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Join Scouting BSA Troop 15 – Ewing

Camp, Hike, and Develop the Skills to be an Eagle Scout!

Boy Scout Troop 15 in Ewing is currently recruiting new Scouts. Boys ages 11 through 17 are welcome to visit and join. This is a special time to be part of Scouting in Troop 15 which is celebrating its 100th anniversary on November 13th 2016.

Troop 15: Established in 1916 Scoutmaster: Bruce Wentworth (Bruce@Wentworth.com) Meetings: Thursday evenings 7-8:30 PM Location: Scout hut behind the Ewing Presbyterian Church, 100 Scotch Road, Ewing, NJ Please see the following photos of Troop 15 activities, The Troop 15 Handbook, and the Scouting Facts document for more information. More information is also available at the Troop 15 webpage at http://troop15.ewing.nj.us/

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Troop 15 Scouts and Activities Summer Camp

Boy scouts from BSA Troop 15 are shown at the Winnebago Scout Reservation where they spent a week at summer camp earning merit badges and participating in woodland-and water-skill activities.

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Boy Scouts Teaching Cub Scouts

Senior scouts of BSA Troop 15 recently hosted cub scouts from two local packs. The Troop 15 Senior Patrol Leader is seen answering a question about The Food Pyramid. The Troop 15 Patrol Leader and Wolf rank cub scouts from Pack 28 Lawrenceville and Pack 44 Pennington are also shown.

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Boy Scouts and Their Primitive Shelter

A patrol of scouts from BSA Troop 15 are seen here sporting the primitive shelter they built (and slept in) in Thompson State Park, Monroe Township, to earn the Wilderness Survival Merit Badge.

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Boy Scouts Marking Graves with Flags

Two scouts from BSA Troop 15 stand beside a memorial to the no-fewer-than 37 Continental soldiers buried in the church's cemetery. Recently the Troop helped the VFW mark veterans' graves with US Flags.

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Boy Scouts Climbing Jay Mountain

Scouts from BSA Troop 15 sit atop Jay Mountain in the Adirondacks of northern New York. That's Whiteface Mountain, the Olympic Mountain, in the far background.

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TROOP 15 HANDBOOK

2015

Boy Scouts of America Troop 15

Ewing, NJ Chartered by the First Presbyterian Church of Ewing

100 Scotch Road, Ewing, NJ 08628

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Troop 15 Handbook

Recommended reading for all Scouts and parents!

Our Mission

Scouting in Troop 15 is based on life-skills education, leadership development, citizenship, and values training. The Troop is committed to a program designed to help build youth with strong character who are physically fit and prepared to be good citizens.

Handbooks

The basic reference for scouting is the Boy Scout Handbook. We strongly encourage you to read it when first joining scouting, as it includes information about the basic structure of scouting, advancement, requirements, and scouting skills. Each scout is expected to obtain and keep a copy of the current edition of "The Boy Scout Handbook". This book should be brought to all Troop activities and campouts. This "Troop 15 Handbook" is intended to act as an introduction to Scouting in the Troop and to give scouts and parents a better understanding about how Troop 15 works. Please take the time to read over these handbooks, and contact the Scoutmaster or one of the other adult leaders if you have any questions.

Adult Participation in Troop 15

As a parent of a Troop 15 scout, your volunteer efforts are welcome and essential. Parents or other adults can assist our Troop by providing a variety of services such as transportation to and from outings, serving as a Troop committee member, becoming a merit badge counselor, becoming an assistant scoutmaster, or serving in other leadership positions.

If you are a parent or guardian of a boy in Troop 15, please take the time to attend a couple of Troop, committee or adult leader's meetings. Talk to the Scoutmaster or one of the other adult leaders. You do have skills, resources, or contacts that the Troop needs.

For at least one outing each year, parents will be invited to join in the fun. Joining your son on a camping trip builds memories that last a lifetime and strengthens the parent-child bond.

