Pack 176 meets regularly each week (6:30 to 7:30 pm) on Thursday at All Saints Church in Taylorsville.  In addition, there may be other events scheduled on other days which can be found on the Pack calendar.  

You and your son/daughter will join a Cub Scout Den.  A den (such as Tigers) is a small group of kids in the same grade level who work together to complete adventures for their rank.  The den is part of the overall Cub Scout Pack.  

Dens focus on adventures and activities in order to complete requirements for each adventure, each of which count towards their rank.  For example, the Lion den will work on 6 adventures to earn the Lion badge.  Dens are organized as:

• Lion Den – Kindergarten

• Tiger Den – 1st Grade

• Wolf Den – 2nd Grade

• Bear Den – 3rd Grade

• Webelos Den – 4th Grade 

• Arrow of Light (AOL) - 5th Grade

Worried about Scouts vs. Sports?  No worries, most of the families in the Pack are balancing the same.  Scouts and sports mix well.  Scout schedules are flexible and sports skills are complementary with Scout requirements.

The entire Pack will meet occasionally to show new skills and recognize scouts with badges earned.  In general, the cadence of Thursday meetings each month includes:

• Den meetings, weekly, 3x per month

• A Pack meeting or Parent and Leader (PAL) meeting, monthly, typically towards the end of the month.

• The Pack and PAL meetings alternate each month.

• The Pack meeting is where we recognize scouts for their hard work and present awards, therefore the entire family is invited.

• During the PAL meeting we discuss important topics related to Pack operations and decide on future activities for the Pack.  

Scouting is a safe adventure.  All registered leaders who are interacting with scout must complete the Youth Protection Training:

• Two-deep leadership & no one-on-one contact

• Separate accommodations for youth/adult

• No hazing/bullying

• Privacy of youth respected

• Buddy system

As an extension of the All Saints Parish - adult leaders are also required to complete the Honor Thy Children – Awareness & Prevention of Child Abuse training.  

In addition, adult leaders will complete role specific training provided by BSA, Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO) and other relevant courses to keep Scouts safe.

There are three categories of costs you will find at Pack 176: dues, uniforms and ancillary costs.

Dues

All new scouts must fill out an application and pay the associated registration dues that go to the Lincoln Heritage Council (which Pack 176 belongs to).  If you joined on a recruitment night, this was all completed then.  Registration dues are good for a full year and cover national dues, council dues, and insurance.  In addition, a $25 fee is administered to cover registration of a new scout.  Source:  New Fee Info Graphic 2022.pdf (lhcbsa.org). 

Annual Registration Fee = $96, +$25 one-time for new members

For illustration, if a new scout joined in August during recruitment, they will pay the annual membership cost of $96 + $25 on-time fee.  $121 total.  

Pack Dues.  In addition to registration dues, there could be Pack dues.  Pack dues are the fees required to recharter the Pack, and each individual scout + leader.  In addition, these dues are used to bridge the gap to cover operational costs where we did not have enough dollars raised during fundraising.  Pack 176's goal is to have $0 Pack dues. That is why fundraising is so important.  If we are not able to meet our goal, then the events schedule will get adjusted or we will have to ask for Pack dues (to be defined).  

Uniforms

Scouts are required to have a scout uniform for more formal events and uniforms are the place where awards are placed.  Uniform pieces are purchased at the Scout shop.  A full new uniform from the scout shop will cost in the neighborhood of $120.  

The Scout Closet.  The cost of scouting can be significant, especially for new scouts.  In order to balance cost against kids who are consistently going through growth spurts, Pack 176 has created the Scout Closet.  We have collected gently uniform parts and gear through donations, which you can use.  Please reach out to the Cubmaster for a current inventory.  

Ancillary Costs

If you view our schedule of events, there are quite a few listed - we are busy.  There may be additional costs based on our schedule of outings.  We will clearly notate which events will be covered by Pack 176 and which events will have an associated cost to each family.  Events that have an associated cost are completely optional and each family can choose which events to attend.

We try our best to keep things as cheap as possible.  Fundraising is therefore paramount.  The more we bring in the more events we can cover as a Pack.  

The Scout uniform is required and an important tradition and have several benefits, including:

• Equality. The uniform represents a democratic ideal of equality. Kids from various cultures and different economic levels wear the same uniform and cooperate as equals.

• Identification. The uniform identifies a scout as a member of the Cub Scouts. Badges on the uniform tell other members that they belong to their den, pack, and council.

• Achievement. The uniform displays badges and other awards so the accomplishments of each Cub Scout can be immediately recognized.

• Commitment. Wearing a uniform is a constant reminder to each Cub Scout of their commitment to the ideals and purposes of Cub Scouting.

Pack 176 has two types of uniforms.  The Class A (dress uniform) is required and worn at formal events, such as Pack meetings.  The Class B (Pack t-shirt) is not required and worn at informal Scouting events, such as Den meetings.  

The typical uniform (except for Lions) will include the following parts:

• Shirt, Pants or shorts, Belt, Neckerchief, Neckerchief slide.

• Socks and Hat (optional)

• Insignia: shoulder loops, Pack numbers, Rank Colors (Webelos and AOLs only).

The Scout Closet.  The cost of scouting can be significant, especially for new scouts.  In order to balance cost against kids who are consistently going through growth spurts, Pack 176 has created the Scout Closet.  We have collected gently uniform parts and gear through donations, which you can use.  Please reach out to the Cubmaster for a current inventory.  

The following are standard items that families should bring for a campout:

• Tent (and ground cloth, stakes)

• Sleeping bag

• Sleeping pad

• Camping pillow

• Headlamp or flashlight (and extra batteries)

• Camp chairs

• Camp table (if you happen to have one)

• Water bottle

• Mess kit (if you have one)

• Clothing for each day + 1 extra (both short sleeves and something warmer for nighttime)

• Light weight jacket and/or rain gear

• Boots or shoes suited for hiking/walking

• Socks (+extra pair or two)

• Sleepwear

• Toiletry kit

• Insect repellent

• Games (board games, card games, soccer, football, frisbee, etc.)