B Preston Eagle Project this Saturday at Lake Cyrus

B Preston is planning to complete his Eagle Project at Lake Cyrus in Hoover tomorrow (May 1) from 8:00 AM until the early afternoon. He is going to need Scouts and adult drivers to work as team(s) in the area while they place small placards on culverts in the area to assist in minimizing resident's using the culverts and drainage systems for disposing of pollutants in the creeks and lake.

He will meet at the Hut at 8:00 AM on Saturday, May 1 for a safety briefing, planning, and explanation of the plan. If you, or the Scout, can't be there at 8:00 AM, call B Preston (his info in the troop roster or call Mr. Strunk).

Eagle Projects counts as service for older Scouts and activities and service for younger Scouts.

Thanks in advance...

YiS Dan s "Delivering the Promise"

Eagle COH, COH, Rappelling, Summer Camp

We had an excellent turn out for the PLC tonight.

The Eagle Court for J Kunka and R Blackburn will be at 2:00 PM Sunday, May 2, in the old
Sanctuary of the Bluff Park United Methodist Church...Scouts should arrive at 1:45 PM in the Class A Plus uniform

The Troop Court of Honor, agenda attached, will begin at 6:30 PM, May 3, in the Reid Crotty Fellowship Hall of the BPUMC..

Host Patrol is the Sharks and they should arrive at 6:00 PM for the set up.

Uniform is Class A Plus for Scouts. This will be a pot luck dinner as follows:

Venture I and II entre and a desert
Penquians entre and a salad plate
Fox entre and a bread
Shark entre and a bread/salad
Phoenix entre and a vegetable plate

This Saturday, May 1, B Preston will be starting his Eagle Project beginning at the Hut at 8:00 AM, and move from there to the Lake Cyrus community to place environmental stickers in drainage areas to prevent blockages and pollution in running water areas. He will provide lunch and needs leaders who can drive vehicles with Scouts for placing the labels.

Also on Saturday, May 1, they are having a children's day at the Shades Mountain Elementary School, near the vicinty of N Madison Eagle Project. They would like uniformed Scouts and leaders to assist with the games for the children from 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM.

May 7-9 is an Order of the Arrow weekend at Camp Comer. The Ceremony Team consisting of J and K Berry, J Kunka, P Kidd, S Hardy, and M Gunn plan on going. Need to know who else is coming to arrange for transportation. If just serving as staff the cost for meals is about $10.00 with a copy of the BSA Physical Form.if for Brotherhood ..refer to Coosa50.org for the fees and registration forms.

May 10 will be a regular meeting in preparation for the rappelling trip to Bucks' Pocket State Park in North Alabama. There will be a guest speaker if not a safety briefing on rappelling as well as meal planning for those attending. If attending the trip, attendance is required for a head count for meals and gear. Meals will incorporate the meals planned for the last back packing weekend but enhanced as planned.

May 13 is quartermaster night to prepare and load gear for the trip.

May 14-16 is the trip to Bucks Pocket State Park. Arrive at Hut at 5:00 PM return around Noon on Sunday. Scout needs jeans for rappelling and his water bottle. Fees for trip: Meals $12.00..Park Fees $4.00 Fuel: 325 miles @ 100 gallons @ $2.60 per gal @ 25 persons is $ 10.00 Total $26.00 per person.

May 17th gear take down and storage, PLC, and Troop Committee Meeting.

May 24th will be a guest speaker and summer camp preparation.

We Depart for Summer camp at 11:00 at the Hut on June 6. Preparation and gear requirements can be found in the Troop Guide with more information to follow.

Times and dates will be announced for one or two car washes to support funding for Summer Camp and Northern Tier.

A revised Troop Roster and the agenda for the Court of Honor are attached. Please make a copy of the agenda for your son if he has a speaking part in the Court and bring it to the Court of Honor for your own use especially if you are also listed as a speaker/presenter. Please check the roster for accuracy and reply if any changes are noted and required.

YiS Dan s "Delivering the Promise"

Troop News

Looks like it was a good decision after all to cancel the trip to TN. We know there was some disappointment but safety and limiting risk factors remain paramount. There will be time for back packing in near future. For now, we will be going to Buck's Pocket State Park for rappelling in May with two certified instructors who usually accompany us. More of this to be discussed at the PLC tonight with the Scouts.

