What group should my son be in?

• Grade K - 5  - Woodlands Trail (similar to cub scouts)

• Grades 6 - 8 - Navigators (meets with Adventurers - similar to boy scouts)

• Grades 9 - 12 - Adventurers (meets with Navigators - similar to boy scouts)

When do they meet?

All groups meet on Thursday evenings (6:45 - 8:15 pm) from September Through May (show up at 6:30 for registration and check in). Woodlands, Navigators, and Adventurers meet each Monday each month. They also have a special activity (camp-out, adventure, etc.) every 4-8 weeks.

Where do they meet?

Both groups meet at the North Church for regular meetings. Other activities happen at different locations as necessary (camping, field trips, service projects, etc.)

Who are the leaders of the troop?

Troop Leaders

• The North Church Youth Pastor - Pastor Aaron Rothermel

• Charter Organization Rep - Rick Dewhirst

• Chaplain - Corey HInk

• Troopmaster - Nick STromwall

• Committee Chair - Pete Christianson

• Treasurer - Kerri Baker

Woodlands Trail

• Ranger (primary leader) - Matt Oquist, Sam Pederson

• Trail Guides - adult age-group ‘patrol’ leaders who are usually parents of one of the trailmen in the patrol

Navigators / Adventurers

• Advisor (Adventurer primary leader)  - Eric Paulu

• Trailmaster (Navigators primary leader) - Steve Shold

• Trail Guides - usually parents of boys in the troop, help mentor boys in specific areas of troop activity and skill building and work with specific patrols

• Officers - Older boys (from Adventurers) who provide leadership to both the Navigators and Adventurers

• Patrol Leaders - boys lead their own patrols (a group of trailmen of similar age) with supervision and mentoring by Trail Guides

The Trail Life program is a part of the Family Discipleship Department of North Church, and the overall program and key leaders are under the leadership of Pastor Aaron Rothermel

All adult leaders (anyone directly involved in working with the boys) must complete Trail Life USA Youth Protection Training and take part in an interview process similar to others working with youth/students in other Family Discipleship ministries.

How often do they go camping?

• Woodlands Trail - usually one or two camping events each year

  • Mountain Lion patrol (gr 4-5) - one or two additional camping activities with the Navigators / Adventurers

• Navigators / Adventurers - approx. 6-10 camping opportunities each year, including a longer ‘adventure’ each summer

NOTE: Boys are not required to participate in all camping activities; however, camping participation is required for certain advancement and awards.

What parental involvement is required?

• Woodlands Trail -  parents of sons in Kindergarten are required to attend with their sons; parents of older boys are encouraged to participate as a Trail Guide or help with other activities; a parent must be present at each troop meeting; parents (guardians) are required to accompany all boys on any overnight camp-outs

• Navigators / Adventurers - parents (esp. fathers) are encouraged to participate in the troop by becoming leaders in specific areas (Trail Guides, merit badge counselors, committee members, etc.) and to get involved in the ongoing activities of the troop.

How much does it cost?

• Annual Youth and Adult Membership Fee:

  This fee is paid directly to Trail Life USA by each individual youth and adult member when they submit their initial membership application to Trail Life USA, and annually thereafter on the anniversary of their membership.

  Youth Fee ($37.97): broken down as follows:

  Member Fee ($30.26): This base fee provides for operations of the Home Office.

  Annual Insurance Assessment ($7.71): This variable amount accounts for market fluctuations in the costs of accident and sickness coverage, general liability, and umbrella coverage. It is, basically, a "pass through" fee.

  Adult Fee ($43.19): broken down as follows:

  Member Fee ($20.94): This base fee provides for operations of the Home Office.

  Annual Insurance Assessment ($7.71): This variable amount accounts for market fluctuations in the costs of accident and sickness coverage, general liability, and umbrella coverage. It is, basically, a "pass through" fee.

  Annual Youth Protection Assessment ($14.54): This variable adjusts for fluctuations in the costs of criminal background checks, supplemental evaluation processes, and youth protection training for adult

  Local Troop Dues:

  $119 each year for each trailman. (Adults do not have a local troop due) 

  • This payment can be made via stripe, or through trailman points with fundraisers.

  ** Membership fees are non-refundable

• Troop Uniform -

  • TLUSA Uniform Shirt - $50

  • Trail - T-shirt - $18 (optional, recommended for camp-outs and activities)

  • (NOTE: The Basic/Full shirt can usually be worn for several years. There is a different Trail T-shirt for each group: Woodlands Trail, Navigators, Adventurers, the same Uniform Shirt is used for all ages.)

• Additional / Special Activities - (camping, adventure activities, etc.) The cost for these activities varies depending on the type and duration.

NOTE: We desire to make it possible for any boy to participate without regard to cost. If cost is an issue, please talk to us about ways to help offset the costs. We also have fundraising opportunities throughout the year that have the potential to completely offset the costs of the program for your son.

Fundraising

The ‘annual registration fee’ listed above only covers the cost to register your son to be in the program and to participate in our basic meetings and earn advancement awards.

Each area (Woodlands Trail, Navigators, Adventurers) will have various different additional costs associated with participation in the program. We provide fundraising opportunities that will allow your son to participate in ALL activities (including camping and special trips) without additional cost if he fully participates in the fundraising options. For those families that don’t wish to participate in fundraising, we will provide you with a list of fees for the various aspects of the program; however, we encourage all trailmen to participate in the fundraisers because this process is a valuable life skill that they will use throughout their life.

What if I’m not sure about TrailLife for my son?

First, talk with one of the trailmen (youth) or leaders to get answers to any other questions you may have, or to find out what Trail Life is like. We’d recommend to come and try out the meeting and talk to our troopmaster.

Where can I find more info?

Use the 'Contact' link above to ask any other questions.