About Pack 624

History of Pack 624

About Pack 624

Pack 624 is chartered by the Mercer Island Presbyterian Church (MIPC). Most of our Cub Scouts attend schools on Mercer Island including Northwood Elementary, Island Park Elementary, West Mercer Elementary, Lakeridge Elementary, St. Monica, and the French American School of Puget Sound. We welcome any Cubs from throughout Mercer Island, Seattle, and the greater Eastside to join our pack!

Overview of Cub Scouting

Cub Scouting began in the United States in 1918 with the first official Cub Scout Packs being registered in 1930. Cub Scouts are organized geographically into Packs hosted by chartered organizations like schools and places of worship. Packs are a collection of Dens. Dens are small groups of Scouts (usually 6 to 12) of the same grade level and gender. As a BSA-chartered Cub Scout Pack, Pack 624 adheres to the BSA standards and processes which includes age-specific curriculum that is reviewed regularly for appropriateness and value. For more background on Cub Scouting please see the BSA Cub Scouts overview web page. 

Cub Scouts is a family activity. You are in Scouting with your Scout: parents attend all events and outings. Beginning in 2018, Mercer Island Pack 624 added Dens for girls.

Pack 624 holds a monthly Pack meeting and each Den holds a monthly Den meeting to learn and practice skills used in activities and excursions, based on the BSA age-appropriate curriculum. Scouts complete tasks comprised of the skills they acquire to qualify them to achieve their rank. Each year, rank badges are awarded to Scouts who have completed all of the BSA requirements for their rank. 

Parent attendance is required throughout all Scouting activities.

Safety

Scouting emphasizes Scout safety through standards and training. Pack 624, and all Scouting units, operate on a “Two-Deep” leadership system. Scouts are always accompanied by two adults. One-on-one contact in any form is strictly forbidden. Parents, Scouts, and volunteers are required to take training on youth protection including preventing and recognizing abuse, bullying, and Internet safety.

History of Pack 624 and the MIPC

The MIPC was founded by 10 families in 1951. The MIPC’s first chartered Scouting organization, Boy Scout Troop 437, was established in 1956 by Scoutmaster Bob Warner and Committee Chair Harold Petrick. 

Separately, a Cub Scout Pack (believed to be numbered in the 400’s) was chartered in approximately 1958 by the Shorewood Beach Club (today’s Mercerwood Shore Club). The Shorewood Beach Club subsequently lost its charter and, to avoid folding, MIPC took in Pack “4XX”. 

In 1963, a new Boy Scout Troop 624 was chartered by MIPC under Scoutmaster Bill Price. Subsequently, the number of Cub Scout Pack 4XX was changed to Pack 624 to be consistent with the number of the new Troop 624. So, Pack 624 boasts 5 years seniority over Troop 624 thanks to the number change. 

Pack 624 continues as the oldest active Cub Scout Pack on Mercer Island with a strong base of active Scouts. The MIPC is the only Chartered Organization on Mercer Island that sponsors both a Pack and a Troop.  

The MIPC and Pack 624 continue to make history by piloting new programs:

• In 2016, Pack 624 piloted the Lion Scout program for kindergarten students.

• In 2018, Pack 624 piloted Family Scouting introducing Dens for girls.

• In 2019, Troop 678G was chartered for junior high and high school aged girls in Scouting, creating an opportunity for girls to attain the rank of Eagle Scout.

We welcome you to join us in continuing to build the legacy of Pack 624. Join or volunteer today!