Pack 7153 Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How do I register my son for Scouts?
A. For new Scouts, go to Pack7153.com/join click on Join and then follow the Click Here to Register link to sign up for your son for BSA National. Afterwards, we'll reach out and connect you with Pack 7153 and complete Trooptrack login and Pack fees.
Q. My son is not a student at Holy Redeemer. Can he join?
A. Absolutely! We welcome boys from all faiths and schools to our pack. Our Pack is now chartered out of St. Brigid Catholic Church.
Q. My son didn’t join last year. Will he have to do a lot of work to catch up?
A. No. In Cub Scouts your rank is based on your grade in school (1st grade Tiger, 2nd grade Wolf, 3rd grade Bear, 4th-5thgrade Webelos). Your son spends the year working on the achievements for the rank associated with his grade. He doesn’t have to make up the work for the previous ranks.
Q. How often do you meet?
A. There are 2-3 meetings every month. One is the “pack meeting”, in which all of the boys in the pack come together for fun activities, games, skits, and recognition of our achievements. These meetings are held once per month, typically on the second Monday of the month from 6:30pm to 8:00pm.
The other meeting is a “den meeting.” A den is a group of up to 4-10 boys from the same grade. Each den meets on their own, typically 1-2 times per month. These den meetings consist of fun activities usually focused on completing the achievements needed to earn their rank. The meetings are usually held at someone’s home; for special events they may meet at a fire station, museum, or park. Most dens tend to meet on a Sunday afternoon for 90 minutes to two hours, but each den’s parents work with their leader to determine the schedule.
Q. How much time is required?
A. Outside of the pack and den meetings, your son will work on some achievements at home. These typically take about an hour or two per month.
Q. I’ve heard you go camping. Is that required?
A. Participation in the campouts is not required. But enjoying the outdoors is a big part of Scouting, and our pack is no exception. We campout twice per year. For our fall campout, we typically go to Bert Adams Boy Scout camp in Covington. In the Spring, we typically head to the North Georgia mountains at Woodruff.
Both campouts are “drive in” camping, and we have families of all types of camping experience participate and have a great time! Your whole family is welcome, including siblings. You bring your tent and sleeping bags. The pack takes care of the food. During the weekend we have planned activities for the boys, including sports, hiking, fishing, and stargazing. The highlight of the weekend is the Saturday night campfire, in which all the boys perform skits and songs. Parents participate with the boys during the weekend, and also help out with meal prep, cleanup, etc.
Q. Besides camping, do you have any other overnight activities?
A. In the Jan-Feb timeframe we go on a “Big Trip”. This is an overnight outing for all the scouts and their families. We rotate across four destinations: USS Yorktown in Charleston, Cumberland Caverns, the Georgia Aquarium, and Space Camp in Huntsville.
Q. How much does it cost?
There is a Pack fee in addition to the Council fees paid upon online registration. For returning Scouts, there is a single Pack fee of $150 for the entire year (we will pay the BSA renewal.) This covers your son’s handbook, a kit for the Pinewood Derby, a Pack T-Shirt, all food for the campouts, and awards and rank badges.
Your son will need a uniform, which costs about $75. It includes shirt, patches, hat, and belt (we do not require official uniform pants and socks).
Fees for the Big Trip range from $100 to $150 per person. Achieving certain levels of popcorn sales (see below) can help defer some of the cost of the trip.
Q. Is any fundraising involved?
A. Our fall popcorn sales are our one fundraiser. Your son has three different ways to participate. He can sell door-to-door. He can help at one or more of our “Show n' Sells” where we team up and sell at public locations such as Kroger, Lowe’s, and St. Brigid. And he can sell online to family and friends who live out of town. Boys who meet certain fundraising thresholds can cover their own costs for the Big Trip!
Q. What safeguards are there for protecting the Youth?
A. All registered leaders are required to have a background check through Sterling, take/maintain Youth Protection Training, and take/maintain Virtus training through the Archdiocese of Atlanta. Additionally, all leaders have to be known in the community and approved by our Pack leadership. Two deep leadership is required for all activities and all Lion (K) and Tiger (1st) scouts are required to have an Adult Partner present at all activities.