About Troop 312


HISTORY

BSA Troop 312 was chartered July 1, 1990, under the institutional sponsorship of The Episcopal Church of St. Simon & St. Jude, 1110 Kinley Road, Irmo, SC. N. Peter Johnson, Ph.D. (Scoutmaster), Mr. Richard Broughton, Mr. Joe Benedetto, Mr. Phil Campisi and four boys comprised the original troop. In February 1999, at the untimely death of Dr. Johnson, the Committee appointed James E. B. Wallace, who served under Dr. Johnson for 8 years, as the next Scoutmaster. Jim Wallace served as the Scoutmaster until his retirement in 2007. Greg Lee then took over as our Scoutmaster and served the troop well, until his retirement in August, 2016. Mike Shelton took the reins and guided our troop from August, 2007, until his retirement in December 2020. Mr. Nathan White stepped up and currently serves as Scoutmaster. Troop 312 typically has roughly 70 active Boy Scouts in any given year, along with over twenty adult leaders.
James Gray was the first Eagle Scout produced by Troop 312. Since then the troop has produced over 100 Eagle Scouts.

BOY LEADERSHIP

Troop elections are held every six months to select a Senior Patrol Leader who appoints troop officers (Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Scribe, Quartermaster, Historian, Instructor, and Chaplain Aide). Every six months individual patrols choose a Patrol Leader and an Assistant Patrol Leader plus additional patrol officers, if desired. The Senior Patrol Leader and Patrol Leaders comprise the Patrol Leaders Council (PLC) who plan and manage the troop’s activities (except rank and merit badge advancements). This is Boy Scout leadership.

MEETINGS

Troop 312 meets each Tuesday 7:00-8:30PM, except the last two weeks of December and the week we are away at Summer camp. Quarterly Courts of Honor (includes a family pot-luck supper) are held 6:00-8:30PM to recognize and celebrate advancements and special honors.

CAMPING

We camp (during weekends) 12 months of the year, primarily at state and national parks in SC, NC, and GA, regardless of weather. The Troop also attends week-long summer camp sessions each July. The troop has limited camping equipment that is primarily made available to the new boys. Each year many Scouts and Adult Leaders attended Camp Rainey Mountain in Clayton, GA. Mr. Robert Croom is our summer camp coordinator. Other larger camping adventures include trips sponsored by the National Boy Scout organization, such as Philmont Scout Ranch, Sea Base, and the National Scout Jamboree. Troop 312 also coordinates its own High Adventure summer camping trips. The following is a list of recent summer camping trips organized by Troop 312.

HOW TO JOIN TROOP 312

Boy Scouting, one of the traditional membership divisions of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), is available to boys who meet the age requirements. They must be 11 years old, or have completed the fifth grade or earned the Arrow of Light Award and are at least 10 years old. Once a Scout turns 18 they are considered to have aged-out of Scouting. The program achieves the BSA's objectives of developing character, citizenship, and personal fitness.

BSA Troop 312 is a vibrant, exciting, and dynamic Boy Scout Troop. We invite all boys in the appropriate age group to come experience one of our troop meetings and see for yourself what Troop 312 is all about. We meet every Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. at the Saint Simon and Saint Jude Episcopal Church, located at 1110 Kinley Road in Irmo, South Carolina. Our meetings typically consist of a brief opening ceremony, a Scout program designed and directed by the Scouts, a game, then a closing ceremony. The Troop meetings are typically completed by 8:30 p.m. Parents and guardians are invited to visit with their boys and are encouraged to attend meetings and campouts as their schedules will permit.

For your convenience, we have produced a Troop 312 New Parent Guide. This Guide includes much of the information that a prospective Scout and his parent or guardian may want to know about Troop 312 prior to attending a meeting or considering joining the Troop. Should you have further questions about joining Troop 312, please feel free to contact Scoutmaster Nathan White at Nhw330@yahoo.com.

ADULT LEADERSHIP

Troop 312 has many adults serving in various leadership roles. Currently, Mr. Robert Heron is the Troop Committee Chairman. The Troop Committee governs the Scoutmaster Team’s activities (supervisory, advisory, training, advancement, and resources to the Scouts). The Committee meets the first Monday of each month at 7:30P to discuss issues related to the health of the troop. All Assistant Scoutmasters (appointed by the Scoutmaster subject to the approval of the Committee), who work directly with our youth, are required to be BSA trained. No adult is allowed to be one-on-one with a boy unless in an open space or an emergency. New adult leadership is always welcome and participation is encouraged. We look to the families of the Scouts to help with transportation and other needs of the troop. We try to maintain CPR and First Aid certified adults and youth.

FINANCIAL

Troop 312 is self-supporting and healthy financially. Dues are $120.00 per year per boy and are used to defray costs associated with annual re-chartering, advancement badges, some transportation costs and occasional campsite entry fees. Summer camp fees, in addition to dues, are approximately $360 each year and include a $15 registration fee to cover troop transportation and supplies. A perpetual Pete Johnson Memorial Fund is available to help defray expenses of needy Scouts for camp. Portions of all Scout fund raising activities, i.e., Fatz Cafe Pancake Breakfast and Popcorn Sales, are credited towards each Scout’s account. That account can be used toward dues, Summer camp fees, or special events such as Philmont, Sea Base, and our High Adventure summer camping trips.

Troop 312 adheres to the founding principals of the Boy Scouts of America, the Scout Oath, Scout Law, District and Council policies and emphasizes the development of the individual. We also have fun!

CONTACT INFO

Mr. Nathan White is the Scoutmaster for Troop 312, and welcomes all inquiries regarding the Troop. You may contact him at the following address:

Nathan White, Scoutmaster
Boy Scout Troop 312
St. Simons & St. Jude Episcopal Church
1110 Kinley Road
Irmo, SC 29063-9633

Questions? Contact Scoutmaster Nathan White at Nhw330@yahoo.com or better yet, come and see us!

For questions, comments, or suggestions regarding this website, please contact Ken McGregor at kennethmcgregor0523@gmail.com