BOYSCOUTS

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PLEASE SEE ALL BOYSCOUT EVENTS ON THE BOYSCOUTS CALENDAR OF EVENTS BY CLICKING HERE:  BOYSCOUTS CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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October 27, 2008:

Hi everyone!

Here is this week's update for the Troop.

Remember, check the website for any questions about upcoming events.

THURSDAY NIGHT: 6:30 -8pm : MERIT BADGE night - bring your blue cards and work on your Merit Badges. I know that this is also the Halloween celebration for the WES scouts - so, please do not feel obligated to try to come to both, but, since the WUHS scouts are probably not going to be attending the WES event, then we will still meet so that they can work on any unfinished merit badges.

SATURDAY: November 1: Veteran's Day Parade - Montpelier. We need to be there early - see the email Form Jill Leavitt. For those WUHS scouts that would like to come tothe parade, Michelle can come along and bring you back since there is the Freshman Dance that night as well. Jonathan could return with Michelle as well. We have recieved email that Connor and Justan are not coming as well.

Can you all please let me (or Jill) know ASAP if you are plannig to attend.

For those scouts wishing to do an overnight, we are planning to leave from the parade and go camping. We need to have a head count on this ASAP as well, so we can plan the food accordingly.

Chris

September 29, 2008:

Hi everyone! I am writing this to you from Philadelphia - it is beautiful here and balmy. Hope you are all dry and sunny in Vermont.

Below I have included a copy of the event schedule for this weekend's Jubilee which is taking place at Camp Plymouth.

I need to get the registration in ASAP and therefore need a quick count of who will be attending - even if you can only attend for a limited time (Friday night - to mid-day Saturday, or Saturday into Sunday) that is fine, please do not feel that you must skip it all if you don't want to.

I also need to know so that I can get a few scouts working on the food / menus that we will need to plan for the weekend.

I would plan on the Troop leaving Woodstock around 6:30 - 7pm (late soccer players from the High School I hope will join us for the weekend....hint, hint...) I will have the entire day off and will try to get over to Camp Plymouth by mid afternoon to get us registered and to stake out a camp site so that we are not seeking it in the dark like we did at the Spring Camporee. NO! I will not be setting up all of the tents for the Scouts - I said I will stake out the site . . .

Additionally, I need to know which parents / leaders can also come for all / part of the weekend. I need to leave by late Saturday morning and be gone for the night - but, will return by checkout time on Sunday - Michelle and I are attending a wedding just down the road at the Echo Lake Inn.

So, I need at least 2 leaders for Saturday. Jeff and I will be there Friday night (if I am going early we could also use some drivers for the other boys - in fact, if the younger scouts wanted to get there earlier, they could come early (after school ) with Mr.. DeDell - who has agreed to pull the trailer "THANK YOU!" - and then another parent could bring the High School soccer players after their game - an idea that can evolve over the week.

But, are there other leaders that can / want to come Friday night? Saturday night? I think Peter Vollers Sr. had planned to arrive on Saturday - is this still correct?

If, and I mean IF - I can get a good response on this via email or the phone (i am home tomorrow - Tuesday night - probably after 9pm) then we can probably skip this week's meeting and go straight to the campout - otherwise, I will need to have the meeting just to clear up the details.

Please note that you will each be receiving a separate email from me telling you what the current Troop dues are for your Scout through October - I do not want this to be public on the website. Your scout should have come home with a piece of paper with the amount on it - but, in case it got lost, I am following up with an email. Please get this in to the Troop ASAP, as it helps pay for the camp registration , rafting , etc. If you do not get an email, then your scout has paidhis dues - thank you.

SPEAKING OF RAFTING!!! - WHAT a GREAT time we all had on Saturday. We will definitely be doing this again next September. The trip is PERFECT for first time rafters - just fun enough to get to experience the waves, but, short enough series of rapids to not be scary - so, I encourage ALL of you to plan on making the trip next year!

Get back to me ASAP regarding this weekend. I would love it if everyone could be there for some if not all of the time.

Scoutmaster Fields

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Event Schedule: (subject to change)

Friday, October 3, 2008

3:00-8:00 Troop/Crew/Post Arrival, Registration, Setup

8:30 SPL Meeting

9:00 Leaders' Meeting/Cracker Barrel

10:00 Taps/Light's Out

Saturday, October 4, 2008

6:30

Reveille/Wake-up

7:00

Breakfast, cleanup 7:00

OA Scoutmaster Breakfast

7:30

Leaders/SPL Mtg at HQ

8:30

Opening Ceremonies

9:00

Morning Events Start

11:30

Lunch Preparation 11:30

Cub Registration Opens

12:00

Lunch, Cleanup 12:30

Scouts on Parade

12:30

Scouts on Parade

1:15

Surprise from the Sky 1:15

Surprise from the Sky

2:30

Afternoon Activities

2:30 OA Lodge Meeting 2:30

Cub Activities Open

4:30

Dinner Preparation

5:30

Dinner 5:30

Dinner*

7:00

Vespers

8:00

Campfire Program 8:00 Campfire Program 8:00 Campfire Program 9:30

Leaders' Cracker Barrel 9:00

Cubs Leave

10:00

Taps/Lights Out

* Consessions will be open, or Cubs can eat with their sponsoring troop if they make arrangements with them prior to the event.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

