Thinking of Joining ?
Choosing a Troop is a very individual decision that the scout should make, with perhaps a little guidance by the parent! All Troops are different and all scouts are different so the main thing is finding the Troop that suit the Scout.
In order to make an informed decision we highly recommend attending one of our meetings and going on a Troop camp-out. As a parent, you will get an idea of how the Troop is organised, the level of adult involvement and how meetings and camp-outs are run. More importantly, your Scout will get to meet the other Scouts in the Troop. The most important thing is that your Scout feels at home with the Troop and gets along with the other Scouts.
This section provides more information on the joining requirements, the costs and what supplies are needed if you join our Troop.
Requirements to join the Troop
Youth can join a Scout troop if they ;
- Have earned the Arrow of Light rank and are at least 10 years old
- Or have completed the fifth grade and are at least 10,
- Or are 11, but not yet 18 years old.
What supplies and equipment does a Boy Scout need?
When a scout joins the Troop we provide the Scout Handbook, the troop neckerchief and a Troop T-shirt.
The uniform is also very important as it plays an essential role in creating a sense of belonging, and it’s where a Scout gets to display his awards and rank achievements. Uniforms can be purchased at the Scout shop in Fairview
The Troop has a well outfitted camping trailer so Scouts do not need to bring tents, stoves etc on campouts.
Scouts will need to have their own backpacks, sleeping bags, and other individual camping equipment
What are the costs ?
- There is an annual registration fee of $98 of which $65 is Troop fees and $33 is for Scouts BSA
- Camping outings are held every month and fees are generally around $20
- Summer Camp fees vary from $250 if we attend a local camp and may go up to $500 if we go out of state
As mentioned in our fundraising section, the scouts have a number of opportunities to raise money to cover these expenses.
Crossing Over
If your Scout is in Cub Scouts and decides to join our Troop, then we will welcome him into the troop and your Packs Crossover ceremony. A lot of our older scouts are in the Order of the Arrow and in previous years they have actually run crossover ceremonies for Packs.
Its different to Cub Scouts
The transition from Cubs to Scouts can be quite overwhelming and often more so for the parents than the scout. The difference between Cubs and Scouts encompasses critical categories like unit structure, leadership, parental involvement, advancement and camping.
Both programs are built on Scouting’s time-tested values but beyond that, though, you’ll find more differences than similarities — for good reason. You wouldn’t teach a third-grader the same way you’d teach a ninth-grader. That same logic tells us your approach to Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting shouldn’t be the same.
Here are some of the ways in which Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts differ.
Unit structure
Cub Scouts: Boys are in dens, which are part of a pack. Their den is made up of other boys of the same Cub Scout rank. Dens usually meet weekly or biweekly; packs meet monthly.
Boy Scouts: Boys are in patrols, which are part of a troop. Some troops prefer mixed-age patrols (in which an 11-year-old and a 17-year-old could be in the same patrol), while others prefer to keep boys of similar ages together. Troops meet weekly. Patrol meetings are part of the weekly troop meeting, typically, though patrols are welcome to meet on their own.
Leadership
It’s pretty simple: Cub Scouting is led by adults; Boy Scouting is led by the boys.
Cub Scouts: Adults plan and conduct the meetings and promote advancement, teamwork, fun and character-building.
Boy Scouts: The boys plan and conduct meetings and outings. Adults step in when asked for help and model good behavior. We strive for a boy led troop, so it’s not always as organized or successful as if adults were running things, but kids learn from their mistakes.