Basics / Goals
Organization
Meetings
Advancements
Who's Who Terms
Parent Responsibilities
Den Leader Responsibilities
Paperwork, uniforms, fees, journals
Current Leaders

The Cub Promise

"I promise to do my best
To do my duty to God and my country,

The Cub Law

"The Cub Scout follows Akela.

The pack helps the Cub Scout grow.

The Cub Slogan

The Cub Motto

The Cub Sign

The scout sign indicates "to help other people" and "to obey".

It is also commonly used to call silence in pack meetings.

A goal of scouting is to foster self-esteem while teaching cooperation and the meaning of healthy competition through games, crafts, sports, skill building, recognition, special activities, camping and lots of fun.

Pack 433, together with other packs and troops (Boy Scouts) is in the Black Creek District. The Black Creek District is one of 3 subdivisions of the North Florida Council in northeastern Florida. There are over 300 councils in the United States.

The North Florida Council office is located at:

521 South Edgewood Avenue Jacksonville, FL 32205
(904) 388-0591
FAX (904) 387-4148

Den meetings:

Most dens meet weekly, (except when there is a pack meeting) or by-weekly. At least two adults are required. In Pack 433, each den has a designated den leader and possibly an assistant. But the parents take turns in organizing the weekly den meetings.

Pack meetings:

Pack 433 holds Pack Meetings on the fourth Monday of the month. Pack meetings are held for all the boys of Pack 433. We expect a parent or the whole family to attend the pack meeting. When not announced differently, pack meetings are at Grove Park Elementary school at 7 p.m.  Please arrive early so the meeting can start on time (and end on time).

Leader meetings (committee meeting):

Leaders of Pack 433 discuss organizational matters, future events and exchange ideas. All parents are welcome.

Roundtables:

Idea exchange and announcements for leaders of the whole district. Meetings are held on the first Thursday of the month at Asbury United Methodist Church on Blanding and College streets (near Albertsons) at 7:30 p.m. Leaders are encouraged to attend roundtables. Parents are welcome.

Special vents:

There are many special events, family camp outs, pot lucks, good turns, pinewood derby as well as council events like camporees, district wide service day, etc. We plan to have about one special event per month.

- More on Special Events -

Pinewood Derby:

This major event is where home built wooden cars are raced against each other. Several weeks before the event the boys are provided a block of wood (about 7 inches long), four nails, and plastic wheels in a Pinewood Derby kit. The boys/parents may carve and paint the wood into any imaginative form they wish. The only restriction is that the car weigh no more than 5 oz (led is usually added), not be powered, fit the slotted track and only dry graphite be used as a lubricant.

The track is approximately 16 feet long with one end raised about eight feet above the floor. The boys place their car on the track and the group (3 cars) is simultaneously released. Spotters are at the end of the track to call the first, second and third place winners. The race is repeated several times changing the track position for each race. Consistent winners move on to the next group. The race proceedings last several hours.

Interest varies from cub to cub from building the cars themselves to having their parent do all the work.  Its a good opportunity to spend time together and make something your boy can be proud of.  There are many books and web sites dedicated to building a great car.

Olustee Reenactment:

The Olustee Reenactment will be held in Feb at the Olustee Battlefield in Lake City. This is the nations second largest annual Civil War reenactment. Dens that plan to camp must make arrangements and file a tour permit through the scout service center.

Camping/reservation fees are typically $5 per person, which includes a leather souvenir patch, access to port-a-potties and the Beltloop Midway or Frisbee golf tournament on Saturday morning. An additional fee of about $2 per child per day and $4 per adult per day will be charged to attend the reenactment on Saturday and Sunday.

Directions: Take I-10 to US 90; Go past Olustee Battlefield; Take a right on highway 250A; Make a right at the second road (highway 207); Follow highway 207 until you see the check-in tent.

Special Notes:
- No Accident insurance will be provided by North Florida Council.
- Units must provide their own water and cooking resources.
- Please no RVs due to limited space.
- Scouts will not be permitted to ride in the back of trucks.

