Upcoming Events

Boys should be in full Class A uniforms for all below activities.

Tuesday 1/26 7:00-8:00pm– Winter Court of Honor . ALL families are encouraged to attend even if your son is not receiving anything. This is one of 3 times a year that we celebrate achievements. There is also be very important information discussed at this meeting about Directory Sales, Mulch Sales and Friends of Scouting.

Tuesday 1/26 8:00pm – Philmont 2017 information meeting. This will be for anyone who will be 14 or older (or 13 and completed the 8th grade) in 2017 and 1st Class that has interest in going to Philmont in the summer of 2017. Agenda items – trip timeframe, cost, budget, etc.  Greg Kyser and Dave Zubelik are taking the lead on planning this High Adventure Trip (thanks guys).

Saturday 1/30 7:30am – 1:45pm— Merit Badge Challenge (Day 1). We will meet at MSPC at 7:30am to caravan to Sycamore High School. We should return to MSPC around 1:45pm (we are in charge of straightening up classrooms on day 1.)  Boys will need 3 self-addressed stamp envelops, their pre-work, pen/pencil/old notebook and the merit badge book (if available). There is a concession stand that boys usually like to buy snacks/soda from, no more than $5 is necessary. Please let me know if you are able to drive to/from/both (I need 6 more seatbelts both ways).

Saturday 2/6 7:45am-1:15pm – Merit Badge Challenge (Day 2). We will meet at MSPC at 7:45am to caravan to Sycamore High School. We should return to MSPC around 1:15pm. Boys will need 3 self-addressed stamp envelops (if not already handed into counselor), their pre-work (if applicable), pen/pencil/old notebook and the merit badge book (if available). There is a concession stand that boys usually like to buy snacks/soda from, no more than $5 is necessary. Please let me know if you are able to drive to/from/both (I need 6 more seatbelts TO and 10 more seatbelts FROM).

Sunday 2/7 – A Scout is Reverent. Sunday Feb 7 is Scout Sunday. We will be participating in services (9:00 and/or 11:00) at MSPC as well as service a pancake breakfast to the congregation from 9:45 – 11:00. This is a Troop 209 tradition and a very easy/nice way for us to show our appreciation for over 95 years of support from Madeira Silverwood Presbyterian Church. You do NOT need to be Presbyterian to participate. The entire activity will run from 8:45am – noon. We will need readers for both services, please see me, Mr. Wegenhart or Sam Carpenter if you are able to be a reader. Thanks again to the Evans Family (Tommy, Sarah, Mason and Samantha) for your very generous support in preparing and funding the annual pancake breakfast.

Saturday 2/20 7:45am-1:15pm – Merit Badge Challenge (Day 3). We will meet at MSPC at 7:45am to caravan to Sycamore High School. We should return to MSPC around 1:15pm. Boys will need 3 self-addressed stamp envelops (if not already handed into counselor), their pre-work (if applicable), pen/pencil/old notebook and the merit badge book (if available). There is a concession stand that boys usually like to buy snacks/soda from, no more than $5 is necessary. Please let me know if you are able to drive to/from/both (I need 6 more seatbelts TO and 10 more seatbelts FROM).

Campout Update #3

Saturday 1/23 – instead of a campout this weekend, we will be spending part of Saturday at the Cincinnati Museum Center. We will be going to the Lego display (The Art of the Brick), the OmniMax show (Journey to Space) and the Big Bone Lick exhibit. Meet at the church at 11:30, we are shooting to be back at the church around 4:30. Group rate is $11.

In order to get the group rate, we have made a reservation for 28 (youth and adults). Please respond to this e-mail ASAP if you/son plan to attend. Once the 28 slots are filled up, the Museum Center cannot guarantee we can get more tickets as a group. I need responses by 8:00pm today to make sure I have enough seatbelts. The first 24 slots I am reserving for those that had already committed to the campout this weekend.

The permission form is attached to the email sent by Mr. Fitz. Please complete it AND bring with you tomorrow.

Thanks for your patience as we worked through this “issue” with the weather.

Campout Update #2

For those going camping this weekend.

Mr. Cross (Committee Chair), Mr. Gravlee (Activities Coordinator) and I have been actively monitoring the weather patterns all day and it still appears at this point that Portsmouth, OH (Camp OYO area) is going to get hit with 8-12 inches of snow right around the time that we will be traveling to the camp. This is a weather hazard and something that we are not willing to risk your boys safety. We have looked for alternatives north and west that would have heated accommodations since Saturday night is expected to be 10 degrees. We have had no luck at this late stage in the planning. It is our opinion/feeling that the boys are not prepared to sleep in tents in potentially single to lower teen temperatures.  Therefore we are making the “executive decision” to cancel the campout.

We are still working on an alternative outing for Saturday only (no overnight). I will have more information about this out later tonight or tomorrow morning.

