Base Camp Lock-in | Troop meetings, hike, and service hours | Wreath sale dates

Hello Troop 1! 

Your patrol leaders met on Monday and planned some fun activities for this fall!
 
Base Camp Lock-in | November 7, 6:30pm - November 8, 8am at Base Camp
Instead of an outdoor campout this November, let's spend the night at Base Camp!  We'll share the facilities with a couple other troops and have access to archery, rock climbing, games, and (if you're 12 or older) the indoor high ropes course.  We'll have a pizza party and lemonade before settling down to a movie and going to bed (or staying up)!

• There are limited spots for this one, so please sign up within the next week if you think you can go.
• Once all Troop 1 scouts have had a chance to sign up, if there's still availability on October 22, we may make this a "bring-a-friend" event!  If you're going and have a friend who is eligible to join the troop and would like to see what Troop 1 is like, they could register for the overnight and join us.
• Registration closes for all participants on Wednesday, October 29.

Register for camp  |  See who's going
 
Troop meetings | Monday nights from 6:30pm - 8pm at MUMC
We've planned the following activities for the next few Troop meetings.

• October 20
• We will work on rank advancement.  Scouts under first class should think about what requirements they'd like to learn about or get signed off on, and scouts over first class get to show leadership in the Troop by mentoring and teaching.  We'll end the night with a game.

• October 27
• Join us for a full evening of fun team-building games!

• November 3
• Learn knots and lashings!  We'll end the night with a game.

Troop Hike | October 25, 10am at MUMC
Join us for another Troop 1 Hike!  Last month we had a lovely hike along Minnehaha Creek to Lake Hiawatha and back, around 3 miles.  Let's do it again.  Scouts will decide where we go and will navigate, we'll aim for about the same distance.
 
Service opportunity: Concessions at the Pack 1 Halloween Party | November 1, 5:30pm - 8:30pm at MUMC
Have you been to a Pack 1 Halloween party?  It's lots of spooky fun!  Join us as we sell hot dogs, chips, and drinks to party-goers.  Proceeds will go to Pack 1 and we get to earn service hours.  Sign up for one or both shifts!
Sign up here | See who's going
 
Service opportunity: Post-Trick or Treating Trash Pickup | November 2, 10am - 1pm at Lake Nokomis
We thought that the weekend after Halloween would be a great time to pick up trash (candy wrappers!) at Lake Nokomis.  Because this will help the environment, scouts who join us will earn conservation service hours.
Details on where to meet will be sent out before the event.

Wreath and Popcorn sale dates
As a reminder, we're finishing up our wreath and popcorn sales.

• October 20: In-person wreath sales forms and payments due.  Please bring these to the Troop meeting.
• October 24: Online wreath sales end
• November 2: Popcorn sales end
• November 15: Wreaths will be delivered to Northrop Elementary school, scouts are expected to help unload and pick up their orders for delivery.  More details on this will be forthcoming.

 
We're looking forward to spending a fantastic fall with you all!
Scoutmasters Jill Towle and Josh Nixon

Meeting tonight | Fundraisers | Eagle Scout Court of Honor

Hello Scouts! October is nearly here and we have a lot going on.

Meeting tonight: 6:30 PM, Minnehaha United Methodist Church. Please try to be on time, if we start the meetings at 6:30 we will be done by 8 as planned.

Fundraisers: Popcorn and Wreath sales are happening now! This is your best chance to build credit towards camp: Proceeds from your fundraising efforts go into your "Scout account" and can be used to pay for weekend camp, summer camps, or help cover cost of high adventure activities.

• Popcorn sales table, October 4, Cub Foods, 5937 Nicollet Ave S. Register for a shift in the Trail's End app (Apple App Store | Google Play store) - you need our unit code (33XCC) to sign in. You can also sell popcorn with the app through November 2.
• Please keep selling wreaths! Items we have available are here - remember that YOU are the one who makes the delivery. Wreath Sales are due Oct 20 for in-person sales and Oct 24 for sales made online.

