National Den Award

[gibsoncrg]

OK, I realize that the requirement "A" for the National Den Award is pretty crystal clear:

Have at least 50 percent of the den’s Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, or Webelos Scouts attend two den meetings and one

pack meeting or activity each month of the year.

 

My question to this esteemed group is: is this award often ever earned? I've seen several Packs in our area (central Texas) and not a one of them - even the ones I'd categorize as "very active" - hold Pack Meetings during the summer (and the dens rarely meet formally during the summer). This is in Packs that have very active summer programs - two events per month, and always get the National Summertime Activity Award. Do Packs in other parts of the country meet all year-long, including organized Pack Meetings 12 months out of the year? If not, it would seem on the face of it that this is an award that is never actually awarded. I'm stepping up to be a Den Leader for Bears this year, and wanted to do something cool to have the boys "reach" and earn this award, but without Pack Meetings, we seem to be out of luck.

 

Has anyone here earned this award, or know of a unit that has dens that earned this? Or know if Packs elsewhere are meeting 12 times a year?

[mashmaster]

Our pack is in central Texas and we hold pack and den meetings during the summer.

[Stosh]

My Webelos den met weekly for the whole year, but the pack only met monthly during the school year. If your pack doesn't meet during the summer they pretty much keep the dens from the awards. That's unfortunate.

 

Stosh

[Sidney Porter]

Does your pack have activities during the summer? The way that I read this they need to attend a pack function each month that function could be either a pack meeting or a pack activity. Both packs that I have been involved with has had summer pack activities but not pack meetings.

Have at least 50 percent of the den’s Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, or Webelos Scouts attend two den meetings and one

pack meeting or activity each month of the year.

[gibsoncrg]

Our Pack does do activities during the summer, and on re-reading it with Sidney Porter's comment added on, I see it now. It also makes sense since I know a lot of Packs do Blue and Gold in lieu of a Pack Meeting, but that would qualify under the "pack meeting or activity" reading. Thanks, sometimes it takes someone else to point out what's under your nose!

[JasonG172]

My pack meets weekly - Tigers All the way up to Webs

 

 

We also have 1 activity during June July Aug + 1 pack meeting per month

[Faith]

I always wondered about this award, we have a den that meets three times a month, every month and they have never earned this (I'm not sure how they'd go about it as I've also never seen a den leader receive an award in our pack.) Our den meets twice a month, September - May. June, July & August we do a 5-day day camp, a water day and a pack meet, no den meets. So we'd be out of the running regardless.