Welcome to Troop 61

Sudbury, Massachusetts

Troop Main Info

Table of Contents

Troop Meetings

Troop 61 holds regular meetings each Wednesday night from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM at the Congregational Church on Concord Road, Sudbury, Massachusetts. The troop meets in the Hall next to the parking lot except when the program necessitates that the meeting be held elsewhere. Everyone will be notified when a change is required. Look for an announcement on the front page of the website.

Attendance

Regular attendance at the troop meetings and outings allow Scouts to take full advantage of the Scouting Program offered by the Troop. Any time your Scout will be absent, he should inform his patrol leader. If it is necessary to miss troop activities for more than two consecutive weeks, a call to the Scoutmaster should be considered.

Dues

The only dues that are required is the $25 registration fee that is collected upon your entrance to the troop. The individual patrol may decide to collect weekly or monthly dues to be used for patrol activities. The patrol treasurer should collect dues and record the data into a permanent record.

Insurance

The Troop carries accident insurance which covers accidents at meetings and during outings such as camping and canoeing trips. The insurance presently carried provides Secondary Coverage. That is, it will pay only if there is no other collectible insurance in force.

In the event you have any questions as a result of an accident, contact the Scoutmaster, Committee Chairman, or one of the Assistant Scoutmasters promptly.

Troop Newsletter

The troop newsletter is published on an almost monthly basis. It is mailed to your home rather than being distributed at the troop meeting. It is also posted on the front page of the troop website. Be certain you and your Scout read this very important newsletter. It will contain details of the troop activities and any changes to the calendar. We try to make this as informative as possible, and we welcome any suggestions for improvement.

Fund Raising

Troop 61 participates in two (2) fund raising events during the year: Christmas Tree Sale, and Town Report distribution.

Christmas Tree Sale:

All three troops in town pool our resources and sell Christmas Trees each December.

Every Scout is expected to participate in the following manner:

  • Work at least three (3) shifts, including at least one weekend
  • Assist in the unloading of the trees after Thanksgiving
  • Assist in either the Setup or Teardown of the Selling Site.

Each Parent is expected to participate in the following manner:

  • Work at least two (2) shifts
  • Assist in the unloading of the trees after Thanksgiving
  • Assist in either the Setup or Teardown of the Selling Site.

The money that is raised during this sale covers most of our operational costs for the year.

Town Report Distribution:

During the month of March, we deliver the Sudbury Town Report to every household in Sudbury. There are almost 4800 houses. In addition, we sell advertising space in an additional bag we call the “Troop 61 Ad Bag”. This is also passed out to all 4800 houses. We have broken the town into 24 routes, and offer the routes to the Scouts and their families. Each Scout receives $40, which is placed into his personal account in our treasury. That money can be used to pay for camping fees or trip expenses during the Scouting year. Any money remaining in the account when the Scout leaves the troop reverts into the general fund of the troop.

Camping Trips

Troop 61 maintains a very active outdoor program. A troop activity (normally an overnight camping trip) is usually held each month. The exception to this is during December, when we are busy selling Christmas Trees.

Information about outings will be provided through the troop newsletter, announcements at troop meetings, patrol meetings, the website, and through flyers that may be mailed or handed out at meetings. Included will be the cost, payment deadline, destination, departure time, and estimated time of return.

Normally the information will be available at least two (2) weeks prior to a trip. Food payments are usually due at the meeting preceding the trip, or may be collected at the completion of the trip.

A Scout must have a parent sign “The Book”, which serves as the permission slip for the trip. No one will be allowed to go on a trip without this signature. We also require a current medical information form and would like to have a copy of his latest physical examination.

Parents, please see that your Scout is at the stated departure point on time. We normally will drop the Scout off at his home at the completion of the trip, as close to our estimated return time as possible. (It is Troop 61’s policy that we leave a camp site in better condition than we found it).

Transportation

Transportation for troop outings is provided by volunteer parents who usually remain with the troop and participate on the trip. There may be situations where we will rent a van, but we still need to have two (2) vehicles on the trip for safety reasons. Every trip requires at least two (2) adults. We prefer to have three (3) when possible, but enjoy having as many as want to attend.

Emergency Contact

In the event it becomes necessary to contact a Scout during a troop trip, the following procedure is requested:

  1. Attempt to call someone with the troop in Sudbury in the following order
    • - An assistant Scoutmaster not on the trip
    • - The wife of the Scoutmaster or one of the Assistant Scoutmasters
  2. Ask that they call an adult on the trip and request that the adult call
    you directly.
  3. An adult on the trip will then call you and after understanding the problem,
    will help you decide what action is appropriate.
  4. Please do not contact the Scout directly.

