As you learn about Scouting you will hear about Council Events, District Events, Pack Events, and Den Events. Below we give you an overview of what that means and why there is so much fun to choose from when your child joins Scouts.

Hawkeye Area Council

Council covers 7 counties (Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn and Washington) in the East-Central portion of our state. Council runs multiple Scout Camps that are used throughout the year by Scouts of all ages. Council events are normally well attended, very organized, and worth checking out. Some events we will attend as a Pack and others you will be encouraged to attend individually. Council also provides tons of resources and opportunities to become a very effective and well trained leader in Scouts.

Southern Prairie District

Council administers the Scouting program through several districts. Our Pack is in the Southern Prairie District. The District also provides volunteer support, training, program opportunities, events, fundraising opportunities, and administrative services at a more localized level. We will also attend District Events as a Pack and we will encourage you to attend others individually. District events are still well attended and offer a more localized flavor as they are normally held nearby.

Charter Organization - Prairie Ridge PTO - College Community School District

A chartered organizations can be a place of worship, school, or other community group that has the same interests as the Scouts BSA. The chartered organization relationship is the cornerstone of the Scouting program.

Pack 214

Our Pack serves Kindergarten - 5th Grade students in the College Community School District. We have a long history of providing the Scouting program to area residents. Our Pack draws from the resources provided through the Southern Prairie District and the Hawkeye Area Council and we also organize our own events which you will learn about later in this packet. A Pack's leadership is ran on 100% volunteer's with guidance by our district and council leadership. Volunteers are usually parents of a scout(s) in the Pack.

Your Den

You will be assigned a Den based on your child’s grade in school. The idea is to place the children into small groups with friends he/she might already know. Ideally, dens will have 8 to 10 children and will be led by a parent and parent helpers. The Den Leaders will draw from the resources of the Pack, the District and the Council. Dens generally meet two to three times a month and focus on completing the program as outlined in the handbooks. Each year you will use a different handbook.

It’s OK to attend meetings without a uniform the first couple weeks. The uniforms are normally worn at Pack Meetings, Den Meetings, Fundraisers, and other more formal events. We strive to have new scouts in uniform by the start of school in the fall. If you are joining in the Summer, this gives you plenty of time to seek out the best price.

We have two uniforms. The “Class A” uniform is the more formal of the two and is the classic blue cub scout shirt. You will need to purchase a shirt and a few patches (noted below) for your child. The neckerchief and slides are provided by the pack. Check with friends and relatives, as they might have some previously experienced Scout uniforms tucked away in a closet. The “Class B” uniform is a Pack T-shirt that our boys and girls wear to campouts and less formal events.

Class A Required Components:

• Shirt—The official uniform shirt is available with long or short sleeves and has button-flap pockets and “Scouts of America” lettered in gold above the right pocket. You will need to purchase one for your child. Lion Cub, has a t-shirt with Lion on the front.

• Neckerchief—Triangular neckerchief is gold with navy-blue trim, orange with navy-blue trim for Tiger Cubs, red with navy-blue trim for Wolf Cub Scouts, light blue with navy-blue trim for Bear Cub Scouts, and plaid for Webelos Scouts. Your child’s neckerchief is included with his/her annual dues, so don’t worry about buying this.

• Neckerchief slide—Official gold-tone metal slide with the Lion Cub, Tiger Cub, Cub Scout, or Webelos logo. Your child’s slide is included with his/her annual dues, so don’t worry about buying this. Boys/girls may wear handmade neckerchief slides.

Remember, the shirt will last through fifth Grade - so size it appropriately!

Class A Optional:

• Trousers or shorts—Official blue - Blue school uniform pants are OK if a close match.

• Belt—Official navy-blue web belt with metal buckle. Recommended since ALL advancements are metal belt loops that can be slid onto the belt.

• Socks—Official socks are available in three lengths: ankle, crew, and knee. Tiger Cub socks are navy blue with orange tops; Cub Scout socks are navy blue with gold (yellow) tops.

• Cap—Official navy-blue cap with Rank logo. Webelos Scouts wear an olive cap with a plaid panel bearing the Webelos logo.

The Uniform Code

Your child should/will be encouraged to wear his/her uniform appropriately. The shirt should always be tucked in and orderly. He/she should understand the importance of representing the entire Scouting Organization while in uniform.

Patches You'll Need to Buy

• Scout Emblem (above left pocket)

• Council Patch

• Den Number Patch (We'll let you know what Den # your scout is in)

Patches You Don't Need to Buy

Any Rank Advancement Badge or Patch that your child earns will be awarded (at no cost) during the Monthly Pack Meetings. Additionally, the “214” pack patch will be provided as well as part of your annual dues. You will need to sew these on, but they are provided.

