December 12, 2022 Newsletter

Hi everyone,

- Next Troop Meeting – December 12 – Ahearn Center (Gym) - 7:00-8:30 PM
CHRISTMAS PARTY! We will have open gym with hockey, a pizza snack, and a little surprise for each Scout and leader.

Please note we are starting early - at 7:00 – and ending at 8:30.

Class B uniforms or an ugly Christmas sweater!

- Thank You
Thank you to everyone who came out to help move the Christmas creche on Monday night. Many hands make light (sort of!) the work! Fr. Siemianowski sent a note the next morning to express his gratitude for the extra work. To quote him:

“Thanks everyone. It looks great and now the whole world can see what we are celebrating.”

- Hike and Bowl is this Saturday, December 10
We still have a couple of openings for Hike and Bowl this Saturday. If you are interested, please let me know right away and we’ll get you signed up.

The cost is $20.00 per person which will cover bowling and shoe rental. Bring extra money if you plan to buy snacks at the bowling alley. We will meet at the Parish Center at 9:00 on Saturday morning and then hike via the North Branch Trail to Classic Bowl on Waukegan Road in Morton Grove. Dress for the weather, wear hiking shoes or boots, and bring water. We have 12 slots reserved at the bowling alley, so Scouts will get priority on bowling.

- Reminders about Upcoming Activities
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Hiker Direct Outdoor Gear
Hiker Direct is a camping and backpacking gear supplier that offers big discounts to Scout groups. If you are looking for gear to put on your Christmas wish list, this is the place to go. Here is a link to their website: hikerdirect.com

Railroading Merit Badge
A local Lionel train club is offering a Railroading merit badge day in June. Scouts who are interested should let me or Mr. Reese know right away if they are interested. The workshop will fill up quickly, so we want to get guys signed up as soon as possible. Mr. Reese is a counselor for Railroading MB, so he will be available to help everyone complete the prep work for the badge.

Engineering Merit Badge
The Harley Davidson Museum in Milwaukee is offering an opportunity to earn Engineering Merit Badge virtually. If you are interested in this talk to me for the details.

Living Nativity – Thursday, December 22 – 4:00 – 8:00 PM
We will be setting up the creche for the Living Nativity. The is a re-enactment of the birth of Jesus in which St. Juliana students perform. There will be live animals as part of the presentation.

New Year's Eve Canoe Outing – Saturday, December 31 – 8:00 AM
We’re changing up the New Year’s Day Float a bit this year. We will be paddling on Busse Lake instead of the tree-choked North Branch and we’re going on New Year’s Eve to avoid a conflict with Sunday morning churchgoing. More information on this outing will be coming soon. It is always a fun way to greet the New Year.

Playdium Swimming Winter Session Starts January 3
There is a flyer with all of the details in the Resource Center.

2023 Sock Drive Coming in January
The dates for the Sock Drive collections are the weekends of January 21-22 and 28-29.

Flag Retirement Ceremony – Monday, January 23
The Troop will conduct a flag retirement ceremony as part of the January 23 Troop meeting. Parents and siblings are invited to attend the ceremony. More details to come.

Greater Chicago Food Depository Service Opportunity – Saturday, January 28
We have reserved 16 spots to volunteer at the Food Depository. The Depository is the main food bank for Cook County and serves over 700 food assistance programs throughout the county. It processes a staggering amount (450,000 pounds) of food everyday and relies heavily on help from volunteers. Volunteering to help in the massive warehouse is fun and interesting.
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Eagle Court of Honor – Sunday, February 5
Colin Albanito and Aiden Rice will be formally recognized for earning the rank of Eagle Scout. More information to come.

See you at Hike and Bowl on Saturday!

Mr. Pelrine
Scoutmaster, Troop 965