Pack 432 Celebrates 60 Years of Community Leadership

Local Cub Scout Pack 432, sponsored by  in Elkridge, recently celebrated 60 years of helping boys make a difference in the community.

As many things have changed during that time period, the commitment of volunteers has remained constant.

“Parents, guardians and others volunteer precious time and work very hard to deliver Cub Scouting’s exciting program,” said Bruce Schutt, 53, a former pack member whose family includes three generations of Pack 432 scouts.

The largest of three programs offered through the Boy Scouts of America (the others are Boy Scouting and Venturing), Cub Scouting is filled with , games, outdoor activities and community service projects. Boys from 7 to 10 years of age participate in a Cub Scout pack that is divided into smaller groups called "dens."  

Schutt’s mother served as "den mom," which is now known as "den leader" in the Cub Scouts. Along with his two brothers and father, Schutt was a member during the 1960s.

One cherished moment he holds dear is captured in a photo from a 1971 newspaper article. It features his dad (then a Boy Scout leader) alongside several leaders of Pack 432 who were recognized for their community leadership.

Now a Pennsylvania resident, Schutt—who has 19 years of adult scouting experience—still visits and recalls his nephew’s activities with Pack 432 in recent years.

“It was always my observation that, comparatively speaking, this is a large, well-run, vibrant and healthy pack,” he said.

Today, Pack 432 is led by many volunteers, among them pack leader John Allen and assistant den leader Brenda Kourpias. She has volunteered since her youngest son started in first grade.

“I am very excited and proud to see what a kind and nice young man he is becoming,” said Kourpias.

Pack 432 works on many community projects, like tree plantings and stream cleanups, and it recently made during the Howard County Scouting for Food initiative in early March.

“Over 1,400 kids collected 86,708 pounds of food from neighborhoods around Howard County and delivered them to 23 food pantries, which is a 29 percent increase from 2010 collections,” said Sori Meredith, chairperson from Scouting for Food in the National Pike District. Participating in the drive were 29 Boy Scout troops, 36 Cub Scout packs, 1 Venturing crew and 22 Girl Scout troops.

Pack 432 celebrated its many accomplishments during an annual blue and gold banquet where volunteers were recognized for their service.

Said Schutt: “Cub Scouting is a program that leads to the development of the kind of boy that any parent would be proud of, a boy that likely will be one of our next generation of leaders.”