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Troop 15 Organization

Troop 15 is a member of the Mercer Area District in the Washington Crossing Council as part of the Boy Scouts of America.

Troop 15 is chartered by the First Presbyterian Church of Ewing, which provides us with our meeting place, the Scout Hut on Church property at 100 Scotch Road Ewing, NJ 08628.

The Troop is governed by a Troop committee, composed of a group of adults, generally parents/guardians of the scouts, who provide support and guidance to the Troop. Troop committee positions include:

• Troop Committee Chair - Head of the Troop Committee. • Charter Organization Representative - Liaison between the Troop and

Chartering Organization. • Secretary - Record keeper and takes/maintains committee meeting notes. • Treasurer - Takes care of all incoming/outgoing money for the Troop, maintains

financial records and provides monthly financial status to the Troop committee. • Advancement Chair - Administers the Troop advancement program, maintains

records and prepares advancement reports for the council. • Fund-raiser Chair - Organizes fund raising projects to meet the Troop needs. • Camping/Outdoor Chair - Works with the Patrol Leader's Council and the

Scoutmaster to plan camping trips and outdoor events. Coordinates transportation needs. Obtains any necessary camping permits/reservations and submits tour requests to the Council.

• Quartermaster - Works with the troop and patrol Quartermasters to control and maintain Troop and patrol equipment.

Troop Adult Leadership positions include:

• Scoutmaster - Oversees the operations of the Troop. • Assistant Scoutmasters – Assist the Scoutmaster by performing duties

assigned by the Scoutmaster.

Fees/Dues

Annual dues of $60.00 per scout are collected in the fall. These dues are used for general Troop expenses and to fund the annual fee of $25.00/Scout or Adult Leader for re-chartering, with an optional additional $12.00 for subscription to the Boys Life magazine.

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Campouts and other troop activities may require additional fees. Details will be provided for each activity.

Fund Raising

Troop 15 sponsors several fund raising activities each year including popcorn sales in the fall and annual carwashes. The money earned is used to fund Troop activities and Troop equipment purchases.

Financial Assistance

Financial assistance may be available to Troop members that may not be able afford fees. Please contact the Scoutmaster for details. All requests for assistance will remain confidential.

Troop Structure

A Boy Scout Troop is a "Boy Run Troop"; the Scouts initiate the event planning and take care of Troop operations via the Patrol Leader's Council (PLC).

The adult leaders of Troop 15 are advisors to the Patrol Leader's Council. The senior adult leader is the Scoutmaster. Assistant scoutmasters and committee members help the Scoutmaster provide a safe environment for scouts to grow and learn.

Troop 15 is divided into small groups called patrols. A patrol is a group of 5-10 boys who camp together and participate in Troop activities together. In our Troop, we have mixed rank patrols led by patrol leaders. If the number of boys in a patrol changes due to growth or attrition, the Scoutmaster may form a new patrol or combine existing patrols as needed. A scout may also request to change patrols to the Senior Patrol Leader and the Scoutmaster, who will then decide if the change is justified.

The Senior Patrol Leader and patrol leaders are elected once per year. There are other positions of responsibility appointed by the Scoutmaster and Senior Patrol Leader.

Troop Meetings

Troop 15 meets every Thursday evening in the Scout Hut at the First Presbyterian Church in Ewing, 100 Scotch Road Ewing, NJ 08628.

The regular Troop Meeting is 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. Service patrol members may arrive early to set up the room. A regular Troop meeting typically begins with a Flag ceremony,

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recitation of the Scout Oath and Scout Law, followed by a scout-led skill lesson or progress toward a merit badge, followed by a game and closing ceremonies.

Scoutmaster Conferences and Board of Reviews will be held by appointment as soon as a member of the Troop Committee or Scoutmaster can attend this meeting.

All scouts are encouraged to attend every Troop meeting. Many of our scouts are involved in school activities and sports, which may make attendance a problem. This is understood by the Troop, and our events are planned around other activities whenever possible. Please contact the Scoutmaster if you have a schedule conflict that will cause you to miss several meetings in a row.

