March 2010 Troop 30 Newsletter

Scouts should be finishing up partial merit badges and rank advancement requirements by the end of this month to be recognized at our Spring Court of Honor Monday, April 12^th, at Woodside. Please turn in completed merit badge cards to Mrs. Fallacaro by the troop meeting on March 29^th. Extra parents for Board of Reviews at the March troop meetings will be helpful.

All our families are invited to help us celebrate our scouts’ achievements since the fall with a potluck dinner before the awards ceremony on April 12^th. Please RSVP for the dinner and sign up to bring an entrée, side dish or dessert that serves 10-15 at one of the March troop meetings. Look for more details in upcoming e-mails from Mrs. Hamacher regarding help and menu suggestions for the dinner.

Our next parent committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 3^rd, at Woodside during the troop meeting from 7-8:30pm. Parents of scouts planning to attend summer camp should try to attend this meeting. Please note we are still looking for a few new adult volunteers to start transitioning into leadership roles by summer camp (more details below).

Calendar Summary for Upcoming Meetings/Trips/Activities:

March:

· Mar. 15: Troop Meeting at Woodside, 7-8:30pm; Payment for DC hotel due

· Mar. 19-20: (Fri.-Sat.) Washington D.C. Hotel Trip, Udvar-Hazy & Spy Museums

· Mar. 22: Troop Meeting at Woodside, 7-8:30pm

· Mar. 26 (Fri.): Help Pack 10 with Blue & Gold/Crossovers at William Penn MS, 6-9pm

· Mar. 29: Troop Meeting at Woodside, 7-8:30pm; Cut-off for COH recognition

April:

· Apr. 5: No Troop Meeting (School Vacation)

· Apr. 12: Spring COH & Potluck Dinner, 6:30-8:30pm; Setup 6pm

· Apr. 19: Troop Meeting at Woodside, 7-8:30pm; Summer Camp Rate $341 due.

· Apr. 23-25: Catapult Weekend at Ockanickon, Ottawa Campsite; Sign up by 4/19.

· Apr. 26: Troop Meeting

May Tent Camping Trip: May 21-23: Fly Fishing/Hiking at World’s End State Park

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 need firm numbers for the hotel trip March 19–20 to Washington D.C. by the March 15^th troop meeting. Please bring your permission slip and a check made payable to Troop 30 for $30 per person to reserve your spot. We’ll be staying at the hotel Hilton in Crystal City Friday night, visiting the Udvar-Hazy and Spy museums and head home around 5pm on Saturday. Scouts are expected to bring their own spending money ($50-$60) for meals, metro and museum fees.

Our April 23-25 camping trip will be at Ockanickon. The scouts will have fun practicing their knots and lashings skills building a catapult. The troop will be staying at the Ottawa campsite which has 5 Ads (total capacity 30) plus additional platforms for tents. This will be a great opportunity for our crossover scouts to get a taste of summer camp. Please sign up by the 4/19 troop meeting.

We are going to Ockanickon July 4-10 for summer camp. This year everyone, scouts and adults, that will be staying overnight at summer camp (more than 2 nights) will need to provide the new BSA annual medical form. For Ockanickon’s health policies and a link to the new form, please click here. Please note that Part B of the form requires a physical and doctor’s signature and Part C asks for a copy of your medical insurance card. Mrs. Flatley will be collecting and reviewing the forms for completeness. Please provide 3 legible copies by the end of June; forms may be turned in at any troop meeting.

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. Checks should be made payable to Troop 30. NO REFUNDS AFTER 4/19 UNLESS A REPLACEMENT IS FOUND!! Any questions, please contact Mrs. Pepin.

Camp Kirby still needs CITs for the 2010 season. Scouts that will be 14 years old by July 1, 2010 and hold at least First Class rank are eligible. The Cub Scout camping program starts on Thursday, July 15^th and continues through August 18^th. The work week for camp staff runs from Thursday at 8:30am through Monday at 6:00pm. Kirby CITs get a free week at Ockanickon during weeks 1-4 (and Troop 30 is going week 3)! For more information, please contact Mr. Kantner at rkantner@aol.com or 215-493-6037.

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. Any questions, please contact Mr. Fallacaro or Mr. Greenberg.

• 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 1^st 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.)