Pack 500
Who is Pack 500? What sort of fun activities do we do? How do we give back to our local community?
Greenway Cleanups
Pack 500 maintains a portion of the Neuse River Greenway. We make sure to do at least one cleanup a quarter and each quarter is hosted by 1-2 Cub ranks. Check the pack calendar for our next scheduled greenway cleanup.
Our segment of the Greenway is located beside the Neuse River, starting closest to the Falls Lake Dam and continuing for ¾ mile towards the Bedford neighborhood. The Greenway goes underneath the new Falls of Neuse bridge.
The parking lot where we will meet is near the old Falls of Neuse bridge which has now been demolished. To get there from Wake Forest United Methodist Church:
- Go on South Main to Capital
- Cross over Capital and continue straight on New Falls of Neuse Road
- Cross over the new bridge over the river and turn right at the first light onto the old Falls of Neuse Road
- Take a right into the Greenway parking lot which is down a length access road
Here are the GPS co-ordinates for use with Google Maps 35.939294,-78.575616. This is on the east side of Old Falls Of Neuse Road. There is a red sign at the entrance of the access road.
Pinewood Derby
"Be Fast... or Look Good Trying"
The pinewood derby is one of the most popular and successful family activities in Cub Scouting. Pinewood derby cars are small wooden models that Cub Scouts make with help from their families. Then they race the cars in competition. The cars are powered by gravity and run down a track. Every Scout can design and build their own “grand prix” car to enter in the race.
Derby Workshops
Each year there are several opportunities to mold and shape a block of pinewood into a mean lean well-decorated racing machine. We announce dates and times for the workshops once we get the parent volunteers lined up who will be supervising the shop tools. The youth are not permitted to use power tools but they are encouraged to design the shape of their cars, sand them, and decorate them accordingly.
Pack Hikes
Each month, our Outdoor Chair, Kevin, hosts a Pack hike at a local park or trail (dates are posted on our Pack calendar). In addition to being a great time to explore our local areas and hang out with other Cub Scout families, there is some awesome recognition that can be earned!
- Five miles – Hiking Stick
- 15 miles – Custom Handle Wrap
- 30 miles – Personalized Engraving
- Bear Claw – Find animal track (dog tracks don’t count!)
- Feather – Find 3 different types of animals (birds, insects, amphibians, oh my!)
- Red Wrap – Hiking First Aid
- Blue Wrap – Recite Outdoor Code or Leave No Trace Principles
- Green Wrap – Pick up trash during hike
- Yellow Wrap – Recruiter – bring a friend to their first hike
Miles carry over for their Cub Scout career and district hikes are encouraged but do not count towards total Pack mileage.
District Hikes
The first Sunday of each month starting at 2pm the Neuse River District hosts a district hike. The event is open to all scouts and their families to come enjoy nature and get some exercise. Come out and meet other scouts and scout families from Pack 500 and other packs throughout the Neuse River District.
New incentive programs have been introduced including the scout getting their very own hiking stick when they complete 50 miles along with a certificate of accomplishment at 25, 50, 75 and 100 miles completed. Find more information on the district hikes on the District Calendar.
Fall Campout
Every Fall in September or October, Pack 500 holds a big campout for all of the Cubs and their families. Over the years, we’ve stayed at multiple campgrounds, including Camp Durant, Camp McNeill and BW Wells. Each campout has a guide to help keep all of your important info in one spot- please go here to take a peek at 2022’s Fall Campout Guide.
Each part of the experience is covered by our awesome leaders and parents, from cooking the meals, running Saturday’s activities, organizing the Saturday campfire program, and our Interfaith Worship Service on Sunday. Since we’re 100% volunteer-powered, we will need your help, so please check with the Cubmaster or your Den Leader to see where you can assist.
Saturday activities may include climbing on the tower at Camp Durant, canoeing, kayaking, and more! We also encourage our Dens to work on an adventure or two (for instance, this is a great opportunity for our Bears to earn the Bear Claws Achievement!)
BTW, camping experience is not needed. All of our seasoned families are here to help with shopping advice and even to help set up a tent. Don’t be afraid to ask! In addition, this campout is covered in your dues, so no additional payment is necessary (the signup that is sent out is only to help with attendance for meal planning and, if necessary, activities.)
Graduation Campout
Every May, Pack 500 holds its biggest campout of the year where all of your Cubs literally cross the bridge to their new rank. This campout is typically hosted at BW Wells to keep it close-by for extended family to be able to participate in the ceremony. Each campout has a guide to help keep all of your important info in one spot- please go here to take a peek at 2022’s Graduation Campout Guide.
Once again, each of the experiences is covered by our awesome leaders and parents, from cooking the meals, running Saturday’s activities, organizing the Saturday campfire program, and our Interfaith Worship Service on Sunday. And, once again, since we’re 100% volunteer-powered, we will need your help, so please check with the Cubmaster or your Den Leader to see where you can assist.
The Graduation Bridging Ceremony kicks off the evening- it’s truly a sight to be seen! Afterwards, we encourage all of our families to enjoy fellowship together with a huge dinner.
Like our Fall Campout, this experience is covered in your dues, so no additional payment is necessary (the signup that is sent out is only to help with attendance for meal planning and, if necessary, activities.)
Occoneechee Council Shooting Sports Camp
Come out and earn a patch and pins having fun shooting dog food from sling shots, recurve and compound bows, and BB guns!!
This event is hosted several times a year by the Occoneechee Council at Camp Durant in Carthage, NC. Pack 500 usually attends the November event.
Occoneechee Council Cuboree
This is a family camping event for Lions, Tigers, Wolves, Bears, and Webelos, hosted each spring by the Occoneechee Council at Camp Durant in Carthage, NC. Activities typically include:
• Shooting Sports
• STEM
• Games
• Geocaching
• Knot Tying
• Low-Rope Courses
• Crafts