New families
Join Troop 75
Boys and girls ages 11–17 are welcome, with or without Cub Scout experience. The best first step is simple: come to a meeting.
Who can join
Youth ages 11–17, or who have finished 5th grade, or who have earned the Arrow of Light and are at least 10.
Troop 75 is a Family Troop: one troop for boys and girls, with the same program and the same path to Eagle Scout for everyone. 28 of our 94 Scouts are girls. Read about girls in Troop 75.
Scouts join from all over the Town of Bethlehem: Delmar, Elsmere, Slingerlands, Glenmont, Selkirk and beyond. New Scouts join all year, and are welcomed into a patrol right away.
How to join
Four steps to your first campout
New Scouts join all year long, with or without Cub Scout experience.
Visit a meeting
Come any Wednesday, 7 p.m., at Delmar Reformed Church. Your Scout gets to see a patrol in action.
Tell us you’re comingAsk us anything
Meet the Scoutmaster and other parents. We’ll walk you through costs, gear and the year ahead.
Read the FAQApply online
Register through Scouting America’s online application in a few minutes. We’ll help with the forms.
How to applyGo camping!
Your Scout joins a patrol and heads out on their first campout, where every skill is taught.
Your first campout
Step 1
Visit a meeting
Come any Wednesday at 7 p.m. while school is in session. Your Scout can jump right into a patrol activity while you meet the Scoutmaster and other parents. Let us know you’re coming and we’ll have someone watching for you at the door.
- No uniform or gear needed for a visit. Just comfortable clothes.
- Parents are welcome to stay for the whole meeting.
- Questions about cost, camping or schedules? Ask away. That’s what we’re there for.
Step 3
Apply online
Scouts register online through Scouting America. The button below opens our troop’s own page on BeAScout, Scouting America’s official site, where you can apply in a few minutes. There we’re listed under our official number, Troop 1075 in Delmar, NY: same troop, same Scouts. (Several troops nationwide are numbered 75, so the extra digits make ours unique.)
The application covers the annual Scouting America and Twin Rivers Council fees, and Troop 75 charges no troop dues. Not sure about anything? Ask us first. We’re glad to walk you through it.
Coming from Cub Scouts?
Welcome, Arrow of Light Scouts
Each spring we welcome Scouts crossing over from Pack 232, Pack 23, Pack 272 and other packs. Our Den Chiefs help with Cub Scout dens throughout the year, so many new Scouts already know a few faces.
Arrow of Light Scouts can join as soon as they’ve earned the award and turned 10, so there’s no need to wait for summer. Come to a meeting with your den, or on your own.
What to expect at your first campoutCommon questions
Who can join Troop 75?
Any youth ages 11–17, or who has finished 5th grade, or who has earned the Arrow of Light and is at least 10. Boys and girls are equally welcome, and no Scouting experience is needed. Many of our Scouts started in Cub Scouts; plenty didn't.
Are girls welcome?
Absolutely. Troop 75 is a Family Troop: one troop for boys and girls, with the same program, the same adventures and the same path to Eagle Scout. 28 of our 94 Scouts are girls, and 21 of our adult volunteers are women. We were one of the first troops to sign up for the original pilot that opened Scouting to girls' troops, and one of the first to join the recent pilot that brought boys and girls together. More about girls in Troop 75.
Can we visit before joining?
Please do! Come to any Wednesday meeting, 7–8:30 p.m., at Delmar Reformed Church (386 Delaware Ave). Tell us you're coming and we'll have a Scout and an adult leader ready to show you around.
My child never did Cub Scouts. Will they be behind?
Not at all. Many Scouts join in 6th grade or later with no Scouting experience. New Scouts join a patrol with friends their age, and the first ranks are built to teach the basics, so everyone starts in the same place.
Is it too late to start in middle or high school?
No. Scouts join at any age from 11 to 17. Scouts who start in middle school have time to reach Eagle, which must be finished before turning 18, and older Scouts quickly find a place in leadership and high adventure.
Can Scouts with disabilities or special needs join?
Yes. Scouting welcomes Scouts with disabilities and special needs, with accommodations for advancement when they're needed. Talk with us about what will help your Scout succeed, and see Scouting America's disability resources.
When can my child join?
Any time of year. Most new Scouts cross over from Cub Scouts in the spring, but Scouts join us in every season, and new Scouts are welcomed into a patrol right away.
My child has never been camping. Is that OK?
Yes. Every skill is taught, by older Scouts and trained adults, starting with the basics. New Scouts start with shorter, closer campouts and build up to treks and high adventure at their own pace. See what to expect at your first campout.
Where do you meet?
At Delmar Reformed Church, 386 Delaware Avenue in Delmar, our chartered organization. Meetings are Wednesdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. when school is in session. On the first Wednesday of the month, youth leaders meet as the Patrol Leaders' Council and parents hold their monthly meeting, both at 7 p.m.
Do you have to live in Delmar?
No. Our Scouts come from all over the Town of Bethlehem (Delmar, Elsmere, Slingerlands, Glenmont, Selkirk) and beyond.
Why is it Troop 75 on the uniform but 1075 online?
We've been Troop 75 in Delmar since 1930. Several troops around the country share the number 75, so Scouting America's records give us the unique number 1075. Same troop, same Scouts.
