Author: Kuszmaul

TROOP MEMBERSHIP GUIDE
BOY SCOUT TROOP 101
MEETINGS ON MONDAYS FROM 7:00PM to 8:30PM
BLESSED SACRAMENT CHURCH, JIM POTJUNAS SCOUT CENTER OR REAGAN HALL

Scoutmaster– Jason Paisley 330.219.5826 jpaisley76@gmail.com Committee Chair– Charles James 330.646.4239 gator415@neo.rr.com

This guide is designed to answer many of the questions that new or prospective members might ask. We hope that Scouts and parents will read this together and retain it for future reference. Our troop website at www.troop101.net is our best means of communication and is designed to keep our troop families informed of upcoming events. If you have a question at any time, please send an email, give us a call, or stop in at any troop meeting.

The troop is made up of several boy-led patrols of about 8 Scouts each. Patrols are the working units within any troop. Elected patrol leaders guide the patrols and conduct patrol meetings outside the troop meeting structure. Through these patrol leaders, the boys decide and carry out the troop program while learning to work together. Scouts should consult with their patrol leader regularly and refer questions through him. The Patrol Leader is a Scout's first level of contact within the troop's Chain of Command.
The Patrol Leader, usually an older boy, is himself learning and will most likely make many mistakes. We try not to step in too often, but rather let the PL and his patrol members learn from their mistakes. These can be Scouting's most valuable lessons. Encourage this system whenever possible because it will give the boys the best that Scouting has to offer.

WEBSITE The troop has its own website at www.troop101.net. The website is your primary source for information regarding the troop and its activities. Visit it often. Complete the registration on the site soon after joining the troop so you can access all the features and keep current on all troop happenings. Registration keeps personal information safe from the general internet world. There is also an alert feature you can set to text your cell phone about last minute changes or cancellations.
“WHAT” PATROL FOR NEW SCOUTS—New Scouts need a little extra help to get familiar with the troop when they first join. Under the guidance of an older Scout and an Assistant Scoutmaster, these boys are helped through the first steps of their advancement and prepared for their first couple campouts. This provides a place for boys to get comfortable and ask questions as well as allowing parents to gather information as well. The WHAT patrol meets on Mondays at 6:30 pm.

UNIFORM AND HANDBOOK
The first things a Scout is going to need when he joins the troop are a uniform and handbook. We recommend a short sleeve uniform shirt. Great Trail Council offers two Scout Shop locations—one in Stow, and the other at ORE in Boardman. Check the Great Trail website for hours at each location: www.gtcbsa.org/scout-shop. Refer to the Boy Scout Handbook for more information about the uniform. Scouting publishes a catalog each year to let families know what is available. Also check out www.scoutstuff.org or www.scouting.org.
You will also need a Troop 101 neckerchief, neckerchief slide, patrol patch and troop numerals, available for purchase at any Scout meeting. The cost of the set is $20.00. Other neckerchiefs may be worn, except to Courts of Honor and formal or dress functions.
BASIC UNIFORM CHECKLIST:
BSA Shirt & Pants
Green Shoulder Tabs
Web Belt
Troop 101 Neckerchief
Troop 101 Neckerchief slide
Baseball style BSA Cap
Scout Socks
Insignia (see "Patches & Insignia")
The Scout Uniform is expected to be worn at all troop meetings and must be worn while traveling to and from campouts. Basic supplies and patches are available for sale at troop meetings. The troop also carries its own monogrammed line of clothing. Ask at any troop meeting.

UNIFORM BANK
To help fight the growing cost of uniforms, the troop has established a uniform bank. Run by one of the parents, we collect and exchange outgrown uniform parts. If you need something, check the uniform bank located in the Jim Potjunas Scout Building and see if we have it. If you outgrow something, please consider donating it for others.
PATCHES AND INSIGNIA
Scouts should consult their BOY SCOUT HANDBOOK for insignia requirements and placement on the uniform. Each new Scout who joins is given a “101” patch and patrol medallion. The troop has other insignia available for sale should the stores or Scout Office be out of stock. We also have Troop 101 neckerchiefs for sale and, although not required, Scouts may purchase troop T-shirts or other items at the meetings. Many times patches are awarded for participating in various Scouting events or may be purchased. Acquiring and trading patches and other Scouting items have always been extremely popular among the boys.

