Introduction

Contents

• About the Troop
• Policies
• Meetings
• Joining Information
• Financial Stuff
• Uniforms
• Equipment

Welcome to the Troop 805 family of Scouts and parents! We pride ourselves on being a "boy run" troop, which means that most of the activities are planned and carried out by the boys. This may not always be the fastest or easiest way to get things done, but it teaches the boys responsibility and gives them the satisfaction of a job well done. They receive the credit and praise for their successful endeavors, and on the occasion when things don't go as well as planned, the boys get the benefit of learning from their mistakes.

Adults, however, do have a very important role. Our team of adult leaders are always ready to encourage the boys, help them examine what they did or didn't do right so that they can improve their performance, and to facilitate and actively participate in the Troop's outdoor activities. We are there to insure the safety of the boys and to provide guidance as they develop the in the three aims of Scouting: to build character, to foster citizenship, and to develop fitness. In order to achieve this, it is essential that the adults provide an atmosphere where the boys have fun!

All parents are automatically members of the Troop Committee and are encouraged to attend the monthly parent's meetings (normally held the third Tuesday of each month at the same time as the regular Troop meeting). The duties of the Troop Committee include selecting the adult leaders, arranging community service projects, maintaining records of advancement and finances, and serving on Scout "Board of Reviews". Parents are also encouraged to participate in the Troop's outdoor activities, particularly in regards to providing transportation. They can also become registered Merit Badge Counselors to share with the boys what they have learned through their profession or hobbies. And, parents are also highly encouraged to step forward and apply to the Troop Committee to become Committee Leaders or Assistant Scoutmasters. Help is always welcome with the Troop administration and leadership.

"A Scout is Helpful" Periodically, the Troop will do service projects for our community. We have worked cleaning up the beaches on Angel Island and the creeks in Danville, planted trees at Charlotte Wood Middle School, weeded and cleaned the grounds of our host: Sycamore Elementary School, collected used Christmas trees, and participated in the annual Scouting for Food program. Troop 805 is graciously sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of the San Ramon Valley, and without their sponsorship we could not exist. The Kiwanis Club hosts Danville's Independence Day Parade, and in appreciation for their sponsorship and as a community service, the Troop actively participates in the parade. In addition, we participate in their yearly service project which has included trail maintenance at the regional park, and helping to paint tables at the girl scout camp and local schools.

I hope you and your son will consider Troop 805 as you begin your Scouting adventure.

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As much as practical, Troop 805 is a "boy run" Troop. The boys make the decisions on running the Troop, and the activities that they participate in. This teaches responsibility and develops leadership and planning skills. The Troop bases its policies on the rules and procedures set down by the Boy Scouts of America, with the intent that they be strictly followed. Some of the main points of our policy are:

1. Having safe and healthy fun is a top priority.
2. Scouts are required to wear their complete uniforms to all meetings.
3. Scouts are required to wear their complete uniforms while traveling to and from outings. (This is Council policy also.) Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the adult leadership depending on the type of activity ("A Scout is Clean"), and the Class B uniform may be substituted.
4. Troop 805 meets year-round, with weekly meetings every Tuesday from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM. (The exception is during the last two weeks of November and December when there are no Troop meetings.)
5. All parents will be required to provide Troop transportation for at least two of the outdoor activities that their son participates in. Most parents will also need to provide either drop-off or pick-up transportation for summer camp if their son is going.
6. Discipline problems on outdoor activities involving violations of the basic rules of Scouting will lead to the requirement that a parent must accompany their son on future outings until the problem is resolved. Gross violations may lead to the boy being asked to leave the Troop.
7. Portable audio systems or other electronic entertainment devices (e.g. Walkmans, Gameboys) are permitted on outings only with a permission slip signed by the parent and given to the Scoutmaster in charge prior to the outing, with the understanding that any loss or damage to the device is the sole responsibility of the Scout. During Council activities such as Camporees or Summer Camp, these devices are not allowed at all, and their use is restricted to during transportation to and from the activity.

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Where

Sycamore Elementary School, 2200 Holbrook Drive, Danville.

When

Tuesday evenings, 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM. Meetings are held every week throughout the year, with the exceptions of the last three weeks in December ("A Scout is Reverent" and should be with their family) and the week that the Troop is at summer camp.

What the Scouts need to bring to each meeting

• Scout Handbook
• Complete uniform. (Worn, of course.)

Parents/Troop Committee Meetings

Normally every third Tuesday of the month. (Check the Troop calendar for the actual dates.)

PLC/Board of Review/Advancement Meetings

Normally every fourth Tuesday of the month. (Check the Troop calendar for the actual dates.) These meetings also occur in the multi-purpose room. These meetings are for the purpose of planning out the Troop meetings for the next month. They do not involve the entire Troop membership; only the Senior Patrol Leader and his staff, and the individual Patrol Leaders or their designate. Scouts needing the advancement requirements of a Scoutmaster Conference or a Board of Review should also attend these meetings. Uniforms are only required at these meetings for those seeking advancement.

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You've decided to join our Troop? Wonderful! And, welcome! We would like to explain the first small steps you need to take on your path to Eagle.

