Patrols are smaller teams of Scouts of varying ages and ranks within the Troop, each with its own name and sense of identity. Each patrol generally consists of six to eight Scouts. Each patrol elects its own Patrol Leader from among its ranks. The Patrol Leader, or in their absence, the Assistant Patrol Leader, is responsible for organizing and leading all activities of the patrol, including, for example, the preparation and implementation of duty rosters for campout or program activities.
The patrols are the most important units of the Troop. Troop activities are generally carried out by the patrols. At Troop meetings, each patrol is given time to have a patrol meeting in which to plan meals, and other activities. In camp, patrol members help one another set up tents, cook meals, and do cleanup. Troop 33 also encourages each patrol to have activities separate from normal Troop activities when necessary. The patrol should become a team of good friends working together to make things happen.
New Scouts may be organized into a new Scout patrol for the first year.. A new Scout patrol will normally have a Troop Guide (an older experienced Scout) to assist in its patrol activities.
The Troop is governed by a Patrol Leader's Council, "PLC" or "Greenbar" (a reference to the Greenbars on the patch of office for Patrol Leaders and Assistant Patrol Leaders) which is made up of the Troop's Senior Patrol Leader, the Patrol Leaders from each of the patrols, Troop Guides, and sometimes certain other Troop officers. Senior Patrol Leader and Patrol Leader elections are held once a year, in September. All candidates for these positions should also participate in junior leadership training campout. Troop Guides are appointed by the adult leaders. Other positions are appointed by the SPL, with the advice and consent of the Scoutmaster, and, require the rank of Tenderfoot or above, but preference is usually given to those higher in rank. Satisfactory service in such a leadership position is a requirement for rank advancement above the level of First Class. Scouts will be counseled about fulfilling the responsibilities of their leadership roles. Those who do not satisfactorily discharge their duties are subject to removal at the discretion of the Scoutmaster and will not advance pending completion of the necessary leadership requirements.
The PLC/Greenbar meets at immediately before the Troop meeting at 6:45, and immediately after the Troop meeting until 8:45. All members of the PLC should attend every meeting. If you are carpooling and you do not want to make your carpool wait, a ride will be arranged for you.
Regular participation in the activities of Troop 33 is necessary if a Scout is to be eligible for advancement in rank. This may be described in Scoutmaster or Assistant Scoutmaster conferences in greater detail with regard to a specific Scout's schedule and their attendance at meetings, campouts, summer camp and special events.
Scouts are asked to let their Patrol Leaders know when they will be unable to attend a meeting or activity and to be responsible for obtaining any information they may have missed. Meetings are an important means of communication. Troop meetings are at Westminster Presbyterian Church, in the Scout Room, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. each Monday during the school year. A Scout should call their Patrol Leader for information about the meeting (if they were absent).
Scouts sit by Patrol at all Scout meetings. The Scout sign is used at meetings to call for order, quiet, and attention, and should be observed by both Scouts and adults.
Attendance at Scout Sunday at Westminster in January or February is extremely important. This is our best chance to show off the troop to our sponsor. Parents are welcome at the service. Information about the upcoming year's Scout Sunday will be given out during meetings.
A Troop's outdoor program is the main attraction that Scouting has for most Scouts. The PLC/Greenbar, supported by the adult leaders and Troop Committee, works to provide a variety of outdoor camping experiences which are coordinated with the advancement and merit badge programs.
At the campouts every Scout learns to be responsible for themself and their own camping gear. They will be asked to contribute to their patrol's success and, as they advance, to take on more responsibility as a junior leader in the Troop.
HOW TO SIGN UP:
Campout planning is done by each patrol at the Troop meeting one to two weeks before the campout. At that meeting, the patrol leader selects who will be the Grubmaster, patrol meals are planned, attendance and rides are arranged, and a campout duty roster should be completed. Note that in addition to that all Scouts should be registered as going, (or not going as the case may be), in Troopwebhost. That is where the adults look to determine how many seat belts are going to be needed for the trip.
Note: A Scout planning to attend a campout, who is not able to attend the Troop planning meeting, should inform their Patrol Leader of plans as soon as possible so that campout transportation, food and duties can be adjusted. A Scout who plans to attend at a campout should always inform their Patrol Leader (or the acting Patrol Leader for the campout) if the Scout's plans change, so assigned campout duties can be revised.
At campouts, patrol members camp together in the location designated for their patrol. Each Patrol Leader designates individual Scouts to be in charge of planning patrol menus, preparing equipment, buying food ("Grubmaster"), cooking and clean up. Scouts are expected to do their share of patrol duties.
