Information For Boys and their Parents
Dues and Fees
Age Requirements
Application Form

For Boys and their Parents

We are pleased that you are considering joining Boy Scout Troop 313. It is our hope that you will find your time with Troop 313 a rewarding and, most of all, fun experience in which to continue or begin your Scouting adventure. Our Troop Welcome Packet (an Adobe Acrobat document) contains a great deal more information for new or prospective scouts and their parents.

We have an active program, attempting to camp one weekend out of each month and to schedule as many varied camping locations and experiences as possible throughout the year. There will be backpacking camp outs and longer hikes on some outings. We encourage attendance at as many activities as you can make. If you miss one camp out you may lose out on an advancement or merit badge opportunity that may not be offered again for some time. Some activities require that you have participated in prior events to gain the knowledge and skills to safely participant in the current activity.

We are working toward our goal of Troop meetings that are planned by and for the Scouts, not adult leaders. This is your Troop and your responsibility to run it as you feel will allow all of you to meet and exceed the scouting ideals. A Patrol Leader's Council (PLC) made up of Scouts takes the lead in planning and executing our Troop program under the guidance of the Scoutmaster. These boy leaders are elected by their peers.

We want your parent to be active as well! We have a variety of areas in which we need and would appreciate their participation. We have a Troop Committee made up of parents and other adults that meets monthly to discuss and finalize plans for scouting events, camp outs, facilitate transportation and fund raising necessary to help our troop go and support the plans made by the Patrol Leader's Council.

All parents are invited to join the Troop Committee. We encourage parents to consider a role in which they can best use their talents and skills (i.e., Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmaster, Committee Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Fund raising, Advancement, Activities Chairs, Transportation, Training, Merit Badge Counselors, or as an assistant to one of these positions). We have found that in most cases the Scouts who have parents who take an active role in the Troop's leadership are the Scouts who make a strong commitment to and get the most of their Scouting experience. Parents, do you feel you don't know what to do, do you feel at a loss as to how you can help? There are training classes to get you started from Fast Start, to Scoutmaster Fundamentals, to more advanced (Woodbadge) training. All of the current adults started out where you are--so just jump right up and ask the Scoutmaster or Committee Chair how you can help. Filling out the Troop Resource Survey is a good place to start.

Troop Dues and Fees

If an Adult Leader (Scouter) is transferring an active registration from another Boy Scout or Cub Scout Unit, a $1.00 transfer fee would apply rather than the $10.00 Registration fee. The regular BSA Registration fee would again apply at the next recharter date.

Adults who are not registered with another BSA unit pay the $10.00 registration fee.

Please note that these fees are prorated based on the month in which you join.  Please contact the Troop 313 Treasurer for the exact prorated amount that would be due based upon the date a scout or adult joins the troop.

Age Requirements

In order to join the Boy Scouts of America a boy must have completed the fifth grade; or, be 10 1/2 years old and have earned the Arrow of Light in Cub Scouts. Prior to this time the boy can participant in the Cub Scout Program. A boy can remain active in a Boy Scout Troop until his 18th birthday. You DO NOT need any previous scouting experience to join Troop 313--just the desire to learn, have fun, spend time outdoors, and agree to live by the Scout Oath, Law and Promise. See Joining Requirements.

Application Form

We suggest that a prospective scout visit our Troop Meetings before deciding to join the Troop. This will give the you and your parents a chance to see how the Troop operates before joining. Once you decide to join us, then you will need to fill out an application form which can be obtained from the Scoutmaster. Once the application is filled out it needs to be submitted to the Scoutmaster or Troop Treasurer with the applicable fees. Until the application with registration fees is submitted to the Council Office, we can not permit you to attend any camp outs or other activities.

Parents, we encourage you to submit your application at the same time. Our Troop strongly encourages that at least one parent or guardian is registered and active in the Troop. All of the adults who participate in the Troop are busy with their jobs, families, churches, clubs and other activities. Being "busy" is not considered a valid excuse for lack of support for the Troop.

We believe that your son will get out of scouting as much as you are willing to put into the program--a few hours is a small investment in your son's future. Please discuss with the Committee Chair or Scoutmaster what talents you have that can assist the Troop. Even if you can only drive on camp outs or do some paperwork, that may be enough. We don't expect you to devote all your waking hours to the Troop, but we do ask that you assist where you can. All of the adult leaders are volunteers, we don't get paid for providing your son with a great scouting program--all we ask is a little help from you.

Last Revised: May 24, 2008

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