Troop meetings. The cornerstone of any Boy Scout Troop. Some units meet all year round, while others meet only during the school year, just like Cub Scouts. What does your Troop do?
When our Troop first started, I had complete control over whether or not we met in the summer, and in my opinion it was really important the keep the meetings going as the boys were all greenhorns and needed to work on basic Scouting skills and techniques. But the last couple of years I have left it up to the boys how they want to do it, and let the PLC make that decision versus myself.
Last summer, they wanted to try and only have one meeting a month in the summer (for the record, our ‘summer’ is defined as June, July and August). So, we held one meeting a month, and only had a PLC every other month. The thought there was that everyone seemed to be so very busy in the summer with everything under the sun, that maybe if we scaled it back a bit there would be more participation at the meetings we did have. That didn’t work out so well.
This year I left it up to the PLC again, and this time they decided that they want to just keep the meeting schedule the same as during the rest of the year. I can’t say that I blame them. Their thinking this time around was that if you missed a meeting in the summer last year, you went basically 2 months without a Scout meeting, and they didn’t like that huge gap between meetings. Granted, we’d have separate planning meetings for our outings and such, but those weren’t Troop meetings.
I personally have a tough time understanding how some Troops can still operate without Troop meetings in the summer. To me, summer is the ideal time to be out and put the ‘outing in Scouting’. But I feel you still need to have those meetings every month – just because it’s summer doesn’t mean that advancement and meetings should stop.
If you’re in one of those Troops that doesn’t meet in the summer, how come? Maybe I’m missing something that to you is a no-brainer as to why you don’t meet in the summer. If you’re willing, I’d sure appreciate some feedback from any of you on this. Just let me know in the comments, please. I may even make a poll on this one, just to be more ‘scientific’.
On a totally different note, anyone else interested in the Twitter CSP swap? I got my first one from @SMShawn today, and now I’m all excited to start getting them from all over the country! I’ll be sending out my CSP’s to you folks that DM’d me as soon as I can get to the Scout Shop and get some more unused patches. Seems all of mine are pre-worn….don’t wanna pass those out now, do I?
YIS,
K.
Another Scoutmaster's Blog 
June 6th, 2011 at 10:59 pm
We have the best of both worlds.
After School is out we move our meetings to a nearby park. These are very informal meetings (usually a big game of ultimate Frisbee). These go weekly through the week before Summer camp (the last week in July) when we return to our regular meeting place for a pre-camp uniform inspection and gear check.
After our week at camp we don’t meet until School is back in. That’s usually the whole month of August and maybe one Monday in September.
Our Venture patrol trip happens in August so it’s not a non Scouting month.
The Scouts like the break with routine as do the adults. Many of us have two weeks of pretty intense Scouting with camp and the venture trip. We end up doing a lot more Scouting in the summer than the rest of the year- it just seems more laid back.
June 6th, 2011 at 11:08 pm
I inherited a troop that doesn’t traditionally meet over summer. Monthly campouts yes but for same 3 summer months didn’t meet for weekly troop meetings. One rational reason is that at our CO there is only one room with AC (the off limits bar area) and the rest of the building is an oven. At this point I’m pushing to keep meeting but have 99% of the meeting outside IF/while weather permits.
June 7th, 2011 at 7:55 am
It may seem Like Cub Scouts only meet during the school year as the program is based on grade levels and the school year. It is highly encouraged for packs to meet throughout the whole year. There is a National Pack Summertime Award that can be earned by units that hold a least one activity in the summer months (June, July & August). Any boys who attends anyone event in each month also can earn a pin.
This summer our pack has planned Twilight Camp and a “Sundae-Funday” in June, a baseball game/overnighter and Resident Camp in July and a pool party and cookout In August. Our Webelos dens continue to meet for den meetings to work on activity badges that are better suited for being outside while our lower ranks meet once or twice as dens over the summer. This keeps all the families engaged and gives a kick start on programming when the fall rolls around.
July 14th, 2011 at 2:51 pm
We meet all year except for two weeks at Christmas and the week of summer camp and the week just after summer camp. So 48 meetings a year. It’s essential for a patrol to get together regularly, ie. weekly. The PLC has a lot of work to do after summer camp getting ready for the summer COH, finishing ranks when possible, having elections and presenting the annual plan to the Troop Committee and planning for the fall. The Scouts also work on finishing partial MBs from camp. Very busy time.