Parent Handbook

Welcome to Pack 526

We are so glad your family has decided to join us on the Scouting trail. Pack 526 has been serving Snellville and the surrounding communities for more than two decades, thanks to the dedication of volunteers and parents like you.

Our program is designed to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by building citizenship, character, personal fitness, and leadership. Cub Scouting is a family program — an adult family member takes part alongside their Scout, and there is a place for every parent who wants one.

About Scouting

Scouting began with Robert Baden-Powell, a British Army officer whose 1908 book Scouting for Boys sparked youth Scout patrols across England. In 1909, Chicago publisher W. D. Boyce became lost in a London fog and was helped by an unknown Scout who refused a tip, saying he was only doing his daily good turn. Inspired, Boyce founded the Boy Scouts of America on February 8, 1910.

The organization welcomed girls into all of its programs beginning in 2018–2019, and on February 8, 2025 — its 115th anniversary — changed its name to Scouting America to reflect a program open to every young person. Cub Scouting is the program for youth in kindergarten through 5th grade; Scouts BSA continues the adventure for youth 11 to 17.

Pack 526 is part of the Sweetwater District of the Northeast Georgia Council, which covers south Gwinnett and Walton counties.

Scout Oath & Law

How the Pack Works

A group of roughly 5 to 10 Scouts in the same grade, working on the same rank, makes up a den. All of the dens together make up the pack.

Each den has a Den Leader and an Assistant Den Leader who plan and run den meetings. The pack is led by the Cubmaster and Assistant Cubmaster, who plan the monthly pack events.

The Pack Committee is made up of parents, leaders, and members of our chartered organization. Together they support the pack behind the scenes — planning outings, fundraising, camping, Blue & Gold, and the Pinewood Derby. Committee roles include:

• Committee Chair
• Treasurer
• Advancement Chair
• Membership Chair
• Popcorn Kernel (fundraising)
• Secretary
• Webmaster
• Event chairs — camping, service, Pinewood Derby, Blue & Gold
• Members at large

Interested in one of these roles? See the leadership page and reach out — every one of these jobs is filled by a parent volunteer.

Pack 526 is chartered by Cannon United Methodist Church, 2424 Webb Gin House Road, Snellville, GA 30078.

Meetings

Most dens meet on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month at Cannon United Methodist Church. Some dens adopt a different schedule or location depending on the week's activity — your Den Leader will tell you about any changes. Please try to arrive on time.

About once a month all dens gather for a pack event, and all Cub Scouts and their families are encouraged to attend. Pack events are where Scouts of every age work together, families catch up on what's ahead, and Scouts are recognized for what they've earned.

Current meeting dates, pack events, and campouts are on the pack calendar. Dates are announced in advance and can change — the calendar is always the current source.

Cub Scout Ranks

Cub Scout dens are organized by grade, and each grade has its own rank:

Each rank is a one-year program with its own handbook, which your Scout works through over the school year. Fifth-grade Scouts earn the Arrow of Light — the highest award in Cub Scouting — and typically cross over into a Scouts BSA troop before the end of the year.

Achievements & Advancement

To earn the badge of rank for their grade, a Cub Scout completes the six required adventures for that rank plus at least two elective adventures of their choosing. That structure is the same at every rank, Lion through Arrow of Light. Scouts who attend and actively participate in den meetings will earn their rank by the end of the school year.

Every Cub Scout starts with the Bobcat adventure — the Scout Oath and Law, the sign, salute, and handshake, and a personal safety talk to do with a parent. A Scout does not need to have earned the previous rank to earn the next one, so joining in 3rd grade is just fine. Ranks are tied to grade, so a Scout works on their own grade's rank.

Adventures can also be completed at pack events, Scout camps, special events with partner organizations (museums, science centers, and the like), and at home with your family.

Lion, Tiger, Wolf, and Bear Scouts earn Adventure Loops for their belt. Webelos and Arrow of Light Scouts earn Adventure Pins, worn on the Adventure Colors.

Awards are presented at den and pack meetings. If your Scout completes an adventure outside of a den or pack event, tell your Den Leader about a week ahead of the next den meeting so there's time to record it and pick up the loop, pin, or patch.

The full requirements for every rank are published by Scouting America at scouting.org/programs/cub-scouts/adventures.

Scouts have until the last den meeting of the program year to earn their current rank badge. If something has gotten in the way, talk to the Cubmaster before the end of the school year — we would much rather help than have a Scout miss their rank.

A note about conflicting activities

We know how much sports and other seasonal activities matter to your family. Your Scout leaders have kids in other activities too. Participate as often as you can, even if that means showing up late and still in a soccer uniform. If you need to take a short break from Scouting, our leaders will gladly help your child catch up with the rest of the den.

