Troop News: Week of 9/9/13

THIS WEEK – FULL TROOP MEETING

• Please bring the Sept Permission slip
• Please bring Medical Form for MassJam, if you did not attend summer camp

CHOCOLATE BARS COMING 9/25! 

The troop’s major fundraising effort for this year will begin on 9/25. Each scout will receive 60 chocolate bars – 20 each of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and crispy milk chocolate. Families pay the troop up front for the bars ($120, payable to Troop 29) and then can sell them to families, friends, neighbors or at troop organized sale locations for $2.00 each. The troop is looking for someone to contact neighboring supermarkets, Dunkin Donuts, Walmart, etc. to schedule selling opportunities on all weekends in October.  If you can do this, please contact Anna at anna.dossantos@comcast.net, right away!

SCOUT MASTER TRAINING

• Think you might want to become our Scoutmaster in the future?  Scoutmaster Basic 1-2-3, a one day class required for trained Scoutmasters, will be held on Saturday, 9/21, in East Bridgewater and again on Saturday, 10/19, in Foxboro.
• Outdoor Leader Skills, also required for the Scoutmaster “Trained” badge, will be held the weekend of 10/26-27, in the Foxboro/Wrentham area.
• Please contact Anna dos Santos if you’d like to sign up.

9/27-29 HIKE/BACKPACKING  NEAR ASHBURNHAM, MA  

  Sept_Permission slip-Camp Split Rock

• The first trip of the new year will take advantage of fine fall weather and early foliage sightings, by trekking the Wapack Trail in Central Massachusetts.
• Scouts will muster at the VFW at 5:30 pm, depart at 6:00 pm, and  arrive Friday night at Camp Split Rock in Ashburnham for overnight camping.
• On Saturday scouts will hike the trail in two groups.  Younger scouts will hike the Wapack Trail at Mt. Watatic, a former ski area that is now a conservation land trust, returning to Camp Split Rock for dinner and campfire Saturday evening.  Older scouts will take a different route, hiking the Trail for an overnight backpack trip to Windblown Cross Country Ski Area Saturday evening.
• Scouts will have the opportunity to work on requirements for the Backpacking and Camping merit badges, orienteering, cooking, and other skills learned on previous campouts.  All scouts will muster early Sunday morning and return to Franklin by 10:00am. Scout leaders will refresh memories of old and new scouts with what and how to pack appropriately for the trip.  Merit badge requirements and gear packing guidance can be found on the troop website.
• Attached are two documents that gives scouts an idea of what is required for Backpacking and Hiking merit badges.  Hiking,  Backpacking

10/12-10/14 MASSJAM AT CAPE COD FAIRGROUNDS, FALMOUTH

•  Permission slip-Oct-MassJam-2
• Medical Forms will be needed.   BSA_medical_form_2013
  • If you did not attend summer camp, this will need to be completed and provided to Tim Cook.
  • This must be completed by a physician for every scout and adult volunteer attending MassJam.
  • Many physicians hand out their own form listing immunizations at the time of a patient’s physical.  You can certainly attach that, but BSA requires the complete medical form to be completed as well.  If need be, just fill it out on your own, but take it to the physician’s office to get the physician’s signature, a nurse’s signature, or at least a stamped signature.

PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

• ACTIVITY COORDINATOR TEAM:
  • A core small group is needed to support our Activities for the year to  identify and reserve locations.  Bob Latshaw will be an excellent resource to get you up to speed quickly.
  • Sept – Dec have individuals planning already.
• SUCCESSION PLANNING
  • Scout Master and Assistant Scoutmasters – the troop needs to begin to succession plan for anticipated future needs.  Now is a great time to jump on board and learn from those currently in the roles.
  • Committee Chair – Expect this role to become available next year.  Now is an ideal time to shadow Anna to then easily step in – she is very organized and has laid it up nicely for the next person.
• Please contact Anna DosSantos at anna.dossantos@comast.net or speak to her at an upcoming meeting if you would like to know more about how you can support your troop.

FALL COH (Court of Honor) 10/30 @ Charter School

• All rank and badge submissions must be turned in  to Mrs. Ryan by Oct 16th.
• There will be a reception following the COH – more details will come closer to the date.

If you have any announcement that needs to go to the troop, please send it to Deb Ryan at mjryan4@comcast.net  by 9:00am on Monday.