6:30 Reveille/Wake-up

7:00 Breakfast, cleanup

9:00 Closing Ceremonies

11:00 Service project - put boats away/tables up &/or "Adopt a Park" commitments After retirement of colors: break camp, check sites, units check-out

12:00 Final walk-around, site cleared.

September 23, 2008:

Good evening everyone,

Just a reminder that there is a meeting this Thursday night at the Masonic Hall. 6:30 - 8pm - Class A's

The boys continue to talk about what activities/ programs they want for the upcoming year.

We are going to be having a GAME NIGHT e very few months. I would like this to be an opportunity to involve the Scouts and parents in a little friendly competition, so, please, when you see on the calendar that it is a GAME NIGHT, please try to be in attendance with us so that we can get you all involved in the games as well.

The calendar is being updated at this moment and will include all of the sports schedules / school holidays / scouting events / etc. I am trying to get the calendar to be a central location where we can post all of the commitments that these boys have and help you as the parents to plan ahead to help your scout participate in as many activities as they want.

Outdoor activities become critical for rank advancement as that is the only opportunity we have to teach / learn some of the skills needed for higher rank. Please discuss this with your scout and plan accordingly. We will be trying to plan an outdoor activity on a monthly basis - this becomes more important as we get more scouts.

Dues: we have been very lax about collecting dues in the past. The dues are supposed to be $5 per month that the Scout earns at home / on his own. The reality is that the $5 becomes critical to help pay for the program materials, so, after talking with Michelle about the Cub Scout program, I am going to suggest we begin what she has done in the past. IF you want your Scout to pay on a monthly basis that is fine, and please try to make sure that he comes to the meetings at the beginning of the month with his $5. The other option is that you folks pay the Troop $75 up front ($5/mos for 12 months and $15 for registration / Boy's Life subscription). Remember the boys can earn the $5 by participating in the bottle drive.

BOTTLE DRIVE : October 18.

Rotary Penny Sale: October 11. This is an important event for our sponsor (Woodstock Rotary Club) and the community. The Rotary Club gives us $500 each year towards our program and ask nothing in return, except that we help with the Penny Sale by being the runners of the items to the winners. This is a fun event and is also an opportunity for us to demonstrate that the Scouting program in Woodstock is strong and vibrant. I ask that all of you try to be available to have your Scout available for the Penny Sale. What the heck - you all should attend the sale as well.... The event is like every other public event and requires Class A uniforms. Free pizza and drinks are served to the kids. Please, scouts, if you do not plan to help please do not come to the event and sit in the audience - this is disrespectful of your Troop members that are working the event. If you are going to be there, please come in uniform and participate, this makes it more fun for everyone.

Weekly meetings: Please try to come in uniform. I realize some scouts have sports after school right up until the start of the meeting. The Class A shirt will fit in a back pack and I do not care if the shirt is wrinkled - so, please take it to school with you if you need to in order to have it available for the meeting.

That's it for now. Please give me feedback about whether or not your scout is enjoying the program, I want to make it as much fun as possible and still keep the emphasis on learning, maturing, and leadership through doing and living.

Scoutmaster Fields

Scoutmaster's report 08/18/08

Good morning everyone,

Here are the announcements for this week:

1.BOARDS OF REVIEW - on Thursday night to advance in rank:

6:30 PM - Homestead - Full uniform required.

If you have not gotten me your scout book - I need it ASAP. Can you bring it to my house tonight????

These scouts are ready for Boards of Review:

Ben Leavitt

Zane Fields

Graham Melville

Nehemiah Wood

Connor McCarthy

Justin Forgione

Michael Rosenberger

2. I have not had any commitments for the WHITE WATER RAFTING TRIP - SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 27th - (besides Zane and Jordan) - so, at this time nothing is scheduled. If we want to do the Ball Dam trip - then there is one date only - as they release the water for only one day making the river able to be rafted. If there is a desire for another date - then we need to look for another location. I need to know ASAP.

3. OLDER SCOUTS - get those last two requirements done for Citizenship in the World by THURSDAY, 8/21/08, as I need time to get the blue cards signed and up to Waterbury.

4. SCOUT AWARDS PICNIC - it has been suggested to move this to SATURDAY 6th of September (VS the original THURSDAY, 4th of September) Please let me know what works for all of you. I realize that some of you may have made plans for the weekend since the ceremony was originally scheduled for Thursday. (Saturday works better for the DeDells as they are hoping to host it at their place..)

