The purpose of this document is to provide answers to questions frequently asked by parents (and Scouts) about Scouting and Troop 275
.Why Scouts?
Troop 275 History
Getting Started
Advancement
Merit Badges
Court of Honor
Dues
Fund Raising
Annual Schedule
Summer Camp
The purpose of Boy Scouting is to prepare youngsters for adulthood. I say youngsters because the Explorer and Venture Scout programs admit girls as well as boys, and provides opportunities for young people to "Explore" the career paths of their interests and "Venture" further into high adventure challenges.
The preparation for adulthood provides for growth in at least four areas. These areas are:
1) Moral - Scouts learn and abide by the four tenets of the Boy Scouts of America - The Scout Oath, the Scout Law, the Scout Slogan, and the Scout Motto.
2) Mental - Scouts learn new skills including first aid, life- saving camping, cooking, etc.
3) Physical - Scouts are active in the outdoors, and they can earn a variety of merit badges that require physical participation, not to mention just plain hiking around.
4) Social - Scouts learn to act and interact with others of ALL ages. Unlike some organizations, The Boy Scout Division of Scouting is open to boys between the ages of 10 1/2 and 18. After age 18, they may no longer be registered as Boy Scouts, but instead are encouraged to remain affiliated with the Scout program as Assistant Scoutmasters. They are taught that the younger boys are worthy and important, and have feelings, hopes, desires, and questions, much as they did at that age, and the younger boys use the older boys as examples of what they can attain.
Many of these areas fill in holes left by education in the schools, in the home and in the church. While Boy Scouts don't embrace any single religious affiliation, they encourage religious activities and have many badges that can be earned by both boys and adults, including the "God and Me" program that begins with the Cubs and continues through the Scout program.
The four tenets of the Boy Scouts, the Scout Oath, the Scout Law, the Scout Slogan, and the Scout Motto are the foundation upon which all the rest of Scouting is built. Every meeting begins with a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, the Scout Oath, and the Scout Law.
The Scout Oath is:
On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty, to God and my country, to obey the Scout Law, to help other people at all times, and to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.
The Scout Law is:
A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, friendly, courteous, kind, brave, clean and reverent.
The Scout Slogan is:
Do a good turn daily.
The Scout motto is:
Be prepared.
The premise of Scouting is that the Troop is of the boys, for the boys, and by the boys. The Troop exists for the boy, and not the other way around. Each boy during his trek from Cub to Eagle, will hold one or more positions of responsibility and/or leadership, in order that the Man resulting will have at least been exposed to what it feels like to be responsible for something. In a perfect Troop, scouts run the show, and the Scout Master is there for guidance, wisdom, and logistics. The fact of the matter is that no Troop is perfect, as is no one individual, but the hope and desire of Scouting are that by the time a Scout is no longer a boy, he will be able to "run the show."
The Eagle Scout Award of Merit goes a long way in the world of adults to indicate that the individual has the desire and persistence to see to fruition a long range goal or project, along with the ability to carry it out. This includes better chances at scholarships for college, automatic higher rank out of basic training, and preference over others with approximately the same qualifications when specified on a resume, and possibly higher starting salaries.
All boys could benefit from Scouting to some extent. Often times, the boys who could benefit the most from Boy Scouts, are those that are toughest to take, the most undisciplined, the most troubled, the hardest to like. The boys who do the best in Scouts are the ones who are supported by their parents, their teachers, their church, and their leaders.
In the summer of 1988, it became apparent that there were more boys coming out of various cub scout packs in Peachtree City than were slots available in the various troops for them to go to. The United Methodist Men agreed, and Troop 275 was chartered in September of 1988, with Pete Caffall as Scout Master, Ray Besch as committee chairman, and 4 boys and a "John Doe". (BSA requires that a minimum of five (5) boys is needed to charter a troop.) We acquired several boys from Pack 75 at the next "Bridging Over" in April 1989, and went to Spring Camporee and summer camp that same year.
