Welcome Aboard!

The purpose of this guide for new Scouts and Scout parents is to acquaint you with the Scouting program, Troop 989 in particular, and prepare you for the first few steps on the path to Eagle.  The Official Troop 989 Handbook can be found in the Member's Only section of the website. 

​

About the BSA (from scouting.org)

The Boy Scouts of America is one of the nation’s largest and most prominent values-based youth development organizations. The BSA provides a program for young people that builds character, leadership skills, trains them in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and develops personal fitness.  (For more on how Troop 989 specifically develops these 4 traits in our scouts, click here.)

​

For over a century, the BSA has helped build the future leaders of this country by combining educational activities and lifelong values with fun. The Boy Scouts of America believes — and, through over a century of experience, knows — that helping youth is a key to building a more conscientious, responsible, and productive society.

​

Meetings

Troop meetings are held on Tuesday nights from 7pm to 8:30pm at Waterstone Church.

​

Fees and Dues

Troop 989 dues are $150 per year for youth. This includes the cost of registration, a subscription to Boy’s Life, Troop insurance, cost of equipment, badges, and awards, etc.   Troop 989 covers the yearly fees for adult leaders. 

Weekend camping trips range from $15 to $80 depending on the activities involved. The cost of one week at summer camp is around $250 (this figure changes year to year). High Adventure Camps are once-in-a-lifetime experiences and can cost up to $2,000.

​

The boys are encouraged to participate in fundraisers such as popcorn and BSA Camp Cards to offset the cost of campouts and registration. Scouts who sell popcorn and cards can earn money in the individual Scout accounts (ISAs).

By helping to pay for some portion of their own Scout activities, they learn about responsibility and money management. 

​

Uniform

The Troop requires a Class A uniform be worn for meetings, travel, courts of honor, and flag ceremonies.

Class A includes the khaki Scout shirt with patches and proper insignia, which includes shoulder loops and Alpine District patch on the shoulder. Consult the Scout handbook for details on patch placement.

​

Our scouts also have a “Class B” polo or t-shirt.  These are purchased at the beginning of the year and include our troop logo.  Hats and sweatshirts can also be purchased.  Class B uniforms are worn on campouts and during the summer at our troop meetings.

 

Handbook

All boys are required to have a Boy Scout Handbook. The Troop will also provide additional literature and a notebook to help Scouts advance and organize their paperwork.

On their journey through the first few Scout ranks, everything they will need to learn, practice, or memorize can be found in that book.

It also includes logs for service hours, rank advancement requirements, and merit badges. Scouts are strongly encouraged to bring their books to meetings and campouts.

​

Behavior

Scouts are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the principles of the Scout Oath and Law.

​

Parent Participation 

We expect all parents to contribute in some fashion for the betterment of the Scouting program of Troop 989. We are a large organization and parent help is always needed for leading and organizing campouts, helping the Scoutmaster organize monthly meetings, teaching merit badges and more. 

​

Required and Recommended Leadership Training

Troop 989 encourages all of our adult volunteers (scout leaders, committee members, and parents) to get training in Boy Scout programs, Youth Protection, and first aid. We require all adults who attend High Adventure Camp to take additional leadership training through BSA.  A glossary of scouting terms can be found here.

​

Troop Calendar

Weekly:

Our troop meets every Tuesday evening. We start with opening flags and announcements and then move on to rank advancement activities, merit badge courses or whole group activities. Each week we close with the scoutmaster minute and closing flags. Click here to view our calendar.

 

Monthly: 

Camping:  Our troop plans and executes at least one camping trip per month. (Yes, even in the winter!) 

Service Projects:  Our troop volunteers for several community service projects each month. 

Theme and scout point of the month- Each month our scout leaders choose a theme to discuss over the scoutmaster minute.

SMIC- Each month we have a new Scout Master in Charge.  This is an adult leader who helps the SPL make sure that weekly events and schedules run smoothly. 

PLC meetings – typically held on the last Tuesday each month at 7pm. This is the meeting for the patrol leaders, senior patrol leader, and other officers in the Troop to plan and discuss activities for the rest of the month.

