Cranberry Township ~ Butler County ~ Pennsylvania ~ Moraine Trails Council ~ Glacier Ridge District
 

TROOP 403 PROGRAM & OPERATING INFORMATION

Troop 403 Program Details... Boy scouting here and in the rest of the nation is a boy-run organization, with the troop led by a senior boy - the Sr. Patrol Leader, or SPL.  The SPL is the leader of the Patrol Leader Council, or PLC, which consists of patrol leaders and other senior youth leaders.  Visit Patrol Headquarters here!

The Scoutmaster and his Assistant Scoutmasters are the adult leaders, providing guidance and advice to the troop. The Troop Committee supports the program and supervises planning of troop activities (when necessary) and fundraisers. Scout patrols are tested in the skills learned at the troop meetings, in competition with other patrols in the troop and at district events.  The advance through the ranks at their own pace, aided by our Advancement Committee.  Merit Badges are offered in conjunction with advancement and in the spirit of learning and growth.  See Adult Contacts here!

A Scout is Helpful...Boy Scout Troop 403 provides service to others through projects that contribute to the community. Our Scouting for Food collection is expected every April, when we canvas local neighborhoods "commando style", collecting food for the local Food Bank located at St. Ferdinand Catholic Church. Historically the boys have accepted responsibility for clean up of the CCUPC church grounds at least one per year, weeding, raking, picking up trash, and laying mulch.  We participate in Beaver Days at Camps Bucoco and Agawam, which help to clean up our council facilities.  We also distribute flags for veterans on Memorial Day at a local cemetery, and spend days working at the Jubilee Soup Kitchen located in Pittsburgh.  We are currently on a waiting list to participate in our local Adopt-A-Roadway program.

The Uniform... Our Troop is a uniformed troop - we require each member to purchase a full Class A uniform to be worn to meetings, events, and while in public.  Uniforms may be purchased locally at our Council Service Center, at the Greater Pittsburgh Council Store in Flag Plaza in Downtown Pittsburgh, or online through www.scoutstuff.org.

Dues... Our scouting year runs September 1 - August 31.  At the beginning of the year, scouts are assessed an annual dues fee of $70 for one scout, $60 for additional scouts in one family, due by the end of September.  This covers registration with council / national BSA, as well as a subscription to Boy's Life Magazine, the official magazine of the Boy Scouts of America, (one copy per household.)  The remainder of dues is used to run our program and purchase awards and equipment during the year.  Dues can be paid to the troop, and are not considered to be individual scout money.  Dues are prorated should the need arise. 

• New Webelos crossing over into Boy Scouts in the Spring are assessed a dues fee of $35, which covers expenses incurred for six (6) months of activity (until the start of the new scouting year on September 1) plus items that Troop 403 provides upon their entrance into our Troop (see above).
• Eagle Scouts under 18 years of age are assessed a dues fee of $40.

Dowload a copy of our Webelos Crossover Orientation Guide

Passbook Accounts... Each Scouter (Boys & Adults) has a personal Passbook Account. Our treasurer tracks every activity each person takes part in, through Passbook Accounts.  Scouts can earn money for their accounts through participation in fundraisers, or families can put money into Passbook Accounts to be used for activities.  Every penny that goes in and out of every account shows on the Passbook Account Reports, which are distributed regularly.  Anyone may ask to see their account at any time by contacting our Treasurer, Jackie Hissam ( E-mail ).

Fundraisers... Troop 403 holds 3-4 fundraisers through the year to raise funds to benefit the Troop.  Individual fundraisers (Popcorn Sale, Wreath Sales, etc.) depend upon the boys to work within the family environment to make sales. Every boy is expected to participate in fundraisers.

Changeover from Youth to Adult Membership... Dues for boys who are over 18 years old at the beginning of our scout year are $20 to cover registration with BSA and administrative costs.  Boys who are over 18 years old are considered adults in the BSA program, and should consider staying registered for the following reasons:  (1) Membership in OA (if he is a member) is suspended if he is not registered with BSA.  He must be a registered member in order to participate in OA activities.  (2) Scouting Service bars (15 years, 20 years, 25 years...) are awarded for uninterrupted service years.  We hope that our boys grow into men who still serve the scouting program as adult leaders, and uninterrupted registration means that they are eligible for this recognition sooner.  Once a boy is considered an adult in BSA, he must submit an adult application to council.  NOTE: This rule is generally for boys who are in the age bracket consistent with college.  Boys in this bracket are considered Assistant Scoutmasters/Committee Members, and should attend meetings and outings whenever possible in order to give leadership back to the Troop.  However, it is not required.  Boys over the age of 18 are also eligible to sign up as Merit Badge Counselors.  Questions regarding BSA membership & dues for boys over 18 should be submitted to the Scoutmaster and/or Committee Chair.

Updated October 17, 2007      This Website is best viewed with a screen resolution setting of 1024x768 or higher. To PRINT pages, set your printer to LANDSCAPE mode for the full page.