Parents & Scouting

My belief is that we were put into this world of wonders and beauty with a special ability to appreciate them, in some cases to have the fun of taking a hand in developing them, and also in being able to help other people instead of overreaching them and, through it all, to enjoy life – that is, to be happy.

— Robert Baden-Powell (founder of Scouts)

Parents, without your support and participation, Troop 1776G could not exist and could not put on the quality program of which it is so proud. It is also in large part due to your support and encouragement that your daughter will advance in Scouting and realize her full potential. The stated primary goal of Scouting is to help youth grow into honorable and responsible young adults, and therefore each parent must face the question: “What quality of experience do I want my own Scout to have?”. We need you to do your part to make this experience the best possible for your daughter and for all the Scouts in the troop. Our basic rule is that if your Scout joins the troop, so do you. BSA does NOT mean Baby Sitters of America!

How can you help?

Camp. You should try to camp with the troop at least one night each year. Spending a night with us is one of the best ways for you to become familiar with the troop’s adult leaders and other parents. Troop 1776G and national BSA policy require that at least two registered adults accompany the Scouts on any camping trip. However, the troop functions best when it is accompanied by a large number of adults. All parents are more than welcome on any trip and you will most likely find it as much fun as the Scouts do. Many adults already involved with the troop have extra gear you can borrow. Come on along, it’s a good way to spend time with your son. We will take good care of you.

Drive. The outdoor program is one of the cornerstones of the Scouting program. It is fun and, at the same time, teaches self-reliance, cooperation and responsibility. It is the one thing that all youth like best about Scouts. Our troop tries to go camping monthly and we attempt to provide one of the highest quality outdoor programs available in this area.

Encourage. In order to help your daughter move forward in Scouting, it is necessary that she receive positive encouragement from you. Please take the time to become familiar with your scout’s Scout Handbook, advancement procedures, troop organization, etc., which, if fully understood now by both you and your scout, will save considerable misunderstanding and wasted time later.

Teach. The Scout program boasts more than 135 different merit badges in fields from American Business to Woodwork. Except for merit badges offered at summer camp, merit badges earned within the troop program can only be earned by a Scout working closely with an adult counselor. You do NOT have to be an expert to be a counselor for a merit badge, only have interest in the subject and a willingness to share this interest with the youth. See full list of merit badges here.

Lead. In order to maintain our program, and take on additional Scouts, we are always in need of more parental involvement. Being a leader does take some time, but not that much, and it is a fun way to put in some quality volunteer time. Come join us for the fun! We usually need to recruit some new leaders to be uniformed Assistant Scoutmasters to the training patrols.

Manage. The Scoutmaster usually spends the first 20-30 minutes of the monthly Troop Committee meetings discussing upcoming troop events. This is a great time to ask questions. All troop parents are strongly encouraged to attend the meetings. The Troop Committee’s job is to help set troop policy, and particularly to free up as much of the Scoutmaster’s time as possible. Committee members are involved in the troop budget and finances, fund raising, the merit badge program, issues related to growth of the troop, liaison with Cub Packs and Webelos dens, etc. As Scouts grow older and leave the troop, sometimes their parents go with them; we constantly need members and can use your help. This is a great way for parents of brand-new Scouts to get a handle on what is happening in the Troop.