Troop Uniform

The Boy Scouts of America is a uniformed organization. Wearing the Boy Scout uniform shows a sense of belonging and pride in the Scouting movement. All members of Troop 15 are strongly encouraged to wear the approved uniform and insignia to all Troop meetings and activities. Adult leaders should set an example and are expected to wear the proper adult uniform.

Troop 15 will supply rank badges, merit badges, patrol insignia, and other patches earned by a Troop member. Any duplicate badges/patches (lost or duplicates for additional uniforms) will be paid for by the scout.

BSA Troop 15 has approved the following two uniforms:

• Class "A" Uniform - to be worn to all Troop meetings, Courts of Honor, Boards of Review, and as determined by the Scoutmaster. The Class "A" Uniform consists of the following:

o Official BSA khaki long or short sleeved shirt (with appropriate positioned patches. See the inside cover of the BSA Handbook for details.)

o Troop 15 neckerchief (first one supplied by the Troop) and slide (available from the Scout Store)

o BSA olive pants or shorts with belt. o Official BSA scout socks can be worn with the BSA shorts. o Any official BSA scouting hat is optional. o Merit badge sash is recommended for Courts of Honor and other special

events after six merit badges are earned (up to six merit badges can be worn on the right sleeve of the long-sleeve uniform shirt)

o Order of the Arrow (OA) sashes are for OA functions only.

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• Class "B" Uniform - to be worn while on campouts and for other designated Troop activities.

o Short sleeve t-shirt with Troop 15 insignia or another scout-related shirt. o Pants or shorts of the scout’s choosing in good condition (excluding blue

jeans).

Uniform items can be purchased at:

• The Washington Crossing Council Scout Shop: Phone # 215-348-7205 • Online at the Official BSA website: scoutstuff.org

Campouts/Activities

Troop 15 generally does one Troop campout/hike/weekend activity per month. Dates and places for each campout are announced in advance.

A permission slip will be handed out to all scouts in advance of each campout or activity. This permission slip must be completed and signed by a parent or guardian. The permission slip must be turned in (along with any fees) before the campout.

"Two Deep Leadership" shall be maintained at all Troop activities and campouts. This means that at a minimum, at least two registered adult leaders and/or one registered adult leader and one parent of a participating scout are present at all times.

Equipment

Equipment for scouting is broken down into three categories: Troop, Patrol, and Personal.

The Troop will provide items needed for overall Troop support, such as saws, axes, water buckets, dining fly, shovels, Dutch ovens, firewood, ropes, etc.

The Troop will provide Patrol items such as a patrol box with a basic cooking kit - pots/pans/utensils/cleanup kit.

Tents are generally provided by the Troop. However, the use of personal tents is acceptable with approval of the Scoutmaster.

Personal gear shall be provided and maintained by each scout. New scouts are encouraged to purchase personal equipment in a stepwise fashion. Don't go overboard as a new scout by purchasing lots of top-of-the-line equipment that you will rarely if ever use. Before making any expensive purchases, talk to some of the older scouts and adult

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leaders - they will have valuable advice about what to buy and what to avoid. They may also have advice on where to buy items in the area for the least cost.

In addition, the Troop has several used clothing and equipment items that are available for use by new scouts.

As a scout becomes more experienced and does more camping/hiking, he may need more advanced gear, maybe a better backpack, hiking boots, better foul-weather gear, etc.

Equipment lists will be published for each campout, with specific gear for the season/activity in mind. Please ensure that all items outlined in the gear list are included in your gear - Remember - "A Scout is Prepared".

All gear should be clearly labeled with the scout's name!