Eagle Court of Honor, Toby E: Thursday Oct 9, 6:30 PM, Roosevelt High School (4029 S 28th Ave). To be held in the Roosevelt Auditorium. An Eagle Court of Honor is the celebration of achieving Scouting's highest rank. Please join us to congratulate Toby on this honor! Scouts should arrive early to assist with setup, and wear your best Class A uniform.

As always, check the Troop calendar for events and camp sign-ups. Our next planned camp is a Music and Merit Badge Camp at Stearns Scout Camp, October 10-12. Registration links and camp details can be found here.

Popcorn and Wreath Sales | Service Opportunity | Jamboree Details | October Campout

Hello scouts!

Our Troop 1 Patrol Leader's Council (PLC) met on Monday to plan our next month's activities.  We have a lot of fun things going on this month!

Popcorn and wreath sales - September 19, 20, 21, and October 4

Fall popcorn and wreath sales are the main way we provide for scouts to earn money in their individual accounts, which can be used towards camping and activity fees throughout the year, or can be saved up for a big-ticket adventure such as National Jamboree or a high-adventure trek.  All scouts are encouraged to get out there and build up their savings, to keep these activities affordable.

Our Treasurer, Nicole Falk, has arranged for Troop 1 to sell popcorn at a table at a couple Cub Foods locations during these dates.  We need one more person for the shift tomorrow from 4-6pm.  There are also a few shifts left on October 4.  Please sign up if you can.  A portion of your sales will go towards your scout account.

Parents, we don't have two-deep Troop leadership arranged during these shifts so please accompany your scout as necessary.

We also plan to have a booth set up at Minnehaha United Methodist Church this Sunday (September 21), before and after the service, to sell both wreaths and popcorn.  We need up to 2 scouts for this 9-11am shift, please contact Nicole (troop1.mpls.treasurer@gmail.com) if you are interested.

Volunteer opportunity this weekend - Saturday, September 20

As a reminder, the Troop was invited to support an Ethiopian festival in Powderhorn Park on Sept 20. 6-10 volunteers are needed for the morning and afternoon shifts (9-10 AM and 3-6 PM respectively). Food/BBQ will be provided for the afternoon volunteers.

If you are interested in helping out for one or both shifts, please fill out the volunteer form, or see who’s signed up.

We will also need a couple parents present during the shifts.  Adults, please sign up using the form or contact Dr. Nixon if you are able to stay.

If you have any questions about the event, please reach out to the event contact, Jeanette Wiedemeier-Bower (wiedemeierj@gmail.com)

Troop Meeting - Monday, September 22

Our district commissioner Andy Murphy is serving as Scoutmaster to one of the Northern Star troops going to the National Jamboree in July 2026, and would like to share more details and signup info.  The Jamboree is an incredible experience that brings scouts together from all over the country, and is open to active scouts who are at least 12 years old.

If you are considering going to Jamboree, you will want to hear more details next Monday.  Parents are welcome and encouraged to attend as well.

Following the Jamboree presentation, Cullan will lead the troop in learning about First Aid, practicing how to handle splints and dislocations.

Scouts who are attending the Camporee the following weekend should also take some time to plan meals and gear.

Camporee - September 26-28

The Northern Star Scouting Fall Camporee will be September 26-28 at Stearns Scout Camp. The theme for this Camporee is Crafts and Trades. Volunteers who work in the skilled trades or have craft skills they use in a hobby will provide hands-on activities to learn more and spark interest in doing things with their hands and minds.

Camporees are organized by Northern Star Council and are an opportunity to meet Scouts from other troops all over our area.  Signup is still open but is likely to close soon.

Register for camp | See who’s signed up

Troop Hike - Saturday, September 27

If you aren’t going to the Camporee, you are welcome to join us for a hike!  We are reviving an old Troop 1 tradition of hiking together once a month.  Scouts should meet at the church at 10 am.  We’ll aim to cover about 3 miles together from there.  

