Join Pack 287

Fun with a Purpose:
Learning with Incentives

Cub Scouting means "doing." You will have lots to do as a Cub Scout in Pack 287—crafts, games, sports, songs, stories, puzzles, hiking, camping and much more! A lot of the fun happens right in the den and pack.

Everything scouts do in Cub Scouting has a purpose. Apart from the fun and excitement, the aim of Cub Scouting is to help children grow into good citizens who are strong in character and personally fit. This is why we say that Cub Scouting is fun with a purpose.

The den, a group of Cub Scouts in your age and grade level, usually meets 2-3 times a month.  This includes den meetings and field trips (hiking, "go see its", etc). 

The Pack, all of the Cub Scouts from kindergarten to fifth grade, meets year round, once a month from September to May in the school and during the summer at special activities.  Pack 287 generally meets on the 3rd Wednesday of the month.  The Pack meeting is where we acknowledge the accomplishments of our scouts from all the different dens.  We try to have guest speakers and activities lines up for all the pack meetings.  At both the den meetings and the pack meetings, Cub Scouts do different things for fun and learning.

While you're having fun, you'll also be earning badges and awards. You'll work on projects with your parents or other adults in your family, and all of you will feel good about the things you accomplish.

When you have earned a badge, you and an adult member of your family take part in a ceremony. The badge is given to the adult, and he or she then gives it to you in front of the whole pack. This is a way of saying "thank you" to your family for their help in earning your award.

Cub Scouts in Pack 287 have a lot to choose from. Traditional annual events include Pack Camping in Fall and Spring, Scouting for Food in November, Snow tubing in January, the Pinewood Derby in February, the Blue and Gold banquet in February, and the end of year party in June.  And this is just a partial list.  We also do our summer Day Camp and Resident Camp to keep scouting going all year long.  Other adventures we have done include tubing trips, sleeping on a submarine, etc.  The fun never stops.  

We practice citizenship by taking part in community events, marching in parades, volunteering with community projects, conservation projects, and helping out when asked or when a special need arises.  These events include our Scouting for Food Drive, park clean up, and flag retirement ceremonies.  And being chartered by the Fredericktowne Rotary also means that we help them out when ever the need arises, like ringing the Salvation Army bells over the holidays.  Bottom line, we teach the scouts what it means to support and give back to our local community.

Cub Scouts do all sorts of exciting stuff! Whatever it is that you enjoy, you'll probably have a chance to do it in Cub Scouting.

Do you want to join our Pack?

Each year when school starts, we provide information about how to join Pack 287 at the SRES back to school night, community posters and yard signs in Spring Ridge. We also try to get the word out through the Spring Ridge Online web site and community news letter.  The pack is open to all that wish to join.  We have another recruitment effort in the early spring before school is out.

Scouts can join any time during the year, not just in the fall or spring. You can also contact our pack representative using this link.

But we do have one requirement for joining the pack....you have to want to have FUN!!!!!  Sound like you??  We hope so.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some frequently asked questions about our pack.

What Does It Cost to Join?
The annual membership fee for Cub Scouts is $100 (includes $40 national registration), payable when you register. This is for a full year.  In addition, we encourage our scouts to order Boy's Life magazine as well which is $12 for the year, $1 per issue.  There are some great articles in this magazine.  If you would like to join our pack, but finances are an issue, we have need-based scholarships available. 

Pack dues for the 2019-2020 year help off-set the costs of the program we provide.  Items that are covered by this fee are the Pinewood Derby car and facility rental, Blue and Gold Celebration, Class B uniform, end of year party, awards and patches, campout activities, rank uniform pieces at bridging (hats, neckerchiefs, & slides) and more.  For a 12 month program, I think you will agree that is pretty cheap...compared to the cost of most sports that last 3 months.   

What about fundraising?
Last year (2018) we participated in Wreaths Across America, a nationwide program to recognize the sacrifice our veterans made by laying wreaths on veterans' graves at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Frederick.

This year (2019) we are selling the wreaths as our main fundraiser, and participating in the ceremony on December 14 at 11AM.  Pack 287's Wreaths Across America webpage may be found here: Pack 287 Wreaths Across America 2019

What are the Uniform Requirements?
We require our Cub Scouts to wear the official uniform to Pack meetings, when selling wreaths, and and when completing non-dirty community services, such as walking in parades, flag raising, Scouting for Food, and others. The official uniform is the following:

• Lion Cubs must wear the official Lion class A shirt and hat.

