For scouts
A year of things worth doing.
Not a drop-off program. Dens meet twice a month. The pack meets once. In between: Indian Well, a gym full of pinewood cars, and a parade down Center Street.
Start a scout
Housatonic District · Connecticut Rivers Council
The trail starts in Shelton.
Cub Scouts for boys and girls in grades K–5. River hikes, a pinewood derby that fills a gym, and parents who run the dens — because that is how a pack actually works.
01 — Find your den
What grade is your scout this fall?
Dens are small groups of the same grade. Tap a year. That is the trail they are on — not a waiting list for later.
1st Grade · Explore
Tiger
Tigers start ranging a little farther — family adventures, backyard science, and their first real campfire.
- Den meetings twice a month with a parent nearby
- Family-oriented adventures around Shelton
- Earn adventures that mix play with responsibility
For parents
Dens do not run themselves.
If you can keep a Tuesday from falling apart, you can lead a den. Training is online. You will not be the only adult in the room.
Become a leader02 — The year
What Pack 28 actually does
September · Shelton
Join Night & first dens
Meet the pack, find a den, and take a first hike before the leaves turn.
January · Shelton
Pinewood Derby
Carve, paint, race. Grandparents show up. The gym gets loud. It is the night everyone remembers.
May · Downtown Shelton
Memorial Day Parade
Pack 28 marches. Uniforms, flags, and a civic morning the town actually shows up for.
June · Shelton + council camps
Pack picnic & day camp
Close the year with a picnic, then send scouts to day camp if they want a bigger week.
03 — How joining works
Three steps. No mystery door.
- 01
Tell us you're interested
Two minutes. A leader replies with the next Join Night and which den fits your scout's grade.
- 02
Come to a meeting
Sit in on a den or pack night. No uniform required. Ask every awkward question. Decide after you've seen it.
- 03
Register and pick a role
Youth membership plus at least one adult. If you can lead a den, we will train you. If you can help once a month, that counts too.
04 — We need den leaders
The pack is only as strong as the parents who say yes.
You do not need to be an outdoors expert
The adventures are written down. Training is online. A den leader's real job is showing up, keeping it fun, and letting kids try.
It is a few hours, twice a month
A den meeting and a pack meeting. Some months add a hike or a service project. We plan the year so no one is inventing it on a Wednesday night.
Your scout gets more when you lead
Kids notice who runs the dens. When a parent steps up, the den exists — and that scout's year actually happens.
Two-deep, always
Every meeting has two registered adults. Youth Protection training is required and free. We take that more seriously than the campfire.
05 — Our backyard
The Housatonic is not a metaphor.
Pack 28 lives in Shelton — Indian Well, the Rec Path, Birchbank, and a Memorial Day parade the town still takes seriously. Camp is at Strang in Goshen when we sleep out.
Waterfall & river
Indian Well State Park
A short walk to a cascade on the Housatonic — first hikes, picnic tables, and a real sense of place.
Easy miles
Shelton Lakes Rec Path
Reservoirs, boardwalk, and a path that works for Lions and Arrow of Light scouts alike.
A climb
Birchbank Mountain
A steeper Shelton trail for older dens who want a view of the valley.
Overnight
Camp Strang
The district's camp in Goshen. Canvas, a lake, and the overnight that turns 'I might try this' into 'we're in.'
Scout Oath
On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
And to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.
06 — Questions parents actually ask
Straight answers.
Fall recruiting is open
Come to Join Night. Or just tell us you're in.
Pack 28 serves families across Shelton. A leader will answer with the next meeting night, the den for your scout's grade, and what (if anything) to bring. Uniforms can wait.