Troop 29, Penn's Woods Council, Chestnut Ridge District
Calvary Presbyterian Church
Indiana, PA 15701
Troop 29, Penn's Woods Council, Chestnut Ridge District Calvary Presbyterian Church Indiana, PA 15701
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Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec May 2004 in Review The Troop managed to keep busy despite the start of the youth baseball season and the approaching end of the school year. While attendance at the weekly meetings fell during the month, we continued to move on. The Spring Camporee was a great success. Eight Troops with eleven Patrols participated. The weather for the most part cooperated and only rained for a short period of time on Saturday evening. The scouts had a great time building and improving their catapult. The patrols also did well during the competitions. Panther Patrol · Tied with Frontiersman for First Place - Orienteering/Semaphore · Second Place - Lashings · Third Place Overall in Patrol Competition Frontiersman Patrol · Tied with Panther for First Place - Orienteering/Semaphore Troop took Second Place in Pioneering Project (catapult) Thanks to all who provided transportation to and from Camp Seph Mack and thanks to Justin Querry, Don Shick, Adam Kovalchick, Chuck Hegland and Joe Rougeux for providing transportation and spending the weekend with us. The weather cooperated as the Troop placed flags on veteran's graves at Saint Bernard's Cemetery in Indiana. Over 720 flags were placed on the graves of veterans who fought in wars ranging from the Civil War (GAR), Spanish American War, WWI, WWII, Korea and Viet Nam. We had an excellent turnout of boys and parents who helped decorate the graves of our veterans. Thanks! The remainder of the month was cut short with the Memorial Day Holiday but we are still busy preparing for summer camp. One final reminder, the last meeting prior to summer camp will be on Tuesday, June 15th and is a required meeting for all twenty-five boys attending camp. If you are unable to make, it please contact Joe Rougeux. April 2004 in Review The month of April was a little slow with the Easter Holiday but it gave us a chance to catch our breath before we charge ahead in the months of May and June. The troop spent most of the month of April preparing for the Spring Camporee. The scouts have been working hard on learning semaphore and Mores code. They also have been working on the plans for a catapult as a pioneering project for the camporee. We finally had good weather for our Laurel Highlands Trek. The temperature was in the mid 60's as 15 scouts and adults made the hike from route 30 to route 271. We spent the night in shelters 3, 4 & 5 and awoke to a light rain. After breakfast, we cleaned up the campsite and headed back to Indiana. Thanks to all who drove and helped out on the hike. We did manage to finish one bag of ham left over from the Trooporee Dinner. Guess what the menu is for the spring camporee? It is time to start gearing up for summer camp. The boys need to make their final decision on merit badges and complete the necessary prerequisites. Our goal is to complete all merit badges started at summer camp and pick up the badges at the end of camp. This is an excellent opportunity for the new scouts to advance to the next rank. I have pop bottles for ecosystems for those scouts who are interested in taking the Environmental Science Merit Badge at camp. This must be completed at least one week prior to camp. All scouts can see one of the scoutmasters to purchase Class 'B' t-shirts or sweatshirts for summer camp. T-Shirts $6 each - Heavy hooded sweatshirts $20 each. We only have a limited supply of green hooded sweatshirts. If there is sufficient demand, I will place an order for more. There are still several tins of caramel popcorn and loose popping corn for sale. Please help us sell these items. In closing, thanks to all who have helped out this past month. March 2004 in Review The Troop continued to be active during the month of March. We started the month off with the 54th annual Troop-o-ree dinner. The attendance was good. There was plenty of good food and fine desserts. Thanks to all who helped with setup and cleanup. Special thanks to Kim Miller and Laura Young for planning the event. The response to Council's Friend's of Scouting appeal was good. Your response will go a long way in helping the Troop meet it's fair share goal of $50 per scout for this year. Meeting our fair share goal will mean a savings of $200 on summer camp awards alone. Thanks! Most of the meetings in March were spent helping the new scouts earn their Toten Chips and working with them on Tenderfoot requirements. By helping the new Scouts, the older boys also honed their own scouting skills. Four new tables were purchased for the scout room. It makes the room look a little neater. Work also continues on the dunk tank to get it ready for the nice weather that is sure to come. Chuck Hegland has accepted the position of Troop treasurer and published a list of current scout balances. Thanks go to Robin Hood for being our treasurer for the last several years. Ben Johnston has also earned his religious award from Calvary Presbyterian Church. Thanks to all who have helped out in any way this past month!
