February 2007
Committee Chair’s Corner
Marsha Kofman, Committee Chair, rdhetal@yahoo.com, 429-0794
The winds may be blowing and the thermometer continues to drop lower and lower, but scouting events still proceed. Be prepared brings a new and different view to things. If there is a question as to whether an event will take place due to the weather, please check your email. An update on the event may have been forwarded. The scouts could also check with their Patrol Leader or Advisor. Check the phone tree for the telephone numbers.
I would like to encourage the parents and members of the Troop Committee to attend the monthly committee meetings held at St. James Church, at 7 PM on the second Thursday of each month. Fresh ideas and energy are always welcomed and appreciated. The next meeting is Thursday, February 8th, at 7 PM. Hope to see you there!
Scoutmaster’s Minute
Mike Marston, Scoutmaster, marstonm@comcast.net, 424-0017
Troop 401,
Now that we have had several dustings of snow and the temperature has dropped below zero, it is now time to think about Summer Camp. We showed the boys the latest DVD of Hidden Valley and Camp Bell at the 1/22 meeting. Troop 401 is scheduled again to attend Hidden Valley during the third week of camp in July. If we can get enough interest, we would like to see if we can get a group of boys to attend Camp Bell this year. Many of the boys seem excited about Camp Bell for an additional week of camp or as an
alternative to the Valley. Deposits for summer camp are due at Council before 3/15, so please get your deposits in as soon as you can. Deposit is $50 for each week at camp. As we are not pre-registered for Camp Bell, we need to have commitments for that camp as soon as we can so we can try to get in. Information for possible weeks will be presented shortly, but it will NOT conflict with the week at Hidden Valley as we still must attend as we have paid a deposit.
Thanks to all who attended the Movie afternoon that Troop 401 put on for the Pack under Mrs. Becker's direction. This successful event completes Mrs. Becker's "ticket items" in the quest for her Wood Badge.
YIS, Mr. Marston Scoutmaster, Troop 401
Patrol Assignments
The patrol assignments for the month of February are below. This month’s theme is: Camping
5 Set Up/Opening Invisibles
Skill/Game Scorpions
Closing/Clean Up Senior Patrol
12 Set Up/Opening Senior Patrol
Skill/Game Invisibles
Closing/Clean Up Scorpions
19 Set Up/Opening Scorpions
Court of Honor
Closing/Clean Up Invisibles
26 No Meeting – School Vacation
Upcoming Events
February
5 Board of Review
7 PLC & Patrol Advisors
8 Committee Meeting
10 Klondike Derby/Freeze-out
11 Scout Sunday
11 Blue & Gold/Webelos Crossover
19 Court of Honor
21 Roundtable
24 Ice fishing (weather permitting)
26 Scoutmaster’s Conferences
March
8 Committee Meeting
14 PLC & Patrol Advisors
17 Hampshire Hills Lock-In
21 Roundtable
24 Maple Sugar House
24 University of Scouting
26 Scoutmaster’s Conferences
31 Eagle Court of Honor-Dan Becker
Announcements
Youth Protection
The month of March is Troop 401's Youth Protection month. We ask that the adult leaders and parents review the Adult Youth Protection Training information on the Daniel Webster Council web page, www.dwcbsa.org. This training information is an important component when dealing with all youth. The scouts and their parents will be receiving a letter to let them know when the Troop will be scheduling the Scout Youth Protection videos, to be shown at the end of a troop meeting. The parents are asked to attend this video with their scout. If there are any questions from the scout about the material in the videos, the parents will be familiar with the material and be better able to answer their questions. The Scout Leadership will not be answering any questions that the scouts may ask. If parents would like to preview these videos or have any questions, please contact, Marsha Kofman, 429-0794.
Committee Meeting
All parents and leaders are invited to the next monthly Committee Meeting on, February 8th, at 7 PM. We will meet at St. James, in one of the available classrooms downstairs. We look forward to seeing everyone there.
Klondike Derby
Adults are needed to help drive scouts to and from the Klondike Derby on February 10. Also Mrs. Rich needs another adult or two to sleep overnight Saturday night with her and the scouts. She cannot stay or allow scouts to stay overnight without a second adult. Scouts staying overnight will be home Sunday morning around 9:30 AM. Scouts going to the Klondike Derby should be practicing their skills and plan to come early (6:30) to the next few Monday meetings, Jan. 29 and possibly Feb 5 to prepare.
Photos Wanted!
As Troop Historian, Michael Dougherty is seeking photos to include in a Troop scrapbook and CD library. If you have any photos from previous scout events and you would like to donate them, give them to Michael or to Mr. Marston. Especially needed are photos from summer camp, weekend camping trips, hikes, service projects, Courts of Honor, and troop outings. Don’t worry if your photos are not recent. All photos will be accepted! If you can label photos with the name and date of event, as well as names of people in the photo, that would be helpful but not mandatory. We can accept actual photos or CDs of photos. Thank you!
Wood Badge Dinner
Wood Badge fellowship dinner is Saturday, March 31 at Camp Carpenter starting at 5:30. Cost $18. Register through the council office.
Arrowhead District Dinner
The Arrowhead District dinner is approaching fast. It will be held March 10th at Rivier College in Nashua. Tickets will be sold at the February Roundtable. This is the dinner where you can nominate scout leaders for awards by contacting Beth Dibble, or leaders can have their training knots presented. Contact Mrs. Rich for more details or for the training award forms for the various positions to see if you qualify to earn a knot.
