July 29, 2024 Newsletter

Key Takeaways from this Newsletter

- Troop Meeting on July 29
- Patrol Leader Council Meeting – August 12
- Owasippe Wrap-Up
- Mystery Question

Hi everyone,

- Next Troop Meeting – July 29 – Ahearn Center (Gym) - 7:00-9:00 pm
We will be holding seven or eight Scoutmaster Conferences and working on rank advancement.

Uniform of the Meeting is PAJAMAS!

- Patrol Leader Council Meeting – Monday, August 12 – 7:00  SHARP!
The members of the PLC will resume meetings in August. The PLC consists of the SPLs, ASPLs, Scribe, and patrol leaders. This group works with the Scoutmaster to plan activities for the Troop. I’ll have more information about this meeting at our next Troop meeting.

- Summer Camp Wrap-Up
The Troop had an excellent week at Camp Blackhawk (Go!). 15 Scouts, plus parents and leaders made the most of our time there. 

Wayne Gulliford summarized the impressive numbers around rank advancement and merit badges. Take a look:

• 44 Merit Badges completed at camp.
• 10 partial merit badges earned, with 3 that can be finished at home. 
• 28 Different MB Topics: Fingerprinting-4, Basketry-3, Environmental Science-3, Archery-3, Horsemanship-2, Swimming-3, Rifle-2, Art-2, Sculpture-2, Kayaking-2, Pulp & Paper-2, Wood Carving-2, and 1 each for Geology, Mammal Study, Mining in Society, Canoeing,  Lifesaving, Motorboating, Space Exploration, Shotgun Shooting, Chess, Movie Making, Game Design, Nature, Plumbing, and Soil and Water Conservation.
• 3 Scouts earned the Paul Bunyan Award, and 7 Scouts completed the requirements for their rank advancement.

There are plenty of people to acknowledge who helped make the week go smoothly.

• Thanks to Art Mandelin and Nick Barone for joining the Troop for the entire week. We appreciate the commitment of their valuable time off. Thanks to Art for handling medications and some minor first aid and to Nick for hauling the trailer up to camp and back.
• Thanks to Pete Stolarski for pulling health forms together and for a great deal of behind the scenes help and support.
• Thank you to Wayne Gulliford for developing a great advancement plan for each Scout to complete while at camp.
• Thanks to Joel Keller, Adrian Perez, and Dave and Karen Samaritano for spending a few days at camp. Their assistance is much appreciated.
• Congrats to the two top merit badge earners – Chris with 8 and Dylan with 6. Everybody worked hard, but these two really stood out.
• The last thank you goes to the three Scouts who led their fellow Scouts throughout the week. SPL Jimmy and ASPLs Matthew and Tom really stepped up to model excellent leadership. They organized cleaning and meal rosters and provided guidance in many aspects of camp life.

Sunday and Monday nights brought overnight rain with lots of lightning and thunder. We had no rain to speak of during waking hours and the warm, humid first few days gave way to cool and comfortable days as the week went on.

- Mystery Question
What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?

If you think you know the answer, write it on a $20 bill and mail it to me. Seriously, send your answer to me via email AND be sure to copy a parent. A correct answer that isn’t copied to a parent is disqualified. The first correct answer wins a fresh $1 bill and the eternal admiration of your fellow Scouts.

See you on Monday night!

Mr. Pelrine
Scoutmaster, Troop 965