(NOTE: See addition at end of newsletter.)
********************************************************SCOUTS -- bring your books to ALL meetings so you can get signed off
for merit badges and rank advancements.
ALL adult leaders need to complete the Youth Protection training to be
certified to be involved with the boys. You can do this online thru the
Viking Council site.
March | |||
| 3/07/05 | Troop Meeting: Leadership elections | ||
| 3/14/05 | Troop Meeting: Campout planning | ||
| 3/18-19 | Campout Fred C in WI (cabins) | ||
| 3/21/05 | TLC | ||
| 3/25/05 | No school | ||
| 3/28/05 | Board of Review | ||
April | |||
| 4/02/05 | Adult Leader training | ||
| 4/07/05 | District Roundtable | ||
| 4/11/05 | Court of Honor | ||
| 4/16/05 | Parent Meeting | 7:30 AM | NHUMC |
| 4/16/05 | Merit Badge Madness | Community College EP | |
| 4/18/05 | Troop Meeting: Campout planning | ||
| 4/22/05 | Campout at Frontenac / Red Wing MN | ||
| 4/25/05 | TLC | ||
May | |||
| 5/02/05 | Troop Meeting: Merit Badge Follow-up | ||
| 5/07/05 | Parent Meeting | 7:30 AM | NHUMC |
| 5/16/05 | Troop Meeting | ||
| 5/23/05 | Board of Review | ||
June | |||
| 6/02/05 | District Roundtable | ||
| 6/04/05 | Parent Meeting: Annual Schedule Meeting | ||
| 6/06/05 | Court of Honor Isaac Walton | ||
| 6/12/05 | Pine Tree Leadership Training Sterns Campground | ||
***** Pine Tree Youth Leadership Training will be June 12-18 or June 19-25. The troop can register more than one Scout so if interested see Ross. Very important to get those names in NOW. *********
On April 16 Merit Badge Madness will be held. In just one day each Scout will earn a badge and the choices are always fun and exciting. See Jay for details. Community College in Eden Prairie.
OA teams needed for Arrow of Light ceremonies. This ceremony is the one that "raises" Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts. We need to build our troop. If YOU are an OA member, talk to Jay about how YOU can be part of this. First one is 3/17/05 for Pack 473 St Stephens Church. We have requests to do ceremonies for Packs 472 and 469 as well.
The consolidation of Viking and Indianhead Councils is proceeding. No final plans as yet but the vote was positive to move forward on this. The one great benefit will be a combined Marketing Plan and Budget for the greater area.
4/28/05 will be the All Eagle Dinner and outstanding Eagles will be honored. All Eagle Scouts are invited to attend. Venture Palooza on 4/09/05 from 4-6:30 PM. Vertical Endeavors with a tailgate feast.
Tickets available for Disney TOY STORY on 3/31, 4/1, 4/2, 4/3 at $14 or $10. See Al Mann for details.
Scout Day at the WCHA Final Five..3/19 2:30 PM for $15 per person.
We had some discussion on getting new parents more involved and interested. We urge all parents to visit the troop website for information and help. Consider setting aside a few minutes each month to attend the Parent Meeting and learn about the troop. All are welcome and we have coffee!
There was a Father-Son campout that ought to have been better
attended and the Eagle Ceremony had three boys advancing and few of
the newer Scouts were there. Need to stress that attendance at Eagle
Ceremonies is expected of ALL boys as is helping on Eagle projects.
When called to assist, say yes.
March-------Fred C in WI, cabins available 3/18-19/05. As Sunday is Palm Sunday, the camp will break up early so boys can get to church services. Campout coordinator is needed to buy food and get drivers. Volunteers can either raise their hands or they will be conscripted. Cooking is the theme of the campout and Webelos will be invited.
April---------Frontenac near Red Wing 4/22/05. Hiking will be the theme of this campout and the boys will be in tents.
May------Campout and OA Callout at Cleary Lake site. Pig roast is the usual fare but we need more and better side dishes. PARENTS...each of you is required to bring ONE side dish and ONE Dessert. Camp coordinator needed to get the list going and send out reminders on side dishes.
June-----do we have any interest in Brule River High Adventure this year? See Ross if you would like to assist.
Tesomas Summer Camp----Kevin Norby is the troop coordinator. Dates
are July 24-30. As we are out of that council the cost is slightly
higher for each boy. $205. We think Many Point will go up too but
the parents agreed to only ask each Scout to pay the same as a Many
Point week and the troop will pay the balance/difference.
Tesomas.com is the website and Kevin recommended Scouts take a look
at the things available. Not as many of the advance "high adventure"
activities but many others that Many Point does not offer. Also, the
boys eat in a dining hall except for one night of camp cookouts!!
Class A's required wear to the dinners. Sounds like a great
time...check it out and be ready to sign up. REMEMBER...camp credits
may be used to find the trip!!!
Seabase August 2005 2 Boys dropped out and the places were filled by the waiting list. No wait list exists now. Ross needs the $600 and the physical forms.
Jamboree Summer 2005: Chris N., Andrew K., & John B.
Philmont There will be NO Philmont available to our troop in 2006. If any want to go in 2007, we will need to try in Sept/Oct to book it.
Boundary Waters Several Dads are investigating going to the Scout
Camp in our own Boundary Waters area in 2006 to replace Philmont.
See Evan or Kevin Krueger, if interested in helping or going.
We are in good shape financially. Need to continue to stress that the boys MUST sell wreaths for the troop's $$ to continue to be strong.
We also discussed again using some of money as a charitable contribution. We sent three boys to Many Point last summer and we think we should try to do that again. Jay will be looking into getting some names and troops for us.
Al Mann is going to contact the last finance committee and see what they had concluded as far as setting up policies and standards on how the Troop ought to spend its money. The parents agreed that the Committee ought to be resurrected.
Also, it was decided to create a Welcome Package for new Scout parents to familiarize them with the terms we use and the policies we follow, such as the two Courts of Honor where we have a potluck and each family brings food to share, or how we organize the wreath distributions or how we do campouts and so on. Al and Deb Christensen will prepare this.
If anyone knows Sarah and Jason Graf, please contact Kevin Krueger.
We welcomed Cole Peterson, District Commissioner to the parent meeting. Cole advised us about the importance of getting Scouts to Pine Tree Training and about the upcoming District dinner where people who have made a difference are recognized. Our troop will have two members honored there. Still time to make the celebration...St James Lutheran Church in Burnsville on 3/11/05 at 6 PM.
Have you been over to the Troop Website lately??? The newsletters
are archived there and there is helpful information on the troop for
all. Book mark this site:
http://www.geocities.com/MN_Troop469/
Thanks to Jeff Nygren who maintains the site for us.
I forgot to put in the dates of the May campout....sorry! We will be at Cleary Lake as has been our tradition. The campout runs from Friday, May 6, until Sunday morning. SATURDAY the 7 is the OA callout and pig roast.....all families are invited and expected. We will be sending out a notice on side dishes needed, but for now, remember each family is to bring ONE side dish and ONE dessert to the pig roast. In the past we have not had enough food...these are hungry boys and the pig isn't enough ---- trust us! So make plans to attend and see the impressive OA ceremony and maybe YOUR son will be sleeping in the TeePee overnight. Thanks Janice Millford Secretary