Introduction
Welcome to Boy Scout Troop 850. In 2010, we celebrated our 53rd anniversary of Scouting at Saint Ignatius. During the past 53 years, Troop 850 has produced 77 Eagle Scouts, the highest rank a Boy Scout can attain. Currently, we have 35 boys who are registered Scouts and 35 registered adult leaders.
Our Troop is known for being an active Troop. We generally have one weekend campout each month, except December, along with a week long High Adventure trip in the summer for older Scouts. We have two annual fundraisers: a Spaghetti Dinner in April and a Pancake Breakfast in October. Other activities include Scout Sunday Mass in February, a week long Summer Camp in June or July, and helping with the St. Ignatius Festival in August. We understand Scouts and families are busy, but we encourage Scouts to attend as many activities as they are able.
We are fortunate to have an experienced group of Adult leaders in our Troop, some of whom have more than ten years of service to Scouting. This enables our Troop to offer a wide range of scouting experiences with a high level of expertise and safety awareness.
Troop Organization
Troop 850 is a member of the William Henry Harrison District within the Dan Beard Council. Our sponsoring organization is St. Ignatius Catholic Parish.
One of the goals of Troop 850 is to have a ‘boy lead’ troop as much as possible with the adult leaders serving in a supporting role. This allows the Scouts to develop their leadership skills as well as their Scouting skills.
Patrols
In any Boy Scout troop, the foundation of the troop’s organization is the patrol. A patrol is composed of 4-8 Scouts and is usually formed according to the age of the boys. A patrol comprised of younger Scouts will have an older Scout assigned to them serving as ‘Troop Guide’. During a troop meeting, the Scouts will often sit and work together by patrols. The makeup of the patrols will be changed from time to time, coinciding with troop elections.
When the troop is planning a weekend campout, different patrols are formed for that campout since not all boys attend every campout. These patrols will plan their own menu, prepare their own food, and compete as a patrol depending on the campout. A patrol is also formed for the adult leaders attending each campout.
Boy Scout Leadership Positions
The following are Boy Scout leader positions within the troop:
| Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) | Assists in planning and running Troop meetings. Conducts the opening and closing of meetings. Oversees Scout duties on campouts. |
| Assistant SPL | Assists the SPL at meetings and on campouts and fills in if the SPL is unavailable. |
| Troop Guide | Assists the adult leaders in the training and advancement of new Scouts. |
| Patrol Leader | Supervises a patrol of 4-8 Scouts. Carries out activities assigned to his patrol. For campouts, supervises the menu planning, assigns Scouts to shop, and creates a duty roster. |
| Assistant Patrol Leader | Assists the Patrol Leader at meetings and campouts and fills in if the Patrol Leader is unavailable. |
| Troop Scribe | Records notes from the PLC meetings and reports these as needed to the Troop. |
| Chaplain’s Aide | Leads the Troop in prayer at the opening and closing of Troop meetings and other occasions. |
| Librarian | Keeps a record of books and pamphlets owned by the Troop and maintains a system of checking books in and out. |
| Historian | Keeps a record of Troop activities including photos. |
Adult Roles
The role of adults in the troop fall generally into 2 categories: Scoutmasters and Committee Members. Each has their own specific role but there is also much overlap between them. In either case, all registered adults are required to pass an online Youth Protection course
The Scoutmaster (SM) has overall responsibility for the day-to-day functioning of the troop. He is assisted by several Assistant Scoutmasters (ASM), some of whom may have specific duties such as Quartermaster (equipment), Rank Advancement, and Eagle Rankcoordinator. All ASMs help out when they can at troop meetings, campouts, and other troop events. An adult does not have to be a registered leader to attend campouts, but it is encouraged. There are many training opportunities, paid for by the troop, within Dan Beard Council for adult leaders, and some are now required to be considered an adult leader. All adults are strongly encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities to improve their Scout skills, leadership skills, and safety awareness.
The Committee Chairman heads the Troop Committee which functions as the administrative and support organization for the Troop. The Troop Committee takes care of non-program issues surrounding the Troop; for example, Troop funds, Troop website, fund raising activities, membership drives, advancement records, procurement and maintenance of Troop equipment. Any adult can have input into issues and policies simply by attending the monthly Committee meetings.
Meetings
Regular Troop Meetings
Troop 850 meets on a regular basis every Tuesday evening at 7:00 pm in the St. Ignatius school cafeteria. The meetings last 1½ hours and parents are welcome to attend. Scouts should bring their Scout handbook and wear their Scout Class A uniform including Class A shirt, neckerchief and slide, and official pants and socks. The neckerchief, slide, and socks will be supplied by the Troop and the shirt and pants can be purchased at the new Scout Achievement Center on Reading Road. In the summer months, instead of the Class A shirt, Scouts instead wear a tee shirt provided by the Troop, referred to as a Class B uniform.