Summer Camp

Troop 61 attends Summer Camp as a Troop in order to provide an opportunity to the members of the troop to complete merit badges needed for various ranks and to gain a growth experience that will be remembered for the rest of their lives. A complete aquatic program as well as numerous field sports, nature, shooting sports, pioneering, and craft areas offer a full week of activity for the experienced Scout. For the new Scout, there is a program designed to systematically introduce him to the skills needed to advance in Scouting: rope work, woods tools safety, compass usage, cooking, and fire building. For older Scouts, there is a Venture program designed to provide a foundation to enhance his accumulated skill set in the areas of boating, swimming, riflery, archery, sailing, and biking.

Rather than have two or three adults spend a week of their vacation in Summer camp, we ask all parents to spend one or two nights during the week, with their sons. It is a truly rewarding and fulfilling experience. The average fee for a week at summer camp is $160.00. A deposit of $30 is needed in early April so that the camp site can be reserved. The balance of the camp fee must be paid by June 1.

No Scout should be denied summer camp because of financial hardship. If you are unable to afford summer camp, please contact the Scoutmaster for information pertaining to the campership program both within Knox Trail Council and the troop.

One last point with regard to camp is that a physical is required for any camper staying overnight (including adults). This physical must be submitted to the Camp Coordinator one week before we leave for camp so that it can be sent ahead for processing.

Refer to the troop calendar in the appendix and in the future newsletters and mark the appropriate week on your family calendar now. Please plan to have your Scout join us for a week of fun.

Totin’ Chip

The Totin’ Chip card (shown below) is used as an aid to ensure safe handling of woods tools. Each Scout can earn a Totin’ Chip by completing the requirements on the back of the card. The section referred to in requirement 1 may be found on pages 63-78 of the Boy Scout Handbook. The patch (shown below) is worn on the left pocket flap of the Class A Scout shirt.

A Scout may not use any type of woods tool (pocket knife, saw, hatchet, or ax) unless a completed Totin’ Chip is in his possession at the time. If the Totin’ Chip is lost, a new one must be earned by completing the requirements again. Any Scout observed violating his “Totin’ Rights” will have his card destroyed. As a result, he must earn a new one.

(Note: Sheath knives are typically designed for purposes other than those which a Scout would normally have use. This frequently puts the Scout in a dangerous situation when trying to use a tool for something other than what it was specifically designed. Therefore, Troop 61 heavily discourages having sheath knives on Scout related activities. Leave sheath knives at home. A good, sharp, lock-blade knife is all that an individual Scout needs and its use is preferred and encouraged.)

Troop Guidelines

In order to ensure that safe practices are used, the following guidelines are established by Troop 61:

  1. No fire of any type is allowed in a tent. Thus, there are no lit candles, no lit matches, no glowing ember of any type allowed in tents.
  2. No ball playing or “team sports” within the boundary of a camp site is permitted. A “sports area” designated for these activities is to be established for each trip as needed.
  3. Camp fires and cooking fires are not for play. Once a stick that has been placed into a fire ignites, it will be placed into the fire to remain.
  4. Scouts are discouraged from bringing hatchets and sheath knives on any troop function. Pocket knives, however, are encouraged. Refer to the Totin’ Chip requirements for further explanation.
  5. Electronic devices are not permitted on Troop 61 activities, including cell phones,
    walkmans, IPods, or any other device not Scout- powered. You can’t interact with
    your troop if your attention is already with your I Pod, and cell phones just
    make homesickness worse.
  6. Scouts may not provide transportation (drive) for other Scouts on Troop activities. Only adults may drive with passengers on troop activities.
  7. No alcoholic beverages are allowed.
  8. No drugs without a current prescription in their original container will be allowed.
  9. Use of tobacco products by Scouts is not allowed. Use of tobacco products during Scout functions by adults is discouraged.
  10. Scouts and Scouters are encouraged to follow the Scout Oath, the Scout Law, and the Golden Rule. No hazing, harassing, fighting, or actions specifically meant to make fun of another individual’s sex, race, national origin, or religious preference will be tolerated.

Actions taken towards individuals found to breach these guidelines will be at the discretion of the Scoutmaster while the troop is at an activity or during a troop meeting. Depending on the severity of the breachment, the Scoutmaster may direct the Scout, meet with the Scout and his Parents, or require the Scout and his Parents to meet with the Troop Committee.