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New Parent MeetingBSA Troop 945

March 21, 2011

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New Parent Meeting

• Goals of Scouting• Scouts Organization• Adult Leaders• Rank Advancement• Merit Badges• Recognition• Uniform Policy• Recommended

Equipment• Troop Outings

• Record Keeping• Meetings• Dues/Fundraising/

Scout Bucks• Communications• Troop Committee• How can you help?• Summer Camp• Q & A??

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Goals of Scouting

• The Aims of Boy Scouting– Character development– Citizenship training– Physical, mental, and emotional fitness

• Aims are Delivered by these Methods– Ideals– Patrols– Outdoor Programs– Advancement– Personal Growth– Leadership Development– Uniform

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Scouts Organization• Patrols

– Grouping of six or more boys who work together. Each patrol elects its own boy leader, called a patrol leader.

• Troop Youth Leaders– The troop is actually run by its boy leaders. With the guidance of the

Scoutmaster and his assistants, they plan the program, conduct troop meetings, and provide leadership among their peers.

– Senior Patrol Leader - top boy leader in the troop. He leads the patrol leaders' council (PLC) and, in consultation with the Scoutmaster, appoints other junior leaders and assigns specific responsibilities as needed.

– Assistant Senior Patrol Leader - fills in for senior patrol leader in his absence.– Patrol Leader - gives leadership to members of his patrol and represents them

on the PLC.– Assistant Patrol Leader - fills in for the patrol leader in his absence.– Additional positions include, Quartermaster, Librarian, Historian, Instructor, Troop

Guide, Scribe, Chaplain Aide, etc…..

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Scoutmaster and ASM’s

• The Scoutmaster is the adult leader responsible for the program of the troop and is responsible for training boys to be Troop leaders.

• With the ASMs, they are responsible to bring Scouting to the boys, helping the boys grow into good Scouts and responsible citizens and Interfacing with the Troop Committee to ensure that the necessary resources are available to ensure a good Scout program is provided to the boys.

• A lead ASM is assigned to each Troop outing to coordinate the activity with the PLC and trip SPL.

Scoutmaster – Chalk Dawson

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Troop Committee

• The Troop Committee is responsible for seeing that the necessary resources are made available to support the Scouts as necessary. These resources include funding, record keeping, adult recruiting, boards of review, re-chartering and more.

• Specific Committee positions include:– Committee Chair, Merit Badge Coordinator, Life-to-Eagle

Coordinator, Board of Review Coordinator, Quartermaster, Training, and Treasurer (as well as the Chartered Organization Representative and the Scoutmaster).

Committee Chair – Jim Fraser

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Rank Advancement

• Process by which Boy Scout Progresses– Designed to help Scout have exciting and meaningful

experience– Education and fun are key to advancement principles– Scout through First Class Ranks focus on Scouting’s basic skills– Goal of BSA and Troop 945: every Scout achieves First Class

within 1 year of joining the Troop– The last two steps of each Rank advancement is the

Scoutmaster Conference and the Board of Review

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Merit Badges

• Over 120 Boy Scout Merit Badges– Teach Scouts about sports, crafts, science, trades, business,

and future careers– Required for rank advancement beyond First Class Scout– 21 Merit Badges required for Eagle Scout that include 12

specific badges (Silver Merit Badges)– Troop 945 currently has Counselors for 87 of the 120+ Merit

Badges (including ALL Silver Merit Badges)

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Recognition

• Court of Honors are held three times per year– Monday nights - Instead of the Troop Meeting that week– Ceremony to celebrate the achievements of the boys

• Rank Advancement• Merit Badges• Additional awards or recognition• Slide show that documents the Troops activities

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Uniform Policy

• Class A Uniform (generally worn)– Scout uniform shirt, Scout pants, Scout socks, and Scout belt.

• Class A+ Uniform (special occasions, COH) – Same as Class A plus neckerchief and slide

• Class B Uniform (worn during work activities)– Scout pants and Boy Scout T-Shirt

Troop 945 Scouts always travel in Class A uniform!!

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Recommended Equipment

• Equipment needed for weekend trips– Flashlight– Mess kit (includes fork/spoon)– Water bottle– Scout Handbook– Sleeping Bag– Pocket Knife (once approved)

• Troop provides– Tent– food

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Troop Outings

• The Troop goes on weekend camping trips about once a month. These trips are usually within 4 hours of the Damascus area. The boys are not required to go on these trips, however they are a lot of fun.

• We usually leave from the Plantations 2 pool parking lot.

• Trips usually cost $20 - $25 dollars and include camping fees and most meals.

• REMINDER: We always travel in Class A uniform.

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Record Keeping

• Troop keeps Merit Badge & Advancement records in advancement database (TroopMaster)

• Critical that you also keep your own records– Campouts attended– Camped days, miles hiked/backpacked/floated– Service hours and projects– Leadership positions and time– Rank Advancement cards– Merit badge blue cards

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Meetings

• Troop Meetings– Every Monday (except last Monday of month) at the IWL from 7:30 to 8:30 PM

• Patrol Meetings– Last Monday of the month, time and location determined by Patrol

• Patrol Leaders Council (PLC) Meetings– First Thursday of Each Month at the Damascus Rec Center from 7:30 to 9:00 PM

• Assistant Scoutmaster (ASM) Meetings– Last Tuesday of each month at the IWL from 7:30 to 9:00 PM

• Committee Meetings– Second Thursday of each month at the Damascus Rec Center from 7:30 to 9:00

PM

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Dues/Fundraising

• Annual dues (Nov), for recharter and troop needs– Full year scouts - $50 / year (includes Boy’s Life)– $60 / year obligation from Mulch sales– Transfer scouts - $1 transfer fee– Trained Adult Leaders – Dues paid by the Troop

• Major fundraisers (performed by entire Troop)– Mulch ( generally sold in Feb and Early March). Mulch delivery

day is mandatory for all families.– Cowboy Shoots– Christmas wreaths– Christmas trees– Popcorn sales

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Communicating

How do we get the word out?• Troop Web Site

– www.troop945.org• Troop Meeting agenda

– Typically e-mailed to Troop prior to meeting• Yahoo Groups e-mail list• Adult and Scout announcements at the start of the

Troop meetings

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How can you help?

• Troop Resource Survey– ASM– Committee– Merit Badge Counselor– Specific skill or interest– Plenty of other ways…….

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Summer Camp

• Camp Powhatan, Blue Ridge Mountain Council, Hiwassee, VA– July 24-30, 2011– Cost : $295 per Scout, $160 per Adult– http://www.brmcreservation.org/camp-Powhatan_2.htm

• First year Scouts participate in a specific program with other Scouts their age (Brown Sea Island).– Focus on requirements and not Merit Badges

• Dave Wrona is the summer camp coordinator– david.wrona@verizon.net

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Q’s & A’s