CAMPOUTS
Troop 101 camps monthly as we feel the outdoor program in Scouting is our top priority. Besides monthly campouts and periodic special activities, we spend one week at Summer Camp in July and try to have another big trip somewhere each summer. For all camping trips we will depart from and return to the Jim Potjunas Scout Building. Regular monthly weekend campouts leave Friday at 6:00 p.m. and return before Noon on Sunday. Any change from this normal routine will be announced numerous times at meetings, and noted on the website.
Weekend camping fees are due by 8 pm at the Monday meeting prior to the trip. Changes after that deadline pose a tremendous inconvenience to the adult volunteers who arrange transportation, food, equipment, facilities and program for the troop. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that late changes will be accommodated.
The troop always travels in uniform and we recommend the boys eat supper before leaving home. Scouts with questions regarding clothing, equipment or a particular trip are encouraged to
contact their Patrol Leader.
Registered parents are welcome on troop outings. Please refer to the "Parent's Guide to Troop Campouts" then give us a call or stop in and chat with an Assistant Scoutmaster.

FAMILY CAMP
Once a year during the warmer months the troop conducts a Family Campout. This gives parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and cousins a chance to see firsthand what happens on a weekend campout. Scouts still camp with their patrols as they do on a regular weekend campout. Families camp separately within the same site. Family Camps are a lot of fun and a good opportunity to get to know other troop families. Look for details on the troop website and then sign up to join us!

HIGH ADVENTURE
For the benefit of the older Scouts, we run 'High Adventure' trips each year. These special trips of more adventurous activity such as extensive canoeing, white water rafting or backpacking have age and ability restrictions designed to challenge the older Scout. These trips often become goals in and of themselves to encourage younger Scouts to advance until they qualify to participate. For Scouts who have mastered the basics of outdoor skills, this program provides a chance to put those skills to use in fun and adventurous ways.

A PARENT’S GUIDE TO TROOP CAMPOUTS
If you are an interested parent who wishes to go along on campouts, we offer the following guidelines. We always welcome help with transportation (proof of current driver's license required) and camping tasks.
Registration and Youth Protection In keeping with BSA’s policy, all persons wishing to camp with the troop must be registered with the Boy Scouts of America and take the BSA Youth Protection Training.
No Experience Necessary for most camping trips you need not have any special knowledge, qualifications or experience; just a willingness to help and the initiative to ask questions and pitch in if you see a job that needs doing. Exceptions to this are High Adventure trips. Requirements are a little more demanding, so stop in for details if these types of activities interest you.
Equipment Needed Clothing and footwear are mostly common sense items. When in doubt, come over prepared. Consult your son's handbook or the list in this newsletter. Pay particular attention to eating utensils & sleeping bag. If you don't have a sleeping bag or some other item, check with us. We have loaners.
What can I do? Several things. Transportation is our most obvious need. Not only to and from the camp, but little side trips and our ability to do some hiking and canoeing requires people willing to move vehicles from point A to point B. Supervision of various activities and overseeing some of the outdoor skills if you have that knowledge or are would like to learn. Equipment needs are present on every trip for someone with a few handyman skills and some initiative. If you counsel a Merit Badge, this is a good place to get some time with a Scout or tell others about the badges you do. There is always the potential of an emergency where a Scout would have to go to the hospital. We hope this never happens. We want to always have enough adult help to be safe.
Discipline Please remember that your son is like every other Scout on a weekend campout. He has obligations to a patrol and duties to perform. Special treatment or favors are likely to bring resentment from the other Scouts. If there is a discipline problem, one of the Scout leaders in charge should handle it, not the boy's parent.
Food, Fees and Notification On most weekends boys cook as patrols and adults are in a separate (Skunk) patrol. At Summer Camp meals are served in the dining hall. Fees for adults are generally the same as for the boys for campouts. On long trips, such as to Canada, gasoline expenses are reimbursed at the request of the driver. Early commitments are very helpful. Deadlines for weekend campouts are usually the preceding meeting. The sooner we know which adults can help the better, because so much planning goes into even a two-day trip. With transportation, equipment and food requirements, last minute changes are tremendous inconvenience for the volunteers trying to coordinate these
CAMPING EQUIPMENT
The BOY SCOUT HANDBOOK contains an excellent checklist for going camping, and we have included another in this letter. We recommend a backpack with a frame so a boy can carry it comfortably, and a good quality sleeping bag. A plastic ground sheet and personal mess kit are necessary. Appropriate footwear for the time of year is a must. Scouts may bring pocketknives, but may not use them until they have earned a Totin' Chip Card after they are trained in the safe handling of woods tools. Some equipment is available for loan until you get everything you need. Just stop down to a meeting and ask.

