Scoutmaster Dispatch: PLC tonight | Wreath order deadline | Winter camping slots filling up fast

Good morning Troop 1!

The Back to the Woods camp this weekend was great, we had a lot of campfires, good food, hikes, and spent time with our incoming AOL's, the Thunder Squirrel patrol!  Our scouts built an epic, large, very sturdy shelter in the woods.  Check out our photos here - and if you were at camp, feel free to contribute to the album.

We have a few announcements and reminders.

First, wreath sales orders are due this week.

• In-person orders are due tonight.  You can turn them in at the PLC (MUMC, 6:30-7:30)
  
• As a reminder, here are the sales flyer and in-person tally sheet.
• Full payment for all in-person sales is due when you turn in your order sheet. 
• Online sales will close this Saturday (October 24) at midnight.
• Customers can place orders in our online storefront here.  Online orders automatically collect payments. Remember that you're still responsible for delivering online orders, so only give the link to customers you can deliver to in person.
• Plan to be present for wreath delivery on November 14 at Northrop Elementary School.  All scouts who have sold wreaths will need to pick them up that morning and deliver them to customers before Thanksgiving.
• Popcorn sales in-app go through Nov 1.
• More information on wreath and popcorn sales.

Second, if you know you are interested in Winter camping this January and February, please sign up now.  Learn more and register here.

• Some of our winter camping opportunities with Snow Base and North Wind are filling up.  I encourage you to think about whether you'd like to try these, and if you know you want to participate, please sign up this week.  That will help us decide which activities we have enough participants and leadership to move forward with while we still have the opportunity.  We won't register as a group for some of these until we have enough interest.
• January 8-10 Snow Base (Experience, Spearhead or Dog Sledding)
• We have 1 scout interested in Spearhead, need 3 more (in either program) + 2 adults (1 per program).
• 49 adult / 51 youth / 10 dog sledding spots left
• January 15-18 or February 12-15 Snow Base (Expedition)
• 7 youth / 111 adult spots left (first session)
• 4 youth / 59 adult spots left (second session)
• January 30 Ice Fishing at North Wind (Stearns)
• We have 1 scout interested, need 3 more + 2 adults.
• 12 youth / adult spots left

Last but not least, tonight's meeting is a Patrol Leaders Council (PLC).

• Senior patrol leaders, assistant senior patrol leaders, patrol leaders, the scribe, and anyone else interested will plan out the next month's activities.
• As always, we'll meet at MUMC from 6:30-8.
• Our treasurer, Nicole, will be there to collect wreath orders at 7:30 (and you are welcome to drop them off earlier).

Reminder: Upcoming troop meetings | Gear Care and Repair Day | Back to the Woods campout

Hello Troop 1,

Here's a reminder about our upcoming meetings.  We'll work on scout skills such as knot-tying and earn service hours as we clean up our neighborhood.

We also have an opportunity to help out MUMC and get our gear shed in order before the snow flies.  Please help out with this if you can.

Finally, I'd like to encourage you to come to the Back to the Woods campout this October!  It will be the last nice fall tenting campout of the year, and should be a low-key weekend where we can hang out and have fun.  If you're working on Scout through First Class ranks, there should be plenty of opportunities to work on some of those outdoor advancement requirements, look through your handbook and think about what you'd like to focus on that weekend.  If you're planning on attending and have not yet signed up, please sign up so we can plan for activities, supervision, and meals.

Troop Meeting: Scout Skills Power Hour | Monday, October 5, 6:30-8pm at MUMC

Join us for a little competition between patrols!  Each patrol team will work through various scout skills such as knots, first aid, map and compass skills, in a relay format.  If you aren't familiar with these skills yet, this can be a fun way to learn.

New! Gear Care and Repair Day | Sunday, October 11, 1-4pm at MUMC

MUMC has asked us to help out by refurbishing the worn picnic tables we all use when we hold our troop meetings outside on the lawn.  Additionally, it's a great time to get our shed in shape and go through our gear while the weather is nice.  Please join us to help out for a few hours, many hands make light work!  Wear clothes that can get dirty or get paint or stain on them.

