Our next Troop Committee meetings are becoming very important now as we near the date of our auction, our Pot Luck Dinner, and Scout Sunday. For this reason it would be good to have a nice turnout at our meeting on Wednesday, December 8th. We should start thinking very seriously about this meaningful portion of our scout program. Please try and be there.
Citizenship in the Community merit badge sessions are this Saturday (December 4th) and next Saturday, December 11th. Each session starts at 8:00 am and ends about 10:00 am, and scouts must attend both sessions. Boys who need this badge for 1st class are Chris M., Doug R., Colin S., Greg and Tim S., Brian S., Mike S., and Brad T. If they can not make both of these meetings, they can pass the badge on their own by fulfilling the requirements as shown in the Merit Badge pamphlet.
On January 21 - 23 we will have our annual weekend at a Fancy Cabin in Yorkville. The number of bunks is limited, and will be issued in accordance with inspection points. If there is not enough room, the boys at the bottom of the point system will spend two nights on the floor.
We will have an Eagle Scout at our Scout Sunday Eagle Court of Honor, and that will be Brian R. The others are still stewing around on the Beach of Hesitation. Well, maybe they will do it in time for the year 2001. In the mean time, Brian will be waiting for them to join him in the Eagle Patrol, which they can join as soon as they finish their Eagle Project.
A Few Little Things of Great Importance: Thanks to Jim A., Eric and
Neil B., Bill C., Andrew C., Chris M., Brian M., Eric and Matt M., Mark P.,
Garrick and Colin S., Greg and Tim S., and Brian S. for helping with the Troop
Good Turn by cleaning the grounds around our sponsoring institution. Thanks,
too, to the adults who turned out to help and direct them. A notation is made
on each scout's record and this is given due consideration when Russ is asked
for a letter of recommendation or some similar favor. Thanks again. It really
helps.......... In January there will be a change of patrol leaders in
both the Pioneers and Buffalos. We feel that there is another boy qualified
to take over, and we want to give him (or them) a chance to show what they can
do. Jim A. and Bill C. have, like Luke W., done a good job. Now we will see
if their replacements live up to our expectations and do as well..........There
will be NO MEETING on December 23rd or 30th. We
will announce at our meeting on December 16th whether or not there
will be Saturday basketball or merit badge work.........Mike Bujewski and his
charming wife have purchased a house out in Cary. He assures us that it will
not interfere with his attendance or participation in our meetings. Great!!!!!
.......California is a nice place to visit.....Now is the time to start
thinking about our auction and to begin gathering items which you think
will sell. We have not had the official word yet from Ed Michel that he has
received the "go ahead" from our auctioneer, JoAnn Modica (Doody) but we assume
that all signals are "GO"........By now Cal Bender and his group of dads should
be making moves on our Packboard Project.............The time is rapidly
approaching when we must decide if we are going to have a trip to Boot Lake
in June........see the other side for details.
AND: From all of the Scout Leaders to all of the boys and their families, A very Merry Christmas and a great New Year!
The Other Side: Boot Lake and lake Gabbro are situated in the Superior National Forest, which is a primitive area - the woods and streams are just the way they were when good old Chris Columbus first landed on this continent. Since 1960, we have been taking a small group of boys up there to give them an unforgettable experience. Boys who go there learn how to camp, how to cook, how to make a comfortable camp in the wilderness where nothing is there for you but a firepit and a kybo. Fishing is great. The air is pure, the water is crystal clear, the silence is total. It is an area of reverence.
Who can go? We want boys who are not afraid of the wind, the rain, the work, the unexpected......boys who will start on their advancement on their own and not wait to be told what to do......boys who are not wedded to the television set......boys who will do their advancement NOW and not wait until the last minute......in other words, boys who want to go with us and will show through their actions that they mean it.
Both Francis O'Byrne and Doug Sanders say that they are ready to take you next
June, and Russ will go, too, if he feels physically up to it. Both Doug and
Francis must reserve the dates for their vacation time and we must make our
reservation. This must be done by the end of January.
We will be taking names of those boys who wish to be considered. We will tell
you what you should be doing. Will we go? It's up to you. We did not go last
year because only one boy deserved to go. Let's hope the year 2000 is different
and we have a lot more.