Positions For Troop Parents

Here are some ways a scout parent can participate and help their own scout and troop: At the very minimum, you are encouraged to attend the weekly meetings, if only for the opening and closing announcements. During this time, you will learn about upcoming activities, important announcements, and many other items that are important to your scout and the troop.

  • More than just attending meetings, your help and participation in the meetings would make a huge difference. Anything from assisting in teaching basic skills to become a merit badge counselor and teaching a merit badge or two is extremely valuable.

  • Sign up to be a merit badge counselor (Shonda Render) to find out more about becoming a merit badge counselor).

  • Come on the troop camping trips or volunteer to be a camp master for a weekend camp out. The troop has 10+ camping trips every year. Since having a Camp Master is mandatory in order to have a campout, Camp Masters are always in demand and extremely necessary.

  • There are many positions available for parents to participate in their scout(s) scouting experience.


POSITIONS FOR TROOP PARENTS

Troop 285

Below is a list of adult positions within the troop’s organization. As you can see, it takes a lot to keep Troop 285 “The Best in the Great Southwest”. We encourage you to sign up for a position where you would like to help…you won’t regret it:

The positions below with names after them are current as of September 2021

    • Charter Unit Representative: Scout Veitch

Ensures that the troop leaders take steps to achieve the goals of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Troop 285’s sponsoring organization. (Time Req’mt: A church member makes periodic visits to Scout meetings.)

SCOUTING PROGRAM

    • Scoutmaster: Joseph Render

Responsible for the troop’s overall Scouting program, i.e. those activities involving the boys. (Time Req’mt: Attend weekly meetings, campouts plus many other hours required.)

    • Asst. Scoutmaster – Basic Skills Chair: Pete Stine

Conducts advancement program for new Scouts thru rank of First Class. Conducts Scoutmaster Conferences. (Time Req’mt: Attend weekly meetings plus preparation time.)

    • Asst. Scoutmaster – Basic Skills Program: Amy Mathis

Assists in conducting advancement program for new Scouts thru rank of First Class. Helps keep boys focused on tasks to be completed. Conducts Scoutmaster Conferences. (Time Req’mt: Attend weekly meetings.)

    • Asst. Scoutmaster – Basic Skills Program: Marcus McNeil

Assists in conducting program for new Scouts thru rank of First Class. Helps keep boys focused on tasks to be completed. Conducts Scoutmaster Conferences. (Time Req’mt: Attend weekly meetings.)

    • Rank Advisor – First Class to Star: Shonda Render

Tracks progress of First Class Scouts working toward Star Scout. Periodically confers with First Class Scouts about their advancement, plans, problems, etc. Encourages them. (Time Req’mt: Track progress thru individual Scouts and Advancement Chair, meet with Scouts periodically).

    • Rank Advisor – Star to Life: Shonda Render

Tracks progress of Star Scouts working toward Life Scout. Periodically confers with Star Scouts about their advancement, plans, problems, etc. Encourages them. (Time Req’mt: Track progress thru individual Scouts and Advancement Chair, meet with Scouts periodically).

    • Rank Advisor – Life to Eagle: Shonda Render

Tracks progress of Life Scouts working toward Eagle Scout. Periodically confers with Life Scouts about their advancement, plans, problems, etc. Encourages them. (Time Req’mt: Track progress thru individual Scouts and Advancement Chair, meet with Scouts periodically).

    • Patrol Advisor – Staff Patrol: Joseph Render

Serves as mentor for older boys in Staff Patrol at meetings and campouts. Helps keep boys focused on tasks to be completed. (Time Req’mt: Attend weekly “Patrol Corner” meetings plus periodic campouts.)

    • Patrol Advisor – Patrol 1: Bruce Gunderson

Serves as mentor at patrol meetings and campouts. Helps keep boys focused on tasks to be completed. (Time Req’mt: Attend weekly “Patrol Corner” meetings plus periodic campouts.)

    • Patrol Advisor –Patrol 2: Marcus McNeil

Serves as mentor at patrol meetings and campouts. Helps keep boys focused on tasks to be completed. (Time Req’mt: Attend weekly “Patrol Corner” meetings plus periodic campouts.)

    • Patrol Advisor –Patrol 3: Ray Nelson

Serves as mentor at patrol meetings and campouts. Helps keep boys focused on tasks to be completed. (Time Req’mt: Attend weekly “Patrol Corner” meetings plus periodic campouts.)

    • Troop Webmaster Advisor: Alexander Vertikoff

Assists Staff Patrol’s “Troop Webmaster” in maintaining the troop’s website. (Time Req’mt: Time required depends on skill of Scout and needs of our website.)

    • “Leave No Trace” Advisor: Amy Mathis

Assists Staff Patrol’s “Leave No Trace” Trainer in teaching “Leave No Trace” to the Scouts. (Time Req’mt: Time spent learning “Leave No Trace” principles plus teaching same to Trainer.)

    • Merit Badge Instructor: many of our registered Adults are Merit Badge Instructors

Teaches a merit badge to Scouts typically for one month during “Advancement” (last 45 minute of troop meetings). (Time Req’mt: Requires attendance of the last half of 4-5 weekly meetings.)

    • Junior Leadership Training Advisor: Pete Stine

Develops annual leadership course for boy leaders and leaders-in-training based upon needs of the troop. (Time Req’mt: Several weeks to develop curriculum plus first Saturday in December for class.)

