So, you're thinking about joining Troop 734?  Great!

But before you join us, or any other Troop, think about the things you'd like to get out of your Scouting experience.  You see, your choice of a Troop is an important first step on your road to Eagle.  We've assembled some information here that we'll hope you find helpful.  The most important advice of all?  Come and visit us.  See how we run a Troop Meeting.  You may even wish to join us on a campout.  We hope you'll find our Troop to be a great fit -- we'd love to have you aboard!

How do we know what's great about our Troop?  We asked the boys, of course.  When we asked the boys about the most fun they've had with with our Troop, everybody talked about camping.  Some of the big hits from 2007 were:

• Camping.  We camp once a month, even in winter, and everyone always has a great time.  Our camping itinerary is planned every year in November and December for the upcoming year, and the boys decide where we're going (except for the surprise campout).  What were the biggest hits from 2007?
  •  Klondike Derby.  Early in the year, we attend a campout with other Troops in the district.  The campout is run as a competition, and our boys have a chance to compete with other Troops in games designed to test Scout skills.
  • Caving.  We visited Laurel Caverns, and the boys had a great time crawling in the dirt.  "Going through a cave is cool."
    
  • Surprise campout (Put-in Bay).  Each year, the adults plan one campout for the boys, and in 2007, we took them to Put-in Bay.  None of the boys were told where we were going, though a few had figured it out by the time we got to the ferry!
  • Summer camp.  All of the boys that attended summer camp had a good time.  Being away from home for a week isn't always easy, and neither is sharing a tent with the same boy for a week, but all of our campers learned and grew during this week.  Our boys really made an impression on the camp staff, too -- I think they were really sorry to see us go.
  • Whitewater rafting.  Although this is an "unofficial" campout, it's always a huge hit with boys and adults alike.  We travel to the New River Gorge in West Virginia and tackle some Class-3, Class-4, and even Class-5 rapids.  "White water rafting is AMAZING!"
    
  • Shooting campout.  The boys never get tired of shooting .22's, and this year, a little rain didn't stop our marksmen from shooting up a whole bunch of targets.  Some of the boys got to shoot  a shotgun, too, and they loved it.

• Friends.  Scouting has to be something the boys enjoy, or they won't participate.  All of our boys have a chance to grow as leaders, but it's also important for them to have a chance to grow friendships.
  • "Tons of friends."
  • "We work together on projects."
  • "I've made better friendships with my patrol."

• Advancement.  We work hard to give the boys a chance to learn Scout skills, including a featured Scout skill every week during the Troop meeting.  Campouts are another great chance for boys to work on advancement, especially summer camp.  Each boy has to decide whether he's going to advance, and how much effort he's going to put into his advancement, but for the boys who wish to earn rank, there are plenty of opportunities to do so.

• Growth.  We're a boy-led troop, and we try hard to stick to this principle.  Our young leaders have each had a chance to become better individually and as a group.  The most remarkable part of summer camp was to watch some of the buys mature during the course of the week.
  • "I have learned a ton.  Survival, knots, first aid, and life skills.  In Scouts, I have gained leadership skills, overcome my fear of public speaking, and increased my ability to teach."
  • "I think I'm more of a leader, and my skills are better."

If you're interested in learning about our Troop, please feel free to come to a troop meeting and see what we're all about. We meet Monday nights at 7:00 at St. James Lutheran Church.