Welcome to Troop 150!    

Boy Scouting is different from Cub scouting. Your sons will grow in many ways. They will become more self-reliant, practice teamwork and develop a deeper understanding and respect for God and country. Activities will have meaning, no more gluing macaroni on toilet paper tubes. Now they will learn how to use knives, build fires, hike, swim, pitch a tent, cook their own food, shoot guns & arrows and do it all safely with respect for the environment. They will be introduced to a variety of other activities that, in some cases, will lead to a lifetime career path. They will grow to be men and good citizens in the community. Scouting is unique, everyone plays. There are no bench warmers or second stringers in Scouting. If you are in Scouting you are in Scouting. There are no practices, if you are there you are involved and learning. Later on, they will remember "I caught, cleaned and cooked my own fish" more vividly than "I was on a team that won the sixth grade championship."

The purpose of Scouting is to help turn boys into self-reliant leaders with a sense of purpose toward the community. Scouting is boy-run, the boys make the plans and carry them out. Adults guide the boys in the direction and implementation of these plans. The Troop is divided into patrols, normally among peer groups, each with a leader and an assistant. Together they plan outings, divide responsibilities and assist each other to achieve success. The patrols are directed by the Senior Patrol Leader or SPL for short. He is an experienced older Scout who co-ordinates with the Patrol Leaders to assure the overall success of the outing.

The first summer after the transition from Cubs to Boy Scouts, the boys will attend their first summer camp at the H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation. For many of them, it will be their first extended stay away from home. Initially, this will be more of a challenge to some than to others. They will bond there and learn to work together with their peers. Ultimately they will see it as one of the best experiences of their lifetime. The leaders will help the boys with this transition. Ask any Scout what their favorite time in Scouting was and almost universally they will say "summer camp." At camp they will get accelerated instruction on Scouting skills, necessary for rank advancement, and earn their first merit badges. They are kept busy, to minimize homesickness, and they learn skills to help them become more self-reliant. Above all, the leaders see to it that they have fun! Scouting is fun with a purpose.

To help new parents understand Scouting and help their boys transition from Cubs, the following information has been compiled to help the process. If you have any questions not covered here, feel free to contact a Troop leader for help.

Let's get the bad part out of the way first:

How much does it cost to join the troop?

Our Troop treasurer adds charges to the "money account" on this website for each boy and deducts balances they may have in their camping account from fund raising. 1/2 is due by the first Troop meeting in March, and the balance by the first Troop meeting in April. (The Troop must pay all fees to the Council by April 15 to avoid late fees.)

Money should not be an obstacle to joining the Troop. If there is a financial hardship, contact a Troop leader for assistance. Boy Scout Troop 150 is a not-for-profit volunteer organization and all parent families must participate in some form of service to the Troop.

Getting Started:

Our goal is to advance the first-year boys to Scout rank, before camp or soon after. Tenderfoot should be achievable by the end of summer after camp. With that in mind, they should sign up as soon as possible after the Arrow of Light so that they’re quickly credited with any work they do. For example, the Blue River Cleanup normally takes place on the first Saturday in April. Participating boys will earn service-hour credit for that event.

Troop meetings take place on the first and third Monday of each month, unless there’s a holiday like Labor Day, in which case the meeting is moved back. Troop Committee meetings for the adults occur on the Monday between the two monthly troop meetings. Dates for monthly troop overnights are announced as they’re arranged.

Uniforms and the requisite patches can be purchased at the Scout Shop, 10210 Holmes Road, (816) 942-7757. The Troop calendar is also accessible on this website. The calendar is located on the tab below New Parent Info and one need not be logged in to view it.

A new-scout timeline:

December
Arrow of Light ceremony.

January
Begin regular meeting attendance.
Officially register with Troop 150.
Form into a Patrol and start working on advancement!

April
Blue River cleanup.
Spring Court of Honor. 

April or May
Parent-son overnight. This time as a Scout, not a Cub.

May or early June
Tentative date for camp physicals.

June or July
Boy Scout summer camp at the H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation. https://www.hoac-bsa.org/bartle

What can you do to help? PARENT PARTICIPATION IS VITAL.

Encourage your son
It is difficult for us to keep your son's interest at peak level once he leaves the Scout meeting. It is here that we need the most help and would like your support by taking an active interest in your son's position in Scouting. An occasional inquiry about his progress will serve as a reminder that you are concerned and expect him to pay attention to his own advancement. As with the Pack, parent participation is expected for meetings, overnights and fund raisers. 

Uniforms and Materials
Initially, the only required uniform will be what is considered the class A uniform. It consists of the Scout shirt with the Heart of America Council patch, the troop 150 numbers and the shoulder epaulets. This shirt is to be worn at all Scout meetings and troop functions. Scouts also wear this shirt when traveling to or from campouts. As your son progresses in Scouting, there will be patches for rank and patrol identification and special awards. Merit badges will be worn on a separate sash. You might think about teaching him how to sew! 

Your Scout will receive his Troop 150 neckerchief at the Arrow of Light ceremony and that becomes part of the class A uniform. Scout pants, belts, socks, hats etc are encouraged but not required in our troop. This can get very expensive and we want to minimize any additional burden that parents have on top of parochial education. The class B uniform is any Scout-themed shirt. This is usually worn for activities at camp or on overnights and not during transportation or at meetings. During the summer, class B attire may be allowed for some meetings. After a couple of years at summer camp, your Scout will probably have a good selection of class B attire.  

