Each week a special word will be hidden somewhere on this website.  If you find the special "web word", write it down and bring it to the next Troop meeting.  Scouts who know the web word will receive a phantasmagorical prize.  Hints will be provided, but each week the location of the web word will get harder and harder to find.

Thanks to all who helped set-up and run the Troop 158 booth (see picture above) at the England Scout Show on January 23rd and 24th.  The Troop leadership felt that it was a big success.  There were boys of all ages who stopped by to build the friction bridge.  The show itself was incredible.  There was something for everyone including music, games, Scouting activities, food and a lot of Scouting memorabilia.  The Troop would like to especially thank RJ O'Connell and Associates for their bridge posters that they supplied, as well as Mr. Bodden's sister, Carol Sullivan, who created the logo that we used in the booth.  Special thanks to Mr. Kirkwood for his planning efforts, Mr. Bodden for his work on getting the posters, the Georgians for all of the fantastic rocks that they made, and of course, the Scouts who collected and cut the logs for the friction bridge.

For details, see the attached announcement.

Check out the latest list of registered merit badge counselors with the troop.  Click on Files in the Menu to the left and scroll down to the Merit Badge Counselor pdf file or simply click here.

A new edition of the Boy Scout Handbook has been published.  There have been a number of changes to the rank advancements (see attached file).  The rank requirements in the 12th edition become official on January 1, 2010.  The Scoutmasters of Troop 158 recommend that each Scout purchase the new Handbook before the new year takes affect.  Scouts who have started working on a new rank will get credit for any requirements that have been completed, but after January 1st they will also be required to complete any new requirements that have been added.  It is recommended that Scouts make an extra effort to complete rank advancements before the end of the year when only a couple of requirements are needed.

With more and more brothers involved in the Troop, and more parents becoming Merit Badge Counselors, I need to remind everyone that Scouts should not be using family members to sign off on their books for advancement, and especially not on their merit badges.  For advancement, we expect boys to be learning to work with other boys, not just their family – if your brother signs off on a bunch of stuff, we are likely to ask you to go get it signed off again for that reason.  For a similar reason, the Merit Badge Program is not only designed to get Scouts to expand their knowledge but also serves as a method of increasing their confidence as boys work with other adults.  For some non-required badges, a parent may be the only counselor, and that would be acceptable.  For Eagle-required badges, however, it should be mandatory that you work with another adult.