Over time, we hope this grows into a great way to spend time together and build our endurance for high-adventure trips and some of the more challenging fitness merit badge activities.

Troop Meeting - Monday, September 29

We have a group of scouts who have been working on Moviemaking Merit Badge, and will show their movie to the troop!

Continuing the First Aid skills we’d worked on the week before, Cullan will teach carrying skills.

Troop Meeting - Monday, October 6

We’ll focus on planning meals, preparing gear, and planning other activities for our camp the following weekend.

Music and merit badge camp - October 10-12 at Stearns

This will be another largely unstructured camp, but with a couple of focuses.

With all the great campfire music we’ve had over the last several campouts, many more scouts are interested in bringing instruments and preparing a song or two to play together.  To that end, we have a couple volunteers who are starting a Troop 1 songbook.  We’ll try to make some of our favorite songs available so scouts can try them out before camp.  If you have a favorite song you’d like to play and contribute, let us know!

Secondly, camp has been a great place to work on merit badges in small groups.  In the past, we’ve offered Citizenship in Society, First Aid, Pioneering, Radio, Geocaching, and Moviemaking.  What we are able to offer this time will depend on interest and counsellor availability.  More details to come on specific offerings, but if there’s a badge you would like to work on, let us know!

Register for camp | See who’s signed up

Patrol Leader’s Council (PLC) - Monday, October 13 

We'll work on planning Troop 1 activities for the following month.

SPL, ASPL, Scribe, Troop Guide, and Patrol Leaders are expected to attend.  If you're a patrol leader and you can't make it, please send an assistant patrol leader or another member of your patrol so you are all represented.  Other Troop 1 scouts are not expected to attend but are welcome if interested.

PLC tonight

 PLC tonight @MUMC from 6:30-8

Just a quick reminder that tonight is a patrol leader's council (PLC) rather than a full troop meeting.  We'll work on planning Troop 1 activities for the next month.

SPL, ASPL, Scribe, Troop Guide, and Patrol Leaders are expected to attend.  If you're a patrol leader and you can't make it, please send an assistant patrol leader or another member of your patrol so you are all represented. 

Thank you!

PLC | Elections | Court of Honor | Tomahawk camp updates

Hello Troop 1!

PLC tomorrow

After a full week of summer camp, we're going to have a patrol leader's council (PLC) tomorrow where we'll plan our activities for the next month.  Everyone is welcome,  SPL, ASPL, Scribe, Troop Guide, and Patrol Leaders are expected to attend.  If you're a patrol leader and you can't make it, please send an assistant patrol leader or another member of your patrol so you are all represented. 
Meet at MUMC on August 11 from 6:30 to 8.

Elections next week

It's time to elect patrol and troop leadership again!  This next set of leaders will serve for 3 months, through December.  Take a look at the leadership positions available, and consider if you may be interested in any of them.
Meet at MUMC on August 18 from 6:30 to 8.

Court of Honor coming up

Join us as we celebrate our accomplishments this summer, and swear in our new youth leadership!
Meet at MUMC on August 25 from 6:30 to 8.

Tomahawk partial merit badges

If you got "partial" merit badge credit at Tomahawk and would like to complete your badge, you can submit your missing requirements here.

For the most part, these will be accepted through this October 15, although we'd ask that you complete what you can in the next couple of weeks if you'd like to be recognized for the badge at the upcoming Court of Honor.

When filling out the form, you can enter:

Council: Northern Star
Unit number: 3001 (boys) or 5001 (girls)
Sub-camp: Sioux
Camp coordinator email: jill@towlebooth.com

Tomahawk 2025 recap and plans for next year

This past week at Tomahawk was a great one.  We had 8 scouts learning basic outdoor skills in Brownsea, and 19 scouts working on 58 merit badges!  You can see our photos and contribute to the shared "Tomahawk 2025" photo album.

Many of the scouts put in a lot of effort over the week to collect frogs, salamanders, and other critters for points in the Eco-Bash, which we won with 1000 points!  We finished with 1005 points, as Ethan handed over a frog even as we were being awarded at the closing campfire.

