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LDS Cub Scout Packs


DigitalScout

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At our monthly Cub Scout parent meeting last night, someone mentioned that in LDS packs, only LDS members are permitted to be in leadership positions (Cubmaster, Committee Chair, Treasurer, etc.). In other words, non-LDS parents cannot serve on the pack committee. Is this true?

 

What other special requirements or restrictions do LDS Cub Scout packs have?

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This is not true. As an LDS scouter, I can assure you that non-LDS are permitted to serve in any position withing the Cub Scout Pack. HOWEVER, the chartered organizational representitive takes an active interest in all leaders. Most of the leaders, in most of the LDS packs, were "called" to their positions. Effectively, they were "invited" to "volunteer."

 

If you wish to volunteer for a position on the pack committee, I am sure that you will be welcomed with open arms, but it is entirely possible that the bishop will want to interview you. All bishop's are different. He might already know you well enough that he feels confident signing your volunteer registration application, but most bishops take their resposibility in this respect quite seriously.

 

I am not currently serving in an LDS pack. My LDS pack didn't have a tiger cub group, so I joined the school pack. It is chartered by the Kiwanis. I was really surprised when our chartered organizational representative signed our volunteer registration applications without having any idea who the volunteers are. I'm ot complaining, but it is very different from what I was used to.

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To your second question: what other restrictions do LDS Cub Scout packs have? I will answer that Cub Scouts are not allowed to go to resident camp, only day camp or family camp. Our council lets all the parents come to resident camp. If they did, if all the parents came, would that make it a family camp? I don't know. If I were still in the LDS pack, I would probably try it. :)

 

Most LDS Cub Scouts do not participate in fund raisers. The chartered organization is supposed to pay for everything (awards), but camp is usually too much for the ward budget, so they often do a fund raiser for that. There are no dues collected. When I was a den leader in an LDS pack, I was told not to do anything from the academics and sports program because we didn't have enough money to buy the belt loops. :( I'm sure that varies from one pack to another.

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It sounds like this question is in regards to the local option. Pros have told me that the sponsoring institution owns the unit and the SI can decide on who can be the leaders among other things.

 

Believe it or not, there are units out there that will only take on members who belong to a particular religious denomination. There are also units who will only take on members from the particular school the unit is chartered to and will only allow teachers from the schools to be leaders. There are even ethnic units which have the requirement that a member (including leaders) must speak their language. And I am sure that there are some LDS units who will only accept LDS members period.

 

The local option has been around a long time now.

 

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Also LDS pack still use the pre August 1982 three year Cub Scout Program ( Wolves =3rd grade, Bears=4th rgade, and Webelos = 5th grafe) and no Tigers.
Not exactly.

 

LDS Scouting is completely integrated into the church's youth program. It goes strictly by age, and not by grade. There is no Tiger program in LDS because boys do not start in the Scouting program until their baptism at age 8. They then enter the "Primary" Scouting program as a Wolf Cub Scout. On their 9th birthday they move to Bears, 10th to Webelos. On their 11th birthday they are registered with the Boy Scout Troop as 11-Year-Old Scouts. On their 12th birthday they enter the Aaronic Priesthood Young Mens Scouting program as a Boy Scout. At 14 they join a Varsity Team. At 16 they join a (all male) Venturing Crew.

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Any unit should be happy to have any parent involved in the program. LDS Pack Leaders are called as described in an earlier post and the LDS handbook on scouting is also correctly referenced. You do not have to be LDS to be a leader in an LDS PAck. However, The COR and Executive Head (Bishop) have the final say in Pack Leadership. I am sure if you spoke witht the Bishop he would gladly accept your help.

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