Frequently Asked Questions

Search these FAQs:

• Where do you meet?

  Pack Meeting take usually place at Harborside Middle School or if weather permits at Eisenhower Park in Milford.

  meeting location outdoor indoor

• Can I join anytime during the year?

  Yes, but we recommend to join at the beginning of the school year.

  Joining calendar date

• What kind of uniform do we need?

  For new Tiger Scouts (1st graders): You will need a Blue Cub Scout shirt and belt as well as a neckerchief, slide, patches and hat.

  uniform dress code

• What kind of manuals or materials do we need?

  We suggest your scout will need the basic Handbook for the appropriate level of scouting (Tiger, Wolf, Bear, or Webelos). This can be obtained at the scout shop in Milford.

  hand book, manual, material

• How much time is involved every month to be a part of scouting?

  The Pack meets once a month usually on Friday night, between August and June (~ 1 hour meetings). Each Den also meets and decides how often to meet every month as determined by the Den Leader and families. The Pack suggests Dens meet twice a month for about 1 hour, but this is up to each Den to decide. We have additional events that we encourage everyone to participate in as well including community service, family campouts, parades, hikes, etc.

  meeting often frequent events schedule

• Is Scouting only for my son and his dad?

  No. But, Scouting is run by volunteers; all of the Leaders in our Pack are non-paid volunteers. If you do not want to be a leader, that is great, but it's not required.

  volunteer requirement help leader

• How do you learn to be a Den Leader or Pack Leader?

  There is training available for all volunteers through Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Also, every leader must complete a "Youth Protection Course" that can be completed online in approx 30 minutes.

  training volunteer learning

• I have a daughter in elementary school. Can she join Cub Scouts?

  No. Cub Scouts is for boys. The Girl Scouts have a program for young girls. They are not part of the Boy Scouts. We can get you information on Brownie and Girl Scout Troops in Milford. But girls / siblings are most welcome to join many of our events.

  family girl scout brownie

• My son is (allergic, learning disabled, ADD, ADHD, physically challenged, emotionally challenged, etc.). Can he still be in Cub Scouts?

  Definitely, yes! Our Cub Scout program welcomes all boys. 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 boys 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.

  disability allergic special need

• How early can I drop my boy off before the meeting? What if I'm busy and can't pick him up exactly when the meeting ends?

  Please, Please, PLEASE! Make sure you understand this: WE ARE NOT RUNNING A BABY SITTING SERVICE!!! BSA doesn't stand for Baby Sitters of America. This is not someplace where you can drop your children off for an hour or so while you run some errands. Scouting is a family program. You will be expected to stay at the meeting with your son and help him out if you can in any way possible, along with the other parents, to make your sons den run smoothly. Pack meetings are for the whole family.

  drop off baby sitting

• What about spring break and other holidays? Do you still have Cub Scout meetings?

  Here is the Rule of Thumb: If the school is closed for the day due to holiday or weather, we don't meet. If school closes early for weather, we don't meet. There are one or two other days -- that we have learned from experience -- that it doesn't pay to hold a meeting, such as the day before Thanksgiving (everyone's out of town). You will be notified of those days as we get to them, or simply look on our scouting calendar here on our website.

  calendar holiday vacations meetings

• When does he get to go camping?

  "Family camping" is allowed for boys first through third grades at Boy Scout approved or "Council run" camps. Webelos may go camping as a den, but each boy must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. If it is impossible for a parent or guardian to accompany the Webelos scout, guardianship may be transferred in writing to another parent that is going on the camping trip. This parent, by Boy Scouts of America policy, may not be the den or pack leader responsible for the camping trip. Second year Webelos are also allowed to go camping with a Boy Scout troop. This is part of the Arrow of Light requirements. When accompanying Boy Scouts, they are still required to have a parent present on the camping trip.

  camping outdoor

• Are the uniforms expensive. Does he have to get the whole uniform, or can he just get a shirt or a hat?

  Since proper uniforming is spelled out in Boy Scouts of America guidelines as one of the means of achieving the goals of Scouting, we expect all boys to be uniformed, but Pack 7 only requires a waist up only uniform. We expect all the scouts to be in uniform at the meetings and on our Pack trips, as we proudly travel as a group, however, we will not deny the Cub Scout program to anyone because of financial difficulties. If there is a true financial need, speak to someone in the pack leadership and we will do what we can. Everything will be kept confidential.

  uniform cost too expensive can't afford

• Is it optional to wear the uniform to the pack / den events?

  No! But we realize that many boys take part in a number of sporting and other after-school activities. Some times it is not possible to get home between, say, soccer and the Scout meeting. If this is the case, please try to arrange for your boy to bring his uniform and change in the rest room once he arrives for the meeting. This is especially true for Pack meetings. We will not present an advancement award to a boy who is not in uniform!

  uniform no optional

• How old (or young) can a boy be to join Cub Scouting?

