A key element in maintaining and improving the quality of Troop 336 is having active parent support. To be successful, scouting must be a family activity. Good parental support consists of the following:

• Make sure your Scout attends all troop activities, is properly prepared, and shows up on time.
• Encourage your Scout in his scout advancement.
• Take an active interest in your Scout’s scouting activities.
• Attend parent meetings, courts of honor, and other family activities.
• Join the Troop Committee. The committee is made up of parents and meets monthly to set Troop policy.
• Become a merit badge counselor for the Troop. A counselor does not have to be an expert in the area. There are 120 merit badges to choose from.
• Support fundraiser projects. This is how the Troop earns money for Troop equipment and activities.

Our focus is to develop our Scouts into good leaders. We strive to achieve this by having weekly Troop meetings and monthly Troop camping/activities. Some of the activities we have planned for 2006 include, but are not limited to:

• Lock in at Dino Rock (January)
• 50 Mile Hike (February)
• Backpacker & Trail Work (March)
• Camporee (April)
• Storytelling on Kyle Mountain (May)
• Summer Camp (June)
• Rifle and Shotgun Training (July)
• Iron Chef Cooking (August)
• Webeloree (October)
• Orienteering competition (October)
• Winter Camp (Thanksgiving week in November)

Our Troop is very active in Community Service. These activities include, but are not limited to:

• Cowtown Marathon – We work a water stop for marathon runners
• Summerfields Boulevard trash pickup
• Filling eggs for the Park Glen Easter Egg Hunt
• Sorting food and stocking shelves at local food banks, participating in food drives

We also put on several fundraisers for your scout to have an opportunity to raise money for his own scout account, to help him earn his way through scouts. These opportunities include, but are not limited to:

• Popcorn sales
• Bowl-a-Thon
• Car washes
• Flag Fundraiser
• Sonic Drive-in car hop

Anyone wishing to become a Scout in Troop 336 must fill out a BSA Scout Application, a Personal Health and Medical Form (Class I) and a Troop Information sheet. An updated Class 1 form can be found at http://longhorncouncil.org/forms.

Once a Scout is a registered member of Troop 336, he will receive the following items to help him integrate into our Troop and feel at home with his fellow Scouters:

• 6 troop class "B" T-shirts
• Troop Numbers for class "A" uniform
• Epaulets
• Patrol patch
• Troop neckerchief
• Troop cap
• Troop name tag
• BSA handbook

Troop weekly dues are $2.00 per week. The dues are collected each Tuesday during the Patrol meeting portion of the Troop Meeting.

Troop 336 highly recommends the Scout’s parents encourage each Scout to do chores or some job around the house to earn his weekly Troop dues. Dues are very important to the Troop because they provide the funds to pay for badge awards, camp transportation costs, supplies, Troop gear, Boy’s Life subscriptions and annual re-charter fees. Because dues are the life blood of the Troop, we ask that all Scouts keep their dues current at all times.

The Troop also provides a "Scout account" for each Scout. As stated earlier, fundraising opportunities are provided throughout the year to help each scout supplement their accounts. Some of the activities include car washes, popcorn sales, candy sales, Sonic car hops, etc. Scout account money can be used for paying dues, campouts, summer camp, winter camp, gear etc. Scouts may only withdraw dues money from their accounts without written approval from their parents.

Troop 336 supplies after registration fee paid

Our philosophy in Troop 336 is to schedule at least one campout opportunity per month. While not required, all boys are encouraged to attend as many as feasible. We also ask that each boy consider attending either Summer or Winter camp.

The cost ranges from $10 to $25 per person for troop campouts.

All camp-sites will consist of an area for adults and a nearby area far enough away for the Scouts. Scouts camp by Patrol with each Patrol having its own chuck box with cooking and cleaning supplies. Patrol members select a tent buddy prior to the campout to tent with.

Each campout has a theme. For instance, a backpacking campout is designed to teach the Scouts how to properly pack a backpack, prepare one pot meals, and read a topographical map. If it is an iron chef campout, the Scouts are split into teams and each team is given a bag of ingredients. Each team is required to prepare an appetizer, main course and a dessert that will be their evening meal after the judging has concluded. The adults on the campout serve as advisors during the planning phase and judges for the taste testing. In addition to the main activity, all Scouts are encouraged to bring their handbook to work on rank requirements involving outdoor activities.

Meals on campouts are either troop or patrol cook. If it is a troop cook, adults prepare the meals for everyone. If it is a patrol cook, each patrol is given a meal budget ahead of time. Prior to the campout at one or more of the troop meetings, the Scouts in each patrol will work together to plan a menu for the weekend, plan when to meet outside of the troop meeting to purchase the necessary groceries and actually prepare the meals on the campout. At both summer and winter camp, meals are provided and served in the camp cafeteria.

Please feel free to call or e-mail me if you have any questions or concerns.

Scott Lindgren

Scoutmaster Troop 336

Tahuaya Campout (Sample)

Permission Slip

(Revised: 7/9/04)

The undersigned parent or guardian attests to the following:

1. That I am the legal parent or guardian of the Scout named below and I am legally able to give my consent for the Scout to participate in this Troop activity and I hereby give said consent.
2. The Scout listed below will attend said Troop activity.
3. I am familiar with the Troop disciplinary policy and will provide transportation home for my Scout, at any hour, if it should be required under the guidelines of said policy.
4. I understand that certain costs may be incurred (food, reservation fees, etc.) prior to leaving. If my Scout should decide not to attend or fail to show up he will forfeit any prepaid fees paid and shall be required to pay any additional fees incurred by the Troop for said Troop activity.
5. My Scout is in good health and has no major illness or change in his health status since the last Personal Health and Medical History form was submitted to the Troop.
6. I have read the back side of this Permission Slip and understand and accept the Troop 336 Medication Policy.
7. In case of medical emergency, I understand that every effort will be made to contact me. In the event I cannot be reached, I give my permission to the physician selected by the adult leader in charge to secure proper treatment, including hospitalization, anesthesia, surgery or injections or medications for my Scout. (Please list any exceptions on the back of this form.)

Parent/Guardian Signature: _______________________ Relationship ___________ Date: _______

TO ATTEND, WE MUST HAVE TWO EMEGENCY PHONE CONTACTS:

Primary Contact:

Name of responsible adult: ____________________________________ Phone Number: ________________

Second Contact:

Name of responsible adult: ____________________________________ Phone Number: ________________

Form of payment: Scout Account ____________; Check ____________; Cash _____________

Please Note: All monies paid for this event will be non-refundable.

Return Top Half To Troop

Bottom Half Parent/Scout Copy

Camp Tahuaya December 2004 Campout

**Please Pay Close Attention to the following**

Destination: Camp Tahuaya, Belton, TX

Any Scout attending the activity must leave and return with the Troop or make special arrangements with the Scoutmaster in charge of said activity.