"Important Stuff" to know about the Troop

 Troop 356

Leader/ Committee Roster

Bob Edwards......... Scoutmaster / Venture Crew Advisor

Mona Brown.......... Advancements, Board of Reviews

Dawn Green........... Committee Chair, Secretary, Outdoor Activities

Bill Meadows......... Pack / Troop Liaison, Merit Badge Coord

Cecil Mitcham........ Equipment, Service Projects

Lee Mullins ........... Asst. Scoutmaster, Webmaster

Todd Prather......... New Scout Advancement

Deanne Siverdahl... Training, Leader Recognition

Jeff Suhling............. Fund-raising

Guy VanWettering.. Treasurer, Records

Below ... is a photo of where the patches go

-troop roster will be updated soon-

Troop 356
SPL ... Dalton Edwards   ASPL .... Jonathan VanWettering
Troop Scribe ..... Brent Mullins  Troop QM ... Jacob Mitchem

 Frontiersmen
Patrol Leader ... AJ Quinton
Asst. PL ... Rhett Sosebee
QM ... Shawn Patterson
Johnny Green, Rivers Long, Justin Wood, Matthew Perrella, Trey Smith, Zach Dragotta, and Jacob Ortiz

 Panthers
Patrol Leader ... Zach Duffey
Asst. PL ...CJ Rodgers
Scribe ... Brent Mullins
QM ... Jacob Mitcham
Jake Meadows, Fred Suhling, Kevin Armstrong, Jonathan Kittle, Sam Dichiara, and Antony Fucci 

 Flamming Arrows
Patrol Leader ... Anthony Dragotta
Asst. PL ... Craig Prather
Scribe ... Seth Belcher
QM ... Jake VanWettering
Nicholas Dichiara, Clayton Humphries, Quenten Laskoski, Michael McConnell, Harry Meadows,and Hunter Hall

Becoming a Boy Scout

A graduating Webelo Scout who has earned the Arrow of Light Award has completed the Boy Scout joining requirements. With the approval of his Scoutmaster, he will receive the Boy Scout badge upon joining the troop.
 For the Webelos that did not earn the Arrow of Light Award and boys joining the Boy Scouts, on page 4 of the Boy Scout Handbook, the requirements are listed.
 When the scout has completed these requirements, Scoutmaster Bob Edwards will give him a certificate of membership, and he can wear the badge and uniform that show that he is a member of the Boy Scouts of America. 

Attendance Policy

A Scout must attend a minimun 75 percent of Troop meetings and 50 percent of campouts in order to advance in rank and hold position in the Troop. If a Scout has conflicts with Troop meetings and campouts due to school, church, or recreational events (ie, sports, band, clubs, or teams), he will need to submit these dates in writing to the Records Chair person, asking to be excussed from attendance policy on these dates and stating the reason. This will need to be submitted prior to the dates in order to be excussed. Also, if there is a problem meeting the attendance policy due to parental visitations, please discuss this with the Records Chair person, in  order to make sure the dates are excussed.
 

Troop Meetings
    Troop meetings are held at Pierce Chapel United Methodist Church (PCUMC) on Mondays, from 7:00pm- 8:15pm.

Troop 356
    Our troop is comprised of scouts, ages 11 to 18 years old. A Scoutmaster (Bob Edwards), Adult leaders, and Committee members.
    Our troop is divided into three patrols.  As a new scout joins, they are assigned to a Patrol. (Panthers, Frontiersman, and Flamming Arrows)

Dues
A Scout must be current on his dues (4 dollars per month) in order to advance in rank and hold position in the Troop.

Uniform
 A Scout must wear his Scout uniform as directed by his Scoutmaster (Class A to troop meetings and Court of Honor ..... Class B to Troop meetings in Summer only) a minimum 75 percent of all Troop meetings in order to advance in rank and hold a position in the Troop.

Where do the Patches Go?

Click on the below site and you'll see

http://www.scouting.org/boyscouts/faststart/uniform/seeit.html

Patrol Leaders' Council
    The activities of our troop are planned by a Patrol Leaders' Council (PLC) made up of our Patrol Leaders, Senior Patrol Leader, Scoutmaster, and other troop leaders. The PLC discusses future meetings and outings for the whole troop. Our Patrol Leader shares ideas that have come from the scouts in each patrol. The PLC considers the suggestions and needs of all the Scouts, then maps out activities for the troop.