Beginning in 2011, a Scout will earn a “Strike” if he does not adhere to the uniform requirements, is considered disruptive at a Troop meeting or other Scouting event, or fails to pack essential gear for a campout. If a Scout accumulates a certain total of “Strikes” (most likely 4), he will forfeit a Troop privilege such as attending a future campout. If a Scout has any special behavioral, social, medical issues, a parent should inform the Scoutmaster upon joining the Troop.
A Scout’s attentive participation in troop meetings is essential for a Scout to advance in rank and to get to know other Scouts and adult leaders. The meetings are run by the Scouts themselves and open with a flag ceremony, the Pledge of Allegiance, a prayer, and a uniform inspection. The format for the rest of the meeting will vary from week to week but may include a demonstration of a Scout skill, a game that teaches a Scout skill, or completion of a rank advancement in the Scout handbook. If a troop campout is scheduled for the weekend, those Scouts attending will focus on campout preparation. The meeting may conclude with a game (if time allows), followed by the closing ceremony and the ‘Scoutmasters Minute’.
Once a month, the Troop meeting is preceded at 5:45 by a Patrol Leaders Council (PLC) meeting. This meeting is attended by the Scoutmaster and Scouts who are in a leadership role with the purpose of planning the troop meetings for the next month.
Committee Meetings
Once a month, instead of a Troop meeting, a Troop Committee meeting is held, also Tuesdays at 7:00 pm. The Troop Committee is made up of all interested parents and its purpose is to discuss and act on issues involving finances, equipment, fundraising, and other concerns of a general nature. The meeting lasts approximately 1 hour and all parents are encouraged to attend. The Scouts do not attend Committee meetings.
Court of Honor
A ‘Court of Honor’ is a special troop meeting held 3 times a year to recognize individual Boy Scout achievements such as rank advancement and merit badges. Families may be asked to provide a snack or drinks. All families are strongly encouraged to attend. The December Court of Honor includes an entertaining Powerpoint presentation of Troop photos taken throughout the year.
Elections
Twice a year during regular troop meetings, elections are held for Boy Scout leader positions (Senior Patrol Leader (SPL), Patrol Leader, Troop Guide, Historian,). These meetings are often some of the most fun meetings, when boys decide what position to run for and then make creative speeches to try and sway their peers. A Scout must be at least the rank of 1st Class to run for a position.
Planning Meeting
In December, a meeting is held with selected Boy Scouts and Adult leaders to plan the next year’s activities. The focus of this meeting is for the Scouts to determine what campouts they would like to plan for the coming year. Because of this, the Boy Scouts who are in a leadership position and those Scouts who attended the most campouts the previous year are invited to attend.
Troop Campouts
Troop 850 is an active troop when it comes to camping, typically camping once each month, except December. The choice of campouts is made by Scouts (with guidance from adult leaders) at the yearly Planning Meeting. The following are general categories and specific examples of past campouts.
- Service Campouts. One campout each year, usually in the spring, is dedicated to performing a service project. In the past we have built bird feeders at Caesar Creek State Park, cleared brush along the road at Miami Whitewater Park, painted buildings at Fort Ancient, and planted trees at Clifty Falls State Park.
- Adventure Campouts. Examples of past campouts are canoeing in Brookville, IN, caving in Renfro Valley, KY, rock climbing in Torrent Falls, KY, rifle/shotgun shooting at the Fairfield Gun Club, and Wilderness Survival campouts.
- Backpacking. Two weekend backpacking trips are scheduled each year. The spring trip is open to anyone and the fall trip is only for experienced backpackers. Past locations for these trips include Cave Run Sate Park, KY, Vesuvius in Southern OH, Hoosier National Forest, IN, and Big Southfork, KY.
- Council and District Campouts. Each year, our Scout district sponsors a Spring and a Fall Camporee held at a local Scout camp. A winter campout known as Klondike is held annually in January at Mt. Airy or a local Scout camp. Every 2 years, Peterloon is held at Cub World in October and is one of the largest Boy Scout campouts in the country attracting more than 4,000 Boy Scouts.
- Other campouts —- Fort Knox, KY, the Gettysburg Battlefield, PA, the Perryville Battlefield, KY, Camp Oyo near Portsmouth, OH, and Dutch Oven cooking competition at Mt Airy Forest.
Campout Preparation
The schedule of campouts for the year is made available in January. Permission slips and payments are generally due at the troop meeting ten days before the campout. Each Scout is required to submit a permission slip with a parent’s signature and medical insurance information. Permission slip forms for upcoming campouts are available on the Troop website. Before submitting, please tear off the bottom of the slip which notes the times for departure and return.
