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Boy Scouting is available to boys who are 11 through 17 years old, or who have earned the Arrow of Light Award, or have completed the fifth grade. Eligible boys can submit their application directly to Troop 1539 or to the Scout Shop.

It is the purpose of the Boy Scouts of America to provide an effective program designed to instill within youth desirable qualities of character, to train them in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and to help develop their personal fitness, providing this country with citizens who:

1. Are physically, mentally, and emotionally fit.
2. Have a high degree of self-reliance as evidenced in such qualitiesas initiative, courage and resourcefulness.
3. Have personal and stable values firmly based on religious concepts.
4. Have a desire and the skills to help others.
5. Understand the principles of the American social, economic, and governmental systems.
6. Are knowledgeable about and take pride in their American heritage and understand America's role in the world.
7. Have a keen respect for the basic rights of all people.
8. Are prepared to fulfill the varied responsibilities of participating in and giving leadership to American society and in other forums of the world.

Troop meetings are on Mondays from 7:00 to 8:30 pm at the VFW Hall on Central Valley Road. They are planned and run by the senior Scouts. The senior patrol leader will actually run the Troop meeting. A Patrol Leader's council or PLC is held the last Monday of every month. These are special meetings for Senior Scouts to plan the other meetings for the month. Look toward the various senior Scouts for help. Don't be bashful!

Come dressed in your Scout uniform, the troop takes pride in the boys maintaining the Scout Dress code. The troop provides you with your first Beret, and maintains a selection of used items to help with procuring a complete uniform. In the summer we often switch to the activity uniform (this is an Troop T-Shirt and scout pants, socks, etc.).

Bring your Scout Handbook to the meetings. (Be sure your name is in your book as they all look alike.) To get the requirements signed off, demonstrate your knowledge of the requirement to any senior Scout, Assistant Scoutmaster, or Scoutmaster.

Merit Badges are activities in which a Boy Scout can participate. He can learn about sports, crafts, science, trades, business, and future careers as he earns merit badges. There are 120 merit badges that can be earned. Any Boy Scout may earn any merit badge at any time. He does not need to have had rank advancement to be eligible.

Reproduction of an article from Trailspace.com on guidelines on how to select a backpack- good tips on what to look for-- Not all scout campouts are backpacking, we also do 'car camping' where the campsite is relatively close to the parking lot and gear can be transported in most anything, but for backpacking trips, it is essential that the scout have a sturdy pack.

What you should look for in camping gear- it is important to have good gear, as inadequate gear will make for a miserable experience. The page link above is taken from a wonderful treatise by Troop 166 from Longmont, CO - it has some nice tips and recommendations, and has been adapted for some of the best places to get camping gear in our area.

It is recommended that all members of the Boy Scouts of America have periodic medical evaluations by a licensed health-care practitioner. *In recent years, in an effort to provide better care to those who may become ill or injured and to provide youth members and adult leaders a better understanding of their physical capabilities, the Boy Scouts of America established minimum standards for providing medical information prior to participating in various activities. They are classified as follows:

Camping is the heart of Boy Scouting and is absolutely different from Cub Scouting or Webelos! And while parents (and sometimes whole families) often accompany the Scouts on campouts, the Scouts camp with their patrol and not with their parents and family members.