Most Troop campouts focus on Scouting skills; as a result, attendance at campouts of non-Scout siblings is discouraged, as this tends to detract from the program focus and undermine enforcement of Troop and camp rules.
The Troop completes a "Police Call" of the camping area at the end of each campout. Boy Scouts should always leave an area better looking than we they came. Unless a Scout has an urgent need to leave early, and has been excused by the SPL and Scoutmaster, all Scouts are expected to remain in camp until dismissed by their Patrol Leader after the Police Call.
Order and discipline on campouts is generally in the hands of the Scoutmaster, SPL, and PLC. Each Scout and parent must review and agree to abide by the following rules:
Troop 33 Weekend Campout Rules
Scouts and adults are expected to adhere to the Scout Oath and Law. Scouts and adults are also reminded of the following specific Troop 33 rules.
CONSEQUENCES
The Troop provides shared patrol gear, including tents and cooking equipment, for each patrol. Each Scout is responsible for his personal gear. Scouts should strive to bring the minimum gear necessary, and to pack it so that all gear can be carried by the Scout to his patrol's campsite in a single trip. The Scout Handbook has helpful information on camping and camping gear.
Recommended Personal Gear for each Scout:
Every campout:
October - April Campouts (depending on weather)
Prohibited Items:
See list above under "Camping Rules."
Parents Please Note:
Cotton clothes are a poor choice for camping, as cotton is bulky, cold and slow to dry when wet. When possible, one or two light layers, made of quick-drying synthetic materials, such as supplex, should be used. Polartec, or a similar synthetic fleece, is excellent for layering and remains warm even when wet.
If a Scout is taking medication during a campout, the Scout's parent should advise the adult leadership before the campout. If the parent wishes an adult at the campout to supervise this, written instructions should be provided as to when and how the medication is supposed to be taken.
How Parents can help their Scout advance:
Make sure your Scout knows what rank they are working on. Encourage your Scout to take their handbook to every meeting, campout, swim, and service project, or other activity where they might pass something. Familiarize yourself with the requirements, so you know what they should be working on. All rank requirements appear in the handbook: Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class on pp. 14-16, Star, Life and Eagle pp. 594-96. A scout can be working on requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class all at the same time. For example, if your Scout hasn't completed Tenderfoot yet but there is an Orienteering Meet, they can still go and pass the First Class orienteering requirement. Also, make sure your Scout attends activities so they can pass the requirements. Some requirements, like tying a Square Knot, can be passed any time, but some, like service projects , swimming, completing an orienteering course, and cooking meals, are best done when we do those activities as a troop.
To help your Scout complete Merit Badges, you can help by encouraging them to:
Scouts tend to want to pass all of their merit badges with Troop leaders that they know. But the guidelines suggest a Scout should earn no more than 5 merit badges from any one counselor, and no more than 2 of the 11 specifically required for Eagle from any one counselor. It's especially hard for some Scouts to telephone an adult they don't know, but it's a useful thing to learn to do. Fortunately, most of these counselors are friendly and like kids and want to help them advance. Parents need to encourage their Scouts to do this as Troop33 does not have counselors for every merit badge.
Troop 33 requires support and participation by adult leaders who provide invaluable assistance, support and guidance. Adults participate in and support Troop 33 through their roles as adult leaders (Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmasters), merit badge counselors, and Troop Committee members. All parents are encouraged and expected to be actively involved in Troop 33, either as adult leaders who assist with program activities, as Troop Committee members who set policy and provide administrative support for Troop activities, by participating as a Merit Badge Counselor for a skill in which you have training for, or by accompanying the Troop on campouts to ensure that there is sufficient supervision by maintaining at least a 1 adult to 10 youth ratio.
Everyone's help is needed. Troop volunteer opportunities exist to match the level of interest and availability of every adult. The adult leader and Troop Committee commitments can be brief, e.g. as board of review panel member, short term e.g. merit badge counselor or Subcommittee Chairman, or longer term, e.g. Assistant Scoutmaster or Troop Committee officer.
The Troop's Scout-led patrols, meetings, and outdoor program are supported by the Troop's adults, especially the Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmasters. Troop Scoutmasters and Assistant Scoutmasters must successfully complete training in Boy Scout Leader basic training, and are actively encouraged to attend the Wood Badge training for advanced adult leader training.