The cost to a Scout or a parent for a typical weekend averages around $25 each which pays for most of the food, transportation, and any camping or activity fees. The remainder of the cost of a campout is paid by the Troop’s general fund. Campout fees can be paid through a Scouts personal account which is funded by ticket sales for the Troop’s fundraisers. (See ‘Fundraisers’ section for details.)
At the last troop meeting before each campout, the Scouts are formed into patrols. Each patrol selects a patrol leader and assistant, completes a menu (approved by an adult leader) for each meal, and assigns 2 Scouts to complete the grocery shopping for the campout. Any campout details (departure times, transportation, weekend schedule, required gear …) are covered by adult leaders or senior Scout leaders. A gear list specific to each campout will be distributed at the meeting. General gear lists for campouts are also listed on the Troop website. Essential equipment for all campouts includes Class Auniform, mess kits, water bottle, rain gear, boots, and extra shoes. It is critical for the enjoyment and safety of the Scouts that parents are involved as needed to assure that the Scouts are prepared for each campout.
For each campout, one adult leader will be designated to keep all medications that a Scout requires during the campout. The medications should be in a zip-loc bag with the Scout’s first and last name clearly written on the outside of the bag. Inside should be specific instructions for administering the medications. Any Scout who plans on taking medicine on his own must get the permission of the Scoutmaster prior to the campout.
For a typical weekend campout, we meet at 5:30 Friday evening at St. Ignatius. We pack up the food, tents, and gear in the troop trailer and caravan to our destination. Upon arrival, we set up camp, and have a snack (‘cracker barrel’) before bedtime. No dinner is provided on Friday night. We return to St. Ignatius on Sunday morning or early afternoon. We make every effort to attend Mass sometime during the campout.
After each campout, if the Troop’s tents were used, each boy is required to take home either a tent or plastic ground cloth to be cleaned and dried. The Scout should also verify all parts of the tent are there (poles, fly, stakes …) and to document any parts or damage to the tent and report that information at the next meeting. Parents should be as involved in this effort as much as necessary since this is an important function to keep our tents in good shape so that at the next campout there are no unpleasant surprises.
Summer Camp
Each year in July, Troop 850 attends a week-long Boy Scout Summer Camp. This is a great opportunity for young Scouts to get accustomed to the Troop and to earn their first merit badges. In 2011, we will attend Camp Powhatan near Roanoke, VA the week of June 19-25. This is a full week of activity for the Scouts and is one of the highlights of our Scouting year.
We will leave for Virginia on Sunday morning June 19th and arrive in early afternoon to check-in. The boys will sleep on cots, two to a canvas tent on raised wooden platforms. Monday through Friday, the Scouts attend merit badge classes which they have chosen and the 1st year Scouts will also attend a special program (‘Brownsea Island’) geared toward new Scouts. This program is a great way to quickly attain their Tenderfoot rank and learn basic scout skills.
Other activities include swimming, hiking, rifle shooting, horsemanship, archery, morning and evening flag ceremonies, campfires, and boating. The cost for the week including transportation will be $320 for each Scout and only $50 for Adults. The Troop will cover the bulk of the camping costs ($160) for all adults. Anyone attending camp must complete a medical form which includes an examination by a physician. Camp Powhatan is part of the Blue Ridge Mountain Council. For more information, go to www.brmcreservation.org, click on “Summer Camp” and “Powhatan”. Be sure to watch the You Tube video and read the Leader’s Guide.
High Adventure
Each year for one week during the summer, Troop 850 provides an opportunity for older Scouts to participate in a High Adventure trip. High Adventure offers our Scouts more of a challenge beyond the usual Troop campouts and, because of this, a Scout must be at least 13 years old and at least the rank of 1st Class Scout. Special fundraisers are held for some trips to help offset the cost. The following four trips are rotated every four years.
2010 Whitewater Kayaking in West Virginia
2011 Bahamas Sailing and Scuba Diving
2012 Boundary Waters Canoe trip in Ely, Minnesota
2013 Backpacking in the Rocky Mountains
Rank Advancement
Advancing in rank within the Boy Scouts is one of the most fundamental elements of Scouting. It demonstrates a Scout has learned and mastered Scout skills, participated fully in troop activities, and shown the ability to lead other Scouts. Rank advancement isachieved by attending troop meetings and campouts while learning, practicing, and mastering the requirements for each rank. For higher ranks beginning with Star Scout, merit badges are also required to advance.
The requirements for each rank are detailed in the Scout Handbook. A checklist in the back of the Handbook is used to keep a record of achievement. When all requirements for a rank have been met, the Scout will meet with the Scoutmaster for a ‘Scoutmasters Conference’. The final step is a Board of Review when the Scout presents himself to three adult leaders to discuss his accomplishments, likes and dislikes, and his plans for the future in Scouting.
