Scoutmaster’s Corner

Our troop reunion and Eagle Ceremony went very well. We had a full house that celebrated our troop’s 20-year history as well as the long-awaited ceremony for three of our Eagle Scouts – Alan Mathis, Chris Jensen, and James VanLandingham. Thanks to everyone who worked to make this possible. Hopefully our current scouts were inspired by the stories told by former Troop 23 scouts who look back on their scouting days (in some cases more than 15 years ago) as some of the best and most rewarding times of their lives. We must always remember that the Troop’s current success is built upon the very strong foundation of those scouts and adults who came before us.

Our troop rocket launch was held on August 18. Despite some technical difficulties such as rockets shedding pieces in flight or drifting out of sight, it was a lot of fun. Thanks to Sam Fair for teaching the space exploration merit badge and organizing this event.

Over the next few months, we will be working on the Family Life (Steve Yon), Atomic Energy and Computers (Larry Dennis), Salesmanship (Alan Null), and the Energy and Electricity (Rob McGarrah) merit badges during troop meetings. Scouts are free to pursue other merit badges on their own. However, they need to get troop authorization to do so, as the council now requires that an approved counselor must teach all merit badges. Jim Griner is our merit badge coordinator and has updated information on available counselors.

Eagle Projects

Some of our scouts will be working on Eagle Scout projects this fall and will need the help of troop scouts. Matt Fair will be working in September to modify and redecorate a room at Raa Middle School to house exceptional education students and needs help to do this. He has a sign-up sheet. Steven VanLandingham will organize a tree-planting project in a Leon County neighborhood the first weekend in December. We also have a couple of other scouts who are almost ready to do Eagle Projects.

Popcorn Sale

The annual scout popcorn sale is fast approaching. The Council dates for the Popcorn Sale are September 22 through October 20. We view this as a fundraising opportunity for our scouts rather than the Troop. As you know, our annual Christmas tree sale provides all the money needed to operate the Troop throughout the year. However, I highly encourage all scouts to sell popcorn as a way to earn additional scholarship money. They will receive about a third of the total sales, which will be deposited into their individual scholarship accounts. This will come in very hand as we start high adventure camps next summer. For example, a scout can earn about $150 in scholarship money by selling $450 in scout popcorn.

We are going to do something extra this year in addition to the scouts selling popcorn on their own. We will do “Show and Sells”, where scouts will have a supply of popcorn items on a table outside local stores (Albertsons on Thomasville Road and Publix at Bradfordville) and sell it to people walking by. We will do this on Saturday, September 29. This is a good way to sell, as it avoids the delivery hassle. Scouts who wish to participate (and earn a pro-rated share of the profits) need to sign up ASAP. Sue Griner is our popcorn czarina and has the sign-up sheets.

While having parents take the popcorn sale sheets to work is a great way to get sales, I want to strongly encourage that the scouts should be the ones to do this selling rather than to just send their parents to work to handle this. For example, a parent could bring in their son one afternoon to sell popcorn at their office rather than just posting the sign-up sheet on their door. This teaches scouts that sales is hard work, will increase sales (it is harder to say no to a scout in uniform than a parent) and gives the scouts a much greater appreciation of their scholarship money because they have earned it directly.

Ushering

We need one or two adults to coordinate scout ushering at FSU home games. One of the cool things that our scouts can do is to usher at the games, which them get in free! Scouts who sign up must get to the stadium a couple of hours early to help people find their seats, and must wear their Class A uniform when ushering. Typically the scouts can pretty much just watch the game after the first quarter or so. The folks volunteering to coordinate this would handle the sign-up for it, coordinate getting the scouts to games, supervising them during the games, and coordinate getting them home. We need to fill these slots ASAP as football season is almost here.

Troop Elections

Troop elections will be held September 17 for all troop and patrol positions. Scouts need to be thinking about this, and any scouts interested in running for Senior Patrol Leader or Assistant Senior Patrol Leader need to talk to me about job responsibilities before that date.

Adult training

The troop will soon offer adult training for folks who go on campouts or serve as teachers and instructors. This is essential to let everyone know how the troop operates and what to expect. Also, the Council is offering “BSA new leader training” on September 22, 8:30 to 6 at the Later Day Saint church on 3717 Thomasville Road. I encourage all adults to attend this if they haven’t gone through this training before. The registration deadline is September 18.

Troop Schedule

September 3 – NO MEETING, Labor Day September 6 - Troop Committee Meeting September 8 – Atomic Energy merit badge tour of FSU nuclear physics lab (AM);

Usher, FSU vs. UAB (PM)

September 10 - Honor Court

September 15 - Usher, FSU vs. GA Tech

September 17 - Meeting/Troop Election

September 21-23 -- Campout, Ginnie Springs

September 24 - PLC

September 29 – Popcorn show and sell (AM); Usher, FSU vs. Wake Forest

October 1- Meeting

October 4 - Troop Committee Meeting

October 5-7 - JLT, St. George Island

October 8 - Meeting

October 13 - Usher, FSU vs. Miami

October 15 - Meeting

October 19-21 - Campout, St. Joseph State Park

October 22 – PLC

October 29 - Meeting

The Trooper

September 2001

Scoutmaster’s Corner