Event Details

Below is a Clickable List of our Annual Activities - which will provide general guidance for parents prior to each event.

September - Registration - Annual HHK Day & Campfire Kickoff

September - Popcorn Sales

October - Howl-O-Ween & Fall Hike

November - Service Night

December - HHK Tree Lighting - Ornaments

January - Rocket Launch

January - Klondike

February - Museum Overnight

March - Pinewood Derby

May - Spring Camping

June - Boulders Baseball Game & Camping

June - Advancement Ceremony

September - Registration - Annual HHK Day & Campfire Kickoff

Campfire Kickoff & Registration is scheduled each year for the first Sunday after Labor Day at East Park (sun) or the Sycamore Community Church (rain). We look forward to seeing everyone again, meeting new cubs, showing what we did the previous year, complete uniform swaps and discuss the schedules for the new year. Our Oldest Scouts (Arrow Of Light den) will lead us in some of the activities. In advance of the Campfire Kickoff - please complete registration via the Registration page

* Note that new scouts will also need to sign a paper application - as will new adult leaders.

**The Regional Council may reach out and ask you to register or renew through the BSA website - we ask that you instead register through us ONLY - as we handle registration for EVERYONE through our annual rechartering. This will avoid any confusion between our separate systems and simplify paperwork.

September - Popcorn Sales

Annual Popcorn Sales are the main fundraiser for Cub Pack 54 and the Norther NJ Council District.

Cub Pack 54 utilizes funds raised for pack events and activities such as Service Night in November, Rocket Launches in January, Pinewood Derby in March and Camping in May.

We still have popcorn and shifts for Storefront sales if your scout wants to increase sales and be able to claim a bigger and better award. If you want to reserve a shift to sell popcorn at any of our scheduled locations, please, email naydenk2 at gmail dot com or login into the Trail's End app, go to Storefront and in the calendar select the date and then claim the shift that you are interested in. Each shift is 2 hours and a scout can claim multiple shifts.

And of course, please continue taking Wagon Sales orders for delivery in early December from family and friends. Those orders can be taken on the app or the paper sales sheet distributed earlier by your den leaders.

October - Howl-O-Ween & Fall Hike

I hope everyone is getting excited for the Howl-O-Ween camping! Here are some guidelines for the weekend. Registration is through the Northern NJ Council website each year. Please indicate Cub Pack 54 and we will be placed together for our campsite.

Your family may begin arriving at 7:30am. Upon arrival we will have you check in outside our administration building. We will collect your Medical Forms parts A & B and give you your group assignments, camp site assignments, and Howl O Ween patch. Every effort is made to keep your Pack in the same site. Once you are checked in you may bring your equipment to the assigned site. Only authorized staff or valid handicap vehicles will be allowed in camp. In order to make the check-in process operate smoothly we ask that you fill out all the attached forms prior to your arrival. Note that each person attending youth or adult must have the medical forms filled out. We will have a team of staff directing parking, please fill out the parking pass and place it on your dashboard.

Opening flags will begin at 9:30am. Follow your assigned schedule of activities so everyone will have an opportunity to take part in each event. Campfires will be permitted in your site.

Activities for the day include: Archery, BBs, Field Sports, STEM, DisAbilities Awareness, and Howl-o-Ween Fun. There will be a costume parade (trick or treating) throughout the campsites before dinner along with a Howl-o-Ween themed night hike following dinner. We ask that each family bring one(1) closed bag of candy for the parade. Candy will be collected at check in and distributed by the staff in the campsites during the parade.

Please remember that temperatures are normally ten degrees cooler at camp than in most areas of our council, dress accordingly. Lunch and Dinner will be served on Saturday and Breakfast will be served on Sunday. There are no activities after breakfast on Sunday. If you have any dietary needs please let us know as soon as possible. A suggested packing list is included in information emails sent to registrations but does not encompass all of your families needs.

