Unit Description

Sponsor:

The Saint Thomas Catholic Church sponsors the troop. The troop welcomes Roman Catholic boys of all races and cultures as well as those of other religious faiths.

Meeting Place:

            Troop meetings are held at the following facilities:

St. Thomas Church Mission at 9398 Indiana Ave, Riverside, CA  

St. Thomas Church 3774 Jackson St., Riverside, CA

Meeting Time:

Troop meetings are held in the following structure:

6:30 pm to 7:00 pm will be with Merit Badge Counselor

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm will be the main meeting

Objective:

The objective of the Boy Scout movements is to develop reverence, character, citizenship and personal fitness in the boy members. Troop 116 is a very traditional unit, using camping, hiking and other outdoor activities as the primary method of accomplishing this objective.

Methods:

    Some of the methods of scouting used by troop 116 are as follows:

1)      Reverence to God – we are a Catholic Troop but respect the faiths of all of our boys. We recognize that a scout is reverent and Faith gives purpose and strength to integrity and endeavor. We open our meetings and other appropriate occasions with prayer. We encourage all scouts to earn their religious Scout recognitions of their faith. This award will be earned before the committee will approve an eagle application.

2)      Outdoor Program – a regular program of week-end campouts, backpack trips, hikes and long-term summer camps is provided to develop physical fitness, instill self reliance, develop understanding of our natural surroundings and provide an opportunity to put scout skills to practical use.

3)      Scout Skill Training - Traditional Scout craft skills are taught in a “learn by doing” environment, including first aid, knot tying, cooking, use of map and compass, identification of edible and poisonous plants and many other useful subjects.

4)      Advancement and Recognition – accomplishments are recognized by the awarding of merit badges and by progression through a series of ranks from Scout to Eagle Scout. Courts of Honor, attended by all troop members and their families are held Quarterly to recognize these accomplishments.

5)      Uniform – The scout uniform is the common bond, which unites all members of the worldwide Scouting movement. Wearing the uniform is important increasing a sense of pride and identity and an attitude of teamwork. Proper grooming standards are part of learning to work as a team. Scouts are expected to maintain natural coloring, proper and neat grooming of hair. Makeup, visible body piercing and visible tattoos are prohibited.

 6)      Patrol Method – Boys are organized and operate in small groups called ‘patrols’ to provide training in cooperation and leadership and healthy competition between patrols to stimulate accomplishment.

7)      Boy Leadership – The opportunity to hold troop and patrol leadership positions is afforded to develop confidence and leadership skills, Boys learn respect for their subordinates as well as their superiors. Adults will not be referred to by first name.

8)      Civic Service – service projects are preformed from time to time to develop an awareness of the importance of helping others and of the self-satisfaction to be gained from successful completion of such a project.

Membership

All boys who are 11 years old, or are 10 ½ years old and who have completed the fifth grade are eligible for membership. To become a member, an application must be completed and signed by a parent and delivered to the Scoutmaster or other unit leader, together with the initial registration fee. The scoutmaster will then meet with the parents to discuss the involvement of the boy and the parents in the troop program. After the boy and his parents have met with the Scoutmaster in a ‘personal growth agreement conference’ the committee will review the application from approval. After the candidate has met with requirement for the scout progress award, a formal induction ceremony will be held, either are a Court of Honor or at a regular troop meeting. The boy’s parents are expected to be present at the investiture ceremony.

Troop Organization:

The Troop committee is a group registered as members of the Boy Scouts of America who meet monthly to make decisions as to the conduct of the troop program. All patents are invited to attend committee meetings and are encouraged to register as committee members. Committee members include the Scouting Coordinator, who represents the sponsor on the committee and who is a voting member of the local Boy Scout Council: the Committee Chairman: the Treasurer; and other members having specific assignments, such as Advancement Chairman or Transportation Chairman, as well as members at large.

The Scouting Program and committee policies are carried out by the Scoutmaster and one or more Assistant Scoutmasters, who work with and through the boy leadership of the Troop, to accomplish the purposes of Scouting through the use of the methods described above.

