PHILOSOPHY

BSA Troop 16
Southview Christian Church
22nd and South Streets

Tuesday night meetings 7 to 8:30p.m.

What Parents Should Know About Our Scout Troop
If your son has just joined our troop, welcome. Or if he’s still considering it, we’re glad he’s interested. In either case, this paper should answer many of your questions about Boy Scouting and our troop.

There are two ways of looking at Boy Scouting. From the boy’s viewpoint it’s a game. It takes him outdoors for camping and hiking, and it gives him a chance to learn new skills and be recognized for them. Boy Scouting also provides plenty of fun with old and new friends.

From the parent’s viewpoint, Boy Scouting is all that and more. It aims to strengthen the boy’s character through precept and example, to make him an aware, participating citizen, and to enhance his physical, mental and moral development.

That sounds like a tall order, and it is. But Boy Scouting has proven over time that it can fill that order by exposing your son to new, wholesome experiences as he works and plays with his fellow Scouts in our troop.

Currently we have 47 registered Boy Scouts divided into five (5) patrols. We have 32 registered leaders, some who have been active with the troop for 10 to 30 years.

Our troop is part of the Cornhusker Council. From the Council we receive program information, use of the Council’s camp, literature, and training of our leaders. The Council Outdoor Education Center and Service Center are located at 600 S. 120th Street Walton.

The Troop has the oldest consecutive charter in the Cornhusker Council. First chartered May 19, 1914, we recently celebrated 93 years. The Troop is also unique in that Mr. Souliere is only the 10th Scoutmaster to serve the troop.

Your Role As A Scout Parent
Naturally, you’ll want your son to get the most out of Scouting. So you’ll keep the dates of troop activities on your calendar as a reminder, encourage him as he progresses in the advancement program, and perhaps help him master the skills of Scouting.

But his success in Scouting depends in part on the success of our troop. If the troop is strong, active, and vibrant, he will have a much better chance to make the most of his experience as a Scout. You can help keep the troop strong.

How you support the troop depends on your talents and available time. Perhaps you will be asked to serve on the troop committee, which functions as a sort of board of directors. Or you might be called upon for only occasional tasks – helping with a community service activity, providing transportation for a campout, maintaining troop equipment, or serving as a merit badge counselor in a hobby or career field in which you are familiar.

From time to time your son’s patrol may need a meeting place to work on a project or practice a skill. You can help him and his patrol by making your home available.

Occasionally you and your family will be invited to a special troop activity – a parent’s night or Court of Honor at which Scouts are recognized for their advancement. Parents (yes, mothers are welcome!) are also encouraged to attend campouts over a weekend.

Your participation in these activities, and your offers to help when the troop has a need, will show your son that you support him and want him to have the best experiences possible in Scouting.

Costs Of Scouting
Scouting believes that a Scout should pay his own way, to the extent possible. So urge your son to earn enough money to cover his dues and buy at least some of the equipment that he will want.

Our troop dues are $30 per year payable by March 31 for the upcoming year. In addition, you will need to pay a one time only startup fee of $25 to help underwrite patrol equipment and other troop needs. A new Troop 16 Scout will receive a Troop 16 neckerchief, a new handbook, red epaulettes, and a Troop 16 patch.

Each Scout is asked to share the food costs for hikes and camping trips (or occasionally provide his own food for short hikes). Standing monthly camping fees range from $10 to $15 depending on the number of nights camped and specific activities. Encourage your son to look for jobs he can do to earn his own money for these activities. We try to camp 11 months out of the year (generally not in December.

The Scouts may choose to participate in Camporees and Jamborees sponsored by the Council. Generally the cost to “get in the gate” is $8 to $17. Food fees are above and beyond the gate fee. Council Camporees are offered twice a year,with the Klondike Derby offered in January.

Summer camp for new scouts, usually for a week at the local Council Scout camp, Camp Cornhusker, requires a little more planning. This year the cost for camp is $150.00.

A physical exam is required for summer camp. The Class 2 exam is good for three (3) years. However,when your Scout is 13 or 14 he may choose to attend a camp that requires an annual physical (Class 3).

Money earning projects are undertaken by the troop to cover large expenses for troop owned gear such as tents and other camping equipment. Part of your son’s responsibilities as a Scout will be to participate on these projects.

The troop also plans other money earning activities to help scouts finance summer camps. The biggest fundraiser is selling Scout popcorn. The troop participates in the fall campaign and will,if needed, participate in the spring campaign.

Scouting will not be denied a boy because “he can’t afford it”. Ask your Patrol Advisor or Scoutmaster for the forms to be completed to apply for assistance. The Troop and Council will expect scouts asking for assistance to have regular attendance at meetings, as well as participate in outside activities, and fundraising opportunities.

