Who is the Troop's Charter Organization?

First Congregational Church of Crystal Lake, IL 

461 Pierson St, Crystal Lake, IL 60014

Why two troops?

Troop 168 is the Boy troop, Troop 1680 is the Girl troop.

Do the troops meet and do activities together?

Yes, both troops have meetings and activities together.  The Scouts share leading and planning meetings and activities.

How long have the Troops been around?

Troop 168 was established in 1956 and is one of the oldest troops in McHenry County

Troop 1680 was established in 2020 as one of the first girl troops in McHenry County

How many scouts are registered in the troops?

As of Nov 2024:

Troop 168 has 31 registered male scouts 

Troop 1680 has 15 registered female scouts

What are the Troop dues?

As of January 2025, the yearly fees are:

Youth = $85 + $15 Council Fee

Scout’s Life Magazine = $24

Adult = $65 + $15 Council Fee

What is the Troop's official uniform?

The troop's official uniform is the Scouting America uniform shirt, green scout pants, scout socks, belt, and troop boonie hat.

The troop issues each scout an activity t-shirt, which scouts design and vote on.

What are some of the fundraisers that the Troops do?

The troops have a variety of fundraisers during the year including fall popcorn sales, firewood sales, annual bake sale, holiday wreaths, etc.

Where does fundraiser money go?

Fall popcorn – commissions (35%) on 1st $250 goes to the troop, 100% of commissions on all additional sales go directly to the scouts account. If Scout decides not to sell popcorn, there is a $50 buy out that needs to be paid if no popcorn sales are done.

Other fundraisers – depends on the fundraiser and if the fundraiser is for a specific purpose

Who leads the Troops?

The Troops are youth-led, meaning the Scouts plan and lead meetings and activities. Adult leaders are there to mentor and guide the scouts and youth leaders and maintain safety.

Do Adults/Parents participate?

Scouts who have a parent participate are more likely to stay in scouting longer and are far more likely to become an Eagle scout.  Adult participation is a key part of success and is also necessary for activities.  There are many ways for adults to participate, including leadership and committee positions.  Training is available and current adults will help.  

How are the patrols organized?

The new scouts will be put in a new scout patrol for the first 6 months after they join the troop.  This will help them learn the scouting essentials.  They then can choose to stay together or go to another Patrol.

Patrol Leaders (PL) are elected every 6 months at a Court of Honor and other youth leaders are appointed after.  The Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) is elected every 12 months and Patrol Leaders report to the SPL.  The SPL reports to the Scoutmaster.

How does the Troop communicate with the Scouts and their families?

Patrol leaders personally contact scouts on a weekly basis with important information.

Emails and event invites are sent out via ScoutBook

Announcements are made at the end of Troop meetings.  Sign-up sheets are out during Troop meetings with information on upcoming activities.  A full year activity list is provided periodically.

Where do the Troops go to summer camp?

Each year the Troop goes for a week of summer camp.  The camp we attend is chosen by the scouts the year before and is no more than a 4-6 hour drive from home.

Do the troops participate in service hours?

Service to the community is a key principle of Scouting. There are organized service projects and hours of participation planned throughout the year.  Scouts are encouraged to participate not just for rank requirements, but also for service to our community.

What are High Adventure trips?

High adventure trips are for scouts 14 years and older.  They are usually at one of the BSA high adventure locations (Philmont, Sea Base, Northern Tier, Summit).  They are about a week or more in length and are usually in the wilderness and scouts carry all their gear. Cost of these trips vary depending on location.

The troops do a high adventure trip every year.  We try to rotate between locations.

What does my scout need for troop meetings?

Scout Uniform, Troop Boonie Hat, Scout Handbook, Close Toed Shoes, Scout Spirit

What equipment is my scout going to need for campouts?

Scout Uniform shirt, Troop Boonie Hat, Close Toed Shoes, Water Bottle, Mess kit, Sleeping Bag, Rain gear, daypack, clothes, shoes, other personal gear and items.

Packing lists will be provided for the different campouts, with required and optional equipment.

The Troop provides a tent and ground tarp, two scouts share a tent. One takes the tent and the other takes the tarp home to clean and dry and return within 2 weeks after the campout.

Each Patrol has a Patrol box that contains all the necessary cooking equipment.

Scoutmasters

Troop 168 (Boys) - Eric Dewitt, dewitt.eric87@gmail.com

Troop 1680 (Girls) - Angela Evertsen, awojtanek@hotmail.com

Committee Chair

Nick Halan