If you’ve got Q’s, we’ve got A’s!

Scouting can be a little overwhelming, especially in the beginning. We’ve collected the answers to many questions that come up. Didn’t find what you were looking for? Contact your Den Leader or the Cubmaster.

Joining

How old (or young) can a boy or girl be to join Cub Scouting?
Cub Scouting is for boys and girls in Kindergarten through fifth grade or 5 to 10 years of age. Youth who are older than 10 or who have completed the fifth grade can no longer join Cub Scouting, but they may be eligible to join the Scouts BSA

I have a daughter in elementary school. Can she join Cub Scouts?
Yes! Cub Scouts is a family-based program.

How can I become an adult volunteer in Cub Scouting?
Express your interest to the pack leaders, the Cubmaster, or members of the unit committee. There’s no guarantee that a specific role or position will be available and there may be a selection process among several candidates. However, even if no positions are currently vacant, there is usually some way in which you can contribute and our leaders appreciate all help they can get.

How often do the scouts meet?
3-4 times a month.  2-3 den meetings and one pack meeting.  There are also special monthly events depending on the time of year.  We typically have a pack event each month that is a camp out or other activity.

My child is (allergic to [fill in the blank], learning disabled, ADD, ADHD, physically challenged, emotionally challenged, etc.). Can they still be in Cub Scouts?
Definitely, yes! Our Cub Scout program welcomes everyone. The Cub Scout program is adaptable to many special needs, and there are program and training materials to help Cub Scout leaders adapt the program to the situation. There are also programs to teach the scouts to understand those that may be a little different than they are. However, it is important that the Pack and Den leadership be made aware of these cases so that we can deal with any problems or situations that may arise. We ask that you fill out a health form that stays with Pack 47. Please be sure to note any special needs or conditions we need to know about. You should also plan to stay at all of the meetings, which is required for all parents of Cub Scouts in all age groups.

How early can I drop my child off before the meeting? What if I’m busy and can’t pick them up exactly when the meeting ends?
Scouting is a family program. You will be expected to stay at the meeting with your scout and help them out if you can in any way possible, along with the other parents, to make your child’s den run smoothly. Pack meetings are for the whole family.

Who are the leaders?
The leadership of Pack 47 is made up of volunteer parents (like YOU!) who want to be involved in their child’s growth and formative years. We are not paid to do this. Each Den should have at least two leaders (more is better for YPT). Without den leadership, we cannot form new dens. We also need volunteers on the Pack Committee.

I wouldn’t have the faintest idea how to be a den leader. What would I do? Where would I start?
Help books, leader manuals, and training sessions are available to help YOU step into the role of den leader as quickly as possible. It’s not really that hard, and with all the cooperation of the other parents, stress-free! There are monthly Roundtable meetings where leaders gather to share ideas. For more information about Roundtables, speak to the Cubmaster for details. Attendance to these are optional, but are very informative and interesting. One or two people can’t do it all, so lend a helping hand. Your cub is there anyway so offer any talents you may have. Just say, “Hey…How can I Help?”

Is my child required to be at all the den and pack meetings?
Required? No. Will you be missing a lot of fun? Yes! We know there’s life outside of scouting, kind of, so missing an event isn’t a big deal. If you miss a den meeting please let your den leader know so they can let you know if your scout needs to work on anything at home. Like sports teams, the team can’t function without people showing up. A den of 10 scouts with only 3 that routinely attend isn’t very fun. If you are going to join scouts please make sure you can make it a priority.

Uniform

Do we need every piece of the Class A Uniform?
The uniform is one of the scouting “methods” so it is important, but it’s never meant to be negative. If you forget your neckerchief nobody is getting in trouble. The Cub Scout hat is optional and you can wear blue/green shorts/pants that are not official BSA. If you lose the neckerchief slide the uniform code allows the scout to use one “made by the scout”, such as out of Legos or a woggle made from parachord.