Merit Badges
Scouts, remember to obtain your Blue Cards for your next Merit Badge from an Assistant Scoutmaster or the Scoutmaster. You need to do this BEFORE YOU START THE CLASS.
Citizenship in the Nation Merit Badge
This is a reminder of the remaining schedule for this merit badge:
Wednesday at St. James
January 31 7:00-8:15
February 7 7:00-8:15
February 21 7:00-8:00
Saturday at Merrimack Library
February 3 3:30-4:45
February 10 3:30-4:30
Citizenship in the World Merit Badge
This merit badge is scheduled to be offered on both Wednesday evenings at 7:00 and Saturday afternoons at 3:30. The session will tentatively begin on March 21 and March 24 and finish up just before April vacation. There will be a sign up sheet on the bulletin board, please indicate your interest with your name and phone number. You will need a merit badge book, a signed blue card, and a writing utensil. For questions, please contact Mrs. Collette (429-1045) or by email at Kathleen.Collette@comcast.net) or Mrs. Yates (424-7158).
Leader Training
Saturday, March 3 is the last Assistant scoutmaster training before the outdoor training weekend May 5-6. Cost is $6.
University of Scouting
University of Scouting is being held at Alvirne High in Hudson on Saturday March 24 for any interested adults. Cost is $12 to attend your choice of 6 courses or $18 for registrations received after March 7. See Mrs. Rich for the list of available courses or more info.
Outdoor Leaders Skills
Outdoor Leaders Skills is a two-part training. The first session is an orientation meeting to be held on April 19. The second session is the outdoor training which will be held the weekend of May 5-6.
Den Chief Training
Den Chief training will be held May 12 this year for interested scouts- save the date. This is the only time it will be offered this year.
Congratulations to our new Eagle Scouts, Daniel Becker and Joseph Prive! I know both of these young men are very busy in their lives outside of scouting, but have given it 110% to finish all of their Eagle requirements.
We have planned our next Court of Honor for February 19Th. I will be contacting those that are very close to finishing their current requirements for their next rank. Also if you have been doing service work in the community, please be sure to let us know to get the credit you deserve.
A special note to all boys approaching Eagle: As you turn in your merit badges to me, please be aware that I do not go to the Scout council on a weekly basis. If you are planning on submitting your Eagle forms soon, please check with me first to be sure I have submitted your merit badge applications and any other paperwork before you do.
Service Projects
Life Scouts: Remember to use this area to announce your Eagle Project fundraising events and project work dates. Just send the information to Mrs. Becker before the newsletter deadline dates.
Fundraising
Spring Fundraiser
Are you interested in earning money for scout summer camp or for your personal scout account? Mrs. Becker and Mrs. Dougherty are coordinating a fundraiser this spring for just this purpose! Held at the St. James Church on Saturday,
May 12, this Dessert Buffet and Silent Auction event promises to be a success….All that is needed is YOU!
How can you help this event be successful?
-Think of items you or your family can donate. Does anyone in your family have a hobby or craft that they can use to make an item for donation? Can you or a family member donate time to help someone rake their lawn, care for a pet, or spend time with someone?
-We will be asking local businesses to donate goods/services. Do you know a local business owner, or are you a loyal customer to a local business? If so, please let Mrs. Becker or Mrs. Dougherty know if you are willing to contact them.
-For now, spread the good news about our Dessert Buffet and Silent Auction, and then sell tickets later. We need lots of people to attend to make this successful.
-Find your favorite family recipes and plan to make something delicious for May 12. Some of these goodies may be used in the Dessert Buffet, and others will be auctioned off that day. We need lots and lots of desserts…including chocolate, fruit, pies, cakes, cookies, etc. No delicious dessert will be refused!
-When our sign-up sheets are circulated, be sure to sign up for a task such as: ticket sales, set-up, clean-up, or any other assigned tasks for that day.
-Finally, mark your calendars for Saturday, May 12 from 1-4 to attend this auction. Come bid on something special for your Mom, (it’s Mother’s Day weekend), and for other special people. Graduation, Father’s Day, and the end of school are approaching. Think of gifts you will need, and plan to buy some of these at this event. Parents, we will be talking to you soon with more details on this important upcoming event. Please feel free to contact Pat (424-2954 or pab514@verizon.net) or Rosemary (465-9696 or roserncs@charter.net) at any time with any questions/concerns.
Fishercats Fundraiser
The Troop will be running another fundraiser this year thanks to the NH Fishercats. Be sure to keep Saturday, August 25 free on your calendars. The Troop has reserved 200 tickets for this date to watch the Portland Seadogs play the NH Fishercats. We will also be working the concession stand again this year. More details will be coming regarding the ticket sale incentives. Start making your list of your Baseball fans that would like to go to a game!!
Patrol News & letters
Words From Baden-Powell
Passages from
Footsteps of the Founder
Camping
40 In camp life we learn to do without so many things which, while we are in houses, we think are necessary, and find that we can do for ourselves many things where we used to think ourselves helpless.
44 Until Troops and Patrols are accustomed to camping, they have not begun to be Scouts.
47 My ideal camp is one where everybody is cheery and busy. Where the Patrols are kept intact under all circumstances, and where every Patrol Leader and Scout takes a genuine pride in his camping and his gadgets.
The third Monday of each month is the deadline for all newsletter articles.
Due Date: March 19.