    • Campmaster(s):

In partnership with a boy campmaster, leads Scouts and adults on one weekend campout. Reserves a campsite, makes and buys granny patrol’s menu, approves patrol menus and drivers lists. Collects parental permission forms and submits tour permit to Scout Office. (Time Req’mt: Attend 3-4 meetings prior to campout as well as campout itself.)

    • Patrol Drivers to/from Campouts:

Patrol parents share responsibility of driving their sons’ patrol to and from campouts. (Time Req’mt: Depends on how far the campsite is from the church.)

LONG TERM CAMPOUT

    • Scoutmaster – Long Term: Josep Render

Responsible for the troop’s Scouting program at Long Term. Position typically held by the Scoutmaster. (Time Req’mt: Attends 8 days of Long Term campout plus numerous hours of preparation.)

    • Campmaster – Long Term:

Responsible for logistics at Long Term, i.e. equipment, supplies, drivers, etc. (Time Req’mt: Attends 8 days of Long Term plus preparation time from March to July.)

    • Trekmaster – Long Term:

Responsible for organizing and leading the 3-day trek at Long Term. (Time Req’mt: Attend weekly meetings during June-July plus Long Term.)

    • Long Term Duty Roster/ Class Schedule Architect: Bruce Gunderson

Develops Long Term duty roster for Granny Patrol as well as Long Term Class Schedule for Scouts. Coordinates both schedules so instructors are available at class times. (Time Req’mt: Attend weekly meetings during June-July plus lots of data input/analysis time during last week prior to Long Term.)

TROOP COMMITTEE

    • Committee Chair: Alexander Vertikoff

Responsible for the troop’s overall non-Scouting program, i.e. those activities not involving the boys. (Time Req’mt: Conduct monthly committee meetings plus spends numerous hours “behind the scene” on troop issues.)

    • Secretary:

Maintains troop correspondence and keeps minutes of monthly committee meetings. At each committee meeting, reports the minutes of the previous meeting. Conducts the troop resource survey. (Time Req’mt: Attend monthly committee meetings plus time spent typing notes and correspondence.)

    • Treasurer: Joann Wylie

Responsible for fiscal matters of the troop, i.e. receives money, writes checks, and tracks several accounts. (Time Req’mt: Attend weekly meetings, monthly committee meetings plus hours banking, balancing accounts, investing in CD’s.)

    • Advancement Committee Chair: Shonda Render

Responsible for tracking Scout advancements and purchasing advancement supplies. (Time Req’mt: Attend weekly meetings plus periodic trips to Scout Shop to purchase supplies.)

    • Advancement Committee Member:

Assists in conducting advancement program. (Time Req’mt: Attend weekly meetings.)

    • Granny Recognition Chair:

Ensures that outstanding activities & accomplishments of troop adults are recognized. (Time Req’mt: Review troop adults’ Scouting activities once or twice a year, initiate and process award nominations.)

    • Thunderbird Times Editor: Bruce Gunderson

Collects edits and publishes articles in quarterly troop newsletter. (Time Req’mt: Published one week before each court of honor.)

    • Camping Program Coordinator: Ray Nelson

With Scouts, identifies and schedules monthly camping activities. (Time Req’mt: 1-2 hours of planning once a year plus time spent seeking Campmasters.)

    • High Adventure Coordinator: Ray Nelson, Alexander Vertikoff

With Scouts, identifies and schedules 1-2 high adventure camping activities each year. (Time Req’mt: Attend weekly meetings for 1 month prior to activities plus time spent planning and making arrangements.)

    • Quartermaster Advisor: Josep Render

Ensures, thru the troop’s Quartermaster(s), that troop equipment is properly inventoried, stored and maintained. (Time Req’mt: Attend weekly meetings.)

    • Asst. Quartermaster Advisor:

Ensures, thru the troop’s Quartermaster(s), that troop equipment is properly inventoried, stored and maintained. (Time Req’mt: Attend weekly meetings.)

    • Chaplain:

Serves as mentor to Chaplain’s Aide in conducting Scout-led religious services on campouts. (Time Req’mt: Attend periodic meetings and campouts.)

    • Popcorn Kernal: Al Ericson

Supervises annual popcorn sales as the troop’s primary fundraiser. (Time Req’mt: Attend one Sandia District kickoff meeting plus weekly Scout meetings during Oct-Nov. Also pick up, store & dispense troop’s popcorn to Scouts for delivery).

    • Asst. Popcorn Kernal(s): Kristin Ackerson

Assists in annual popcorn sales. Arranges 4-6 “Show and Sell” events in front of local stores, plans work schedules for events, helps sell popcorn at some of these events). (Time Req’mt: Attend weekly meetings during Oct-Nov plus time spent arranging and participating in “Show and Sell” events.

    • Recruiting Chair: Pete Stine

Invites Webelos dens to troop meetings, conducts tours for parents, and explains troop policies and parental expectations. (Time Req’mt: Attend weekly meetings periodically during December - March recruiting season. Call Cub packs and Webelos den leaders to invite them to visit Troop 285).

    • Asst. Recruiting Chair:

Assists Recruiting Chair by visiting Cub packs, and other recruiting duties. (Time Req’mt: Periodically attend pack meetings and weekly Scout meetings. Represent Troop 285 at Webelos-to-Scouts cross-over ceremonies)