SUGGESTED CAMPOUT CHECKLIST
SCOUT UNIFORM (Required to be worn to and from all campouts) including:
Scout Shirt Scout web belt Scout Cap Scout Socks
Scout Pants Green shoulder tabs Neckerchief & slide Appropriate patches
EXTRA CLOTHING - Jeans, T-shirts, whatever (Scout Appropriate). Scouts wear this for the balance of the campout. Bring enough in case it gets wet or muddy.
CHANGES OF UNDERWEAR AND SOCKS - Always bring plenty of socks and underwear! Wet socks and underwear make for a miserable campout.
FOOTWEAR - Insulated boots for winter; hiking boots for normal wear, tennis shoes to run around in if the weather is good. Open toe shoes are not allowed. Crocs are allowed, but may not be for shooting sports.
COATS, HATS, SWEATSHIRTS, GLOVES - Appropriate for the weather.
LONG UNDERWEAR - A must for winter and early spring camps.
BACKPACK - On a frame, preferably with a hip belt. See the Eagle's Wings group for the best suggestions. *We have loaners”
SLEEPING BAG -This is a critical item. Boys need to sleep warm. If bag is not warm enough, don't hesitate to send an extra blanket or two. Even if your bag comes in its own nylon stuff sack, put it in a plastic garbage bag before you fasten it to the pack. Wet sleeping bags are no fun.
PLASTIC GROUND SHEET - Min. 4' x 7’ Even though our tents have floors this extra protection helps.
FLASHLIGHT - with fresh batteries
POCKETKNIFE - The BSA pocketknife is best. A lock blade standard knife is also good. The BSA does not permit sheath knives, spring blades, or blades over 5 inches.
MESS KIT - containing plate, bowl, cup, spoon, knife, fork
TOILET KIT - containing soap, comb, washcloth, towel, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant
INSECT REPELLANT - Summer item. Mosquitoes love Boy Scouts!
MATCHES - wooden in a waterproof container. A must-have item.
WATER BOTTLE - a must for hiking trips
COMPASS - not essential for all camps, but a good thing for hikes!
SCOUT HANDBOOK - 'Don't leave home without it! Exception may be a backpacking trip where weight is a consideration and there is a special equipment checklist issued.
PENCIL AND PAPER - Be Prepared!
SWIM SUIT AND TOWEL - For summer fun
1 or 2 GARBAGE BAGS - always come in handy to cover a pack, sleeping bag or to keep something wet from getting something else wet. However, DO NOT pack gear in garbage bags as they have been thrown out with the trash in the past.
PONCHO OR RAIN GEAR - Scouts don't melt, but they can be an awful mess.
* Mark everything with your name!
* Learn to pack items in individual plastic bags - it stays dry!
* Radios, food, especially food, water pistols, etc. should stay at home

FUND RAISING
Our troop currently conducts two annual fundraising projects: a Popcorn Sale in the fall and a Spaghetti Dinner in the spring. The funds raised from these two sales offset the costs of campouts and activities and are also used to purchase troop equipment and awards. Weekend campout fees paid by the boys mostly only cover the cost of food. All other expenses are paid from these two fundraisers. The success of these two fundraisers is critically important to maintaining the quality of programming available to our boys at the lowest possible cost.
All our boys benefit equally from the success of these fundraisers, but, as in many organizations, a small percentage of the families were doing most of the work, about half were helping out somewhat, and the rest were not doing their share. In response to this problem, the troop committee developed the following policy that is equally fair to all members.
TROOP 101– FINANCIAL POLICY
Troop 101 has maintained a highly successful Scouting Program for almost fifty years. Scouting families must assume the financial responsibilities for the quality of our program. A budget is established prior to each fiscal year. Each Scouting family is made aware of its role in supporting our troop programs and the families responsibility for their first Scout is set at $250.00 per year and each additional sibling is $100.00. Our two established fundraisers provide the opportunity to support the troop and meet these obligations so as to lessen any major personal financial burden.
Any Scout not contributing his/her appropriate share for the fundraisers is required to make up the differences in the form of a direct cash donation to the troop. This difference is determined each year after the Fall Popcorn fundraiser and communicated to the Scouting Family. That difference is due by December 1st. If a Scout has not met his financial obligation, he is placed on an inactive status and runs the risk of not being re-registered on January 1 (the new charter year).
A grace period for a fundraiser is granted to Scouts joining within or during a fundraiser, but we hope that all Scouts help out with projects, so we can keep our fees as low as possible.
All registered Scouts must be in compliance with the troops Financial Policy before they will be allowed to participate in Scout functions or advancement.
DUES
National and Council implement registration and “adventure” fees for all Scouts. These fees are tracked on each Scout’s Troop page (Scouts and Parents can both see them). Once a Scout meets his fundraiser obligation, excess money is applied to the fees in the following order: National registration, Council Adventure Fee, and finally a personal Troop account. Dues may be paid ahead online or in person at meetings.
SCOUT ACCOUNTS
After a Scout has met all of the financial obligations (Fundraisers and Dues), any excess the Scout earns will be collected in a Scout account. This is tracked on the Scout’s web page as well. These accounts can be used to pay for Campouts, Scout activities, and possibly in the future Troop merchandise.
PERSONAL FINANCES
Our troop is committed to making Scouting available to any boy who wants it. We strive to keep the cost of our weekend campouts and trips as low as possible. If your family cannot fully participate for financial reasons, please contact the Scoutmaster. We are fortunate to have the William E. Brown Memorial Campership Fund and other programs. We will work to see that no boy is denied Scouting because of the cost. As always, these needs will be handled with discretion.