If you will review the April 12, 19, and 22 Troop blogs on the web site, there is information on the Patrol Leaders Conference (PLC) tonight that the Patrol Leaders, Assistant Patrol Leaders, Senior Patrol Leader, and Assistant Senior Patrol Leader should be present for to tonight at 7:00 to plan May's activities. If he isn't there he can't help out so please encourage attendance.

There was talk several weeks by the Scouts ago about having the Troop Scribe also attend (PLC's) in order to write a Troop Newsletter to the Scouts on Scout email addresses rather than relying on the Leaders Newsletter as you are reading now. Will talk to this tonight at the PLC as to it's importance in increasing staying active and scheduling time with the Scouts

Congratulations to Mr. Andy Yarbrough for attending the Outdoor Leadership Training (OLS) at Camp Sequoyah this last weekend, but even though in attendance with 48 others, it was canceled Saturday morning due to the rain. There will be a make up announced in the immediate future.

Remember..New Leader Essentials (NLE), Youth Protection, Scoutmaster Leadership Training (SMLT), and Outdoor leadership Training (OLS), and specific other courses such as Wilderness First Aid, are now required training for active leaders in the Troop who serve as Assistant Scoutmasters and merit badge counselors on trips and activities in the Troop and other activities..If you have had these, and other courses, such as safe swim and others offered on the internet at )Scouting.org) in the past, please make sure Cathy Kidd has the subjects and dates recorded for you with the Troop as the Council is moving fast to fill in dates that were not recorded for you in the past. If you attended Cub Training before you became active with the BSA and have not yet attended BSA training, please make sure Cathy has those dates also.

If you haven't taken these training courses and intend to be active with us on trip and activities with the Scouts, please mark your calendars for them.

Also..our Troop is fortunate to have the vehicles we maintain for our trips..in avoiding large numbers of family cars for transportation needs. We have to assure an adequate number or drivers for the bus through obtaining the State Certified Drivers License (CDL). At this time there are only four of us (with one in training). Please strongly consider adding yourself to out list to give us the depth an flexibility we need to assure the success of our program.

A reminder also that we are having an Eagle Court this Sunday (May 2) (J Kunka and R Blackburn), (see April Troop Blogs on our web site) at 2:00 PM at the old Sanctuary of the Bluff Park United Methodist Church. Please encourage attendance in full Class A plus uniform.

And, next Monday (May 3), we have the Troop Court of Honor in the Reid Crotty Fellowship Hall of the Bluffpark United Methodist Church starting at 6:30 PM (a pot luck dinner with details following tonight after the PLC). There will be the normal formal appointment and "swearing in" to leaderhip positions for the Scouts for the next six months, the award of rank and merit badges earned this few months since the August Court, a Scout summary of the last six months, and finally a recognition of leaders serving actively for five years or more with the Troop. This is a family affair for us and all are invited.

Thanks for all your support and encouraging attendance to afford us the opportunity to be all we can be in giving the Scout the maximum benefits of the Program.

"We can't do it if we aren't there."

YiS Dan s "Delivering the Promise"

Trip canceled, PLC Monday at 7pm

Based on the weather forecast for the weekend inclusive of rain and thunderstorms all day Saturday, and despite some disappointment, we canceled the trip for this weekend. We will save the food for our next back backing trip in marked bags and boxes since it is all dry goods.

If I haven't written you a check for the food you bought..please call me and we can hook up Friday or this weekend to take care of that for you or I will just see you at the Monday PLC or Committee meeting.

Phoenix Patrol: Monday (Apr 26), or the night after the camp out is not a regular meeting..The night is used to take down ans store tents and tarps hung on Sunday from the trip. The time is then used as a Patrol Leader Conference attended by (all) the patrol leaders (including Phoenix) and the Senior Patrol leaders/Ast Senior Patrol leader to plan next month's program. Uniform is not required. It starts at 6:30 PM (since there is no gear storage it starts at 7:00 PM and is over by 8:00 PM.

