Welcome Webelos and Non-Scouts to Independence Troop 297

It is that time in scouting that you decide whether or not you are going to continue in scouting. This time as a Boy Scout! Boy Scouts is fun, encourages maturing independence, teaches scouts camping/wilderness survival and teaches new skills on a weekly basis. Our troop schedules camping experiences every month, including summer months. We also have Crew 297, which is a high adventure crew for older scouts, co-ed, 14-20 years old. Boy Scouts must be 10 years old with the Arrow of Light or 11 years old, with no scouting experience.

Camping and Service opportunities:
We camp at local areas within Independence and Brecksville, Ohio, as well as areas in Pennsylvania and southern Ohio. Our troop does a week long summer camp every year, this summer going to Camp Manatoc in Peninsula, OH. Our high adventure trips are usually in conjunction with the Crew 297 trips. In the past two years we have been to Glacier National Park in Montana, Tinnerman Canoe Base in Ontario, Canada and the National Jamboree in Fort AP Hill, VA. This summer, the Crew and Troop will be venturing to the Philmont Scout Double H Ranch in New Mexico. There is always the annual Oil City, PA trip that is done in December and is open to both current and alumni scouts of the troop. Service hours are an important part of being a boy scout. We do service for the city, schools, community, as well as organizations outside the city limits. All service hours performed by the scouts are approved for credit by the High School.

What do we do at a troop meeting:
Our troop schedules meetings 3 times a month on Wednesday nights at the Independence Methodist Church. The first Wednesday of each month is the Patrol Leader Council Meeting, also called Leadership Meeting, which involves all of the Patrol Leaders and top Leader positions of the Troop. They decide what is going to be planned for the coming months, based on what you communicate to your patrol leader of what you and your fellow scouts needs for future meetings are. Merit badges are offered periodically during meetings, but not on a routine basis, in order to promote independence in learning. Skills such as first aid, knot tying, lashings, winter and summer safety, hiking, water safety, etc are taught during scout meetings throughout the year, as we try to work on requirements you need in order to advance in your rank. Another skill taught in boy scouts is leadership. Sometimes you are learning leadership skills without even knowing it is happening. The last ½ hour of the meeting is game time. The scouts get together and play a game. When the game is over, we meet for closing circle, it is the last time to make announcements (yes, announcements, we don’t sing that song in boy scouts), as we end in silence, with a final Philmont saying at the end. So come on in for a meeting, meet some new friends and have fun!! Bring a friend if you would like. You can join boy scouts without ever being in scouting, so don’t let that stop you.

What can boy scouts offer me:
We have heard from many scouts that it was because of a merit badge that they earned in scouting, that they went into their vocation of choice. There are over 130 merit badges offered in scouting which cover just about every field/vocation you could possibly have an interest in. Scouting can also offer you scholarship opportunities. There are many scholarships available should you reach the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank possible in scouting. These scholarships are given through the National Eagle Scout Association, VFW and American Legion Halls, as well as Elk Lodges. If you are interested in joining the Military Forces, being an Eagle Scout can get you into Annapolis Naval Academy and West Point. If going into the military at an entry level, the Eagle Scout rank allows you an immediate promotion in rank.