Earn the National Summertime Pack Award, because summer’s not the time to hibernate

Just because school classrooms go dark in the summer doesn’t mean Cub Scouting has to.

Extend the fun of Cub Scouting into the year’s hottest season by earning the National Summertime Pack Award.

To be eligible, your pack must hold one activity per month in June, July and August. Do that, and you’ll get a streamer for your pack flag and a certificate suitable for framing.

Youth and adults who participate in all three events earn a nifty pin that can be worn on the right pocket flap of the uniform shirt.

Dens that have at least 50 percent of their youth members at the three summertime events get a den participation ribbon.

Why you should earn this award

I can think of three reasons:

• Summer is the best time to enjoy the great outdoors.
• Kids often have more free time — and fewer scheduled activities — in the summer.
• Packs that offer a year-round program see higher retention numbers.

Things to keep in mind

Many families take long vacations in the summer. Some kids even spend a week or more at grandma’s house in another state.

That’s why attendance at your summertime events shouldn’t be mandatory. And the summer isn’t a great time to get a jump start on the next program year’s adventures. Best not to start the fall with Cub Scouts who have fallen behind.

Instead, plan activities that are optional but exciting. For example, this is a great time to earn a Nova Award.

How to earn the award

Learn more and find an application for the National Summertime Pack Award here. Return the completed form to your council office. Some councils provide recognition at no cost, while others charge a nominal fee for the items.

See the recognition items at ScoutStuff.org.

Further reading

In the May-June 2017 issue of Scouting magazine, Mark Ray has an excellent piece on avoiding those summertime Cub Scout blues.

Earn the National Summertime Pack Award, because summer’s not the time to hibernate