Cub Scout Pack 4480 is recruiting children from kindergarten through fifth grade to join their Pack which serves both Kingston and Plympton. They will be participating in a National Joining Day that will be in conjunction with Troop 4480. Pack leader Ross MacPherson explained the day saying, “We plan to have stations staffed by Boy Scouts of America Scouts to show kids how to tie knots, build a campfire, administer first-aid, and a few other yet to be determined skills responsibly learned in Scouting.”
MacPherson explained that this year, the pack will be covering the cost of dues for all families, an expense that usually totals $90 annually. This leaves just the National fee of $75 and the Council fee of $36 which are used to pay for the administration of the scouting program, insurance, and all associated fees. The dues, which will be covered in full, are what are used to run the pack at a local level including costs associated with adventures, events, and awards. “We don’t turn any scouts away based on an inability to pay; any family with a need should reach out to myself or anyone in the Pack leadership,” MacPherson said.
MacPherson, whose children are in first grade (lion cub) and third grade (bear cub), said he participated in scouting from second grade through high school. “I believe that Scouting teaches both hard and soft skills that are no less necessary today than they were 50 years ago,” he explained. He continued, “I got involved because I wanted to ensure that a local Scouting program was continuing, not only for my boys but for anyone who wanted to join. My goals are to grow the pack and see that it is well positioned for continued success when my boys move on to the BSA Scouts in the 6th grade.”
“Our pack has a diverse leadership group made up of former Eagle Scouts, parents without a scouting background, and female leaders,” MacPherson explained. He also emphasized that scouting is now open to both boys and girls saying that Pack 4480 “welcomes both equally.”
The Pack meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at the Knights of Columbus hall in Kingston. Once there, the scouts split into their age specific dens to work on activities and advancements. “This model was pioneered in our Pack by Brian and Shawn Donnelly and has been well received compared to the older model of individual den meetings at different times and/or locations. It has been particularly well received by parents who have multiple children in the Pack who now have just one meeting for all their children,” MacPherson explained.
Pack 4480 spent an overnight last year on Battleship Massachusetts. “The kids got to explore the ship and experience its history in a unique and meaningful way,” MacPherson explained. Events planned for the coming year include a bike rodeo, multiple campouts, hiking, a pinewood derby, and potentially even an overnight at the Museum of Science.
MacPherson briefly touched upon the more than 92,000 sexual abuse claims that eventually led to the organization filing for bankruptcy. Earlier this summer, most aspects of a compensation plan that would end the Boy Scouts’ Chapter 11 case and settle sexual abuse claims was accepted by a bankruptcy court. “Scouting has come a long way and moved through a very dark chapter,” MacPherson said. He continued, “Fortunately, I didn’t personally experience or see any abuses in my scouting organizations; it was nonetheless a serious breach of trust that we continue to repair. There are multiple safeguards now in place to prevent these things from happening again – specialized training, CORI checks, and two-deep leadership are just a couple of the current requirements.”
Anyone with questions can check out the website pack4480.org or email cubmaster4480@gmail.com.