The following can be used as a general guide:

• Frame back pack bag • Sleeping bag (rated -20F or lower is recommended) • Ground pad • Flashlight (with extra batteries/bulb) • Pocket knife - "Totin Chit" required (no sheath knives!) • Waterproof matches/firestarters - • Personal First Aid Kit - See the Boy Scout Handbook • Water bottle/canteen • Compass • Medications (please hand to leader in original bottle) • Scout Handbook • Class "A" Uniform (Wear when traveling) • Class "B" Uniform (for activities) • Hat or cap • Rain gear or poncho • Windbreaker or light jacket (adjust for season) • Extra pair of shoes • Extra change of clothes (at least one set must be something other than cotton) • Insect repellent • Underwear • Extra socks • Sweatshirt/jacket • Mess kit (plate, bowl, cup, fork, spoon, and knife) • Cleanup kit (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, washcloth, towel, comb) • Tent & ground cloth (if you are using your own tent)

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• Camp chair (optional)

For Winter camping also bring

• Long Johns • One to two layers of polar fleece or similar • Jacket or shell • Snow-pants or shell • Wool or synthetic socks • Hats (one specifically for sleeping) • Gloves • Extra change of all of the above • Snow boots

Don't Bring:

• Video games * • Radio/Tape/CD/MP3/IPODS players * • Fireworks • Valuables

* - Exceptions may be made for use of these items while in the vehicle for long trips; these exceptions will be outlined by the Scoutmaster before the trip. Responsibility for the loss of these items will be the scout's.

The Scoutmaster or assistant scoutmasters reserve the right to confiscate any item that is deemed inappropriate. The item in question will be returned to the scout's parents.

Camp Food

When camping as a troop, each patrol is usually responsible for planning and cooking its meals or patrols may combine resources. After planning the menu, one patrol member will be responsible for buying the food for his patrol or all participants. The patrol member buying the food will receive funds from the general fees collected for the campout.

For some Troop campouts, food will be supplied and prepared by the Troop. The food cost will be included in the campout fees. Details will be provided in the permission slips for each campout.

Behavior

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All boys are expected to behave in a manner consistent with the Scout Oath and the Scout Law as shown below.

Scout Oath

On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country

and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong,

mentally awake, and morally straight.

Scout Law

A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,

cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

Troop Calendar

Troop 15 publishes a calendar once a year (after annual planning meeting in fall) listing the Troop activities and events. The calendar is published on the Troop 15 website: http://troop15.ewing.nj.us/

Rank Advancement

By completing requirements outlined in The Boy Scout Handbook, the scout advances in rank. The ranks are Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life and Eagle.

Advancement to the higher ranks requires a scout to be active in the Troop and his patrol and to serve in a leadership role for a specified period of time. An active scout is one who attends a majority of Troop meetings, campouts, community service projects, etc. A scout will pass a scoutmaster conference for his rank advancement with flying colors if his activity and leadership in the Troop is clearly demonstrated.

Each scout wears a patch on his left uniform pocket showing the rank that he has obtained. A guide for patch and insignia placement is on the inside cover of The Boy Scout Handbook.

After completing each rank advancement requirement as outlined in The Boy Scout Handbook, the scout should ask an adult leader to sign off on the requirement in his Scout Handbook. The scout will be asked questions and may be asked to demonstrate the tasks/abilities for the requirement. If the adult leader believes that the appropriate level of competence has been demonstrated, he/she will sign off on the requirement. The scout can then work toward completing the next advancement requirement.

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After completing all requirements for a rank advancement, the scout can ask for a Scoutmaster Conference which will be held as soon as possible thereafter. If the Scoutmaster concludes that the scout has completed the requirements for the rank advancement, he will grant the scout a Scoutmaster Conference.

After completing a Scoutmaster Conference, the scout must request a Board of Review from the advancement chair. The board will be held as soon as possible thereafter.

The Board of Review is not a test, it serves three purposes:

• Ensures that the scout has completed all requirements for the rank advancement.

• Checks to see what kind of experience the scout is having in his patrol and the Troop.

• Encourages the scout to advance to the next level.

Rank advancement badge will be presented at following meeting.

