A Scoutmaster's Blog

The Patrol Leader Council of Troop 68 recently held their yearly planning session to create the agenda for the 2022-2023 program year. They did a great job, and I believe they had fun doing it. They did take it quite seriously.

As a start to the session, the five Scouts were given a sheet to rate the troop on 22 subjects. They rated each one on a scale of one to five, One being the most in need of work and Five being the high score. The Scouts were asked to be truthful as they rated each subject. The scores were then added up to create an overall score. We also took the individual scores and added them up together to create an average score.

The Scouts gave the troop good scores. Fourteen subjects had an average score of 5. Seven subjects had a score of 4. One subject had a score of 3. Five of the subjects received an unanimous 5 points. Of a possible 110 points, the Scouts gave their troop an average score of 101 points. Not bad when you think about it.

So, what are the questions? I am so glad you asked. Here are the 22 subjects. Give the “test” to your youth leaders and see would they rate your troop and program. If you dare!

a) Are parents involved with the troop?. 5 4 3 2 1

b) Do we have good youth leadership? 5 4 3 2 1

c) Scoutmaster and adult leadership? 5 4 3 2 1

d) Good example being set by youth and adult leaders. 5 4 3 2 1

e) Fundraising, Available funds. 5 4 3 2 1

f) Is good sportsmanship demonstrated? 5 4 3 2 1

g) Cooperation between troop members. 5 4 3 2 1

h) Number of members (scouts). 5 4 3 2 1

i) Good communication within troop. 5 4 3 2 1

j) Is there Positive encouragement within the troop? 5 4 3 2 1

k) Confidence shown by leaders and Scouts. 5 4 3 2 1

l) Is there Good Effort shown by the membership?. 5 4 3 2 1

m) Is the troop Seriousness when it needs to be? 5 4 3 2 1

n) Uniform used and worn properly. 5 4 3 2 1

o) Setting goals, attaining of goals. 5 4 3 2 1

p) Good attendance at meetings and outings. 5 4 3 2 1

q) Has there been good advancement? 5 4 3 2 1

r) Does the troop have Good Activities. 5 4 3 2 1

s) Do the Scouts have a Good attitude. 5 4 3 2 1

t) Is the troop Well organized? 5 4 3 2 1

u) Is the program FUN!!! 5 4 3 2 1

v) Is bullying avoided within the troop? 5 4 3 2 1

August is now part of the past, which means that Melrose Scout Troop 68 has held its yearly planning session to plan the 2019-2020 program year and that the program has been approved by the committee (with a couple small changes.) Let’s take a quick look at it.

The theme for September 2019 will be sports, maybe touching on the Sports merit badge. The monthly activity will be a trip to Fort Snelling near the Twin Cities, and to the stadium to watch a Minnesota Twins baseball game. A couple members of the troop may help out with School Night To Join Scouting on Thursday, the 19th. A court of honor will be held on Monday, the 30th.

October’s theme will be hunting and shotgun shooting. This is Minnesota, after all. Our troop has several hunting families. The activity will be the district fall camporee held at Stearns Scout Camp located south of St. Cloud. The fall meal fundraiser will also be held this month.

The November theme will be camping, and will particially cover the camping merit badge. The activity will be the LPMRB which may have to be renamed since it may include a trip to Airmax in place of rollerskating and bowling.

Ice fishing and winter sports will be the theme for December. December will be a short month due to the Christmas season, but it will still be a program packed month. The troop plans to have include downhill skiing, a Christmas party, a court of honor, and the popular troop auction.

Winter survival will be the theme for January. An ice fishing trip is being planned. This will be a light program schedule this month.

February’s theme will be comedy and skits. Scout Sunday is planned for February 2nd. A winter outing at Camp Stearns will be the monthly activity.

Even though it may be a bit chilly during March the Scouts planned Biking as the theme. A court of honor will be held at the end of the month along with a summer camp planning meeting. The troop may go to Camp Parker for the activity and may get the chance to work in some biking and time at a waterpark. The spring meal fundraiser is planned for March.

The theme for April will be Agriculture, which is not surprising since Melrose is located in the middle of prime farming land in Central Minnesota. The activity will be the Central Minnesota Council’s Ripley Rendezvous, which will be held at the Camp Ripley National Guard Base.

In May the Scouts will be working on their lashing and pioneering skills. The troop will be going to Camp Watchamagumee, a spring tradition for the last 30 years. There may be a chance to have some fun at a go-cart track sometime this month.

June will be a busy month. The theme is Fun In The Sun, with a camping trip planned for the weekend of the 12-14. A court of honor is planned for the 16th. The troop will once again hand out flags provided by the VFW and American Legion clubs before the Riverfest parade. Several Scouts will be attending a trek at Philmont Scout Ranch during the last half of the month.

July will be a light month with a week at Many Point Scout Camp being the only activity. Things will pick up again in August with the theme of Minnesota History. A camping trip is planned for the weekend of August 14-16. The troop may have an activity during the annual Nite To Unite program in the park.

So, what do you think about it? Does it sound like a fun year for the boy Scouts of Melrose Troop 68? Let us know by leaving a comment.