February 2010 Troop 30 Newsletter

 

Our next parent committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 1st, at Woodside during the troop meeting from 7-8:30pm.  All parents are welcome.  We should be hearing some Eagle projects, planning our spring activities and discussing plans for transitioning some new leadership positions.  Parents, please read the section below entitled “Adult Volunteers Needed” to see how you can help Troop 30 continue delivering the best possible scouting program.

                       

Calendar Summary for Upcoming Meetings/Trips/Activities:

February:

·         Feb. 15:  No Troop Meeting (School Vacation)

·         Feb. 22:  Troop Meeting; Deadline for Early Discount Payment of $323 for Summer Camp

March:

·         Mar. 1:  Troop Meeting & Parent Committee Meeting at Woodside, 7-8:30pm

·         Mar. 6:  University of Scouting at Neshaminy Warwick Presbyterian, 8:30am-4pm - flyer

·         Mar. 8:  Community Service:  Pack food at Morrisville Presbyterian Food Center, 7-8pm

·         Mar. 11:  Troop 30 Fundraiser at Uno’s Pizza, Oxford Valley – click here for certificate

·         Mar. 15:  Troop Meeting at Woodside, 7-8:30pm

·         Mar. 19-20:  Washington D.C. Hotel Trip, Udvar-Hazy & Spy Museums; Sign up 2/22

 

Web-site Calendar:  Please continue to check our website calendar for the latest information.  Click on any event to see a description; more details will be added to events as plans are made. 

 

We are going to Ockanickon July 4-10 for summer camp.  The payment schedule for our scouts is:

$323 if paid by 2/22 (Discount rate applies to Crossovers until 5/24)

$341 if paid after 2/22, and by 4/19

$354 if paid after 4/19, and by 5/24

$376 if paid after 5/24

Note:  Please add $8 for an 8x10 troop photo, if you would like one.  NO REFUNDS AFTER 4/19 UNLESS A REPLACEMENT IS FOUND!!  Any questions, please contact Mrs. Pepin.

 

We will not have our regular troop meeting on Monday, March 8th, as Woodside is hosting a Blood Drive in the Vineyard.  We will instead meet at the Morrisville Presbyterian Food Center at 7pm to help pack food bags for distribution the following day.  Please sign up at a troop meeting for this community service activity, so we can give them an estimate of how many scouts to expect.

 

Uno’s fundraiser Thursday, March 11th, from 11am until midnight.  Troop 30 can earn up to 20% of your total bill when you present this certificate at their Oxford Valley location (215-741-6100, 198 N Buckstown Rd., Langhorne, PA 19047).  Eat in, takeout or stop in to have a drink and you’ll be helping support Troop 30.  (We still need to raise about $500 to purchase the new trailer.)  Please pass this information onto your family and friends.  Copies of the certificate will be available at the troop meetings.

 

We are planning a hotel trip March 19–20 to Washington D.C. to visit the Udvar-Hazy Museum Saturday morning and the Spy Museum in the afternoon.  We’ll stay at the Hilton in Crystal City Friday night and head home Saturday evening.  We’re hoping to get a rate of $100 per room and plan on 4 scouts per room.  Scouts will be expected to bring their own money for meals, but an estimated total cost for the trip is about $75 per scout.  Please sign up at the 2/22 troop meeting, if interested, so we can figure out how many hotel rooms and drivers will be needed.

 

Adult Volunteers Needed: 

  • Scoutmaster:  For those who may not be aware, Mr. Davis has been our Scoutmaster for the past 4 years and is looking to step down by this summer.  Over the next few months he hopes to help transition the position to a new volunteer.  While the Scoutmaster is the leader of our scouts, he is supported by our Assistant Scoutmasters and Committee Members.  Primarily, the job entails meeting with the Patrol Leaders (PLC) monthly to plan activities for troop meetings and camping trips; attending the monthly committee meeting to inform the committee of the PLC’s plans; participate in Scoutmaster Conferences; and attend as many activities with the troop as possible.  If you might be interested in this role, please contact Mr. Davis for more information.

 

  • Assistant Scoutmasters:  No one person is expected to be able to make all the Monday meetings and attend all the trips as well as all the planning meetings and Scoutmaster Conferences.  We are looking for at least 2 new Assistant Scoutmasters that can attend some of the weekly troop meetings and/or some of the weekend camping trips to help support our Scoutmaster.  No experience is necessary, just a willingness to help our boys pursue the goals of scouting.  Most of the training required can be taken online or at the University of Scouting on Saturday, March 6th - flyer.  Any questions, please contact Mr. Fallacaro or Mr. Greenberg.

 

  • Medical Records:  We need one adult volunteer to collect (and review for completeness) the new annual medical forms for all our scouts.  Three copies are needed; one for Ockanickon during summer camp, one for the troop medical book that goes on camping trips and one for our records.  If able to help, please contact Mrs. Rosser.

 

  • Summer Camp:  Adult volunteers will be needed for all or part of the week at summer camp.  Ideally, we would have 2 full-time adults for the entire week, and 2 or 3 part-time adults to help for 2 or 3 days each.  The troop will cover all fees for these adults; youth protection training is required and available online.  At least 1 adult volunteer is needed to attend the Leaders Meeting at Ockanickon on May 1st from 8:30am-3:30pm.  If available, please contact Mrs. Pepin or Mrs. Rosser.

 

General Reminders:

Scrip is a way you can benefit from being a part of Troop 30; the funds you generate go directly towards your own son’s scouting expenses.  Basically, you buy grocery store gift cards in advance through Troop 30 and get 5% back in an individual account maintained by our treasurer. You can apply these funds to offset any Troop 30 costs.  For example, you purchase $200 of Giant scrip by writing a check made payable to Troop 30, and then Troop 30 buys the Giant gift card for you and puts $10 in your son’s individual account.  The next camping trip he attends that may cost $35, you can pay only $25 and use your $10 from his scrip account for the rest.

 

Our treasurer, Mrs. Harriman, will be available the first troop meeting of every month for families that wish to purchase scrip.  You must purchase a minimum of $100 and specify whether you want to use it at Giant or McCaffrey’s.  Checks should be made payable to “Troop 30”.  Mrs. Pepin will purchase and distribute the cards at the following meeting.

 

Some ground rules for meetings at Woodside:

The Vineyard (fellowship hall) is ours; at least three other groups meet in the building on Monday, so please be mindful of those groups.  No scouts will be permitted to roam the halls. Scouts may not go outside unless directed by a senior patrol member or an adult.  Please leave the facility in equal or better condition than you found it.

Specifically:

·         Stay off the stage at all times, there will be amps there.

·         AV equipment may only be used by a trained person. Since none of us are trained yet, please do not touch.

·         Kitchen may only be used by a trained person. Since none of us are trained yet, please do not touch.

·         We can go outside the Vineyard for small group meetings.  However, outside lights in the back may not be turned on by township ordinance.  (only special events)

·         Fires outside should be contained per proper fire safety protocol.  (Don't burn the grass that they just planted.)