December 2004

 

Family         Holidays            Giving         Sharing

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” to assist all of the Food Pantry’s and Soup Kitchen’s across the state take 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. Troop 401 helps at the “Box Wrap” at St. Joseph’s Hospital. 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 on these projects.  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.

December

12/5        Holiday Parade

12/6        Board of Review

12/8        PLC Meeting

12/9        Committee Meeting

12/15      District Roundtable

12/20      Christmas Pie Bake              

12/20      St. Joseph’s Box Wrap

12/20      Scoutmaster Conference

12/27      No Troop Meeting

January

1/3          Board of Review

1/8          New Leader Essential/Troop Specific training

1/8-9       Whip-O-Will Campout

1/12        PLC Meeting

1/13        Committee Meeting

1/19        Roundtable

1/22        Trainer Development Conference

1/28-30   Winter Campout/Ski Trip

1/31        Scoutmaster’s Conference

February

2/4          Klondike Freeze Out

2/5          Klondike Derby

2/7          Board of Review

2/8          District Eagle Banquet

2/9          PLC Meeting

2/10        Committee Meeting

2/13        Scout Sunday

2/16        Roundtable

2/21        Scoutmaster’s Conference

2/26        Ice Fishing

The patrol assignments for the month of December were unavailable at the time of printing.

New Scouts and Recruitment

I would to take this opportunity to welcome the new scouts and their families to our Troop this fall.   They are:  Matt Stockhausen, Ryan Reagan, and Michael Dougherty.  I’m sure every scout will make these scouts feel welcome and answer any questions they 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. Courtemanche or Mrs. Kofman.

Fond Farewells

Every Scout knows Mrs. Gontarz as she is responsible for all of the Advancements. She collects the Blue Cards from all of the Merit Badges, schedules the Boards of Review for Advancement, and makes sure the scouts have their neckerchief, books and belts before they will be seen for their Board of Review or they may have to wait until the next month.  

Well after many years of valuable service to the Troop as the Advancement Chair person, Mrs. Gontarz is retiring from Scouting. Although she has made her position with the Troop look very easy, I assure you it is not. She has spent thousands of hours working with the scouts, scout leaders and calling Committee Members to schedule a quorum for the Boards of Review; long and laborious hours with Troopmaster (the computer program to track the Scouts Advancement); training programs; monthly Committee Meetings to present the monthly advancements by the scout;, prepared Courts of Honor and the programs; hours spent preparing Eagle Scout applications, triple checking for accuracy; and countless trips to the Council Store and office “shopping” for Merit Badges and Badges of Rank.

Words alone cannot express enough gratitude for a job done above and beyond the call of duty. On behalf of the Troop 401 Scouts, past and present, the Troop Committee and for the parents of Troop 401, a million thank you’s for all of your hard work as a “Volunteer.”  You will be missed.

Welcome

I would like to welcome Ed Tucker as the new Troop 401 Advancement Chair person. He has been working with the Advancement committee for the last five years. He has attended Boy Scout Committee Training, Outdoor Scout Training and Youth Protection, and CPR and First Aid Training. I know he will be a valuable asset to the Troop as the Advancement Chair.

I would like to thank Mr. Tucker, in advance, for all of his valuable time and efforts we know he will be contributing to the Scouts of Troop 401.

REMINDER FOR THE SCOUTS:   MR. TUCKER IS THE PERSON TO GIVE YOUR SIGNED BLUE CARDS TO!!!

Committee Meeting

The Troop 401 Committee meets on the second Thursday of each month. The next meeting will be on

December 9, 7 PM at St. James Church. All parents are encouraged to attend and participate.    See you at the next meeting.

Citizenship of the World  

For any “older” scouts interested in working on the Citizenship in the World Merit Badge, there will be a session running on Wednesdays from 5 pm to 6 pm at the church.  The first session will begin on January 5 and will run until February 2.  If interested, please sign up on the bulletin board or see Mrs. Collette.

New Leader Essentials/Troop Committee:  Sat. Dec 4   at 8:30 AM at Our Lady of Mercy, Merrimack for NLE, 10:30 AM for Troop Committee Specific Training.

New Leader Essentials/Leader Specific training for Troop Committee/Scoutmaster/Assistant SM: 

Sat., Jan 8 or March 5, 7:30 AM (NLE) or 10:00 AM (LS). SM and ASM training requires you to attend the outdoor skills portion to be held May 14 and 15, 2005.

Trainer Development Conference:  Sat, Jan 22, Camp Carpenter, Manchester, NH

University of Scouting:   Sat., March 19, Alverine High School, Hudson, NH

Scouting for Food

This year we had a highly successful Scouting for Food Drive.  We had a total of 40 adults and 45 youth between the Pack and Troop out gathering food bags.  On Saturday, Nov 20, of the 2000 estimated bags distributed, we collected 621 bags for a 31% return rate.  In those bags, we collected 4440 items.  This is 1400 items more than last year!  

As late as Monday evening, bags were still being picked up by scouts or dropped off by Merrimack residents.     Awesome job Scouts!  Thanks to everyone who helped. 

Community Service Events

Please check the Troop bulletin board regularly for the upcoming Community Service Projects.  Parents inform the Troop of additional projects on a regular basis.

12/20      St. Joe’s Box Wrap, meet at 3:30 PM at St. James for travel.  Leader:  Mrs. Mithoefer

12/20      Christmas Pie Bake @ St. James kitchen, Time:  TBD, Leader:  Mrs. Rich

Additional Service Projects available for Scouts who are unable to participate in these events. 

Salvation Army Bell Ringer at a Merrimack Location         TBD    Leader:  Mr. Randall

If you are participating in any Community Service Projects outside of scouts, please speak with Mr. Courtemanche to get credit for Community Service time.

 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. Courtemanche, ASAP. Thank you.

What nobler profession than to touch the next generation – to see children hold your understanding in their eyes, your hope in their lives, and your world in their hands.  In their success, you find your own and so to them you give your all.  (The Essence of Teaching)

A Scout is Courteous:   A Scout is polite to everyone, regardless of age or position.  He knows good manners make it easier for people to get along together.

A Scout is Kind:  A Scout understands there is strength in being gentle.  He treats others as he wants to be treated.  He does not hurt or kill harmless things without reason.

The deadline for articles to be included in the next newsletter is December 15.