Thursday, October 1, 2026
79 ° Clear
79 ° Clear
Is it possible to have too much fun? The response from Cub Scout Pack 802 is a resounding ‘No!’
The pack has been busy all summer long with activities and learning opportunities.
They kicked off the summer by participating in Huntingdon Valley’s Memorial Day Parade.
“The parade is a standard service project for these kids every year,” pack leader Tom Williams said. “In the Boy Scouts, the kids get merit badges but in Cub Scouts they get adventure loops that they can put on their belts. For them to earn their rank they need to complete seven adventures each year.
“They can do more, of course. My son (Shane) did 17 last year. He bangs out five just at day camp.”
They also attended a Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs game and had a swim party at the Newtown Athletic Club’s outdoor pool.
For eight-year-old Henry Dennis, it’s all been a blast.
“I’ve really been having fun,” said Dennis, a third grader at Pine Road Elementary School. “I really like going to the Iron Pigs and camping is fun and so is swimming.”
The week of July 20-24 is Summer Camp week, a day camp held at Pennypack Community Center in Hatboro.
They have an upcoming adventure in August, when the pack will go to Valley of Fear for a Tree Trails adventure on a man-made climbing course.
“We did it last year and the kids wanted to do it again this year, so we made that happen,” Williams said. “Right after Labor Day we’ll go right back into our normal program and we have a 911 project.
“In the summertime we kind of slow down a little bit but there’s still plenty for them to do. We go year-round. Some packs stop and just promote day camp in the summer but I try to keep things going so there’s always something.”
“Everything we do in our program is family-based,” Williams added. “It’s not just the child; it’s the mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, your favorite uncle — everyone can come."
“We like to have parents come in and speak. One of the dads is an electrician and he spoke to the pack about how electricity gets in their house and we did STEM projects based on electricity," Williams explained.
His wife, Traci Sullivan, is a nurse at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and she had a doctor speak to the pack.
“We made stretchers and learned how to make splints and the next meeting we made first aid kits,” she said. “I think they got a lot out of that and basic first aid is a valuable skill.”
Once kids age out of the pack, they are eligible to move on to a Boy Scout Troop.
“Everything we teach, everything we do is designed to build a foundation for them to move on to the troop,” Williams said. “The other thing is that they are learning basic life skills that they can use.
“We had a situation where one of the girls in our pack got separated from her parents and she’s in Kindergarten. She remembered what we taught her, to find an adult, and she went and found one and they were able to help her find her parents and she was able to navigate that because she had that information.”
Amelia Smith, age 7, is homeschooled so this is an opportunity for her to spend time with peers.
“This is where I meet my friends,” she said. “It’s fun. There’s too many fun things to say that I like best and we learn stuff, like what to do when there’s a fire.”
Jayden and Oliver Thomas are brothers who joined together. Jayden is entering fifth grade and Oliver is going into fourth grade at Anne Frank Elementary School.
“The best part for me is the swimming but I’ve learned a lot and I think I’m more disciplined and overall just better at stuff since I joined,” said Jayden, age 10. “They have different people come to talk to us, like doctors, and that’s really fun. We’re learning important things and we don’t always learn these things at school.
“I would tell someone who’s thinking about joining that they should do it.”
For Oliver, age 9, it’s all about socializing.
“I have a lot of friends here and that’s what I like,” he said.
Their father, George, sees the positive impact the pack has on his boys.
“They’re socializing and meeting new kids,” he said. “They’re definitely learning new things. They just learned about tying knots and that was a new thing. They’ve learned how to use a knife safely, really just a lot of things that are good to know and as a parent, you’re not even thinking about teaching but the Scouts are and I’m really thankful for that.
“I would recommend this to other parents 100% — it’s been so worthwhile.”
Williams is a former Eagle Scout.
“The advantages of scouting are building confidence from day one,” he said. “You start learning life skills that will benefit you throughout your life. You make friends and have a community from day one. You are learning skills that might not be taught at home or in your school.
“We welcome everyone, regardless of your denomination, if you have a disability, if you’re just shy, none of that matters here. Everyone can join the fun.”
Pack 802 is open to boys and girls, Kindergarten through fifth grade. New members may join any time. Meetings are held at St. Albert the Great Church, 212 Welsh Road in Huntingdon Valley. For more information or to join, visit pack802satg.wixsite.com/home.
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