PLC January 2015 Minutes

Patrol Leader Council- January 6th, 2014

  1.  Opening and Attendance (5:50)
  2.       Old Business (Meeting  SSC’s)
  3.      Patrol Assignments

Phoenix-Off

Monkeys-Games

Bandits-Closing

Flaming Arrows-Setup

Bacon Ninjas-Takedown

Flaming Buffalos-Skills

Dancing Bananas-Opening

  1.       Monthly Theme (6:05)

Safe caving

  1.      Troop meetings

1/13/15-Caving Safety

1/20/15-Caving Safety Refresher/Caving Relay

1/27/15-Court of Honor

 

2/03/15-Signaling

  1.      Caving Trip (1/23/14-1/25/14) (6:30)

Menu has been planned

 

  1.        Scoutmaster Moment (6:50)

Be respectful of our fellow scouts

Marengo Caves 1-23-2015

Consent Form Marengo Caves 1-23-15

Marengo Caves Release Form

Happy New Year.

Attached is the Troop Permission form AND the Marengo Cave Release Form. Both forms are due back by the January 13 Troop Meeting. Due to the distance of the drive, we need to make sure we have a solid headcount well in advance to ensure we have enough seatbelts for the boys.

This is a really different/fun trip as we will be going through both a dry and a wet cave. The dry cave is something that anyone from 1 years old to 100 years old can do. The wet cave is more of an adventure where we will get muddy and wet in a controlled environment. We will be sleeping on bunks in a heated cinder-block building close to the cave. Showers will be available for those that wish to use them (most don’t). This is a great campout for any parent who likes the outdoors but may not like sleeping on the ground in the cold.

Two Caving Tours = $36
Two nights at the lodge = $14
Food for the weekend = $10
TOTAL = $60

http://marengocave.com/

 Please have BOTH forms returned by 1/13.

Thanks,

Brian

Summer Camp 2015

I know that Summer Camp 2015 is in July (7/12-7/18) but it is never too early to start planning. Boy Scouts of America require that each boy have an updated Medical form EVERY year. Attached is the form for this year. If you haven’t already, please begin to make your doctor appointments. There are no exceptions, boys cannot go to Summer Camp without a valid, physician signed, medical form AND proof of insurance. Please make sure when turning in the medical form you also attach a copy of your insurance card. All three parts must be completed. Please retain a copy for your records.  

Also attached is an item that we are using again this year to help manage the payment of summer camp fees. Total cost for summer camp 2015 is $250 excluding extra fees for some merit badges. These extra fees will be communicated at a later point after the boys select their merit badges. Please use the attached voucher when submitting the payments. First payment is due by the January 20th.

Notes regarding payments — if you choose, you may pay the entire amount in the first payment.  All payments must be turned in no later than the date on the voucher. Payments are sometimes non-refundable if your son decides that he doesn’t want to or can’t go to summer camp after signing up. Depending upon when we are notified, we may be able to refund all or a portion of the amount that has already been paid.  If we know before the final payment is made to council, we can adjust some things and you would likely get a full refund. After the final payment to council, you would get back all but $85. If we receive notice within 30 days of camp, no refund is available. This is the Dan Beard Council policy.

We want all boys to attend summer camp, if the cost of summer camp is deterring your son from attending, please contact Mr. Fitzgerald privately to discuss options.

SUMMER_CAMP_2015_VOUCHERS

BSA Medical Form – ABC

Year End Reminders

Hello All,

As we put a close to another great calendar year, I wanted to share with you some things that I have been talking to the boys about the past 2-3 weeks.