February
2004 in Review The Troop was very active during the month of February. We started off the month by hosting the Scout Sunday Coffee Hour at Calvary Presbyterian Church. The Troop and Pack charters were presented to Rev. Patten at the 11 am service. The Troop presented the Calvary Youth Group with a gift card to Lowe's to help with the remodeling of their meeting room on the third floor. Thanks to all who provided cookies for the coffee hour. On February 14, twenty brave scouts and scouters headed for hills and departed on a twelve mile hike along the Laurel Highlands Trail between route 30 and route 271. Only eight survived. No really, even though the weather was perfect for hiking, the snow was too deep and the crust was too thin. At too different points on the trail, boys and adults realized they had reached their limit of endurance and were forced to turn back. The eight that did make it, only did so because they made it to a snowmobile trail and did not have to break trail. The trail into the shelter area was too bad to haul in the backpacks, so the overnight campout was cancelled. All of the scouts and scouters who participated, regardless of how far they made it, are to be commended for their determination and for knowing when they reached their limit. There is no shame in turning back! We will try this trek again once the snow melts and the weather warms up. The troop closed out the month by participating in the annual Mall Show at the Indiana Mall. A rope making demonstration was put on and the troop now has several new lengths of rope to include a few ½ inch lengths as well as a couple of poly ropes. Thanks to all who have helped out in any way this past month!
January 2004 in Review The Troop was very active during the month of January even with a Monday holiday and a snow day. The troop was kept busy during the first half of the month preparing for the annual Klondike derby. The Klondike Derby was held on Saturday January 17, at Camp Seph Mack. The theme was 'Survivor' with activities centered on basic scouting skills. Twenty-six patrols from Chestnut Ridge District participated in the event. Over 260 boys and adults enjoyed the ideal frigid, snowy winter weather at camp. The composite Panther Patrol took first place in the fire building and cooking competition. Three Webelos scouts from Pack 25 and on from Pack 29 participated with the Troop. The Troop has re-chartered with 29 scouts and 18 adults. This marks over 54 consecutive years with Calvary Presbyterian Church. We will present our charter to the Church on Scout Sunday. The troop also gained a new member this month - Michael Kretz. We will be working the month of February to get the boys advanced and to start them planning for summer camp. A winter hike and campout is being planned for February 14-15. We still have some popcorn items left for sale. We have several tins of $7 caramel with peanuts and a few other miscellaneous items. Please help us sell these items. Thanks to all who have helped out this past month and a special thanks to
those who helped make the Klondike Derby a success! December 2003 in Review Hunting season and Christmas vacation took a toll on the meetings in December. This gave the boys and the leaders a chance to rest up and get ready for a full month of activities in January and also in February. We did however manage to get several boys and parents to show up and ring bells for the Salvation Army on Black Friday. Council now has a computer program to track merit badge counselors and will be checking to make sure that everyone is properly registered. If you wish to change the merit badges you counsel, then you must submit a new merit badge registration form. There is no cost to be a merit badge counselor. Council will be providing us with a new Merit Badge Counselor Roster in the next month or so. A new Troop list will be made at that time. It is time to begin to think about summer camp. We will be attending during the first week, which is Jun 20 to Jun 26, 2004. The early bird registration cost for camp this year is $185. A $50 deposit is required to Council by March 1, 2004. The Balance is due by May 1, 2004. Sign-up slips will be included in next month's newsletter. Camperships and reduced price meal forms are due March 1st. Reduced price meals are available to all scouts who meet eligibility requirements. Camperships are normally reserved for first year campers. The Troop will be recognizing a new Eagle Scouts with an Eagle Court of Honor after the first of the year. Congratulations Brad Peterson! November
