Elburn Troop 7
Handbook
Introduction
Troop
7 is located in Maramech Hill District of Three Fires Council, part of the Boy Scouts of America. Troop 7 is chartered to the Community Congregational Church in
Elburn. We have been continuously
chartered since 1924.
Scout Goals
We
hope your son will have an enjoyable time learning Scouting Skills while a part
of Troop 7. We are here to help with his
advancement at Troop meetings, campouts and all other Troop activities. We are committed to offering your son every
opportunity to advance from Tenderfoot to Eagle. We try to get all scouts to the rank of 1st
class in the first year of scouting.
Scouts who accomplish this are more likely to continue in scouting past
their first year.
Unlike
Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts is intended to be a boy-run organization. Scouts decide what events to do, plan those
events, and carry them out. Scouts are responsible
for teaching the scout skills required for rank advancement up to 1st
class. Older scouts provide leadership
to the troop.
Aims of Scouting
The
goal of Troop 7 is to help boys develop into honorable men. Scouting activities are pointed towards the
three basic Aims of Scouting. Character
Development focuses on honesty, confidence, respect, independence, and
reverence. Citizenship Training
helps them be active informed citizens, respectful of others, appreciative of
the environment, and to be a cheerful servant.
Mental and Physical Fitness challenges them to learn new
things, participate in vigorous outdoor activities, keep their minds and bodies
clean, and to use sound judgment in leading.
Methods of Scouting
Troop 7 uses the 8 Methods of Scouting to meet the
boys’ need for fun and adventure and accomplish the three Aims of Scouting:
The Ideals – Scout Oath, Scout Law, Outdoor Code, Scout Motto,
Scout Slogan
The Patrol Method – A group of 6 – 10 boys with a sense of pride and
identity
The Outdoors – A variety of outings held at least monthly with
varied skill levels
Advancement – Recognition for learning new skills and showing
leadership
Association with Adults – Scout Leaders acting as positive role models
Personal Growth – Growing physically, spiritually, emotionally into
men
Leadership Development – Progression through increasing levels of leadership
The Uniform – A symbol of belonging and equality
Parental Involvement
Scouts with active parents are much more likely to
enjoy and succeed in scouting. If you
make scouting a priority, your son will also make it a priority. Parents are always welcome to attend troop
meetings and activities. All parents
should complete Youth Protection Training
online.
Many volunteers are needed to deliver the scouting
program. Troop 7 requires at least one
parent of each boy to volunteer in some capacity. Volunteering may involve being a committee
member, coordinating an event, being an Assistant Scoutmaster, coordinating a
fundraiser, driving, merit badge counselor, or filling a committee
position. Please ask if you are unsure
where your skills would be best suited.
Non-participating parents will be contacted and asked to perform a
specific task or choose from a list of open positions.
Adult Drivers
Scouts with a valid
license may only drive himself or an immediate family member to or from any
scout activity. All adults who volunteer
to drive scouts to and from scouting events are required to carry at least the
minimum required insurance amounts required under Illinois law. Driver information including DL number,
vehicle description(s), address, phone number and birth date will be requested
by the Troop Tour Coordinator. The BSA requires tour permits for
activities involving Troop travel so that BSA insurance is in effect. Having
this information on file lets the Coordinator fill out the requests without
having to call you.
Troop Committee
The Troop Committee sets the course for the troop and
ensures the troop is run in accordance with BSA policies. The committee meets the first Monday after
the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 P.M. in the Scout meeting room of the
Community Congregational Church. All
parents are encouraged to attend.
Patrol Leaders’ Council
Patrol Leader Council (PLC) meetings are the first
Tuesday after the first Thursday of each month (or the Tues. following the
Committee meeting) at 6:30 P.M. in the Scout meeting room of the Community
Congregational Church. This is one hour prior to the regular meeting.
Troop Meetings
The Troop meets on Tuesday evenings from 7:30 –
8:45ish. The Troop follows the Kaneland school calendar. There is no Troop meeting if school is
cancelled or not planned. During the
summer, the Troop meets twice a month per announced schedule.
