Troop 173 was chartered by the Sedgefield Civic Association in 1957. Yet from the beginning, Troop 173 has included boys from all over Morris County in its programs. While most of our members come from the area of Parsippany from Lake Parsippany to Powder Mill and across the Township, we have had members as far away as Succasunna and Randolph.
For several years the Troop met in an old mansion on the former Ballantine estate where the Mack-Cali Business campus now stands. Upon completion of the gymnasium at Littleton School in the early sixties, its weekly Friday night meetings moved there. In 2009, the troop's home base for meetings moved to Mt. Tabor School off of Park Road.
During its 64 year history, eighteen Scoutmasters have led Troop 173, assisted by many trained Assistant Scoutmasters and an active Troop Committee. They have assisted in overseeing Troop 173’s active outdoor program for well over 1300 boys, of which 964 have become Eagle Scouts, or approximately twice the national average. Among our Eagle Scouts is a partner in an accounting firm, an attorney, a physician, a radio programming director and an Air Force officer. Undoubtedly the leadership skills learned as Scouts have helped them with their achievements.
Many of our youth leaders have had the opportunity to share the fellowship of Scouting across the United States, by participating in National Jamborees on both the east and west coasts, and in leadership training both locally and at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico.
Community service has always been an important part of Troop 173’s program. Eagle Scout projects have included work at public recreation space in Sedgefield, Glacier Hills, Lake Parsippany and Knoll Park. Other service projects have been wide reaching – they have benefited the Parsippany Public Library, The Parsippany Volunteer Ambulance Squad, Parsippany Little League and we have helped victims of hurricanes and flooding by collecting supplies and money to be distributed by local disaster relief. In 2017 we were recognized by the Fishawack District (eastern Morris County area) as the Scout Troop with the most community service hours in the year.
We have participated annually in the “Scouting for Food” national “Good Turn”; over 30,000 items have been donated to a Parsippany food bank. Troop 173 has been in the forefront of the recycling movement. One of our early fund raisers was a deposit bottle collection. For over fifteen years we collected scrap newspapers and magazines until Parsippany began mandatory recycling. Along with collections in the other sections of town, our newspaper collection allowed Parsippany to earn a grant from the State of New Jersey for expanding the reach and scope of its recycling program. 9/21
David Franz, Scoutmaster
16 Watts Avenue
Denville NJ 07834
TROOP 173, B.S.A.
Parsippany, NJ
POLICY
ORGANIZATION
We are sponsored by the Sedgefield Civic Association, and are located in the Fishawack District, one of five geographical divisions of the Patriots Path Council. Council facilities include the Service Center on Saddle Road in Cedar Knolls, and several camps, the largest of which are Mt. Allamuchy Scout Reservation, located near Waterloo Village in Byram Township and Winnebago Scout Reservation located in Rockaway.
REGISTRATION
The National BSA registration fee must be provided for all Scouts; one BOYS' LIFE subscription per family is provided by the troop as a resource for program material. Adult registration, funded by the Troop, includes a subscription to SCOUTING magazine. Fees are pro-rated for new Scouts. For all Scouts and adults, an Application Form and Annual Health and Medical Form (Parts A&B) must be completed and turned in with registration. A Troop Resource Survey Sheet should be filled out and signed by a parent. Additional fees to fund secondary accident insurance are included with Registration.
MEETINGS
Troop meetings are normally held on Friday nights when school is in session from 7:30 to 9:00 PM. Boys who hold leadership positions must attend other planning meetings throughout the year. Troop Committee meetings are held on the last Monday of the month at a home of one of the members. Patrol meetings are held on a regular basis, normally as part of the Troop meeting .
FINANCES
Any operational expenses, such as insignia, awards, and training fees are paid for by the Scout's annual dues; payable as requested by the Treasurer. Dues become payable from the time a boy turns in his Scout application, and will be pro-rated from that time. Unreasonable delinquency in payment is reason for suspension from Troop activities. Records of all income and expenditures are kept by the Troop Committee Treasurer. Payments should always be made online via PayPal thru the troop website, by check payable to: TROOP 173, B.S.A., or by credit card where available. There are no Patrol dues.
