Boy Scout Troop 1001

Is your scout in the fifth or sixth grade? Then please consider taking on an active part in your son's troop. Although the scouts are "boy led" at campouts and meetings, it takes the support of adults in many roles for the program to be successful. As new scouts join the troop, so must we recruit new adults to keep the troop strong.

No matter what your skills and interests, there is a role for you. We have opportunities to be actively involved with the scouts as well as places to contribute behind the scenes. Some jobs are active all year long and others are on an occasional or as-needed basis. We have some specific openings to fill immediately. If one of them fits, please step right up. If none of them seems right for you, please tell us you skills and interests; we'll find a way to use them to make the troop work better and to reduce another adult's load. Many hands make light work!

Immediate opening for patrol advisors: Patrol advisors act as mentors to the Patrol Leaders. They cultivate the Patrol Leaders' leadership skills and help the patrol to succeed. The Patrol Advisor is assigned to a specific patrol and builds a relationship with the whole patrol, especially the Patrol Leader. An interest in working directly with the youth is important but no special skills are required. Right now, one patrol has no Patrol Advisor and we have no alternates to step in when any of the advisors is unavailable, so we despertely need at least two adults to step up for this important task. Please see Hal Coon or Doug Miller to volunteer for this important role. On-the-job training can be arranged.

Immediate opening for Board of Review Members: The Board of Review, or BOR, is an important part of the scouting method. As the final step before a scout advances rank, he must stand before a BOR. The board consists of three adults who do not work directly with scouts on a regular basis. The review takes anywhere from 15 minutes for a Tenderfoot to 45 minutes or more for Life and Eagle ranks. Although the board does evaluate the scout's readiness for advancement, its real purpose is to ensure that the troop as a whole is functioning properly. The BOR provides a regular, independent, check that the troop leadership, both boy and adult, is providing a good enviroment for each scout to succeed. Participating in the BOR also gives each scout experience with formal interviews, which will build his confidence when applying for college or a job. Boards of Review are convened on an as-needed basis, with demand increasing as Court of Honor approaches, so it is good to have many adults on call. Training is available and recommended.

Merit Badge Counselors needed: At last count, BSA offered more than 120 merit badges. They range from common ones such as camping and hiking to less obvious ones such as sculpture and railroading (see this list). No special experience is necessary to become a merit badge counselor. You can help scouts any merit badge you feel comfortable with through education, vocation, or hobby. However, before counseling for merit badges, we ask that you participate in a one hour training session so that you know how the process is supposed to work.

Training for Board of Review and Merit Badge Counselor: Mike Reisinger will host a 1 hour training session Monday, November 10, 2008 at 7 pm for interested adults. Mike will cover either BOR or MBC, depending upon the interests of those in attendance. If you are interested in either of these important roles, please consider attending.