Boy Scout Troop 555

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Boy Scout Troop 555 is part of the Lenni Lenape District and Hoosier Trails Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Troop 555 is chartered by the Knights of Columbus Council 1414 in Columbus, Indiana and holds its meetings at St. Bartholomew Catholic School in Columbus.

Other important points about Troop 555:

• Scout-led:Unlike Cub Scouts, the Boy Scouts are boy-led. Every six months, we elect troop officers and Patrol Leaders (see the “Positions of Responsibility” under the Resources link at left.). These officers meet as a Patrol Leaders Council (PLC) once a month for an hour and a half before the Troop meeting starts; a $2.00 pizza pitch-in is available during the PLC. The PLC makes decisions and assigns duties for the Troop. Adults serve as advisors, sign off on rank advancement requirements, act as safety-watchdogs and, of course, serve as drivers. By regulation, there are always at least two trained adults at all Scout events, and Troop 555 usually has three to five. Once a year, at our Annual Planning Conference, the PLC schedules the following year’s outings, fundraisers, and other events.

• Meetings: The Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) starts off each weekly meeting by calling for the presentation of the colors and pledge of allegiance, followed by reciting the Scout Law or the Scout Oath, and then announcements. Then, one or two Scouts teach a Skills Instruction to the troop; each Patrol takes a turn providing Skills Instructors. We then usually gather in Patrol groups at separate tables to plan the next campout (menu, gear list, and “grubmaster”). We always have game time, which is almost always outdoors (even in the dark and the snow), but occasionally in the gym or even in the cafeteria, though about the only game we can do in the cafeteria is sockwad dodgeball. There’s usually a little time to work on rank advancement or merit badges before SPL calls us to attention to retire the colors, and the meeting ends.

• Court of Honor: A Court of Honor is held quarterly to publicly present advancement and  other awards to Scouts and Scouters.  Rank Badges and Merit Badges are  presented at Courts of Honor and the Troop Junior Leaders are sworn in  during these meetings.  The Red and Green Banquet is held annually to  include all members of the family and present special awards.  Full  uniforms are always be worn to these events.

• Service Projects: Duty to others is one of the key points of the Scout Oath.  As such,  service hours are required for rank advancement, culminating in an  Eagle Service Project.  The troop also participates in service projects, helping reinforce the scout slogan of "Do a good turn daily."

Chartered by Knights of Columbus Council 1414, Columbus, Indiana