Troop Meetings are the glue that holds a Scout troop together. Well-planned meetings run by the troop's youth leaders can be full of excitement and satisfaction. Meeting time devoted to learning new skills and organizing future camp outs, service projects, and other activities will help keep interest levels and enthusiasm high.

Troop 34 meets every Wednesday from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. (approximate ending) Grace United Methodist Church. At troop meetings, Scouts are expected to arrive on time, in uniform, with their Scout handbooks. We are all expected to conduct ourselves as guests of Grace Church and leave it in the same condition and order as it was when we arrived.

Troop meetings serve many purposes, including these:

• Motivating Scouts. From Scouts' points of view, troop meetings are chances for them to get together with their friends for fun and adventure. For Scoutmasters, meetings offer many avenues to encourage Scouts to learn, to advance, and to improve themselves.

• Strengthening patrols. Patrols have opportunities at troop meetings to meet together, to learn as a team, and to share what they know. Whether they serve as the honor guard during an opening flag ceremony, as the presenters of a Scouting skill, or as the organizers of a game or activity, every patrol can contribute to every troop meeting.
• Learning and practicing Scouting skills. A portion of a troop meeting may be devoted to the demonstration and practice of skills that will enhance Scouts' ability to hike and camp, and to pass requirements for higher ranks.
• Exercising leadership. The troop's youth leaders take leading roles in planning, conducting, and assisting the success of troop meetings. Leadership is a skill that can be learned only by experience, and troop meetings serve as regular occasions for that to happen.
• Promoting Scout spirit. Troop meetings offer ideal settings for patrols to take part in contests and competitions that test their expertise and their abilities to cooperate with one another.

Troop 34 has a meeting or activity almost every week. Meetings occur at the same time to help boys and their families schedule effectively. If the troop has camped all weekend, the patrol leaders' council may decide to forego the meeting the following week. Most troop meetings occur on week-nights and should not last longer that 90- minute to get boys home in time for homework and adequate rest.

Weekly troop meetings should be fun and full of action and excitement. They can be opportunities to learn new skills and plan future activities and service projects. Aside for the Scoutmaster's Minute, the content and conduct of each section of a troop meeting is the responsibility of the Scouts themselves.

Schedule Conflicts

From time to time, scheduling conflicts will arise. The Troop has always held schoolwork, religious education and family responsibilities as a high priority. Be assured there is no penalty for an excused absence from any meeting. If a Scout is unable to attend a troop meeting, or make some other troop function due to such a conflict, it is expected that the Scout will call his Patrol Leader and let him know. This is a responsibility of the Scout and not his parent.