Troop News

This is already one of our best years and we are only just begun.....whew...The Ski Trip and followed up by our best ever attendance at the District Awards Banquet....Thanks to Mr. Simon, there are already pictures on the Troop Web site for this week's meeting and the Banquet...

A bonus for the Banquet was for the Nunne-Hi Chapter, our local chapter, to participate as hosts and thanks to our own J Ng and P Kidd they did a super jobin coming across with their purpose....Good attendance by all our leaders all reinforces our recruitment potential for some Scouts in the District who are still looking for a troop to call home. Besides that there was not cost...and that makes it even better.

Scoumaster's status? no big deal...just needs the R&R for patching up the running gear...not his first time through it and will be fully active before the Camporee in a couple weeks or less. Thanks to all for the card and the moral support....

As we know, thanks to Cathy Kidd's coordination as usual, we are fully signed (22 Scouts) to go to the Shelby County Merit Badge Day on the Saturday January 31. The Troop bus will be driven by Mr. Jay Plyler, leaving and returning at the arranged times (7:45 AM). They will also return announced or as by phone call from your son, if earlier.

As you know again...Pack 321 is having their annual Pine Wood Derby at Prince of Peace Church, January 31, Sat, from 08:00 AM to 16:00 PM...As you can remember from you Cub day's it was a good time to feel out who else was in the program other than at Blue and Gold nights....Its a good time for recruitment for us in giving the cubs and their parents a good eye full of what are the boys and Dad's/leaders look like who are currently in the Troop for some commonality and support and assurance in their joining us down the road...Beside that Mr. Gregg Stocks, Mr. Richard Griffth, Mr. David Gunn, Mr. ChrisTurner, and Mr. Bert Oliver and son's could use some help....It's just a good time to put up a good image of continuity in the program as the transition from Cubs/WEBELOS/ to Scouts....please plan on dropping by with the Scout for a short while to help.

The Camporee is coming..quickly....this is an annual event for the Troop and our District and has been for more tha 25 years. I assures the possibility of the Polar Bear Patch, a great opportunity to see what the District looks like on the ground, assure some strong patrol competetion which we can only do with numbers, and give the transitioning WEBELOS an opportunity to see what their next step in to Scouting is all about....Unless the family is going to be out of town, or unless he really has a reason not to to be there..please encourage his attendance to help out in all we have to do, rather than sleeping in late and missing a good time with us not far from home. We got into some Camporee competition practice last Monday.. and will finish it off during the next two Mondays before we leave to the trip....we can't do it without him.....

It's already time to start thinking about summer camp! The first payment will be due on February 13th or so....Mr. Lepianka and Mr. Simon will be coordinating payment fees, merit badge, sign up, and BSA Medical Form collection this year...We are looking forward to one of our biggest and most fun camps to date this coming summer.

Does your son have friend who should be in the Troop? Invite him to a meeting. His joining will give your son a buddy and someone else to get the most of this program. Numbers never hurt and there are few reasons not to be having this opportunity.

Finally...don't forget to encourage him to attend Scout Sunday on Feb 8 with the Troop at 8:30 AM in the main Sanctuary of the Bluff Park United Methodist Church. Uniform is Class "A" plus (with neckerchief and merit badge sash),,no jeans worn under the short also....for a about an hour to show our appreciation to our Charter Organization for their support and to recruit from those who are not members in the Troop. Big numbers are a help with our recruiting.


....have a good weekend...see you Monday...encourage attendance....Help deliver the "Promise" by assuring we are delivering our potential for better sons, better brothers, better fathers, and better citizens in our community, throughout the South and the Nation with the Boy Scouts of America.

"Just think about the ones who have no idea about what they are missing by not being a member and by how much ours have gained by just being there."

Thanks for all your support...

YiS

Dan Strunk "Delivering the Promise"

Fire safety, Emergency prep, First Aid MB

Any scout interested in taking one of these merit badges classes please let me know. Most of our guys already have Emerg prep and First Aid from summer camp.
The Greater Alabama Fire Service Explorers are offering these classes Saturday Feb 28th, 2009 9am until 2pm at the Hoover Fire Station 7.

You can only take one class, there is no fee and you provide your own sack lunch.Let me know if you are interested and I will sign you up.

Cathy A. Kidd czkidii@aol.com

Pack 393 Pinewood Derby this Saturday @Prince of Peace

Troop 21,

We would again like to ask any available Scouts and/or adult leaders to join us this Saturday for the Pack’s annual Derby . Volunteers can come out for any part of the day or stay until the end.

