Girls Troop News — Starting Info

I am so excited after having all the girls finally in the same room and hope you are too!  This point has been months in the making with many hands working to get here.  [drum roll] Welcome to Troop 893!

Last night was the first of what I look forward to as many great meetings. We made our first decision as a troop, there will be more coming as we set our own traditions and make this unit a reflection of the BSA program and the girls’ preferences.  New Scouts in the Boys troop 893 have worn red neckerchiefs going back years, the girls have selected blue with silver gray embroidery for new scouts in the Girls Troop – I love it.

More messages with info will be coming out, so this is just the start.  We want to have a new parent orientation, similar to what the Boys Troop has, to welcome the parents and provide info on what the troop expects to do, some events schedules, scout supplies (good to get and what to not worry about), etc.  More on that later.

• Friday 2/1: Troop Launch celebration!  7pm at CUMC (same room as last night)  Come in your uniform and officially start as the Troop, you will meet other members of the 893 units (Crew, Boys Troop, Pack) as we celebrate the start of the Girls Troop!  We may even have some munchies 🙂  We plan our own special welcome for the girls.
  • Event uniform: Field uniform (tan shirt, green pants, socks)  – fingers crossed that scout shop has these, if not dress neatly…
• Saturday 2/9: Troop meeting, time/location will be announced
  • We will be creative until June while some of the older girls have a time conflict with planned 7pm Tuesday meetings.  Let me know if this date works.  Bring a calendar and we’ll line up upcoming meeting dates so families can plan
• Sundays 2/10, 17, 24: Merit Badge University
  • If you have not signed up already, you can do it here: https://www.signupgenius.com/index.cfm?go=s.signup&urlid=10c0d4daeab29abf58-merit&view=standard
  • We recommend that Jayna and Isabella sign up for the Art Merit Badge held the morning of 2/17, that should be enough to give them an idea of how it works for now.
• Tuesday  2/12: Troop meeting 8pm at CUMC
• Tuesday 2/26: Troop meeting 8pm at CUMC
• **UPDATED** Monday 2/25: Pack 2525 Crossover celebration (need time and location) – we will need some girls to volunteer to help welcome Jayna and Isabella officially into the troop

As of Monday, the Springfield scout shop does not have the new girls’ uniforms but expects them “soon”, I’ve left our contact info and soon as I hear from them I’ll send out an alert.  The shop is used to new scouts getting outfitted and staff cheerfully answers most any question.

• • Uniform
    • Scout Uniform Shirt, tan button down (a larger size is recommended so they grow into it)

• • Scout pants (olive color, they do not have to be BSA branded, REI and Cabelas ,as well as other stores all carry green pants)
  • Scout Socks
  • Optional: hat
• Scout Handbook
  • The Scout Shop was sold out of the Girls handbook as of Monday, with more expected “soon”, I’ll let you know if I hear anything.  This is the exact same book as the boys version, with pictures of girls rather than boys.  Either version is fine. Note that 14th edition is the newest version, 13 edition was first published in 2016 and has relatively minor changes in the 14th edition (see the article link below).
  • Optional: protective book cover.  This is highly recommended, these books last all through scouting and will get beat up, our family prefers the zip up style as it secures papers and has an additional pocket. Handbooks are considered part of the uniform and scouts are expected to bring them to all meetings, and on campouts to use as reference and to get requirements signed off.

This is a useful article about the uniform and new 14th edition of the handbook:

The troop will provide a neckerchief, the olive shoulder epaulets, and troop number

All uniform and handbook items (plus lots of other scout supplies) can be found at the Scout Shop.  We are fortunate that the Springfield one is generally well stocked and nearby.  There is also a shop in Bethesda at National Capitol Area Council headquarters and a small one at Camp Snyder in Haymarket (I would not recommend that location for immediate needs however)

I’m very excited!  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Andrea Schuetz

Scoutmaster

Girls Troop 893