Hello Troop 23 Committee and Parents:

I hope you all had a great summer. With school and Scouts starting up, it is a good time to think about what you may want to do with the Troop. I know everyone is quite busy and often there is not time for another activity. But I have also received questions from parents on how they can help out with the troop in some way. Below is a list of roles that the troop has that are currently done by some of the existing leaders. They are listed in order of urgency. Some are not full time jobs like Scoutmaster or Advancement Chairman and so there is more flexibility to fit them around your schedule. Most do require attendance at some Monday meetings, but some are more regular than others. . Please take a look at this and contact Jeff Jeffers or myself if you are interested or want to discuss.

Advancement Chairman Trainee
Our current Advancement Chair (Maria) has been in the role for several years and her son turns 18 later this year, so we need to find an adult to fill her role. The trainee will work with the Advancement Chair to manage the Troop's advancement records, including filing paperwork with the Council Office and purchasing badges as appropriate. This role requires attendance at most Monday meeting.

Troop Campout and Transportation Coordinator
Reserve campsites and other facilities per the Troop's annual calendar. Also, file tour permits on a timely basis as required and coordinate with the Insurance coordinator and the Patrols to be sure there are sufficient drivers with proper insurance for the outings. This role will be busier in September when the new Troop Calendar comes out and sites need to be booked.

Good Cheer Coordinator(s)
One or two adults who will organize, arrange, and coordinate the Troop's Winter Court of Honor/Potluck, Memorial Day Picnic, and Eagle Courts of Honor receptions. This is a role that does not have to attend Monday meetings, except for the Winter Court. Eagle Courts of Honor are on Sunday afternoons. The Memorial Day Picnic is immediately after the Parade in Wheaton. Please contact Kay Halpin and Barb Payne for more information. They have been doing this for several years and it is time to give them a break.

New Scout Coordinator(s) (T21)
Work with our new scouts as they travel the trail to First Class. We have several adults who work on leading this now but given the number of new scouts we have, a few more hands would be helpful. Presence on Monday evenings and at campouts, in coordination with the other adults, would ensure we are available to help our scouts make it to First Class.

Board of Review Coordinator
Works with the Advancement Chair to organize adult let Boards of Reviews for scouts who are ready to advance in rank. The Board of Review is a critical part of the advancement process and if not well staffed can become backlogged. The main activities include obtaining a list of Scouts who need Boards and then organizing the available adults into teams during the Monday evening meetings.

Board of Review members
Adults, who are not registered as Assistant Scoutmasters, are needed to participate in the Boards of Review on Monday evenings. We will give you the coaching so you know how to conduct a board. You do not need to be at the meetings each Monday, but having a pool of parents available to draw from prevents a backlog from building up.

Adult Patrol Advisor
Attend Monday meetings and provide guidance and assistance to the patrol leader. The Troop will provide training. Previous scouting experience is not required, but is helpful.

Den Chief Coordinator
Recruit Den Chiefs from the troop to work with local Cub Scout dens. Includes contacting Packs, promoting opportunity at meetings, and arranging for Scouts to attend council offered training. The role of Den Chief provides a leadership opportunity for the Scout and is an effective recruiting tool for the Troop.

Troop O/A Coordinator
Work with members of O/A to increase their participation. O/A membership is required.

Advisor to Troop Historian
Work with the scout historian to compile and maintain a timely and accurate set of records of the troop events. This is a role that has been filled off and on and it would be great to have a more robust history of the scouts activities. This could include coaching the scouts on collecting and organizing photos after campout and writing a brief summary of the trip or meeting or court of honor. I believe there is a lot we could do with this role, and I also believe because we do not actively compile event history, it is a great loss for the troop.

Eagle Ceremony Coordinator
Prepare and coordinate the Courts of Honors for our Eagle Scouts. This includes working with the Scouts and Parents to select dates, prepare the programs, build the Eagle/Merit badge plaque, lining up speakers, ensuring Court materials are available (programs printed, flags ready, readings for the speakers), and being on site on the day of the Court to see that all goes smoothly. You do not need to attend the Monday meetings, but that can make things easier. We typically have 3 or 4 Eagle Courts per year, depending on how many Scouts earn the rank. The next one is being tentatively scheduled for October 14 so you have an opportunity to transition. You do need access to a PC for this role.

Merit Badge Coordinator
Maintain the list of Troop merit badge counselors and also ensure there are always 2 or three merit badges being offered at the Monday troop meetings.

Uniform Exchange Manager
The troop operates a large uniform exchange (put something in, take something out, or $3/per article of clothing). Periodic sorting, organizing, and culling would be helpful. Plus, being available to pull the items out in the spring when we have new scouts preparing for summer camp would reduce the burden on the Troop Quartermaster.

Please contact Jeff or myself to signup or learn more.
Yours in Scouting,
Mike Meyer