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Pack 127 has provided an exciting
program for boys aged 6 through 11 (first through fifth grades) for
over 54 years. The Pack is sponsored by First United Methodist
Church at 419 NE 1st Street in Gainesville. It currently
includes about 40 boys from all over Gainesville and surrounding
areas, although most of our boys attend J.J. Finley Elementary
School or P.K. Yonge.
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The purposes of Cub Scouting are
physical fitness, character development, and citizenship. If
you ask a boy, however, he’ll seldom offer these reasons for being a
Cub Scout. Boys have one primary reason to join Cub Scouts,
and that’s to have FUN! Our Pack has a program that provides
boys (and their families) a lot of fun!
The Pack is divided into Dens, which
are groups of boys of the same age, Tiger Cubs is for first graders,
Wolves for second graders, Bears for third graders, and Webelos for
fourth and fifth graders. These dens participate in
age-appropriate activities under the direction of adult volunteers
called Den Leaders. These Dens typically get together weekly
for meetings or activities, often in the Scout log cabin at First
United Methodist Church, where they learn Scouting skills, and do
outdoor activities, arts and crafts, play games, and have fun.
Once a month, all the dens meet
together for a Pack Meeting, typically on a Sunday afternoon at 4:00
pm, at the First United Methodist Church Fellowship
Hall. These Pack meetings are for the whole family, and
include presentation of awards and advancements that the Cubs have
earned, plus songs, skits, and other fun activities. The Pack
also runs activities and campouts, including an annual Blue and Gold
Banquet in February, the Pinewood Derby race in March, a Water Fun
Day in May, a Pizza and Pool Day in August, as well as participating
in family fishing events and several campouts throughout the year. During the past year,
for example, we’ve camped at the Alachua District’s Possum Creek
Campout in September and Camp Buc Tuocs
in February, plus
we’ve had Pack campouts at Camp Shands just south of
Melrose. Our district sponsors a Cub Scout Day Camp in July. We
also participate in service projects during the year, such as the
holiday pond lighting at North Florida Regional Medical Center in
December and the
Great Air Potato Roundup in January. Our Pack’s active
program consistently earns the Quality Unit award and Summertime
Pack award. | 