All adults are strongly encouraged to take the Boy Scout Leader basic training course. This helps all parents understand the Troop's program and goals. Adults who plan on attending more than 2 weekend campouts must attend Boy Scout Basic Leader Training offered by the Metro Lakes District of the Viking Council, or by another district of the council. Exceptions may be granted only by the Scoutmaster, under conditions he may set.
All merit badge counselors and adults participating in campouts should attend Boy Scout Youth Protection Training.
The Troop Committee is made up of interested parents and other adults. Troop 33 has a very active committee which has the responsibility of behind the scenes planning of the Troop policy and activities. The committee helps out with things such as bus maintenance, fundraising, and recruitment. All parents are invited to participate in the Troop Committee which meets at Westminster Presbyterian Church at 7:00 P.M. the first Tuesday of each month. Please feel free to call any of the Committee members for information.
Adult Participation in Campouts
GEAR LIST For Adults Participating in Campouts
See the Scout Gear list, above.
Adults Driving to Campouts
There will be many times where we
will need to ask parents for assistance in getting the Scouts to a
campout. PLEASE volunteer to do so by registering for the campout in TWH. Please make sure that you list if you are able to drive To/From or Both, and if you are staying all weekend and eating with us. It is VERY helpful to have parents stay the whole weekend, not just drop Scouts off and leave. That way if something comes up and we would like to drive someplace, (for example to check out a nearby hiking location), that we will have enough seat belts to be able to do so.
For each campout, each Patrol will designate its Grubmaster, who is responsible for obtaining menus for the campout from the Patrol and purchasing the food. They collect the necessary money from each patrol member at the start of the campout. This is a learning experience that requires planning and the execution of that plan. In order to emphasize working skills, set menus and lists of ingredients may be provided for campout meals, and should be observed. Parents should provide minimal help in the shopping - absolutely refrain from doing it all. . A Patrol Grubmaster should double check on TWH to verify the number of patrol members attending. If a Scout is registered in TWH as coming on a campout, and then does not show up, that Scout is still responsible for their share of the cost of food. Which they will be expected to pay at the next Troop meeting.
Summer Camp is a great time for advancement and having fun. The Troop attends Camp Ajawah and Scouts have the option of attending one or both of the sessions that are offered, (2 sessions for girls, adn 2 sessions for boys). It is particularly important for the new Scouts to attend summer camp, although all Scouts will benefit. Excellent facilities are provided for difficult-to-obtain merit badges such as Canoeing, Rowing, Life Saving, Environmental Science and several others. It also provides a necessary requirement for election into the Order of the Arrow. Attendance at summer camp may require additional or updated medical forms.
The Boy Scouts of America (National) offers outstanding high adventure programs in which our Troop has participated. Troop 33 endeavors to engage in a variety of these programs every year. Attendance at high adventure camp may require new or additional medical forms.
The Order of the Arrow (OA) is a national brotherhood of Scout honor campers, based on brotherhood with fellow Scouts and cheerful service to others. Its purpose is to:
The Order of the Arrow program is conducted through a separate lodge, in Minneapolis it is the Totanhan Nakaha Lodge, under the local Boy Scouts of America executive. Troop members are nominated and elected to membership by fellow Scouts during our spring elections. They must meet certain entry qualifications, which include: hold a rank of First Class or higher, and spend at least 15 days and nights of camping (6 of which must be at long term summer camp, and the remainder of which should be weekend trips). More information on the OA can be obtained by contacting the OA Troop Representative.
Service projects, which include Troop projects and projects organized by Scouts who are working on their Eagle rank, are an integral part of the Scouting program designed to aid the development of character and citizenship. Hours (outside Troop meetings) working on approved Troop and/or Eagle Scout projects are required for advancement to most ranks. Announcements and sign-ups for service projects generally take place at Troop meetings and announcements will usually be posted on the Troop web site.
The sale of the Christmas Wreaths is the critical element in the fund raising program for funding Troop 33 activities. Each Scout in the Troop is expected to make a commitment to this program, as each Scout has or will benefit from the funds that are raised in the effort. Therefore, it is Troop 33's policy that all Scouts will sell at least 25 wreaths. Participation in wreath sales is an important element in showing the Scout Spirit required for advancement for all ranks. If a Scout does not adequately participate in such sales, he may have to pay additional fees for certain events, such as the June Trips. Troop 33 maintains a very active program which requires a good deal of money to fund. Without Scouts selling wreaths we would not be able to have the kind of program we currently have.
The sale begins in late September or October every year, and wreaths are delivered the weekend before Thanksgiving.