At 8:00 PM the Troop Committee meets for about an hour or so to approve and bless whatever the PLC came up for activities and to assure the plan works along with other Troop subjects..you are all invited to attend and be introduced as new leaders and are welcome to join us and visit or join the Committee as a member with us.

YiS Dan s "Delivering the Promise"

Meeting tonight, Hiking trip this weekend

Thanks to S Hardy for representing the Troop at the Order of the Arrow Annual Conclave at Camp Tuckabatchee (just north of Prattville) this last weekend.

There were over 650 Scouts, representning the region's nine Lodges and Leaders in attendance with a two night and a day full of activities, including games, American Indian Dance competition, athletic game competitions between lodges, and classes ranging from leadership, membership, recruitments and to hiking historical trails in the Southeast.

S Hardy, who will be a member of a pre-ceremony ordeal team with the current Scouts in the Troop had an opportunity to practice with some experienced mentors during the weekend.

The weather was cool for sleeping and warm and sunny the entire two days for activities.The food was all served in the camp dining hall as usual... We returned before noon on Sunday with three patches.

Tonight's meeting at the hut is mandatory for all those coming on the trip this coming weekend when we back-pack Savage Gulf State Park just north of Chattanooga. TN (thanks to Mr. Branin). We are going to try to leave at 1:00 PM since school will be out for the Hoover system. A request for early absence at Prince of Peace should be underway. We will confirm this tonight at the meeting. The earlier departure will give us more time on the ground in the evening rather than arriving much later in the evening (10:00-11:00 PM EST).

P Kidd and selected Venture Scouts will talk to equipment requirements and back-packing in general. As on all hiking trips.... Make sure the scout has wool socks with polypropelene sock liners for the hike as to assure no blisters normally associated with cotton socks. The older Scouts will hike between 8 - 10 miles depending n the weather and other circumstance..

.the Phoenix patrol will not back pack as much as day hike from our base camp in preparation for backpacking with required equipment later on in the year. They will be eating back packing meals and camping back packing style. Each Scout should have a minimum of two quart sized water bottles (Nalgene type or Gatorade type plastic bottles, and a rain suit (not a poncho) pending the weather, if rain is forecast.

We will need a good representation of leaders, especially for the Fox, Shark, and Phoenix patrols to give us the depth and experience for the area. We would like older Scouts, who would prefer a shorter hike, to mentor the new patrols rather than preferring not to come on the trip.

The trip's cost will be determined tonight based on number who will be in attendance. If you or your son cannot be there tonight, please advise someone who will so they can speak for you intentions.

The May order of the Arrow Ordeal is coming on the weekend of May 8. Troop Order of the Arrow members who do not have their Brotherhood, and who received their Sash and membership last August and the years before, should plan on attending so we can arrange some car pooling transportation and represent the Troop as it should be. Go to the website: Coosa50.org for all the required details and registration requirements. Pay your dues and remember the oath your took at the Ordeal. Remember, you can only wear the OA pocket flap if you are an active member and paying your annual dues of $8.00. Active members will talk to this tonight at the meeting.

See you at the meeting tonight. Please assure your son gets this information for his planning out his time. Thanks for all your support and for encouraging attendance.

Yis..Dan s "Delivering the Promise"

Troop News

The regular Troop meeting tomorrow night (Monday 4/12)) starts at 7:00 PM ..Class B or C is the uniform. Thanks to the Eggers, we will have a guest speaker, Mr. Roger Reid, a writer and producer for "Discover Alabama."

Emails have been coming from Mrs. Kidd regarding the Shelby County Merit badge day this coming weekend. Contact her for late registration, location, and more information (czkidii@aol.com).

Since we haven't heard from anyone (Scouts), we will assume that no one except the Scoutmaster will be attending the Order of the Arrow Regional Conclave (SR-9) this coming weekend in Prattville, If any one changes their mind, they can check the website:Coosa50.org for more information. I can transport two-three scouts w/me and am leaving late Friday afternoon, expecting to return around noon on Sunday. Tents may be available at Camp Tuckabatchee, but will will take Troop tents ourselves.

Not finally, there will be an Eagle Court for J Kunka and R Blackburn and their families on Sunday, May 2, 2010 in the old Sanctuary of the Bluff Park United Methodist Church on Valley Street, Hoover (Bluff Park) 35226 (best routed due to construction is off Valley Street).