Blue and Gold Banquet:

One evening a year all of the pack families gather at the elementary school gum to enjoy a pot luck dinner. Various assignments (food, decorations, cleanup, etc.) are given to the dens in preparation for the event. After the meal skits are performed, awards are given, and announcements are made. It is a great relaxing evening for the whole group share.

Webelos (4th and 5th graders) earn the Webelos rank and can earn additional pins to get compass points. The second year, Webelos earn the "Arrow of Light". After which they go on to Boy Scouts.

Wolf and Bear advancements are signed by the parent and recorded by the den leader. Webelos advancements are signed by the den leader.

Advancement information is then passed on the cub master by the den leader. The cub master will issue awards at various pack meetings throughout the season. The new award emblems are to be added to the scout uniform shirt.

Belt loops are awarded for trying out many sports and academic subjects. Sport and academic pins are awarded for more serious participation.

Akela:

A name given for a parent, a leader, or a role model. (In the "jungle-book" story, Akela is the leader of the pack).

Cubmaster:

Figurehead; responsible for the program, plans and conducts pack meetings, gives out awards, recruits den leaders and other personnel, etc.; reports to the pack committee. The Cubmaster sets the spirit of the pack, keeps it alive.

Committee:

Supervises the pack. In Pack 433, if you are an adult leader you are a committee member.

Committee Chairman:

Person in charge of the committee.

Chartered organization:

Each Cub Scout pack is sponsored by some organization. Our charter organization is the Faith United Methodist Church.

Chartered organization representative:

Liaison between Grove Park Elementary and Pack 433.

Commissioner:

Not a member of the pack but assigned by the council, gives advice. A "friend of the Cubmaster".

Den leader:

An adult in charge of a den.

Den leader coach:

Resource person, a "friend of the den leaders".

Den chief:

An older Boy Scout who helps to lead a den.

Denner:

One of the cubs scouts elected by his den to help the den leader and den chief.

You:

Current or future leader or committee member. And, the most important leader to your son.

You might notice that every handbook for boys has a parent guide at the beginning. We also have a child protection video tape which you can watch together with your boy.

If your boy has a friend who is interested in Cub Scouts, bring him to any pack or den meeting. Don't wait for the next year's membership night.

We need your leadership help when organizing pack meetings. Sometimes we need flexible people in charge of activities, or, to keep the den together. At each pack meeting one den should do the flag ceremony and one den should perform a skit.

Don't hesitate to ask for help. The Cubmaster is very willing to lend an ear or a hand. If the Cubmaster seems too busy or not listening, try the den leader coach. Ask your fellow den leaders how they handle things, and, tell others about what works well in your den.

In Pack 433 this makes you a member of the pack committee. You try to participate in most leader meetings and some roundtables.

Application to join a pack:

2006/2007 fees. For the remainder of 2006 the fee is $6 and then in February it is $10 until the next February. An optional subscription to Boys Life per family will be an additional $6.00 per year.

Uniforms:

Cub scouts buy their own uniform, including council patch and pack numeral.  Tiger cubs have an orange T-shirt. Wolf and Bear cubs use the blue Cub Scout uniform. Webelos can choose to wear the blue Cub Scout uniform or tan Boy Scout uniform shirts. The clerks in the Scout office store can help you buy the right stuff including the right color for the neckerchief.  Pack 433 accepts any dark blue pants with the Cub Scout uniform. Inside the front and back covers of the handbooks are diagrams of uniform patch placement.Uniforms can be purchased at the  North Florida Council Scout Store  or at Black Creek Outfitters. Cost is approximately $25 without trousers. 

We have a small exchange for used uniforms. Consider giving outgrown uniforms to our exchange. When purchasing a uniform, consider how many years your son will be in Cub Scouts and be sure that he will have room to grow into the shirt. Most younger scouts wear oversized shirts.

Boy's Life:

Normal subscription is from the month of May through the month of April. For scouts registering in the fall (September) the subscription period is November through April.

Adult Application:

Pack 433 reimburses the fees for its adult leaders.

Handbooks:

Wolf, Bear, Webelos books and Tiger Cub Family Activity Packets are available at the Scout Store anywhere uniforms can be purchased. We recommend that parents read the books for their child's age group cover to cover.