Troop 430 / Varsity Team 6430

Our goal is to make the scouting program enjoyable, keep the 'outing' in scouting, while encouraging the growth in leadership skills for the boys in our troop/team. this troop/team has been in existence for more than 25 years and has over 30 Eagle Scouts to its credit.

Program: This Troop/Team is run by the scout-led patrol method. The Troop Leadership Committee (TLC) consists of the scouts in leadership positions (ie. Senior Patrol leader, Asst. Sr. Patrol Leader, Patrol Leaders, Asst. Patrol Leaders, Quartermasters, Scribe, etc.) that meets each month to discuss and organze the program for the weekly meetings. Program for the weekly meetings include Opening/Closing flag ceremonies, Merit Badge Offering, Specialized programming (ie. displays, demonstrations, off-site activities, etc.), camping preperation/clean-up, scout rank advancement activities, and whatever the TLC decides they want to do.

Camping: This Troop/Team plans a camping trip for each month of the scout season (September-May) and attends summer camp at Camp CHief Little Turtle each year. Camping trips have included cabing, winter sports (skiing/snow-boarding/tobogganing), museum trips (Wright-Patterson AFB, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Indianapolis), bike excursions, back-packing/hiking, State Parks, horseback riding, council and destrict BSA events, and more... We have our own gear (ie. tents, stoves, lanterns, coolers, patrol boxes, cook kits, chef kits, 20 x 30 rigid ple fly, Dutch ovens, etc.) so personal camping gear is unnecessary. We also have our own 15-passenger van, box trailer, and flatbed trailer for transporting people and gear on our camping trips.

High Adventure: The Philmont scout ranch in New Mexico, white water rafting in West Virginia, canoeing in Minnesota, and reppelling are all activities this troop/team has participated in.

Fund Raisers: Fund-raisers are used to support both the individual boys scouting account as well as supporting the troop/team's operation budget (vans, gear, trailers, insurance, etc.). The games, rope bridge, merry-go-round, and straw maze in the youth area at the Grabil County Fair in September is our main fund-raiser. We also work concession stands at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, and we do scout popcorn sales as a supplement to the individual boy's accounts. Other fung-raisers may be looked at from time-to-time if major troop/team purchases are needed.

Parental Support: No scouting program can function without a lot of parental support. We are so blessed to have that support and encourage all parents (mom's and dad's) to become involved in son's scouting growth and participate as asst.-scoutmasters, committee members, camp-out attendees, fair-workers, etc.