Troop News

There will be a make up session for the Troop composite photos at the Hut on Sunday at 1:30 PM for an hour or so..If you cannot make it then, we will have it again on Monday during the beginning of the regular meeting. Please assure your son is include in the photo. Mr. Snow is also taking individual and family portraits for free if the 20.00 for the composite is paid when the picture is taken and for an additional $10.00 if paid when the pictures are printed and delivered.

There is a Troop Eagle project (Ml Frost) taking place on Saturday behind the Bluff Park Elementary School on Park Avenue starting at 8:30 AM until the afternoon....this is considered a service project for the Troop as well as for Michael's Eagle project so please encourage attendance.

The Sunday afternoon meeting for this summer's Yellowstone trip is still scheduled at the Hut as well as the OA drum and ceremony team practice.

Thanks for all your support and for encouraging attendance...

YiS Dan s "Delivering the Promise"

Troop News

Thanks to Mrs. Kidd we had the best merit badge day yet at the Oak Mountain School on the 21st. ...I have the returned, completed blue cards from the following Scouts:

E Hill Cit in the Nation

J Branin Cit in the Nation

N Johnson Geology and Salesmanship

C Brownbridge Geology

N. Smith Cit in the World

Z Fox Engineering

W Griggs Indian lore

N Bolding Engineering

If the Scout has another blue card that he is not complete with from this weekend, he needs to get with a counselor in the Troop, complete it, then turn it in to Mr. Cole as soon as he can finish the requirements.....I will turn the above cards into Mr. Cole on the meeting on January 23. These above completed merit badges will be awarded at the April Court of Honor, but he is on record for earning the m on the 21st.

There as just another offering for merit badges just put out last night by Mrs. Kidd..please respond quickly to get the Scout's choice..they go fast. It is a good opportunity for two merit badges.

The Meeting on the 23rd is in Class A Plus for the annual individual portrait...Even if he does not want a composite picture for 20.00, he needs to be dressed to take a picture to be in it for the rest of the Troop who do.

The OA banquet Saturday night was agreat success..thanks to the Mrs Kidd and Mr. Gunn for providing transportation with us.

Thanks for all your support and for encouraging attendance.

YiS Dan s "Delivering the Promise"

M Frost Eagle Project

Fellow Scouts and Leaders,

I am requesting your help to finish construction on my Eagle project
this Saturday. I will be constructing a deck at the Bluff Park
Elementary School outdoor classroom. So far the posts for the deck
have been set in concrete and the first band has been attached to the
deck. We will be attaching the second band, setting the floor joists,
and laying the decking thus completing the project. Work will begin
at 8:30AM on Saturday morning January 28th.

Breakfast and lunch
will be provided and we should be finished with the construction
process by 4:00. Any time that you can volunteer during the day
will be appreciated.

Thank You,

M Frost

Rank Advancement

If your son entered the Troop as a Scout, with no previous rank or experience (has not achieved Tenderfoot or any rank above that) he needs to bring his Scout Guide/Book with him on the Yorktown Trip so I can see where he is....

if he did not go to summer camp last year with us, and he is less than a Tenderfoot, he should plan on being there (Summer Camp) this year ( without exception)...If he went to camp last summer with us and is only a Tenderfoot, or close to Second Class, he needs to bring his Scout Guide with him on the Yorktown trip for a Scoutmaster's conference to assure he is close to finishing his 1st Class rank...a year is normally our norm in the Troop for attaining the First Class rank.

If any of the above applies to him and he is not coming on the Yorktown Trip, he needs to be at the February Camporee to see what his progress is and to be checked off and heading toward the Star Rank to keep him on track.

Summer camp is coming, as stated, he will need an updated BSA Physical with Parts A, B,C, and D completed and as applicable. The fee is usually around 205.00, more or less, as announced, and he will soon be asked to select his merit badges...as many as he chooses. The dates for Camp are June 10-16..please schedule him to go before or after you family vacation in order to continue his advancement toward Eagle...I

f he merit badge complete (more or less), he should consider being a counselor at Camp earning his room, board, and earnings along with leadership skills in dealing with other. If he is 18, he should consider picking up a summer job, real good pay and adventure, at one of the High Adventure camps such as Philmont, Northern Tier, or Sea Base many of our Scouts have done this over the years and have gained a great deal from it.Current experienced members are S Hardy, M Frost, P Kidd, J Ng, and J Kunka.