Uniforms and all things scout related can be purchased from our local scout shop, located at:

Hawkeye Area Council BSA Shop

660 32nd Avenue SW

Cedar Rapids, IA 52404

Scout Shop Contact Info

Ph: 319-261-3750

E-Mail: hawkeyescoutshop@scouting.org

Scout Shop Hours (hours are subject to change at anytime)

https://hawkeyebsa.org/scout-shop/

A Cub Scout pack is only as strong as its leaders and volunteers; we depend on parents to play an active role. As a parent, you are considered “Akela” by your scout and other scouts. Akela is a symbol of wisdom, authority, and leadership. Examples of Akela include the Cubmaster, the Den Leader, teachers, and YOU--the main leader your child looks to for guidance.

As your child progresses through the ranks of scouting your role and influence on them achieving goals should decrease accordingly. For example, your presence is expected at all Den Meetings and outings if your child is a Kindergartener Lion Cub and 1st grade Tiger Cub (you are an Adult Partner) and your role decreases when they move to a 2nd Grade Wolf Cub. Your role decreases more as your scout advances to a 3rd Grade Bear Cub and through the Webelos rank. Each year your Scout will become more responsible for his advancement in the program and each year our parents find more time to assist all the kids in the Pack.

Parent / Pack Committee Meetings

Parents are also members of the Pack Committee. The Pack Committee plans the programming for all the activities of the Pack at the monthly parent meetings, which are open to all parents, new and experienced alike. These meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every month at 7pm in the Prairie Ridge cafeteria.

The direction of the pack and future activities are all determined at the monthly parent meetings. Not happy with how awards are presented? Don’t like the activities being planned? Have a great idea for a conservation project or cub activity? Please, bring your thoughts and ideas to our monthly parent meetings.

Volunteer Roles

Whether you are new to scouts or have been a Scout parent for several years, please consider volunteering, it’s a rewarding experience and a lot of fun. Volunteer positions are available that range from multi-year commitments to helping out at single events, which are a great way to dip your toe in the water to see what cub scout volunteering is all about. As with most of life, many hands make light work. Feel free to speak with any of the current leaders about where you can help.

On the Cub Scout advancement trail, a child progresses from rank to rank, learning new skills as they go. As they go, the requirements get more challenging to match their new skills and abilities. Cub Scout advancement includes a wide range of group and individual activities kids enjoy. More importantly, the activities are carefully selected to encourage moral, physical, and intellectual development.

CUB SCOUTS DO FUN THINGS WHILE LEARNING

Cubs do fun things with other kids! They get to wear a cool uniform, visit interesting places, and see new things. They play all kinds of sports and build stuff like racecars and bird houses.

• Play sports such as baseball, soccer, and swimming - develop physical fitness, teamwork, fair play, cooperation, and good sportsmanship

• Use hands-on learning experiences about art, science, music, and computers which inspire imagination and sharpen a child's interest in learning

• Projects in woodworking, leather-working, and sculpture teach planning and patience while giving confidence

• Outdoor adventures such as camping, hiking, and fishing convey an appreciation for nature's majesty and teach the importance of preserving our environment.

CUB SCOUT RANKS

LION CUB - KINDERGARTEN

The Lion Cub program has exciting indoor and outdoor activities specifically designed for kindergarten age youth and their adult partner. Adult partners (guardians) are there to support and guide, allowing the new Cub Scout to discover risks and rewards under the security of adult supervision. Lion Cubs learn by doing. As they learn and grow, the relationship with their adult partner (guardian) grows as well. At the conclusion of their kindergarten year, the Lion Cub will transition to Tiger Cubs where they'll earn the Bobcat badge and continue on to even more exciting and educational adventures through Cub Scouting.

BOBCAT

No matter what age or grade a youth joins Cub Scouting, they must earn their Bobcat badge before he can advance to the rank of Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelos, or Arrow of Light. A youth must complete the Bobcat requirements, which include:

• Learn and say the Cub Scout motto, the Scout Oath, and the Scout Law and tell what they mean

• Show the Cub Scout sign, salute, and handshake and tell what they mean

• With a parent or guardian, complete the exercises in the pamphlet "How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse: A Parent's Guide"

When a youth has completed the requirements, they have earned the Bobcat badge.

TIGER - 1ST GRADE

The Tiger rank is for youth who are in first grade or age seven. To earn the Tiger badge, a youth must complete six required adventures with the den or family and one elective adventure of the den or family's choosing. As the youth completes each adventure, they will receive the an adventure loop to wear on their belt. After completing the seven required adventures, they have earned the Tiger badge.

After earning the Tiger badge, a Tiger Scout can work on the remaining 12 Tiger electives until they finish first grade (or turns 8 years old). They can choose elective adventures to learn new hobbies and skills. For completing an elective adventure, they'll get an additional loop.