Fund-raising activities are conducted to underwrite additional operating expenses, purchase and maintain camping equipment, and for special activities. Participation in these fund-raisers by all families is essential to maintain a quality program for the Troop. Many fund raisers provide for a commission to the most active participants which can be used to subsidize any Troop expense/activity fee. Your active family participation in the Fund Raising program will therefore assure that the activities can be afforded by your son(s).
ATTENDANCE
The Scout program needs Scouts to attend and take part in ALL regularly scheduled Troop and patrol meetings and activities. Youth Leaders must also be present to plan and run these activities. A Youth Leader will forfeit his leadership position if he misses more than two of the monthly planning meetings. The Troop and Patrol meetings provide instruction and training for the monthly weekend activities. Therefore, in order for a Scout to attend the weekend campout/activity, he may be required to attend one or more specific planning sessions. Common courtesy requires that the Scout notify his Patrol or Troop leadership if he should be unable to attend any regularly scheduled meeting. In order for a Scout to advance, he is expected to attend at least 50% of the regularly scheduled meetings and other scheduled activities.
HEALTH & SAFETY
All Scout activities require at least two adults be present in case of any emergency. Scouts are not to participate in any BSA activities individually. They should always buddy-up or be escorted by a parent or Troop Leader. Any Scout who, by his actions, endangers the well-being of the rest of the Troop is subject to immediate suspension from participation in Troop activities as determined by the adult Troop Leaders. Emergency contact phone numbers will be provided for each event if at all possible. Please respond promptly when required to provide the required annual update to the BSA Medical Form.
ACTIVITIES
We participate in a number of special activities, such as Camporees, the Klondike Derby, and summer camp; and try to plan at least one major activity each month, These activities are just as important as the Troop meetings, and it is expected that Scouts in our Troop will attend the majority of them. Parental participation (driving and/or attending activities) is REQUIRED in order for the program to work; financial incentives for both driving and leading troop activities are available as authorized by the Troop Committee. A Parent's Permission Slip will be provided for each activity, which must be completed and turned with payment prior to the Scout's departure. In order to encourage active participation with other Scouts, Personal Electronic devices (including cellphones) are not permitted at Troop Activities, unless specifically approved by the trip leader. Any that are brought on a trip will be stored by the adult leader until the event is completed.
ADVANCEMENT
Scouts are encouraged to complete the First Class rank within a year, and thereafter progress at a minimum rate of one Rank every twelve months. Each Scout's advancement progress will be reviewed by the Advancement Committee at appropriate intervals. Advancement will be recognized at several Courts of Honor throughout the year. Both Scouts and parents are required to attend these special meetings. ALL Merit Badges and Projects MUST be approved by the SCOUTMASTER before work on them is begun. The Handbook should be brought to the Scout meetings and activities, for sign-off when a requirement is completed, and to allow the Advancement Chairman to update Troop records. The Scout must retain signed records of all advancement, for future verification of awards.
UNIFORMS
Scouts are expected to wear a complete uniform at all Troop Meetings and other designated activities. It is the responsibility of the Scout HIMSELF to insure that his uniform is neat and available when needed, with all insignia in the proper places. Scouts may be denied participation for failure to wear the uniform. The uniform is NOT required for fund raising. Sneakers are required for meetings in the gym. The uniform, as required by this troop, consists of Scout shirt, Scout pants, Scout belt, Troop neckerchief, neckerchief slide and proper insignia, For warm weather, Summer Camp, or Summer Leadership Training, a Short Sleeve shirt, Scout Shorts, and Scout socks will be required. Scouts are strongly urged to turn in outgrown uniforms for our Uniform Exchange, where they can be passed on to younger Scouts.
