A: FALSE -- because we DO NOT and have NEVER had dues... Zero... Zilch... Nada... EVER... Only a very reasonable one time fee when joining the Troop to cover the cost of new scout supplies (neckerchief and Scout book) and registration ($85 as of 2024) with the Heart of Virginia Council.

A: FALSE. We meet at Bethel Baptist Church, which is only about a mile west of Westchester Commons on Rt. 60 (Midlothian Tpk) and before the Windy Hill Sports Complex. 

• 15 min from Hull Street/288
• 25 min from Chester
• 15 min from Short Pump

A: FALSE. The monthly cost of our camping trips is normally only $25.00, which is solely for food (usually 5 meals). EVERYTHING ELSE is supplied by the Troop. If we are doing something special on a campout like skiing, snow tubing or going to a major attraction, there may be additional fees, but this is typically only 2-3 times a year at most and are completely voluntary.

A: No, because we DO NOT camp at Camp Parsons every month. We are only at Camp Parsons around 4-5 times per year and try to alternate an out of town trip between visits when possible. Camp Parsons' centralized location helps us further reduce costs to the parents, because it is FREE for us to stay there and it provides an excellent base of operations for Troop 800 since it is within two hours of dozens of major attractions within the state.

Other recent camping trips have included:

• Gettysburg, PA - Civil War Battlefield
• Harper's Ferry, WV
• Hiking on the Appalachian Trail 
• Massanutten, VA - Skiing and Waterpark 
• Virginia Beach, VA - Camp Pendleton Army Base / Oceana NAS / MacArthur Museum 
• Richmond, VA - Virginia Museum of Fine Arts 

Back in 2018, Troop 800 unexpectedly lost it's longtime camp in Powhatan, VA. So, a group of concerned individuals formed a new non-profit organization and purchased 21 acres of land in Cumberland County. This property is now known as Camp Parsons, named for the late Sharon Parsons who was the wife of Rodney Parsons, our longtime former Scoutmaster. The members of Troop 800 are the defacto caretakers of the camp and in exchange are allowed to camp there for FREE whenever we want, which allows us to keep our camping and traveling costs down as we can use it as a base of operations and still have access to many activities within a 2-hour radius. Our only requirement is to attend one workday per year at the camp to help maintain it for future generations.

A: FALSE. Troop 800 has only one mandatory fundraiser per year and that is our annual mulch sale, but we do require the entire family to participate. It involves about 3 hours one day in late February/early March distributing flyers throughout an assigned neighborhood and then working for about 8 hours on the last Saturday in March/early April (depending on Easter weekend) to deliver the mulch that has been sold.

Participating in the mulch sale provides the Troop with $400-$500 annually per Scout for programming, awards, offsetting camping trip costs and maintaining Troop equipment among other things.

For boys going on high adventure trips (Philmont, Northern Tier, Florida Sea Base and Summit-Bechtel), we try to offer additional fundraising opportunities like mulch spreading services and working with Papa John's at various area sporting events, but they are entirely voluntary.

A: Troop 800 generally attends summer camp the third week of July each year. We attend numerous regional camps based on multiple criteria.

• the quality of their first-year program
• available merit badge classes for older scouts
• overall suitability for all the age ranges currently in the troop.

Past summer camps have included:

• Camp Daniel Boone - Canton, NC (2019, 2024)
• Camp Powhatan - Hiwassee, VA (2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
• Camp Rainey Mountain - Clayton, GA (2012)
• Camp Raven Knob - Mt. Airy, NC (2015)
• Camp T. Brady Saunders - Goochland, VA (before 2010)

We strive to make sure every scout has no less than 3 opportunities for high adventure activities during their time in the troop, including two trips to Philmont specifically.

Florida Sea Base in Key West, FL
Out Island Adventure 

• 2015 - 2 treks
• 2018 - 3 treks 
• 2023 - 3 treks 

Northern Tier in Ely, MN

• 2011 

Philmont in Cimmarron, NM 

• Many times prior to 2014
• 2014 - 3 treks
• 2017 - 1 trek
• 2021 - 3 treks
• 2025 - 2 treks

A: ABSOLUTELY FALSE. In the 35+ year history of the Troop, we have had multiple female leaders, although only a few.  However, we have always had a very large contingent of mothers and sisters who serve the Troop in many roles, especially on the various Troop Committees, but there is NOT and NEVER has been anything preventing women from being leaders in our Troop.