  Cub Scouting is for boys in the first through fifth grades, or 6 to 10 years of age. Boys 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 Boy Scouting or Venturing program.

  age class grade year

• Must I be a U.S. citizen to join Cub Scouting?

  Citizenship is not required of youth or adult members. However, if you live outside the United States and are not a U.S. citizen, it may be more beneficial to join the Scouting association in your own nation.

  citizen requirement

• Are Cub Scouts the same as Boy Scouts?

  Cub Scouting is a program of the Boy Scouts of America.so in that sense, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts are both members of the same organization. However, they are entirely different programs: Cub Scouting is a family-oriented program designed specifically to address the needs of younger boys.

  Cub Scouts Boy Scouts BSA America

• What is a Charter Organization?

  A Charter Organization is the sponsoring organization for a Cub Scout pack, usually a church, PTA, homeowners' association or other community group. The primary responsibilities of the Charter Organization are to select the leadership of the pack and provide a meeting place. Each year, the pack must renew its Charter with its local council. The Charter Organization must approve the re-chartering application in order for the Charter to be renewed.

  plymouth mens club charter prganization

• How and where do you get the Cub Scout leaders?

  The leadership of this Cub Scout Pack is made up of volunteer parents and adults just like you who want to be involved in their son's growth and take full advantage of his influential years. We think enough of our boys and their friends that we want to provide the best possible opportunity for them to become upstanding citizens of their community. We need both registered and unregistered adult participation volunteering to help with the success of our Cub Scouting Program. If you are interested in becoming a registered adult leader please check out our volunteering page and check with our Cubmaster so that he is aware of your interest.

  volunteers leaders head chair master

• How active will we be as parents of a scout in your Pack?

  We optimistically expect that all parents will get involved in some capacity, whether it be at the pack, den or home level. You can help the pack by serving on our pack committee, as a volunteer helping with one of various activities, as a den leader or assistant leader and most importantly you can help in the home to see that your son successfully advances through the ranks. The more involved you get with the Cub Scout program the more your son will get out of it - oh and don't forget it is also a lot of fun for you as well as the scout!

• What supplies and equipment are needed to participate in Cub Scouting?

  At minimum, each boy in Cub Scouting will need a uniform and a handbook. Each year, the handbook changes, as does the cap and neckerchief, but other uniform parts remain the same for at least the first three years. When a boy enters a Webelos den, he may need to obtain a new uniform if the parents in the den opt for the khaki-and-olive uniform. Additional supplies and equipment may be needed for certain activities such as camping trips or field days. What equipment is needed, as well as whether it will be provided by the unit, will vary from pack to pack. Den and pack leaders should provide parents with information about any supplies that will be required at the beginning of each program year.

  uniform equipment material supply participate

• Where can I purchase BSA literature, uniforms, and other program materials?

  Uniforms, literature, and other Scouting merchandise is available at our local Council's Scout Shop in Milford, and other licensed distributors.

  store shop material where

• If a boy joins a Bear den, may he go back and earn the Tiger Cub and Wolf badges?

  No. In the Cub Scout program, all boys in a den work toward the same badge. If a boy joins Cub Scouting as a 9-year-old, he must earn the Bobcat badge (all boys in Cub Scouting earn this badge), and then he will begin working on the Bear badge with his fellow Cub Scouts. He is not required to have earned the Tiger Cub or Wolf badges. Since those badges are for younger boys (7- and 8-year-olds), the requirements for those badges are below a 9-year-old's current level of ability, so "going back" to pick up those badges is not permitted.

  history back former late awards pins

• If a boy completes the Wolf badge early, may he begin working on the Bear badge?

  No. In the Cub Scout program, all boys in a den work toward a badge that is geared to their level of development. If the Wolf badge is completed before the end of the program year, a boy may work on electives to earn Arrow Points, but he may not begin working on the requirements for the Bear badge. His work on the Bear badge will begin the next program year, when he graduates into a Bear den.

• What should my son do if he is having trouble with other boys in the Pack or Den and needs help to address this problem?

  The BSA and Pack 7 strive to make sure your sons experience is Scouting is both positive and rewarding. However, we do understand that there can be issues among boys and any bullying is treated with a Zero Tolerance policy. Please contact our Committee Chairman or Cub Master to arrange for a conference to discuss the problem and resolution.

  trouble bully mobbing fight enemy

• Can my son bring his cell phone and i-Pod to meetings or on trips?

  NO! It is a Pack 7 policy that all cell phone, i-pods, DS or any other handheld electronic device be left at home. If discovered, they will be confiscated and returned at the end of the trip. If your Scout needs to call home, he can ask one of the adult leaders for help.

  cell phone iphone ds gameboy games electronic mobile