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"