TROOP 220 WELCOME LETTER & INFORMATION

Have you ever longed to climb a mountain, shoot the rapids, explore subterranean passageways, or photograph a herd of elk? Have you ever dreamed of backpacking the Cascade Crest Trail, or packing horses in a wilderness, cross-country skiing through the Cascades, or bicycling along the San Juan Islands? Ever wished you possessed the skill and wisdom of a tracker, an explorer, a voyageur, or a mountaineer? Then Scouting and Troop 220 is for you!

Welcome to Troop 220! The Scouts of the troop want to welcome you to our Troop. We have put together this information to answer a few of your questions. If you have any questions that are not addressed, please ask any one of the Scoutmasters or parent volunteers.

Troop 220 was chartered in June 1996 with the Key Peninsula Lions Club as the sponsoring organization. Bill Macaras is the Scoutmaster and Lethaniel Ray the Troop Committee Chairman. Troop 220 is in the Thunderbird district of the Pacific Harbors Council.

To register as a Boy Scout, you must be 11 years old, or 10-1/2 years old and have completed the 5th grade. You must complete a Scout Application and return it with a registration fee to the troop Treasurer.

Troop meetings are conducted every Tuesday evening, from 6:30 PM to 8:00 p.m. at the Key Peninsula Civic Center. Special Troop activities and outings are announced as they are set. Troop meetings normally consist of an opening ceremony, patrol corners, troop and merit badge instruction, game or activity, and a closing.

The Troop uniform consists of the Boy Scout shirt, red Scout neckerchief with blue trim, gray neckerchief slide, Boy Scout ball cap, a Boy Scout belt and green pants. Experienced uniforms are available at no cost to each registered Scout from the Pacific Harbors Council offices or the Uniform Bank. Contact the Scoutmaster or an Assistant Scoutmaster for details.

The Boy Scout Handbook is also required at all troop meetings. Each Scout should also have a notebook in which to keep his records and any handouts and training materials received.

Scouting encourages a Scout to pay his own way. Dues are $1.00 per week, paid at each Troop meeting. Before a Scout can go on an outing, his dues and all other fees must be caught up to date. This includes any Troop meetings that he may have missed. Money earning projects are undertaken by the troop to cover large expense equipment/projects and advancements costs. Part of the Scout's responsibilities will be to do his share of these projects. Fund-raisers are scheduled throughout the year.

Our troop is an active one and has at least one Outing each month. The location and the activity for these outings are planned in advance by the Scouts during Patrol Leader Council meetings. Troop outings include Weekend campouts, Summer Camp, Hikes, Swimming and council Camporees. High Adventure Outings are scheduled periodically (normally during the summer). They are extensive trips that last several days and may require extra preparation, training and equipment. Normally a Scout must have attended a summer camp and be at least 13 years old in order to attend a High Adventure Outing.

The troop does a great deal of camping, hiking and other outdoor activities; therefore, we have a Backpacking list that we expect each Scout to follow. Depending on the activity, the clothing list may be modified somewhat. Please check this list so you will know in advance what is expected. Troop equipment will be provided by the troop. Also, before you go out and buy a lot of equipment, check with the Scoutmasters for descriptions of the best type of equipment to buy. They can also tell you where to get the best prices. Prior to each outing, a backpack inspection is conducted. Scouts must pass this backpack inspection to be eligible to participate in that outing.

Rank advancement is obtained by doing a variety of activities or skills that begin with some of the very basic items and increase in difficulty as the boy moves up in rank, including merit badges in the later ranks. In the early skills through first class, the Scout's Patrol Leader is the first person to approach. He will teach or arrange for someone to teach the particular skill. When the skill is mastered, the Patrol Leader or another First Class Scout will initial and date the item in the Scout's Boy Scout Handbook. The Advancement Guidelines provide additional information on the advancement program.

Merit badges are designed to teach the Scout to use the resources of the community. Merit badge counselors may be professionals, members of the community or parents with a particular skill or interest in the subject. All parents qualify to be a counselor for at least one merit badge.

Parent/Guardian involvement in the troop begins even before the Scout joins, as you complete the registration form. Adults may be asked to provide transportation for a project, fundraiser, or a campout. You may be asked to maintain troop equipment or become a merit badge counselor. As a parent/guardian, you are automatically considered part of the Troop Committee and are encouraged to participate in committee meetings. The purpose of this committee is to provide support for the troop and carry out the logistics to support the plans made by the Scouts. The Troop Committee meetings are normally held on the first Tuesday of each month, 6:30 PM at the Key Peninsula Civic Center in Vaughn. You must be a registered adult Scouter to attend campouts and outings, but not to be a member of the Troop Committee.

If you have any questions, please feel free to give me a call at any time at 884-3133 or by email at WMacaras@centurytel.net.

Yours in Scouting,

/s/ Bill Macaras

Scoutmaster, Troop 220

Click here for more information on Rank Advancement and Merit Badges.

Click here to read an important letter on the troop's swearing policy.