Assistant Scoutmasters
The Assistant Scoutmasters (ASM) advises and guides the scouts through their rank advancement. ASMs verify the scout has learned the skills required and sign the scout’s book. ASMs also hold scoutmaster conferences with each scout when they finish the requirements of each rank. It is vital to the troop to have enough trained ASMs to provide this one-on-one interaction with the scouts.
Outdoor Activities
The troop has a minimum of one troop activity per month. A troop activity is open to all scouts in the
troop and is typically a weekend camping trip, but could be a day activity such
as rock climbing, bike trip, ski trip, or hike.
Scouts who are in their 3rd year are eligible to attend
medium adventure outings. These are
typically 3-4 day trips involving moderately strenuous activities such as
canoeing, backpacking, rafting, or biking.
Scouts 14 years of age are eligible to attend high adventure
outings. These outings are typically one
week or longer and involve highly strenuous activities such as backpacking,
canoeing, or sailing in remote areas.
The Guide to Safe Scouting
applies to all activities.
Campouts
A tucked-in uniform and permission slip
are required for all campouts. Personal
electronics devices are not allowed.
Troop 7 supplies tents, tarps, lanterns, and other patrol
equipment. As part the Patrol Method,
scouts should not bring their own tents without prior permission. Scouts should compile a checklist of personal
equipment to bring on each campout. The
list in the BSA Handbook can be used as a starting point with items added and
deleted based on weather and personal preference.
One scout per patrol is “grub master”.
He collects $10 from each scout and purchases the food for the menu plan
the patrol has prepared. Scouts should
not bring candy, soda, or personal food items on campouts. The scouts learn to plan meals, cook, eat,
and cleanup as a patrol. Each scout must
bring his mess kit to each campout.
Local trips usually involve parents dropping off scouts at the
event. Adult drivers are needed for
trips outside the local area. Typically,
we meet at the Community Center on a Friday at 5:45 to leave at 6:00. Normally, we return to the community center
by noon on Sunday. Scouts may use an
adult’s cell phone to arrange pickup before arrival. Scouts should be picked up promptly.
Communication
The primary method of communication is the announcements at the Troop
meeting. Additional information will be
broadcast via email. Urgent messages are
sent through an automated callingpost.com phone message. Troop 7’s website is located at www.troop-7.org and contains a calendar,
forms, information, and pictures.
Troop Uniform
A Boy Scout ‘Class A’ uniform is required at all troop meetings. This consists of:
1)
Tucked in Boy Scout Shirt with correct insignia
2)
Red Troop
neckerchief with slide until rank of 1st Class is achieved
3)
Boy Scout Bolo
after rank of 1st Class is achieved
4)
Clean and
hole-free blue jeans, khakis, shorts, or dress pants with belt loops. Sweats, cutoffs, and bottoms without belt
loops are not allowed.
5)
Belt
6)
BSA or Troop 7
cap if cap is worn
Per
BSA rules, the ‘Class A’ uniform is required to be worn to and from all
Scout activities. It is also required by
the Three Fires Council’s accident and sickness insurance that is in effect
during Troop activities. Scouts who
arrive for an activity without the appropriate uniform will not be allowed to
participate. Typically, the neckerchiefs
or bolos are not worn to camping and hiking activities.
Advancement
Items
being completed for advancement must be done with the approval of the
Scoutmaster or Merit Badge Counselor or someone designated by them. Requirements must be fulfilled while
actively working on the badge or advancement with the instructor. Parents may not approve advancement work
without the specific consent of the Scoutmaster or Merit Badge Counselor
involved. Only Assistant Scoutmasters
may sign the scout’s book. 1st
year scouts may not work on merit badges held in troop meeting until reaching
the rank of 1st class.