An advancement packet outlining Eagle requirements will be presented to each scout at the Court of Honor when he receives his Life Scout rank. The packet contains a National BSA Eagle Scout Application and an Eagle Service Project Workbook. A checklist provided by the District Advancement Committee will also be provided. The Eagle Candidate MUST use this workbook and follow all instructions. Additional copies can be obtained from the Council Scout Shop.

All Eagle Scout service projects must be approved by the Scoutmaster, the Troop committee, the organization that will benefit from the project, and by the Mercer District Advancement Committee Chairman.

Eagle Palms are awards that can be awarded to Eagle Scouts. Each Palm requires three months of Troop activity and five merit badges beyond those required for Eagle rank. The merit badges used for an Eagle Palm can be earned at any time.

Merit Badges

Merit badges fall into two categories: those that are required for the rank of Eagle Scout and those that are not. Scouts can earn merit badges at any time. Over 120 merit badges are available with topics ranging from American Business to Woodworking. Some merit badges are fairly easy to obtain, and some are extremely difficult. All merit badges are educational and will teach skills that can be used later in the scout's life. The eagle-required merit badges and a list of all the available merit badges are listed in The

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Boy Scout Handbook. The current merit badge requirements are listed in the most recent edition of “Merit badge Requirements”, the individual merit badge pamphlets and on the web page; meritbadge.com. The Troop may have copies of many of the merit badge pamphlets, or you may purchase one from the Council Scout Store.

Occasionally, a merit badge may be worked on as a Troop activity, but a majority of the responsibility of choosing and completing the requirements for a merit badge is up to the individual Scout. Many merit badges can be completed at summer camp.

In order to earn a merit badge, the scout must obtain a merit badge card (blue card) and get it signed by the Scoutmaster who will then approve the counselor. He will then need to get a current copy of the merit badge requirements from the sources above. He must then contact and arrange meetings with the assigned merit badge counselor. The merit badge counselor is a person with in-depth knowledge of the subject. The counselor will help teach the subject and ensure that the scout has completed the requirements for the badge. As each requirement is completed, the appropriate box in the merit badge card must be initialed. When all requirements are completed, the merit badge counselor will sign the card.

After successfully completing all of the merit badge requirements, submit the completed initialed and signed merit badge card to the advancement chair. The advancement chair will register the completion with the council and arrange for the badge to be presented to the scout.

As outlined by BSA regulations, any scout meeting with a merit badge counselor must not do so alone - at least one other scout, and a parent or another adult leader must be present at all times.

Merit badge counselors will need to fill out a registration form and information sheet once each year. No fee is required for merit badge counselors.

Court of Awards

At least two times each year, the Troop will hold a special meeting called the Court of Awards. At this ceremony, boys will be recognized for the advancements and achievements they have earned. They will receive the rank advancement card and merit badges that they have earned. All scouts are expected to attend in full uniform. Family members are strongly encouraged to attend and celebrate their son’s achievements at the Troop’s Court of Awards.

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Service Projects

Troop 15 will participate in community service projects each year including placing Flags before Memorial Day ceremonies, supporting Eagle Scout projects and community clean-up activities. Each scout should keep a log of time spent on these projects in his scout handbook (community service hours are required for some rank advancements).

Summer Camp

Each year in a week in July, Troop 15 will attend a BSA summer camp. This camp is one week in duration and will provide a large variety of outdoor activities such as camping, boating, shooting, swimming, crafts, many merit badge activities, and more.

Order of the Arrow

The Order of the Arrow (OA) is Scouting's national honor society. The OA recognizes youths (and adult leaders) who exemplify the Scout Oath and Scout Law in their daily lives. OA members must have earned the rank of First Class, and must have taken part in a minimum of 15 days and nights camping in a two year period, including a 6-day and 5-night camping experience at a local or national BSA facility. Eligible Scouts are elected to the OA by a yearly Troop election, subject to the approval of the Scoutmaster.

