Getting Started
- All scouts need:
- Scout Handbook
- Boy Scout Uniform (Tan shirt, Troop 186 patch, Council patch, and red shoulder loops)
- These can be purchased at the following locations:
| Efinger Sporting Goods |
Dave’s Men’s & Boys Shop |
| 513 West Union Ave. |
41 S. Main St. |
| Bound Brook, NJ 08805 |
Manville, NJ 08835 |
| 908-356-0604 |
908-725-9027 |
- You can order online at http://www.scoutstuff.org
or by phone at 800-323-0732.
- The uniform should be worn to each meeting!
- The book should be brought to each meeting and camping trip!
Advancement
- The requirements for each rank are listed in the scout handbook. The scout should use meetings and camping trips to fulfill these requirements. The requirements must be signed-off in the book by a leader or a First Class scout - so bring the book!
- Merit Badges
- After First Class, the ranks require the scouts to work on Merit Badges. There are Merit Badge books for each one of the Merit Badges. There is also a very good summary book
for about $3.00 that lists the requirements for all of the merit badges. The books are available at the stores listed above. Some can be borrowed from the Troop library of books.
- The troop has a list of merit badge counselors (listed in the Troop
Private area on the website).
- When a scout chooses a merit badge to work on, they should find out from
the list, or one of the leaders, who the counselor is for that merit badge.
- They should then contact the counselor and set up a date and time to begin the merit badge.
- They should also obtain a merit badge "blue card". The card must be signed by the Scout Master, and then the merit badge
counselor.
- Summer camp is a great place to work on merit badges, as many of the activities a geared around fulfilling a merit badge.
- Advancement awards are presented at a Court of Honor. These are held several times a year during a Tuesday night meeting. Parents are requested to attend, and scouts should wear their full uniform, including the neckerchief.
Camping Trips
- Scouts do not need to have a mess-kit. They should have a 9 inch plastic plate, and a plastic mug.
- Scouts do not need to bring utensils. The troop has a box of utensils that is brought to every campout.
- There will be a permission slip for each campout. Before the trip, it should be signed by the parent and brought to a meeting along with the fee.
- Typically, the scouts will cook by patrol. Before the trip, they agree on a menu and one of the scouts is "elected" to buy the food. He is told how many scouts to buy for, and what the budget is. He should save the receipts, and present them after the trip to one of the leaders for reimbursement.
If you have any questions, or have a suggestion for something that should be added to this list, send an e-mail to rjaronline@yahoo.com.
