December 2007 News
Committee Chair’s Corner
Marsha Kofman, Committee Chair, rdhetal@yahoo.com, 429-0794
I would like to take this opportunity to wish every scout and their family a Very Merry Holiday Season and a Happy and Healthy New Year. May the New Year bring everyone Health, Prosperity and Good Fortune.
Marsha Kofman
rdhetal@yahoo.com, 429-0794
Scoutmaster’s Minute
Ken Sanborn, Scoutmaster, klrksanborn@comcast.net, 423-9835
We have had a good start to the year and I hope everyone has enjoyed it as much as I have.
I would like to thank Mr. “Spamonater” Seeley for all his work on the hiking club. I have been unable to join the group to this point but based on the pictures and comments from everyone, it is easy to see what I have been missing and can’t wait to get out there.
We have had many community service projects in the last three months and I would like to thank all the boys and adults that participated. We’ve been involved in Scouting for Food, the Library Book Sale, the November Pie Bake, Adopt-a-road and the Parsonage clean-up.
I am very pleased with all the work the scouts have done on the Public Speaking Merit Badge. Each night everyone was prepared and ready to participate, I was very impressed. I am also looking forward to the Woodworking Merit badge skills training planned in January.
Our fundraising efforts have really taken off and I look forward to the events and equipment we will all be able to enjoy from the Troop’s hard work. So far we have been involved with Popcorn Sales, Wreath Sales and Gift Wrapping. Other fundraisers are being planned and with everyone’s help, our Troop activities will be top notch and affordable for all.
The Troop has also participated in many events in the first couple of months to include the Corn Maze, the NH Jamboree and the Turkey Campout just to name a few. There are many more events planned for the year and I hope you are looking forward to them as much as I am.
Your Scoutmaster
Ken Sanborn
January Training Opportunities
On January 13th leaders and/or committee members will have the following training opportunities:
· New Leader Essentials
· Leader Specific for Scoutmasters and ASMs
· Troop Committee Challenge for Troop Committee Chairmen and Members
The cost is $6.00. You can obtain an application from Troop Training Chair, Robin Rich or the DWC web page.
Upcoming Events
December
8 – Vertical Dreams Climbing Event
8 – PLC, 3pm
8 – Gift Wrapping, EMS, Nashua 11-5
10 – Webelos at Troop Meeting
17 – Yankee Swap at Troop Meeting
17 – St. Joe’s Box Wrap
17 – Holiday Pie Bake
22 – Gift Wrapping, EMS, Nashua 11-5
27 – Klondike Winter Event, Camp Whip-O-Will
January
12 – Tubing
21 – Game Night
Announcements
Snow Days
In the event that school is cancelled due to a snow storm, the church has asked that we also cancel our Scouting events at the church as well. The parking lot would be one of the last to be plowed. If our cars are parked in the lot, this would make it impossible.
Troop Committee Meetings
All parents and leaders are encouraged to attend monthly meetings. They are scheduled on the second Thursday of each month, at 7 PM. The meeting takes place at St. James Church.
District Roundtable
Scheduled for the second Wednesday of each month, the meetings take place at the Church of Latter Day Saints in Nashua, next to Greeley Park at 7 PM.
All adult leaders are encouraged to attend this valuable training. Parents are also welcome to attend these meetings to learn more about the scouting program.
Upcoming Topics are:
December - Webelos Transition
January - Adult Leadership Advancement and Recognition
February – Adult Leadership Advancement & Recognition
Fundraising
Popcorn Sales
Tyler Golemo, Matthew Beck and Logan Seeley were the top three sellers in the popcorn sales session this year. A big THANK YOU to the three of them!
Gift Wrapping
Just after Thanksgiving, Troop 401 set up a gift-wrapping station outside of Wal-mart in Amherst. Looking needy helped with donations but a new location was needed where gift-wrapping on December 1st could be done inside thus preventing this fundraiser from becoming a winter survival skill event. Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS in Nashua) has extended a ‘WARM’ welcome to Troop 401.
