For this week's Mid-week update we have a few updates on what is going on this weekend, during the Memorial Day weekend and our fundraiser. The website will be updated tonight with everything listed below so don't forget to sign up.
The Fundraiser
This past Monday we started our summer jerky fundraiser and we are already off to a good start. So far I have been able to secure 2 out of 3 locations that we can have show and sell. As far as I know we are the only troop doing this type of sale/product at any of these events. I will have product with me this weekend and on Monday.
Friday the 14th evening
The members Camp Kane have invited Troop One and any other scouts to have dinner with them at the Camp Kane historic site. This will be simple hot dogs and snacks with smores around the campfire. We will begin at 6p. This outting and Saturday's event count as our May troop outings. Please come if you can for some good company and stories around the campfire.
Bonus point
Not only can you work on the Sales merit badge during this upcoming weekend, you can also start chipping away at the American Heritage merit badge.
Camp Kane day - Saturday May 15th
The agenda is to arrive at Camp Kane at 9a to set up our station and get ready for the day. At 10a sharp we will be presenting the flags with the boys from Troop 14. Directly following we will begin our fundraiser sale throughout the afternoon. The dress code for this event is Class A during the flag ceremony and class B for the rest of the day. We were specifically instructed by council DO NOT wear Class A while doing our fundraiser. Please remember to bring a lunch or a snack if you intend on staying the whole day. This event will go from 10:00 a.m. To 3:00 p.m. If you only have a few minutes of the day to come and participate please come for the flag ceremony at the beginning. The artillery specialists will be firing off their 12 pound cannons at 11a sharp and 2p sharp.
Grave flagging - Saturday May 29th
The American Legion has asked troop one to assist them in placing flags on the graves of the veterans in Union cemetery. We will begin at around 9a and finish roughly about noon.
Memorial Day flag ceremony
I was able to confirm with the American Legion that we will be doing the final flag ceremony of the morning on Memorial Day. The estimated time for the ceremony at Union cemetery is 7:15. We should arrive at 6:45 to get ourselves settled in and prepared for this final commemorative act of the morning. I hope to have a final agenda this coming Monday evening
This Saturday (December 26th) I will be trying to put together another service project over at Camp Kane. Because almost everybody seems to be home for the holidays this may be a good chance to pick off a couple more service hours. If you need service hours for a merit badge, a rank advancement or just want to get some dirt underneath your nails this may be our last best chance this year. It will be the same as before where we start at 10a and end around 2p. There is a sign up on the website if you're able to come. I will need another adult to assist me with this. If by Friday evening we can get at least 6 people signed up we are good to go.
I wanted to update everyone as to what was going on for this Saturday. I talked to the point person from pack 154 about their camp-out at Blackwell Forest Preserve. I've been informed that this is not a weekend camp-out but actually a Saturday/Sunday overnight. This means slight changes in what we were planning to do for the day. The updated timeline for pack 154 is to be at the forest preserve starting at noon on Saturday till 9a on Sunday when they will break camp.
Good morning or evening whenever you are reading this
I hope that everyone is safe and sound from our excitement last night. I, like everyone else, was hoping that the storm would just blow over and we would be ok. As it turns out it was a little more tense than everyone was comfortable with. Just in case we do have bad weather and the storm sirens happen to go off please consider the scout meeting automatically canceled. When it comes to severe weather, if the siren blows everything is shut down.
Makeup meeting
I am calling for a special meeting Wednesday evening to make up for the canceled plc. This will be just a regular meeting 7p - 815 over at Good Templar. (If it's raining we will be over at the church). We will be primarily going over requirements for swimming and lifesaving merit badges. I know it is the first day of school for a lot of you but I'm hoping that it will be a light day.
The Committee meeting will be postponed till September 13th
Merit badge weekend
As of right now we are all set for the swimming and lifesaving merit badge this weekend at the Norris center. If you do not have either of the badges please sign up. These badges are eagle required and you will definitely not regret doing it.
I want to start off with very good news. Our summer camp Is going to happen next week barring any unforeseen circumstances. There are a few changes to the plan but for the most part I think it will all come together.
This message will be 1 of 2 that I'm going to be sending out. The 2nd one should be out Friday evening With the menu and merit badge list / schedule. The final cost of our camp as of now is going to be $50.00 per person, youth or adult for the week. This will cover expenses and supplies.
Camp location
I received word earlier this afternoon from Good Templar Park that at this time they will not be allowing any larger activities or day outings. This would have been a death blow to the camp idea but after making some calls I was able to find an alternative venue for our camp. Lee Roy Oakes forest preserve is open and has availability next week. We have access to shelter #1 inside the forest preserve. That's the pavilion closest to the fire bowl in the back. If you were ever at Lee Roy Oakes for T.F.C Winter All it's that same area. The shelter has space, electricity, water, (most importantly) outhouse access and cooking ability. I'm also talking to one of these service project coordinators to find out if there are any service projects we can work on while we are over there. This leaves us with a large portion of the original plan in place while still being local.
As the title says we have a big mid-week program update that everyone needs to know about. We all know that because of the virus most of our summer was turned upside down and kicked around a bit. Now that we can get back to business we need to at least try to give the kids a good summer program. There will be a few summer time program updates coming out over the next few days so please stay tuned to the mail.
In this midweek camp update we will have a camp tenting requirement update, menu plan and another reason why you should come. If you have not signed up for camp on the website please do it now. We need to know how many are interested and a more solid number of those planning to attend. Also, in the notes section please list the merit badges you would like to work on.
If you haven't made a decision, this is another reason you should be here.
Due to the virus, Brock D was unable to complete his position of responsibility for the troop. This is one of the last requirements he needs for his Eagle scout position of responsibility. Our summer camp allows him to be a camp counselor which fulfills a special scoutmaster selected service project for the troop. Not only would you be helping yourself by earning some badges and some rank requirements, you will be helping Brock get one step closer to earning his Eagle.
Camp tenting changes
Troop ones' policy has always been that you must tent with one of your fellow scouts until you reach the rank of 1st class. Because of the virus we are lifting this requirement and you can do 1 of 3 things. Option one, you can tent alone and if you have your own tent (four person or smaller) you can bring it with you and use it exclusively. Option two you can still tent with a partner but you will have to sleep head to toe versus head to head this follows some of the guidelines that national and council has recommended for tenting partners for the foreseeable future. Option three if you have a larger tent (six person or greater) there should be plenty of space for you and your partner(s).