5. BOTTLE DRIVE - SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 6th - 9am - 12 noon. We need parent volunteers to work with their scout. Please let me , Jill Leavitt, or Hunter Melville know what you availability is.

6. EAGLE BOARD OF REVIEW - Jonathan, I am trying to get the Eagle Review Committee (Mark Lackley, Matt Maxham, Dwight Camp) to be available to hear your project on Thursday, August 21 at the Homestead (after we meet Tuesday night). Please keep your schedule open.

7. NEXT SCOUT MEETING - THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 28TH - 6:30 PM - MASONIC HALL.

We will be working on designing your Patrol Flags - so bring your ideas, the more people that can be there the better - I have the flag material and will bring it.

8. INVITE A FRIEND - please think about inviting a friend to join scouting - bring them along to a meeting, tell them about the funs things we are doing and planning to do....

That's it for now.

ScoutMaster Fields

July 21, 2008 Scout Camp Info:

Hello Scouting Families,

Here is the information that you need for Scout Camp this year. The form below is the packing list that is sent to us by Green Mtn. Council.

This Email contains vital information, especially for the 1st year campers. PLEASE READ AND DISCUSS THIS LETTER WITH YOUR SON before Thursday night's meeting. The next troop meeting is dedicated to final preparation for Scout Camp- any questions you may have will be addressed then.

DEPARTURE: Meet at 9:30 am at the Pomfret Elementary School on Sunday July 27th. We currently have just enough drivers to meet the transportation needs of getting the Scouts to camp- BUT it would be beneficial if 1 or 2 parents with larger vehicles or minivans would be willing to drive up with us. In this way the boys would be able to travel together as a group and have a better "bonding experience". If you would be willing to do this, please contact me as soon as possible. My number is 457-3773. We will eat lunch at the McDonalds along the way. Arrival at Mount Norris Scout camp will be at approximately 1pm.

The Scouts and Adult leaders must arrive at the Pomfret School in full dress CLASS A UNIFORMS. We will be taking an official group picture prior to departure. The troop will offer them at a low price for anyone who wants a copy. I'm not sure what the price will be, but it will certainly be much less than the $5.00 that the camp charges, and the quality should be far better.

Have your son pack his bathing suit and towel near the top of his pack. We will be heading to the lake for swim tests very soon after we arrive, and he will want to have them easily accessible. The Scouts who already passed their swim tests with Chris Fields are also required to present themselves at the lake with their swim tabs- they do not need to retake the test.

MONEY: The boys are permitted to bring up to $40.00 for the week. This is to include the money to be used at McDonalds. The boys will manage their own money at camp. We will provide a place for the safe storage of their funds. The troop will be bringing along its Merit Badge library for the use of the scouts during the week. If the scouts desire to have their own books they will need to purchase them from the trading post.

CAMP STORE AND FOOD: The boys are strongly encouraged to limit themselves to 1 slushy a day, for our benefit and theirs- Less of a sugar high for them, less visits to the store for us. The camp store sometimes has very good sales on good camping gear as well as camping books. However, as you may well imagine, most of what they offer is high sugar foods and low quality, unnecessary camping items. Talk to your son before he leaves for Scout camp about appropriate spending. Once we are at camp the adult leaders have very little control over how they spend their money.

The Troop 220 trailer will be well stocked with HEALTHY snacks and fun foods. There will be ample food for them to eat at all times during the day. Don't feel as though you need to send them to camp with snacks for the whole week, it isn't necessary. If you do send food with your Scout, or send a "care package" in the mail, send enough for all of the boys- Scout camp is meant to be a shared experience and we do not allow any hoarding.

All meals are eaten in the dining hall unless the Scouts decide to cook within our campsite. The Scouts get to decide what to do. Generally the Troop prepares 1 supper in the campsite during the second half of the week.

COMMUNICATION WITH CAMP: Incoming mail to scouts and leaders is distributed at the evening retreat ceremony. Mail takes 2 or 3 days to reach the camp. The address is

Scout name

C/o Mount Norris Scout Reservation

Troop 220, Campsite Belvidere

Po Box 117

Eden, VT 05652

The camp telephone is reserved for business use only. Parents wishing to contact their son in an emergency should call 802-635-7415 and leave a message.

BELVIDERE CAMPSITE: Has lean-to's and room for many tents. The lean-to's do not have mosquito netting, but do have bunks. Bathroom facilities are on-site. The adults will have separate tents for themselves.

YOUTH PROTECTION: Mt. Norris follows the same BSA protocol as we do in our local troop. They require a "two deep leadership policy"-two leaders to be present with a single scout, or two scouts to be present with a single leader. Additionally they require adults to have separate changing quarters and sleeping accommodations. This is very important so please review this policy with your son before he leaves for camp.

