Cub Scouts return to Conotton Valley with launch of new Pack 146

Debbie Gooding served as treasurer for her son’s Cub Scout pack more than 20 years ago. When the pack disbanded, she continued to steward the bank account, holding onto the funds in hopes they would one day be useful again.

“It’s been a while. There wasn’t any pack for a long time, so there was no place for those funds to go and nobody to work with that. So it just stayed in the pack,” Gooding said. “I talked with the Scouts to remind them those funds were there and then he said he was working on hopefully getting a pack set up. It’s exciting to me to know there’s finally some movement.”

With Gooding’s prompting, Scouting America sent a representative to Conotton Valley Elementary to see if there was interest. Parent Mika Sullivan decided to spearhead the project after her son excitedly told her he’d heard about it at school, “Because we’re in such a small area, we’re trying to bring some eyes to it so people know it’s happening,” Sullivan said. “I thought it sounded like a lot of responsibilities I didn’t expect but all of the parents took many hours of online training to prepare for this.”

According to Scouting America, Cub Scouts programs are, “all about encouraging boys and girls to make friends, be helpful to others, and do their very best no matter the outcome. With the help of powerful learning projects and exciting outdoor activities, we aim to teach children that doing their best can be a fun and rewarding experience—no matter the difficulty of the challenge.”

Cub Scouts are open to boys and girls, kindergarten through fifth grade. It’s split up into grade levels from kindergarten Lions up to fifth grade Arrow of Light. The cubs will hold fundraisers, go on camping and fishing trips, visit fire and police stations, and provide many more educational opportunities. Sullivan said the program helps “make everyone a better person.”

The pack held their first meeting at the end of September with seven kids attending. Because of the small size, all the age groups met together. They will meet every Monday at 338 S. Church St. in Sherrodsville from 6-7 p.m.

Sullivan’s husband, Dustin, is helping run the pack along with their friend Alesha Lawver and others, “It’s kind of all of us parents,” Sullivan said. “My husband and I are kind of leading our son’s age group. Alesha helped me with the last meeting, getting into the swing of things. We’re all still learning how it works.”

Sullivan said she is excited to see how the pack progresses and hopes to increase interest and growth of membership, “We always recommend more hands. It gives more opportunities.”

For more information on how to join, visit scouting.org and look for pack 146.