Upcoming events

The Patrol Leaders Conference and Troop Committee Meeting went well with excellent attendance.....

The Troop will make up the trip to the Walls of Jericho as time permits.....want to thank Mr. Branin and the leaders who assisted him for all the work in preparation for the trip through preparing the back packing equipment and the actual schedule.

For the month of April:

6 April (meeting): New Scouts and parents meet at the Hut at 5:30 PM for a Troop orientation and registration. Meeting begins as usual with a special guest speaker, Ben Putnam, an Eagle and Vigil member of the OA, who was a Coosa OA ceremony team member and OA competitive dancer who competed and received honors at several OA Conclave (six districts) and two NOACs (National). He served several terms as an officer in the Coosa 50 will speak and demonstrate, in his personal full dress regalia, Native American customs and several types of actual dance to a background of actual Native American dance music. He will talk to the to the purpose of the OA, the importance of being active in the OA, and the significance of his Eagle in his career.
Mr. Hardy will give the Scoutmasters minute.

13 April (meeting) Special guest speaker will be a Jefferson County Canine Office, drug enforcement, with all the information expected of the career. He will also speak to the importance of Scouting in his career. In the even he cannot make it, we will go for a Hoover Canine officer and drug enforcement officer.
Mr. Berry will do the Scoutmaster's minute.

20 April (meeting) Special Guest Speaker and veteran scouter, Dr. Nelson will speak to the up and coming trip to Camp Sequoyah for Shooting Sports and firearms safety inclusive of the .22 rifle, skeet shooting/shotgun, and black powder demonstrations. Mr. Bill Benifield, former summer camp range master will assist during the weekend. We will also speak to the BSA Archery merit badge.
Mr. Simon will present the Scoutmaster's minute

23 April: Quartermaster night for all Troop and patrol quartermasters to load for the trip. Be at the Hut at 6:30 for about an hour. Names of the Quartermasters are known from the 20 April meeting and posted on the last Court of Honor agenda.....

24-26 April Camp Sequoya Shooting Sports Trip: Meet at the Hut at 5:00 PM on the 24th in red "T" shirt, shorts or long pants, scout socks, scout belt. Recommend insect repellant if required.....return around Noon on the 26th....cost: $12.00 meals, 10.00 fuel, 10.00 for miscellaneous fees...ammunition/targets/requirements for a of total $32.00....

27 April: Camping equipment storage and PLC, followed by Troop Committee meeting (all leaders and parents are welcome).

May 5 (Tuesday night) Court of Honor Bluff Park United Methodist Church 733 Valley St Hoover 35226 in the Reid Crotty Fellowship Hall off of Valley ground floor entrance. Starting time 6:30 PM.
Host Patrol (Foxes) arrive at 6:00 PM to help with set up. An agenda will be posted for families to bring in the coming weeks prior to the Court.

We will have special presentation for Mr. David Lanier, a representative from the District will speak to "Friends of Scouting Campaign" along with the usual business of merit badge awards and rank advancement for the Scouts. Some scouts have volunteered to speak to recent trips and we will welcome all the new Scouts and their families on the occasion.
As we know, Courts of Honor are the time we welcome new elected and appointed Troop leadership for the next six months, recognize Scout accomplishments through rank and advancement and other honors and recognition including their earning merit badges. These are family affairs to assure the Scouts appreciate your support and assure the recognition of their work.

We serve buffet style with the each family bringing an entree dish. and side dishes as assigned by the patrols at the PLC:
Venture I Salad dish or bread/rollsVenture II Salad dish or bread/rollsIndians Desert dishPenguins Desert dish or salad/breadFoxes Bread of SaladNew Patrol Desert or salad or bread
The Troop provides required condiments and beverages.
As in all our activities, attendance is critical for the Scout to participate in acknowledging his own hard work, as well as that of his patrol members, and the remainder of the Troop. Uniform is Class "A." that is Scout tan shirt, Scout belt, Scout trousers/shorts, scout socks, merit badge sash, and Troop Neckerchief, or a BSA bolo.

