By Stephen Baldwin, RealWV
January 19, 2023
After a 2 & 1/2 year hiatus caused by COVID, the Cub Scouts are back in the Greenbrier Valley! Under the leadership of Paul Grist (Cubmaster) and Kevin Bland (Pack Committee Chair), a group of 15 kids have signed up and are participating so far.
Lewisburg Cub Scout Pack 122 gathers every Tuesday at 6:30pm. Meetings are held at the Lewisburg United Methodist Church. Membership is open to all children, grades K-5.
“We welcome all boys and girls who want to come,” offers Cubmaster Paul Grist. “Enrollment is always open! Kids can start at anytime.”
“It’s not just Lewisburg. The pack is open to kids from all over–Rainelle, White Sulphur, Ronceverte, Alderson, anywhere in the area,” says Chair Kevin Bland. “Parents do need to provide transportation, but it can be from anywhere in the area.”
Grist grew up attending scouts, after his mother, Mary Grist, and her friend, Jean Keesee, started a Tiger Cubs chapter in Greenbrier County years ago. He credits scouting with teaching him the values that guide him professionally and personally to this day and is excited to pass those values and experiences on to his son, Moses, and other children in the program.
“The hard and soft skills it taught me are unique,” remembers Grist. “I got to travel because of scouts. I got to do things I wouldn’t have otherwise, and we will offer those same activities in this pack–pinewood derby, hiking, camping, mapping, and more.”
Grist and Bland believe the scouting philosophy helps teach children to become self-motivated. “It’s all about having fun,” says Bland. “They will learn if they’re having fun.”
“They come in talking about Minecraft, but we get them away from their tablets and learning these real world skills in a safe environment,” says Grist. “It gets them outside and having fun!”
In addition to Grist and Bland, Lewisburg Cub Scout Pack 122 is led by adult volunteers Andrew Weidman, Ben Longanacre, Ryan Blake, Chris Wood, Jonathan Turner, Tom White, and Sam McClung.
For further information, visit the Lewisburg Cub Scout Pack 122 page on Facebook. You can also email them at pack122lewisburg@gmail.com or call them at 304-661-6543.