2003 in Review The month of November was a good one for the Troop. Most of the month was spent preparing for a backpacking trek on the Laurel Highlands Trail. Fifteen boys and six adults made the hike from the route 271 parking area to Seward. We spent the night at the route 56 shelter area. The weather was almost perfect, the food was good and blisters were at a minimum. The scouts and leaders had a great time and are planning another outing for February. (14 - 15???) The Troop would like to thank Pam Churner and Cindy Johnston for taking a couple hours on Saturday to help shuttle hikers to the start point. We would also like to thank Keith Peterson and his crew for working with the Indiana Theater and the 'Good Turn Food Drive'. Over 1,200 pounds of food was collected for the needy in our area. We had a good turn out of Scouts and leaders who, along with Cub Scouts from Pack 29, marched in the Veteran's Day parade in Indiana. Thanks to all for showing up to honor our country's veterans. We will closed out the month with community service by ringing bells at Kmart entrance for the Salvation Army on 'Black Friday.' The Popcorn Sale is over and all of the money has been collected from the Scouts. We still have several items remaining for sale: 3 ea - 24 oz Chocolate Carmel Crunch - $15 ea 2 ea - 28 oz Carmel Corn with nuts - $15 ea 5 bx - 12 pack Unbelievable Butter Microwave - $10 ea 5 bx - 12 pack Light Microwave - $10 ea 8 ea - 12 oz Carmel Corn with Peanuts - $7 ea 4 ea - 2.5 lb tin of loose popcorn - $7 ea Please help us sell these remaining items or the Troop will have to absorb the cost of these items. Stop by the scout room or contact one of the scoutmasters if interested. First come - first served. Thanks to everyone who have helped us in any way over the past month. October 2003 in Review The
month of October was a good one for the Troop.
We started the month off by co-sponsoring a Red Cross Bloodmobile with
our charter partner, Calvary Presbyterian Church. We made our goal and we were able to help the local chapter
maintain their lifesaving blood supplies. The
scouts and adults worked hard to make this year’s blood drive a success.
Thanks to all who helped or donated cookies for the canteen. The
month was shortened with the Columbus Day holiday. Most of the meetings were spent preparing for the upcoming
backpacking trip. Jim Miller and
Matt Young are slowly making progress towards a boy run troop. The
Troop hosted an Eagle Scout information afternoon for all Star and Life Scouts
in the district who are working towards the Eagle rank.
Valuable information on Eagle Project planning and execution was passed
on to Scouts, parents and advancement chairpersons.
The process has changed in Chestnut Ridge District so don’t assume that
you know the proper procedures to follow. Check
with your Scoutmaster or Committee Chair for the latest information. Thanks
to everyone who have helped us to keep moving forward over the past month.
Without you we can’t put the ‘outing’ into Scouting. Thanks again
for your help! September 2003 in Review The month of September means back to school and back to Scouting. The Troop is slowly moving towards a boy run Troop again under the leadership of Jim Miller and Matt Young. Jim attended Axion Quest Junior Leader Training this summer and is implementing what he learned. Adam Kovalchick is serving as his mentor. The Troop participated is several community service activities during the month. Many Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts assisted at the Classic Car Show and Oldies Concert at Saint Andrew's Village. The Scouts assisted in the setup of chairs and tables prior to the shows. The boys also spent time with the residents by talking with them and pushing their wheelchairs around the Car Show. The boys and adults also jumped in and built an extension onto the stage so the 'show could go on'. The Scouts rounded out the evening by assisting people into and out of shuttle vans at the Oldies Concert. Thanks to all of the Scouts and adults who lent a hand. The following week, several members of the Troop also performed community service by assisting with setup and tear down for the New Growth Arts Festival. Ivan Querry, assisted by Keith Peterson, Tony Churner, Mark Staron, Chuck Hegland, Joe McCombie and others conducted the Rifle Shooting Merit Badge at the Shelocta Sportsmen Club. We had a good turnout and half of the boys qualified and earned the merit badge. A make up day will be scheduled for those who need more shooting practice. As many of you may have heard, the Troop now owns the Dunk Tank. Over the next couple of months we will be making some of the long discussed changes to the tank in preparation for next year's fair. The Troop however is not in the business of making money by renting out the tank but will rent it to supplement our maintenance on it after we have made modifications to it. Stay tuned for more information. Thanks to everyone who have helped us to keep moving forward over the past month. Without you we can't put the 'outing' into Scouting. Thanks again for your help! August 2003 in Review The Troop was busy during the month of August. The first couple of meetings in August were occupied with cleaning up the Scout Room after it was flooded by rainwater that seeped in through the