Discussion came up in the PLC about noise discipline and attendance. We are working on the noise discipline at meetings and discussed the importance of attending meetings and trips....attendance an integral part of Scouting Spirit, it assures the Scout understands his role as a team member or leader, and adds greatly to the moral and esprit of the Troop by assuring we have our strength through numbers as well as his importance to all by just being there. Please encourage attendance to maximize the effect of the program. We can't do it without him and the family support he deserves.....

As we say every year...this year is going to be our best year yet, based on the spirit the Scouts and leaders are regularly demonstrating at meetings and on trips....we are welcoming ten new Scouts and their families at the first meeting on April 6; we are sending two crews to Sea Base the last week in May; we are planning on Northern Tier for next year (2010); and, we are anticipating our best summer camp ever. We are expecting recognition in the Order of the Arrow (OA) Conclave and NOAC by our five man ceremony team during the Spring and summer. Last year eleven Scouts were nominated for the OA with the final nominee attending the Ordeal this coming May and this March, eight Scouts and a leader were nominated for the OA to attend the Ordeals in August and October.
Scouts and leaders who have not earned their Brotherhood in the OA by attending an OA Ordeal, or other activity, are encouraged to plan on getting it this year as well as getting active with our local OA Chapter-Nunne-Hi..which meets each month.

Thanks for all your support for your Scout, encouraging attendance, and for all the work you are doing to keep us as strong as we are.

YiS Dan s "Delivering the Promise"

NO TROOP MEETING TONIGHT but PLC is at 7pm

The Scout should have received the reminder from his patrol leader that there is no meeting tonight at the Hut. He should also know that there is a Patrol Leaders Confrerence tonight at the Hut starting at 7:00PM to plan the Month of April. A Troop Committee Meeting begins at 8:00 PM....all leaders and parents are welcome.....uniforms for both meetings are not required.

Since the unexpected loss of Mr. Steve Gilbert, we have a vacancy for a leader to assume the role of Archery Merit Badge Counselor in the Troop. We have all the required targets and all necessary equipment for this and usually spend the day at Camp Sequoyah Shooting Sport Range with the Scouts earning the merit badge. We will need some pre-range basices before we go as outlined in the Archery Merit badge book. This month we will be going to Camp Sequoyah for Shooting Sports during the last weekend of April....we need a leader/parent to step up to the role and help us out this month with Archery...... Dr. Frank Nelson and Mr. Bill Benifield will handle shot gun. black powder, and .22 rifle options Please reply if you can help out with our opportunity for Archery for the boys.....

YiS dan s "Delivering the Promise"

Advance-o-Rama this weekend

Everyone should have checked on their prerequisites and read their merit badge books and printed off the worksheets required. Bring all of the above along with pen or pencils. I will have your blue cards signed by Mr. Strunk for you on Sat.

We will meet at the hut this Saturday April 4th at 7:45 am and leave at 8 am for Canterbury United Methodist Church. Mr. Lepianka and myself will take my van and his vehicle. We have 10 boys registered to attend. Please bring your check for $12 make out to BSA troop 21.(Max your cost is $16)

Uniform is class A and lunch is provided .Orientation begins at 9 am session 1 is from 9:15 to 12:15 lunch from 12:15-1:30 and session 2 is from 1:30- 4:30. We should be finished by 4:30 and be back at the hut by 5 pm for pick up. Please call or email with any questions.

Cathy A. Kidd

Troop News

In continuing to monitor the weather, we've decided, based on the potential for rain all the way through Saturday, to go ahead and cancel the the trip for this weekend...we will reschedule it in the future with the PLC.

It is not necessary to bring his pack tonight (Thursday March 26th).
There will be a PLC (patrol leaders meeting) as usual on Monday at 7:00 PM and a Troop Committee meeting at 8:00 PM to plan for April.

