About Us

History

Boy Scouting was started in England in 1907 by a well known British Army Officer named Robert S. Baden-Powell. He developed an organization for boys to develop basic skills in first aid, elementary survival and games-playing. He did so after observing the lack of these skills in the men that he commanded as an officer. This organization was brought to the U.S. in 1909 by a Chicago business man who received help from an anonymous Scout while lost in the fog in London. Cub Scouting bases many ranks and titles on characters from Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book.

Pack 845 is sponsored by Carrboro United Methodist Church. It is one of the oldest Cub Scout Packs in the area. We recently celebrated our 50th anniversary as an ongoing Pack in the Orange District of North Carolina's Occoneechee Council in 2007.

Structure

The Boy Scouts of America is comprised of two separate but related units: the Cub Scout Pack and the Boy Scout Troop. This information is primarily about Cub Scouts. A Cub Scout Pack typically consists of 6-10 units called Dens, each based on the grade/age of the boy. Dens usually contain 5 to 8 boys, which receive direction from parent volunteers called Den Leaders and Assistant Den Leaders.

TIGER CUBS - 1st grade
WOLF SCOUTS - 2nd grade
BEAR SCOUTS - 3rd grade
WEBELOS - 4th and 5th grade

When a boy has completed his Webelos program in the spring of his 5^th grade year, he is eligible to move on to a Boy Scout Troop.

Currently, Pack 845 has approx 50 cub scouts of various ranks, and pulls scouts from the following elementary schools and related neighborhoods: Carrboro, Seawell, Glenwood, McDougle, Frank Porter Graham, Estes, Scroggs, Rashkins, and Emerson Waldorf.

Recognition & Advancement

Activities for each rank of Cub Scouting are outlined in rank-specific Cub Scout handbooks. The Activities related to attainment of each rank are appropriate for the age level of the boys.

The TIGER CUB program is focused on activity-based themes with an adult partner as well as with their fellow den members.

WOLF and BEAR SCOUTS work toward three ranks. The first is Bobcat, which is earned by learning the Cub Scout Promise, Law of the Pack, meaning of Webelos, Cub Scout handshake, motto and salute. All Cub Scouts beyond Tiger Cubs must first attain this rank regardless of their age or grade when they join. The Wolf rank is for second grade boys. The Bear rank is for third grade boys. The boys work on specific activities in their weekly Den meetings as well as at home. These activities complete requirements towards achievement of rank or to gain arrow points. Boys earn Arrow Points when they learn new skills as outlined in the handbook.

WEBELOS is a 2 year Cub Scouting program for 4th and 5th grade boys. Boys work toward earning their Webelos badge and earn other activity badges, ultimately working toward the highest rank in Cub Scouts, the Arrow of Light award.

Meetings

Den Meetings - These are weekly meetings when the boys work on the activities related to the rank or arrow points they are currently trying to attain. Tiger Cubs usually meet about twice a month. The individual Den meetings are regularly scheduled at a time and place mutually agreed upon by the members of the Den. Meetings are typically held at one of the families' homes or at available space at the Carrboro Methodist Church.

Pack Meetings - Our Pack will generally meet on the second Thursday of each month from 7:00 - 8:00 PM { arrive at 6:45 PM for set up} at the Fellowship Hall of Carrboro Methodist Church. These monthly meetings are for all the dens and scouts and parents in the Pack, and are a time for fellowship, award ceremonies, and presentations by individual scouts. This is a time when up-coming events are discussed and advanced planning is arranged. It is very important both to you and your son that you be present when rank or other special awards are presented at the Pack meeting.

Uniforms

The Pack encourages full uniforms at all Scouting events for boys and official pack leadership. The uniform is a symbol of Scouting and should be neat, clean and in good repair. Uniforms should be worn to all Den and Pack meetings as well as to any scout-related function. Scout uniforms are durable and are designed to withstand the wear and tear of active boys.

The Class A uniform is the Cub Scout shirt, Cub Scout pants or shorts, Cub Scout belt, and neckerchief and neckerchief slide, with optional accessories of Cub Scout hat and Cub Scout socks. Shirts need to be tucked in and hats must be worn with the brim facing forward. The Class A uniform for the Tiger Cubs is the orange Tiger Cub t-shirt (Tiger Cub hat optional).

The Class B uniform is a Pack T-shirt (which can be purchased from the Pack) or a T-shirt from another Scout activity.

