Question #6—Is T97 more expensive than most other troops?
Actually, if money is a concern, but you still want a top-quality Scouting program, Troop 97 is a bargain. We may not be the cheapest troop around, but compared to other active troops, the annual cost of Scouting in T97 is usually lower.
Here's a comparison table, listing the annual cost of being in Scouting (also contained in our PDF brochure below):
First-Year Expenses
Annual Fee ('dues')
BSA Registration/Scout
Boys Life Magazine
BSA Registration/parent
Boy Scout Handbook
Troop Neckerchief
Troop T-shirt
Troop Hat
Scout Uniform (T97)
Week at Summer Camp
Weekend Campouts (~5@$8) TOTAL FIRST YEAR
Second-Year Expenses
Annual Fee ('dues')
BSA Registration/Scout
Boys Life Magazine
BSA Registration/parent
Replace outgrown T-shirt
Replace outgrown uniform
Week at Summer Camp
Weekend Campouts (~5@$8) TOTAL SECOND YEAR
Cost of campouts depends on how many your son attends. Cost can include food, transportation, and fees for camporees and other extra-charge activities.
T97 second-year annual fees and summer camp are the average paid by active families after discount credits. Actual cost depends on how active parents are. Some Scouts pay $0.
Check out all those zeroes, where most troops charge extra.
For No Additional Charge
Most of these things cost extra in other troops, but are provided at no additional charge in Troop 97:
T97 T-shirt (one every year at summer camp)
T97 hat & neckerchief
T97 numeral, nametag, Quality Unit badge
Boy Scout Handbook
BSA registration for boy & parent
Boys Life magazine
We offer scholarships, too.
While our annual fee ('dues') may be higher than many troops, by the time you figure out what's included, our 'dues' are a bargain: A year's Scouting. Troop hat. Troop neckerchief. BSA registration. Boys Life magazine. A Boy Scout Handbook. Registration for a parent. Troop T-shirt. Much more.
And if that's not enough, the week at summer camp for first-year Scouts is covered, too! The price of summer camp alone in most other troops is as much or more than our dues.
Summer camp isn't free after the first year, but the annual fee includes a $100 credit toward the cost of camp for all Scouts.
We also give families discount credits that reduce future annual fees, summer camp, and high adventure costs. Last year, those discounts reduced costs by an average of $173/family.
