Information for New Scouts

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Welcome to Troop 245!

As Scouts, we live by the values of trustworthiness, loyalty, helpfulness, and respect. Our adventures teach us about teamwork, leadership, and the importance of community service. We’re excited for you to join us on this journey of growth and discovery.

Embrace the Scout spirit, and let’s make a positive impact together!

Yours in Scouting, from all the members of Troop 245

Troop 245 is supported by a wonderful team of volunteers and scout parents, who meet each month as a committee (we’d love for you to join us!)  Our current leaders are listed below: 

Scoutmaster: Robert Denckhoff

Assistant Scoutmaster: 

Activities Coordinator: Randy Dye

Membership Chair: Amy Blankenship 

Advancement Coordinator: Susan Honowitz

Secretary: Katie Bolchoz

Treasurer: Duane Reindl

Committee Chair: Mike Flood

Meetings are held every Tuesday evening during the school year from 7:00-8:30. Once a month, the PLC (Patrol Leaders' Council) will also meet, in which key scouts plan upcoming activities. All meetings held at First Presbyterian Church located at 540 William Hilton Parkway.

See the calendar for upcoming meetings.

See the calendar for upcoming outings.

The troop generally plans one campout per month, all of them chosen and planned by the scouts with help from the Committee.  We do various activities including hiking, rock climbing, snorkeling, white water rafting, biking, and many others!  There is also a summer and winter camp planned each year.  

The scouts plan their meals and schedule activities on the outings and take turns shopping for the meals with parent help (to be reimbursed by the troop, see the Treasurer). We meet at First Presbyterian Church to carpool when leaving for outings, and we meet parents there for pickup at the end of the outing, unless otherwise arranged.

We’re always looking for parents to join us on campouts and help with carpooling!  

Annual Dues are $110 per year and are prorated depending what month you have joined. Most campouts are around $25, with a few of them being more, varying with the activity.
 

The troop uses CheddarUp for payments for all dues and outings. As we add outings and other opportunities through the year, individual CheddarUp links will be sent out.  You can always find links to the current outing on our CheddarUp homepage: CheddarUp Troop Dues
Your scout can also participate in many fundraising opportunities throughout the year to fund their activities. No scout is ever left behind: we have scholarships and funding available for families if requested.

When purchasing a uniform for the first time, it is recommended to visit the Scout store in person located at 11900 Abercorn St. in Savannah (Scout store homepage). Items can also be ordered online at Scoutshop.org

Shirt: Each scout should have what we refer to as a "Class A" tan shirt. We recommend the Scouts BSA Uniform Short Sleeve Shirt. We also have some used uniforms available, please ask if interested. These are preferred to be worn at most meetings, when traveling to and from weekend events and campouts, and especially ceremonial events, like Courts of Honor when scouts are recognized for achievements.

Pants: Olive green scout pants are worn with your “Class A” shirt. We recommend the BSA Switchback Uniform Pant, with the zip-off legs (which become uniform shorts in the summer!).

Insignia - Patches and Badges: 

You will need to buy the following from the Scout Shop: Olive green shoulder loops, Council patch, the World Crest Emblem, and troop numbers. The troop will provide a kneckerchief, kneckerchief slide, and a Scouts BSA Handbook.

Pro Tip: Use Velcro for rank and position patches as they change frequently.

Your scout will begin working on the Scout rank after joining. They will learn the Scout Oath and Law, motto and slogan, sign, salute and handshake, and the basic information needed in Scouting. After earning Scout, they can go on to earn the ranks of Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, and finally Eagle. Ranks are earned through gaining scouting knowledge in many areas such as First Aid, knots, cooking, and more. 

In addition, merit badges are required for the Star rank and later -- 21 total are required for the Eagle rank. There are hundreds of merit badges to choose from, everything from American Business to Woodworking, and there are 15 that are Eagle-required. Here's a current list of all Merit Badges.

This troop is run by the scouts, with adult leader guidance. This is referred to as "Scout-Led." The Patrol Method is used to allow scouts to learn to lead, fail in a safe environment, and gain confidence. The troop is composed of patrols, led by a Patrol Leader, and Assistant Patrol Leader. The Patrol Leaders are led by the Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) and Assistant Senior Patrol Leader (ASPL).

Scouts BSA has several safety policies in place to ensure your scout has a good experience. All registered adult leaders have had a background check, must take Youth Protection Training every 2 years, and are encouraged to take several leader courses specific to their adult leader position in the troop from Scouting.org's huge library of training resources. All activities which require special training, i.e. climbing, shooting, etc. are led by adults trained specifically for those activities with safety first in mind.