  1. Merit Badge Challenge (MBC) begins in 2 months. The winter break from school is the time for boys to get their Pre-Work done for their Merit Badges. Almost all Merit Badges have some sort of pre-work. See here for more detail. There are several merit badges that require either 90 days lead time for work OR a visit to a city council type meeting. These obviously can’t be done the night before Merit Badge Challenge. Be Prepared and plan accordingly.  Any questions regarding MBC should be directed to Mr. Zack.
  2. Many boys need camping equipment (wool socks, hand warmers, water bottle, mess kit, rain suit/poncho, etc.). Christmas is a great time to add those items.
  3. The 12/23 Troop meeting will be our annual Holiday Party. This will include a gift exchange (under $10). Contact your Patrol Leader for more information.
  4. This is the season of giving. I have encouraged each patrol to organize themselves to give back to the community. What a great time to get together for 2-3 hours, hang out with their friends in Scouting, and provide service to others. I mentioned this to Reverend Sweets and he agreed that there are things that could be done by the boys at the church to “spruce up the place”. Call the church for more information OR find your own location to give back.

If I don’t see you before the end of the year, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

December Lock-In

One more big Troop 209 event for 2014. Our ever popular lock-in/laser tag/Matthew 25 coming up 12/19-12/20.

Please see the attached Troop Permission form and Lazer Kraze waiver form. BOTH must be turned in by 12/16 so that we know how many seatbelts we need for transportation. Lazer Kraze can only handle 40 boys at a time, don’t be the last to turn in your forms.

Friday 12/19 – arrive at MSPC by 6:00, bring all your stuff for the lock-in (BOYS SHOULD EAT BEFORE BEING DROPPED OFF).

  • Leave at 6:30pm for Lazer Kraze
  • 3 games of laser tag
  • Back to the church by around 9:30pm for the lock-in
  • Games, movies, videos, snacks, drinks, etc.

Saturday 12/20 – leave around 8:30am for Matthew 25

  • Work M25 from 9:00am-11:00am
  • Back to church around 11:30am
  • Parents pick up their boys at 11:30am

Lock-in 12/19/14 Consent Form

LazerKrazeWaiver

December 2014 Activities

On Saturday,12/6, the troop will have two activities. As we have done in the past, we will do our indoor rock climbing AND we will participate in Light Up Madeira.

Rock Quest — meet at the church at 9:00am and go to Rock Quest where we will climb from 10:00 until 12:00, returning to the church around 12:30-12:45. The cost is $13. Each boy should bring the $13 fee with him on that day. Because of the structure of the event, we won’t be using mulch money. Boys should eat something before leaving home. Troop permission forms need to be returned on Tuesday 12/2 so we know how many seatbelts we need for transportation. Rock Quest release MUST be filled out on their website prior to 12/6. Without the release, your son will not be able to climb (see link below).

Light Up Madeira – we will once again be tending a fire and serving hot chocolate in front of the old Train Station (Root Beer Stand, Choo Choos). This is the location of the free horse drawn carriage rides. We will have four- two hour shifts (10:00 to noon; noon to 2:00; 2:00 to 4:00; 4:00 to 6:00). Boys who don’t go to rock climbing are encouraged to take the early shifts (10:00 to noon or noon to 2:00) . Helping at this event does count for community service hours. There will be a sign up sheet up the upcoming Troop meeting. We will have 4-6 boys per shift, we have learned that any more than that and they are stumbling over each other.

RockQuest Permission Slip: RockQuest Permission Slip – Dec 2014

RockQuest Waiver: https://app.rockgympro.com/waiver/esign/rockquestclimbingcenter/11c3e209-61e7-473e-b943-88375cd61fd9

Missing Equipment

A message from Mr. Fitzgerald:

With a troop as large as ours with as much equipment that we own, it is sometimes difficult to keep an accurate count of all of the supplies as items get taken home and hopefully returned after being cleaned/dried. The vast majority of equipment gets returned with incident, but we are missing some items.
Please look around your garage, basement, laundry room, etc. to see if there is anything sitting around that obviously doesn’t belong to you (pans, utensils, pots, plates, tent stakes, etc.).  Please check around the house and return any found items ASAP.

Website Photos

Do you have photos from recent troop events?  We’d love to share them here on the website!  Sent photos to the webmasters at madeiratroop209@yahoo.com, or give them a CD or memory card at a future troop meeting.

We’re still looking for photos from:

  • Pig roast (May/June 2013)
  • Canoeing/kayaking trip (June 2013)
  • Camp Friedlander (July 2013)
  • National Scout Jamboree (July 2013)