ALAMEDA, CA
SCOUTS BSA TROOP 73
ABOUT TROOP 73
Scout meetings are every Tuesday night (all year round, including summer) from 7:15pm until around 8:45pm. We meet at First Baptist Church, 1515 Santa Clara Ave (corner of Stanton St and Santa Clara Ave).
What your Scout can expect from Troop 73
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A high adventure Troop that does a lot of fun outdoor activities (backpacking, canoeing, rappelling, snow shoeing, mountain biking and more!)
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Trained leadership that encourages each Scout to do his personal best
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A chance to earn Scouting’s highest honor, Eagle Scout
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Opportunities to serve the community and earn community service hours
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An inclusive Troop that honors and values diversity
What Troop 73 expects from your Scout
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Active participation in a scout-led troop
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Enthusiasm for high adventure activities
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Willingness to do their share (cooking and cleaning up after meals on an outing, shopping for food prior to the outing, etc.)
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Sense of responsibility for troop gear and personal gear
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Respect for self, others and Scouting
What Troop 73 expects from parents/guardians
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Allow your scouts to take responsibility for their own actions
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Chaperoning shopping trips prior to outings as scheduled
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Acting as Trip Champion (confirm location of trip, time to meet, print maps if necessary, etc.), usually once or twice a year
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Sitting on Scout Board of Review as scheduled, usually once or twice a year
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Driving and chaperoning outings if necessary or as desired
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Participation in monthly parent meetings
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Volunteering as committee members is encouraged
New to Scouting?
The best thing your new Scout can do to get up to speed is to read the Scout Handbook. The handbook has all the information a Scout needs to know about participating and earning ranks. New Scouts can get everything else they need to know during meetings and outings, so it’s important to attend meetings regularly. Scouts should also go on as many outings as they can. The outings aren’t just fun, they are a chance for the Scouts to have hands-on experience applying the skills that they learn during meetings.
Outings (Day Trips, Overnights)
Troop 73 typically schedules one day trip and one overnight trip each month. For example, a day trip might be a Rim Rover hike up and down Mount Diablo, or collecting donated food as part of Scouting for Food just before Thanksgiving. Typical overnight trips are backpacking into a campground at Point Reyes or snow shoeing and snow camping in the Sierras. By scheduling lots of outings, Troop 73 tries to ensure that Scouts have many opportunities to participate in outdoor activities. Outings are listed in the calendar on the website.
Outings are considered “rain or shine” -- meaning, we will go on a planned trip regardless of the weather. Occasionally the scheduled activity may have to change; for example, if rain made rappelling a safety issue, we would do a day hike or other activity instead.
Where to Buy Scout Gear
Troop 73 is part of the Golden Gate Council.
The Alameda District has an office is located at:
1714 Everett St
Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 522-2772
You can purchase Scout materials like patches and merit badge booklets. You can also purchase a selection of official Boy Scout uniform wear at the Council office.
Hours: 2-7PM Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri 9AM-12PM Saturday
Official scout items may also be purchased on-line at:
Troop 73 supplies neckerchiefs, slides, shoulder loops, numerals (7 and 3) and handbooks to new Scouts. Your Scout needs to supply only their own personal gear for outings: sleeping bag and pad, clothing, mess kit, toiletries. Troop 73 supplies tents, cooking equipment, outdoor equipment (rappelling ropes, snowshoes, canoes, etc.) and food. The troop has its own hats and T-shirts. Troop 73 T-shirts (green microfiber, also known as "class B's") are $18. Troop 73 hats are $10.
Terms you will hear used by Troop 73
SOP: Standard Operating Procedure
Beige Box: Refers to our storage facility in Alameda
Class A’s: Official Scout uniform. Tan uniform shirt with appropriate insignia. (see SOP – Uniforms for more details)
Class B’s: Unofficial Scout uniform. Troop 73 T-shirt or other Scout T-shirt from summer camp. (see SOP – Uniforms for more details)
Blue Card: Merit Badge Application. Your Scout needs to discuss the badge and get the blue card signed off by a leader before beginning work on a merit badge.
Nalgene: Brand name of a heavy duty polypropylene water bottle with a wide mouth and attached lid. Holds up better, holds more liquid, can be filled with boiling water and used as a hot water bottle, etc. Doesn’t have to be Nalgene brand, we use the name like you’d say Kleenex instead of facial tissue.
Dutch oven: Big cast iron pot with a cast iron lid, used on car camping or canoeing trips. Requires special care and cleaning; see documents.
Green Bar: Leadership committee of the troop comprised of elected and appointed leaders that meet directly after the regular meetings.
MRE: Meals Ready to Eat. Emergency rations for earthquake preparedness, etc. A troop fundraiser. The troop purchases cases of MRE’s and resells them at a profit.
OA: Order of the Arrow. Camping organization of the Boy Scouts of America. Individual troops elect some of its qualified members to apply to OA.
PLC: Patrol Leadership Committee, comprised of the patrol leaders, Senior Patrol Leader and Assistant Patrol Leader.
CIT: Counselor in Training. Scouts between the ages of 14 and 16 who can volunteer to work at Cub Scout camp for training and for community service hours (unpaid positions).
SPL and ASPL: Senior Patrol Leader and Assistant Senior Patrol Leader. Highest Scout troop positions; not part of any patrol. Responsible for rest of troop.
FOS: Friends of Scouting. Donation to help support local Scouting.
PFD: Personal Flotation Device (aka life jacket or life vest)