The Troop will assemble at 12:45PM for a 1:00PM ceremony with a reception following at 2:00 PM. This is counted as a Troop activity for Scouts working toward the First Class rank. This ceremony commemorates the nearly seven years these Scouts worked on earning the rank. Not unlike a regular Troop Court of Honor, It should be attended by all the Scouts/families in the Troop, especially the 1st and second year Scouts for the experience of what they will have to look forward to when they receive theirs.

The uniform is Class A with Troop neckerchief and merit badge sash.

Thanks in advance for all your support and encouraging attendance.

YiS Dan s "Delivering the Promise"

Troop News

Congratulations to D Peterson and his family for his final approval of his project and the remainder of his Eagle requirements at the Eagle Boards last night at the Briarwood Presbyterian Church. Also congratulations to Life Scouts B Preston and D Holditch for having their Eagle Projects approved. Special continued thanks to Mr. Mickey Harbin in serving in his Troop role as Eagle Advisor in assuring the success of these projects over the past years and into the immediate future.

Thanks also to the large number of our own leaders who sit on these Eagle Boards for the Vulcan District. They add a great deal of depth to the Troop experience in dealing with Eagle projects and greatly assist the Council in assuring quality experience for boys. They are always looking for leaders to assist in these positions. Contact Mr. Don Russell, Vulcan District Eagle Board Chairman if you would be interested as a member. They usually meet once a month. Don Russell. Parents and leaders currently sitting are Mr. Mark Branin, Mr. Wes Smith, Mr. Randy Watts, Mr. Win Jones, Mrs. Cathy Kidd, and Mr. Mickey Harbin (Greater Alabama Council Training Committee).

A reminder that those leaving on the bus for the Vulcan District Merit Badge Day, this Saturday, April 10, should be at the Hut at 6:45 AM for a 7:00 AM departure. Thanks in advance to Mrs. Cathy Kidd for coordinating the seventeen Scouts in attendance. We should be returning between 4 and 4:30 PM or sooner ...Uniform is Class A. Lunch is part of the fee.

Thanks to Mr. and Mrs Eggers, and as indicated in earlier newsletters, we have a special guest speaker for the meeting April 12. Please encourage attendance.

The Order of the Arrow, Southeastern Region 9, Conclave is coming up at Camp Tuckabatchee, Prattville, AL, the weekend of the 17th April. Our Coosa Lodge is participating with 9 other lodges from our region.

This will be a first time for a Conclave to be held at Camp Tuckabatchee, and they are expecting close to 600 Scouts and Leaders with a weekend full of events. Information is on the Coosa 50 Lodge Website explaining everything about it. Pre-registration was required but walk-in's are routine. The Coosa Lodge website, by the way is excellent and hasn't been better over the years: Coosa50.org.

If you are planning to attend or your son is thinking about it let P Kidd know so we can talk to transportation and other needs (we will probably take Troop tents). Uniform is Class A with OA Sash. Directions to the Camp are on the Web Site on map quest. Whether your son is attending or not, and he is a OA member in the Troop, make sure he call's Patrick with a Yea or Nay on his going so we will have a definite number to work with.

Final fees are being collected for the Northern Tier trip by Mr. Young...as you know this will be our second trip to the Canadian wilderness in the Northern Tier BSA High Adventure Camp. Our first trip, as a Troop, was in 2002 to the Ely, MN site; this year the trip will be to the Bissett site in Canada, where the Scouts will fly into their six day canoing start point from a float plane landing.

Families should be paying close attention to Mr. Simon's E-mails for Summer camp registration and fees. Thanks in advance for his attention to detail in coordinating this trip each year.

These fees and registering for merit badges along with his BSA annual physical are required in order to complete the registration for our annual summer camp experience at Camp Sequoyah. We will be camping again at Boone's place this year. More information for the Phoenix patrol will be forthcoming with a great deal found in the Troop Guide. Phoenix Patrol Scouts have been registered for the swimming merit badge by Mr. Simon..the other three merit badges they will be earning will be earned at the Troop Camp site along with most of their requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class.

