Public Welcome Letter - Cub Scout Pack 418 (Greensburg, Pennsylvania)

Welcome to Pack 418

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to Cub Scout Pack 418. We are looking forward to a fun, exciting and educational year. We have a lot of wonderful family events planned for the boys and their adult partners. To help you prepare for the 2015-2016 Scouting year in Pack 418 we have put together some points of interest that should help explain some of the terminology, events, and expectations that have come to be part of Cub Scouts. We are members of the Laurel Hills District with the BSA and charted by the Maxwell Elementary PTO.

Pack Meetings

Pack Meetings are typically held the fourth Friday of each month, unless otherwise specified. The pack meetings are at the Maxwell School Cafeteria and are from 6:30 PM until 8:00 PM. Pack Meetings are where upcoming events are announced, Rank Achievement Awards are handed out, as well as being able to purchase some special event supplies, etc. All Scout Ranks attend these meetings - Tigers through Arrow of Light (first through fifth grade).

Rank Appropriate Handbook

A Rank Appropriate handbook will be essential for the boys to fulfill their full potential as Cub Scouts. For the boys to make rank advancements they will need to complete the requirements in their books and have each achievement signed off by their Den Leader. The Den Leader will then report advancement milestones to the Pack Leader and achievement awards will be handed out at a following Pack Meeting. Handbook prices are around $9 - $14 each and are available for purchase at the Council Office.

Cub Scout Uniforms

Pack 418 requires all Scouts to have a Class A uniform shirt (and recommends a Class B short for other events). A minimum Class A uniform would be comprised of a rank appropriate Cub Scout shirt with all required patches (World Crest, Unit Numerals 418, and Westmoreland-Fayette Council patch), a rank appropriate neckerchief, and neckerchief slide. Items such as a Cub Scout hat are optional and not required. These items can be purchased at the Council Scout Office.

Class A Uniforms are expected to be worn properly and with pride. Uniforms are expected to be tucked in with a pair of navy or khaki shorts or pants and covered toe footwear to all Pack sponsored events. These include, but are not limited to the following: Pack meetings, Go-See-It, Scouting-For-Food, Blue and Gold, parades (or other specified requests).

Adult Leader Training

Training for leaders is essential to provide consistent and quality leadership for our Scouts. Adult Leadership Training helps to prepare Adult Leaders for what to expect in their Den and Pack. Adult Leadership Training will also advise on how best to protect the boys as well as the leaders themselves. The Boy Scouts of America have one of the best training and literature libraries there is to be found. Some of the training can be taken online and at no fee at http://www.scouting.org/myscouting.
Please note that all adult volunteers will need to complete the Youth Protection Training available at this site. This takes only 20 – 30 minutes to complete and requires only common sense.
Other training is done on-site at various locations and does sometimes have a fee involved. Please see the district calendar for more details. The Pack 484 Web Site will have a listing of some of the training opportunities that are coming up as soon as we know them.

Leader Uniform

Leaders are strongly encouraged to were uniforms whenever participating in Scouting events too. A Leader Uniform consists of a Leader Shirt, typically short sleeved, with all required patches (World Crest, Unit Numerals 418, and Westmoreland-Fayette Council patch). The neckerchief and slide are optional for leaders. Shirt prices are around $39 and patches total up to around $9.00.

How to Acquire Uniforms and Supplies

Uniforms, books and other scouting supplies can be purchased online at http://scoutstuff.org/ and orders will be shipped directly to you.

There is also a scout shop in Greensburg.

Boy Scouts of America Greensburg Council Office/ Store
2 Garden Center Drive, Greensburg, PA 15601
Phone: 724.837-1630
Hours: Monday through Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Saturday: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

The Blue and Gold Banquet

Blue and Gold, as it is referred to serves several purposes. Blue and Gold has become synonymous with celebrating the birthday of Scouting, but it also signifies the point in which a Arrow of Light Scout crosses out of Cub Scouts and into Boy Scouts. This is a big achievement in a Scout’s journey and we recognize it as such. The Blue and Gold Banquet is a potluck dinner celebration that we hold in honor of the Scout’s achievements and in honor of Scouting itself.

Pinewood Derby

Pinewood Derby is probably our largest event of the year. Only Pinewood Derby kits provided by Pack 418 will qualify to participate in this event. No exceptions. For several Pack Meetings leading up to the event, kits will be distributed - more information closer to the event will follow.

Pack Web Site

Pack 418 has a website that is hosted at no cost to the pack by ScoutLander.com. The web site is set up with both Public and Private Access and we control the content of both. Public Access is exactly that, any user that enters in the Pack’s URL will be able to see the public content. This will be limited to general information about the pack and no information about the boys will be accessible in this mode. The Private Access is only accessible with a username and password and only parents and leaders will be invited to join. Private Access allows the viewing of scheduled event information as well as information about Pack 418 and possibly some achievement information (first names only would be given). Again, this private information will only be accessible with a username and password.

Pack 418 currently uses email messaging as well. We also have a Facebook page where event updates and Scout information is posted. You can find this information at www.facebook.com/MaxwellCubScoutsPack418

Poptober Popcorn Fundraiser

The Scouts sell popcorn as an annual fund raiser. Pecatonica River Popcorn allows us to keep 30% of the popcorn sales within the pack. The money raised by the popcorn sales are used to support the programs, awards, and activities of Pack 418. The money raised by popcorn sales offsets the Pack events and allows Pack 418 to provide a more enriching Scouting program for the boys.

Camping

Camping at the Cub Scout level is a family event. As Cub Scouts, the boys are not allowed to camp without parent or guardian. Pack 418 holds an annual Family campout, there is a Weekend Campout at Camp Conestoga. More information about these events is given as dates near. In all Cub Scout camping events, each camper is responsible for bring all of their own camping supplies and food unless otherwise specified in advance by the campout organizer.

Cub Scout Day Camp

Cub Scout Day Camp is a District sponsored event which is held after school releases for the summer break at Kingston Club in Derry. Dates, times, locations and prices will be announced later during the Scouting year. Day Camp is a wonderful opportunity for the boys to earn a lot of advancement Beltloops for their collection.

Online Resources

Here are some web addresses that may be of interest to leaders and parents alike:

pack 418 Website: http://maxwellpack418.ScoutLander.com
Pack 418 Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/MaxwellCubScoutsPack418
Pack 418 Cub Master E-Mail Address: theolsons23@gmail.com

Pack 418 Asst. Cub Master Email Address: Jeffrey.Binder@comcast.net

Westmoreland Fayette Council Website: http://www.wfbsa.org
Online Scouting Supply Store: http://scoutstuff.org/
Online Training: http://www.scouting.org/myscouting/



	Contact Information
	Cub Master: Julie Olson, 724.522.1820, theolsons23@gmail.com Asst. Cub Master: Jeff Binder, 724.834.0454, jeffrey.binder@comcast.net Because of everybody’s busy schedules, Pack 418’s primary method of communication and dissemination of information is via the internet & email. We have a Pack e-mail address (via this site) that will be monitored by several of the leaders in the Pack as well as the Pack 418 website (http://maxwellpack418.scoutlander.com/). By having these options available to us as well as having the boys and their adult partners able to contact their Den Leaders directly, the most up to date information will be able to be relayed to you in the most efficient means possible. If a boy or adult partner does not have e-mail within the home, access to the internet and online e-mail accounts are available at no charge through the Westmoreland County Library.

Welcome to Cub Scouts