• Tiger Cubs, Wolf Cubs, and Bear Cubs must wear the official uniform blue shirt, neckerchief and slide and hat.

• Webelos must wear the khaki official uniform shirt, Webelos neckerchief, slide and hat.

• Socks and belts are optional (but there are belt loop awards, so the belt is very handy).

• Navy blue or khaki pants, shorts or jeans (the scout is not required to purchase official scouting pants).

• Council Shoulder Patch, Pack 287 Numerals, WOSM Patch (purple circle), Den Numeral (except for Lions).

When the scout registers, he/she will also receive a complimentary class "B" uniform - a Pack 287 t-shirt.  This may be worn during Den meetings and "dirty" community service, such as painting or planting. Scouts and parents can also wear the Pack t-shirts to council and other camping events. Keep in mind, though, that you will need to bring the official uniform for flag raising and lowering ceremonies.

The Scout receives the Class B shirt for free, and Parents and siblings may purchase a Pack t-shirt for approximately $5.

What other costs are there if I join the Pack?
There may be some events during the year that require the scout to pay an event fee.  This depends on the activities planned for the pack and fundraiser results.  For instance, the pack typically pays for the entire Pinewood Derby and does not require the scout to pay any fees.  But pack camping requires the scouts to pay for the camp site fees and food. 

What is a Pack?
A pack is a group of Cub Scouts, adult leaders and parents who belong to the same Cub Scout unit (e.g., Pack 287, Francis Scott Key District, National Capital Area Council, Boy Scouts of America). A pack generally draws its membership primarily from an elementary school, church or community that is associated with the pack's Chartered Organization and Community. We are associated with Spring Ridge Elementary School.  Each pack is made up of one or more (each) Lion Cub (kindergarten), Tiger Cub (grade 1), Wolf (grade 2), Bear (grade 3), Webelos (grade 4) and Arrow of Light (grade 5) dens.  We also have a Girl Den with girls of all grades from kindergarten to grade 5.

What is a Chartered Organization?
A Chartered Organization is the sponsoring organization for a Cub Scout pack, usually a church, Community Organization, homeowners' association or other community group. The primary responsibilities of the Chartered 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 Chartered Organization must approve the rechartering application in order for the Charter to be renewed. Pack 287 is chartered to the Rotary Club of Fredericktowne.

What is a Den?
A den is a small group of scouts (ideally 6-8) of the same grade level. Each den meets on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to work on achievements and other activities. The den is led by adult Den Leaders and Assistant Den Leaders, who are responsible for planning and conducting each den meeting.

Where are Pack Meetings Held?
Pack meetings are generally held monthly on the third Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. from September through May. Pack 287 meets at Spring Ridge Elementary School in the Cafeteria. The Pack Calendar provides exact dates, places and times of all pack meetings. You must be a registered member to view this calendar.

Who Runs the Pack?
The pack is run entirely by unpaid volunteers. We are always looking for people who would like to help out, and have large and small jobs for every family. Ideally, each family would have a job, which is what we are working towards in Pack 287.

• The Pack Committee, which currently consists of the Committee Chairperson, Cubmaster, Assistant Cubmaster, Secretary, Treasurer, and den leaders develop budgets, approves expenses, arranges for facilities and conducts overall planning.

• The Den Leaders and Assistant Den Leaders are most directly involved with the Cub Scouts. Dens generally meet weekly or bi-weekly, a Den Leaders meeting is held monthly or bi-monthly (in conjunction with the Committee Meeting) to discuss issues of common concern.

• An adult member of each Cub Scout household is expected to participate in a volunteer position or serve on a committee.

In addition to Pack Committee and Den Leader positions, Pack 287 generally tries to fill several volunteer positions (e.g., Membership Chairman, Advancement Chairman) and have several committees (e.g., Blue and Gold Banquet, Pinewood Derby, Popcorn Fund Raiser, Camping Coordinator, Day/Resident Camp Coordinator and Scouting for Food). Lend your skills and make our Pack more fun for the Scouts!

Where Can I Get More Information?
Contact our Cubmaster for more information, and be sure to check out the 2019-2020 Quick Reference guide on our Home Page.