The Scouts travel to and from their activities with a buddy, not an adult. Their buddy parings can change throughout the day depending on what works best. They are not required to stay with their patrol, or even their fellow troop members, but they need to always have a buddy with them. They are free to explore any, and all, age and skill appropriate activities anywhere in the camp without the direct supervision of the Troop 220 adult leaders- we just need to know where they are going, when they will be back, and who they have as a buddy.

MERIT BADGES: The Scouts will sign up for 5 Merit Badge classes that are offered every day. The signup is Sunday evening just after supper. Mt Norris has continued to offer the Golf Merit Badge again this year. There is an extra fee of $15.00 for green fees.

Chris Fields will be heading up the polar bear group from troop 220 again this year. For those Scouts who have completed, or will complete this year, the life saving merit badge, Chris is requiring them to take part in the polar bear swim during the week and the 1 mile swim at the end of the week.

The new Scouts are encouraged to sign up for what is called "first class adventure". The program is meant to teach them many of the skills that are required for Tenderfoot up through the 1st Class Boy Scout ranks. It is meant to get their rank advancement moving along quickly. However, we will not require them to sign up for the course, they can sign up for merit badge courses if they so choose.

CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT: You are being provided with the standard issue equipment list from Mt. Norris. Let me add a bit of camp advice- 1.For those who would like to pursue a camping merit badge- bring hiking boots, backpack, and camping gear/clothes. If in doubt about what to pack, refer to the camping list that you got for the Spring Camporee.

2.For the new Scouts who sign up for First Class Adventure- bring good hiking boots to climb Mt. Norris.

3.Pack your sons belongings in a plastic tote if you have one. They are waterproof, dirt-proof, and they pack easily.

4.Send your son to camp with his totin' chip and fire chit. If they have lost theirs, send them with the date when they completed the requirements. We will fill out new ones at camp- but only if they can prove that they fulfilled the requirements.

5.Please do not pack any items that can be used as accelerants. This includes hairspray, under arm deodorant, sun block, and bug repellents packaged in an aerosol can. Send your sons with liquid replacements (except for hairspray- who needs it at camp?). The lure of the liquid fireball by the light of the evening campfire has proven to be too great in the past. Help us to keep the boys safe.

6.The scouts need their Class A uniforms as well as their green shirts (for those who have already gotten their green tee-shirts) Make sure that their uniforms are complete with appropriate patches, neckerchiefs, and red hats. It would be helpful to review this with your son well before camp so that we can provide any patches that are missing. The pants to be worn with the class A uniform should be appropriate: no rips or tears, worn with belts if necessary, green if you got 'em, and no Camouflage gear. Chris requests that the shorts that are intended to be worn with the Class A uniforms be ones with pockets- please don't wear gym shorts or any long pant nylon shorts as part of the uniform.

7.Send 2 towels. You can send a spare, even if it's small. The towels never seem to completely dry out during the week. This would be a good opportunity to invest in a chamois camping towel (found at EMS). The Scouts will need it for future camping trips.

8. Please-send your Scout to camp with rain gear, not just a semi waterproof wind jacket.

MEDICATIONS: All medications will need to be placed with the camp health officer by Sunday evening. Please notify us before the trip if there are any medical situations that we should be aware of. Remind us of any food allergies as well.

HEALTH FORMS: Please bring the originals to the meeting on Thursday the 24th so that we can copy them in time for Scout Camp.

RETURN HOME: We leave camp after the closing ceremony on the evening of Friday the 1st of August. Parents are invited to the closing ceremony too, it begins at 8pm. If you come, you can take your son home yourself. The travel time is about 2 hours. We need to carpool the Scouts home. We will be arranging transportation at Thursday nights meeting.

This promises to be a great camp experience this year. I hope that the Scouts are excited about getting away to camp,

Jeff DeDell- Asst. Scoutmaster

July 17, 2008:

Good morning everyone.

There will be NO Troop meeting tonight. We have a bottle drive on Saturday - please do not forget. The more the merrier - we have THOUSANDS of bottles and cans arriving and need as much help as we can get.

Swim testing was done 2 saturdays ago - those who missed it will take their swim test at camp - no big deal, just realize it still needs to be done.

Mr. DeDell - if you have camp information that needs to be given out can you bring it to the bottle drive? If not we will give it out at next Thursday's meeting.

PARENTS - who can drive scouts to camp on Sunday July 27? We need drivers to deliver scouts and pick them up on Friday Aug 1. If you can do one or both directions please let me know so we can coordinate this - with more scouts now, we need more drivers. (If you are going to drive I will need your car make model and insurance number for the Council record so that you have coverage for providing the transportation.)

If you have questions please always feel free to call me.

I will be in a Scout Council meeting at 7:30 tonight.

Chris