Participation & Scout Spirit
Being part of the Troop is about more than just showing up—it’s about teamwork, leadership, and growing together. Weekly meetings, monthly campouts, and summer camp are where the magic happens. These shared experiences help scouts build and develop interpersonal skills and demonstrate Scout Spirit in a way that simply can’t be done alone.
Over 35 years ago, the scouts who founded Troop 800 and with the troop committee, council and national’s approval, established a set of attendance requirements for scouts in our troop. During the pandemic, National paused attendance requirements nationwide, but now that things are back to normal, we’re reinstating them—with a few key updates to reflect additional changes that have taken place over the past couple years.
Why Attendance Matters (More Than Ever)
Troop 800 has always worked very hard to keep things affordable for our families, and we’ve always proudly operated without annual dues. But in recent years, the cost of annual rechartering with Heart of Virginia Council has risen sharply. Just ten years ago, it cost $15 per scout per year. Starting in 2025, that fee will be $170. That’s a huge increase—more than 10x what it used to be—and unfortunately, we now need to take attendance and participation into account when deciding who the troop can afford to recharter.
What This Means for Scouts
- To stay on track and be eligible for rank advancement, here’s what is expected of our Scouts:Attend at least 70% of weekly meetings AND monthly campouts over the previous 6 months OR
- Attend at least 50% of meetings and monthly campouts over the previous 6 months AND participate in the full week of summer camp.
- These expectations are based on the original standards established by the founding scouts of Troop 800, and they’ve guided our troop ever since.
- High adventure trips and other extended stay activities may be taken into consideration in place of camping or summer camp if your ratios are close to the limits and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis
A Few Attendance Details Scouts Need to Keep in Mind:
- If you arrive late to a meeting or event, it is up to you to check in with the Scribe so your attendance gets recorded.
- If you leave a camping trip early or skip unloading gear at the end of a camping trip, you will not be credited with the previous night of camping.
- To qualify for troop-funded rechartering each year, scouts need to maintain at least 50% attendance in camping and meetings AND take part in the annual mulch sale fundraiser.
Let’s Make It Fun – Attendance Incentives!
Now for the fun part—we’re introducing some cool incentives to make active participation even more rewarding both individually and for your patrols:
- Monthly Prizes: At the first meeting of each month, the patrol with the best attendance the previous month will get a surprise.
- Quarterly Prizes: Each quarter, the patrol with the best attendance gets a special treat—maybe pizza, maybe ice cream, maybe something else awesome.
- Year-End Rewards: The patrol with the highest overall attendance at the end of the year will get a bigger prize, like new tents or cool new gear for their patrol.
- We’re hoping these little extras give everyone even more reason to show up and stay involved.
Adult Involvement – A Big Part of What Makes Troop 800 Great
One of the things that sets Troop 800 apart is our amazing group of adult volunteers. We have more parent and advisor involvement than almost any other troop out there, and it really helps everything run smoothly without overburdening anyone.
That said, new safety rules from Scouting America now require all adults who attend any troop activity—yes, even just one—to be registered, pass a background check, and complete online Youth Protection Training. Not the most exciting task, we know, but it’s an important step to keep everyone safe.
Registering and Rechartering for Adults – What’s New
In the past, the troop has always covered the cost of rechartering for our regular adult leaders and advisors. Going forward, here’s how we’ll be handling it:
- Adults who maintain an active role within the troop will continue to have their annual rechartering covered by the troop.
- New adult volunteers will have to cover their own initial registration. After 6 months of active participation AND participation in the troop’s annual mulch sale fundraiser, they are eligible for full reimbursement of their registration fees.
- Adults who want to attend monthly camping trips and activities but not serve in a participatory role will be responsible for their own registration fees through the Heart of Virginia Council. In addition, they are still required to complete the online Youth Protection Training before being allowed to travel or camp with the troop.
We truly appreciate everything our adults do, whether you’re a patrol advisor, helping with a fundraiser, or just showing up to lend a hand. You’re a big part of what makes this troop strong.
Approved by Troop Committee and Scoutmaster as of 7/29/2025 1:28 AM