The closing campfire was a high point, as our own SPL Cullan was tapped to MC the campfire, and Troop 1 led a sing-along for the whole camp.  Full video of Wagon Wheel is in the "Tomahawk 2025" photo album, courtesy of James Clysdale.

Also, congratulations to Lena, Cleo, and Agnes on winning the sandcastle building competition at the Beach party!

We had the pleasure of hosting 2 families from Pack 1 who participated in AOL camp the weekend before, and camped with us on Monday night.  This is a fantastic way for the AOL's and the scouts in the troop to get to know each other early on, and for them to see what Troop 1 and summer camp are like.  We hope to grow this contingent from the Pack over the next few years.

Speaking of growing, we are out-growing the campsite we've been using over the last several years, Quapaw.  Next year, we have booked a new campsite, Menomonee.  I think you're going to like it, it has a large, open cooking/dining area, great views and access to the water, lakefront paths directly to the campfire ring and the beach, several patrol-sized camping areas that can hold 5-6 tents, and it is more centrally located.  Plus, we will have our meals delivered 10 minutes earlier, giving us a little more time to finish cleanup before heading to the next activity.

See a 360 degree view of Menomonee (large party tent not included).

With this new site, we will be attending Tomahawk on Week 4 next year.  That is July 12-18, 2026.

A scout who is planning to go to both Tomahawk and National Jamboree should be able to attend both, if they left Tomahawk Friday afternoon, since the Jamboree trip leaves on July 18.

Tomahawk pre-camp planning tomorrow

Hello Troop 1!

Update: due to the derecho forecasted to hit us tonight, I'm going to move this meeting to Google Meet. 

I'll send invites to addresses on the Tomahawk sign-up sheet.  

The in-person meeting at MUMC is cancelled. 

---- 

This is a reminder that we'll spend our Troop meeting tomorrow planning for our week at Tomahawk.

Everyone - adults and scouts - who is joining us at camp should attend, 6:30-8 at MUMC.
If you have a conflict and can't make it, I'll follow up with you afterwards.

(If you're not going to Tomahawk this year, you're welcome to skip this one).

Lots to cover:

We'll combine into the patrols we'll use at camp, and elect any missing leaders.  We'll talk about wildlife (bear and tick) safety and camp rules.  We'll choose tent-mates and talk about tents and troop and patrol equipment.  We'll answer any questions on what to pack and what to expect.  Finally, drivers and quartermasters, we'll decide when to meet next Saturday to pick up gear from MUMC.

See you tomorrow!

Jill

Troop meeting tonight | Patrol box assembly and advancement | Tomahawk pre-camp meeting next week

Hello Troop 1!

Troop meeting tonight, 6:30-8 at MUMC

It looks like we're going to have perfect weather!

The plan is to pull out our beautifully weather-sealed patrol boxes out of the shed, and to assemble their contents from the items we'd cleaned and moved to storage bins.  The goal here is to do a good inventory and create a shopping list of items (per box) that are missing.  That way they'll be all set to go camping with us!

After that, there will be time for advancement or games.  If there's interest, I can also cover some content on nutrition and exercise goals and plans from the Personal Fitness merit badge.  Whether or not you're working on that merit badge, these skills are important to have and will be useful in the 30-days of fitness rank requirements for Tenderfoot, Second class, and First class.

Next week: Pre-camp planning

Heads up that we're saving all the pre-camp planning for Tomahawk for our meeting on July 28!

Everyone - adults and scouts - who is joining us at camp should attend.

(If you're not going to Tomahawk this year, you're welcome to skip this one).

For that meeting, we'll combine into the patrols we'll use at camp, and elect any missing leaders.  We'll talk about wildlife (bear and tick) safety and camp rules.  We'll choose tent-mates and talk about tents and troop and patrol equipment.  We'll answer any questions on what to pack and what to expect.  Finally, drivers and quartermasters, we'll decide when to meet the following Saturday to pick up gear from MUMC.