Program

Annually, we hold a Welcome Back Pack meeting, which is designed to promote the scouts from their last rank to the next rank.

Since Youth Protection is the single most important aspect of Scouts BSA we tackle those requirements first.  In August before any big outings or service projects for the new school year begin, the youth will focus on reviewing the Youth Protection guidelines with their parents.  Siblings often complete those requirements together.  All new adults are strongly encouraged to take the Youth Protection free online course once, and all scout leaders will review and renew their completions of the youth protection courses to make sure they are compliant with their bi-annual requirements.

In September the dens focus on preparing for the fall campout.  The pack meeting will explore different kinds of tents and demonstrate how to set up and take down a variety of tents.

The older dens' meetings will largely focus around scouting and camping skills.  Our new Tiger den will host a meeting for all new scouts in grade 1 and up so they can earn their Bobcat rank in a single meeting.

A big thank you to Villa Park Boy Scout Troop 242 who will accompany us on our Fall Camp Out at Rock Cut State Park where we will see a World War II reenactment.  All registered Cub Scouts and their families are welcome to join us.

The Bear Carnival is an annual tradition for our October pack meeting.  The Bear den creates games of luck and skill and awards prizes.

You can find the Pack at Halloween Happenings, and October is also our first pack service project of the school year.  Historically, we have volunteered with a collaboration of churches to run games for the community at a Trunk or Treat.

Kids and parents alike seem to love LEGO.  Kids and parent's alike seem to love the Pinewood Derby.  This month's pack meeting combines both of those loves into one event.  Build a car in advance and run it, OR come empty handed and assemble your own creation with the pack's LEGOs.

A long time tradition for families of Villa Park is Joyful Traditions.  Ever year Pack 122 sponsors a tree along the Prairie Path for the Joyful Traditions display.  We have a short pack meeting outdoors by our tree and then turn families loose to have fun and this family oriented event.

Did you know that Joyful Traditions was created by Villa Park Cub Scout Pack 33 which merged with Pack 122 about ten years ago?

Our oldest scouts, the AOL den, have completed all of their requirements for their AOL rank at this point.  This is when they "bridge" up to a Scouts BSA troop.  We encourage kids to try Scouts BSA, since they are given much more freedom as they learn scouting skills and leadership under qualified supervision. 

In January we also provide another service project, this time benefiting our Chartered Organization.  The Scouts come to New Hope and spend about an hour taking down the holiday decorations.

January also marks the start of the Religious Emblem program for cub scouts.  New Hope offers the Protestant/Christian religious emblem program through their children's ministry, and scouts of other faiths are encouraged to begin as well.  All materials and awards for the Religious Emblems are provided by the Cub Scouts.

February is when our pack focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (or STEM).    In the last two years we've done Engineering, and Earth Science.  This year's STEM program will be mathematics focused.

Every year we have a pinewood derby for the pack.  We will host a car cutting event in advance, so scouts can prepare their entries.  Our March meeting is where that pinewood derby will take place.  The winners from the Pack have the opportunity to go on to the Chippewa District pinewood derby race.

April is another busy month for the cub scout pack.  Every April for our pack meeting we do a conservation based service project cleaning up Villa Park Trails.

April will also host our Estes Rocket Launch

We have two camping opportunities in April for the Cub Scouts.  Our Pack camp out will take place at our council owned camp, Camp Big Timber in Elgin, but there is also an opportunity for cub scout families to join Troop 199 in Southern Illinois to watch the last Solar Eclipse to cross America for the next 20 years. 

To end our school year we will host our Blue and Gold banquet.  This event will see awards issued to scouts for everything from the Nova Program to their rank advancement.  This is a great conclusion to the year.