lions Archives - Cub Scout Pack 279

It’s Official: Lions are Here to Stay

By Michael Fedor | February 26, 2018

The Boy Scouts of America have announced that the Lion pilot program was such a success that it has been officially converted to a permanent scouting rank and den, along with an official uniform, belt loop adventures, and neckerchief and slide. That means this fall Cub Scout Pack 279 will once again offer a Lion Den to kindergarten age children (That’s 5 years of age on or before September 1, 2018).

And as we announced last week, Cub Scout Pack 279 is now a Family Scouting Pack. That means the Lion Rank will be open to boys and girls in kindergarten.

The uniform for Lions will be an activity Class B Pack 279 T-Shirt, available for purchase when your Lion joins the Pack in September. They will also wear a Lion rank hat and earn their gold neckerchief and slide.

The Lion Adventures will be belt loops earned like other Scout ranks: with the guidance and help of an adult partner. The Adventure loops will include 5 required adventures and completing 1 or more of 7 electives in a range of age appropriate topics like Fun on the Run!, Animal Kingdom, Gizmos and Gadgets, Ready, Set, Grow, and more. Loops are worn on the official Cub Scout belt as part of the uniform.

Lions who earn their rank will wear it on their Class B t-shirt. Once they advance to Tiger Den, the scout will earn a Lion Rank Bar that will be worn on the lower left of their Class A (Field Uniform) below the diamond of den ranks.

The goal of the leaders of Pack 279 is to carry out the mission of the Boy Scouts of America. We provide an educational program for children to build desirable qualities of character, to train in the responsibilities of participatory citizenship and to develop personal fitness. The scouts of Pack 279 learn leadership skills while taking part in many activities and community projects.

We have a year-long program where our scouts have the opportunity to camp, hike, learn, and cook and have other rewarding outdoor adventures 12 months a year. Highlights of our pack include going to Boy Scout camps in the area, visiting local parks, hiking on the Appalachian Trail and at Hawk Mountain, racing in the Pinewood Derby, holding the annual Blue and Gold Banquet, attending Hershey Bears and Harrisburg Senators games, snow tubing, performing community service projects, and running the annual Raingutter Regatta. Pack 279 is chartered by St. James Presbyterian Church on Orr’s Bridge Road in Mechanicsburg. We partner with Boy Scout Troop 276, which is also chartered at St. James. We are grateful to be affiliated with these organizations and look forward to continue to strengthen these relationships in the future.

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Join the Lion Den!

By Michael Fedor | August 25, 2017

So you successfully completed the first week of kindergarten and you are thinking you want to try out a fun, valuable, and rewarding after school program with your boy. Look no further; the Lion Den Program at Cub Scout Pack 279 has a program for you.

Last year, the Lion Den Pilot Program was offered to kindergarteners in Cub Scout Pack 279. We had 10 kindergarteners begin the program in September 2016 and 90% of them completed their Lion Rank, earned their Lion Badge, and advanced to become Tigers by June 2017.

The Lion program is back in 2017-18. It continues to be a Pilot Program and Cub Scout Pack 279 – a Gold Level Journey to Excellence Unit – was selected to offer the pilot for a second consecutive year. The Den will meet on the First and Third Sunday of every month beginning Sunday, September 17th. If you want to learn more or want to enroll your scout, come to Parent Info Night or the First Pack Meeting.

So what is the Lion Rank and what will the boys do if they join?

Lion Rank Program Structure

Each Lion Scout attends a Den meeting twice a month. Meetings are no longer than 45 minutes total in length. Like Tigers (First Grade), the Lion Scouts complete their adventures and electives alongside their parent or guardian or participating adult (grandparents welcome!). Adventures are completed at the Den meetings (no homework).

Lions is fundamentally an introduction to Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. Here are some of the fun activities we’ll do in 2017-18 as a Den:

Attend Pack Meetings together with the other dens
Earn Wampum Beads for being good scouts
Collect food for a local food bank
Go Christmas caroling at a Senior Living community
Explore a local zoo together
Meet a police officer
Explore the value of independence such as tying your own shoes and learning to dress yourself
Playing games with rules together
Taking turns
Being respectful
Exploring the outdoors
Attending family camp outs and outings with the rest of the Cub Scout Pack 279

Requirements for Lion Scouts in Cub Scout Pack 279

Attend Den meetings September – May twice a month for 45 minutes with an adult partner
Attend at least 3 pack meetings (held monthly)
Wear the Pack 279 “Class B T-Shirt” to all events (The BSA Lion Scout T-Shirt and cap are not required)
Do your best
Have fun
Complete 5 adventures and 1 elective. Last year the Den completed 5 adventures and 5 electives together.
Complete the enrollment paperwork and pay the $55 dues. Lion Scouts are not required to sell popcorn.
Lion scouts will be invited to try the Pinewood Derby for fun! (with fewer rules than other scouts)
Lion scouts will be welcome at all Pack Family events and outings
Lion scouts will complete one community service project with the Den.

Lion Program FAQ

Here is a helpful Lion Program FAQ prepared by the Boy Scouts of America. You’ll find it helpful as you explore whether or not to give Lion Scouts a try.

Here’s where to find the enrollment paperwork to join the Lion Den of Cub Scout Pack 279.

Lion Den Recruiting for 2017-18

By Michael Fedor | July 26, 2017

The Lion Den application is in, and upon approval by the New Birth of Freedom Council, Pack 279 will begin recruiting kindergarten age boys to be part of our Lion Den in the 2017-18 scouting year. Last year, Pack 279 successfully advanced 9 Lion Scouts to become Tigers in the inaugural class of Lions. Serena Fedor served as our Lion Guide last year and has moved on to serve as the Lion Den Leader.

Michael Fedor – Assistant Cub Master and last year’s Assistant Lion Guide – is back this year to help get the program off the ground again. He will be helping to recruit our next Lion Guide and providing the den with the support and guidance we found worked so well in 2016-17. He has also spoken with Packs across the Council, bringing some of their ideas and successes to our own program this school year.

If you are a parent or guardian of a kindergarten age student in the Easter Cumberland County area and want to know more about Cub Scouting in Pack 279, plan to attend a Parents Information Night at St. James Church on Thursday, September 7, 2017 at 7 PM.

Congrats on Advancements!

By Michael Fedor | June 9, 2017

More than 70 cub scouts of Pack 279 were recognized on June 4, 2017 for earning their ranks. Lions became Tigers. Tigers became wolves. Wolves advanced to Bears. Bears bridged over to become Webelos. We are so proud of their accomplishments and can’t wait to see the incredible service projects, hikes, and fun we have together in 2017-18!

Tag: lions