Over the next few years, Dick Glazer, Chris Bourgeois, Steve Cox, Don Buck, and Sid Braswell took turns as scout master. Presently, Cory Trawick is the Scout Master and Mike Bean is the committee chairman. The troop prefers to maintain a net enrollment of 34 scouts. The PeachtreeCity United Methodist Men have supported us in our endeavors, and backed us with generous donations over the years. We are grateful and thankful to the UMM.
In the Fall of 1998 the troop split and formed Venture Crew 275 with some of the older scouts, several young ladies, and a handful of adults. This is the first Venture Crew chartered in the Flint River Council and ensures an exciting program for our older scouts at a time in their adolescent lives when other diversions take priority. Retention by older scouts has been excellent in this new program.
Troop 275 has always been active in the Flint River Council, headquarters in Griffin, Georgia. We participate in many of the Camporees and have made use of Camp Thunder for Summer Camp. We support the Scout Show in March, Scouting for food in February, Scout Sunday, also in February, and many other Council events throughout the year.
Camp Thunder is the Flint River Council's reservation for camping. It is located in Upson County, about 50 miles from Peachtree City. The reservation consists of about 1800 acres, including about 2 miles along the Flint River. It is a fine camp and is becoming well known outside Georgia by many troops who choose to summer camp there. Included with Camp Thunder is the Lawhorn Canoe Base, a river outfitter, which caters to outside individuals and groups as well as the Boy Scouts.
So far, we have recorded 17 boys whom either achieved the rank of Eagle while in the troop, or achieved it in another troop after moving away from Peachtree City. Several of the current enrollment are ready to complete the requirements for Eagle Scout.
The troop tries to schedule at least one outing a month, preferably one in which there is overnight camping. Our activities are varied. In the past we have gone to Cumberland Island, canoed the Flint River, rafted the Nantahala River in North Carolina, visited the Yorktown, been on wild cave tours in public caves as well as caves less frequented, and visited several state parks. Additionally, we camp locally when conditions do not permit us to go off on a long outing. Every year we plan a couple of hiking or backpacking trips in the North Georgia Mountains.
The Peachtree City United Methodist Church sponsors three Boy Scout Troops, two Cub Scout Packs, and one Venture Crew; more than any church in the U.S., of any denomination. The Sepahoyetv (Fayette County) District, and the Flint River Council have more and better trained Scout Leaders than any other council in the United States.
Scouting is a time of learning, maturing, and having fun. Part of this process is advancing in rank. Boys advance in rank by completing certain prescribed achievements, and then being recognized for their achievements. The Scout Handbook contains most of the information needed by the scout to advance through scouts. He will keep it with him throughout his trek from Cub to Eagle, and his progress is recorded in it. For this reason, a Scout Handbook is essential. It is the first item that a new scout should obtain.
The Scout uniform is an outward sign that a boy is a member of the Scout Program. In its entirety, it consists of a SCOUT cap, (Troop 275 provides a SCOUT Cap and a T-shirt with each registration fee) a Scout Class 'A' tan (dress) shirt, Red Boy Scout shoulder loops, Green Scout long pants and/or shorts, Boy Scout Socks (Red-Tops), a Scout belt (green - web), and Merit Badge Sash. (The Scout neckerchief is optional in our troop, but looks sharp for special occasions.) Some of the WEBELOS programs include the tan shirt and green pants in their final year. If your son was in one of these programs, this uniform is fine. However, all of the Cub Scout/ WEBELOS insignia must be removed from the uniform shirt. The only insignia that may be carried forward is the Arrow of Light Award.
If your son does not have any of the uniform parts, I suggest the following schedule:
(All uniform pieces and many other items of scout equipment may be purchased at Belks in Fayetteville or Newnan, or at the Scout Center in Griffin)
First month: Purchase a Class 'A' Scout shirt. A scout carries his rank, troop affiliation, council affiliation, patrol affiliation, and certain other badges on his shirt.