Medical Forms - please don't forget to bring your Parts A&B on Saturday morning - if you had completed them earlier for another scouting event - they are good for one year.
Bag of unopened candy & costumes
Tents, Sleeping bags, warm clothes, camp chairs & other gear of choice
- Not sure if the wooden platforms will be available to put tents on - or if you would like to put a tent on ground - don't forget to check if you have your fly (over top of tent) and extra ground cloth (tarp under tent)!
My understanding is that food is included, however Cub Pack 54 may be making s'mores at our camp (fire ban & No-Be-Bos-Co dependent).
No-Be-Bos-Co has flushing toilets, showers and water fountains
Also, there is a lake for fishing

November - Service Night

Service Night is a wonderful event that exemplifies the best of Cub Pack 54!

This is an annual family event where we collect donations for a food pantry and
complete a service activity together.

Each year, we put together gift boxes for Operation Christmas Child. Some of the funds that the cubs raised will be used to purchase various toy/gift items, shirts, socks and toiletries to send to children around the world. The cubs will come and help pack the boxes!

Please have all cubs attend in their Class A uniforms
Please coordinate food donations within your dens (Lions bring canned goods) and bring to the event
(Frozen turkey, stuffing boxes, non-perishable goods such as milk, rice, canned food, etc).
The pantry that we are supplying would also appreciate baby formula - if you are so inclined.
We will donate what is collected to Oasis in Paterson, NJ.

December - HHK Tree Lighting - Ornaments

Holiday Lights - Each year, the Cub Scouts has been hosting ornament making as part of the HHK Tree Lighting festivities. It is one of the activities that we coordinate with our Ho-Ho-Kus Community and foster civic participation with our cubs.

We enjoy seeing all our friends and family in Ho-Ho-Kus - please stop in and warm up with some tunes and crafting!

Participants may take their painted ornaments home with them.

January - Rocket Launch

Cub Pack 54 is kicking off the New Year with some Rocket Launches!

Cub Pack 54 provides the rocket kit and we schedule a December rocket crafting event at the Sycamore Community Church. Then, we have arranged to reserve the HHK School Fields for several Sundays in January. Actual launch dates are weather & wind dependent - please check the published calendar and your emails!

January - Klondike

Klondike for Arrow of Light Scouts - This is an annual regional event that our Arrow of Light den has been practicing for throughout their den meetings - and will continue preparing for with the older kids (HHK Troop 54). Each year there is a fun theme for them to decorate their Klondike Sleds and costume as a team. The scouts compete against other Packs on their knowledge of wildlife, knots, first aid, cooperative problem solving and many other skills learned through the years. Let's wish them good luck!

In 2025 our AOL Den placed in the event!

February - Museum Overnight

Welcome Aboard!

The Ho-Ho-Kus Cub Scout Pack 54 has a very special adventure to offer our scouts.
Each winter, we coordinate with a nearby museum to participate in their Scout Overnight.
Below are each of the museums we have 'camped' at!

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. Operation Slumber is a special overnight stay at the Intrepid with exclusive access to the ship and Space Shuttle Pavilion, and a night’s sleep among the aircraft, just like enlisted sailors once did. The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is dedicated to the exhibition and interpretation of history, science, and service as related to its home aboard the aircraft carrier Intrepid, a National Historic Landmark.
Overnight Encampment Program on the Battleship New Jersey. Scout troops, school groups, youth organizations and families can again spend a safe night aboard the Battleship. Enjoy dinner and breakfast, experience a guided tour of the ship, take a chance to fire the saluting gun and sleep in the bunks that the crew of the USS New Jersey once did!
Shark in the Dark Overnights - Adventure Aquarium. Join the Center for Aquatic Sciences at Adventure Aquarium for an awesome overnight adventure. Explore the Aquarium’s amazing shark collection, sea turtles, stingrays, and a multitude of different fish. You’ll spend the night sleeping up close near one of the aquarium exhibits. The next morning, you’ll get the chance to visit with the African penguins and hippos.

Please see the Calendar for this year's info - all cubs & family members (5+ years) can attend!!
Note: This event requires separate registration - please check your email for more info.

March - Pinewood Derby

Starting in December or January, your child’s Den Leaders will be distributing the Pinewood Derby car kits. For those of you who are new to Cub Scouts, the Pinewood Derby (PWD) represents the most exciting pack event for the scouts every year. Whether you are new to scouting or have been through a PWD before, I strongly recommend that you read this entire section as it will provide an overview of this year’s event - inclusive of the rules that will govern it. Failing to read this email and adhering to the rules will be the responsibility of the parents, and can lead to the disqualification of a scout’s car.