WOLF - 2ND GRADE

The Wolf rank is for Cub Scouts who have finished first grade or are eight years old. To earn the Wolf badge, a Cub Scout must complete six required adventures and one elective adventure. The parent or guardian, and den leader, approves each requirement by signing his book. The Cub Scout receives an adventure loop for each adventure and after meeting all requirements, has earned the Wolf badge.

After earning the Wolf badge, a Wolf Scout can work on the remaining 12 Wolf electives until they finish second grade or turn 9 years old. They can choose elective adventures to learn new hobbies and teach skills that will be useful during their Scouts BSA years. For completing an elective adventure, they'll receive an additional adventure loop.

BEAR - 3RD GRADE

The Bear rank is for youth who have finished second grade or are nine years old. To earn the Bear badge, a youth must complete six required adventures and one elective adventure. Their parent or guardian, and den leader, approves each requirement by signing their book. The youth receives an adventure loop for each adventure and after meeting all requirements, has earned the Bear badge.

After earning the Bear badge, a Bear Scout can work on the remaining 12 Bear electives until they finish third grade or turns 10 years old. They can choose elective adventures to learn new hobbies and skills. When they complete an elective adventure, they receive an additional adventure loop to wear.

WEBELOS - 4TH AND 5TH GRADE

Webelos dens are for youth who have completed third grade or are ten years old. Webelos Scouts get to work on the five required Webelos adventures and choose two of the 18 elective adventures that are shared by the Webelos and Arrow of Light ranks. After finishing the requirements for an adventure, the Webelos den leader, rather than a parent, approves most of the adventures. For each adventure a youth completes, they receive a pin to wear on the Webelos colors or on their hat. After completing seven adventures, including five required adventures and two elective adventures, a youth has earned the Webelos badge.

After earning the Webelos badge, a Webelos Scout can work on the remaining 18 shared Webelos and Arrow of Light electives until they finish fourth grade or turn 11 years old. A Webelos Scout can choose elective adventures to learn new skills or hobbies that will be useful during their Scouts BSA years. For completing an elective adventure they'll receive an additional adventure pin.

ARROW OF LIGHT

The highest rank in Cub Scouting is the Arrow of Light, preparing a Webelos Scout to become a member of Scouts BSA. Scouts must complete four required adventures and three elective adventures to earn the Arrow of Light rank. For each adventure a Scout completes, they receive a pin to wear on the Webelos colors or on their hat.

After an Arrow of Light Scout has earned the The Arrow of Light badge they're ready to join a Scouts BSA Troop! The Arrow of Light is the only Cub Scout badge that can be worn on the Scouts BSA uniform. Adult leaders who earned the Arrow of Light rank may also show their achievement by wearing a special square knot on their uniform.

While Pack 214 does charge annual dues, those cover only a fraction of our total expenses throughout the year. Pack 214’s primary source of operating income comes from our annual popcorn sales event, which lasts from around mid-September to mid-November.

This fundraising opportunity is in conjunction with the entire Hawkeye Area Council - so while Pack 214 is out selling, so are all the other cub scouts who are part of the Council. There is competition, so remember to get out and sell early!

What’s in it For Me?

Obviously selling popcorn takes time and effort, so what are the benefits? First and foremost, it allows our pack to continue offering a robust and fun program for our scouts. Without popcorn sales, annual dues would soar into the hundreds of dollars per scout.

Second, proceeds from popcorn sales are split between the Council and the Pack (35% of every dollar sold goes to Pack 214). However, Pack 214 further splits out a portion to scouts themselves in the form of scout bucks (up to 15%). The more you sell, the more scout bucks are available in your account. These scout bucks can be redeemed for scouting expenses such as annual dues, summer camp registration costs, etc. If you are motivated, you can in fact pay for all of your annual scouting expenses just by selling popcorn!

How Does It Work?

Details change slightly from year to year, but essentially scouts will collect orders throughout the week (this includes payment in the form of cash or checks) during popcorn season. These orders must then be submitted via e-mail by 6 pm Wednesday nights to our Popcorn Chairperson. All orders submitted by 6 pm on Wednesdays are then available to pick up the following Sunday at the Popcorn Chairperson’s house. Hours vary depending on the year, so watch for a popcorn flier that contains all of that year's exact selling information.

Group Sale Days

Each year, Pack 214 arranges one or two group sales days at local, high traffic stores, such as Wal-Mart. It’s a great way to help grab some quick, easy sales without going door to door. Scouts can sign up to work various shifts during these sales and we aim to make sure all scouts have a chance to work the sale if they so desire.

Please note that the scout bucks from the group sales are split evenly between the scouts who volunteered (ie, if you have a bunch of families come to a group sale to purchase popcorn, the scout bucks from those sales will not go solely to your scout).