Communication

All pack, den, and parent committee announcements are sent by email. We use a system called Scoutbook to maintain the email lists. You must login to Scoutbook at least once before you can start receiving communications.

If you aren’t receiving pack email notifications:

• Login to Scoutbook and check your account profile to make sure the contact information is correct and that you have not opted-out communications

• Add Scoutbook.DoNotReply@scouting.org to your email address book so that the emails will not be discarded or sent to the spam folder

• Contact the pack advancement chair or pack leaders at info@pack421austin.org for assistance

ONLINE Tools

Scoutbook
Our pack manages pack and den calendars, member rosters, and advancement in Scoutbook, an online website for managing Scouting groups. Your den leader may ask for your help with signing off advancement in Scoutbook, especially for any requirements completed at home. If you need help using Scoutbook, reach out to your den leader or the pack advancement chair.

Pack 421 Online Store
Pay for camping and overnight trips, registration, t-shirts, and more.

Youth Protection Resources

Youth Protection: A Parent's Guide
As a requirement for each Cub Scout rank, a parent must have a conversation with their scout about the five youth protection topics, which can be found midway through the pamphlet linked above. A typical conversation of all five topics lasts about 15 to 20 minutes and can be calibrated to the age and maturity of your scout when it is repeated each year. In the first year, we suggest you read through the exercise topics on your own before beginning the conversation with your scout.

Protect Yourself (videos and adventures)
Also in every Cub Scout rank there is a requirement for the scout to watch the 15- to 20-minute Protect Yourself video for their grade level OR complete the Protect Yourself adventure with their den. Most dens in Pack 421 do not do the Protect Yourself adventures in den meetings, so it is normally up to the scout to watch the video at home with a parent.

Youth Protection Training (YPT)
Every parent who attends an overnight trip, must complete Youth Protection Training—an online course which takes approx. 72 minutes to complete.

Medical Form

BSA Medical Form (parts A, B1, B2)
A completed copy of the BSA Medical form parts A, B1, and B2, signed by a parent, must be given in hardcopy to the camp Medic when arriving at any campout, overnight trip, or Scout summer camp. This form is good for 12 months, so after you turn in your forms at the first overnight, the pack will keep it on file for the rest of the year.

Click here for more information about BSA annual health and medical record requirements.

Pro Tip: The medical form PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader can be filled out electronically and the file saved to your local computer. This makes it easier to update the information and print new copies each year.

Financial Resources

The cost of scouting shouldn’t be a barrier for any family. If you have a child who wants to join our pack but finances are a problem, there are ways we can support you.

For example, we can loan tents, sleeping gear, and more for camping. And we can set up payment plans for dues or activity fees. We do ask that scouts who receive assistance be active in our fundraising efforts, as that is how our unit is able to help.

Our parent organization, the BSA Capitol Area Council, offers scholarships for registration, uniform, and camp fees. These financial help programs require applications and can be complicated to navigate because they go through old-fashioned, paper processes. But if you want to take advantage of these programs, we are willing to work through it with you.

Please reach out to our treasurer to ask about payment plans. Contact your den leader for help with loaner gear. Speak privately with our Cubmaster or Committee Chair to discuss other forms of assistance or for any general questions related to cost.

BSA Council FACILITIES

Frank Fickett Center & Scout Shop
This is home to our Council and District offices, as well as the Steve Matthews Scout Shop where uniforms and handbooks can be purchased. The shop also offers sewing services. Many events are held at this BSA-owned facility.

Scout Shop hours and info

Lost Pines Scout Reservation
A beautiful Council-owned camp with nearly 400 acres on north shore of Lake Bastrop is home to summer camps and many training programs. There is an area dedicated to Cub Scouts called Cub World or “Camp Tom Wooten”. Click here for a property map, including camp site names.