The strength of our troop depends on active parents. Were you drawn to Troop 373 because of the various camping trips we do? Maybe it was the rock climbing and ice climbing day trips we take? Or maybe it was the variety of summer camps and high adventure trips we plan? ALL of these terrific activities are dependent on active adults. Many of our active parents have scouts who will be attaining their Eagle scout rank and/or turning 18 soon. These parents will likely "retire" from scouts in the next 12-18 months. New parents are needed to step in and begin leading these activities. Your commitment can be as easy as leading one camping trip a year. Or maybe you like shooting sports? You can become the parent who leads a shooting sports weekend. Come find out more at the Assistant Scout Master (ASM) meeting this Tuesday at 7pm at Newton Middle School. See where you might fit in an activity or two into your schedule and be part of the village that helps raise our amazing boys.

No regular troop meeting this week. PLC meeting at 6:15pm at Newton.

Please plan on attending Tuesdays meeting in order to participate in the troop elections.

Just added to the calendar: Camporee! This annual fall camping event is a showcase for District Scout units hosted this year by the White Eagle Chapter of the Order of the Arrow. Patrols comprised of 6 – 8 Scouts will have the opportunity to compete and demonstrate their skills against other Patrols in fun activities like fire building, gaga ball, tag football and knot tying. Sign up is now open!

Also - earn your "14er" patch. Mr. Arnold is leading a day trip to Grays and Torreys Peaks. Sign up is open!

Our next Court of Honor is Tuesday at Our Father Lutheran Church. Come and see all the merit badges and ranks earned over the summer!

Dinner is $6.50 per person and will be catered by Olive Garden. Please sign up if you plan to have dinner so we can order the right amount of food. If you don't plan to have dinner at the COH then no need to sign up.

Dinner is at 6:30.  COH is at 7pm. IF YOU PLAN TO HAVE DINNER, PLEASE REGISTER BY SUNDAY NIGHT.

This is the second in a continuing series to educate our troop about the new family scouting option that BSA is implementing this coming February. We ask all parents to learn about the option so that, as a troop, we can make some important decisions this fall.

QUESTION: Will Troop 373 be co-ed?

ANSWER: No. Scouts will continue to be a single gender program. 

QUESTION: Then why am I hearing that girls can join scouts?

ANSWER: Girls will form their own "girl only" troop.  Click here for a :90 video. The nuances come with the governing structure. There are two options for governing structures:

     Option A: This is called the "Separate Troop" option. Girls find their own organization to charter their troop, form their own troop, develop their own troop committee, and simply find a boy scout troop to partner with. The PLC leaders of the girl and the boy troops may decide to coordinate some, many or all activities and meetings together. It is the hope of BSA that the established boy troops will help mentor and lead the girl troops as they are getting started.

     Option B: This is called the "Linked Troop" option. A girl troop finds a boy troop whose chartering organization is willing to sponsor the girl troop as well. The two troops then decide if they want to have a single troop committee or separate. As in option A, the PLC leaders of the two troops may decide to coordinate some, many or all activities and meetings together.

QUESTION: Will there be girl Scouts BSA at Troop 373 meetings?

ANSWER: Maybe. If our troop decides to partner with (or help establish) a girls troop, then the scout and adult leadership would need to decide if they want to coordinate meetings. If they decide to coordinate meetings, then the opening and closing parts of the meeting would be co-ed but the bulk of the meeting should be run separately. 

QUESTION: What does the leadership of the Girl troop look like? 

ANSWER: Girl troops must have their own Scoutmaster. As is currently in Troop 373, adult leaders can be male or female. However, in a girls troop there must be at least one female leader.