Scoutmaster Conference
    After a boy finishes the Boy Scout joining requirements, Scoutmaster Bob Edwards, will want to have a conference with him. Bob will also sit down with him after he finishes the requirements for each rank. These Scoutmaster Conferences are opportunities for him to review how he is doing and to look ahead with Scoutmaster Bob toward what happens next in his life as a scout. He can ask questions, share what he likes about being a scout, and together figure out ways it can be even better. These Scoutmaster Conferences are held at weekly meetings and Bob should be made aware the week before, if possible.

Board of Review
    Once a Scout has accomplished all requirements for a Rank, (Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star Scout, Life Scout, or Eagle Scout) and have completed a Scoutmaster Conference, a Board of Review will be arranged for him. The review board is made up of members of the Troop Committee. The purpose of the review is to give the scout the opportunity to talk about how he is getting along in the troop. Also to review the requirements for the rank he is progressing to, (Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star Scout, Life Scout, or Eagle Scout) to ensure that they have been met. Boards of Review are only  offered on the 3rd weekly meeting of each month. The scout must schedule an appointment with Mrrs. Mona Brown (Board of Review, chairperson) one week in advance.

Court of Honor

    A Court of Honor is an impressive formal ceremony to recognize you and your fellow Scouts for rank advancements. This event is held with an audience of family, friends, chartered organization officials, and troop leaders. We usually have ours at Hopwell United Methodist Church which is located at 1993 Lee Rd. 136 Opelika. Each scout is in charge of bringing a dish(s) that will be enough to feed his invited guests. Each Patrol is in charge of a certain food grouping. Such as; Meats, Side Dishes, Bread, and Desserts. Older scouts in the Patrols will be assigned; Soft-drinks, cups, plates, plastic ware, napkins, and ice.

NOTE.....A map of where Hopewell United Methodist Church is, can be accessed by clicking on the below site and typing in the church's street address. 1993 Lee Road 136 Opelika, AL 36804

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?

 Scouts Driving
 Upon acquiring a valid driver's license, a Scout may drive himself to Scouting events, such as campouts (with his parent's permission) He can only transport himself and not other Scouts. Transportation for other Scouts is made available through our Transportation Chair person.

Troop Camping and Activities
    On all campouts, with the exception of *Torbert's Lake campouts, we will meet at PCUMC at 5:00pm. on Fridays and return to PCUMC, Sunday between 10:00am and Noon. All scouts going on campouts should bring clothes appropriate to the season.
    What should you take with you?
A check list on page 224,225 in the Boy Scout Handbook covers the essentials. If you are unsure on what to bring and what the troop supplies on these campouts.......please ask at a weekly meeting.
* On Torbert's Lake campouts, all scouts meet on Friday 5:00pm at the lake, and are to be picked-up at the lake, as soon as the troop is dismissed for the day.

Ranks of Scouting
    Scouting provides many opportunities for a boy to learn skills and take part in adventures. The Boy Scouts of America will recognize his achievements by awarding badges of rank. The first three are Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class. Next come Star and Life. The highest is Eagle.
    The requirements to earn each rank are more challenging than the one before it. Each prepares the scout to be a better camper, hiker, Scout, and citizen. When he completes the requirements for a rank, he will find that he can use his new knowledge on patrol and troop outings. He will also have the background he needs for achieving even more as he begins the next rank.
    Setting out to advance through the ranks is an ambitious goal. Learning all the skills and completing all the requirements will take dedication and hard work. But the journey will be worth it as the ideals and adventures of Scouting become a part of his life.
    He may pass any of the requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class at any time. For example, if he fulfills a First Class requirement before he is a Second Class Scout, you or he may check off the First Class requirement as completed.(Inform Mr. Lee Mullins at the next meeting.) Though a Scout  can advance at their on pace, active scouts will usually earn First Class within a year of joining the troop.
    Earning badges can be very satisfying. However, badges are not the most important part of Scouting. Of great value is what the badges represent. The skills he will master, the wisdom he will gain, and the experiances he will enjoy are what really count. The merit badge program provides him the opportunity to meet and work with adult leaders in our community. It also introduces him to potential new hobbies and vocations.