About Pack 495

Pack 495 has been serving Durham youth continuously since 1963!
We are a GOLD-level unit in BSA’s Journey to Excellence Program, which recognizes the performance and success of our pack.
We have over 15 trained and dedicated adult leaders who help run the pack.
All leaders are background checked and fully trained in Youth Protection
We are a "Family Pack" where both boys and girls are welcome!
Membership ranges between 35 - 55 Scouts, depending on whether or not our AOL Scouts have graduated to Boy Scouts

I'm ready to join! What are the next steps?

Whether you are ready to join or you just want to check us out, drop us a note at cubmaster@durhampack495.org, then just come to a den or Pack meeting. We'll meet you there and describe the next steps.

When and where do you meet?

The cubs meet together, within their age level, as individual Dens, in den meetings, three times a month on Thursday evenings. Once a month, all Dens meet as a Pack, in pack meetings, generally held on the 4th Thursday of the month. Den and Pack meetings run September through May. In addition, we usually have at least one pack-wide activity each month on a weekend. During the summer months we have one event each month. Lion Cubs will only meet twice per month at a time to be agreed upon by the Parents of the Lion Den Scouts. They will participate in age appropriate Pack wide events.

Den Meetings

Dates: Any 1st, 2nd or 3rd Thursdays of the month (Lion Cubs may only meet in dens once a month)
Time: 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM (Times may differ for Lion cubs)
Location: The American Legion Post 416
Address: 5419 S Alston Ave, Durham, NC 27713

Pack Meeting

Dates: Any 4th Thursday of the month
Location: Triangle Grace Church (Gym)
Time: 7:00 PM - 8:15 PM
Address: 5001 Tudor Place, Durham, NC 27713

Who can join Pack 495?

Cub Scouts is for boys and girls who are in Kindergarten through 5th grades. Kids who are 5 or 6 and are in Kindergarten, can join as a Lion in our Lion Cub Program. 1st graders can join as a Tiger; 2nd graders make up Wolf Dens; 3rd graders make up Bear Dens, and 4th and 5th grades make up Webelos and Arrow of Light Scouts.

Can girls be in cub scouts?

Yes! Pack 495 and our Charter organization, Parkwood United Methodist Church, have taken the lead in South Durham to register our pack as a "Family Pack." This means we are now actively recruiting girls! This is an exciting change for our organization. More details.

Can my child play sports and do cub scouts?

Teaching physical fitness and sportsmanship is one of the main goals of Scouting, and we encourage our cubs to participate on sports teams and other athletics. Additionally, cubs will earn awards and recognition for their participation in sports activities. If you have a firm commitment to sports on a Thursday night, you can either work with the den leader to stay caught up at home, or consider joining Pack 486, which meets on Tuesday nights.

How much does scouting cost?

Each September, families pay only $65, per cub, for the year’s registration. This covers registration with BSA, Pack 495 Unit patch, rank patches and other awards. It also helps cover admittance to most of the activities throughout the year for the Scouts and their families. For pack events such as camping or trips, there is typically an extra fee of $5-10 to help cover costs such as food.

The Pack offers scholarships for one or more Scouts whose families may not be able to afford the fees. All families are responsible for purchasing the Cub Scout uniform, rank handbook, and Pack t-shirt.

There are various fundraising events throughout the year which help to keep the fees low. Scouts can help the pack raise money by participating in these events.

What kinds of activities will my son or daughter do with Pack 495?

A typical event schedule for the year includes:

Make lots and lots of friends
Rockin’ Rocket Reunion
Raingutter Regatta
Fall Fishin’ Frenzy
Family Camping at Falls Lake
Summer Camp at Rock Quarry Park
Scout Night at Durham Bulls with campout
End of Summer Pool Party
Kickball Kickoff
Scout Night at Duke Football with campout
Community Service: Fall PUMC Clean Up Day
Halloween Hoot
Great Pumpkin Smash / Treerunner Adventure Park
Service Project: Fall Creek Cleanup
Rock Climbing
Sleep Aboard the USS Yorktown
Pinewood Derby
Scout Sunday
Blue and Gold Banquet
Pack Indoor Overnighter (Games/Movie/Sleepover)
Community Service: Spring PUMC Clean Up Day
Service Project: Spring Creek Cleanup
Spring Family Camping at Jordan Lake
Pack Meetings: Mad Science, Duke Life Flight, Junk Jam with Durham Scrap exchange, Catapults, talent show, and many, many more fun adventures!