Message for Parents

If you’re a parent visiting our site, you’re probably wondering what it’ll be like for you to be a parent in our Troop.

Volunteering

Volunteers are essential to Troop 14’s health and success. All families in the Troop volunteer their time to help. Volunteer opportunities cover a broad range of interests, skills, and availability, including:

• Coordinating an outing (hike, overnight).
• Arranging for refreshments for a special celebration.
• Helping look after the Troop’s finances.
• Serving as a Scouter (uniformed leader).
• Helping the Troop’s Quartermaster (a Scout) keep track of the Troop’s inventory of equipment.
• Coordinating our annual Scouting for Food community service project.
• Being a Merit Badge Counselor.
• Joining the Troop on an outing.

This is a sample of the possibilities. Your involvement enhances your son’s experience, and makes Troop 14 stronger, more vibrant. If you have questions about volunteering for any particular role, or have other ideas on how you can help, please talk with the Scoutmaster or the Troop Committee Chair.

Scouting Organization

The “unit” (Boy Scout troop, Cub Scout pack, Explorer post, Venturing Crew) is the basic administrative unit in Scouting. Each unit is sponsored by a chartered organization: an organization authorized by the Boy Scouts of America to sponsor that unit. The Covenant Presbyterian Church in Palo Alto sponsors Troop 14. Chartered organizations provide support to their units; we are grateful to the Church for allowing us to use Church space for our meetings and for equipment storage, for example.

The Scouts in the Troop

In Boy Scouts, each Troop is divided into patrols—in Troop 14, a group of eight to twelve Scouts who work together, led by a Patrol Leader. A few Scouts in the Troop are part of a special, leadership patrol: the Senior Patrol, comprised of the Senior Patrol Leader and one or more Assistant Senior Patrol Leaders. Overall, the Senior Patrol Leader leads the Troop.

The Scouts elect their youth leaders: their respective Patrol Leaders and the Senior Patrol Leader. These youth in turn appoint other leadership positions (e.g., Assistant Patrol Leader, Troop Guide, Scribe, etc.), with the advice and concurrence of the Scoutmaster.

The Adults in the Troop

The adults in the Troop who volunteer to help comprise the Troop Committee. The Troop Committee, overseen and coordinated by the Committee Chair, provides general, high-level support for the Troop. In addition to general volunteers and the Committee Chair, the Committee includes the Treasurer, Secretary, Outings Coordinator, and Advancement Chair. The Committee meets once each month.

The Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmasters oversee day-to-day operation of the Troop.