COH May 5

Hope everyone made it through the weather without any damage Sunday.
Remember there is no meeting tonight (Monday, May 4) at the Hut owing to the Band Banquet....but we will be having the scheduled Court of Honor on Tuesday May 5 at the Bluff Park United Methodist Church on Valley St., 35226, in the Reid Crotty Fellowship Hall starting at 6:30 PM with the Host Patrol (Foxes) arriving at 6:00 PM to assist with the set up.

Remember this is a Pot Luck scenario as usual with the details for each patrol in several Troop Blogs ago on the Troop web site. We will have two guest speakers, Mr. Don Russell and Brett Milton, during dinner and we will be also recognizing Mr. David Lanier for his Scouting Service over the years. Mr. Simon will have a powerpoint picture show for us as usual so we are set up for a good strong hour and a half or so. Feel free to invite any guest or possible recruits to meet the 'Troop. We are especially looking forward to welcoming the new Shark patrol and their families to their first Court of Honor with us.

This last weekend at Camp Sequoyah was one of our best Ordeals of the Order of the Arrow this year. Our Pre-Ordeal ceremony team (Nunne-Hi Chapter, Coosas Lodge), consisting of J and K Berry, J Ng (couldn't be present), P Kidd, and J Kunka perfromed their usual best for the more than 100 candidates on Friday night and joined the more than 150 in service all day Saturday in preparing the Camp for Summer Camp.

Congratulations to Mr. Joe Berry and B Garrett for passing their Ordeal and becoming members of the OA.

We will be taking another head count at the Court of Honor to see who is coming on the Walls of Jericho back packing trip during the weekend of May 15-17, 2009. Details have been talked to in earlier meetings with the meeting on Monday night (May 11) being required for attendance for those going on the trip and on the 14th of May in order to load troop gear. This will be a back packing trip for all but the Shark Patrol who will day hike the same trails and should attend both meetings to become familiar with back packing requirments, equipment and techniques in order to be prepared for the Fall backpacking trip with the Troop.

Wanted to congratulate J Kunka, D Peterson, P Kidd, J Ellis, and M Frost for their plans to work at Summer Camp at Camp Sequoyah as Counselors this year. A note also that J Kunka and J Ellis are well into their plans for an Eagle Project..with Z Harbin and X Quo (completed) on deck for finishing up theirs. All of their work and intentions speak well for their efforts and the support of the Troop and their families. A final note, thanks to Mr. Griffith and Mr. Simon, there will be a meeting on Sunday, May10, at 2:00 PM to finalize preparations for the two crews going to BSA Sea Base at the end of May.

We will also be congratulating Dr. Tracy Hamilton for completing the road test requirements for his CDL on May 6 at the Alabama Public Safety testing site in Sumiton. We are always recruiting leaders to step up and obtain the certification to keep our driver's pool well numbered to assure future trips on the Troop bus. Dr. Hamilton will be the most currently licensed driver since Mr. Larry Young obtained his last year.

The last trip we took to Camp Sequoyah for Shooting Sports was the first time we used the new bus roof "emergency exit" hatches and powerless ventiliators, which thanks to Mr. Branin were installed in February this year. It made such a difference that we had to close them to warm up on the way there, but stayed comfortable all the way back. The new alternator installed on the Frank Tank, thanks to Mr. Smith, assured the full charge on the battery we normally expect....

Thanks again for all your support.....

We will see everyone at the Court of Honor tomorrow night...

YiS Dan s "Delivering the Promise"