Our Nunne-Hi Chapter of the Order of the Arrow will have its regular monthly meeting tonight (Thursday, March 26) at the Scout Hut of the Briarwood Presbyterian Church off of the Acton Road exit. Usual snacks (Cracker barrel) will be provided with the program consisting of an introduction/demonstration to Competitive Indian Dancing as we saw last weekend at the OA American Indian Seminar. The meeting starts at 6:30 PM tonight and and lasts for about an hour and a half.

The American Indian Seminar started Friday evening with a Cracker Barrel for all the attendees followed Saturday with a big breakfast and then breaking into a choice of classes for one and one half hour durations all day long....there were more classes than ever offered with instructors coming in from GA and TN. There were about 300 Scouts and leaders in attendance) Some of these classes included all forms of competitive Indian dancing, ceremonial American Indian customs and traditions, classes on Native American culture, basic and advanced handicrafts crafts such a bead work, necklace construction, patch trading, dance shield construction, bracelet and bandoleer construction, as well as Conclave and NOAC planning.

This year's Conclave (meeting of all the districts) will be held at Camp Comer during the weekend of 17-19 April and will have about 900 Arrow men (nine lodges) in attendance from our District inclusive of GA and TN. The Conclave starts with the cracker barrel Friday night and continues with individual and team competition throughout the day. Competition includes a number of athletic events and pure fun contests for individuals and groups of Scouts. The evening will continue with competitive Native American dancing by the Scouts. leaders and Scouts can register to attend by going the web site Order of the Arrow GAC Lodge at: Coosa.org
This year, our own J Ng, K and J Berry, J Kunka, and P Kidd will also be going to the NOAC, National Order of the Arrow Conference, in Indianapolis, Indiana, the first week in August, to nationally compete as a ceremony team representing the Nunne-Hi chapter of the Coosa Lodge Order of the Arrow. According to Mr. Don Russell, Ceremony Counselor, and Ceremonies Advisor of the Coosa Lodge, the team has the best chance of placing that he has ever seen and is looking forward to their ranking high and placing this year. This is quite an accomplishment and says a great deal about the hard work and dedication these Scouts have made to make this possible.

Everyone in the Troop who wears a OA flap is welcome to join us on March 28 (if not rained out) and April 11 for a work day at Camp Comer in preparation for the Conclave SR 9 and to enjoy the work in anticipation of the largest Conclave ever.

What is the OA...it stands of the Order of the Arrow and is regarded as the "honor Society" of Scouting...not based on academic standards, but or service to the community, brotherhood, Cheerfulness, the three principles of the Order. It takes the Scout from the Troop level to the district level, which includes all of the Troops in the Greater Alabama Council, and permits them a new experience in understanding the huge diversity, yet oneness, in Scouting that he won't find elsewhere. It's analogous to joining the service, in that he gets to meet hundreds of new faces and personalities all under the same umbrella of service, fun, and brotherhood, not to mention opportunities for membership in our local Chapter and leadership opportunity in making it work. The Order also has different weeks set aside for service in areas such as Washington, Colorado, and Yellowstone National Park system to perform service in place of summer camp for the scout.

A Scout should plan on becoming an OA member, if elected by the members of the Troop, along with earning his Eagle, and should participate in the Order to continue building his network and taking an opportunity for leadership not found is such quantity or quality elsewhere....that's exactly why the rank of Eagle is almost a prerequisite in getting accepted into a service academy..or why the Eagle rank and OA membership lubricates career tracks for those who know its significance.

Finally.....We welcomed four WEBELOS and three new Scouts from their cross over on March 23. We should have a total of about eight new Scouts entering the Troop this year and will have first orientation on April 6th at 5:30 PM before the regular meeting at 7 PM. They will be accompanying the Troop on our April Trip to Camp Sequoyah for shooting sports with Dr. Frank Nelson and Mr. Bill Benifield. That weekend will also serve as the new Scout camp out.

