Letter from the Committee Chairman
As the Troop Committee Chairman, I will give you my views about Troop 165. I will also ask and help you become involved in Troop 165.
Most adults are involved with scouts to work with the youth. They feel that scouting can teach many valuable skills. As the Troop Committee Chairman, I feel that I must help more parents work with the scouts. I feel it is my job to be a "facilitator." I have to make it possible for each parent to be involved in the Troop.
I consider every parent in Troop 165 to be member of the Troop Committee. If your son is a member of the Troop, you are a member of this Troop, too. Take some time and read through this letter. You can do it at your convenience--during breakfast, while you are on hold on the telephone, or during the commercials of your favorite television show. I expect a response--in action and involvement. If the Troop gets a good response, we will serve our boys.
Troop 165 is a healthy and active troop. There are many reasons and many persons who make 165 healthy and active. Still, there are areas that I would like to see grow and improve. These areas are:
1. Service projects. A significant part of Scouting involves service. We have had some excellent Eagle service projects (service projects organized by scouts for their Eagle Award). The Troop has also been involved in several other excellent projects. However, if you would ask someone what aspect of Scouting does Troop 165 do exceptionally well, I doubt if they would mention service. I realize that we cannot be great in everything, but I think service is one area that we should be known for.
2. Communications. There are many things happening with Troop 165. It is not that unusual to have two camp outs, an Eagle service project and maybe an Eagle Court of Honor during a month. It is important that we keep and use the Troop Calendar. We have a Weekly Bulletin that is e-mailed to all the families who request it, and it is posted on the Troop website (http://home.austin.rr.com/lstewart/t165.html). The Bulletin helps to get this information home. I want all announcements in the bulletin to be accompanied by a name and telephone number as a "point of contact." The Troop Directory (names, addresses and phone numbers of all the boys registered in the Troop) is also available on the Troop web site. You can look-up a name on-line or download the entire directory as an Adobe Acrobat file (and print the directory). This gives you someone to call when you have a question. Please feel free to contact me if you feel that you are missing information.
As I mentioned, we also have Troop Web page: http://home.austin.rr.com/lstewart/t165.html
The Weekly Bulletin is printed on the web page, along with pictures from campouts, the troop directory, the calendar, notices, and links to useful scouting sites. To protect everyone in the troop, personal information is only available if you know the username and the password.
I also want to extend our communications from the Troop to the community. I would like articles and pictures in the newspaper when every scout has earned the Eagle rank. I do not think that we need to brag about our scouts. Yet, I think the scouts should be recognized in the community for their accomplishments. If a member of our community worries about our youth and what will happen to them, I want them to know that there are some great young men in Troop 165. These young men will be our future leaders. I also want the scouts to know that it is not just Mr. Green or their parents that care about them doing a good job. The community will also acknowledge accomplishments.
3. Scout Abuse. The Boy Scouts of America has a program for scout abuse. I have never been happy with the canned program from BSA. However, I realize that scout abuse (sexual, verbal and physical) by adults and by other scouts is a very real and important danger. We must always be on guard. I will be talking with parents and scouts and will try to come up with a program that is meaningful and helpful. If you have any thoughts or ideas, I would be happy to hear them.
Also, I want to remind every parent: If you are worried about abuse or suspect abuse, please contact me, Mr. Green, or any of the leaders as quickly as possible. This is something that we take very seriously.
4. Parental involvement. Troop 165 survives on the care, dedication, and help of the parents. However, as a new parent, you probably feel lost, outside and in the way. I apologize, we do not take enough time to explain the Troop to new parents--we are guilty of focusing on all those activities that make Troop 165 great. Let me tell you this: Jump in and get involved. You are not in the way, you will not do something wrong, and you will not step on anyone's toes by pitching-in and helping. The Troop is run by various parents organizing and helping with different activities and projects. If you want to help, you are welcome to champion your own project. If you see something that you think we could do better, please help us to do it better. If you are new to scouting or uncertain how you can help, there are several methods to get involved. By the way, this all applies to Moms as well as Dads.
You can teach a merit badge. There are more than 100 merit badges on a variety of topics from basket weaving to computers and electronics. We have had courses on bee blcak smithing and personal management merit badges. If want to become a merit badge counselor and teach a merit badge, ask for more help. It is probably a good idea to speak with Ed Seidenburg about the paperwork to become a merit badge counselor.
If you want to arrange for a camp out or hike, but want to start small, then get with your son's patrol and go camping or hiking with them. Each patrol needs a Patrol Dad to help get patrol activities initiated and planned. These can be simple things, like bowling or going to a movie. Patrol members should become friends and share comradeship on activities.
If you want to learn more about scouting, sign up for Basic Leader Training (the Troop will pay for training). If you want to learn more, about being a leader, talk to Mr. Nail about taking Wood Badge (leader training). In Wood Badge, adults get together and learn about scouting by being scouts. It is great fun, you learn a lot, and the Troop gains an excellent leader.
If someone is organizing an event that you find appealing, approach that person and offer to help.
If your son is not yet First Class, have him call and meet Mr. Shepard or an adult leader at to work on his advancement. You can stick around and help, too. All the "answers" are in the scout handbook. You can help with first aid, folding the flag or walking through the orienteering course.
We can always use someone to help teach a skill. Our Troop has special equipment for a variety of programs. The troop has chuck box camping equipment. We need someone to organize and run a Scout uniform exchange. Scouts grow out of uniforms before they wear out. There are always younger scouts in the Troop who could use the uniforms.
Get a group of scouts involved in a service project. The food pantries need help in the spring and summer. Start a food drive and see how much food you can collect.
We need purchasing contacts. We need someone with contacts to get good prices on equipment. We need someone to help find low cost and safe transportation (planes, buses, trains, or cars) for the many trips.
If you plan an activity, but are wondering how to get the message out: You can post an announcement on the web-site.
Thanks for taking the time to read through this. Take some time to think how you can help. Give me a call if you have any questions.
Yours in Scouting,
Troop Committee Chairman