Activities
Pack Activities
Fall Popcorn sales
Our primary means of collecting funds to run the pack. The two largest uses of these funds are the awards for the Scouts and the pack campout costs for the scouts (parents and siblings cost are collected separately)
Pack Meetings
See the Calendar for specific dates
August/September - Join Scouting Night
This is when new boys and girls join the pack. We have an activity for the Scouts while we talk to the parents about Scouting.
September - Fitness Challenge
This is a physical fitness oriented meeting to challenge the Scouts.
October - Bobcat Ceremony
All the requirements for the Bobcat badge need to be completed before this meeting. The Scouts receive their first rank award (Bobcat) in a ceremony. Don’t tell the Scouts the details about the ceremony ahead of time...it’s better if they’re in it for the ride.
November - Fall Campout
Camping at one of the Scout Camps, usually either Camp Tahuaya or Lost Pines Scout Camp in Bastrop, TX
December - Holiday Bazaar
Charity fundraiser. Each den builds some items to sell. This can be anything, really. The den pays for the supplies and/or get the materials donated (you'd be surprised how many stores are willing to donate supplies to the Scouts if you just ask). At the bazaar, the Scouts go around and buy stuff from the other dens. The den that raises the most money gets an award. Dens usually pick something to build that will be fun to do at a den meeting, but something that will also sell well. Prices usually start around $1-$5 per item, and as the night progresses, we start dropping the price on everything. As for how many to build, it really depends. Consider the cost of the supplies and how long it might take for the Scouts to build the items, and anticipated demand. The 25-40 item range is a good ballpark.
January - Webelos Cross-over
The Webelos 2 dens cross over into their Scouts BSA Troops. This is a cool ceremony for the younger Scouts to watch. We get a Scout troop to do a traditional Native American ceremony.
February (Optional) Report to State
A parade on Congress avenue up to the Capital for Scouts of all levels
February - Pinewood Derby
This meeting takes place on a Saturday evening. Each of the Scouts builds a car ahead of time (plan for a couple weeks to build the car – it takes some time, especially with the younger Scouts). At the event, we race the cars down a track and the fastest cars get an award. We also give out creativity awards for good designs.
March - No pack meeting - Spring campouts by rank
An overnight trip, some example of previous camp outs: Waco Zoo, Fort Worth Zoo, Houston Natural History Museum, USS Lexington in Corpus Christi, Johnson Space Center (NASA) in Houston
April - Blue & Gold Banquet
The annual celebration of Scouting. At this meeting the Scouts recieve their rank advancement for the year. All the requirements & electives need to be completed by this point. Scouts should also make a placemat for the event and the den should bring a dessert (there is a contest for the best decorated table & dessert).
May - Cubmaster Challenge
Scouts work on an activity or competition chosen by the Cubmaster.
Summer
The pack activities in the summer tend to be less formal as it is summer break.
June – Space Derby or Raingutter Regatta
For the Space Derby, we build a rocket ship with a rubber band propeller and race them down a wire, similar to the pinewood derby. For the Raingutter Regatta, the Scouts build a boat and blow it down a raingutter to see who wins. We try to alternate between the two events each year. The kits are distributed a few weeks before the meeting. Both of these are much simpler to build than the pinewood derby car.
July – Swimming
We reserve a pool (usually the El Salido Pool). The Scouts have a water balloon fight, complete a swim test, and can free swim afterward.
August – Off site pack meeting
We meet at a fun location such as Main Event, Urban Air, etc.
Den Activities
Den activities vary based on the den's needs and schedule, but most dens meet once or twice a month during the school year in order to complete required achievements, optional electives, and just some time for the Scouts to play together and have fun.