If you are ever concerned about any part of the program, please talk with your Den Leader or the Cubmaster right away. Pack 526 is committed to offering the best youth program we can.

Bridging to Scouts BSA

The goal of the Webelos and Arrow of Light program is to prepare Scouts to succeed in Scouts BSA, the program for youth roughly 11–17. Our pack bridges its oldest Scouts into their new troop as part of the annual Blue & Gold banquet in late winter. That timing lines up with how troops run their year, so new Scouts join their peers with time to get ready for summer camp.

Pack 526 is affiliated with Troop 506 and Troop 5499.

Uniforms

Scouting is a uniformed organization. We encourage you to get a uniform for your Scout within the first month or two, so they have somewhere to wear the awards that start arriving.

Uniforms make the group easy to identify, give Scouts a place to display the work they've done, and build a sense of unity and pride.

The full official uniform — shirt, hat, neckerchief, slide, and emblems — is known as the Class A or dress uniform, and is the default unless we say otherwise. For outdoor games, hikes, and messy activities we may call for Class B: jeans or shorts with a pack or Scout-themed T-shirt.

What makes up the uniform

The uniform is different for Lions and for Arrow of Light Scouts, and changes color by rank in between:

• Lion (K) — official Lion T-shirt and navy Lion cap, with a navy web belt. Each Lion den decides together whether to wear the neckerchief. There's no uniform inspection for Lions; keep it simple.
• Tiger (1st) — blue uniform shirt, blue hat with an orange front, orange neckerchief and slide, navy belt.
• Wolf (2nd) — blue uniform shirt, hat with a red front, red neckerchief and slide.
• Bear (3rd) — blue uniform shirt, hat with a light blue front, light blue neckerchief and slide.
• Webelos (4th) — blue uniform shirt, green hat and neckerchief in Webelos plaid, plus Adventure Colors on the right sleeve for adventure pins.
• Arrow of Light (5th) — tan uniform shirt with blue shoulder loops, green pants and green web belt, plus Adventure Colors. Hat and neckerchief are optional at this rank.

Buying and caring for the uniform

Uniforms can be bought at scoutshop.org or in person at a Scout Shop, whose staff can outfit your Scout completely. Bring your child's grade, the pack number (526), and their den number — your Den Leader can give you that. If a uniform is ever a barrier for your family, talk to us; the pack keeps outgrown uniforms in circulation.

Patches earned from hikes, camping, fundraising, and other outings may be worn temporarily but are not permanently attached to the uniform shirt. Those patches usually go on a red Brag Vest. For exact placement of everything, see Scouting America's Guide to Awards and Insignia.

The Scout Shop can sew patches on for a small fee. You can also do it yourself — just know that the patches are thick and will break small needles.

Books, Awards & Religious Emblems

Handbooks

Every rank has its own handbook containing the requirements and a place to record progress. Each Scout should own the handbook for their rank and bring it to den meetings.

Awards

The pack pays for and presents awards at pack and den meetings. The pack does not cover the cost of replacing lost awards, and where a Scout can earn the same award more than once, the pack presents it once.

Religious emblems

Duty to God is part of Scouting. Scouting America makes no preference or distinction among faiths, and religious emblems are available for Scouts of many faiths to earn with their own religious leaders. Scouts who earn one are recognized by the pack and may wear the emblem on their uniform — including later, as adult leaders. See the religious emblems program for the emblem offered by your faith.

Activities & Special Events

Beyond den meetings and field trips, a few events anchor every Pack 526 year. So your Scout gets proper credit, please sign up in advance, check in with your Den Leader, and sign in at the event.

Pinewood Derby

Once a year the pack holds a Pinewood Derby. The pack provides every Scout with an official derby kit at least a month before race day. With a parent's help, each Scout designs and builds their car from the materials in the kit, meeting specific weight and size rules. Cars are judged on both speed and design, with awards for the top finishers in each den plus pack-wide honors for speed, design, and several themed categories. Pack champions go on to the district derby. Official rules go out with each kit.

Blue & Gold Banquet

Each year Cub Scouts celebrate the anniversary of Scouting in the United States with a Blue & Gold banquet — a supper, catered or potluck, that the whole family is invited to. It takes the place of the pack meeting for that month.

Graduation & crossover

For our fifth graders, the Blue & Gold banquet is their last night as Cub Scouts. Along with the bridging ceremony for Scouts continuing into a troop, we present graduation "career arrows" recognizing their years in Pack 526.

Pack family campouts

The pack holds family campouts of one to two nights at local campgrounds — typically one in the fall and one in the spring. Please read the camping section before your first one.

District and council events

Our Sweetwater District and the Northeast Georgia Council host full-day Scouting adventures and family camping weekends where Scouts can work on advancement and meet Scouts from other packs. These are also where Cub Scouts can do archery, BB guns, and other range activities that packs aren't permitted to run. We encourage families to take advantage of them — they're announced in pack email and on the calendar.

