Stephens County Cub Scouts holding round-up events

Toccoa/Stephens County Cub Scout packs will be holding their annual round-up events in the coming weeks. Roundups are a main sign-up opportunity for new scouts, but new scouts can join at any time of the year, Jessica Handwork told WNEG News. 

Handwork, who is the Committee Chair and point of contact for troop and pack 77, explained that Cub Scout Packs provide scouting opportunities for both boys and girls in Kindergarten through fifth grade. She said the inclusion of Kindergarten age children has only happened in the last year, and inclusion of girls in the younger level of scouts is also a recent change. 

Starting at grade six cub scouts advance to Boy Scout troops, which work with scouts in sixth grade  through the age of 18. Currently there are no female scouts in Stephens County, but Handwork said that, when and if there are girls that are ready to age out of the Cub Scouts in to troops, or there are females in sixth grade or higher that want to join the Scouting program, Troop 77 intends to create a separate troop for females. She said she is unsure whether Troop 68 would have the same policy.

This year’s Roundup sessions will be on Thursday, August 10 at Big A Elementary, Tuesday, August 15 at Toccoa Elementary, Thursday, August 17 at Liberty Elementary, and Tuesday, August 22 at Fifth Grade Academy. All sessions will start at 6:30 p.m. and interested youth and families are welcome to attend whichever session fits their schedule or interest. 

Representatives from Pack 68, which is sponsored by Toccoa’s First Baptist Church and meets on Sunday, and Pack 77, which is sponsored by the Toccoa United Methodist Church and meets on Monday nights, will be on hand at all Roundup sessions to answer questions and assist with signups, Handwork said. 

Handwork, who has five sons, three of which have achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, said scouting has been a great opportunity and activity for her family.  Her oldest son is 26, and started Cub Scouts when he was in first grade, and Handwork said that Scouting teaches children to be “independent, upstanding citizens that can turn into tomorrow’s leaders.”

For information on Pack and Troop 77, contact Handwork at 706-407-1328. For information on Pack and Troop 68, contact Doug Torrence at 706-963-0303.

For more information on the Scouting program, search for “Currahee District Northeast Georgia Council” on Facebook or visit  nega-bsa.org/Currahee.