Pack is chartered by an organization; Pack 61 is chartered by OES PTO.

Some additional information on Cub Scouting can be found at the BSA Greater Area St.Louis Council Website.

Dens are organized by school Grade, with age-appropriate programs and activities for each grade:

First Grade:       Tiger

Second Grade:   Wolf

Third Grade:      Bear

Fourth and

Fifth Grade:       Webelos

Each Den is a group of at least four boys in the same grade. Each Den is led by an adult called the Den Leader (usually but not always a den parent), who in turn is assisted by other den parents.  Dens meet in the Cafeteria at OES.  Den meetings usually take place about 2 times per month.  Den meetings last about an hour. The boys work on various program activities, play games, work on projects that are related to a monthly theme and that help them learn the skills they need to progress in rank and have fun!

Once a month, Pack 61 has a meeting of all the dens in the Pack.  These Pack Meetings are not just for the boys, but for the parents and siblings as well.  The Pack meetings are once a month on a Thursday  night at 7:00PM at the Oakville Elementary School Gym. The Pack Meeting lasts about an hour, and usually involves activities, games and fun, like the den meetings, but may also include songs and skits, ceremonies, and recognition awards for individual Cub Scouts. The Pack Meeting is led by the Cubmaster of Pack 61.

Additionally,The Pack Committee and Den Leaders of Pack 61 have a Committee Meeting once a month. The meeting of the Pack Committee is not restricted just to the leaders, meetings are open to any parents in the Pack. The basic purpose of the Pack Committee is to support the den and pack leaders.  The meeting times of the Pack Committee will be the first Thursday after the first Tuesday of every month at 7:00pm to 8:30pm. The meetings are typically held at Crusoe’s on Telegraph in the Schnucks plaza.

BECOMING A DEN LEADER AND FORMING A DEN

Many willing boys each year are unable to join Cub Scouting because an adult doesn’t volunteer to be a den leader.  Having a den leader for a den of Pack 61 Cub Scouts is absolutely critical, so let’s talk about what’s involved.

The Duties: A den leader meets biweekly for about one hour with a den of Cub Scouts.  A den can have anywhere from a minimum of four to a maximum of twelve boys.  The den meeting is held at OES  on a day selected by the den leader. The frequency of den meetings are at the convenience of the den leader.

Support and Training: Pack 61 is committed to providing den leaders with the necessary training and support to carry out their duties.  In addition to support from current leaders and online Fast Start Leader Training and online Youth Protection Training, there are district-wide Cub Scout training opportunities that we strongly encourage den leaders to attend. Check out the Gravois Trail District Website for details.

It’s Fun for the Leader, Too! This is absolutely the best part of being a den leader.  You’ll find that the den meeting time passes quickly, and that (if you let yourself) you’ll end up having as much fun as the boys.

The Excuses (NOT!):

I Don’t Have the Time - Time is scarce for everyone.  Pack 61 believes in den leaders working as a team in the Pack to share the load.  The Cubmaster and other Den Leaders will be there to help when you need it, and you’ll find help among the other den parents.

I Don’t Know How - Unless you were a Cub Scout or Boy Scout, or have some other Scouting experience, it is entirely likely that you don’t know anything about how Scouting works.  Don’t let this bother you!  In addition to the support and training listed above, Scouting itself, and our District and Council, have all kinds of resources to help you succeed. All you need to bring to the table is a little time and a positive “I can do this” attitude.

JOINING REQUIREMENTS FOR PACK 61

Cub Scouts – To join Pack 61, a youth candidate must: (1) be in the first through fifth grade and between 6 and 10 years old, (2) is part of a den with a den leader forming to receive him and other boys, or is joining an existing den which is willing to add him as a member.

Parents – Our basic rule is that if your son joins Pack 61, so do you.  Except for den leaders, parents of youth members are not required to submit an application nor pay any annual fee to participate in pack activities with their sons. Without solid parental participation, dens cannot form, and Pack 61 cannot provide a quality program to the youth.  It is in large part due to parental support and encouragement that our youth members advance in Scouting and realize their full potential.

Den Leaders and adult Scouters - Male and female adults over the age of 18 can join Pack 61 and the Boy Scouts of America as an adult Scouter provided that his or her application is accepted by the Pack Committee and approved by the Boy Scouts of America.   Adult leader candidates must provide their social security numbers and submit to background checks which include searches for criminal convictions. The Boy Scouts of America will deny membership to adults with criminal convictions involving drugs, sex crimes, or violence.