Sign up

Troop Meeting: 50th Street trash cleanup and camp planning | Monday, October 12, 6:30-8pm at MUMC

Earn some conservation service hours by picking up trash along 50th Street.
Representatives from each patrol planning to attend the October camp should stay back to plan our menu.  We'd like to try something new this trip: plan and purchase food as a troop but still cook as individual patrols (like we do at Tomahawk).  Everyone should bring meal ideas to this meeting so our menu planners have ideas to work with.

Back to the Woods Campout | Weekend of October 16-18 at Anderson Scout Camp, Houlton, WI

This is a "Back-to-the-Woods" camp. We will be in tents, cooking and sleeping outdoors. We will work on outdoor skills, rank advancement, and have plenty of free time for fun and games. Pack 1 is camping a short hike away, and Arrow of Light scouts will join us to gain camping experience with the Troop.
Open to Troop 1 scouts and adults and Pack 1 AOL's (AOL's must be accompanied by a parent)

Sign up | See who's going

Patrol Leaders Council (PLC) | October 19, Monday, 6:30-8pm at MUMC

Senior patrol leaders, assistant senior patrol leaders, patrol leaders, the scribe, and anyone else interested will plan out the next month's activities.

Wreath Sales Deadlines

• Tuesday, October 20: In-person wreath sales due to Nicole
• Saturday, October 24: Online wreath sales due to Nicole

Yours in Scouting,

Jill Towle

Scoutmaster, Troop 1

Scoutmaster Dispatch: Troop 1 camp registration is available for fall and winter!

Hello Troop 1!

We've lined up some great camping and outdoor activities for this fall and winter, and signup is open!

We're continuing some beloved Troop 1 traditions, like Ski Camp and Snow Base, and adding some new adventures, like Miller Castle, Ice Fishing, and the North Star Museum.  We also get to share several events with Crew 1, Pack 1, and we get to know a couple of other local troops.

There are several options for winter activities in January and February.  Please don't feel like you need to attend them all.  We'd prefer you select the winter camping experience and skiing/fishing activities that match your own interests and experience level.

Assuming there is enough scout and adult leader (and driver) participation, we should be able to offer each of these to those who are interested.

Back to the Woods Campout | October 16-18 at Anderson Scout Camp, Houlton, WI

This is a "Back-to-the-Woods" camp. We will be in tents, cooking and sleeping outdoors. We will work on outdoor skills, rank advancement, and have plenty of free time for fun and games. Pack 1 is camping a short hike away, and Arrow of Light scouts will join us to gain camping experience with the Troop.

Open to Troop 1 scouts and adults and Pack 1 AOL's (AOL's must be accompanied by a parent)

Sign up | See who's going

Overnight at the Scouting Museum | November 21-22 at the North Star Museum, St Paul, MN

Learn about the history of scouting while staying overnight at the North Star Museum in St. Paul.  There will be a guided tour, pizza, s'mores around a bonfire, and an escape room!  We are also offering an opportunity to earn the Scouting Heritage merit badge.

Open to Troop 1 / Crew 1 scouts and adults and Pack 1 AOL's (AOL's must be accompanied by a parent and won't be eligible to earn the badge yet)

Sign up | See who's coming

Gaming at the Castle | December 11-13 at Miller Castle, Nisswa, MN

For board game camp this year, let's play games in an actual castle!

Miller Castle is a 12,000 square foot Castle, comes with a fortress wall, catwalk, drawbridge, and KNIGHTS to watch over and protect you! This is a large property and so we're joining forces with Minneapolis Troops 196 and 38 to stay for the weekend.

We will plan our meals and activities together before the event, and are expecting a weekend full of board games, tabletop role playing games, and maybe even an opportunity to work on the Game Design merit badge.

Open to Troop 1 scouts and adults

Sign up | See who's coming

Snowbase: Experience and Spearhead programs | January 8-10 at Tomahawk Scout Camp, Birchwood, WI

Join us for a weekend of winter fun at Snowbase this year!  Scouts and leaders can choose between 2 programs:

• Experience is great for first-year scouts,  On Saturday after breakfast, we learn how to stay warm in winter as we spend all day outside enjoying winter activities like XC skiing, snowshoeing, broomball, tomahawk throwing.  We'll have a warm dinner afterwards.  We will sleep indoors both Friday and Saturday nights.  More info (Experience) 
• Spearhead takes winter adventure to the next level as campers stay outside for 24 hours.  In addition to some of the outdoor activities mentioned above, scouts will build their own quinzhees, or snow shelters, that they will sleep in on Saturday night, before rejoining the group on Sunday morning. More info (Spearhead)