As mentioned earlier...go ahead an open: woodmanbadge.com and make a copy of the current Eagle Requirements hand book published there that he will need for his Eagle in the Vulcan District. If he is a Life Scout, he should be considering completing a project and earning his Eagle now, rather than putting it off when he will only be even more busy than he is now. Mr. Chris Morrow, the Troop's Eagle Advisor will speak with him any time he is asked to get the process rolling..Not delaying minimizes the stress he may experience by waiting until the "final hours."

Troop News

The Saturday annual planning conference was one of the best attended in many years...with not only Scouts, but also leaders (67).

We will be publishing a Troop calendar (2013) thanks to Mr. Simon on the Troop Website as soon as the plan recommended this weekend is approved by the Troop Committee meeting at 7:00PM on the 17th following the January Troop PLC (Senior Patrol leader, assist senior patrol leaders, and patrol leaders) at 6:00-7:00 PM. Uniform not required.

The 2013 Calendar is one of our busiest and most exciting for the coming year.

As a leader, if you did not newly register or re-registered(renew) with the Troop this weekend, or have not earlier registered for 2013 with Mr. Cole before this last weekend, and you did not attend the Youth Protection Training (bi-annual requirement) and want to be remain active w/the Troop to remain registered, you need to contact Mr. Cole to assure it is completed. The Scout has to be renewed each year also in order to be carried on our rolls. Leaders attending trips will need to be uniformed, registered as a Scouter with current Youth Protection training, along with a current BSA medical form. The next trainer's class for leaders is the SMLT (companion course is the Outdoor Leadership Program) listed below along with going to: Scouting.org for more current training and to:woodbadgeman.com for other leader and Eagle preparation information.

The meeting started on time Saturday morning with a listing of Troop Goals for 2013, a list of speakers for programs at regular meetings, and a list of monthy trips/activities to be published by Mr. Simon following the Committee meeting on the 17th.


Thanks to Mrs. Kidd, and Mr. Simon for technical support, the class for Youth Protection was given to all present leaders followed by the BSA YP format for all the Scouts. Mrs. Kidd also presented the annual merit badge counselor briefing for those present.

We completed afternoon activities with an summary of Troop leadership responsibilities for the Scouts then adjourned to dinner at the Golden Corral in Hoover. Final announcements were made by the Senior and leaders before breaking off for the evening..Thanks to Mr Morrow, Mr. Hanke, and Mr. Horn for staying the night until we departed on schedule at 8:00 AM Sunday morning.

IMPORTANT There will not be a regular meeting at the Hut, Monday, January 9.

The USS Yorktown trip, thanks to Mr. Branin's coordination efforts, will begin at 7:00 AM on January 14th to arrive on time at the Ship .....please refer to previous memos (Jan 4) for the final fees due on departure ($38) and cash for two McDonald meals and soveniers, complete Scout uniform w/o sash or neckerchief, and our schedule for the trip...if there are any final coordination questions please call Mr. Branin.

Please don't be late on Saturday morning for our departure...with the bus, the troop trailer, and follow on vehicle (s). Finally..please assure the Scout is dressed for the weather between here and Charleston.

Overview for the next few weeks:

Our next activity following the USS Yorktown trip to Charleston SC (Jan 14-16),

the Order of the Arrow winter Banquet, January 21, Gardendale

Troop composite pictures on January 23 (make up on January 29th at 1:00 to 3:00 PM),

the vulcan Disrtict Banquet on January 26th (Dawson Memorial)

and the Shelby County Merit Badge Day on February 4th, (Oak Mtn HS)

the Vulcan District Camporee at Tanneyhill State Park (February 17-19)

2012 Eagle Recognition Banquet, Feb 24th, Gardendale

Vulcan District Scoutmaster/Leader Training (SMLT) Feb 25th at Cantebury MC



Regular Monday night meetings will begin of January 23.

Thanks for all your support and for encouraging attendance.

YiS dan s "Delivering the Promise"

Annual Planning Conference, Re-charter registration, Yorktown Trip

The Troop's annual planning conference will be held this Saturday, January 7, at the Bluff Park United Methodist Church. He should plan on arriving at 8:00 AM.

The boys should enter through the new side entrance (South) and bring their overnight gear into the gym or straight down into the Youth Group area, the lower south entrance below the large South entrance. He will need his sleeping bag and pillow, and air mattress, as we will sleeping in these rooms over night. He should be picked up at 8:00AM Sunday, Jan 8.

I will need one leader, or more if you would wish to stay, to accompany me overnight with the Scouts. I need to know before Saturday morning.