The PWD is intended to be a fun event for our scouts (and it definitely is), it is also a competitive one - with kids (with the help of their parents) working hard to design the fastest and / or the coolest car in the pack.
We have hired Craig from Race Masters for our eighth consecutive year to help us manage our race. Craig is a former cub scout and parent of a former cub scout. He not only runs the race for our pack, but he also runs the regional district races and the world championship in NYC every year. No one is better qualified to run a fair race for our scouts!

Each year’s race will be held at the Sycamore Community Church on a Saturday, see calendar for details.

Derby cars will be checked-in prior to the event on the day/Friday before between 5pm and 6:30pm. We will measure dimensions and confirm weight limits. If needed, bring your extra weights or drills to make last minute adjustments.

Each year we will be awarding the following trophies to the scouts:
Speed Trophies
- 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place trophies per rank
(which means children across all dens in the same rank
will be competing against each other)
- 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place trophies for the pack
(awarded to the 3 scouts with top speeds overall for our pack)

Car Design Trophies (regardless of a car’s performance on the track, scouts can still win an award on the overall design of the car):
Best Scout Spirit
Most Original
Funniest
Best Paint Job
Most Realistic

Please see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Dropdowns in next section:

Rules Governing the Design of the Cars:

As always, we will adhering to the “NNJ Ramapo Valley District Pinewood Derby Cub Scout District Finals Rules” [LINK TBD].
I can’t stress enough how important it is to read and comply with the rules regarding weight and dimensions. I’ve seen children (and parents) have to make last minute alterations to their cars at check in because the car is too tall, the car is too wide, the car doesn’t have the minimum amount of clearance underneath, it weighs too much, etc.

General Advice When Designing Your Car:

Boys’ Life has posted a short online article giving general tips and advice. In addition, you can look at creative car designs from other scouts around the world for inspiration: https://boyslife.org/tag/pinewood-derby-car-design-photo-galleries/

How much parent participation will you allow in the construction process?

This is a very difficult rule to write and even more difficult to enforce. There is obviously a lot of variation in the abilities of individual Cub Scouts, as well as individual parents. Some parents are skilled woodworkers and may have trained their children in the craft. A parent could be automotive engineers and have built the cars themselves. It is virtually impossible to tell, from simple inspection, that a car was the product of the parent or the scout - but more importantly, we will not be attempting to determine the level of involvement in building a car.

We will leave it to the parent(s) to determine how involved they will be in the design and creation of their scout’s car. Generally speaking, we’re less concerned about the percentage of the overall effort that the scout contributed as much as we’re focused on making sure that it is something that the scout and his / her parent (or grandparent, or aunt / uncle, etc.) does together.

Are ready-carved kits prohibited?

We understand that between managing work and personal commitments, time is a very precious commodity for families. Again, it is virtually impossible to determine from a finished car whether it started as a kit. We ask that you use BSA issued materials and parts (wheels, axels, and wood). Ultimately your car will need to still meet the “Rules Governing the Design of the Cars” (see link above) to be considered eligible to race, regardless of whether it comes from a ready-carved kit or made from scratch.

What about weight limits?

This is probably the most controversial topic as well as the most important. It has been proven, time and time again, that the weight of the car is one of the most important factors in the design of a PWD car. Most importantly weight limits are strictly enforced by our Pack, and by the District. Measuring a car’s weight on any scale other than the official scale at check in, should be considered unofficial. I have personally weighed my children’s cars at home thinking that they weigh exactly 5 ounces, only to find out that it is 0.05 ounces over at the check in. You will be permitted to make changes to the weight of the car to get it to meet the 5 oz maximum weight, but once the car is checked in it will not be accessible for further modification by the scout or their parent(s) until after the race).

May - Spring Camping

Thank you so much to everyone who has registered for our annual Spring Camping Trip!

How to register: Please register through the emailed/online Form provided each Year.

