Troop News

The Monday night meeting (February 6) was well attended for the most part with a great deal accomplished in cooking, string burning, knife throwing, and knot tying..thanks to all the leaders and Venture Crews present for making it happen as smooth as it was.

NOTE: The August trip will be rescheduled for August 17-19 on your calendars...the original date would have conflicted with the first day of the Hoover School system....Mr. Branin will schedule our white water trip, as planned for these dates in August.

NOTE: The April trip will not longer be scheduled for backpacking at the Walls of Jericho...rather, thanks to Mr. Kyle Horn, and with the majority approval of the Scouts..we will be going to Troy, Alabama for some zip lining, high and low rope challenges, and other Scouting activities for the weekend (Camp Butter and Egg, LL.C.)

NOTE: Thanks to Mr. Cox, the October trip will be a three day trip (Hoover School system off day) to Mobile, Alabama vicinity to canoe the Barttram Canoe trail.....this will be a first for the Troop as a "carry your camping gear" in the canoe trip down in South Alabama.

More details on the trips will be announced.

PRESIDENTS DAY Feb 20th: The one day trip to Montgomery on February 20th with State Representative Paul DeMarco is definitely scheduled at this time.

The 20th is a School holiday and a good reason for the Scout to be out of the house. We will meet at the Hut at 7:30 AM and return before 5:00 PM. The cost for the day with will be his cost for lunch (brings his own money) at the State House cafeteria or McDonalds (whatever is decided by the group)..and gas @ $8.00 peer person (check made out to the Troop or cash).....Uniform is Class A Plus ....or Khaki shirt, Troop Neckerchief, Scout belt, Scout Trousers, and Scout Socks. Please assure he is dressed for the for the weather. The Scout needs to go to Meritbadge.org and look up the requirements for the Citizen in the Nation merit badge (Eagle required) as this trip will accomplish most of the requirements if he does them while we are there, before we go, or when we return.

SCOUT SUNDAY February 12th: As many Scouts (families invited) should join us as the Bluff Park United Methodist Church this coming Sunday for the 8:45 service lasting about an hour and beginning at 8:30 AM....this is an annual event for us and our numbers show our appreciation for the congregation for serving as our Charter Organization. Uniform is Class A Plus or Khaki shirt, Troop Neckerchief, Merit Badge Sash, Scout belt, Scout Trousers, and Scout Socks.

Thursday, the 16th of February, is Quartermaster night for Camporee preparation and gear packing...all quartermasters, troop and patrol, are required (see attached assignment sheets w/recent Court of Honor) to be present to prepare and pack our gear for the Camporee

February 17th-19th will be our CAMPOREE weekend at Tanneyhill State Park. We meet at the Hut at 5:00 PM on the 17th and will return before noon on Sunday the 19th. A good time to visit the Troop w/the family to see him and the other patrols in the camping and activities mode.

There will be a PLC (patrol leaders conference) and equipment take down for the Scouts on February 20th at 6:30 PM and a Committee meeting at 8:00 PM.

We will need a final head count on Monday night meeting (February 13th) for tents and meal planning as well as final briefing for the weekend so if he is attending the Camporee, he needs to be there..all the activities are posted on the Troop Web Site. WEBELOS should also plan on attending the meeting for final information and planning purposes if possible. Uniform for the Camporee, for the entire period is the Class A uniform: Khaki shirt, Scout trousers, Scout belt, and Scout socks...It will more than likely be cold and or wet, so assure he dresses for the weather before he leaves the house....including a sock hat or cap in case the weather is bad.

Most of the Crocs and Eagles, and some of the recently new entering Scouts, should be getting close to having their five or ten activities completed for Second and First Class by time of and during the Camporee...so he needs to bring his Scout Book for a Scoutmaster's Conference and Board of Review if he is ready.

REMINDER: Current Leaders and WEBELO dads coming in this Spring....if you want the title of Assistant Scoutmaster (ASM), you need to attend the Scoutmaster and leader Training held on February 25th at the Scout Service Center..It is one day of training with the companion weekend training at Camp Jack Wright on March30-31 and April 1..there will not be a conflict with the Troop's schedule, it will be a good time to go and get it behind you...

REMINDER: .If you haven't had the required Youth Protection (YP) training at this time..please go to Scouting.org and complete that w/certificate of completion as the second arm of required training....If you wish to work with us a Committee member, rather than a ASM, go to Scouting. org and take the Committee Challenge course be active with us as well as YP. Both certificates should be copied to Mrs. Cathy Kidd for the Troop and Council records.

Remember to go ahead and get the complete Scout uniform for meetings and trips with the Troop.

For the really dedicated. interested, and involvedin Scouting..in addition to SMLT and OLS, there are two Wood Badge courses coming up in the Council this Spring and Fall...(1) April 13-15 at Camp Comer and April 27-20 at Camp Westmoreland....and (2) September 15-17 at Camp Comer and Oct 13-15 at Camp Westmoreland.

Details for registration for these and the SMLT and OLS are found on the Vulcan District and GAC web sites accessed, thanks to Mr. Simon, off of our Troop Web Site....

"Scouts deserve trained leaders."

Thanks for all your support and for encouraging attendance.

YiS Dan S "Delivering the Promise"