Merit Badges
Merit
badges are offered during troop meetings, on outings, and at summer
camp. All scouts must have the
Scoutmaster’s permission to participate in a merit badge. 1st year scouts cannot participate in merit
badges during troop meetings until they have reached the rank of 1st
class. Parents are welcome to register
to be a counselor for merit badges they have an interest in. Merit badges must be offered to all eligible
scouts in the troop.
Advancement Recognition
1st
year scouts are recognized for their rank advancements through 1st
Class at the troop meetings. The higher
rank advancements and merit badges are awarded at a Court of Honor held 3 times
per year. These events usually include a
potluck meal and an awards ceremony.
Electronics
Scouting
is a program that builds independence and inter-personal skills. Personal electronics are a hindrance toward
building these skills. Handheld and
other game systems, CD players, MP3 players, headphones, and other personal
devices may only be used during travel.
They are to be left in the vehicle during the outing. These devices should not be brought to Troop
meetings. Troop 7 strongly discourages scouts from bringing cell phones on any
outings. Adult leaders have cell
phones that scouts can use to arrange rides and in case of emergency.
Scout Account Funds
Ideally, each scout should
participate in enough fundraisers to pay their way to summer camp or other
activities. The Troop typically has
three or four fundraisers each year that your son can use to earn money to pay
for scouting related activities. These
are typically fire extinguisher sales, popcorn sales, and pancake breakfasts in
February and August. The mandatory
parental participation requirement must be maintained in order for the scout to
use his funds. Families with more than
one scout may elect to have one family account or one account per scout.
Scout Account funds may be used for the
following:
1)
Annual scout
registration or dues.
2)
Summer Camp or
High Adventure.
3)
Camping equipment
purchased from the BSA Catalog through the troop.
4)
Camping equipment
purchased at a local store with prior Committee approval.
Scouts may
not use their account funds for:
1)
Campout food.
2)
Souvenirs from
camp or high adventure.
3)
Materials for
advancement/merit badge work.
4)
Cash of any kind.
Each January, Scouts who have not re-registered will be contacted. The Scout will have 30 days to use the funds as stated above. The funds will be transferred to the General Fund if they are not used within 30 days.
Troop Funds
The Troop has a general fund separate from the boys’
Scout Account. This fund pays for outing
and activity fees, awards, and other troop expenses. The Troop does not pay for parents to
participate in activities such as summer camp.
The Troop will typically pay only for the Scoutmaster in Charge. All parties attending medium or high
adventure pay their own way.
Registration
An annual non-refundable registration fee is due the
first week of January. This fee is
currently $55.00. The adult leader and
committee member registration fee of $10.00 is paid by the troop. The registration fee is used for the
following:
Council
Registration $10.00
Boy’s Life Subscription $12.00
Insurance $ 1.66
Outing and Activity Expenses $15.00
Awards & Troop Expenses $16.34
Each year at registration, parents may be asked to
fill out a new Health and Medical Record for their Scout. This basic, personal
information is needed should any medical emergencies arise during a scout
activity.
Camperships
Troop 7 maintains a fund that can be used by scouts
who would otherwise be unable to attend events such as summer camp due to
financial constraints. Scouts requiring
financial assistance should contact the committee chair.
Insurance
Three
Fires Council carries an accident & sickness policy that is in effect
during Troop activities. Copies of the basic policy are available on request.
This insurance covers all scouts, registered and volunteer leaders. Non-scouts
and adults who are attending because of a potential interest in scouting are
covered but must have the Scoutmaster’s permission prior to attending. All scouts and adult leaders traveling to and
from events must travel in their Class A uniform.
Discipline Policy
Scout’s Agreement
Understanding
that respect for myself, fellow scouts, adult leaders and parents is part of
the Scout Law to be courteous, kind, obedient, helpful and reverent; I agree
that if my conduct or speech is unbecoming a Boy Scout, I will call my parents
and ask them to pick me up from this scouting activity.
Parent’s Agreement
I agree
that if the adults at this activity deem my son’s behavior or speech to be
unacceptable for a Boy Scout, I will pick him up from this activity within an
agreed upon time.