The schedule for the day is as follows (cubs & parents may arrive when able):

Noon - The site will be available to us - can come and set up your tent
2pm - Games start
3pm - Leave No Trace & Hikes
(Stony Brook Trail, Stony Lake Trail and Silver Mine Trails) https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/maps/stokes-trail.pdf

6pm – Activities (games, cooking by Webelos, and microscopes)
7pm - Fire Safety & Campfire (s'mores, songs & ghost stories)
Morning of - Breakfast, Cleanup, Packup
A good time to fish if folks would like to bring their gear
Noon - Site needs to be cleared

1. Things for folks to bring:

a. Clothing: PLEASE WEAR CUB BACK 54 - CLASS B SHIRTS on Saturday.
Pack some clothing for sleep, extra layers for rain or cold if needed and clothes for next day.

b. Sleeping: tent, sleeping bag, mat for under bag, tarp (if you have extra).
Please let me know if you do not have a tent - we could borrow from fellow townspeople.

c. Essentials for day pack: Reusable water bottle; hat; sunscreen; bug spray; flashlight; pocketknife (if you have whittling chip); few first aid items and whistle (if you have)

2. Camping: Stokes Forest State Park / Group Site in Haskins area & maps below

a. 1 Coursen Rd; Branchville, NJ 07826
b. https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/maps/stokes-trail.pdf
c. https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/maps/stokes_forest_map.pdf
d. Group Site will be near flushing toilets and showers. Potable water tap.

3. Check-in at the main office when you come in.

June - Boulders Baseball Game & Camping

Come with us and swing for the fences!

The Ho-Ho-Kus Cub Scout Pack 54 has a very special adventure to offer our scouts. We are inviting all cubs and their family members to “Scout Night Sleepover” at the New York Boulders Clover Stadium. That’s right - Clover Stadium!

The New York Boulders are a professional baseball team playing in the Frontier League based in Pomona, Rockland County. Summertime is made for baseball and this event has been very popular with the scouts each year.

The cost is per person (all-in) and includes a ton of goodies from tickets to the game, fireworks, a movie, and much more … all on the field. The fee for the event must be paid in full and will be collected as part of the registration process for this event to support the reservation for the pack.

Check the calendar for event date - all cubs & family members can attend!!

WHAT DOES THE SCOUT NIGHT SLEEPOVER STAY INCLUDE

PREGAME EXPERIENCE

Pregame Parade - Arrive at the ballpark early to raise our packs' banner way up high while trotting around the entire field!

Meet The Mascot - BoulderBird will be available for photos and autographs.

Let's play ball! - See the New York Boulders take to the field for a 6:30 PM first pitch and cheer them on to a victory! (The NY Boulders will take on the Sussex County Miners)

POSTGAME EXPERIENCE

Family Friendly Movie - Watch a film on the giant video board!

Sleepover Adventure - Bring your sleeping bag and camp out on the field where the Boulders just played!

WHAT ELSE IS INCLUDED WHAT TO BRING

- GAME TICKET - Scouts in Class B T-Shirt and caps

- HOTDOG, CHIPS & SODA - Tent with Sleeping Bag and blankets

- PREGAME ON-FIELD PARADE - Pillow & Warm Pajamas

- POSTGAME FIREWORKS - Flashlight (check batteries)

- POST GAME MOVIE - Toothbrush

- BOULDERS SCOUT PATCH - Extra Water (bring plenty of water!!)

- SLEEPOVER ON FIELD - Optional: Jacket/Warm Clothes

June - Advancement Ceremony

We generally schedule this last Pack event (before summer) before Father's Day.

At the Advancement Ceremony we review the activities completed by the Pack and Dens and the Den Leaders will award the completed badge(s) for their Den.

Each Den level has minimum and elective activities that are completed throughout the year. Your child should plan to attend all Den and as many Pack meetings as possible - as the various events will cover the requirements for each earned badge (Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelo and Arrow of Light). Core requirements for each Den level repeat each year and are expanded upon age-appropriately:

Fitness and Health
Community and Service
Outdoors Adventures - Hiking, Natural Science
Teamwork
Caring for Nature and the Environment
Respect and Family Values (parent led)

Note to Parents and other Caring Adults: Scouts of America believes that faith can be an important part of child development. All of the major faiths encourage hope, optimism, compassion, and a belief in a better tomorrow. Inspiration and support for your child's spiritual development will come from your family. While reverence and duty have always been a part of Scouting, Scouting does not promote any specific religion and is completely nonsectarian. There is no requirement that Scouts identify with a particular religion or faith or organized faith group. - from Cub Scout Handbook

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