Troop News, Annual Planning Conference this Saturday

Well...it was probably too cold for a meeting in the Hut tonight anyway.....

Remember..there is no meeting tonight at the Hut owing to the Annual Planning Conference (APC) this Saturday...

We will still be meeting Satrurday, January 9 at the Bluff Park United Methodist Church on January 9 (see last Troop blogs).

Though the attendance by Scouts who should have been there was off, the Eagle Court of Honor, thanks the preparation efforts of Mr. Mickey Harbin and the planning efforts of Mrs. Ellis and Mr. and Mrs Quo Xue, went excellently on Sunday, January 3 at the BPUMC. Congratulations again to J Ellis and X Quo Xue for their Eagle rank and all those who supported them in making it possible.

Some questions have come up about what the Annual Planning Conference is with some of the newer parents...

Who should attend?...

All Scouts, especially the two Venture Patrols members who have done it all, who are interested in what we are doing and want input what we are doing this year need to be there unless excused by his parents...This is the only time during the year we come together as Troop, other than summer camp to plan our activities that will interest all. We need to know what they want to do and where they want to go.... within reason and that is affordable for the families. The Troop over the years has a great deal of experience in all areas and we will be staying with the basics as we usually do for an all around outdoor program..backpacking..hiking(Shiloh)..biking...rappelling...canoeing..wilderness survival...shooting sports...commercial caving....horseback riding and the high adventure camps..this year to Northern Tier in Canada/Minnesota.

As just stated..if he is a Scout and you aren't excusing him for a good reason....drop him off on January 9 so he can contribute instead of wondering what is going on. He has an obligation to the Troop to be there.

These activities and others don't preclude going to different or new areas to enjoy them as to negate the old "been there and done it so I'm not going" routine from older Scouts.

We need more older Scout parents to get involved with the two Venture Patrols to get some more older Scout activities/trips going even if the younger middle scouts are planning on doing the basics they haven't experienced yet. These leaders/parents can contribute ideas as assistance at the APC.

For instance..some Troops do a family outing trip, e.g. they go to State Park and water ski and canoe as well as organized games as a Troop, giving the families time to meet and enjoy the Park/Scouting/family simultaneously. This give the Moms an opportunity to use the equipment and get an idea of Troop camaraderie and spirit.

We need leaders/parents to attend the APC to come up with Monday night programs, and other program also, in the form of a speakers/guest bureau to spark the career interests and intellectual curiosities of the boys through out they year rather than they saying the program is boring or "have been there and done" it.

We need to have a Troop Reunion this year...need some leaders and Scouts to call and write around to get the word out as we did about ten years go is another activity we need to consider at the APC.

We have been notified that we may not be going to Philmont in 2011 owing to the lottery..do we want to make a hiking/back packing trip to the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone or Glacier National Park instead for less money..or so we want to set up another trip to Sea Base of Nothern Tier. Need to talk to it.

Not the camping type? haven't got time for Troop camping activities? Hard to make meetings? ..then come in and talk about organizing a Saturday two for cleaning and painting the Hut, splitting wood, repainting the bus and the Frank Tank or any other organizational aspects you may feel are warranted with the boys which they can have fun doing.

We need ideas for the older Scouts for Eagle Projects this year more than ever as more than ten-fifteen boys need to be moving that way.

Finally...we will be passing out the information he needs for the cave trip and he needs to be there to plan what we will be doing in Chattanooga before we go into the Cave at 7:30 PM on Saturday...it may be too cold for any activity so we may not want to leave until later Saturday afternoon to get there..that's up to the Scouts to decide....We will also be going over some basic leadership as part of the annual Leadership Training the Troop conducts which he needs in order to be the Senior and in all cases a patrol leader.

Thanks for your support and encouraging his attendance in this very important day for us....

Finally..finally...He does not have to stay overnight...we just need his input for the day...but he has to be excused the parent if he leaves early.

Remember..he has to be in uniform as explained in an earlier blog and the cost is $10.00 per person to defray breakfast snacks on Saturday, Saturday's lunch, and the Saturday evening meal.....

"They were there for you..are you there for them" ?



YiS Dan s "Delivering the Promise"