The uniform and associated patches appropriate for the boy's rank (Tiger, Wolf, Bear or Webelos) can be purchased at the Occoneechee Council Scout Shop in Raleigh. The Scout Shop is open M-F 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Orders may be by phone toll free 1-888-421-4744 or 850-0301.

Rank handbooks are available from the Pack at a nominal fee of $5-$7.

Pack 845 also maintains a "uniform lending closet" from which Pack members may borrow available uniform items. Please contact Steevie Jane Parks @ 918-7873 if you are interested in borrowing a uniform item.

Special Events and Camping

Throughout the year, there are several standard activities, ce3remonies and outdoor events.

1. Council and District Camporees - These are fall and spring camping events held for all Cub Packs and Boy Scout Troops in the Occoneechee Council or Orange District of which we are a part. They are great weekends full of fun and adventure and official ceremonies. These campouts and all other Cub Scout camping is family camping (which means that a parent is required to accompany the Cub Scout). And any or all family members are welcomed and encouraged to go with the boy on the camp-out. You don't have to know anything about camping!! There are many experienced folks who are willing to guide you through a successful first camping trip. The Pack also has some camping equipment to lend (tents and sleeping bags) -- check with your Den Leader if you are interested.
2. Annual Popcorn Sale - Each Fall, this is the major fund raiser for the Boy Scouts of America as well as the Pack and Troop. This is our Pack's only fund raising activity and provides the resources to maintain the Pack throughout the rest of the year. The boys (with an adult) go door to door selling popcorn, or participate in organized show-n-sell sales at local retail establishments. The boys qualify for special awards/gifts based on how much popcorn they sell. The popcorn is very good!
3. Christmas Parade in Chapel Hill/Carrboro - Walking (or riding on the float) is a lot of fun for the boys!
4. Pinewood Derby - in late January, the boys (with some help/guidance from a adults) take a small block of pine wood and fashion it into a car that races down a track. There are awards for the fastest, most creative, most attractive, etc. It is a lot of fun and always one of the highlights of the cub scout year.
5. Blue and Gold Banquet - This is held in late February to coincide with Scouting's Anniversary month. It features a dinner for the boys and their families, a contest for the best decorated cake (made only by the boys and a male partner), and an awards ceremony to recognize our graduating Webelos scouts.
6. Scout Sunday and Scout Sabbath - On Scout Sunday in February, Pack members in full uniform are encouraged to attend services as a group to be recognized by our sponsoring organization, Carrboro United Methodist Church.
7. "Spring Big Trip" - This is an annual outing for everyone, during the spring. Previous trips have been to Charleston, SC, to sleep onboard the USS Yorktown in Charleston Harbor; Elizabeth City, NC, where we toured the Coast Guard Station, climbed inside C130 airplanes, helicopters and patrol boats and toured a blimp hanger; Norfolk, VA, where we toured the Naval Base and spent the night in the Virginia Air and Space Museum; and Fort Caswell, NC, with a side trip to the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher.
8. End of Year Campout - in late May/early June, we hold our end-of-year weekend campout at Jordan Lake just for our Pack. It's an informal experience with loads of fun, swimming, boating, and "snipe" hunts for the boys and families.
9. Cub Scout Day Camp - This optional summer activity is traditionally a week-long summer camp experience at a local facility. The boys have lots of fun, work toward rank-related achievements and meet other Cub Scouts from the whole district.

Parent Volunteers

In addition to Den Leaders and Assistant Den Leaders, there are many other volunteer opportunities for parents within the Pack. In fact, Pack 845 needs and expects each parent of a cub scout boy to volunteer for at least one pack and/or den responsibility during the course of the year. Volunteer opportunities will be discussed at one of our initial Pack meetings - but the basic idea is that more volunteers result in a shared and lesser amount of workload for everyone. Leadership and volunteer training sessions are provided by the Pack. Don't be shy, volunteer today!

Costs of Scouting

The expenses related to Cub Scouting are relatively low. They are as follows: (1) Annual Pack dues of $45.00 for the first year and $40 for subsequent years (which includes registration with the Boy Scouts of America, a subscription to Boy's Live magazine and insurance); (2) Cub Scout uniform and rank-specific handbook; (3) Nominal fees for campouts or trips such as our traditional "Spring Big Trip".

Finally

Hopefully, this brief overview of Cub Scouting has been helpful. The handbook, which the boys use at Den meetings, is a wonderful source of information. Please take time to read the introductory chapters and to review achievements and electives. When you have questions, please contact your son's Den or Pack leaders. Good luck. Enjoy the time with your son. Enjoy Scouting.