Second month: Purchase the scout pants/shorts. Plan ahead, buy a little large. If in the Spring, buy shorts, if in the Fall, buy long pants.
Third Month: Purchase red-top socks, web-belt, and merit badge sash.
Scout uniform pieces are high quality garments and last a long time, even when not particularly well cared for. They are not cheap. For this reason, if money is a problem, the troop has some hand-me-down uniforms, or you may find that friends and neighbors may have old scout uniforms that are still serviceable.
Along the way, your scout will need to obtain a mess kit, eating utensils, and canteen, sleeping bag, and back pack. Each boy in the patrol is expected to have his own mess gear to eat from when on an outing. Nearly any style of mess kit/ eating utensils is OK. You can find these at KMART / WalMart, Army Surplus, or Boy Scout Catalogue/ Belk's/ Penney's.
The sleeping bag should be one that does not have cartoon characters on it. A bag rated to 30 - 35 degrees will be sufficient for most of the outings we go on. On the occasion when it gets colder than that, a thin cotton or wool blanket inside the bag will better its rating by about 10 degrees. It should not be big and bulky.
Back packs, while not strictly necessary, make a very nice way to organize a scout's equipment on an outing, and are ever so much easier to deal with on a hike. Reasonably nice packs can be had for $45-$65 new. Make sure it fits the boy reasonably well. Too big a pack is difficult to wear, and will weigh too much when loaded. Again, used packs can be had, and the troop may be able to find one for your boy.
A scout's advancement is his indication that he is learning scout skills and making progress in his Scout career. A scout that doesn't advance on a regular basis may lose interest in scouts and may not be having a good time. It is particularly important that the scout's parents support and encourage the scout to complete the requirements for his next advancement in rank.
A scout advances in three steps. These are: 1) Completion of Requirements; 2) Scoutmaster Conference; and finally 3) A Board of Review. Let's look at each of these.
1) Requirements:
The requirements for each rank are listed in the Boy Scout Handbook. Each rank has its own section that shows the requirements, a place to be signed and dated by an adult leader, and in the case of Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class, a page reference in the handbook concerning that particular requirement. Older scouts may check a scout's ability to perform a requirement, but an adult leader must sign and date the requirement. Most requirements do not have to be completed in any specific order. However, time in grade constraints (STAR, LIFE, EAGLE) must be met - no exceptions. The requirements of Scoutmaster Conference and Board of Review may not be completed until the previous rank has been successfully earned. A Scout may not earn First Class prior to Second Class, or Life prior to Star, etc.
2) Scout master Conference:
The Scoutmaster Conference is a time when both the Scout and the Scout Master can talk to each other about the Scout, his progress, and the goings on in the troop. It is intended to be a two-way street, and if the Scout has a grievance, now is one of the times that he can air it. These used to be called "Growth Agreement Conferences" and they were intended to be a sort of verbal agreement or contract between the Scout and the Scout Master with regard to how the Scout was going to perform between then and the next opportunity for a Scout Master conference. If a Scout is doing OK in the troop, and he appears to be on the right track, this will probably be a 5 or 10 minute conversation. If your Scout comes home and says, "Boy! the Scout Master talked to me for almost 45 minutes tonight!", perhaps you better investigate and see what's going on. Rest assured that if there is a serious problem, the Scout Master will talk to the parents about it. The Scout Master may opt to not sign off the Scout Master Conference if he feels that the Scout needs more time.