The uniform is the Khaki shirt, Scout shorts or trousers, Scout belt, and Scout socks. We will be traveling in the bus for dinner, so he should dress for the weather. He will have to have his khaki uniform shirt (Class A) for supper . This program is an all day lock-down for the Scouts..and none can leave or sign out w/o the Scoutmaster's permission.....parent's may drop the off or pick them up as required.

The Troop will provide morning snacks. The cost for lunch is $3.00 per person (hot dogs). We will travel to the Golden Corral in Hoover for Dinner at about 4:45 PM in the class A uniform. The cost of the meal, along with lunch will be collected from those having lunch and/or dinner in the AM as we arrive so the Troop can pay the group rate.

Cost for the meals: Lunch is $3.00
Dinner is 5.00 for Scouts age 12 and under or $5.75 w/gratuity: ($8.75 total for the day)
Dinner is $13.60 for Scouts age 13 and older or $15.60 w/gratuity ($18.60 total for the day)
Dinner is $ 13.00 for Seniors or $14.95 for seniors ($17.95 total for the day)
The Troop family plan is in effect: Families with two Scouts attending and one parent pay
for just two persons(parent and Scout) . Two parents and one Scout pay for three persons.
The purpose of the plan is to assist families w/more than one active Scout normally
accompanied by one parent.

Please bring a check (preferred) or cash for one or both meals in the morning..w/checks made out to Troop 21, BSA)

Program: 8:00 am to noon Troop Goals and Troop planning activities for 2012
Noon to 1:00PM Lunch
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM Troop planning continued
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM Leader Training (Youth Protection) Other training, if any TBA
3:00 PM 4:30 PM Mr. Bennett conducts make- up Aviation merit badge training for
for those who need the class portion since last year.

4:30 to 7:00 PM Preparation for and departure for dinner at the Golden Corral

7:00 PM Troop Leadership Training for the scouts

8:00 PM - 9:00 PM Mr. Bennett completes Aviation merit badge training for Scouts
Free time for those not attending in Youth area

Sunday 8:00 AM Pick up Scouts

Scouts should bring their Scout Handbooks for Scoutmaster Conferences and Boards of Reviews (Class A Uniform w/sash) Saturday between and after activities.

The purpose of the planning conference is a Troop annual event, giving the Scouts and participating leaders an opportunity to plan Troop Goals for the coming year, and to plan out all their monthly activities for the year also,

Though it will be approved simultaneously that evening by attending leaders, the Committee meeting following the Yorktown Trip 17th will approve and finalize the Annual Plan. Attendance is encouraged to assure we have the majority of the Scouts planning the year for us. Leaders are also encouraged to attend to add ideas for trips and activities. This is the best time to introduce trips or activities the boys would be interested in, particularly if new and untried.

Unless changed at the planning conference, there be a regular meeting on Monday, January 9, with a guest speaker and final planning for the USS Yorktown Trip on January 14-16, 2012.

The USS Yorktown Trip:

Scheduled to depart early on Saturday Morning/ time to be announce at the Planning Conference and a later Memo to the 42 scheduled to attend.

fuel and meal costs per person:

Fuel @ 1000 mile round trip @ 3.10 per gal for the bus and two/three cars is $26.00 per person
Meals $12.00 per person for Saturday night (14th) at CiCi's Pizza

Each person should have a check (preferred) or cash for a total of $38.00 for fuel and CiCi's Pizza.

Saturday lunch will be fast food on each person's own expense on the road (McDonald's).
Mondays lunch will be fast food on each person's own expense on the road (McDonald's)
Meals on the ship, included in the fee already paid for the ship will include all of Sunday meals and Monday morning,s breakfast on the ship (the Sunday lunch meal is a bagged lunch provided by the Ship dining facility).

The itinerary for the trip will be to depart Bham early Saturday morning (time to be announced (TBA) by Mr. Branin, eating lunch at McDonald's then eating our evening meal at CiCi's before or after boarding the ship Saturday evening.

We will Depart for historical Fort Sumpter, SC in the AM on Sunday morning and spend the remainder of Sunday and Sunday evening touring all four ships ( the carrier, a destroyer, submarine, and coast guard cutter). January is usually cold so please make sure the Scout and leader is dressed for the weather with the appropriate rain and cold weather gear..the ships are not well heated and the exterior of Ft. Sumpter w/the wind chill factor can be uncomfortable if not properly layered for the cold..including a sock hat for head and ear protection..conversely, it may be a pleasant sunny day....

After breakfast on the ship, we will depart for Bham, eating lunch on the road, and returning after 5 PM.

A memo will be sent with final details, if any changes, during next week.

Thanks for all you support and for encouraging attendance.

YiS Dan s "Delivering the Promise"