And..as recommended by the PLC in the last meeting, we will be converting/combining the Indians and Penquins patrols into the "Pendian" Patrol in order to keep better number in attendance at meetings and on trips. The changed roster along with the agenda for the May 5 Court of Honor will be posted soon as email.

Thanks for all your support.......sorry for the weather...but we will make it up.....

YiS Dan s "Delivering the Promise"

Backpacking Trip CANCELLED !!!

In continuing to monitor the weather, we've decided, based on the potential for rain all the way through Saturday, to go ahead and cancel the the trip for this weekend...

We will reschedule it in the future with the PLC.
It is not necessary to bring his pack tonight (Thursday March 26th).

There will be a PLC (patrol leaders meeting) as usual on Monday at 7:00 PM and a Troop Committee meeting at 8:00 PM to plan for April.

Weather consideration for Backpack Trip this weekend

The attendance tonight at the Cross over for the new in-coming Scouts (WEBELOS) was excellent and exceeded all previous times. Thanks for your support and encouragement for making it work.

We are going to be watching the weather closely for as you know there are storms due from the NW starting quickly into possibly the weekend. We will go ahead and plan to pack our personal gear and bring it to the Hut on Thursday night (26 March) and load it on the Frank Tank that night as planned.....Remember, if coming on the trip, it is required to bring the backpack to the hut on Thursday night at 6:30 PM so we can pack the food a and Troop gear... .if the rain slacks off well enough Friday night..we will go on "Friday night at 5:00 PM as usual....if it stays bad, we will cancel Friday night and will probably meet at the Hut at 6:30 AM Saturday morning ir it starts clearing ..to still make a trip to NE Alabama. There is no sense in going if it will just be a sloppy wet weekend and tough for backpacking...if it is going to rain the entire weekend...we may cancel Saturday also.

We will watch the weather and let you know by 4:00 PM on email on Friday what we will do....if there are no cancellation emails by 4:00 PM on Friday,,,we will leave at 5:00 PM on Friday as planned for the weekend at the Walls of Jericho. You can also call me at 516-7161 to be sure after 4:00 on Friday if you are not around a computer for email.

As we know, heavy rain and electrical storms just do no make for a good back packing weekend. If a cancellation, we will just reschedule it in the future this year....

Thanks for your support.....

YiS Dan S Delivering the Promise"

Crossover tonight 7pm @BPUMC

Remember. Scouts need to be at the BPUMC Reid Crotty Fellowship Hall in Class A plus, including merit badge sash at 7:00 PM. We will be completed at about 8:00 PM the latest for his pick up for home.

There will be no activity at the Hut.

YIS Dan s

Troop News

Want to thank all the leaders who attended the University of Scouting Saturday March 8, 2009. Want also to congratulate Mr. Micky Harbin, who served as a Vice Chairman in the development of the program which has become an institution in the GAC for the past twenty years now.

Has your son thought more about his Eagle Project yet....the next step is to see Mr. Harbin, Mr. Davis, or Mr. Houlditch about getting the planning started, the approval requirements at District level, and planning to assure it's success to the end.

A summer camp payment was due two weeks ago for $75.00. Please assure you mail a check to Mr. Lepianka if you haven't. The Troop has covered this fee and about half have forwarded a check. He is also present at meetings. Another $75.00 is due in April and a final in May for the total amount.

There are still a few Scouts who have not forwarded their annual re-charter dues of $30.00 for the Scout and 15.00 for the leader....Please mail those to Mr. Lepianka also, with the amounts noted on the Check for Deposit to your credit.

