GRACE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Trail & American Heritage
Trail Life USA – Troop FL-1201 - Adventure - Character - Leadership
Trail Life USA, Christ-Centered, Boy-Focused.
Trail Life USA is a Church-Based, Christ-Centered, Boy-Focused mentoring and discipleship journey that speaks to the heart of a boy. Established on timeless values derived from the Bible and set in the context of outdoor adventure, boys from Kindergarten through 12th grade are engaged in a Troop setting by male mentors where they are challenged to grow in character, understand their purpose, serve their community, and develop practical leadership skills to carry out the mission for which they were created.
More than ever, boys need a uniquely masculine program where their assertive, audacious, and adventurous nature is celebrated, not sequestered. Too many boys are turning to virtual worlds to find realms they can conquer and areas where they can excel. The result of this virtual conquest is apathy, apparent rebellion, or outright resistance to real-world challenge. Trail Life USA is an environment where boys thrive! Adults are equipped to lead a program in a structured outdoor environment where boys are engaged in real-world challenge and experience camping, hiking, and fishing; they develop skills in riflery, archery, and canoeing; and learn character and leadership in a practical hands-on manner that is naturally engaging.
Boys find mentors, fathers and sons connect, important relationships are fostered, and boys find opportunity to achieve significant accomplishment.
Young Trailmen on the Woodlands Trail, engage in hands-on experiences that develop character, deepen faith, and hone practical skills in the seven program branches - Outdoor Skills, Life Skills, Heritage, Hobbies, Values, Science & Technology, and Sports & Fitness.
In the Navigators and Adventurers programs, the Branches from the Woodlands Trail program become Frontiers to be explored as Trailmen continue along the trail. Navigators explore areas of interest and earn Trail Badges for advancement. While Adventurers plan and lead outdoor events and large projects while exercising leadership positions in the Troop, even mentoring some of the younger Trailmen.
The Freedom Award is the highest award in the Trail Life USA. It is an achievement accomplished by the few who reach the apex of the Trail Life Program. Earning the award requires a demonstrated mastery of a significant skill set including 15 required and 10 elective Trail Badges, performing 20 hours of servant service each year, and the distinction of having proven himself as a leader among his peers. He must also complete four "Freedom Experiences" in 3 separate chosen fields; complete a Faith Building Activity; budget, plan, and organize a volunteer team to compete a Servant Leadership Project; and complete an advancement conference and formal Freedom Board of Review.
Our bi-monthly meetings are held the First and Third Tuesday of each month from 6pm-7:45pm. We meet together in the Fellowship Hall for an opening flag ceremony with American Heritage Girls, then the boys break off to a separate area for games and age-specific skills work.
Adventure is at the heart of the Trail Life USA program. Weekly meetings are designed with that in mind, and held outside whenever possible. Meetings are designed to delight the raucous, rowdy, unruly nature of a boy.
As a core value of both Trail Life USA and American Heritage Girls, our troops are entirely volunteer-led, and parents are welcome to participate! Parents are encouraged to join as TLUSA members so they can help further our mission and assure the protection of our youth as part of the two-deep leadership requirement. Just ask our Troop master or the Committee Chair for an invitation to join, and a link to complete that process will be emailed to you.
To cover yearly operation costs, we charge troop dues of $75 annually per youth. This fee helps to cover supply costs, awards, troop chartering/re-chartering fees, a handbook (as needed), and a Class-B T-shirt. Fundraisers (2-3 per year) will help to off-set additional costs associated with troop supplies and activities. Trail Life USA charges a national membership fee of $30 per boy and a Class-A uniform averages $60.
Registration is currently closed. Be on the lookout for more info Spring 2023!
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Members since 1976
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"There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered."
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