• A boy can become a Boy Scout if he has completed the fifth grade, or is 11 years old, or has earned the Arrow of Light Award in Cub Scouts, and is younger than 18 years of age.
• Obtain an Application to Join Boy Scouting. (Applications are available from the Scoutmaster, or from any Council office.) The prospective Scout and his parent should read it thoroughly, and the parents would fill it out and sign it. (Don't forget to fill out the Personal Health History on the back.) The application should be returned to the Scoutmaster along with the initial joining fee.
• Once the application has been turned in, the new Scout will be given:
  • A copy of the Boy Scout Handbook
  • A temporary green and red neckerchief
  • A "Turk's Head" knot or "Woggle" neckerchief slide
    (Handmade by our Scoutmaster...)
  These items may be given out as part of a cross-over ceremony from Cub Scouts. The Scout should then read and understand the first chapter of the Handbook prior to their first Scoutmaster Conference. Parents need to read the insert at the front of the Handbook: "How to Protect your Children from Child Abuse: A Parent's Guide", and complete the exercises in it with their son.
• The Scout will need to obtain a complete uniform as described below.
• When the Scout has read and understands the joining requirements, he should present himself in full uniform for a Scoutmaster Conference. The Scoutmaster will welcome the Scout to the Troop, explain how it is run, and answer any questions the Scout may have about the Troop or Scouting. The Scoutmaster will also review the joining requirements, and the Scout must be prepared to:
  • Repeat the Pledge of Allegiance
  • Demonstrate the Scout Sign, Salute, and Handshake
  • Demonstrate tying a square knot
  • Understand and agree to live by the Scout:
    • Oath (or Promise)
    • Law
    • Motto (Be Prepared)
    • Slogan (Do a Good Turn Daily)
    • Outdoor Code
  • Describe the Scout Badge

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Joining Boy Scouts involves a significant financial obligation. Each Scout needs to obtain their own uniform and the personal gear needed to actively participate in the Troop's the outdoor program. The Troop provides several major pieces of equipment necessary for the outdoor program, such as tents, stoves, and cooking gear, and the cost of buying, replacing, and repairing this equipment is shared by all Scouts in the Troop. Additionally, the Troop general fund is used to pay for advancement awards, publications, and postage.

Troop 805 requires an initial joining fee of $150 ($130 if crossing over from Cub Scouts and already registered with the Council). Most of this fee goes to support the Troop expenses, but it also covers the cost of the Scout Handbook and neckerchief that the Scout receives upon joining, and the BSA registration fee. Having a substantial up-front fee helps reinforce the commitment Scouts and parents are making to the Troop, and also encourages parents to have their sons "keep with the program" to see the return from this investment.

In December, each continuing Scout also pays an annual membership fee of $150. This fee includes the cost to re-register each boy with the Boys Scouts of America, a subscription to Boy's Life magazine, Troop insurance and Troop equipment maintenance costs. In March, Scout families are also asked to participate in the Friends of Scouting charitable program which goes to support our Council and the National organization. In the past, FOS has asked for a contribution of $180 per Scout.

Troop 805 is a member of the eScrip program (Member #137700316) and encourages families to support the eScrip purchase program to raise additional operating funds.

Exceptions to these financial obligations may be given by the Troop Committee. No Scout will be turned away from Troop membership because of financial constraints.

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Troop 805 adheres to the National Boy Scout policy of requiring the complete official "Class A" uniform be worn at all Troop regular meetings. The uniform consists of:

• BSA tan shirt (short or long sleeve).
  • At a minimum, the shirt should have the American flag patch on the right sleeve, the Council patch and Troop number on the left sleeve, and green epaulets.
  • Additional patches that may be added to the shirt include:
    • World crest, above the left pocket
    • Rank patch, centered on the left pocket,
    • Arrow of Light patch (if earned), below the left pocket,
    • Patrol patch, on the right sleeve below the flag,
    • Leadership role patch, on the left sleeve below the Troop number,
    • The Order of the Arrow lodge insignia (if the Scout has been elected and passed the ordeal), on the right pocket flap,
    • An optional patch on the right pocket, which may be from summer camp.
• BSA olive-colored long pants or shorts.
• BSA olive-colored web belt.
• BSA olive-colored mid-calf-length socks with red tops
• Troop 805 neckerchief and slide (provided by the Troop)

Troop 805 does not have an official hat. The Troop does have a Troop T-shirt for use as part of a "Class B" uniform. Uniforms may be obtained at Council offices (Mt. Diablo Silverado Council in Pleasant Hill, or San Francisco Bay Area Council in San Leandro), or locally from McCaulou's in Danville or Outdoor World in Pleasanton. The Troop also has a "Troop Exchange", which provides a place to get used Scout uniforms and other equipment brought in by Scouts who have outgrown them.

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In addition to the Boy Scout Uniform, Scouts will need to acquire various pieces of gear needed for the outdoor program. Most of these items can be obtained over a long period of time, particularly those needed for High Adventure trips normally only done by older Scouts. Parents of young Scouts should also avoid spending too much initially for those items that the Scout will probably outgrow, such as hiking boots and backpacks.

The following links will take you to printable forms which may be used as checklists prior to going on an outing, and are based on the kinds of equipment that will be needed on them. For any outing, including day hikes, every Scout should have the following ten "Outdoor Essentials" as described in the Scout Handbook:

Downloadable Checklists - more to come

• Warm Weather Clothing
• Summer Camp
• Snow Camping