About Troop 850
Welcome to Boy Scout Troop 850. In 2018, we celebrated our 61st anniversary of Scouting at Saint Ignatius. During the past 61 years, Troop 850 has produced 95 Eagle Scouts, the highest rank a Boy Scout can attain. Currently, we have 30 boys who are registered Scouts and 30 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.
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.