Where do patches go on the uniform?
In scouting we like wearing our bling! It can be a little much for some parents. This article does a great job of showing where patches should be placed. The most important pieces are the Council Should Patch, Unit Number, and their Rank.

Do I have to sew all of these patches on?
Nope! The nice folks at the Scout Shop in Mobile will sew patches for a small fee. If sewing isn’t your thing, you can also use Badge Magic. Badge Magic is a double sided adhesive tape that is designed for holding patches on. They will stay on for 2-3 years which is about how long you will get out of a uniform before your scout outgrows it.

Do we need to buy the Cub Scout Manuals?
There is a manual for each rank in Cub Scouting and they are great resources for scouts. They contain everything they need to know about scouting, earning their rank that year, and info on awards. The manual is not mandatory though. Most of the information can be found online and we have some available in the Uniform Closet. We do encourage WEBELOS to start using their manual because they will be required to use a manual when they crossover to Scouts BSA.

Communication

I don’t feel like I know what’s going on. Who should I talk to?
The first point of contact for all parents is your Den Leader. It’s their job to keep parents informed on what is going on with scouting. Outside of Scoutbook emails, most dens have a WhatsApp channel or something similar. If you do not feel you are getting info from your Den Leader, please reach out to the Cubmaster. We also have a WhatsApp channel for all parents you can join here.

My Den doesn’t meet much. Is that normal?
It shouldn’t be normal. Dens should meet 2-3 times every month except for the summer. Months will excessive holidays, such as December and February for Mardi Gras, may be exceptions. Take you your Den Leader if you feel like there should be more meetings. You could also volunteer to help lead more meetings. Den Leaders are volunteers that have jobs and families too. They may need someone to help them. If your Den Leader won’t accept help, contact the Cubmaster.

Do I have to use Scoutbook?
Yes. If you’re not in Scoutbook you’re not getting emails and you can’t see the official calendar.

Can I sync the Scoutbook Calendar to my phone?
Yes! At the bottom of the calendar is link to subscribe to your den’s calendar and the Pack calendar. This is a one-time sync though. It will copy the events in the calendar to your calendar.

Money

Who do I talk to if I have questions about dues or money?
We have a Pack Treasurer who is on the Pack Committee and is responsible for all money. You can contact the treasurer at pack47treasurer@gmail.com. You can also contact the Cubmaster or Committee Chair.

How do I pay for camp outs?
We use Square for paying for camp outs and events. You can find our Square site here.

How do I pay for dues?
National and Council dues will be collected via email by National Pack Dues will be collected using invoice via Square. If you haven’t received the invoice or you would like to do a payment plan please send an email to pack47treasurer@gmail.com or talk to the Pack Treasurer.

Camping

Do I have to spend a bunch of money on camping gear?
Not necessarily. A Coleman Sundome tent with a couple of sleeping bags is usually enough to get through most camp outs. If you want better comfort or equipment that will last longer than a few years you’ll have to pay for it. Start with the basics and then figure out what parts of camping you’re willing to spend more money on. There’s also good deals on Amazon Prime Day, Thanksgiving, and used equipment on Facebook Marketplace.

What size tent do I need?
Tents are typically sold in increments by “persons”. IE, 4 person tent. Keep in mind, this does not mean 4 people will fit comfortably. It means that four average sized people can sandwich into the tent. A good guide is to take the people rating and divide by two. Two people should get a four person tent.

What temperature sleeping bag do we need?
For Cub Scout camping it’s rare we go out in super cold. “Summer” bags rated for 40-50 degrees do fine. The degree rating on a bag is the minimum it will keep you from death. Not comfort. Add 10 degrees for a comfort rating. A 40 degree bag is comfortable down to 50 degrees. If it’s going to get a little cooler throw on an extra blanket. If it’s going to be cold, also consider putting blankets down in the bottom of your tent. The cold ground will take heat from you as well.