We ask you to encourage your son to wear his uniform with pride and assist him in proper placement of his badges and insignia. Information concerning the uniform may be found inside the covers of the Scout Handbook and at the Scouting website here. The Scout Shop is at the council Service center at 103rd & Holmes Rd. Uniforms are not inexpensive and a Scout can grow out of them quickly. Scout families are encouraged to donate their used uniforms to younger scouts in a uniform exchange. Other sources may be thrift shops or on-line pre-owned selling shops.

Troop Committee Function
It is the function of the Troop Committee to assist with fund raising, transportation, and a number of other services necessary for a well-balanced program. As the parent of a Scout, you are already a member of the troop committee. We ask that you consider joining us to give your support and feedback. Meetings are on the second Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m. All parents are welcome and encouraged to attend. The Committee meeting is analogous to the “FOSE” meeting held by Pack 150 leadership.

Your role in the Troop Committee
You should plan to attend meetings of this organization to become aware of the work that goes into supporting the Troop that your son is a part of. There are many sub-committees from which you may select what appeals to your particular interests. Although you may not want to formally register with the troop as an adult leader, your assistance may be needed in certain areas and you may be asked to volunteer your time. (If you do not register, you will not be able to spend any time at summer camp besides visitor Sunday, due to BSA regulations.)

Merit Badge Counselor
If you have specific skills in a certain area, not necessarily in the outdoor type subjects, you may be able to support the troop by becoming a Merit Badge Counselor. At the Scouting website and in the Scout Handbook is a list of merit badges that knowledgeable adults can teach. Our advancement chair can assist you in materials and registration in subject areas that interest you. A list of merit badges you can review to determine where you may be able to help is available at meritbadge.org.

Transportation and Supervision
Our entire outdoor program hinges upon the willingness of parents to provide transportation to and from our activities and supervision while we're there. Our Troop Committee and Scoutmaster need your cooperation in this area. Please be willing to volunteer to transport Scouts to and/or from their activities. Your vehicle insurance information will be required.

Camping
There is an open invitation to all parents/guardians to attend our camping activities providing there are no limitations that would exclude any of the boys. It is expected that one parent per family will attend at least two overnights with the Troop during the year.

Fund Raising
You are expected to participate along with your son in any capacity available to ensure the success of our fund raising campaigns. Boy Scout Troop 150 is a not-for-profit volunteer organization and all parent families must participate in some form of service to the Troop. Remember, it is for the benefit of the boys. We request your input on fund raising activities since you will be helping with them. The two main fund raisers are the Pancake Breakfast and the Holiday Wreath and Popcorn Sale.

The Pancake Breakfast on Scout Sunday is the main troop fund raiser that covers equipment and supplies costs. All scouts are expected to sell tickets (or buy out) and work during the breakfast. Parent volunteers are also needed to help during the breakfast and to provide baked goods for the bake sale. This is the money we use to pay for badges and awards, new tents, supplies etc.

The Holiday Wreath and Popcorn Sale is a voluntary individual fund raiser to supplement summer camping fees and other individual activity costs. Each boy will get 95% of the funds raised from his individual sales, with the other 5% going to pay for expenses. Proceeds will go into each boy's trooptrack money account to help pay for camp. Eager salesmen can earn a significant portion, if not all of their camp fees in this manner.

Troop Activities
Please feel free to drop in any time to see our meetings and get an idea of the content of our program.

Adult Leadership Application
Complete the application for adult registration and submit it with the annual registration fees to the Scoutmaster. This entire fee goes to BSA national or the local Council for insurance, materials, etc. The Troop Committee Chair and the Chartered Organization Representative have to approve the adult’s registration. References may be checked, and a criminal background check authorization form is required. The safety of the boys is the ultimate responsibility. Adult leaders will have the opportunity to experience whatever training they desire, and will be trained to the extent required for their particular position in the Troop. At a minimum, all registered leaders must be Youth Protection trained, and do Committee Member training.

Youth Protection
For the protection of the youth in the program from potential child abuse, and the adult leaders from child abuse accusations, BSA has specific requirements concerning the interaction of the adult leaders with the youth. All registered leaders are required to be trained in youth protection. Parents participating on camping trips are requested to also undergo the training, which is available online at my.scouting.org. All reporting of child abuse must be taken seriously and referred to the appropriate BSA or government agencies. There is a section at the beginning of the Handbook that describes this in more detail. You are required to read this and review pertinent portions with your Scout as soon as possible. In fact, it is requirement 6 for the rank of Scout, your son’s first rank on the way to Eagle. (meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Scout_Badge). If you have questions, please feel free to ask any leader for clarification.

Troop Website
Late-breaking schedule changes or cancellations are sent by email or posted on facebook.com/groups/kctroop150/. (That's a private group, so ask to be added.) Otherwise, information about troop activities, date or time changes and future events is primarily emailed, and posted on the website and Troop Calendar. We try to keep it updated regularly. Your suggestions on what information to add are always welcome. 

TroopTrack User Guide: https://trooptrack.com/help_pages?page=1 or this pdf:  https://www.trooptrack.com/assets/user_guide.pdf

Welcome to the Scouting family of Troop 150 in the Heart of America Council!