Want some more excitement in your life..more fun than Six Flags..Disney World..Bush Gardens? Get you CDL (Certified Drivers License) and drive the Troop bus with us. We always need drivers to add depth to our list and increase the versatility it represents in the Troop.

Thanks in advance for encouraging attendance and for supporting Troop activities.

YiS Dan s "Delivering the Promise"

Trade-O-Ree this weekend

There is going to be the 8th annual Scout memorabilia Trade O Ree sponsored by Troop 292 at Southminster Presbyterian Church, 1124 Montgomery Hwy, Birmingham, 35216..with a great deal of Scouting equipment, patches, slide, pins, uniforms, knives and more..this is referred on the bulletin as a silent auction and they have tables for sale for vendors...for more information you can call Joey Schueuermann at 592-3205 or Ben Putnam at psputnam@yahoo.com. Both of these men are members of the Order of the Arrow, Coosa Lodge, and are long time Scouters in our District/Council.

This may be a good opportunity for picking up some experienced gear for Scouting activities in camping and backpacking.

Times and Dates Friday April 9 5:00PM to 11:00 PM
Saturday April 10 -8:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Troop News

Last night's attendance for Unit and Order of the Arrow elections was well attended with over 30 Leaders and Scouts. Congratulations to all the elected positions for the coming six months starting with the Troop Court of Honor May 3. The list of all the filled Scouting positions will be posted with a copy of the Court's agenda. Please make a copy for you son and bring the agenda to the Court.

As noted on the Troop Web Site, Mr. Young passed out all the Cooking Patches last night at the meeting for the success the Troop enjoyed at the Winter Camporee (Second place in all Cooking events).

As stated by Mrs. Kidd, if your son is going to the Vulcan Merit Badge Day this coming Saturday (April 10) he needs to be there at 6:45 AM for the bus ride over in his Class A uniform.

If your son is an Order of the Arrow Member, or you as a leader who are members also, should be considering attending the annual Order of the Arrow Conclave at Camp Tucabatchee, just north of Montgomery, during the weekend of April 16-18. There will be more than 700 Arrowmen in attendance from all the surrounding Lodges in the Alabama/GA/TN area. The event always include various classes, American Indian crafts and dancing, twenty-four hour food, and games. Go to our Order of the Arrow: Coosa50.org web site for more information.We can arrange car pooling as required and when determined who is going. P Kidd will serve as the Troop's coordinating point. This is a unique opportunity to experience the fun and friendships it all represents.

It was noted last night that April 23rd Friday is a off day for the Scouts from school and we will be discussing (April 12) leaving for the camp out at Savage Gulf earlier that day, if practical for leaders, for the Trip since it is a four hour drive and leaving early would avoid arriving late in the evening and setting up in the dark.

As noted by Mrs Eggers earlier, we have an excellent guest speaker coming in for the April 12 Meeting so please encourage attendance.

Thanks for all you support and encouraging attendance.

YiS Dan S "Delivering the Promise"

Troop News

The turn out for N Madison's Eagle project was more than thirty leaders and Scouts which gave them an opportunity to start and finish the project the same day. Special Thanks to the leaders who brought gear for cutting, drilling, and finishing all the construction work. Thanks for all the support in making these things work so well.

There are more projects in the same area waiting for Life Scouts to pick them up. The Madison's have the contact names.

REMINDER: We need to arrive at the Hut tonight at 6:30 PM to take down and store tentage from the last trip.

We will also be having our annual Order of the Arrow elections and we need more than 30 Scouts present for the voting as there is a 50% of the Troop requirement to have the elections..please don't assume someone else will be there for him....

and not finally, we will have Troop elections following the OA. As you know these elections produce our Scout leadership for the next six months starting with the Senior Patrol Leader....Again don't let him assume everyone else will be there.

Thanks to Cathy Kidd, we still plan on being at the Hut next Saturday (April 10) at 7:00 AM top ride the bus to the Vulcan District Merit Badge Day. There will be about 500 Scouts or more in attendance for a good day.