3) Board of Review:
Finally, there is a Board of Review. The Board is composed of three or more Adult Leaders in the Troop, but not the Scout Master. It is a time for a Scout to shine, and show off what he has learned. The purpose of the board of review is to try to determine if the Scout knows what he is supposed to know up to this point. It is also an indication of his attitude about Scouting. For this reason, a Scout should show up for a board of review in full Class 'A' Uniform, complete with Merit Badge Sash (if applicable), Scout hat, shirt, pants, belt, badges, and socks. He is trying to make his best impression, similar to going for a job interview. A large point is made of Scout Spirit. There are some who will tell you that it is composed of the three A's ( Attitude, Attendance, and Appearance ). I maintain that the three A's are indicators of Scout Spirit but it is more than that. We all know that kids are able to show us and tell us what they think we want to see and know. To me Scout Spirit is contained in and defined by the Scout Oath, the Scout Law, the Scout Motto, and the Scout Slogan. If a Scout adheres to these, and lives by them, then he will have Scout Spirit, and everything else will fall into place. The board does not have to sign a Scout off merely because he attends the board of review, and the Scout may be asked to wait a period of time, and try again.
If everything has gone well to this point, the Scout Master will introduce the Scout to the troop in his new capacity, and we will award the badge of rank within 10 days of his earning it. At a Court of Honor, the Scout will be recognized in front of the Troop for all of his achievements since the last court of honor. Additionally, he will receive a card indicating his achievement, for each badge of rank, each merit badge, and each special award. These are important and should be kept in a safe place until your Scout completes Eagle, or turns 18.
Boy Scouts and merit badges are usually mentioned in the same breath when people talk about Scouting. Merit Badges are indications that a Scout has completed a task or project in a particular subject area. There are approximately 125 different merit badges that a Scout can earn. A minimum of 21 merit badges must be earned before a boy can achieve the rank of Eagle, although this is by no means the only criterion. Eleven of the 21 merit badges must be from a list of 14 or 15 that are specifically designated as "Eagle Required." Each of these badges has a Silver Border to distinguish it from the non-Eagle required badges. Among these Badges are Camping, Citizenship in the Community, Nation, and World, Swimming, Lifesaving, Environmental Science, Family Life, Personal Management, and others.
If a Scout decides to earn a merit badge, he must request permission from the Scout Master. The Scout Master will fill out a blue card for him, and assign him a Merit Badge Counselor from a list of approved counselors in the district. Adults in the Troop may volunteer to teach merit badges, but generally speaking, they may not be a counselor for their own son, unless a class of two or more scouts is taught the merit badge and the son is in the class.
The Scout must contact the merit badge counselor, and arrange to visit with him for however many sessions are needed until the merit badge is completed. The Scout should be prompt to the sessions, and show up in FULL CLASS 'A' UNIFORM, unless it is inappropriate to what is being taught, such as swimming or canoeing, etc. The Scout will need to obtain the Merit Badge Pamphlet pertaining to the merit badge in question. There are several in the Troop Library that may be loaned out, or they can be purchased for about $2.00.
When all of the requirements have been met and signed off by the merit badge counselor, the Scout will return the blue card to the Scout Master, who will validate and record it. The Scout will receive the merit badge (and card) at the next Court of Honor.
Each of the ranks of Star, Life, and Eagle, has requirements for earning several Eagle-required and non Eagle-required merit badges.
The Court of Honor is a Boy Scout ceremony that is held once a quarter. It is a chance for the Scout to be recognized in front of his parents and Troop for his accomplishments over the past few months. Sometimes this will be a long ceremony, and other times this will be a shorter one, depending upon how many badges of rank and merit have been earned. It is also a chance for you to see what your Scout has been up to. On occasion, refreshments are served, and also on occasion, a Troop Committee Meeting will be accomplished the same day.
Several years ago we determined that collecting weekly or monthly dues was a thankless headache of a task that was nearly always out of balance. At that time it was decided by the Troop Committee that a single up front fee would be charged to the Scout that would cover all of his dues for the year. A budget was made out, and based upon the expected number of paying boys in the troop, the budget was divided by this number. The result was the one time dues/registration.
For several years, this has worked out to be very close to $80. This fee is for a full 12 months of membership, from re-charter to re-charter. Boys coming into the Troop after January are charged a pro-rated amount based on months remaining to re-charter divided by 12 multiplied by $80.
