Help build Auburn's newest troop!

A call for Troop Committee Members

With Troop 50 in its infancy, it is a great time to get involved and be a part of something special. I am looking to fill some troop committee positions so that as a group we can determine the direction and policies for Auburn's newest Boy Scout troop. Have your opinion heard and become one of the founding leaders of Troop 50.

Concerned about the commitment?  Here are some facts that may alleviate some of your concerns:

• You can work in an area that you are comfortable with.
• Our troop is a small and agile, so clerical tasks are not too overwhelming.
• Policies have not been set and software has not been purchased. Instead of being stuck with someone else's decisions or software, you can be a part of the decision making.
• It's not a lifetime commitment and I understand that circumstances change that will prevent you from continuing. Help as long as you can.

There are several specific positions I'm looking to fill such as Advancement Chair, Outings Chair, Equipment Coordinator, and Treasurer. However, you are welcome to participate as a committee member and help where you can. I would like to schedule a troop committee meeting before the end of the year, so let me know if you are interested in helping out.  You can contact me at troopcommittee@boyscout50.org.

Thanks for the opportunity to serve the troop.  I hope you'll join me.

Your Troop Committee Chairman,
Rob Stanford

Meet our chartered org rep, Michael Tullier

As chartered organization representative, Michael Tullier serves as the liaison between the Auburn Rotary Club (of which he is a member and the club's board director for public relations) and the troop by assisting with troop leadership selections and unit operations, and representing the Auburn Rotary Club at district and council Scouting levels.

Michael has been involved in Scouting since a youth in the Attakapas Council (Alexandria, La.). An Arrow of Light recipient, he attended the 1985 National Jamboree, both earned Eagle Scout and received the OA Vigil Honor in 1989, and was presented the OA's Founders Award in 1991. He was a three-term Order of the Arrow lodge chief (Ouxouiga Lodge 264) and a Camp Attakapas summer camp senior staff member. He continued his regional and national OA involvement into college, serving several terms as section secretary and on the national vice chief's staff during the 1992 National OA Conference.

After moving to Auburn in 1995, he has served in a variety of Saugahatchee District Committee positions in addition to positions associated with his sons' Scouting experiences through service as cubmaster, assistant scoutmaster, troop chaplain, and currently, charter organization representative for both Auburn United Methodist Church where he and his family are members, and the Auburn Rotary Club. He earned the God and Service Adult Religious Award and his Wood Badge beads, both in 2011, and served on staff as a troop guide for the council's most recent Wood Badge course.

Professionally, he directs communications and marketing for the Auburn University Office of Development. His sons -- Davis, a Life Scout in Troop 50, and Jack, a first-year Webelos Scout in AUMC's Pack 29 -- and daughter Sophie are involved in a variety of sports. As a result, Michael and wife Dianna can be seen frequently cheering on the sidelines, breezing through the drive-thru or hustling around town in managing the family's plethora of activities.

Meet our committee chair, Rob Stanford

As troop committee chair, Rob Stanford provides leadership for the troop committee, which meets regularly to assess and support the unit's programming, training, financing and operational efforts in conjunction with the scoutmaster and chartered organization representative.

Rob has been involved in Scouting from the time he was a Cub Scout in Peachtree City, Ga. (Flint River Council). During his youth, he earned the Arrow of Light and joined Troop 175. He was selected by his troop to be a member of the Order of the Arrow (Ini-To Lodge 324) and after many years of leadership and service earned the rank of Eagle. While in college, Rob served as an assistant scoutmaster briefly for his troop.

Rob is currently active in the Scouting program in the Chattahoochee Council on many levels. He has served as the cubmaster for Pack 29 for more than three years. Rob has also served as pack committee chair and a troop committee member for many years. He is currently active as activities chair on the Saugahatchee District Committee. Previously he has served as roundtable commissioner and has headed up many district events such as Loop-A-Ramas and ScoutFest at Auburn CityFest.

Outside Scouting, Rob can be seen supporting the Auburn University baseball team where he is a season ticket holder, coaching youth soccer, and cheering on the sidelines for his children on the soccer field or marching band field. Professionally, he is a software developer at SouthWare Innovations in Auburn. Rob and his wife Lysha have two sons, Andrew and Trey. Andrew is a Life Scout in Troop 50 and Trey is a Bear Scout in Pack 29. Rob’s family have been active members of Auburn United Methodist Church for 15 years.

Meet our scoutmaster, Andrew Baird

As scoutmaster, Andrew Baird is directly responsible for training and guiding the troop's Scouts, working with other adults to bring Scouting to boys, and for ensuring the troop's activities help enstill the aims of Scouting: character development, citizenship training and personal fitness.

Andrew has more than 30 years of experience in Scouting. As a Scout in Birmingham, he earned his Arrow of Light in 1976, his Eagle in 1982 and was selected as a Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow in 1984 as a member of Cherokee Lodge 50. His Order of the Arrow service included a term as vice-chief of Section III. Starting in 1981, he worked for seven summers on the staff at Camp Sequoyah as a lifeguard and camp medic. He later served as an assistant scoutmaster in his troop and as an associate advisor with Explorer Post 50.

Andrew became involved in the Chattahoochee Council in 2002 when his son, Davis, joined as a Tiger Scout. He served in a succession of leadership roles at the unit, district and council level. He served two terms as Saugahatchee District chairman and as a member of the Council Executive Board. He has been a member of the council COPE/Climbing committee, an instructor for National Youth Leadership Training and Outdoor Leader Skills courses, and on the staff of two Wood Badge courses. He has been honored with both the District Award of Merit and the Silver Beaver.

When he has time for other pursuits beyond Scouting, Andrew works as an historian at both Auburn University and Columbus State University. On a personal level, he and his wife Rebecca have celebrated 19 years of marriage and two children. His son Davis, is an Eagle Scout, Vigil Honor Arrowman and will serve the troop as a junior assistant scoutmaster. His daughter Lindsey, runs cross-country, is an accomplished equestrian and has received her Silver Award in Girl Scouts.

A troop is born

In November 2012, Troop 50 became the newest troop in the Chattahoochee Council. The troop is chartered by the Auburn Rotary Club, and will meet weekly at First Presbyterian Church on East Thach Avenue in Downtown Auburn.

While the troop will expand its youth and adult membership over the coming weeks, its key leadership is comprised of its scoutmaster, Andrew Baird; troop committee chair, Rob Stanford; and and chartered organization representative, Michael Tullier.

As a newly chartered unit, Troop 50 qualifies for Scouting's Founder’s Bar. In celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America, the New-Unit Task Force announced the Founder’s Bar recognition. This recognition is intended to emphasize the importance and pride of forming and nurturing a new Scouting unit. The Founder’s Bar is worn by all youth and adults whose names are on a new-unit charter or who officially join the new unit before the unit recharters for the first time. Though the bar looks similar to an Interpreter's Strip, it is worn on the left sleeve below the unit numerals.