Open to Troop 1 / Crew 1 scouts and adults. The Experience program is also open to Pack 1 AOL's (AOL's must be accompanied by a parent)

Sign up | See who's coming

Snowbase: Expedition program | January 15-18 or February 12-15 at Tomahawk Scout Camp, Birchwood, WI

Have you been to Snowbase and done the Experience or Spearhead programs before, and are looking for a new challenge?  In the Expedition program, scouts will spend 4 days at camp over a long weekend, will travel farther, and will sleep outside over multiple days.

This is a provisional program, meaning Troop 1 won't be participating as a group, but scouts can sign up individually.  Camp staff are handling supervision, and transportation to and from camp is provided from Base Camp in Minneapolis.  There is also an opportunity to earn the Exploration merit badge (with a few prerequisites and some homework after camp).  More info

Note that the February dates land on the same weekend as Ski Camp, so try to attend in January if you want to participate in both events.

Open to Troop 1 / Crew 1 scouts and adults in 8th grade and above with previous winter camping experience

Sign up | See who's coming

North Wind: Ice Fishing | January 30 at Stearns Scout Camp, South Haven, MN

New (for us) this year: spend a day Ice Fishing at North Wind and earn the Fishing merit badge!  This is a one-day program, we will leave from MUMC early in the morning and arrive back that night.  Gear is provided by camp, anyone who is 16 years or older and plans to fish will need a MN fishing license beforehand.  More info

Open to Troop 1 / Crew 1 scouts and adults

Sign up | See who's coming

Ski Camp | February 12-14 at Anderson Scout Camp and Trollhaugen Ski Area (Houlton and Dresser, WI)

Another great Troop 1 tradition!  We will stay in the Peterson cabins at Anderson Scout Camp and spend all day Saturday downhill skiing and snowboarding at Trollhaugen ski area in Wisconsin.  Opportunities to earn the Snow Sports merit badge with focuses on downhill skiing or snowboarding are available.  (If you are interested in earning the badge with the snowshoeing or XC skiing tracks instead, let us know, we can work that out too).

Open to Troop 1 scouts and adults and Pack 1 AOL's (AOL's must be accompanied by a parent and won't be eligible to earn the badge yet)

Sign up | See who's coming

As always, our camp registrations are also listed on the Troop website: https://sites.google.com/view/troop-1-mn/events/register-for-camp

Yours in Scouting,

Jill Towle

Scoutmaster, Troop 1

Merit badge opportunity: Fall Merit Badge Rally on October 24 in Winona, MN

Good morning,

I wanted to pass along another merit badge opportunity in October.

The Gamehaven Council is putting on a one-day Merit Badge Rally in Winona, MN, on Saturday, October 24.  They are offering a wide variety of 24 different badges to choose from.  It appears you could take 2, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  Note that most of these badges involve prerequisites (homework you'd do before the class) and showing your work in a workbook.  Materials and details are available on that website.

This is not a Troop 1 event, we are not managing sign-ups or providing transportation or supervision. You would need to sign up individually and provide your own transportation (or carpool with others). They also recommend that you bring a bag lunch, as they're not providing lunch as part of the event.

Registration opens tomorrow (September 29).

Learn more | Register

Reminder: Troop meeting tomorrow

Tomorrow night, we will meet as usual.  A few reminders about activities we have going on:

Troop Meeting: Physical fitness advancement | September 28, 6:30-8pm at MUMC

This is an opportunity to work on fitness requirements!  If you are working on Tenderfoot, Second Class, or First Class ranks, there are requirements to be physically active and log your exercise over 30 days.  We can use this time to complete the initial fitness tests, and we will re-test next month to see how much everyone has improved after their 30-day plan.

Jill will also be available to help scouts work on the Personal Fitness merit badge.

Scouts who are not working on either of these can help the others with the fitness tests, and help design the skills relay planned for next week.  You can also help each other with general advancement requirements.  Bring your scout handbooks!

