Role of Adults

Actively Participate with your Scout

Pack Meetings

As an adult-child activity, adults are expected to participate with their children. This is especially true during Pack meetings, when we can have more than 200 people in the room! At Pack meetings, Scouts sit by Den and we ask that the adults sit behind their Scouts to keep them focused and quiet (especially when the Scout Sign is up!). Also, we ask that adults take conversations outside the meeting room as it very hard for others to hear and makes it difficult for leaders and guest presenters to hold the Scouts’ attention. Lastly, we encourage adults to stay engaged and off their cell phones at Pack meetings. If you are engaged, your Scout and their friends will be too!

Den Meetings

The same goes for Den meetings. Each Scout should have at least one adult with them at each Den Meeting, unless pre-approved by the Den Leader. Drop-offs are typically not encouraged. Lions (kindergarteners) and Tigers (1st graders) are required to always have at least one adult present. This is to ensure the safety of our Scouts and our leaders and to ensure that all Scouts get the most out of their experience.

At every Den meeting, ask your Den leader how you can help and get involved. Stay off your phone and stay on your feet! Once the year is underway, Den leaders will assign meetings and adventures to different adults so that the program experience is spread among all Den families. Be prepared to organize and lead some Den meetings! Your Den leader needs help (whether they ask you or not!), and your Scout will love seeing you in that role. Don’t worry - materials and guidelines will be provided. In addition, adults will need to provide transportation to and from Den and Pack meetings, as well as camping trips and other activities.

Volunteering with the Pack

As one of the largest Packs in Fairfax, we have the opportunity to reach a large number of kids through our Scouting program. However, a large Pack requires LOTS of adult volunteers. We are all busy, but we make time for what’s important to us. Scouting must be important to you, because you joined this Pack and you serve as your Scout’s adult partner.

Scouting isn’t like soccer or baseball where we’re on the sidelines cheering our sons and daughters on. Cub Scouting is hands-on! Whether you’re helping Scouts learn how to tie knots as a Den leader, working with the local grocery to setup a popcorn sales booth, checking in cars at the Pinewood Derby, helping to build the campfire on a camping trip, or serving food at the Blue and Gold banquet, we need you!

Pack 1540, like all Cub Scout packs, is run completely by volunteers. No adult leadership in our pack is an employee of the Boy Scouts of America, nor is compensated in any way to run the Cub Scout program. Like all adults, most of our leadership has full time jobs and other life commitments. A successful pack has many positions to fill and a whole team of adults willing to donate their time. By joining Pack 1540, you acknowledge that you will contribute in some way to the betterment of the pack. This can be in the form of volunteering for a position on the committee, to be a den or assistant den leader, a den parent, or simply committing to help plan an event or covering fundraising shifts. Pack 1540 is a community of families that all work together to benefit the pack, our scouts, and the Fairfax area.

In order to have enough volunteers to assist with these duties, each family will be required to complete one volunteer role in the Pack each year. There are three types of volunteer opportunities:

FREE Training & Resources available!

For positions that require training, please know that this is provided at reduced or no cost to help the volunteer parent with his/her duties in the Pack. There is a wealth of support available not only at our Pack level, but at the Powhatan District level and National Capital Area Council level as well. Many training resources can also be found online. Each month we hold a Pack Leaders Meeting, and all adults are welcome to attend. The district also holds a monthly roundtable for all leaders, regardless of position.

Pack Committee

The committee has multiple positions that work together behind the scenes to plan exciting events and pack meetings for the scouts. These positions are best held by people that enjoy working with other adults to plan and execute events, fundraising, money tracking, and disseminating information to scout families.

Den Leaders

Den leaders, assistant den leaders, and den parents work directly with the scouts each week to keep the den interested and engaged in the scout’s badge requirements. These positions are best held by people that enjoy working directly with the scouts as they learn team building, social, and life skills throughout the program.

Subcommittees

If you are unable to commit to a Committee or Den Leader position, you will be asked to pick subcommittee for an upcoming event. It takes a lot of people to put on events for a pack of our size. We will need subcommittees for camping trips, Pinewood Derby, Blue & Gold Banquet, etc. It is expected that every scout family without a Committee or Den Leader position contribute to at least one event planning subcommittee per scouting year.

Pack Committee Roles & Responsibilities

Pack Committee Chair -
To make Cub Scouting work it takes a team made up of each Cub Scout’s parent or guardian and other caring adults who agree to take on roles that best fit their individual talents. Together this team makes up the Pack Committee. The Pack Committee Chair is appointed by the Chartered Organization to oversee the Pack Committee as they provide support to Den Leaders to ensure a quality program. The Pack Committee Chair is responsible for running the monthly Pack Committee meetings and handling the Pack’s annual re-charter with the National BSA.

Chartered Organization Representative -
Each Pack is required to be chartered by a nonprofit organization. Our Pack is extremely fortunate to be chartered by the Pender United Methodist Church. The church is unwavering in its support of the Pack and of the aims and ideals of Scouting. The Chartered Organization Representative serves as the liaison between the Chartered Organization and the Pack.

Cubmaster -
The Cubmaster is the adult leader responsible for the program of the Pack. The Cubmaster(s) and Assistant Cubmaster(s) work with the Pack Committee, Den Leaders, and other registered Pack leaders and volunteers to ensure the Pack’s Scouts experience a meaningful.