SUPPLY SOURCES
Official BSA uniforms and equipment are available at the Scout Service Center, 1 Saddle Road, Cedar Knolls. When a Scout joins the Troop, he is presented with the Troop neckerchief, T-shirt and Scout book. All badges earned by Scouts are presented by the Troop along with an official record card. Upon request, duplicate insignia will be obtained for sale at cost. Insignia can also be purchased at the Service Center upon presenting the card corresponding to the badge.
EXPECTED OF TROOP 173 PARENTS:
Gain an understanding of our Troop and of the Scouting program, so that your son may fully benefit from Scouting.
ENCOURAGE your son to take an active part in Scouting. The more he puts into the program, the more he will gain now and in the future.
PARTICIPATE by helping with transportation, attending Courts of Honor, taking part in Troop activities, and serving as an instructor or counselor with whatever special skills or knowledge you have.
SUPPORT the Troop Committee and Leaders in their efforts.
HELP us by bringing to our attention in person or by phone, PROMPTLY, anything which we may have overlooked or included in our troop program which you believe is improper.
Joining requirements are listed on the current BSA Youth Application found at scouting.org or available from the Troop. Interested boys are invited to visit us at one of our meetings WITH A PARENT.
TROOP COMMITTEE CHAIR - Bruce Benson
SCOUTMASTER - David Franz
September 2021 update
Past Activities
CAMP OUTS
Allamuchy Scout Reservation
AMC Mohican Outdoor Center, NJ
Annapolis campout & Navy football game
B.S.A. Camp Alpine, NY
B.S.A. Camp Acahela, Pocono Mtns., PA
B.S.A. Camp Goose Pond, PA
B.S.A. Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco, NJ
Bear Mountain, NY
Camp Glen Gray
Camp Ken-Etiwa-Pec, Delaware Rec. Area
Delmont Scout Reservation, PA
Fishawack District Camp-O-Rees
Hickory Run State Park, PA
High Point State Park, NJ
Jenny Jump State Forest
Jockey Hollow, NJ
Kittatinny Scout Reservation, NJ
Lewis Morris County Park
New Jersey State Police National Guard Camporee
Quail Hill Scout Reservation, Monmouth Co.
Round Valley Reservoir
Sandy Hook Nat`l Rec Area, NJ
Schiff Reservation Camp-O-Ree
Stokes State Forest, NJ
Sturbridge Village, MA
Treasure Island Scout Res. in Delaware River
Washington's Crossing State Park
West Point and Football game
Wildwood Beach Jam
Winnebago Scout Reservation
Yards Creek Scout Reservation, NJ
MAJOR TRIPS
Baltimore, MD inner harbor
Battleship Massachusetts Overnight, MA
Boston sightseeing, MA
Cape Cod, MA
Cooperstown NY/Baseball Hall of Fame
Ft. A. P. Hill, VA (Senior Scouts)
Gettysburg, PA historic trip
Groton, CT & Nautilus submarine, Coast Guard Academy
Hershey and Valley Forge, PA
Mystic Seaport, CT
National Jamboree
Newport, RI
Philadelphia, PA historic trip
Philmont Expedition, NM (Senior Scouts)
Washington, DC sightseeing
Weekend "cruise" with Sea Explorers
Williamsburg, Busch Gardens & Norfolk Naval Facilities
SERVICE
Ambulance Squad Cleanup
Beaver Day at Mt. Allamuchy
Beaver Day Camp Winnebago
Eagle Scout projects, such as helping flood victims, organ donorship, park renovations
Littleton School grounds clean up
Morris County Highway clean up
Pedals for Progress bicycle recycling
Scouting For Food
V.F.W. Holiday Stockings
DAY TRIPS/ACTIVITIES
Hiking the Appalachian Trail, Patriot's Path, Palisades, and other historic trails
Klondike Derby winter Troop competition
Mountain biking
N.J. Devils hockey game
N.J. Cardinals baseball game
Parsippany Memorial Day Parade
Skiing Day Trips to Camelback, Hidden Valley, Mountain Creek, Blue Mountain, Shawnee
Weekend Skiing - Vermont, New York State
White water rafting on Hudson River (Senior scouts)
White water rafting on Lehigh River