Join the Troop

Come and see us first

Nobody joins Troop 949 off a website. You visit, your scout meets the patrol, and you decide from there. There is no pressure and no paperwork on a first visit.

Who can join

Troop 949 is a family troop, which means we welcome both boys and girls aged 11 to 17. Scouts come to us from SRB, St. Constance, Prussing, Notre Dame, St. Patrick’s, Taft, and plenty of other schools around the northwest side.

You do not need to belong to the parish. We are chartered by Mary Undoer of Knots Parish and we meet at St. Robert Bellarmine, but parish affiliation has never been a requirement and never will be.

You also do not need any camping experience, any gear, or a uniform to start. Scouts arrive knowing nothing about knots or fire lays. That is rather the point.

What a first visit looks like

• Arrive a few minutes before 7:00 pm and ask for the Scoutmaster. Someone will point you the right way.
• Your scout joins a patrol for the evening and does whatever the troop is doing that night, whether that is planning a campout, working on a skill, or a game.
• Parents are welcome to stay and watch. Most do on the first night, and most have questions afterwards.
• Wear regular clothes. Bring nothing.

What it costs

Annual troop dues are $50. That covers registration and the running of the troop. Campouts and summer camp are charged separately at cost, and the troop runs fundraisers through the year to keep those affordable.

Cost should never be the reason a young person misses out on Scouting. If dues or camp fees are a problem for your family, speak to the Scoutmaster or the Committee Chair in confidence. We will sort something out.

Registering

Once you have visited and everyone is happy, registration is done online through Scouting America and takes a few minutes. We will walk you through it and answer anything about health forms, uniforms, or what to expect in the first few months.

A word on safety

Every registered adult in Troop 949 completes Scouting America’s Youth Protection Training and a criminal background check, and training is current across our entire adult roster. Two-deep leadership applies at every activity: no adult is ever one-on-one with a scout who is not their own child. If you want to understand how that works in practice, ask. We would rather explain it twice than have you wonder.