The Boy Scout Uniform
It is not the purpose of the Scout uniform to hide the differences between boys or make them feel they are all the same. Scouts come from all racial and ethnic backgrounds. They have their own religious beliefs and family traditions. Scouting wants boys to take pride in these differences rather than to hide them or be ashamed of them.

But there is one way in which all Scouts are alike. Whenever a Scout sees another person in a Scout uniform he knows he is like that person because both have committed themselves to the principles of the Scout Promise and Scout Law. This is important in a time when there are many things that seem to divide people from each other. The Scout Promise and Law bind all Scouts of the world together in a common purpose. So boys wear the Scout uniform to identify themselves openly as being committed to those beliefs.

Ask our Scoutmaster or your Patrol Advisor about our troop’s uniform choices before you and your son visit a Scouting distributor store to buy his uniform.

How Our Troop Works
Our troop is operated by an institution called the charter organization [Southview Christian (Disciple of Christ) Church]. It arranges for our regular troop meeting place and approves the adult leaders who administer the troop’s affairs.

The leaders are the Scoutmaster, assistants and the troop committee. All are unpaid volunteers; most are parents of boys in the troop.

Within the troop, your son will be assigned to a patrol–a group of six to ten boys. His patrol will be his team for games and contests, his closest buddies in camp, and his teachers as he works on advancement.

Troop meetings are planned and conducted by boy leaders under the coaching and guidance of the adult Scouters. This is part of the plan to help your boy grow, to make decisions and take an active part in making the troop program successful.

A typical troop meeting includes a game; work on outdoor skills, first aid fitness, citizenship, or some other aspect of Scouting; a brief patrol meeting for advancement progress or planning a future patrol/troop event; and ceremonies highlighting Scouting’s ideals.

At troop meetings, and working on his own, your son will have a chance to earn many badges and awards. As he earns these awards and badges, he will progress from Tenderfoot through the Second and First Class ranks into the more difficult requirements for the Star and Life Scout badges. Finally, he may earn the most distinctive of all–the Eagle Scout Award.

Frequently (every month or so), our troop will conduct a special event. It may be an overnight camp, a visit to some location of special interest or significance, or a troop service project to stimulate his interest and self-reliance. Encourage his participation in these events, but let him prepare for them on his own as much as possible. For instance, if he is going on a troop overnight, let him collect his own gear and pack it. He may make some mistakes or forget something. Let him do it — that’s part of the learning experience in Scouting.

The activities of Scouting are vigorous. It is hoped that each boy will have a physical exam soon after joining to be sure he is fit for the program.

Communications
Most troop communication is delivered via meetings, the large communication board just inside the scout room, E-mail, and the web site, www.tabtic.wordpress.com. Much of the patrol information is communicated in the patrol meetings, via telephone or e-mail.

Immediate Needs
Scout shirt with green shoulder loops. Camping needs: non-breakable plate and/or bowl, non-breakable cup, vittle kit (knife, fork, spoon), sleeping bag, medium sized backpack for transporting gear, rain gear. The Scouts will use matching Troop tents.

Later Needs
As your son gets into scouting activities, he will have some equipment needs Our troop will do at least ten days and nights of camping each year (generally it is closer to 20+ nights) in addition to a week at Scout Camp. So eventually he could use a pack, hiking shoes, fleece liner for his sleeping bag, poncho, and Scout pocketknife. Use your own good judgment. Only you know what you can afford.

If planning to purchase camping equipment, check with our leaders first. They’ll have a good idea of the equipment Scouts in our troop use. There are good quality items available through the Trading Post at the OEC/Service Center, 600 S. 120th, Walton, as well as local/Internet retailers.

Suggested Birthday or Christmas gifts: Scout pocketknife, starter compass, personal first aid kit, grooming kit, Scouting pants, Scouting shorts with knee socks, wool boot socks, foam sleeping pad, Scout Field book, frame backpack, current BSA Requirements book.

Note — Please mark all Scouts’ personal clothing and equipment with his name and troop number.

Some Definitions
PLC – Patrol Leaders’ Council. A planning meeting held the first Tuesday of the month. Elected boy leaders must attend. All Scouts are welcome. An adult committee meeting follows.

BOR – Board of Review. Held approximately every three to four months as part of the process for boys to complete rank advancement.

COH – Court of Honor. Held approximately every three to four months (usually a week or two following the BOR). Scouts receive awards.

Merit Badge blue cards – Necessary paperwork for Scouts to earn Merit Badges.