November 2006
Committee Chair’s Corner
Marsha Kofman, Committee Chair, rdhetal@yahoo.com, 429-0794
The cold weather is starting to set in with true New England style. Warm one day, cold the next. But with this change, we know the holidays are charging at us. The season of family gatherings and the season of sharing and giving are just ahead.
Part of the scouting program is Community Service. The scouts are reminded as a scout, to “Do a Good Turn Daily,” but this becomes even more evident during the holiday season. Programs like “Scouting for Food,” which assists all of the food pantries and soup kitchens across the state, takes place during this season. Troop 401 and Pack 401 directly support The St. James Community Food Pantry. The Troop run Pie Bakes, also support the St. James Food Pantry. The “Box Wrap” at St. Joseph’s Hospital helps one of the hospital’s charitable drives. The Troop assists the town of Merrimack with the Candlelight Walk by passing out candles. These are just a few of the projects that help demonstrate to the Scouts how to contribute to our Community.
The scouts alone cannot take these projects on. The support of the leaders and the example of their parents and families play a major role with the contributions to the community. Thank you for your support. It is through that support that we all make our community a better place for our scouts and families.
Scoutmaster’s Minute
Mike Marston, Scoutmaster, marstonm@adelphia.net, 424-0017
Patrol Assignments
The patrol assignments for the month of November are not yet finalized. This month’s theme is Wilderness Survival.
Patrol leaders (PL) will be given the assignments at the PLC meeting. Contact your PL if you have questions.
Upcoming Events
November
3-5 Turkey Campout
6 Board of Review
8 PLC Meeting
9 Committee Meeting
11 Scouting for Food Distribution
15 Roundtable
18 Scouting for Food Pickup
20 Thanksgiving Pie Bake
25 Town Candlelight Stroll
27 Scoutmaster Conferences
December
2 Recharter
3 Holiday Parade
4 Board of Review
13 PLC & Patrol Advisors
14 Committee Meeting
16 Chuncky’s Movie
18 St. Joseph’s Box Wrap
18 Holiday Pie Bake
18 Scoutmaster’s Conferences
20 Roundtable
Announcements
Committee Meetings
The Troop 401 Committee meets on the second Thursday of each month. The next meeting will be on November 9 at 7 PM, at St. James Church.
Troop Web Page
Make sure you check out our new Troop website. http://www.troop401merrimack.org NO ADS!!! NO POP-UPS!!! If you have suggestions for the layout of the website, or have anything you'd like to see posted on the website, please contact the webmaster (Dave Markson) at webmaster@troop401merrimack.org
Turkey Campout
The
Turkey Campout will be at Onway. We are planning on cooking 60 lbs of turkey
this year.
The cost will be $5 for dinner to Mr. Milton and Mr. Golemo. Patrols will be
collecting money ($5) to provide for their two breakfasts, lunch, and a desert
for dinner. Look to the Dutch ovens for your deserts.
The leaders will be providing meals for visiting adults, siblings and Webelos
(as long as we know you are coming) for $2 per additional meal.
It’s going to be cold so winter camping gear will be needed. If you plan on attending please let Mr. Milton or Mr. Golemo know. We will be meeting at the Camp. We will be having a movie Saturday night. THIS WILL BE A BLAST SO COME AND ENJOY!!
Attention all Eagle Scouts
Please provide the troop with a copy of the hours the scouts and leaders contributed to all aspects of your Eagle Project. This is part of Community Service. We want to make sure everyone gets the credit they deserve. Also, when we re-charter (re-register) the Troop in December, we need to provide statistics to them for total number of Community Services performed. Please give that information to Mrs. Kofman or Mr. Marston, ASAP. Thank you.
New Scout and Recruitment
I want to take this opportunity to welcome new scout Alexander Olson and his family to our Troop this fall. I’m sure every scout will make him feel welcome and answer any questions he may have about activities or events in our Troop.
Any scout that would like to have a friend join the Troop to participate in scouting, you may do so at any time. Troop 401 does not have a specific time for recruitment. Every meeting is a recruitment meeting. If you need an application for a friend, please speak with Mr. Marston or Mrs. Kofman.
Merit Badges
Citizenship Merit Badges
Mrs. Collette and Mrs. Yates will be offering 3 Eagle required merit badges this year as follows:
Citizenship of the Nation—January to February, 5 sessions
Citizenship of the Community—March, 3 sessions
Citizenship of the World—April to May, 5 sessions
Meetings will be held on Wednesday evenings from 7 to 8:15 pm either at the library or at St. James Church. Please sign up on the bulletin board now if you are interested in earning these badges.
Please note that Citizenship in the Nation is best completed during 8th grade or later and Citizenship in the World should be saved for high school years as it deals with some economic factors. If you have any questions, please call Mrs. Collette at 429-1045 or email at kmcollette@adelphjia.net or call Mrs. Yates at 424-7158 or email bing2yates@netzero.net.
Pets
Mr. Becker will be starting the Pets merit badge on Nov. 13 at 6:45 at St. James. At that time anyone interested should tell Mr. Becker the type of pet you have and pick up the requirements sheet. More information will follow.
Reptiles and Amphibian Study
Mr. Becker will be doing the Reptile and Amphibian Study Merit Badge this fall. If you are interested in this badge, please speak with Mr. Becker, as he will need your parents to sign a permission form for you to complete one of the requirements, namely taking care of a reptile or amphibian for a month. Once everyone has returned the form, a date and time will be set to start the merit badge.
training
Robin Rich, ASM, Training Coordinator
r-rich@comcast.net, 880-8222.
Den Chief Training will be held November 4th. If you are interested, please contact Mrs. Rich for more details.
Advancements
Ed Tucker, Advancement Chair
edthepiper@verizon.net, 429-1012
Congratulations to all the scouts who received their new rank and/or merit badges. Continue the good work.
Service Projects
This fall there will be several opportunities for community service. We will be doing the Parsonage Cleanup, Scouting for Food, Thanksgiving Pie Bake, Christmas Pie Bake and the St. Joseph’s Box Wrap. Please check the Troop Calendar online for dates and times of these events.
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Fundraising
The Troop will be selling Christmas Wreaths this fall. Mrs. Demers will be overseeing this fundraiser. If you have any questions, please give her a call at 424-7256.
Patrol News Briefs
Words From Baden-Powell
Passages from
Footsteps of the Founder
Prayer
482 A Scout’s Own should have as big an effect on the boys as any service in Church, if in conducting it we remember that boys are not grown men, and if we go by the pace of the youngest and most uneducated of those present. Boredom is not reverence, nor will it breed religion.
480 A boy should learn how to pray, not to recite prayers. Also I suggest to him to develop the practice of returning thanks to God or “saying grace” at odd times for any bit of special enjoyment experienced, such as a fine day, a good game, etc, (and not merely for a good meal). In this way prayer and communion with God becomes a habit of life instead of being a formality reserved for stated occasions in stilted phrases of which the boy only understands a certain amount.
Newsletter Deadline
Patrice Becker, Newsletter Coordinator
pab514@netzero.com, 424-2954
The third Monday of each month is the deadline for all newsletter articles. Due Date: November 20