New to Scouting?

Dear Parents of New Scouts:

Welcome to Boy Scout Troop 303. Our troop is honored that you and your son would consider joining with us in this Scouting Journey. Boys Scouts provides an excellent opportunity to enhance and develop leadership and outdoor skills. It’s a wonderful investment of time spent with your son. You and your son will meet many new friends and share some wonderful experiences as you walk through the Scouting process.

Your son needs three items immediately to get started:
1.) Troop T-Shirt ($15 at the Scout Hut) and
2.) The Boy Scout Handbook ($12 at Outside World on GA 400) and
3.) Complete a Boy Scout Application and Medical Form (Annual dues are $62 )

The Boy Scout Handbook will be a helpful guide as your son starts his Scouting adventure. He will start as a Scout, then work toward Tenderfoot, then Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, with the goal of being an Eagle Scout.

On Monday nights, the boys lead the meeting at the Scout Hut from 6pm till 7:30pm. Generally, there is an Opening Ceremony, Skills Instruction, Patrol Meeting, Group Activity, and Closing. In addition, sometimes we’ll have special Merit Badge Clinic for the boys from 7:45-8:15pm. We generally have one campout or event per month. The cost is usually between $20-$35 per person covering food and activity cost. See attached Troop Calendar for projected dates and events.

Parents are encouraged to be involved within the Troop. Three areas that we always need help in are:
1.) Monday nights during the Skills Instruction, Patrol Time, and Group Activity Time
2.) Leading/Co-leading Troop Camping Outing/ Event
3.) Serving on the Troop Committee
Boy Scout Adult Training is offered through the Northeast Georgia BSA Council.

What about the uniform and camping gear? The troop has some camping gear that you may check-out from the Quartermaster as you’re getting started. I would shop around before buying the wrong gear. As your son completes his Tenderfoot Requirements, he will need to get a Boy Scout Uniform. (Outside World on GA 400.)

I look forward to working with you and your son as you travel down this path together.

Roger Greer
Scoutmaster, BSA Troop 303
(w) 706-867-7047 (h) 706-867-9001
rgreer@lumpkin.k12.us

Purpose of the BSA

The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated to provide a program for community organizations that offers effective character, citizenship, and personal fitness training for youth.

Specifically, the BSA endeavors to develop American citizens who are physically, mentally, and emotionally fit; have a high degree of self-reliance as evidenced in such qualities as initiative, courage, and resourcefulness; have personal values based on religious concepts; have the desire and skills to help others; understand the principles of the American social, economic, and governmental systems; are knowledgeable about and take pride in their American heritage and understand our nation’s role in the world; have a keen respect for the basic rights of all people; and are prepared to participate in and give leadership to American society.

Boy Scout Program

Boy Scouting, one of the traditional membership divisions of the BSA, is available to boys who have earned the Arrow of Light Award or have completed the fifth grade, or who are 11 through 17 years old. The program achieves the BSA’s objectives of developing character, citizenship, and personal fitness qualities among youth by focusing on a vigorous program of outdoor activities.

Boy Scout program membership, as of December 31, 2001, is

1,005,592 BoFebruary 21, 2010rs 52,425 troops/teams

Volunteer Scouters

Thousands of volunteer leaders, both men and women, are involved in the Boy Scouting program. They serve in a variety of jobs—everything from unit leaders to chairmen of troop committees, committee members, merit badge counselors, and chartered organization representatives.

Like other phases of the program, Boy Scouting is made available to community organizations having similar interests and goals. Chartered organizations include professional organizations; governmental bodies; and religious, educational, civic, fraternal, business, labor, and citizens’ groups. Each organization appoints one of its members as the chartered organization representative. The organization is responsible for leadership, the meeting place, and support for troop activitie.