We had a good turnout last night for the meeting and had the Order of the Arrow and Troop elections. We also had a excellent presentation from Mr. Doug Graham on executive level Banking and Human Resource careers. Mr Graham is the Troop's District Commissioner, and a past member of the Vulcan District Training Committee. He is an Eagle Scout, who worked for two years as a Ranger at Philmont when he was a youth. He has spent for than the past fifty years voluntarily serving the BSA. He served as an Assistant Scout Master with the Troop while his son earned his Eagle and participated in trips to Philmont, Northern Tier, and Sea Base. He is a member of the Order of the Arrow and has served as an instructor in Wood Badge Courses. He is a retired Lieutenant Colonel, USAR, with over twenty years service. His presentation centered on the character traits and the importance of personal persistence, endurance, and drive in order to succeed, emphasizing the importance of all of these traits in obtaining the Eagle rank and personal strength when facing changes in careers, personal challenges, and expectations in school and the work place as one matures.
Mrs. Kidd presented an excellent Scoutmaster Minute and reminded the Scouts of the April 4 Advance-O-Rama coming up and the opportunity to earn two merit badges.

The uniform until next October is Scout trousers/shorts, belt,Scout Socks. The uniform for the Crossover for the WEBELOS on March 23 is Class A with merit badge sash and Troop Neckerchief to welcome in the new WEBELOS and their families.....Remember to drop the Scout off at the Church (BPUMC) at 7:00 PM and pick him up at 8:00 PM.

As you know the dates for Shiloh have been moved up to November 13-15..go give families more time for the Holidays. Please mark your family calendars.

The May Trip for Deep Sea fishing has been changed to Rappelling at Bucks Pocket State Park, if we can get the instructor...if not we will canoe at Grimes Canoe Base in TN or ride bikes on rails to trails at the Chief Latiega Trail in Anniston or the Silver Comet in GA.

Don't forget..there is not meeting on March 16 due to Spring Break.
We've learned that Junior Leader Training, that we have used for Troop Leadership Training over the past 25 years has been modified. We will be talking to this in the Troop Committee in the immediate future in order to incorporate the new training into the Troop for this year.

Congratulations to Mr. Doug Hardy for his intent to attend the District SMLT and leadership Essentials this month and as described in the last Troop Blog. This gives us the added depth we constantly need for the Troop.

As you know we are having a very busy, fast moving year and are looking forward to it all. Thanks for all your support...Have a good Spring Break with the family.

YiS Dan s "Delivering the Promise"

Troop News

Congratulations to E Kidd and D Lepianka for completing last Saturday's merit badge day at the Hoover Fire Department, Station # 7) and for Dr. Hamilton, Mr. Hardy, and Mr. Smith for re-certifying in CPR the same day at the Hut. Need to update your CPR with the newest and more simple technique? Will announce the dates for the next few months after the next Troop committee meeting.

The heater was on for the meeting..Pilot light had to be re-lit.....Left rear blinker, brake light, and back-up light are repaired on the Frank Tank (bulbs). New Troop 21, green numerals with the designated 90 year of charter time sewn on are in for $3.00 apiece. Same for Troop neckerchiefs for $10.00 per. Thanks to Mr. Young the Troop has a 24 inch television in the Hut for viewing. Thanks to Mr. Smith all the plumbing is running as normal in the Hut.

Don't forget the University of Scouting is coming up this Saturday at Gadsden State Junior College...There are several of us going..hope to see you there...if you haven't registered you can still walk in.....

WEBELO leaders coming in to the Troop this Spring should plan on attending the New Leader Essential Course (about one hour at the up and coming leader District Leader Training coming on on March 28. We have copy of it at the Hut if you wish to view it at home....it is required of all new leaders at the Cub or Scout levels. I believe you can also take the course on line at olc.Scouting .com....Remember Scouts deserve trained leaders. This courses are important for getting to the purpose of the Scouting Program and why it is coming up on its 100th year of success as the largest, most successful youth organization in the united States/world.

Please think about getting certified to drive the bus....it is important for us to keep our driver pool numbers up to continue our success with the bus. Mr. Young and Dr.Hamilton are our most recent certified drivers....please speak to them about it.

If you have not paid the Scout's re-registration fee yet..please make a point of taking care of it. Don't forget summer camp fees can be paid in increments or a complete sum...Mr. Lepianka is the coordinator for that and will accept your checks in the mail or in person at meetings.