Troop 15 Web Site

The latest event calendar, and other useful information about Troop 15 is available at our web site: http://troop15.ewing.nj.us/

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Scouting Facts Your Son, Scouting, and You

Most parents want their sons to grow up to be self-reliant, dependable, and caring individuals. Scouting has these same goals in mind for boys.

Scouting develops strong values in each boy. Scouting honors the home, school, and religion as the origins of our youths’ values. Scoutings’ goal is to nurture and extend these values by emphasizing the Scout Oath and Law.

Scouting teaches first aid, swimming, outdoor skills, hiking, camping, and many other skills boys will take with them into adulthood. Knot tying might seem a quaint and outdated skill in this computer age, but such hands-on learning helps boys realize their potential for learning and mastering new skills. That builds pride and confidence to handle challenges encountered in life. Scouting builds young men who are competent to handle the tough questions.

The self-confidence, fun, and sense of accomplishments boys get from skill-building activities are equally important. Each Scouting activity has the basic goal of building character. In Scouting for today and tomorrow, Character Counts!

Overview The Boy Scouts of America provides the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, which helps young people be “Prepared. For Life.®” The Scouting organization is composed of nearly 2.5 million youth members between the ages of 7 and 21 and approximately 960,000 volunteers in local councils throughout the United States and its territories.

Value Scouting provides unique, life-changing experiences youth can’t get anywhere else.

Mission The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

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Vision The Boy Scouts of America will prepare every eligible youth in America to become a responsible, participating citizen and leader who is guided by the Scout Oath and Law.

Scout Oath

On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country

and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong,

mentally awake, and morally straight.

Scout Law

A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,

cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

Chartered Organizations

The Scouting program is delivered through civic, faith-based, and educational organizations called chartered organizations, which operate Scouting units to deliver the programs to their youth members, as well as the community at large.

Responsibilities of chartered organizations include providing adequate meeting facilities, quality leadership for the Scouting unit, and appointing a chartered organization representative to coordinate all Scouting unit operations within the organization.

More than 100,000 Scouting units are owned and operated by chartered organizations. Of these approximately 70 percent are chartered to faith-based organizations, 22 percent of all units are chartered to civic organizations and nearly 8 percent of all units are chartered to educational organizations.

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Eagle Scouts

The fact that a boy is an Eagle Scout has always carried with it a special significance.

The award is a performance- based achievement whose standards have been well-maintained over the years. Not every boy who joins a Boy Scout troop earns the Eagle Scout rank. This represents more than 2.25 million Boy Scouts who have earned the rank since 1912.

Nevertheless, the goals of Scouting—the mission of the BSA, citizenship training, character development, and personal fitness—remain important for all Scouts, whether or not they attain the Eagle Scout rank.

Progression To earn the Eagle Scout rank, the highest advancement rank in Scouting, a Boy Scout must fulfill requirements in the areas of leadership, service, and outdoor skills. Although many options are available to demonstrate proficiency in these areas, a number of specific skills are required to advance through the ranks—Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, and Eagle. To advance, a Boy Scout must pass specific tests that are organized by requirements and merit badges.

Merit Badges Merit badges signify the mastery of certain Scoutcraft skills, as well as helping boys increase their skill in an area of personal interest. Of the 134 merit badges available, 21 must be earned to qualify for Eagle Scout.

Of this group, 13 badges are required, including First Aid, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Communication, Cooking, Personal

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Fitness, Personal Management, Camping, and Family Life. In addition, a Scout has a choice between Emergency Preparedness and Lifesaving, Cycling, Hiking, and Swimming, and Environmental Science and Sustainability.

Service While a Life Scout, a Scout plans, develops, and gives leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, school, or the community. In addition to providing service and fulfilling the part of the Scout Oath, “to help other people at all times,” one of the primary purposes of the Eagle Scout service project is to demonstrate or hone, or to learn and develop, leadership skills. Related to this are important lessons in project management and taking responsibility for a significant accomplishment.

