About Us

Troop Philosophy: The main goals of Troop 4 are for each Scout to develop academic skills, self-confidence, ethics, leadership skills, and citizenship skills that influence their adult life - all while having fun! Each Scout is encouraged to challenge himself both physically and mentally, but no one is forced to do something they can’t or won’t do – but they often surprise themselves (and their parents).

Meetings: Held Thursday evenings 6pm-7pm from September through June. Meetings are scheduled weekly unless communicated otherwise. While Scouting is important and will help your Scout grow, family and school come first. After these, however, each Scout is expected to be present at each meeting and Scout activity. The Patrol Leaders Council meets monthly to plan upcoming Troop meetings and activities. Some Troop meetings may involve an outside activity like indoor rock climbing, bowling, or attending sporting events. Weekend camping trips will also be scheduled throughout the year.

Troop Structure: The Troop will consist of patrols and will utilize the patrol method of Scouting. The Troop will elect a Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) who will be in charge of the day-to-day operation of the Troop. There is an adult Scoutmaster whose job is to guide and mentor the Scout leaders. There is a Troop Committee that serves as the Board of Directors, whose function is long-term planning, development of adult leaders, and Troop finance.

Advancement: Each Scout is responsible for his own advancement. Older Scouts and adult leaders are available to teach, assist and guide. In practice, the older Scouts (in cooperation with the adult leadership) are assigned the responsibility of monitoring the progress and advancement of the younger Scouts as part of their leadership development skills.

As a scout learns more skills and takes part in activities he is recognized in his achievements by earning badges of rank. They are Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life and finally Eagle. The requirements to earn each rank are more challenging than the one before it. Most active Scouts will earn the rank of First Class within a year of joining the Troop. It’s important for Scouts to participate in activities and camping trips in order to advance. Many of the requirements for the ranks through First Class center around basic Scouting skills learned and practiced on camping trips.

Eagle Scouts: We aspire to provide every Scout the opportunity to earn the rank of Eagle Scout. Being an Eagle Scout is something that is carried throughout a Scout’s entire life and marks him as being special. It can open doors that may otherwise be closed and can be proudly listed on a college application or resume.

Community Service: Part of Scouting includes service to the community. Each rank in Scouting requires a minimum number of service hours to advance. Service projects include a variety of work at various churches and community locations. Younger Scouts are also invited to assist Eagle candidates on larger service projects required for the Eagle rank. 

Uniforms: Uniforms are required at all meetings (minimum of a Scout shirt) and during travel to/from activities. The formal Class "A" uniform (Scout shirt, neckerchief) is required for the two Court of Honor ceremonies held each year (where we award rank advancement and badges) and for an Eagle Court of Honor. During the hot months, Class "B" uniforms (Scout T-shirt) are acceptable at meetings.

Outings: The Troop aspires to schedule periodic outings in place of a normal Thursday night troop meeting. Sometimes the outing themes are tied to current advancement themes, and others are just for fun and family entertainment. Some potential outings may include Trenton Thunder Baseball, Bowling, Indoor Rock Climbing, and visiting the Troop at Woods Services School to assist in a Sports Night. 

Activities/Camping: The Troop aspires to plan an activity each month, including but not limited to backpacking, hiking, biking, canoeing/kayaking/rafting, camporees, fishing, orienteering, Klondike Derby, trips to museums, trips to cities (New York City, Washington DC), and Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience (COPE) to name a few.

Summer Camp: The Troop will plan on attending a week-long camping trip at a Boy Scout Reservation (ex. Bucks County's Camp Ockanickon). All new scouts are strongly encouraged to attend this strong, well-led program.

Dues/Fundraisers: Troop dues  are collected in the fall, with new Scouts joining in the Spring paying a prorated fee. As with any organization, dues do not cover all the expenses for the Troop. We also plan to offset costs via participation in fundraisers such as Scout popcorn sales, a car wash, and other fundraising events. These fundraisers help offset the cost of new equipment and the monthly activities. 

Adults: All adults are welcomed and encouraged to participate. This may be through becoming an adult leader, committee chairperson, merit badge counselor, or chaperone. There are periodic meetings of the Troop Committee that manages the business of the troop. All parents are invited and encouraged to attend.

New Scouts: When new Scouts join the Troop they should start attending the weekly meetings and are encouraged to participate in all Troop activities. New scouts are typically grouped together into new Scout patrols. Adult leaders will work with the Scouts to ensure they are taught the many scouting basics in order for the boys to achieve the first rank of Scout. Scouting skills for the ranks of Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class are taught at most meetings. Many requirements can only be earned while camping. Camping is a big part of the Troop 4 program. First year Scouts are strongly encouraged to attend summer camp where most of the requirements for the first four ranks may be earned that week. As they grow and advance, each boy will have the opportunity to assume some sort of leadership role in the troop. In fact, the higher ranks require leadership positions to be held for many months.

Web Site: If you would like more information about our Boy Scout Troop, please contact us and we can provide you access to our website. There is a calendar listing all of our activities, links to great sites regarding Scouting, as well as more information about Troop 4.

Questions: Please contact Scoutmaster Eddie Fallacaro, at 215-779-2044 or via email at eddie@fallacaro.com.