Troop 2860
Friends of Pocahontas State Park
Chesterfield, VA
We are flattered that you are considering Troop 2860 as the BSA home for your child! Whether they are a boy or girl, we have a place for them here. Check out the info below to learn about us. If you would like more information or to talk to someone, please reach out to membership-chair@troop2860.org. Ready to sign up? You can fill out an application online. How easy is that!?!
For Boys: Use this form for Troop 2860-B to register with BSA National (do not sign in with Google/Apple), then Complete a Transaction Here for Troop dues
For Girls: Use this form for Troop 2860-G to register with BSA National (do not sign in with Google/Apple), then Complete a Transaction Here for Troop dues
Are you transferring from another Troop or crossing over from a Cub Scout Pack? The links above still apply! Use our step-by-step instructions guide to transfer into the Troop.
Eligibility
All applications to join our Troop must be approved by the BSA. BSA policy states that to join a BSA Troop, a youth Youth must either: (a) currently be in the fifth grade on or after March 1st and are at least 10 years old, OR (b) have earned the Cub Scout Arrow of Light Award and are at least 10 years old, OR (c) are age 11 but have not reached age 18. If your child is in Elementary School, they are eligible to join one of our charter organization's Cub Scout Packs that will prepare them for life in the Troop, and allow them to cross over into the Troop before the completion of their fifth grade year once they have earned the Arrow of Light Award - usually in March. Check out the websites of Pack 2831 or Pack 2806 to see which might be a fit for your child.
Meetings
We meet in the sanctuary of Woodlake United Methodist Church on Monday nights from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM year-round. During the school year, we do observe the same holidays as Chesterfield County Public Schools. The Church is located at 15630 Hampton Park Drive, Chesterfield, VA 23832. Feel free to drop by one Monday night and see how we operate. We will be happy to speak with you about the Troop without any pressure to join.
Outings
We have a scheduled outing every month of the calendar year. All of our events are determined by the youth members of the troop and voted on by the youth at our Annual Planning Conference. These include 2-night campouts one weekend each month, with the exception of December, where we usually do a day trip to a local point of interest. In June, after school lets out, we plan a larger 4-day/3-night Extravaganza, usually to a destination further away than our normal weekend area of operations. A 7-day/6-night week-long BSA summer camp is available to interested individuals every July. We usually have a high participation rate in all of activities, but no one is required to attend any event. All outings are optional, and the costs for each event are separate from our annual dues. It's a very a-la-carte way to consume the amount of Scouting that is right for your family.
Youth-Led
A strong tenet of our Troop is to let the youth membership lead the organization. A key result of being a BSA Scout is to develop leadership skills that will serve them well in life. How better to strengthen those muscles that to drop them in front of fifty or more of their peers and have them run a meeting or conduct an event. It might not always be they way us adults would do it, but it sure is fun to watch - we call it learning to lead. We provide our youth leaders with training and resources to be successful in their position, but there is no better substitute than on-the-job training. Observing the change in aptitude over the course of our 6-month terms of office is one of the rewarding aspects of being an adult in the Troop 2860 family. Come to one of our meetings and see for yourself!
Troop Size
Troops come in all sizes. You will have to decide if you will fit better in a small Troop or a large Troop. We are a large Troop, usually maintaining 90 - 100 Scouts on our roster. One of the benefits to a larger Troop is that as sports, school, or jobs start to conflict with meetings or outings, it doesn't have as significant an impact of the attendance of an event. We know that Scouting is only one part of our members' lives, and we don't expect 100% participation from them in everything we do. However, when they are able to come, there will be a good-sized group of fellow Scouts to contribute to the experience. As a large Troop, we also have plenty of adult resources to aid in the operation of the group. Our own parents cover the majority of the popular Merit Badge Counselors, so we don't often have to go searching for a resource to teach a skill.
Dues
Our annual membership dues cover BSA National Membership dues, our local Council's dues, and fees related to our Troop's awards and advancements. Dues are collected in November of each year for membership in the following calendar year. If you join the BSA mid-year, those dues are pro-rated. If you transfer or cross-over from another BSA Unit, your dues transfer with you. For the 2022 calendar year, BSA National dues are $72 and our local Council & Troop dues are $30. If you are joining BSA Scouting for the first time, there is a one-time additional $25 registration fee. Optionally, you can also subscribe to the Scout Life magazine for $12. If you compare that to the cost of a 3 month sports season for your child, it's a real bargain!
What's Next
Have you read all you need to know? Click the appropriate link at the top of the page to sign up! After that, you can get a jump on things by checking out our New Parents section.