Boy Scout Ranks
| Scout |
| Tenderfoot |
| 2nd Class Scout |
| 1st Class Scout |
| Star Scout |
| Life Scout |
| Eagle Scout |
Merit Badges
A merit badge is an award which a Boy Scout earns by completing a set of requirements in a specific subject area. There are over 100 merit badges for a Scout to choose from covering many different interests. Some examples are Fishing, Engineering, Art, Geology, Bird Study, Nature, Climbing, Auto Mechanics, Woodwork, Computers, Genealogy, and Canoeing.
For a Boy Scout to attain the rank of Eagle Scout (the highest rank a Boy Scout can attain), a total of 21 merit badges must be earned. Of those 21, there are 12 which are required, while the other nine can be of the Scout’s choosing. The ‘Eagle Required’ merit badges are listed below.
| Camping | Communications | First Aid |
| Citizenship in the Community | Emergency Preparedness or Lifesaving | Personal Fitness |
| Citizenship in the Nation | Environmental Science | Personal Management |
| Citizenship in the World | Family Life | Swimming, Hiking, or Cycling |
For younger Scouts who want to begin working on Eagle Required merit badges, they should focus on Swimming, First Aid, Family Life, Environmental Science, and Camping.
Two events each year offer Scouts the best opportunity to earn merit badges. Summer Camp offers between 50 and 60 merit badges. A few months before Summer Camp, each Scout who plans to attend will select up to 5 or 6 merit badges. Each day of Summer Camp, he will spend an hour fulfilling the requirements for each merit badge.
Merit Badge Challenge is held at Fairfield High School in January and February. Scouts spend 3 Saturday mornings working on 3 merit badges which they have selected. Many of the merit badges offered at Merit Badge Challenge are of the classroom type, not usually offered at Summer Camp. At both Merit Badge Challenge and Summer Camp, the completion of pre-work is often required in order to earn the merit badge.
A Scout’s progress on each merit badge is recorded on a ‘Blue Card’ which lists the requirements for each merit badge and has a place for a counselor’s initials when each requirement is completed. Also, for each merit badge there is a booklet which details the requirements for the merit badge. These can be bought at the Scout Achievement Center on Reading Road or, in some cases, can be borrowed from the Troop 850 library.
Fundraising/Service/Registration
Fundraising
Troop 850 has two fundraisers each year: our Spaghetti Dinner in April and Pancake Breakfast in October. In both cases, the Scouts have the opportunity to sell tickets prior to the event and a portion of these funds goes directly into their personal account, which can then be used to pay for their costs for campouts. The rest of the proceeds from ticket sales go into Troop 850’s general fund. All Scouts and at least 1 parent are required to work a shift at both the Spaghetti Dinner and the Pancake Breakfast.
Service Opportunities
In addition to our service campout in the spring, there are a number of other service opportunities for the Scouts in Troop 850. Each August, Troop 850 helps with the setup for the St. I Festival on the Thursday evening before the festival. Also, the following Monday morning, the Troop helps with the festival cleanup. With our help at the festival, the troop shows our appreciation for our sponsoring organization – Saint Ignatius Catholic Church.
For a Scout to attain the ranks of Star Scout and Life Scout, he must complete a six hour service project approved by the Scoutmaster. The culmination of a Scout’s service to his community is his Eagle Scout Project. For this a Scout elicits help from other Scouts in the troop to complete a significant, permanent project to be benefit the community.
Registration
For new Scouts, the registration cost is $50 which includes a new Boy Scout handbook, a Troop 850 neckerchief and slide, epaulets (shoulder patches), and socks. For subsequent years, the cost is $40 for a Scout. Adult registration is $20 each year.
Other Resources
Websites
- Troop850.org Troop 850 news, calendar, photos, permission slips
- DanBeard.org Dan Beard Council
- Meritbadge.com Contains a detailed, current overview of Merit Badges
Mailings
- Troop Newsletter. For 2011, we are in the process of phasing out the monthly Newsletter. Instead, the Troop website and weekly emails will be the primary method of communication for the troop. Eventually, updates will also be posted on Facebook and Twitter.
- Scouting magazine (bi-monthly)
- Boy’s Life magazine (monthly)
- The Fireside Chat (Dan Beard Council, quarterly)
Other
- Scout Handbook Contains details on rank advancement, merit badges, Scouting philosophy and traditions.
- The Troop 850 calendar is finalized each January and is on the Troop 850 website.
Scout Oath
“On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”
Scout Law
“A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty,
brave, clean, and reverent.”
Scout Motto
“Be Prepared”
Scout Slogan
“Do a Good Turn Daily”
Outdoor Code
“As an American, I will do my best to be clean in my outdoor manners, Be careful with fire,
Be considerate in the outdoors, and Be conservation-minded.”
