New Members

Boys who are interested in joining the Troop are welcome to visit at any Troop meeting. A new boy is given a Scout application which must be filled out by the parents and the boy. There is a $31 membership fee which includes insurance, a subscription to Boys' Life and registration with the Boy Scouts of America. A new Scout is encouraged to get a Boy Scout Handbook and a uniform as soon as possible (see section on uniforms). We encourage all parents of new Scouts to come and meet the leaders of the Troop. All Troop meetings and Troop Committee meetings welcome parents.

Due to the cost of equipment, purchasing should be restricted to essential items until you confirm the level of your Scout’s interest in outdoor camping. The following personal equipment items will be required at some time during a Scout's career. Discuss equipment purchases with the Scoutmaster and Scout before you make expensive purchases. Sleeping bag (rated to +20 degrees Fahrenheit or lower); mess kit to include plate, cup, spoon, fork and knife; canteen; flashlight with fresh batteries; toilet kit with personal hygiene items to include toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, soap, bath towel, wash cloth, deodorant, etc.; emergency toilet paper; sweater/jacket/sweatshirt in fall, winter and spring; poncho or rain coat; change of socks, underwear and outer wear; and personal first aid kit as described in the Boy Scout Handbook.

Boys, ages 10 years and six months, advancing from Webelos form a "new Scout" patrol. To give these new Scouts the initial attention they deserve, the troop committee designates an Assistant Scoutmaster to work directly with them. If the new joiner is older than 10 years 6 months or has previous Scouting experience, he will be placed in a patrol with others of his age or skill level. The information packet is designed to give a new Scout and his parents details about Scouting and Troop 16. The packet includes the following: this Handbook, Troop Resource Survey; Annual Calendar; Roster of Troop Members; BSA application (both boy and adult); and BSA Unit Accident Insurance Information (this insurance is mandatory and is paid annually during the Troop 16's rechartering). We also ask that you complete a Health History for your son, and have him take a simple physical BEFORE summer camp. Usually, the Troop makes arrangements for free or inexpensive physicals in March or April.