December 2003

The season of giving is upon us.  On behalf of the Troop Committee, I would like to thank all of those Scouts and adults that have been giving of their time through Community Service Projects over the past year.  The members of the Troop have volunteered well over 2000 hours of time to some type of community service within the town of Merrimack.  They have been raking, moving, sweeping, weeding, cutting, filling and reading are just a few of the services the scouts provided.

Thanks should also be extended to the adults and leaders for giving of their time and energy to the scouts and the troop.  Without them, the troop could not function.  Especially those items that are not obvious.  Tour permits, permission slips, bank statements, collecting money for events, ordering popcorn and picking it up for distribution, picking up wreaths, buying camping supplies, and refilling propane tanks, training, district meetings, and more training.  Many thank yous.

2004 looks to be a very busy and exciting Scouting program that the scouts have planned.  It looks like we will be very busy.

We wish everyone a Happy Holiday Season and a Healthy New Year.

Marsha Kofman, Committee Chair,

rdhetal@yahoo.com, 429-0794

Bill Courtemanche, Scoutmaster

a76eagle@aol.com, 424-5968

January

1/05      Board of Review

1/3-4     Campout at Whip-O-Will

1/8        Troop Committee Meeting

1/14      PLC

1/19      Scoutmaster Conference

1/21      Roundtable at Elk’s Lodge, Nashua

1/23-25 Campout at Split Rock

1/26      Court of Honor

February

2/2        Board of Review

2/6        District Freeze-out

2/7        Klondike Derby

2/7        Monarch’s Hockey Night

2/8        Scout Sunday

2/8        Pack 401 Blue & Gold  Banquet & Bridging Ceremony

2/10      District Eagle Banquet

2/11      PLC

2/12      Troop Committee Meeting

2/16      Scoutmaster Conferences

2/18      Roundtable  

2/21      Battleship Cove Trip

2/28      Ice Fishing at Horseshoe Pond

March

3/1        Board of Review

3/10      PLC

3/11      Troop Committee Meeting

3/17      Roundtable

3/27      Lowell Textile Museum

3/29      Scoutmaster Conferences

Citizenship in the World

Anyone interested in working on this merit badge, please sign up on the bulletin board.  After the holidays, we’ll establish a meeting time and get started.  If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Collette at 429-1045 or kmc120852@aol.com.

Committee meetings are open to all Troop adults.  They are on the second Thursday of each month at St. James Church, at 7 PM.  Hope to see you there. 

District Roundtable is on the third Wednesday of each month.  They take place at the Church of the Latter Day Saints in Nashua, at 7 PM.  All leaders and troop adults are encouraged to attend.

Summer Camping news

Although summer camp news seems out of place as we settle into the idea of winter being upon us, plans are forming at Council, and they have just released the new prices for next year.  Thought you might like to know just how they have arranged things for you this year!

Both Hidden Valley and Camp Bell are offering a $10 discount IF you make a timely $25 deposit per child per week.  In addition, there is a $15 discount if the entire balance is paid to Council by May 15, 2004.  Here’s how it would translate for our troop.

Hidden Valley

First deposit due

By March 8, 2004          $25 child/week

Balance due by

May 10, 2004                $210 per child/week

Total Cost w/deposit       $235 per child/week

No deposit made, but

Balance paid by

May 10, 2004                $245 per child/week

Late payments               $260 per child/week

Camp Bell

First deposit due

By March 8, 2004          $25 child/week

Balance due by

May 10, 2004                $245 per child/week

Total Cost w/deposit       $270 per child/week

No deposit made, but

Balance paid by

May 10, 2004                $280 per child/week

Late payments               $295 per child/week

There will be a camp presentation at the Court of Honor on January 26 to start you thinking about summer events.  I will be accepting deposits and payments at any time, in the event it helps to make smaller periodic payments.

Also, if your son will need a physical for camp this year, you have received the medical form in the mail.  If you have not already made an appointment for a physical, now may be the time to think about that and avoid the spring rush!

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Collette at 429-1045 or kmc120852@aol.com.

Two training opportunitites are available to adult leaders in January.

Trainer development conference is January 24 at Camp Carpenter, cost is $8.  This teaches effective communication, how people learn, effective teaching methods, planning skills and technology tools.  This training is useful for any leader/business person/etc who must instruct others.

Troop Committee members and Scoutmasters and Assistant Scoutmasters training will be held at First Church in Nashua on Saturday, January 17 starting at 7:30 AM.  Cost is $6 if you pre-register.  Committee member session will end by 1:30, Scoutmasters training lasts all day.

If you can’t make this session, the last one for the year will be held March 6.

Outdoor training for scoutmasters and assistants will take place May 1 and 2 with an orientation meeting Thursday night, April 22.  Cost is usually about $20 for food for the weekend.

For more information or registration forms, please see Mrs. Rich, r-rich@comcast.net, 880-8222.

Pie Bakes

The scouts baked pies for St. James Community Food Pantry for Thanksgiving and for Christmas.  The scouts baked 20 pies for Thanksgiving Baskets and over 25 pies for the Christmas Baskets.  Whether the pies were baked at home or at St. James kitchen, the Food Pantry is very appreciative of the scout’s culinary talents!!

If you missed the pie bakes, don’t worry, we do a Bread Bake in the Spring!  Start practicing now!

Fire Hydrants

Each scout should consider “adopting” the closest fire hydrant to their home to shovel out after a snow storm.  This will not only help our fireman with their duties, but it just might save your home or your neighbor’s home in case of a fire.

The Vipers have been very busy lately entertaining and instructing you good people.  We have met twice in these last few weeks as a patrol so as to assemble a game plan for our skill instruction.

A word to the wise, the Merrimack House of Pizza is a great spot for a patrol meeting!

Our two skills were fire safety and winter survival.  These two topics are absolutely critical to the well being of a scout.  Fire and snow are cool, but they must be also treated with a level of respect.  I am sure that everyone reading this has been burned or has experienced real coldness at least once in their lifetime.  The vivacious vipers valiantly visualized every vital tip to keep you safe and visually tried to present all of these elements to you in their presentations.

All in all, the Vipers have been busy performing two skill instructions for the basic review and education of the troop.

Submitted by:  Shawn Collette, Viper Patrol

The deadline for articles to be included in the next newsletter is January 19.  You may submit articles at the Troop meeting or by contacting Mrs. Becker at 424-2954 or pab514@netzero.com.