Scoutmaster’s Corner

We have gained 15 new scouts in the past month. As a reminder to the new scouts, it is important that they

(1) Come to meetings on time (by 7 PM)

(2) Bring their scout books to record skill advancements

(3) Sit down and be quiet when being addressed by troop officers and advancement counselors.

It is always an adjustment when new scouts join the troop, and it takes a couple of months for them to learn everyone’s names and how we operate (and for the other scouts to learn their names as well). It is also very important for them to start working immediately on rank advancement, and going on campouts is the best way to do this.

Our campout to Torreya State Park was a success. We had 25 scouts and 7 adults attend. We hiked on trails in the park (one group did 8 miles, another 5) and worked on a variety of scouting skills. Most of the scouts earned their toten’ chit, which authorizes them to bring a knife on camping trips (and use it safely) and fire'n chit, which authorizes them to help build campfires.

Our next campout is April 27-29, when we will camp and canoe at Ochlocknee State Park. Note that this is a date change. Due to the Franklin Graham festival, we needed to change our trip because the church needed the vans to get people to the event. Scouts going on this campout should be able to earn the canoeing and swimming merit badges.

Troop Training

On April 7, we will have leadership training for senior scouts from 9 AM to 2 PM (lunch will be provided). We will cover a variety of topics, including leadership and teambuilding. This will take the place of Junior Leader Training this spring. All troop and patrol officers and other senior scouts (first class and above) must attend; junior scouts are also welcome.

Van Drivers

We continue to need more adults to take the test and become licensed “Class D” drivers. This isn’t hard and requires an hour or so of studying and taking a multiple-choice written test at a driver’s license office. The troop will pay the expense of the new license.

We currently are relying on too few adults to serve as drivers, creating the risk that we may not be able to go on a camping trip if these folks aren’t available. I ask that some of the parents of our new scouts support the troop by getting this license.

Troop Elections

Elections for troop and patrol officers were held March 26. The new officers are shown on the attached patrol roster. My thanks go to Raju Vyas, who agreed to serve once again as Senior Patrol Leader, and to Kevin Yon and Brian Sanders, who will serve as Assistant Senior Patrol Leaders. Due to the growth of the troop, each patrol elected a patrol leader and two assistant patrol leaders.

We have also established patrol advisors for each patrol. This is a dad who will work with the patrol to help ensure that it runs well and that all scouts in the patrol make good advancement progress. These patrol advisors are listed on the attached troop roster.

Scout Advancement

It is very important that new scouts work to quickly earn rank advancements. Scouts are much more likely to enjoy scouting and camping if they are learning critical camping skills and are making good advancement progress. The new scouts who joined the troop over the last couple of months should be ready to earn Tenderfoot if they have gone on a campout. This requires the scouts to exercise for 30 days and record their results. Please work with your sons to make sure that this happens! Our goal is to get all new scouts up to First Class rank within one year, and we need your help to encourage them along the way. A good way to help is to work with your son to learn one new scout skills (rank advancement requirement) each week.

High Adventure

Sue Griner has volunteered to coordinate planning for our Florida Keys/Bahamas high adventure trip next year, but needs other adults to help in this effort. Please give her a call if you can help on this. We will not be able to go on this trip unless we start planning now, and this won’t happen unless some folks step forward. If you are interested, please call Sue at 385-8945.

Summer Camp

We have 9 scouts signed up to go to Daniel Boone, and about 20 Scouts going to Wallwood. If anyone else wishes to go on these camps, they need to let us know ASAP as space is limited and we have to finalize our reservations. All new scouts should strongly consider going to Wallwood, which is a good introductory summer camp. Please note that additional payments will need to be made this month for the camps; if you are planning to use scholarship money for this you need to see Mr. Null to arrange this.

Scholarships

Attached is the 2000-01 scholarship earnings of our scouts, which they earned over the past year by participation in troop activities and advancements. We substantially increased the amount of money available for scholarships this year by raising the troop contribution from $3000 to $4000 and by re-investing the money that scouts who have aged out or otherwise left the troop back into the scholarship pot. Congratulations to the scouts!

Troop Meetings

Effective immediately, we will change the format of our meetings somewhat to increase advancement opportunities. After the opening and initial announcements, the troop will break into two groups. Scouts under First Class will do advancement training with the adults and troop guides, while Scouts First Class and above will do merit badge instruction. We will then break into patrols for patrol meetings and/or competitions. We will then end with announcements and the closing.

Troop Schedule

April 7 – Troop leadership training – KUMC; 9 AM to 1 PM

April 9 – regular meeting

April 16 – regular meeting

April 23 – regular meeting

April 27-29 Camping, Ochlocknee River Canoeing

April 30 – PLC

May 3 – Troop Committee Meeting

May 7 – regular meeting

May 14 – regular meeting

May 18-20 camping, St. Andrews State Park

May 21 – PLC

May 28 – NO MEETING; Memorial Day

The Trooper

April 2001

Scoutmaster’s Corner