Both the Wal-mart and EMS gift wrap sessions were well supported by the Troop and their families and we are now about halfway to having enough money to pay for a winter campout, in a cabin, at the foot of Mount Monadnock together with the rental of snowshoes for an awesome winter hike.
We have scheduled next Saturday, December 8th to replace the cancelled date (Dec. 2nd) ….help will be needed from 11:00 to 5:00 in two hour blocks.
Saturday, December 22nd has been added because EMS staff reported that we should get a big crowd since the Saturday before Christmas brings out the ‘last-minute’ male shoppers in dire need of gift-wrapping services. So please sign up for a round two of gift wrapping if you’ve already done it and if you haven’t joined in, make sure you get your name on the list.
Grocery Receipts
Don’t forget to collect and turn in your Shaw’s receipts.
Scouts can ask family members to collect their receipts. Parents can get co-workers involved. Everybody has to shop for food, right?
Mrs. Prive is anxiously awaiting the delivery of your receipts ….so start collecting and bring them to the Monday troop meetings.
Community Service
Scouting for Food
Many thanks to all of the scouts, leaders and parents for a very successful Scouting for Food event. We collected close to 4,000 non-perishable food items for the St. James Community Food Pantry. The food collected will help to feed Merrimack residents. Great Work!
November Pie Bake
The Troop made fifteen pies - 8 pumpkin, three blueberry, two apple and two cherry. The boys did the measuring, learned to crimp the edges of the fruit pie crusts, and put foil around the edges of the pumpkin crusts so they wouldn’t burn. They also learned how to cleanup so that no one would know that we were there!!!!!!
Scouts with flour on their face at the end were: Max, Eric, Tommy, Ricky, Jackson, Logan, Tyler, Matt, Sam, Robert, Holden and Brendan.
Past Events
Hike #6 and the Turkey Campout – Northwood Meadows (5.2 miles, 500 ft)
The Annual Turkey Campout was held at Camp Wa-Tut-Ca near Northwood, NH. As usual, Mr. Milton prepared his ‘garbage can’ and deep-fat fried turkey delights for this late-fall event. Some of the scouts and adults slept in comfort in the cabin while the more dedicated slept through the first-night’s stormy weather in tents. On Saturday Matt S., Matthew B., Logan, Robert, Eric, Tommy, Ricky, Holden, Max, Sid, Joel and the adults Mr. Retelle, Mr. Killkelly, Mr. Allard and Mr. and Mrs. Seeley set out for a 5.2 mile hike back to the camp from Northwood Meadows State Park. The hike tested all, even the dogs, for their resistance to a drizzling sky. Regardless, all returned in triumph to the camp with appetites sharpened and ready for a feast.
Hike #7 – Sheldrick Forest Preserve (2.8 miles)
A crisp fall day welcomed Robert and Logan with parents in tow to this unique old-growth preserve to enjoy the large, old, diverse trees and to hone some of their orienteering skills. Completion of this and previous hikes has now promoted Robert K., Matthew B. and Logan S. to full membership in the Spam Backpacking Club with 16.1, 18.3 and 21.2 miles respectively. Tommy and Max are but one hike away from their full can of Spam.
2007 Merrimack Holiday Parade
Due to the bitter cold, Troop 401 had a small but very brave and determined turn out for this year’s parade. Major kudos to Eric and James for braving the cold!
On Being a Scout….
“I believe that being trustworthy is one of the most important values that anyone can have. Always being openly and directly honest served me exceptionally well during twenty-five years of public service.
Sometimes the truth is painful in the short run but, in the long run, the rewards are overwhelming.
One should understand that, if you always tell the truth, you don’t have to remember what you said yesterday, last week or last year.” - E.J. “Jake” Garn, Retired Senator from Utah and Space Shuttle Discovery Astronaut
Knot Knowledge
What knot would you use for adjustable tension on a tent guy line?
Last Month’s Question: What knot would you use to keep the end of a rope from being pulled through a hole or pulley?
Answer: Timber Hitch
Newsletter Contact
Kelly Seeley, Newsletter Coord., 424-0734