PACK 628 is 100% Volunteer Operated. The program is envisioned by the Pack Committee and Leaders - then carried out by the Parents of the Pack. To do this, we need the support of all parents of the Pack!

Everyone has different skills and ways they can contribute to make the Cub Scouting experience meaningful. No matter how you want to get involved, thank you for making the first move to volunteer with Cub Scouts. There is a LOT of work that goes into creating a quality program for our kids. Each year, kids leave the Pack and bridge over to Boy Scouts; and, with them, go the veteran Volunteers that have served the Pack for years. The Cub Scout program needs every parent/guardian to help out, even if in a small way. Join an event committee, or talk to one of the adult Leaders in uniform to volunteer for one of the many leadership roles in the Pack!

Here are some of the areas in which you will be needed:

Attend with your new Cub Scout for the first year. We want you to understand the program, and how you can help your child succeed and excel by combining the meetings with help at home. 

Participate in Fundraisers. We understand that we compete with school, church and other fundraisers, but please do your best to reach the attainable goals set by the Pack.

Go to Pack and Den Meetings. Let your Den Leader know when your scout can not attend. Materials are often purchased, and reservations are made. Attending regularly will ensure a successful scouting career. 

Be prepared! Work on assignments at home, and bring materials requested.

Be a Hero! Volunteer. Taking a uniformed position or helping organize a Pack event makes you a hero to your child and their fellow Scouts. 

Come to Parent Meetings. The parents gather once a month throughout the year and for specific events. There is a place for everyone and your input, support and commitment benefits your Scout for a lifetime!

Helping

Being helpful is part of the Scout Law, a value we seek to instill in everyone. The best way to help is not to wait until someone asks, but by providing assistance when you know someone needs it.

When offering to help consider the following:

• What things are you good at?
• What do you enjoy doing?
• What hobbies or skills do enjoy?

Any Leader or Volunteer in your Pack can tell you how you can help the group. If you help by doing something you are good at you will find it rewarding and may lead you to becoming a Volunteer. 

Volunteering

Being a volunteer in the BSA means you have registered as an adult and have gone through an approval process.

Registering as an adult in your Pack lets others know that you are willing to go beyond just helping others but willing to take on responsibilities in the Pack. To serve in a volunteer position in Scouting requires an adult to register with the BSA.

• Complete an adult application online.
• Complete Youth Protection Training.
• The Pack Committee Chair and chartered organization reviews and approves the application.

Not all volunteers work directly with youth. Many serve in positions that support those who do.

Leading

Being a Leader means you are a registered volunteer that takes on a personal commitment to ensure that Scouting is being delivered in a safe manner, the way it was designed, and in away that makes it meaningful to everyone involved. You care about the Cub Scouting program beyond your current position. You want to see it strengthen and grow long after you and your Cub Scout have moved beyond the Pack.

Leaders take training for the position that they are in and continue training beyond position specific training, like Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO) or Wood Badge. They attend local training events where other Leaders share best methods.

The most visible volunteers are the uniformed Leaders. Each Den has a Den Leader and enough assistant Den Leaders so that we have 1 Leader for every 5  Scouts with a minimum of 2 Leaders. Then there is the Pack Leadership which consists of the Cubmaster and his assistant Cubmasters. There is no set number of assistant Cubmasters required but usually we have 1-2 of them. The Cubmaster also works very closely with the Committee Chair to deliver the program. Think of the Committee Chair as the business Leader and the Cubmaster as the master of ceremonies. The Committee Chair does not need to wear a uniform though most end up choosing to do so. 

The Pack Committee meets once a month. All adults, in Leadership position or not, are welcome to attend. The Committee discusses and plans the upcoming events, as well as just completed events. There are many Committee member positions available, many of which do not require much time. Besides the Chair the other core positions are secretary, treasurer and fundraising. When the Committee is large there are many other positions that individuals can do such as camping, advancement, religious emblems coordinator, Pack trainer, membership and webmaster. When the Committee is smaller these secondary roles are absorbed by other uniformed Leaders.

It may seem daunting to take on any of these roles however there is a great network of trainers and training materials that the Pack draws upon. When you first sign on as a Leader you will need to complete some online courses. The biggest one is Youth Protection Training (YPT) which goes over the steps that Boy Scouts of America puts in place to keep our youth safe. There is also position specific training for nearly every position.

To complete the training online, go to my.Scouting.org and establish an account using the member number you receive when you register for BSA membership. If you take the training online before you obtain a member number, be sure to return to my.Scouting.org and enter your number for training record credit.

Just like the Dens are smaller pieces of the Pack, our Pack is a small piece of the Black Feather District, and that is a small part of the Greater Colorado Council, and on up until reaching BSA headquarters. Our District hosts a monthly meeting for Leaders (though all adults are welcome); Roundtable takes place the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at Southridge Rec Center in Highlands Ranch. These meetings help disseminate the latest news and then there is usually a training aspect to the meeting. Sometimes the training aspect is simply Leaders sitting in a circle sharing ideas on an upcoming event or how their Pack is run.