Have you ever wondered what Scouting is all about?

Sure, Scouts do a lot of camping and earn merit badges, but the real work of Scouting is helping parents build strong, self-reliant young men who are good members of their families, communities, and nation. This is our goal for Boy Scout Troop 683.

Boy Scouting is a year-round program for boys age 11 - 17. Boys who are 10 may join if they have received the Arrow of Light Award or have finished the fifth grade. The program goals include developing character, citizenship, and personal fitness by focusing on a fun and vigorous program that includes a mix of outdoor activities and community service projects.

What does that mean? Simply put, ScOuting is Outing!

Scouts learn skills in Troop meetings and then put those skills into practice during Troop outings and campouts.  Boys participate in monthly outings and campouts throughout the year.  Camping trips vary.  We may go camping in the snow one month and go camping in the desert the following month.  Some of the campouts are "car camping" trips and others are backpacking trips where the boys hike to a campsite with all of their equipment and food in their backpacks.  The boys also have the opportunity to go to summer camp for a week or more during the school break. As Scouts gain experience and skills, they may participate in High Adventure programs such as long term backpacking trips, rock climbing, mountain peaking, whitewater rafting, or whatever the boys decide is interesting and achievable.

But it's not all fun and games.  Our boys also participate in various community service projects throughout the year.  Our boys have had the opportunity to work in the Junior Blind Olympics, Braille Olympics and handicapped field days.  They have also worked in wildlife preserve clean up projects and trail restoration projects.  The boys participate in an annual food drive and help out in various projects at the JCI.  Our goal is to teach the boys that in order to live in a great society, we must all learn to contribute to the community that we live in.  It is never too early to learn how important community service is.

The years efforts culminate in September in the "Invitational Field Day" camporee.  8 local troops participate in this field day and the boys compete in scout skills events against the boys in the other 7 troops.  The year ends with our Winter Court of Honor where the boys are recognized for their scouting achievements throughout the year.

Boy Scout Troops practice the Patrol Method.  The boys are grouped into patrols of 4 to 8 boys.  They work together in these groups in meetings, outings and other activities.  The patrols and their leaders are changed once or twice a year, allowing the boys to interact with others and allow different leadership positions within the troop.  Ideally, the Boy Scouts are boy-led with guidance from the Scoutmaster and his Assistants. Of course, a boy-led Troop doesn't develop overnight. Little by little, year by year, the boys learn to accept greater and greater amounts of responsibility within the Troop, developing citizenship skills by participating in the small groups (or Patrols) who lead the Troop. The Patrol Method allows the boys to practice on a small scale the citizenship skills they need for their future adult roles in the community.

Boy Scout Troop 683 meets on Tuesday evenings at 7:00PM at the Gardena JCI.