PHYSICAL EXAMS AND PERMISSION SLIPS
Accidents happen and we must have permission slips signed by a parent or legal guardian allowing the troop to seek emergency treatment for your son should that be necessary. Additionally, we must have a completed annual health form on file. A physical examination is required yearly for Summer Camp and special 'High Adventure' activities. These exams are best done at your regular pediatrician, but through the generosity of some of our Scouting families we have always been able to offer these physicals by licensed practitioners at a troop meeting free of charge.
IMPORTANT if your son has any sort of a medical issue--physical, mental or behavioral --the Scoutmaster must be informed of it. Our camping activities are varied and sometimes strenuous requiring physical and mental vigor. Lack of knowledge about a boy's problem has endangered Scouts in the past. It is critically important that the Scoutmaster know about any potential issues before they come up, so as to design the best possible program for all our Scouts. Of course, this information is always handled with complete discretion.
ADVANCEMENT
The various ranks from Scout all the way up to Eagle Scout are outlined in the BOY SCOUT HANDBOOK. Additionally, there are many merit badges and other awards to be earned. We stress the advancement program very strongly and encourage parental support at home.
We also need qualified merit badge counselors for over 130 different subjects. Any parent with a hobby or experience in any of these fields who could help by counseling one or more badges is asked to contact us for details. Please note, BSA is continually making many changes to rank advancement requirements so books (both handbook and merit badge) purchased prior may not have the current requirements listed. See the Advancement page on the Troop 101 website for more information. Questions regarding advancement should be referred to a member of our Advancement committee which are present at every meeting .
COURTS OF HONOR
Scouts are recognized officially for their advancement at a Court of Honor held four times each year. This is a formal evening ceremony where family and friends are invited to witness the recognition of the Scouts' achievements since the last CoH. These are special moments for the boys, made even more special by family and friends. Scouts MUST be in full Boy Scout uniform to participate in a Court of Honor.

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VOLUNTEERS
A Boy Scout Troop is run entirely by volunteer adults who care enough to make the program happen. No one gets paid in a Scout Troop. We cannot offer such an extensive program without the assistance and cooperation of every family. Rather than have a few parents do everything for the troop, we need to see every parent do a little something. Here are 5 ways to get involved:
Assistant Scoutmaster - Do you want to work directly with the boys? Go camping? Attend Campouts? There’s some training involved, and a time commitment. But it sure is fun and rewarding. Great camaraderie and you have the privilege of getting to know the boys better and watch them grow in Scouting.
Troop Committee - In addition to the troop leaders, there is a committee made up of Scout parents who oversee the finances, transportation, equipment, and all the support services necessary for a troop. They meet every month except December. For more information, contact the Committee Chairman whose name appears in the heading of this newsletter.
Eagle’s Wings - This is an auxiliary support group started many years ago by the mothers of the troop. Any adult—parents, grandparents-- is warmly invited to join. They meet monthly and are responsible for greeting new families at troop meetings and providing refreshments at Courts of Honor. More importantly, Eagle's Wings coordinates several events for the troop including the Christmas Party, Halloween Party and they handle the annual basket raffle at our Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser. They have become a vital resource for equipment funding with many and varied projects. This is a great way to get to know Scout families.
Merit Badge Counselor – Scouts can choose from over 130 subjects to earn the badges that get them through their advanced ranks. If you have a hobby or special skill and are willing to share that, stop down and talk with our Advancement folks.
General Help – Equipment repairs, sewing neckerchiefs, phone calls, driving to camp, help with fundraisers, etc.
OTHER PROGRAMS
Pack 101 is our cub pack for boys from Kindergarden through fifth grade. Grades K-3 meet on Thursdays; Grades 4-5 (Webelos) Mondays at Blessed Sacrament Church. Ask us for more details if you have a son interested in that program. There is also a link on www.troop101.net for Cub Pack 101.