Image of Cub Scouts in the 1960s from 2nd Whitton Scout Group http://www.2ndwhitton.org.uk
Anyone who meets us can quickly see that Pack 733 is a fun-loving and successful Cub Scout group. What’s not immediately visible, however, are the many families whose dedication and contributions have shaped our Pack over the years. One family in particular, the Steenbruggen family, has played a remarkable role in guiding Pack 733’s journey from its very beginning.
Pack 733 was founded in 1964 by Gerrit Steenbruggen and H. Alan Whitney, the same year Alice M. Barrows Elementary School first opened its doors. At that time, Cub Scouting looked a bit different: the Pack included only boys in grades 2 through 6; the youngest den that existed was the Wolf Den; and Cub Scouts crossed over to Boy Scouts when they entered junior high in 7th grade. There was no Lion Den for kindergarteners or Tiger Den for 1st graders yet. Reading Cub Scout Packs were part of the Powder Keg District, instead of the current Flintlock District.
That same year, two dedicated parents built a Pinewood Derby track for Pack 733. Incredibly, that handmade track served the Pack faithfully for more than four decades, until it was replaced around 2008 or 2009 by the four-lane aluminum track we still use today.
During the 1960s and 1970s, each Den met regularly to work on activities and adventures and came together for monthly Pack meetings. Gerrit Steenbruggen’s sons, Ron, John, Rick, Ken, and Jim, were Cub Scouts during those years. Just as today, Pack meetings took place in the Barrows cafetorium, beginning with a formal opening ceremony and the presentation of the colors. Back then, the meetings focused on celebrating each Den’s accomplishments: Cub Scouts proudly displayed projects and crafts, shared stories from recent adventures, and received advancement awards in front of their peers. Parents and Cub Scouts would walk around the room, admiring the creativity and achievements of each Den.
Pack 733 continued to flourish through the 1980s and 1990s. By the early 2000s, Jim Steenbruggen had two sons of his own and Pack 733 had expanded to include 1st graders. Jim’s oldest son, Gerrit, joined the Tiger Den in the 2006–2007 season, followed a few years later by his younger son, Nicholas. Jim himself became Cubmaster in 2007 and served proudly in that role for the next ten years.
Many of the Pack’s traditions from that time will sound familiar to today’s Cub Scouts: popcorn sales, overnight trips to the Museum of Science and EcoTarium, campouts in the Reading Town Forest, rocket launches, and Pack hikes. Pack 733 also organized ambitious excursions, including tours of the USS Intrepid in New York City and hikes up Mount Major in New Hampshire.
At campouts, Cub Scouts competed in fire-starting races with flint and steel, knot-tying challenges, and spirited games of Capture the Flag. Evenings always ended around the campfire, where Cub Scouts performed skits, sang songs, and told stories—just as we do today. Under Cubmaster Jim’s leadership, the Blue and Gold Banquet grew from a simple pizza dinner in the Barrows cafetorium into a much-anticipated celebration at the Tewksbury Country Club. That tradition continues today, except at a different location due to the Tewksbury Country Club being sold in 2022.
Pack 733 remains deeply grateful to the many families, like the Steenbruggens, who helped build the foundation we stand on today. Over more than six decades, Scouting in Reading has evolved in many ways—but the spirit of adventure, community, and service that began with our Pack’s founders continues to thrive in every Cub Scout who wears the uniform with “733” displayed on their sleeve.
Photo of Pack 733 Cub Scout Toby Whitney and his father, Alan Whitney, Committee Chairman, circa 1966.
Are you a former leader or member of Pack 733? Do you have historical information you are willing to share? If so, please contact us at pack733cubmaster@gmail.com
Cub Scout Pack 733 