Canfield Cub Scout Pack 115 Joins National Family Scouting Program to Welcome Girls and Boys into Cub Scouts

    CANFIELD, OH, May 17, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Recently, Boy Scouts of America's Great Trail Council invited all area Cub Scout Packs to consider inviting girls into their Cub Packs into the new Family Scouting Program. Canfield Cub Scouts Pack 115 knew it was a natural fit for both their Cub Scout Pack 115, and the family-focused Charter Organization St. Michael's Church, and signed on.

At Canfield Cubs Scouts Pack 115 it isn't a new thing to see girls attending Cub Scout meetings with their brothers, and working alongside the other members of the Den and Pack. So, when given the opportunity to launch a Family Scouting Cub Scout Pack where those siblings could be officially included in activities seemed natural. Much like St. Michael's family-friendly Generations of Faith Program, Cub Scouts is now one of the few places in our community designed to bring families together.

"This has been an exciting year for us at Pack 115," said Cubmaster and Eagle Scout Patrick Kelly. "It will be a year of firsts for us. We started the year inviting kindergartener's to join us in the new Lion's program. Now, we're ending the year joining the Family Scout movement which will open Cub Scouts to girls."

Family Scouting is a natural evolution of the demands of our modern life where parents and families have fewer hours together and are often asked to choose to spend precious family hours in separate meetings, organizations and programs.

More than one-third of parents feel they spend too little free time with their kids, driving many families to look for opportunities to spend more together.

"Now by joining a Family Scout program like ours, parents who have multiple school-aged children can be a part of one organization focused on helping youth develop critical leadership and ethical value" said Stef Williams, Pack 115 adult volunteer and Pack Lion Guide.

As a completely volunteer-run organization, Canfield Cub Scouts Pack 115 and Cub Scouts, BSA focus on offering training to all background-screened adults to help them learn and deliver the Cub Scout program.

To help introduce their Family Scouting program to interested parents of all elementary-school aged youth in the Canfield area, Cub Scouts Pack 115 is hosting a Meet The Pack Picnic on May 30. The picnic will include a food, fun, an overview of how the pack works and an opportunity for interested members to join the unit. The public is invited to attend, and can RSVP for location specifics and a personal invite. All families of interested elementary-age boys and girls are invited to attend.

Looking forward to 2019, Cub Scouts Pack 115 and St. Michael's church are recognized that a stand alone Cub Scout Family Scouting program wasn't enough. So, the St. Michael's Scouting community will sponsor one of the Mahoning Valley's first, girl-led Scout Troop of Scouts, BSA starting in February 2019.

"Just like boys currently are able to go into a Scout Troop at age 11, we wanted a long-term Scouting plan for both our girl and boy Cub Scouts to follow beyond fifth-grade when Cubs graduate from the Cub Scout program," says Eagle Scout and Charter Organization Representative Dr. Jack LeBrun.

Dr. LeBrun, who has been in Scouting for over 62 years since he started as a Cub Scout continued on to say, "I am happy that girls coming into Canfield Cub Scouts Pack 115 will have the same Scout opportunities to continue on their Scout journey, including the opportunity to earn an Eagle Scout award."

"Canfield Scouts, BSA Troop 8115 will officially become an active unit for all interested girls age 11-18 in February 2019, including those first Cub Scout girls who will cross-over from Cub Scout Pack 115," says Pack 115 Committee Chair and one of the founding Troop 8115 volunteers, Steph Kelly.

Any parent to a girl or boy interested in learning more about Pack 115's Family Scouting Program is welcome to reach out to [email protected] or let us know you want to join a meeting to get date and location details.

About Cub Scouts Pack 115
Cub Scout Pack 115 runs a year-round program serving girls and boys from five years old to fifth grade in a family-friendly Family Scouting Cub Scouts program. Pack 115 is led by dedicated, highly trained and BCI-background check cleared, volunteer leaders. Our dedicated Pack Volunteers lead Cub Scouts and families in fun, a respect for nature, valuable lessons, help learn citizenship, and develop physical fitness. Membership is always open, families are embraced in activities with their Scout and siblings. Boys in grades six through 18 years of age looking for a Scouting home, are encouraged to reach out to St. Michael's Troop 115 which is open to all interested young men. Girls interested in learning more about joining Troop 8115 in February, may sign up for more information and to be contacted directly.

About St. Michael's Parish
St. Michael Parish of Canfield, Ohio is known for a child-friendly worship culture and follows a kid-friendly focus to "welcome our children of all ages and give a smile of encouragement." Dedicated to children throughout it's ministries, St. Michael's parish is also a strong support of Scouting, including Cub Scout Pack 115 and Scout Troop 115 and the future all-girl Scout Troop 8115.

About Great Trail Council and The Boy Scouts of America
Great Trail Council Boy Scouts of America. 100 years ago a group of like-minded leaders gathered with the intent of forming a council to serve the youth of the area an excellent scouting program. As a result of their efforts today the council serves over 8,000 youth in Ohio including Summit, Portage, Medina, Trumball, Mahoning and Northern Wayne Counties.

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