Dues & Fundraising

Dues

Cub Scouts pay dues to both the pack and to Scouting America's national and council organizations.

• Pack dues pay for the adventures we run: awards (belt loops, pins, and patches), the Pinewood Derby kit, materials and equipment for adventures, food and drinks at meetings, the Blue & Gold banquet, and derby trophies and district race registration.
• Registration fees cover national and council costs — the upkeep of council camps and campgrounds, program resources, youth protection, and accident insurance for approved Scouting activities.

New members pay a one-time joining fee along with their registration. Pack dues run with the school year; registration runs on its own cycle. Current amounts are announced at Roundup and at the start of the program year — ask any member of our leadership team for this year's figures.

Popcorn sales

Each fall the pack takes part in the Trail's End popcorn sale, our major fundraiser. The pack keeps a share of everything sold, and Scouts who participate earn a popcorn patch and other recognition. Popcorn can be sold in person or through the Trail's End app, which also offers nationwide delivery so Scouts can sell to family anywhere.

Fundraising is a genuinely good experience for Scouts — confidence, public speaking, budgeting, a first taste of entrepreneurship. We also know it isn't for every family, so the pack offers a tiered structure in which popcorn sales offset a Scout's dues, up to and including covering them entirely. The Popcorn Kernel publishes the current tiers when the sale opens.

Other fundraisers

The pack may hold other small fundraisers during the year to supplement pack activities. These are announced as they're scheduled.

Staying Informed

• The pack calendar is the current schedule — you can subscribe to it so it stays up to date on your phone.
• The news page carries pack announcements.
• You'll get email from the Cubmaster with what's coming up, plus emails about specific events. Please make sure pack email isn't landing in your spam folder.
• Your Den Leader will tell you how they communicate with your den day to day.

Questions that can't wait? Contact any member of our leadership team.

Health & Safety

All Scouting activities follow Scouting America's national health and safety standards as set out in the Guide to Safe Scouting.

Medical forms

Every participant — Scout, parent, and sibling — needs a current Annual Health and Medical Record on file each year, along with a copy of your insurance card. Turn these in to the pack.

• Parts A & B — required for everyone, and enough for meetings and events under 72 hours.
• Parts A, B & C — needed for events of 72 hours or more, such as summer camp. Part C requires a physical exam.

Two-deep leadership

Two registered adult leaders 21 or over are required at all Scouting activities, including meetings. A registered female adult leader 21 or over must be present for any activity involving female youth.

Youth protection

One-on-one contact between adults and youth is prohibited, in person and online, inside Scouting and out. Any message to a Scout — text, call, chat, or social media — includes another registered leader or the Scout's parent.

Every registered volunteer completes Safeguarding Youth training before joining and renews it every year; a leader whose training lapses cannot re-register. You do not have to be a registered leader to take it — it is free at my.scouting.org, and we encourage every parent to do so.

To report suspected abuse or a youth-protection concern, contact the Scouts First Helpline at 1-844-SCOUTS1 (1-844-726-8781) and local law enforcement. You do not need to go through pack leadership first.

Insurance

Part of every Scout's registration fee pays for accident insurance that supplements your family's own policy if a Scout is injured at a Scouting activity, including while being transported to or from it. When driving, all traffic laws apply, every passenger must wear a properly fitted seat belt, and riding in the back of pickup trucks, flatbed trucks, or trailers is not allowed.

Camping

Cub Scouts camp in an age-appropriate context, and a Scout must have an adult family member with them at all times. If your Scout wants to attend only the daytime portion of a family campout, arrange in advance for another adult to take responsibility for them.

All camping follows Scouting America policy as set out in the Guide to Safe Scouting. At least one adult on every pack overnighter must have completed Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO). Your leaders will review the specific rules for each trip beforehand.

Camping with your own Scout

A parent or legal guardian camping overnight with their own child does not have to be a registered leader. If you're in that situation, national asks two things: read "How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse: A Parent's Guide," printed in the front of every Cub Scout handbook, and be accompanied by a registered leader any time you're with youth other than your own child. Every other adult staying overnight must be a registered leader with current Safeguarding Youth training.

Parents and guardians may share a tent with their own family.

Conduct & Prohibited Items

Drugs, alcohol, and tobacco

Illegal drugs and alcohol are not permitted at any Scouting activity, and anyone under the influence may not participate or be present. Scouting provides a tobacco-free environment for children: no smoking or vaping in the presence of Scouts. If you use tobacco, please do so out of sight of the Scouts and leave the area clean.

Knives

Fixed-blade sheath knives are not allowed at any Scout activity, and Lion, Tiger, and Wolf Scouts do not carry knives at all.