Sorry for this late notice but we were hoping that the weather patterns would change but as of now they have not. Safety comes first.

If you have already purchased the food for the weekend, please let me know individually and we can work out how to deal with the food (saving it, freezing it for the next campout, etc.)

Please stay tuned to your e-mail for more information about Saturday.

Mr. Fitz

Campout Update

As you are likely aware, it appears that the Portsmouth area is going to get hit pretty hard with snow tomorrow. We are currently looking into alternative for this weekend. Thanks for your patience as we work through this. We may end up at Camp Friedlander but we don’t know any logistics at this point.

I hope to get back with you before the food is all purchased just in case.

More to come later today.

New Rank Requirements

Effective Jan 1, 2016 there are new rank requirements. When the new requirements take effect for you is outlined below:

  1. Scouts who joined the Boy Scouts of America on or after Jan. 1, 2016
    • MUST follow the rank requirements as printed in the 2016 Boy Scout Handbook
  2. Scouts who joined the BSA prior to Jan. 1, 2016:
    • Who are working on the Tenderfoot through First Class ranks MAY continue to follow the old requirements, but MUST convert to the current requirements upon attaining First Class.
    • Who have completed the First Class rank MAY complete the rank they are currently working on in the old requirements, but MUST convert to the current requirements for subsequent ranks.
    • Beginning Jan. 1, 2017, all Scouts MUST use the current requirements regardless of rank.

Handouts that can be attached to your current handbook listing the new requirements will be handed out soon.

If you would like to learn more about the new requirements go to Bryan on Scouting – New Requirements

 

January Campout

Attached is the permission form for the January 22-24 campout at Camp OYO in Portsmouth, OH.  This is a neat scout camp that we used several years ago. For those that went last time, you may remember the ton of snow that we had, the snowball fights, the dog that led us on our hike and the unheated cabin.

GOOD NEWS – we have reserved the fully heated cabin this time. We will be sleeping on bunks. The theme has changed slightly from Junk Yard Wars to BSA Ninja Wars. The troop will be split into several smaller groups (mixing ages and skill sets) to build 6-8 obstacles for a competitive obstacle course using Scout skills and ingenuity. They will also be having a Dutch oven desert cook-off on Saturday night (adults will judge). Looks to be another outstanding campout.

Adults – I know that we will do down at least 3-4 of our “regular camping dads”, which translates into less seatbelts. Adults are always welcome, this may be one that we could use some additional weekend campers. I will know more after next Tuesday but if you are available and looking for some fun, I invite you to join us for the weekend.

FORMS ARE DUE TUESDAY JANUARY 12th!!

Form Link: ConsentForm-OYO1-22-16.doc

A Note from Mr. Fitzgerald

As we wind down the calendar year, I wanted to make you aware of a few last things.

  1. Tuesday 12/22 – the boys will be having a party which includes a $5 gift exchange. This is a “blind exchange” where they will draw a number from a hat and select a gift in that order.
  2. Tuesday 12/29 – we will NOT have a meeting
  3. Tuesday 1/5/16 – back to the normal schedule which include the PLC meeting at 5:45pm for all members of the PLC
  4. Saturday 1/30/16 – first day of Merit Badge Challenge. Many of the Merit Badge your sons will be working to earn have pre-work that needs to be done PRIOR to the start. The next two weeks is the best time to complete this work. If your son changed their merit badges with Mr. Zack, hopefully they remember. If not, they should talk to Mr. Zack tomorrowOR call him.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Lock-in/M25/Bowling

Permission form is due Tuesday 12/15!!!!

 

Thanks for your patience as we worked to get all the logistics and such figured out for this 3 part event. Attached is the permission form for our Lockin (12/18) and Matthew 25/Bowling (12/19). The boys will get more information at the 12/15 Troop meeting about what to bring and not to bring to the lockin. For those that have gone in the past, nothing has changed (no games rated M or higher, no movies rated above PG13, etc.).

 

Friday 12/18 – Lockin starts at 8:00pm, we will have a light late night snack, boys should eat dinner before coming

Saturday 12/19 –Matthew 25 at 9:00-11:00, wear comfortable close toed shoes, the warehouse does get chilly, we will provide breakfast

Saturday 12/19 – Bowling from 11:30-1:30, shoes are provided, we will provide lunch, boys will need a few dollars if they want soda (water is free)

Saturday 12/19 – back to the church at 2:00

 

ADULTS – if you are attending the M25 Volunteer Event, please complete the attached form, include your son on the form, I will claim all the other boys as my own. Completing the form in advance just speeds up the process. Bring this with you on Saturday 12/19.

 

Parents not attending – this gives you from 8:00pm Friday through 2:00pm Saturday to get all your shopping and wrapping done without your son knowing (ha, ha).

Attachments:

ConsentForm-Matthew25BowlingLock-in12-18-15

M25M Family Volunteer Form