Famous Eagle Scouts • Neil Armstrong, First man on the moon • Stephen G. Breyer, Associate justice, United States Supreme Court • Steve Fossett, World record holder, first person to circumnavigate Earth solo in a hot air

balloon • Bill Gates, Sr., CEO of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, father of Microsoft founder

Bill Gates • James A. Lovell, Jr., Retired U.S. Navy officer, former astronaut • The Honorable Richard G. Lugar United States senator, Indiana • J. Willard Marriott Jr., Chairman and CEO, Marriott International • H. Ross Perot, Founder of Perot Systems Corp., former presidential candidate • Mike Rowe, Host of “Dirty Jobs” on the Discovery Channel • William S. Sessions, Former federal judge, former director of the FBI • Steven Spielberg, Academy Award-winning film director • John Tesh, Recording artist and performer • Togo D. West Jr., Former United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs

National Eagle Scout Association

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Founded in 1972, the National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) maintains contact with Eagle Scouts to sustain their interest in Scouting. Any Eagle Scout may join the association. Applications for membership in NESA are available through your local council, on the BSA Web page (www.scouting.org), or by contacting the Eagle Scout Service at the national office.

How Scouting is Funded

Packs, Troops, Teams, Crews, and Ships

Units can use a variety of fund-raising methods as long as they meet the guidelines set by the National Council and their local council and are approved by their unit committee and chartered organization. Most commonly, units are funded through:

• Weekly or monthly dues paid by the member • Unit product sales such as popcorn • Chartered organization contributions • Other money-earning projects approved by the chartered organization

Units can use the funds they raise for any activities that are within the national and local council guidelines and that their unit committee and chartered organization approve. Most commonly, units use their funds for:

• Unit activities such as camping and other activities • Program supplies for unit activities • Equipment such as tents, camp stoves, and pinewood derby® tracks • Advancements and awards such as rank emblems and merit badges • Boys’ Life magazine subscriptions

Local Councils

Local councils are funded through:

• Friends of Scouting donations • Special events • Product sales such as popcorn • Legacies and bequests • Foundation grants • Local United Ways • Activity fees from summer camp, camporees, etc. • Investment income and endowments

Local councils provide support for units in their service area; therefore, funds are typically used to:

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• Maintain camp properties and the council service center • Provide insurance • Maintain membership records • Pay salaries and benefits to employees • Purchase program supplies for youth activities sponsored by the council • Provide volunteer training

National Council

The National Council is funded by:

• Scout supply sales • Membership fees • Grants from foundations • Legacies and bequests • Corporate sponsorships

The National Council provides program materials and support for local councils. The National Council uses its funds for:

• Development of program materials and resources • Infrastructure support for local councils such as maintaining membership

database and reporting functions • Development of professional and volunteer training materials • Salaries and benefits for employees

Sustainability and Scouting

Sustainability is a consideration in both design and day-to-day actions. It means thinking about people, the environment, and systems, and how they’re all interdependent. It means not shortchanging tomorrow by just thinking about today.

For more than a century, the Boy Scouts of America has been a leader in conservation. In the next 100 years, Scouting is taking the initiative to a new level—from stewardship to sustainability, and from “leave no trace” to leaving the world a better place.

So, what guides sustainable thinking at the BSA?

• Demonstrating practices consistent with BSA organizational values of thrift and resourcefulness by reducing the energy and water our activities require

• Practicing good stewardship of human communities by providing healthy and attractive workplaces for our employees and volunteers

• Practicing good stewardship of the natural communities in which the BSA operates by enhancing natural system function and biodiversity

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• Expanding the principles of Leave No Trace camping by carefully considering how the BSA uses materials and reduces waste within its operations

• Respecting the generosity of donors through the design of facilities that reduce or eliminate long-term operating costs to the organization

• Demonstrating leadership in sustainability through measurements and verification of their efforts, communication of their practices, and continual improvement

Learn more about the BSA’s approach to sustainability by visiting http://www.greentodeepgreen.org/.