Boards of Review (BoR) – Scheduled on the same evening as the PLC. Scouts must schedule a BOR one week in advance with the Advancement Chair. Scouts must have a Board of Review in order to advance in rank.

Committee Meeting – typically held on Thursday evenings, 1 per month.

​

Quarterly

Court of Honor (CoH) – a special Troop meeting to recognize Scouts for their achievements. Scouts who earn merit badges and rank advancement will receive their patches and cards at this event.  Scouts MC the event and put on skits and tell jokes between each patrol award ceremony. 

 

Yearly Events

"Bee" Prepared honey harvest, jarring and sale

PLC Planning Campout

Cooking Competition Campout

Aviation Merit Badge Weekend

River Rafting Campout

Wind Farm Campout

Mission Wolf Service Project and Campout

Snow Sports or Klondike Campout

Summer Camp

High Adventure Camp

Popcorn Sale and Camp Card Fundraisers

Scouting For Food Community Food Drive

And Many More!

​

Communication

Google Groups.  To keep communication flowing, we use an email distribution list via Google Groups. Upon joining Troop 989, provide your email address and you’ll be added to the list.

​

Troop Website

Upon joining Troop 989, create a login on the website and you will be granted access to our member's only pages.

 

Rank Advancement

Troop 989 is very proud of the accomplishments of our scouts. The goal of every scout is to become an Eagle Scout, Boy Scout’s highest rank. More than 110 scouts in Troop 989 have reached this pinnacle. In the BSA, there are 7 ranks: Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life and Eagle. To attain a certain rank, the Scout will need to complete certain requirements. These requirements are noted in the backs of their Scout handbooks. Some of these can be done at home, after which the Scout can come to a meeting and show evidence of the completion to get an adult leader to sign for it. Sometimes we will work on these as a troop. Many times these requirements can be done on campouts.

The scout should complete all the other requirements before requesting a Scoutmaster’s conference. Once that conference is complete, the Scout should contact the Advancement Chairperson to schedule a Board of Review. The patch and the card for the rank will be given to the Scout at the next Court of Honor.

 

Merit Badges

Like ranks, merit badges have requirements the Scouts must complete to earn them. Each merit badge represents a skill or an area of interest or career path.

​

Some merit badges are required for Eagle, so they often take a bit more time to complete. Some ranks like Star and Life require a certain number of merit badges.

​

Badges can be earned at summer camp, weekly meetings, (see troop calendar) or by seeking out an individual merit badge counselor. See the troop website’s leadership dashboard for more information on merit badge counselors in our troop.  Once earned, the Scout will receive the patch and merit badge card at the next Court of Honor. The patches are worn on a merit badge sash at events like Courts of Honor. They can be sewn on or iron-on materials can be used to fix the patches to the sash.

​

Equipment

If you do not come from an active outdoor family, a trip to a store like REI might be overwhelming!  Don’t worry, getting started does not require a full set of expedition gear…  To start with your son will need a uniform.  The BSA Scout Shop has wonderful employees who can help you get exactly what you need.  On any scouting adventure, we require the 10 Essentials.  As far as minimum camping equipment goes, a few basic things are needed:

 

1)     Small Flashlight (head lamps are handy)

2)     Sleeping Bag

3)     Lightweight Sleeping pad

4)     Camping Mess kit – plate, bowl, cup, knife, fork, spoon, water bottle

5)     Small personal first aid kit (troop will have at least one well stocked first aid kit at each camp site)

6)     Outdoor clothing depending on weather – rain coat, warm clothes etc.

7)     A duffel bag to carry camping gear.  Many scouts have backpacking backpacks, but are only really needed for the one or two trips a year where the troop camps away from the troop trailer.

8)     A tent is not required as scouts are required to share a tent at campouts.

The troop will provide a BSA handbook and neckerchief.  

 

Affiliate Organizations

Order of the Arrow

Order of the arrow is a service organization that operates in conjunction with the BSA. In order to join, scouts are elected by other scouts, not just other members of OA. Through the local lodge and chapter, OA members do service projects, hold fellowship campouts twice a year, put on an annual banquet, as well as provide ceremonial support for Webelo-to-Scout crossover ceremonies.  Learn more at oa-bsa.org.