The dues cover a variety of fees and expenses, including but not limited to: BSA Registration Fee, BSA Insurance, Boy's Life subscription, badges, patches, software, camp fuel, tent repairs, new tents and camping equipment, subsidizing two or three Scouts to JLT ( Junior Leadership Training ), Troop designed Baseball Caps, Troop designed Class 'B' shirts, etc. (See "Budget" following.)
Annual Dues are due in December, and if needed can be split into two or more smaller payments. When brothers are in the Troop, only one subscription to Boy's Life is ordered, and this reduces the Annual fee by $10 for the second and subsequent brothers.
Fees for outings will generally be based on a combination of factors including:
- Camp Site Fees
- Activity Fees ( e.g., caving or rafting )
- Camp cooked meals ( @ $3 per meal )
- Roadage ( Van fees and fuel, etc.; usually $1 per road hour - round trip )
Outings will generally consist of four camp meals. Scouts are advised to bring a sack lunch and canned drink for Friday evening. If the trip is 2-4 or more hours driving time, then also plan for $3 - $5 for a lunch at McDonald's or the like.
We don't do fund raising for the general budget. Scouts are encouraged to sell popcorn and Scout Show Tickets to help support the Flint River Council. Commissions earned on these sales go directly to the scout. Should a need arise, and the troop committee approves, a fund raiser will be allowed.
The troop has always participated in certain regularly scheduled events. We also try to schedule an outing each month, year-round.
Troop meetings are every Monday night, from 7:15 PM to 8:30 PM. Please have your Scout at the meeting at least 5-10 minutes prior to start. The meetings will be held in the large room underneath the sanctuary at the Peachtree City United Methodist Church, until further notice. Some holidays will be excepted, but meetings continue throughout the summer months.
Outings may be canceled if insufficient adults are available to accompany the Troop. BSA Policy requires a minimum of two adults at any Scout outing/event.
A typical annual outing schedule is as follows:
Boy Scout summer camp is a time of fun and adventure. It consists of 6 days and night of camping. Activities include a whole range of waterfront activities, and there are many scout and camping skill activities offered. When I say activities, I mean merit badges, and this is the time for a Scout to pick up as many as 6 merit badges. Other programs include TNT (the new scout trail), which will help to fill in many of the requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class, Project C.O.P.E., Mountaineering, and Whitewater.
Summer Camp for Troop 275 this year will begin on Sunday July 11th and run through Saturday July 17th. Summer Camp basic fee is $120 ( $15 more if paid after March 22! ). Project C.O.P.E., Mountaineering, and Whitewater are an additional $55. TNT and C.O.P.E. are half day programs, with the opportunity to earn merit badges in the afternoon. Mountaineering and Whitewater are full day programs, and are limited to older Scouts.
A physical examination is required in order to attend summer camp. Once completed, this physical is good for three years for the basic summer camp program. High adventure programs require that a special physical (Class III) be performed within the year. All physicals must be accomplished on Boy Scout Physical Forms - see one of the leaders if you need a form. Your son’s unexpired physical form must be turned in with his camp fees.
At least two adult leaders must be present in camp through the entire week. Adult fees are $80 each but are discounted by $10 for each scout attending (i.e. 2 adults attend free if 16 scouts attend). Other adults are encouraged to visit and/or spend one or more nights during the week of camp. Meal tickets for visitors must be prearranged prior to the start of camp. Adult leaders spending the week or staying overnight are required to complete an annual physical exam if over 40, or once every other year if under forty years of age.
A $50 deposit is required from everyone attending by January 25th to commit a scout and reserve our campsite. The balance of $70 and the $55 high adventure fee (if chosen) will be due on March 22nd. New scouts crossing into the troop can pay the full $120 by the March 22nd deadline without penalty. The above payment schedule must be followed to avoid penalties imposed by Camp Rainey Mountain and to reserve a large campsite of our choice.