- January 31, 2009
- 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Prince of Peace Church , Deasy Hall
- Class A uniform

Thank you,

Greg Stocks
Richard Griffith

Ski Trip recap

We can't remember a better Troop trip than we took this weekend...Thanks to the Leaders who went for making it possible, Mr. Mark Branin, Mr. Ricky Guo, Mr. ChrisTurner, and Mr. David Gunn and especially to Mr. Larry Young for the time and effort in its coordination and sell based on the plans made in January 08 planning conference.

Thanks to Mr. Simon the trip pictures are posted on the Troop Web site.Please remember that there is no Troop meeting tonight...but there is a Troop Committee Meeeting at 6:30 PM tonight tonight, Tuesday, Jan 20thIf you would like to attend the District Banquet as posted on a previous Troop Blog....please reply today so we can make you a reservation...there is no cost...and it is a good time to support the Troop.

Thanks for all your support...

YiS Dan S "Delivering the Promise"

Annual Registration, Ski Trip

Please make sure we have check for the Scout's registration fees this year as he will need it to be enrolled for the ski trip this weekend (Sat through Monday) If he is not registered yet, he can bring it tomorrow(made out to the Troop) for insurance purposes and BSA accountability..There are still some who have not paid as active leaders and for the Scouts and we have to meet the District's deadline.....

Remember Scouts and Leaders going on the ski trip need to be at the Hut on Saturday morning (18th) at 7:30 AM with his bag lunch or he can buy something on the way up. We will are expecting a return on Monday (20th) at about 2:00 PM.

"Hazardous Weather" certified

There is a new requirement for tour permits..one of the leaders going must have passed the on line BSA Course called "Hazardous Weather." If your are an active leader with us, and will be as your son comes in from WEBELOS, and you intend to go on trips, please go to olc.scouting.org and get the certification.

There are also other certifications on this site you need to go ahead and earn on your computer for us, as leaders and as a troop, to keep our certifications up...and to be familiar with. Then please notify Mrs kidd that you have...Mr. Young has to know this also since he completes our tour permits.. Mrs. Kidd keeps the records.

Thanks for all your support.

YiS Dan S "Delivering the Promise"

Ski Trip gear list and travel schedule

Cost: $150.
Book or game boy for bus ride
Class A’s for bus ride and dinners
Personal toiletries
Comfortable clothes to play in a cool gym (maybe a basketball or frizzbee . . .)
Sleep clothes
Bed roll (we sleep on cots located in a classroom)
Snacks for on the ski slopes (coke or water and trail mix)
Ski or Snow Board

- full length hiking socks
- long johns
- blue jeans and nylon rain pants (or ski pants)(outer shell)

- dry fit long sleeve shirt (base layer)
- long john shirt (light long sleeve shirt)
- heavy shirt or sweatshirt or hoodie
- nylon shell jacket with pockets, (outer shell protecting from wet snow and wind)

- gloves (protecting from wet snow)
- toboggan
- chap stick
- sunglasses with croakies or ski goggles
- $ for lunch on the ski slopes- this meal is not covered

Saturday call time is 7:30am at the scout hut, we will leave at 8:00am. Eat breakfast at home and pack a sack lunch for the bus trip. Arrive 3:30est, National Guard Armory, Johnson City TN (ne TN)

Sunday: ski from 9:00 to 4:30, Sugar Mt. NC
Monday: return home 2:00

Mr. Young

Troop News

for those going on the Ski Trip.... Mr. Young has called NC and found that helmets are available at the lodge to rent for about $6.00 if you or you son want to rent one for the day....They are not mandatory on the slopes....

If you or your son went to philmont went to Philmont, and he has read the hiking/backpacking merit badge booklet..he is probably close to a sign off on a blue card for it.

Also.... he is real close to be eligible, if not already, to earn his fifty miler patch since he did Philmont. At the next meeting we will discuss the requirements he needs. The Adult Crew Chief of each crew can pick up the paper work at the hut if the entire crew is eligible. Most are and will just need a few hours of trail cleaning, or less, to be eligible for it. He earned it, he should follow up on the paper work for his patch. Also note that th Philmont Ranch has a large selection of hats, shirts and Philmont items (souveniers) available at the following web site in case he would like to purchase more as he earns more....toothoftimetraders.com..same for Seabase.

I happened across a copy of the "Eagletter," a news magazine for Eagles who are members of NESA, National Eagle Scout Association.

