BSA National Council
The Boy Scouts of America is run by the BSA National Council.
Annual registration fees and Boy’s Life fees fund the BSA National Council.
The BSA National Council is divided into 4 regions, which are subdivided 24 areas, which are further subdivided into 308 Councils.
22 Councils are in Illinois.
Councils are subdivided into Districts, which are further subdivided into Units of three types: Cub Scouts (boys 7-10), Boy Scouts (boys 11-17), and Venturing Crews (boys and girls 14-20).
Northeast Illinois Council
Our Northeast Illinois Council (NEIC), covering Lake County and Northern Cook County,is one of the 10 largest in the nation.
Annual Friends of Scouting contributions and popcorn sales fund NEIC.
NEIC runs the Scout shop, summer camps, and events such as museum and planetarium sleepovers as well as sporting events.
NEIC has 13 salaried professional staff. We primarily interact with our District Director and District Executive.
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North Star District
NEIC is divided into 3 Districts: Aptakisic, Patawatami, and our North Star District.
North Star is a mega-District, one of the largest in the nation, larger than many Councils.
We fund the North Star District by paying fees for District events.
District events include Cub Scout Winter Challenge, Webelos Klondike, Cubmobile, Webelos Woods, and camp-o-rees.
The District hosts Round Table at Millburn Central each month, where Pack, Troop, and Crew adult leaders exchange ideas and design upcoming District events.
We primarily interact with our Unit Commissioner.
The North Star District serves 3,431 youth in 103 Units.
There are 2,323 Cub Scouts in 55 Packs, 969 Boy Scouts in 32 Troops, and 139 Venturers in 15 Crews and 1 Sea Scout Ship.
1,410 adults volunteer as Unit and District leaders.
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Charter Organization - Millburn Church
Each Unit is owned by a charter organization.
Millburn Congregational United Church of Christ is the chartered organization for Pack 87, Troop 87, and Crew 87.
We support the church with an annual aluminum can drive, Scouting for Food donations, and occasional service projects.
The church provides facilities for Den and Pack meetings.
We primarily interact with Pastor Jed Watson and our charter organization representative.
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Pack-Troop Interactions
Local Scouting Troops work closely with Pack 87.
Troops provide Scouts who serve as Den Chiefs to help out at Den meetings and mentor younger Cub Scouts.
Troops run games, team building exercises, and demonstrations at Pack meetings.
Second year Webelos Cub Scouts camp with Troops at the Webelos Woods event.
At the February Blue and Gold Dinner second year Webelos “cross-over” to Boy Scout Troops.
All this interaction makes Cub Scouting fun, smoothes the transition to Boy Scouts, and helps Scouts and parents pick the Troop that is right for them.
Other Community Interactions
Pack 87 takes part in the Lindenhurst parade, Earth/Arbor Day, and Haunted Trail events.
On occasion, Great Lakes Naval Base personnel conduct uniform inspections at Pack meetings.
Millburn Central and West schools provide facilities for Spring and Fall (recruiting) Rallies as well as backup locations when Millburn Church is unavailable.
Pack Organization Structure
Pack 87 is 100% run by parent volunteers and 100% funded by annual fundraisers, annual dues, and parent donations.
At least two registered adult leaders, or one adult leader and a Scout parent, both of whom must be at least 21 years old, are required for all meetings, trips, or outings.
Leaders are required to be trained for their positions.
Leaders with youth contact are required to pass the Youth Protection course.
Pack Committee
The Pack Committee, reporting to the Chartered Organization Rep, is responsible for strategic decisions.
These include interactions with the our Council, District, Chartered Organization, local Troops, schools, and village, developing the annual calendar of events and budget, recruiting new Scouts, staffing positions, training adult leaders, raising funds, accounting for funds, maintaining Pack assets, and handling Scout advancements and adult leader recognition.
The Committee Chair, Chartered Organization Rep, and Unit Commissioner work together to ensure the long term health of the Pack.
The Pack Committee runs all the activities through parent volunteers who chair the activities.
Pack Program
The Cubmaster and Den Leaders, reporting the Committee Chair, are responsible for tactical decisions and program execution.
With the help of the Pack Committee, they plan and run the Pack meetings and Den meetings.
The Cubmaster emcees Pack meetings.
Dens
Dens are organized by rank: Tigers (1st grade or age 7), Wolf (2nd grade or age 8), Bear (3rd grade or age 9), Webelos 1 (4th grade or age 10), or Webelos 2 (5th grade or age 11).
Scouts of the same rank are typically subdivided into Dens based on their school or friendships at the conclusion of the campfire Pack meeting welcoming new Scout families.
The Den allows Scouts to get to know each other better and engage in activities that would be difficult in Pack meetings.
Den meeting activities are planned around monthly themes and include games, handicrafts, outdoor fun, and taking part in simple ceremonies and songs.
Work on advancement requirements is included, but parents are vital helpers in completing requirements for advancement.
The Den Leaders will ask for special assistance occasionally from parents (helping with a meeting, sharing a special skill, or providing a snack for the Scouts).
The Den leader is usually assisted by an assistant Den leader, a Den Chief (an older Boy Scout), and a Denner (Cub Scout elected by Den members).