TROOP 119

Important Topics

1.       MAR Campout.  Keith and I had a scheduling conflict and we are moving the campout to next weekend.  As of the moment the campout is scheduled for 23-24 MAR.  We understand that those in band will not be able to participate.  This campout will be the first experience for our newest Scouts and an opportunity for them to get the flavor of camping as a new Boy Scout.

2.       Crossover.  We have three new Scouts crossing over from Pack 119 to the Troop this Saturday, March 17 at approximately 7 PM.  It would be nice if the Scouts can come to this event however it is not mandatory.  Those that will be attending include the Senior Patrol Leader (Russell), Troop Guide (Brian Swantek), and the Assistant Senior Patrol Leader (Austin) along with myself.

3.       Breakfast Fundraiser.  This is a very important event because it is one of our major efforts to raise money to offset our existing activities.  We would like help to arrive at 7 AM this Sunday, March 18, 2012 at St Paul’s Church.  The breakfast begins at 8 AM.  We ask anyone that has a spare roaster or griddle to bring those items.  I know there has been some good communication regarding baked goods and those will certainly be appreciated.

4.       Court of Honor.  The COH is being rescheduled to Tuesday, April 3, 2012 at the New Springfield Church of God.  The COH is being rescheduled to permit Scouts to complete some of the remaining merit badges and rank advancements.  In addition, I have gotten significantly behind in providing our Advancement Chair, Mike Hughes, the necessary update so he can get our records in appropriate order for this event.

5.       Troop Committee Meeting.  We held an ad hoc meeting this evening to review the breakfast and discuss very near term events.  The next Troop Committee Meeting is THR, APR 12 at 6:30 PM at the Petersburg FD. 

6.       Dayton Trip in April.  The Dayton trip is scheduled for APR 20-22.  The final cost has not been determined however will be complete by next TUE (3/20).  I am waiting on the final hotel quote to complete the cost estimate.  In addition if there are any adults I am not aware of that plan on attending please let me know.  We are planning to rent two 7 passenger vans to assist with transportation and limit the necessary number of vehicles.

7.       May 12 Cleanup.  We will perform both a roadside cleanup and VFW cleanup beginning at 10 AM on Saturday, MAY 12, 2012.  Our plan is to divide the Troop in sections with Scouts performing both at the same time to limit the amount of time we expend on both. 

8.       Troop Finances.  Overall we are doing very well however we are tackling some lofty goals this year with performing both a high adventure trip for our older Scouts and attending summer camp with all Scouts that desire to attend.  Once we get the results of our breakfast and other contributions we are expecting we will determine how much we can offset for summer camp.  Our goal is to reduce the total summer camp bill by $150 per Scout.  This is very dependent upon the donations we expect along with our existing fundraising efforts.

9.       High Adventure Trip. This trip will be conducted from June 17 to June 23 and take place at the Algonquin Provincial Park in Canada.  The most important task for parents at the moment is to secure the necessary passport or pass card for your Scout.  We are sending our first payment out to the outfitter tomorrow.  March payments were due this evening and we would ask that everyone is caught up by next week.  If you need information on remaining trip balance or the balance of your Scout’s account please email me and we can provide that data.  Mr. Lonardo has done an incredible job at keeping the price down to the minimum and our plan is reliant upon the money we are collecting on a monthly basis.  In the beginning we discussed appropriate equipment with your Scout, which includes various items like a good rain suit, netted hood, lightweight clothing that can dry quickly and keep your Scout warm.  I will do my best this week to put together a packing list and email so that you can begin acquiring any items your Scout does not possess.  Our trip plan is to depart very early on June 17 and drive to Algonquin.  We will spend the night at the base camp and on Monday we will draw our equipment as expeditiously as possible and hit the water.  We will return to the base camp early on Friday (June 22) and spend the night at the base camp.  On Saturday we are currently planning to stop at Niagara Falls briefly and then drive the rest of the way home.  This will certainly be dependent on how everyone is feeling at the end of our week in the wilderness.  There are many important training topics that we need all adults that are attending along with all Scouts to complete.  Mr. Lonardo, Mr. Allen, and I will examine where we are at in the training progression and we may have to schedule some time with those requiring makeup training.

10.   Summer Camp.  We collected the reservation payment this evening and the remaining balance is due on May 8.  Total cost is $295 per Scout or $255 for second Scout in same family.  Scouts that are just crossing over will have until the beginning of June to pay the summer camp fee.  I will be sending out messages beginning in April to discuss summer camp, packing lists, and medical exams.