Dear Scouts and families,

Welcome to Troop 281, offering an opportunity for youth to grow with the Scout Oath and Law through camping and leadership activities.  Please contact  us with questions about our troop, how your child may join, and why scouting works in building character and citizenship.

Regards,
Eric Follestad
Scoutmaster

Calling all adults associated with Troop 281.  This is your chance to sign up for Wood Badge!  Wood Badge is the premier training program for adults associated with Scouting.  Wood Badge is a leadership training course.  The course teaches the skills to help make our troop successful.   You will learn communications skills, planning skills, leadership skills among other things.  Committee Members, Scoutmasters, Assistant Scoutmasters, and parents are welcome to attend.  The training is given at beautiful Camp Lassen.  Wood Badge training is scheduled for two weekends . . . April 23-25, 2021 and May 1-2, 2021.  To sign up, go to the Golden Empire Counsel website at http://www.gec-bsa.org and click on "Training."

Top 10  Reasons for YOU to attend Wood Badge training: 

Starting October 1st Troop 281 will no longer accept cash payments. 

 Zelle, personal checks, cashier’s checks or money orders will be accepted for all Troop events and renewal of annual dues.

The Zelle address is treasurer@troop281.net  

The troop also has a  PayPal account that is connected to the troop website. You may use PayPal for camping events costing less than $50.00. (PayPal’s fees really add up)

We request that payments for events be made when the reservation is made. This helps with accounting and keeping our costs accurate and appropriate.

Why are we doing this?  It is considered a good business practice to have two people sign off when collecting cash.  It has been challenging for Troop 281 to have two adult volunteers at the same location and same time signing off on the collection of cash.  Using Zelle, personal checks, cashier’s checks or money orders will greatly simplify the process.

Questions?  If you have any questions, please contact the Troop 281 treasurer at fiveinseoul@yahoo.com

The Merit Badge Counselor is a key player in the Boy Scout advancement program. Whatever your area of expertise or interest—whether it is a special craft or hobby (basketry, leatherwork, coin collecting), a profession (veterinary medicine, aviation, engineering), or perhaps a life skill (cooking, personal management, communications)—as a Merit Badge Counselor, you can play a vital role in stirring a young man's curiosity about that particular topic. By serving as a Merit Badge Counselor, you offer your time, knowledge, and other resources so that Scouts can explore a topic of interest.

Parents - Want to have more fun and memorable experiences with your Scout?  Joint the Troop 281 Scoutmaster Corps.  What are you signing up for?  You’ll make great friends, both in the troop, and with others outside of the troop.  You can learn advanced skills in areas of your choosing.  You can participate in Troop meetings by helping the scouts deliver their program.  You get to teach and sign-off scouts on requirements.  You don’t have to do everything, just the activities that you want to participate in.  It’s fun and it’s easy. 

Here is what you need to do:  Tell Scoutmaster Block you are interested.  Take Youth Protection Training (which you have probably already done).  Sign-up for and take the Assistant Scoutmaster Training online.  Then sign up for Introduction to Outdoor Leadership Skills (IOLS).  IOLS is currently planned for October 9 and October 10 in Rancho Cordova.  IOLS is an overnight class where you learn and practice outdoor camping skills the Scouting way, so you can teach Scouts to be safe and have fun in the outdoors.  Learn more about these classes by going to the following website: http://www.gec-bsa.org/document/gec-training-classes/157728

• A Scout officially earns his rank when he successfully completes his Board of Review (“BOR”).
• BOR’s are arranged by the Advancement Chair, typically the night of the 1^st monthly Troop meeting
• Scouts, PLEASE request your BOR 5 days or more before it's scheduled!
• Troop BOR’s are comprised of 3-6 Troop Committee members. Members of the Scout’s family, the SM and ASM’s may not serve on a Scout’s BOR.

“Scout” is the only rank for which there is NO Board of Review. Eagle palms also do not require a BOR.