Weekly Post, October 12, 2014
Post date: Oct 18, 2014 11:05:32 PM
Hello Troop 737,
On Monday night we are going to be holding our SPL, Senior Patrol Leader, elections. The following Monday, when we will be holding our regular elections, a lot of our older scouts will be at the state band competition, so we will hold just the SPL election this Monday night. Also ANY older scouts we could really use some help with our Trail to First Class this Monday during advancement night. I suspect that some of you need to fulfill the requirement of teaching a younger scout a skill using the EDGE method. This is your chance.
Monday night is Advancement night. At our last advancement night, the only merit badges that scouts participated in were: Chess http://usscouts.org/mb/mb147.asp, Citizenship in the Community http://usscouts.org/mb/mb002.asp and Citizenship in the Nation http://usscouts.org/mb/mb003.asp . We also offered Entrepreneurship http://usscouts.org/mb/mb134.asp , Engineering http://usscouts.org/mb/mb046.asp but no scouts were interested in taking these merit badges. If you are interested in taking one of these last two merit badges you need to contact Mrs. Osborn, our merit badge coordinator, ASAP. cjosborn92627@yahoo.com 1.949.295.7621. There will be 1 or 2 more Advancement nights this semester where scouts will be working on the same merit badges. We are going to ask that the scouts be more involved in the Advancement night than in the past. We are asking the scouts who would like to work on one of the above merit badges to:
1. To review the requirements of each merit badge offered to be certain of the one they choose. Don't choose one because that's the one their friend decided on.
2. Each scout must print their own worksheets. See links above. None will be available at advancement night.
3. Each scout will need to prepare a blue card, which will be available at the meeting. The counselor will not provide blue cards.
4. The troop will provide a folder if the scout chooses, to hold the work sheets and blue card.
5. Scouts should be prepared - bring a pen!
For those scouts who have not reached First Class we will have a special session in the kitchen where older scouts will be helping you with your Trail to First Class requirements. We ask that all scouts who have not achieved their First Class that they not work on a merit badge until this rank is achieved or very, very close.
See Merit Badge College info below.
REMINDER To be included in the Troop 737 group text messages, text @troop737 to (303) 625-7829. This is mainly for Scouts but parents are welcome to join. You can opt-out of messages at any time by replying, ‘unsubscribe @troop737’.
I encourage all adults who are interested in learning more about scouts to attend the University of Scouting that is being offered on Saturday October 25th at Red Rock Community College. There are tons of different classes offered. It is a great event. Here is a link to the event: http://www.denverboyscouts.org/training/university-of-scouting/42460 . Also this is one of the only places where Den Chiefs can be trained.
The Troop plans for the Boundary Waters is firming up. The dates are 6/9/15-6/18/15, which includes one travel day each way to/from Minnesota. The final cost will be determined after we buy group-plane tickets, which won't be until spring, 2015, but the total cost will be about $900 per person. A deposit will be needed by 12/1/14 (expect about $100 down). This is a trip NOT to be missed by any Scouts at 14 ages or above (13 years old is allowed with a parent). Sign-up forms will be at Troop 737 meetings on Mondays...we need to start collecting names so 1) we know there is interest, and 2) to show commitment to that interest. Don't wait long - the trip as a number limit!
Make sure you pick up your special scout coupon for Dicks Sporting Goods.
Upcoming signup deadlines
November 3 Survival campout
Boundary Waters sign up now see above. First payment due December 1st.
Scoutmaster Minute Review
I have a good friend named Kimra Perkins. She is one of the most interesting, fun and successful people I know. Her favorite animal is the Dung Beatle (DB). Why a DB? The DB searches around until it finds just the right dung. Then it pushes, molds, and forms the dung into a ball. Some DBs push around dung 10 times their weight. They also roll the dung ball in a straight line no matter what obstacles are in the way. Once the DB finds the right spot they bury the dung ball. This is where they raise their young or store the dung. Pretty boring huh? But unknown to the DB, that dung has seeds and fertilizer in it. Also, as they roll the dung ball around it picks up more seeds. In this way they help make the area that they live much more futile and beautiful.
Sometimes we do things and we think it is not a big deal … I am just one person in this world of 7 million people and I live in a small town outside Denver Colorado. But our actions do matter. If you do something good like a good turn daily, it matters. If you do something bad like lying, cheating or spreading rumors, it matters. So be like a Dung Beatle; work hard and make your actions count. Do a good turn daily.
Here is a list of upcoming events:
You can always check out the full schedule on the Troop website at: https://sites.google.com/a/themountaintroop.org/troop-737-home/troop-calendar
October 20 Troop Meeting 6:30 – 8pm Service patrol is the “Older Scouts”. Please show up 15 minutes early to help set up. Advancement night and SPL elections.
October 27 Troop Meeting 6:30 – 8pm Service patrol is the “Older Scouts”. Please show up 15 minutes early to help set up. Troop Elections and fire starting patrol contest.
November 1 Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops (ILST) training and Patrol Leader’s Council (PLC) meeting ( 9am – 3pm ELC All outgoing and incoming scout leaders will be expected to attend this training. We will be going through all the ILST training which is scheduled for 5 - 6 hours. Lunch will be provided.
November 7 - 9 Survival campout Leave 6pm Friday return Sunday 1pm. Come learn survival skills and
earn your survival merit badge.
December 6 Winter Camp Training ( 8:30am – 3pm ELC Any Scouts or adults who want to go winter camping must attend this training. The leadership team has been asked numerous times to make an exception to this rule and we have turned it down every time. We want everyone’s winter camp experience, especially the first one, to be a good one. This is a very informative and worthwhile training.
As Scoutmaster of a very active troop, I am constantly being approached about our troop helping out in the community. The troop policy has been to give our Eagle projects the priority over any other service opportunities. Instead of bombarding you all with these other opportunities I will keep a list and if a scout wants to participate in a service project or he needs service hours for rank advancement, he can email me for the list.
2014 Frontier District Merit Badge College
Welcome to the 2014 Frontier District Merit Badge College. This years event will be held on five different dates, November 8, 15, 20, 21 and 22. The classes on November 21 will be held from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm and on November 22 from 7:00 am to 4:30 pm at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Stake Building, 2710 S. Monaco Parkway, Denver CO.
Cost is $15 per Scout, with your paid registration, before October 1, 2014. On the morning of 10/1/14 a late fee of $5 will be assessed for registrations created and/or paid after that date. Registration closes on October 24, 2014. After that date, you can walk- in. Cost for walk-in's will be $25 and classes will be severely limited as 99% of Scouts register and pay online before Merit Badge College.
Here is a listing of the off-campus classes that are available throughout the month of November.
November 8, 2014 Classes
November 15, 2014 Classes
November 20, 2014 Class
Stay Tuned! Valley District Merit Badge College 11/8/2014