Knife privileges are earned one year at a time, through that year's adventure. A Bear (3rd grade) earns the Whittling adventure to use a knife as a Bear; a Webelos (4th grade) earns Chef's Knife to use one as a Webelos. Knives are used only under direct adult supervision, and a Scout who handles one carelessly loses the privilege until they've been re-taught.

The Cub Scout knife safety rules, which Scouts learn as SASS:

• Stop — make sure no one is within arm's reach.
• Away — always cut away from your fingers and body.
• Sharp — a sharp, clean knife is a safe knife.
• Store — knives closed and put away when not in use.

Archery, BB guns, and firearms

Archery, BB guns, and slingshots are not approved pack activities. Cub Scouts take part in these only at district or council events, day camps, and council camps, under a trained rangemaster. If you see them advertised at a pack-level event anywhere, that event is out of compliance.

Pellet air rifles are limited to Webelos and Arrow of Light Scouts at an accredited long-term camp. Lions may do archery and slingshots at council- or district-run events, but not BB guns. Airsoft is not part of the Cub Scout program.

Firearms are not used by Cub Scouts. Other than on-duty law enforcement officers required to carry, there are no firearms at any Pack 526 activity. Crossbows, potato and air cannons, throwing stars, and similar items are prohibited as well.

Aquatics

All swimming follows Scouting America's Safe Swim Defense plan and all boating follows Safety Afloat. There are no exceptions, and both apply at backyard, hotel, and neighborhood pools just as they do at a lake.

Swimming is supervised by an adult 21 or over who has completed Safe Swim Defense training within the previous two years. Breath-holding contests and competitive underwater swimming are never permitted.

Parent Responsibilities

Pack 526 simply cannot work without you. As a Cub Scout parent, we ask that you:

• Understand the requirements for your child's rank and help them work toward it.
• Make sure your Scout has a uniform and is dressed appropriately for each activity.
• Tell your Den Leader whenever your Scout takes part in a Scouting activity the pack didn't run — day camp, for example — so they get credit.
• Tell your Den Leader when your Scout will be absent or late.
• Volunteer. Be a Den Leader, an assistant, a committee member, or take on one specific event during the year — a banquet, a fundraiser, the derby, a field trip.
• Support the pack's budget by taking part in fundraising. If your schedule makes that impossible, consider a donation instead.
• Complete parts A and B of the Annual Health and Medical Record each year for every family member who will attend outings, and turn it in with a copy of your insurance card.
• Stay with your Scout. Cub Scouting is a family program, not a drop-off activity.

Glossary

Adventure

A themed set of requirements a Scout completes; required and elective adventures together earn the rank.

Adventure Colors

Braided ribbons worn on the right sleeve by Webelos and Arrow of Light Scouts to display Adventure Pins. A pack option, which Pack 526 uses.

Adventure Loop / Adventure Pin

What a Scout earns for each completed adventure — loops for the belt in Lion through Bear, pins for the Adventure Colors in Webelos and Arrow of Light.

Akela

A parent, grandparent, guardian, or other trusted adult who guides a Scout through the program.

Arrow of Light

The Cub Scout rank for 5th graders, and the highest award in Cub Scouting.

Bear

The Cub Scout rank for 3rd graders.

Bobcat

The first adventure every Cub Scout completes, at any rank — the Scout Oath and Law, the sign, salute, and handshake, and a personal safety talk with a parent.

Brag Vest

A red vest for displaying patches earned outside the official uniform requirements.

Chartered organization

The organization that partners with Scouting America to deliver the program — for Pack 526, Cannon United Methodist Church.

Committee Chair

The adult volunteer responsible for the pack's overall planning, who leads committee meetings and keeps communication open with the district, council, and chartered organization.

Cubmaster

The adult volunteer who leads the pack program and runs pack meetings.

Den

A group of about 5 to 10 Cub Scouts in the same grade working toward the same rank.

Den Leader

The adult volunteer who works directly with a den and its Scouts' advancement.

Lion

The Cub Scout rank for kindergarteners.

Pack

All of the dens together.

Scouting America

The national organization, known as the Boy Scouts of America until 2025.

Scouts BSA

The Scouting America program for youth roughly 11 to 17, which Cub Scouts join after Arrow of Light.

Tiger

The Cub Scout rank for 1st graders.

Troop

A group of Scouts in the Scouts BSA program.

Roundup

The fall sign-up event where new families join the pack and dues for the year are announced.

Two-deep leadership

The safety rule requiring two registered adult leaders 21 or over at every Scouting activity, including meetings.

Webelos

The Cub Scout rank for 4th graders; from "WE'll BE LOyal Scouts."

Whittling

The Bear adventure that earns a 3rd grader the privilege of using a pocket knife. Webelos renew that privilege the following year through the Chef's Knife adventure.

Wolf

The Cub Scout rank for 2nd graders.