NYLTC, Backpacking

The NYLTC, National Youth Leadership Training Course, is being offered its usual twice a year in the Council. It' s focus is youth leadership for Scouts who have been to one summer camp, 13 years old, and a First Class Scout. It is an excellent program for an older Scout who has been to summer camp several times, earned most of his merit badges, is a Star or Life Scout and thinks "he has heard it all,"
isn't going to camp to be a life guard for the Troop, doesn't want to work as a Counselor in Training or a Counselor at Camp.

Graduation from the Course is a strong resume item along with his membership in the Order of the Arrow, leadership positions in the Troop, and earning his Eagle.

The cost is $210.00, but if the Scout "has been active" with the Troop, will "run" for Senior Patrol Leader, and will remain "active" with the Troop, as decided by a committee of the SM and ASM's, the Troop will underwrite 50% of the cost.

There are two courses: One at Camp Westmoreland May 30-June 5 and one at Camp Jackson July 18-24, 2010. Each session is limited to 48 Scouts.

Applications are available at the Scout Service Center. There are only 48 participants per course.

Adult Training: If you are an active leader with us..please sen an email to Mrs. Kidd indicating the training and certification you have picked up as a leader. As recently indicated, the Council's records are not complete and we need to assist with this requirement as well as have a good idea of where we are ourselves....thanks in advance....

You can buy a BSA license plate at the Scout Service Center for a $50.00 Deposit. The Council office will handle all the footwork required,

The Greater Alabama Council is partnering with the Salvation Army Food Bank for collecting non-perishable food items and distributing the same. If some one in the Troop would care to coordinated this for the Troop, we would appreciate it by contributing to a worthy cause.

Finally, The Alabama Adventure and the GAC are offering a Scout Day April 30-May .
We won't make this a Troop event, unless some one volunteers to serve as a coordinator for us by calling Ms. Carol Ashworth at 969-4250 for more details. Individual families are welcome to participate.

The up and coming back packing trip April 23-25 at Savage Gulf, TN. This is a regular back packing site for the Troop over the years. In the Spring, this area of TN it is quite beautiful and refreshing. Savage Gulf, Stone Door, Fiery Gizzard are located just north of Chattanooga.

All the older Scouts, with their leaders, will be hiking about 8-10-12 miles and will need a backpack (not a day pack), compressible sleeping bag, foam or thermarest, with all the necessary personal gear ( two, 1 Qt drinking bottles) as we have in the past. The troop provides all the required camping gear (tents, water purification (pumps are individually optional) and cooking stoves.

The Phoenix patrol, and their leaders, will not need a back back (unless you have one), but will need an individual day pack to carry his lunch, a water bottle (2 recommended) and small/other necessities for a 4-6- 8 mile day hike in the same area.

The Phoenix patrol will prepare and eat backpacking meals, but will use the Park base camp as our tenting area on both nights. The Venture Patrol will talk to back packing requirements and clothing for all on Monday the 19th. All going on the trip will have to be present for packing gear and loading on Thursday (22nd).

Thanks for all your support and encouraging attendance. On behalf of our Charter Organization, the Bluff Park United Methodist Church, and the entire Troop Committee, have a happy Easter weekend.

YiS dan s

"Delivering the Promise"

Eagle project opportunities

Several Opportunities for the Scouts:

Life Scouts: There are potentional Eagle projects are available from the Red Mountain Park or Birmingham by contacting katie@redmountainpark.org Same applies to the Ranger at the Oak Mountain State Park, the Ranger at the Hoover parks and Recreation Board, the Birmingham Zoo, and the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the Museum of Southern Flight, and the the McWain Center, Shades Mountain, and Bluff Park Elementary Schools.

For the centennial year, the BSA is going to offer four merit badges that have been off the books for several years...if you son is interested in earning them go to Scouting.org and take a look at the requirements which can be worked out at the Troop level. These badges are: Signaling, Pathfinder, Tracking, and Carpentry.

All leaders in the Troop who have earned leader Training as a leader since they have been a leader in Scouting, especially in our District, need to advise Ms. Cathy Kidd of the subject and date you earned it so she can compile this as Troop record to forward it to The Council to up date their records....Most of you have done this, but for those who have not please forward that information to her. There is pressure building from National for assuring leaders are trained at the Troop and District levels.

YiS Dan s "Delivering the Promise"