Troop 116 is chartered through the Inland Empire Council, Boy Scouts of America and is affiliated for program support with the Councils Mt. Rubidioux District.

Attendance:

Attendance is mandatory at all meetings and activities unless excused by the Boys first line leader. It is expected that should a last minute problems come up, the Boy will call his leader. No call is a no-show. No-shows will be suspended for the next meeting unless excused by the SM. Three no-shows in one year will be referred to the SM for further disciplinary action. Leaders will be referred to the SM on the first no-show

Discipline:

Discipline is not intended to humiliate or degrade. It is essential for safety, good fun, an introduction to the real world and the smooth operation of the unit. Behavior problems will not be tolerated nor language, comments, pranks or actions, which will offend or injure persons or institutions. We will not allow such behavior on the part of the boys or adults. Each person will be treated with respect.

Cost of Scouting:

When a boy joins Scouting, there are certain financial costs incurred. These include an initial registration fee, monthly dues, cost of the uniform and camping equipment, and monthly campout and summer camp fees. The troop operates on the budget system, which provides for the payment of an initial registration fee and monthly dues thereafter. After the first year, registration fees reapplied to the boy’s summer camp fees.

The boys are encouraged to earn money to pay their monthly dues, which are currently $5.00. The present cost of a full uniform and handbook is about $60.00. A monthly campout fee is usually $10.00 for a two-day trip. Summer camps costs run from $125 to $400 for a one-week experience. Fundraisers are used to support the troop activities during the entire year. Scout families are also encouraged to participate in the council’s annual scout fund drive, which raises funds to help pay the cost of maintaining camp properties and other council program expenses.

Registration:

            The registration fee is $30.00, which includes:

                        National registration

                        Accident and Liability Insurance

                        1 year subscription to Boys Life magazine

                        Troop 116 Scout Notebook

                        Troop 116 Troop Cap

                        Troop 116 Patch

Boy Obligations:

            Attendance at troop meetings

            Support of troop activities

            Payment of monthly due 

Parents Obligations:

            Pay of initial registration fee

            Support of troop activities

            Provide uniform, handbook and camping equipment

            Attend Court of Honor

            Assist in providing transportation for campouts and other activities

            Participate in Annual Fundraiser

Official uniform:

            Short sleeve uniform shirt with red shoulder tabs

            Red Scout Neckerchief

            Black or Brown Shoes

            Scout web Belt

            Long or short uniform pants

*Long pants required at all official functions (ex. Court of Honor, Flag Ceremonies, or Eagle Courts.)

Camping Equipment:

            See camping essentials list

Important Regular dates:

            Troop meetings – Every Wednesday

            Troop Committee – 1^st Wednesday of every month

            Scoutmaster Conferences – 1^st week of the month

            Board of Review – 2^nd & 3^rd week of month

What to wear - when?

            Troop meetings – Class A

            Court of Honor, Camporee and Summer Camp – Full uniform

            Weekend Campout – Class B and Troop Cap

Where to get uniforms

The Inland Empire Council office in Redlands or Mr D’s in Corona. These stores do not carry large inventories and it may not be possible to find everything at one place at one time. It is also possible to buy mail order if you are sure of the size. There is a toll-free number for the catalog center or you can call the Scout Supply Center in San Francisco and have the items sent UPS. In either case, items can be charged on VISA or MasterCard. Older equipment is available in thrift stores, best buys.

Suggestions about Backpacks:

Troop 116 does a lot of backpacking and it is important that your boy have a properly constructed and fitted backpack. We suggest you borrow or rent a pack for the first few outings until you get a good idea of what is suitable. Talk to the troop’s adult leaders before buying a pack. Basically, a good pack has padded shoulder straps as well as a padded hip belt and has a well-constructed frame and bag. The buckles must adjust and not slip.

Suggestions about sleeping bags:

For the first few campouts, we recommend borrowing or using an old one. Before buying a new bag please talk to our adult leaders about what makes a good sleeping bag. The best bag for a boy is Nylon lined and covered ‘mummy’ style bag with a plastic zipper. Dacron or other acrylic fiber insulation is good. The technique for sewing the bag together is very important; an improperly designed bag will leave a boy cold at night.