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| Troop 677 |
A Boy Led Troop
Troop 677 is organized around the concept of a “boy led troop.” Scouts are in charge of events with significant mentoring and backup from adults. An adult might spearhead an event, but a scout will always be involved in “marketing” and organization. This helps scouts develop leadership skills, but with troubleshooting and coaching from adults.
Troop 677 has high parental participation and several older Eagle Scouts who act as mentors and role models. The troop is very active, having events planned many weekends of the year. Scouts are not required to participate in every event and choose what to do according to their own interests and their family’s time constraints. Some scouts take time off periodically to pursue their other interests or obligations, such as sports seasons. Most of the troop activities revolve around camping, hiking, and community service projects, although we’re seeing more activities around biking, canoeing and kayaking. They also do several fun things such as Whirly Ball, Ski Day, and Laser Tag.
Troop 677 is a family-oriented troop, and families are always welcome to participate. This provides a strong, cohesive community for the troop and underscores the value of the family.
The scouts hold a boy-led campout and family BBQ meeting in the late summer. The entire troop of scouts brainstorms and schedules the troop events for the coming year.
Webelos cross over from Cub Scouts in early spring, and on average we welcome eight to ten new scouts annually.
Adult Leadership Structure
In addition to the Scoutmaster and Assistant listed above, these adults also fill vital roles in the troop:
Assistant Scoutmasters:
Dr. Kit Bowerman
Dr. Bruce Smith
Steve Sheehan, (Web Site)
Steve Thues
William Kennedy, (Membership)
Kent Abendroth
The Troop Committee Chairman is Swamy Naranyana, and the Advancement Chair is Deb Morgan. Many more parents serve in important but less visible rolls.
Leadership Training
The troop holds a day-long Junior Leadership Training each winter. We’ve developed new leadership positions for more advanced scouts, particularly “Instructors” and “Troop Guides,” both of which allow advanced scouts to act as trainers and mentors to younger scouts.
Order of the Arrow
Annually the troop elects members into the Order of the Arrow, an honorary organization within the Boy Scouts. Four scouts were elected in 2005, three in 2006, three in 2007, one in 2008, and six in 2009. Our elections are held annually at the first of each year.
50 Milers
Troop 677 has a long history of the “50-Miler.” 50-Milers in the past two years have been both hiking and canoeing in beautiful areas of the Northwest: Enchantment Lakes, Yellowstone Park, Bowron Lakes (Canada), Olympic National Park, the Lost Coast Trail in California, and Stephens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass. Eighteen boys completed a 50-miler in 2005, ten in 2006, and 7 plus some non-scouting friends in 2007. Twenty four Scouts and dads just finished the 2010 50-miler in August which was a trip down the coast of the Olympic Peninsula. This is a big draw for adults, as well!
Special Awards
Several special awards are presented each year as well. We’ve presented four Eagle Palms in the past year, which are awards for merit badges beyond Eagle, and three World Conservation Awards (13 in the past two years), which require scouts to first earn three merit badges: Environmental Science, Citizenship in the World, and one of either Soil and Water Conservation or Fish and Wildlife Management.
Participation
Some of our scouts choose to participate in troop events without pursuing rank advancement. Our philosophy has been to allow scouts to seek their own comfort zone. We have found that participation in scouting, in whatever form, helps to build wholesome and confident young men.
Created on 10/19/2008 10:44 AM by admin
Updated on 08/25/2010 01:10 PM by admin
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