walls. No loss, just some clean up. The dehumidifier placed in the room by the church staff has made a big difference in the condition of the room. The Troop conducted semi-annual elections and the following Scouts were elected to leadership positions: Senior Patrol Leader Jim Miller Assistant Senior Patrol Leader Matt Young Fox Patrol Leader Kevin Andrews Assistant Patrol Leader Robert Lecorchick Panther Patrol Leader Derek Shick Assistant Patrol Leader Stephen Lansberry Frontiersmen Patrol Leader Joe McCombie Assistant Patrol Leader Brandon Maharaj Viking Patrol Leader Zack Reigh Assistant Patrol Leader Ethan Bauman These scouts were sworn in during the Troop Picnic. The picnic was a great success and a wonderful opportunity for the Boy Scouts to mingle with the Cub Scouts of Pack 29. Thanks for all who helped and provided the good food. Vicky Peterson is missing a blue casserole lid from the picnic - if you took it by mistake please contact her. The last week of the month was spent at the Indiana County Fair. Despite the weather, we were still able to earn as much money as last year. Each scout earned $37 for each hour he sat in the tank. Special thanks to Chuck Hegland and Kim Miller for taking care of the opening and closing each day and for filling up the time slots. The troop would also like to thank everyone who helped set up and tear down the site. Without your help, we would not have been able to provide this money earning opportunity to the Scouts. Just a reminder - SELL POPCORN!!! Thanks to all who helped make this month's activities a success! July 2003 in Review The Troop has been working on several activities for the month of July. The first meeting was spent putting equipment away after summer camp and getting scouts ready for Boards of Review. We had many boys who were able to advance because of requirements that were completed at camp. Many of the boys who went to summer camp expressed an interest in the Electricity Merit Badge. Because of this Mr. Rougeux has started working with them during part of the weekly troop meetings. This allowed the boys to take other merit badges at camp and still be able to earn the Electricity MB. Mr. Querry has started work on the safety portions of the Rifle and Shotgun Merit badges. The plan is to work on these merit badges during the weekly meetings and spending an evening or two on the range at the Shelocta Sportsman Club. Boys MUST complete all safety requirements before being allowed to shoot on the range. No short cuts will be taken! The final meeting of the month involved work on both the shooting sport merit badges and the electricity merit badge. Just a reminder - popcorn sale will be starting soon.. Now is the time to plan for the coming year's activities and determine how much money need to be raised to fund these activities. The Dunk Tank and Popcorn are our two major fundraisers. Let's get these fundraisers out of the way and concentrate on the Scouting Program. Thanks again to all who have helped out this past month! June 2003 in Review The Troop was very busy for the month of June. We started off the month by having Assistant Scoutmaster Don Shick and Scout Brandon Maharaj complete their Order of the Arrow Ordeal at Camp Seph Mack. Yes - it rained. In addition to preparing for summer camp, the Troop managed to find time to perform a service project for the church. On June 7th, boys and adults from the troop gathered in the rain (as usual) and in two hours made the mulch pile disappear. The mulch was spread around the flower beds around the church. Everyone worked hard until we ran out of mulch. The pressure was on to get the job done quickly before guests began arriving for a wedding to be held at the church later in the day. Thanks to all boys and adults who made this happen. After weeks of planning and preparation the Troop, under sunny skies, departed for Camp Seph Mack on June 15th. Twenty-one boys and three adults spent the week camping at campsite Pioneer. While it didn't rain for Parent's Night, we did have our fair share of rain. The one redeeming benefit of the rain was it kept the temperature down and made for nice sleeping at night. Thanks to a donation of straw by the Reigh's, mud was kept to a minimum. The scouts earned a total of 85 merit badges during the week with only four partial merit badges - two of which will be completed in the next week or two. We also have one scout - Adam Kovalchick - working on the camp staff. I would like to thank everyone who donated time, equipment, food or drove, hauled equipment or lent a helping hand to make summer camp possible. By working together we were able to make camp a reality for our scouts. You all deserve a big pat on the back. Thanks! The Troop would also like to thank Chuck Hegland for donating a new Dutch Oven. The oven was put into service during summer camp and is very much appreciated. Thanks again to all who have helped out this past month in any way! |