Cub Scouts Weather the COVID Storm as Scouts Should 

The Fallon Rotary Club sponsors the local Cub Scout Pack 38 and recently heard a report from pack leaders Misty Thibodaux and Debbie Lund. 

 “We have a lot of fun,” said Lund, “Cub Scouts is there to help the boys and girls to promote character development and make them overall good citizens. We care a lot about these kids.” The group serves scouts from kindergarten to fifth grade.  

According to Lund, these past 16 months have been extremely difficult. The club went from 56 boys to 18. The regular fundraising efforts bring in about $6,000 each year, and last year local Cub Scouts raised only $800. There are five boys who cannot afford the dues, so the club covers the costs at $200 per child.  

“Those five kids are involved and they’re there every month working, so we aren’t going to turn them away,” she said.  

The Cub Scouts learn “to help other people,” said Lund, and last year painted the animal shelter. They also held a bike rodeo in the West End parking lot and got to meet the local bicycle police officer. They toured the fire department and distributed food to low-income families and seniors. 

Lund said that project was very successful, with scouts holding food drives and then organizing everything for distribution, setting it up like a store at the senior housing complex. 

Additionally, they sponsor the flags for the Veterans Cemetery and have participated in the Kindness Rock project – placing painted rocks at Laura Mills Park for people to find.  

During COVID, the group got creative and held virtual, online meetings. Although not as fun as in person, they did get the chance to see each other’s pets which would not have happened at an in-person meeting.   

Several of the scouts are bridging to the Boy Scout program through the “Arrow of Light” and Lund said the club continues to focus on loyalty to country and God and morals.  

Steve Endacott, Rotary member who is involved in Boy Scout troop 1776, sponsored by Epworth United Methodist Church said his club is a beneficiary of the work done by Pack 38. “Not only do you send us great boys, but you also raise great parents.” Lund and Thibodaux think it is important that parents participate and that continues on through the Boy Scouts.  

For more information on scouting or to join a local pack, contact [email protected].