Assistant Cubmaster(s) -
The Assistant Cubmaster(s) assist the Cubmaster(s) and Committee Chair in planning and implementing the Pack program. Assistant Cubmasters may perform specific tasks based on skill set or may more generally assist in operations.

Treasurer -
The Pack Treasurers plan the annual Pack budget, oversee the payment of annual dues, ensure Pack and Den leaders are timely reimbursed for approved Scouting expenses.

Secretary –
The Pack Secretary records notes from Pack Committee Meetings, communicate meeting dates and times, assist with writing thank you notes as needed, and other tasks as needed by the Committee. Works with Pack Committee and Subcommittees on sending Pack emails ahead of events. Manages the Pack’s website including keeping it up-to-date with information and photographs.

Den Leaders and Assistant Den Leaders –
provide ideas, input, and collaboration on Pack activities.

Advancement Chair –
The Advancement Chair is responsible for ensuring that Scouts promptly receive the recognitions they’ve earned through the use of Scoutbook and other advancement tools. The Advancement Chair purchases the necessary patches, belt loops and other awards from the Scout Shop and delivers them to the Den Leaders, typically at the monthly Pack Leaders Meeting.

Popcorn Kernel –
The Popcorn Kernel is responsible for heading the Pack’s annual popcorn fundraiser.

Den Leadership

Den Leaders -
The Pack’s Den leaders are key to the success of the Pack and to the Scouts’ experience - they lead each of the Dens across all of our ranks - Lion through Webelos II - planning, preparing for, and leading (with the help of the other parents in the Den) the Den’s annual programming - from which adventures to work on, to what activities and outings to undertake, etc.

Assistant Den Leaders -
Each Den needs at least one registered Assistant Den Leader to ensure two-deep leadership at all Den gatherings, and to facilitate fun, organized events for the Scouts. Additionally, Assistant Den Leaders can help with tracking advancements, meal planning on campouts, transportation needs, etc.

Den Chiefs -
Older Scouts who may have been Cub Scouts when they were younger but are now in a Troop in Scouts BSA are required to spend time in a leadership role for many of their rank requirements. One of the ways they can fullfill this requirement is by serving as a Den Chief, helping the Den Leadership plan, prepare, and carryout Den and Pack Meetings and Activities.

Denners -
Cub Scouts are given a chance to learn leadership skills as they take turns filling leadership roles for Den Meetings or Activities such as leading the Den Opening, being the line leader, helping with setup, and more

Subcommittees

Camping Coordinator and Subcommittee - 2-4 volunteers
The Camping Coordinator spearheads the Pack’s fall and spring camping trips - reserves sites, makes payments, creates signups, organizes volunteers, helps with the campfire program, and otherwise generally oversee our camping trips.

Blue & Gold Banquet Coordinator and Subcommittee - 5-10 volunteers
The Blue & Gold Banquet Coordinator is the chief planner for our annual Blue and Gold banquet (February) and determines the budget available, decides on a theme, decor, and food for the event, culminating in day-of decoration and set-up with the help of the banquet committee.

Recruitment & New Member Welcome Coordinator and Subcommittee - 1-5 volunteers
The New Member / Recruitment Coordinator runs point on the Pack’s fall recruitment efforts and ensures that all new families are welcomed into the Pack, receive all the information they need, etc. Manages the purchase and distribution of the Pack’s Class-B t-shirts to new members and returning members as requested.

Pinewood Derby Pit Crew (Subcommittee)- 10-15 volunteers
The Pinewood Derby Crew Chief oversees the Pinewood Derby events from car distribution to lining up and manning build days, to setting up track/software and running races on practice and race weekends.

Service Project Coordinator and Subcommittee - 1-2 volunteers
The Service Project Coordinator researches and proposes community service projects suitable for the Pack and Dens to be implemented into the annual Pack program.

Rocket Launch Flight Director and Ground Crew - 4-5 volunteers
The Rocket Launch Flight Director and Ground Crew coordinate the distribution of rocket kits and instructions and oversees a safe launching of rockets on a date and location picked by the subcommittee.

Field Day Subcommittee - 2-10 volunteers
The Field Day Subcommittee plans and leads the annual Field Day, typically held in May, which includes various outdoor games the Den rotate through such as a bicycle course, basket ball and soccer mini-games, shaved ice stand, and more.

• “Scouterhorn” Mobile Climbing Wall Coordinator - The National Capital Area Council owns and makes available for unit a 24-foot tall mobile climbing tower with automatic cable belays which can be set up in a parking lot or field for our recruiting efforts, field days, or other events. Training is required. A council-owned truck for towing are available. More details: https://www.ncacbsa.org/c-o-p-e-climbing/

Summer Subcommittee – 3-10 volunteers

• The Camp Snyder Coordinators works with the Lion through Wolf families to advertise and register Scouts for the 4-day long summer day camp as well as coordinates carpooling to and from the camp. Ensures that the Pack meets the camp’s requirements for adult training.

• The Camp Snyder Coordinators works with the Bear through Webelos families to advertise and register Scouts for the week-long summer overnight camp as well as coordinates carpooling to and from the camp. Ensures that the Pack meets the camp’s requirements for adult training.

• The Summertime Activity Coordinators plan and execute plans for the Pack’s summertime activities in June, July, and August, ensuring that the Pack offers year-round activities for our Scouts. Holding these activities allows the Pack to earn the National Summertime Pack Award each year.