A parent asked the other day if his son could start his Eagle project before he completed his required merit badges. The answer is yes and the recent blog indicated sources of projects available and limited only to his imagination. The Bluff Park Elementary School and the Southern Museum of Flight in Birmingham are looking for Scouts now for some very worthy projects. The Scout needs to contact Mr. Harbin, Mr. Davis, or Mr. Houlditch to get started on on the right path. There are a lot of Life Scouts out there who need to be seriously thinking about this.

There are a number of Life Scouts who are falling off in attendance at regular meetings and trips....Scout Spirit is inclusive of attendance at both of these for all Scouts in order to advance and support the Troop...please encourage attendance in order to meet the best interests of the Troop in terms of expected leadership/camaraderie and esprit...he can't do it at home on Monday nights and on Troop weekends.

The Vulcan District Eagle Boards, Mr. Don Russell (don.russell@compassbnk.com) chairman, are constantly recruiting leaders to fill the role of sitting on Eagle Boards which meet regularly each month or so. You can also just call and get on visitor status to see how they work. This would be a very good opportunity for you personally to see what the Eagle Project process is about and the types that are completed in other Troops. The Scout also needs to review the two large Eagle Project books in the Hut which Mrs. Kidd laboriously put together for this very purpose. We are fortunate to have Mr. Harbin's broad experience for getting all of our most recent Eagle's through and Mr. Davis and Mr. Holditch, Eagle Scouts, willing ness to advise also.

Saturday, April 4 is the Vulcan District Advance O'Rama at Canteberry United Methodist Church..They are having a large variety of Eagle required and non-required badges during the day for a fee of $12.00 ....good opportunity here for the Scout...contact...www.meritbadge.info or bpritchard@1bsa.org or 205-970-0251..

What else.....
As mentioned..new leaders should all consider attending the Scoutmaster Leader Specific Training (SMLT) March 28th at 0900 AM as well as New Leader Essentials at 0800 AM, lasting until about 5:00 PM at Canteberry United Methodist Church in Mountain Brook (Cost is $7.50) . The companion course (OLS) Outdoor Leadership Training) will be conducted on April 1`7, 18, and 19 at Camp Sequoyah (cost $17.50). You can register at dsnow@snowsonline.com pr call Dean Snow at 205-617-3820.

If your son is not coming to summer camp because he doesn't feel like it, do him a favor and enroll him in the Greater Alabama Council National Youth Leadership Training Course for a week ( contact wshaw3410@charter.net or 205-979-5286) the cost is $205.00 and slots are competitive. It is the best thing you can do for him rather than sitting at home. It is one of the best conducted, excellently curriculmed, one week courses, he will attend as a youth in learning leadership skills for the rest of his life. This course ( NYLT), combined with the Eagle, membership in the OA (having his brotherhood also) is his ticket to success for a lifetime in terms of job interviews, jobs, and having a handle on being prepared.

Finally, if he is not attending summer camp or the NYLT, he should be applying for a job as a counselor at summer camp (Sequoyah or Comer) to also give him that extra opportunity for leadership and partnership in learning as a youth in preparing him for his adult roles (Contact the Greater Alabama Council (Bpritchard@1BSA.org. The camp provides room and board plus some remuneration to make it worth while.....great experience..great times...a great asset for the Troop...great people for a life time...and he won't be sitting around the house. Slots are still available all summer long.

Take a look at the last Troop blog for the schedule coming up for the next few weeks.....

We have to have maximum attendance at the March 9 meeting to have effective Troop and Order of the Arrow elections..please encourage that with him...

No meeting on March 16

We also need maximum attendance on March 23rd for the WEBELO Crossover at the BPUMC Reid Crotty Fellowship Hall to continue our strong recruitment from Pack 321. Remember...drop him off at 7:00 PM at the Church in Full Class A Uniform/with neckerchief and merit badge sash..pick him up at 8:00 PM.

Thanks for all your support...

YiS Dan s "Delivering the Promise"