PARENT-SCOUT HANDBOOK OF
TROOP OPERATING PROCEDURES

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    What is scouting ... if you asked this question to 100 different people than you would get 100 different answers. To start off with, scouting is not a paramilitary organization, it is not a gang or club, it is not even a bunch of adults getting together to preach to the youth. Well then, so what is scouting? Scouting is "fun and adventure", a place to meet new people, a means to learn how to live in and enjoy the outdoors. Scouting is a program that provides guidance, through the Scout Oath and Law, to help young men grow to be strong, confident adults. The knowledge, values and attitudes a scout develops through the ranks of scouting will spill over to the rest of their lives.

    The purpose of Troop 813 is to implement through parents, leaders and sponsoring institution the Boy Scout Program. This program is one with Baden-Powell's view of scouting, "Don't do anything for a scout that they can do for themselves." In this troop the boys are encouraged and required to function as the leaders in planning of weekly troop meetings, monthly trips, long term camping and other special events. As the boys learn and grow in scouting then they also advance through the ranks. Through this advancement the scouts of Troop 813 can obtain the highest honor of scouting, the rank of Eagle Scout.

    Troop 813 was chartered in December of 1997 by EEE Enterprise. At the time of the initial chartering there were only 5 boys, their parents and one lone scoutmaster. Since that time the troop has grown in many of ways: there is an increase in the number of boys, we now have a Troop Committee made up of many parents, and lastly the boys have grown mentally and physically as scouts. The scouts of Troop 813 have taken over the responsibilities of leading the troop, and have lead this troop to many individual, district and council events. Troop 813 has also been to summer camp away from Indian Waters Council!

    When a scout joins Troop 813 that individual scout has to subscribe to the Scout Oath, Law, Motto, Slogan and Outdoor Code. When a scout chooses to live by these ideals then a scout is said to have Scout Spirit. Troop 813 helps to foster Scout Spirit through developing and encouraging spiritual growth, creating habits of good citizenship and sportsmanship, having the boys develop a sense of new interests and skills that will give the boys the ability to get along with other boys and to respect and be helpful to other people. Troop 813 was chartered to provide scouts with fun and exciting things to do, and also to prepare these boys to become adults. Scouting is not a weekly task that the scout and parents just go to, but a way of life that no other program in world can reproduce.

    Even though this Troop is chartered by EEE Enterprise, the troop really belongs to the boys and parents. In this day in age there are so many negatives in the world that can pull a young man down. This troop was created with one thing in mind, to help give some basic values to young men during a time that society lacks in.