Weekly Post; Week of December 12, 2011

Post date: Dec 10, 2011 7:27:03 PM

Greetings Troop 737! Greetings Troop 737! There is only one more meeting until our winter break. We have a lot going on with signups for Echo Mountain, Okpik, Mystery Campout, Summer Camp and Re-Charter. Please see the details below.

The committee decided that we needed to add a meeting to the January calendar to take care of activity signups, Mystery Campout Prep and other business as we start up again after break. Therefore you will see a meeting scheduled for MLK Monday, January 16th.

This week, our meeting will continue to focus on Trail to First Class (TTFC). All scouts still working on TTFC, please bring your books into the meeting and turn them into Mr. Riley. He needs to put all your recent accomplishments into the computer and can do this while you are participating in the meeting. Don’t forget to pick them up again after the meeting! Also, TTFC scouts will get head of the line privileges to talk to Mr. Riley! Getting the book and computer records up to date will help us to set up an advancement program after winter break. In addition, this meeting is your Christmas Party. All patrols are bringing snacks and each individual scout should bring a White Elephant gift to exchange with other scouts. If you are like me, you may be wondering what a White Elephant gift exchange is, please see Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_elephant_gift_exchange.

After the New Year, Troop 737 will start working on TTFC requirements in regular and advancement meetings. We will post a schedule of skills sessions ahead of time, but we would like to have all TTFC scouts not sign up for Merit Badges at advancement meetings until they achieve the rank of First Class. It is far more important for scouts to make First Class in their first or second year than to work on Merit Badges. If you are close to First Class and want an exception, please come and see Mr. Hoffman, with your book, so we can discuss your plans.

If you or your scout has purchased food for any activities, please turn in your receipts to get reimbursed. We cannot close out the finances for each event until all payments have been made and received. In particular, no scout has turned in a receipt for food purchased for the USAFA Football Game campout. I know there were about three patrols that purchased food, so if you want your money, please see Mrs. Riley and turn in your receipt.

Re-charter is here!! Please read details below or Mrs. Mizenko email. The deadline is tomorrow’s meeting.

Doug Kerber’s and Andrew Mieloch's Eagle Scout Projects: Doug and Andrew have announced their Eagle Scout Projects for the next several weekends. Please read their separate emails regarding these projects. We will need to get the troop together to help both of them on their projects. They both have a good amount of work to do, so let all pitch in.

We still don’t have everyone’s health form on file with the troop. Please see Mr. Smith’s many emails and check if you, or your scout, have a form on file or not. Unfortunately, we will need to start asking scouts to not stay and participate in meetings and activities if we do not have the forms on file.

Service Patrol:

The service patrol for December is still the Thigers. Please show up in force early and help set up the room for our meeting.

Sign up & Payment Deadlines:

Echo Mountain Ski Day Sign up Deadline; 12/12/2011: Mr. Roberts has Set the costs and published the details; see below!

Okpik Signup Deadline; 12/12/2011: The first scouts to sign up and pay are the ones that go. The cost is $90. Mr. Trower has already signed up for 10 spots, but will take the list of scouts who have paid after tomorrow’s meeting and request additional spaces if necessary. If you are interested, please sign up and pay this week, this I your last opportunity.

Mystery Campout Signup Deadline; 01/16/2012: The cost and details are still being worked out, but this one is a whole lot of fun. For scouts, you just show up to be whisked away on a weekend of adventure around the Denver Metro Area. Sign up soon.

Peaceful Valley Summer Camp Signup and Payment Deadline is rapidly approaching: ; While we do not have an exact deadline, the merit badge registration opens in about February and we need to have names and deposits in order register scouts for the badges they need and want. The most popular badges fill up quickly, so if you want to shoot, or something similar, we need you to sign up and put your deposit in ASAP. The fee for each scout for summer camp is $250. A$30 deposit is required for each scout to put their names in and we can register scouts on the Peaceful Valley Web Site as we get the deposit. The payment schedule is as follows:

  • As soon as possible, a $30 deposit. We will register scouts by name as soon as we get this deposit
  • March 5th, 30% including the $30 deposit.
  • April 2nd,the next 30%
  • May 7th, the final 30%

The fee for the adults still needs to be determined by the number going. We get the first two slots for free, so we have some options.

Since we still need a HALO for Peaceful Valley, I would like to offer that whoever signs up as the HALO will get a free spot to Peaceful Valley. The main task for the HALO will be to do on-line registration of scouts for merit badges as soon as the registration opens, communication of information to the troop, and delegating some additional tasks to parents going to the camp.

Upcoming Activities:

Scoutmaster Invitational: I am thinking a ball game or hockey, and will try to arrange something for this winter. I am still working on an idea.

Echo Mountain Ski Day, December 28: From Mr. Roberts, one of the HALOs for this event; Echo Mountain ski/board trip is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec 28 and will be open to 25 scouts and parents. The cost will be $20/per lift ticket. The fee for group lessons will be $20/person. Our plans will be to meet at the church at 8AM and depart by 8:30AM. We will leave Echo Mountain at 4PM and arrive back at the church, at 4:45PM. See the rest of the detail on the calendar and in Mr. Roberts email.

Okpik January 6 -8, 2012; After we are on our Christmas breaks, this will be the first outing of the year, before any January meeting, so you need to be signed up and paid by the first part of December at the latest. Any scout 13 or older by January 6, or any parent, that has had winter camp training is eligible to attend. The fee is $90. All equipment, food, polls, skis, snow shoes, etc. is included in the fee. If you have not been to Okpik, you should at some time attend during your scouting courier. It is the pinnacle of winter camping. Some scouts have been three times so far. You can view past Okpik pictures on the troop web site. You can also go to the Denver Council site and get info about Okpik.

Mystery Campout January 20-21: Details are being finalized, but for scouts, show up and away we go. More details at the next circle time.

District and Council News and Upcoming Activities:

2012 Big Horn Information: Summer 2012 dates are posted. If you are interested, more information will posted as it comes out. This training is required for all Scouts desiring to hold the Senior Patrol leader position.

As always, please read the troop web site, especially the calendar, for the most current information on all upcoming and scheduled events.

Mr. Hoffman

Scoutmaster