It is an interesting magazine with a great deal information in it. If any of our leaders are members, could you start dropping your copy off at the Hut for information if you don't save them...we can keep latest copies in our library.

There is registration available for the University of Scouting...We will have copies available at the Hut this coming Monday if you don't want to register on line....GAC universityofscouting.org with your credit card. They are offering a great variety of courses this year at Gadsen State Community College. There are a great deal of courses are are certificate BSA courses also. Others are interesting and worth your time.... The date is March 7, 2009.

Have a son who is an Eagle? Well..there are several academic scholarships he is eligible for...they start at less than $7500.00 and can be more than $59,000. These forms are available through NESA at NESA.org ..The only ones not eligible are those Eagles attending the U.S. Military Academies.

Remember that January 29th is the Vulcan District Awards Banquet...since our members our all eligible, maybe this year we'll get an award for service in the District. It normally starts at 6:30 PM at the Metropolitan Church of God, close to the Hoover Schools Admin building off of the Acton Road exit.

If your son Eagled this year, he will be invited to the annual Eagle Banquet in March 09 where all the Eagles of 2009 from GAC are anknowledged along with Silver Beaver reciepients.

Thanks for all your support...

YiS Dan S "Delivering the Promise"

Ski Trip, Finalized calendar

If you or your son wish to come on the Ski Trip to Sugar Mountain NC, you may still make a reservation by bringing the fee this coming Monday meeting. The fee is $150 and includes all meals except the lunch meal at the lodge, all travel expenses, all overnight sleeping arrangements, an all day ski lift ticket, one lesson on the slopes if you want it, and all equipment, except a ski helmet which they may or may not have for rent. That's, thanks to Mr. Young and all his work, a deal.

We need more that just twenty people to go. we could also use a car as a back-up vehicle with gas of course paid for. Last year nearly all the Scouts raised their hands to go...We have made the arrangements and now only twenty one or two, including leaders have signed up.

If you are going on this trip, or still want to go, be at the meeting on Monday at the Hut, with you $150.00 so we can get a final head count and go through the last of the trip's preparations.....you asked for it..you got it...so let's go!

The Troop calendar for 2009 was finalized tonight and will be available, thanks to Mr. Simon, on the Troop Web site for you planning this year. If there is a date you needed to insert that is important for the Troop..please send it to myself and Tracy Hamilton for approval and insertion as needed.

Thanks for all your support...

YiS Dan s "Delivering ther Promise"

Website Calendar

Hello Troop,

I have updated/corrected the website calendar after the troop committee has approved the goals and calendar tonight. Please let me know if there is any more correction necessary.

When you click on the interactive calendar,
1) click on the actual event, sometimes I put more detail (e.g. who do what when, scoutmaster minutes etc.) on the pop-up and/or more links related to that event.

2) On top of the calendar, it is default to start with the current month and list 3 months at a time, but you can change them anyway you want. Let me know if you have any question about the website.

YiS,

Mr. Ng

NO troop meeting but Committee Meeting tonight 6:30pm

We had one of the best attended Annual Planning Conferences we've had in a long time......the Scouts got a great deal accomplished as far as anticipating 2009..

Mr. Simon will have a first draft of the planning calendar at the Troop Committee meeting this Monday, January 5, at 6:30 PM at the Hut......Thanks especially to Mr. Simon for staying late and for Mr. Lepinkinka for staying the night with the Scouts.

There is no Troop meeting for the Scouts on January 5 owing to the planning conference and PLC this weekend.

The Committee meeting will focus on polishing and approving the draft planning calendar, a discussion of tree sales, wreath sales, popcorn and the overall budget.

The next meeting for the Scouts will be January 12 for final planning for the Ski Trip to Sugar Mountain, Jan 17-19. There won't be a quartermaster night on January 15 since we will only be taking personal gear on the trhip. There won't be a Troop meeting on January 19th but there will be a Troop Committee meeting at 6:30 PM on January 20th.

Finally, thanks to Mr. Branin and W Henson for getting some required welding done these past couple of days on the bus to assure our annual State/Federal Inspection was passed for 2009

Thanks to Mr. Simon, the finalized version of the 2009 calendar will be posted on the Web Site.
We still need Scout and Leader/parent registrations fees for 2009 mailed to Mr. Frost if you haven't at this time in order to meet that requirment also. His address is on an earlier Troop Blog and is on the Troop Roster.

Thanks for all your support in 2008. We are looking forward to 2009 more than ever.

YiS Dan s "Delivering the Promise"