Wreath and popcorn sales

How are the sales going?  It looks like we have a couple open shifts for popcorn sales at Cub Foods in Edina on October 10.

Camp Staff and CIT opportunities

Do you really like going to summer camp, and want to spend more time there?  Tomahawk Scout Camp is hiring camp staff and CIT's for 2027.  It was a big growth experience for our scouts who worked as CIT's last year.  Full-summer, paid staff positions are available for youth 15 years or older, and counselor-in-training (CIT) positions are available to 14 and 15 year olds.  If you're interested, let me know and I'll send you more information.

Scoutmaster Dispatch: Campouts, Troop meetings, and Wreath and Popcorn sales

Hello Troop 1!

I hope you all had a great Labor Day weekend and the beginning of the school year is treating you well.  Our newly installed leaders met last Monday at the PLC (Patrol Leader's Conference) to plan our fall activities.

Troop Meeting: Pack 1 street party, pre-camp meeting | September 14, 6:30-8pm at MUMC

• This coming Monday, Pack 1 is kicking off the school year with a street party in front of the church. Activities will include an inflatable archery range and inflatable axe throwing.  They have asked us to help run these games for the Cub Scouts, so let's help out!  The Pack event begins at 6 with a flag ceremony, so feel free to arrive early if that works for your schedule.
• Scouts are also welcome to use this as open time to work on advancement.
• Pack event will wind down at 7:30.  Those of us attending the September campout should meet for pre-camp planning.  Because food will be provided by our camp hosts, we don't need to do our usual menu planning, but we should talk through what to expect.  If this is the first time you've camped with Troop 1, please plan for both the scout and a parent to attend.
• There will also be a Troop 1 Committee meeting at 6:45.  All parents are welcome!

Wreath sales begin! | Week of September 14

• The wreath order forms and online sales will go live this week.
• Links and information here

American Indian Culture Campout | September 18-20

• We have an opportunity to earn the American Indian Culture Merit Badge, taught at the Mille Lacs Lake Indian Museum and Trading Post.  We will stay nearby at the Birch Bend campground, about a 20-minute drive away.
• Several spots are still open, so you can still sign up if you have not yet already.

Sign up | See who's going

Popcorn sales begin! | September 19

• You may stop in at Base Camp for the kickoff event between 5-8pm to learn some sales skills.
• You can start selling popcorn using the app to earn Cane's certificates and other prizes.
• Sign up through the app to sell popcorn in-person at Cub Foods stores during our assigned shifts on September 19, 20, 21, 24, and October 10.
• More links and information here

No Troop meeting on September 21, due to Yom Kippur

Troop Meeting: Physical fitness advancement | September 28, 6:30-8pm at MUMC

• This is an opportunity to work on fitness requirements!  If you are working on Tenderfoot, Second Class, or First Class ranks, there are requirements to be physically active and log your exercise over 30 days.  We can use this time to complete the initial fitness tests, and we will re-test next month to see how much everyone has improved after their 30-day plan.
• Jill will also be available to help scouts work on the Personal Fitness merit badge.

Troop Meeting: Scout Skills Power Hour | October 5, 6:30-8pm at MUMC

• Join us for a little competition between patrols!  Each patrol team will work through various scout skills such as knots, first aid, map and compass skills, in a relay format.  If you aren't familiar with these skills yet, this can be a fun way to learn.

Troop Meeting: 50th Street trash cleanup and camp planning | October 12, 6:30-8pm at MUMC

• Earn some conservation service hours by picking up trash along 50th Street.
• Representatives from each patrol planning to attend the October camp should stay back to plan our menu.  We'd like to try something new this trip: plan and purchase food as a troop but still cook as individual patrols (like we do at Tomahawk).  Everyone should bring meal ideas to this meeting so our menu planners have ideas to work with.
• Nicole will pick up wreath sales orders - make sure to bring the orders and payments.

Back to the Woods Campout | October 16-18 at Anderson Scout Camp

• This is a "Back-to-the-Woods" camp. We will be in tents, cooking and sleeping outdoors. We will work on outdoor skills, rank advancement, and have plenty of free time for fun and games.
• Pack 1 is camping a short hike away, and Arrow of Light scouts will join us to gain camping experience with the Troop.

Sign up | See who's going

Patrol Leader's Council (PLC) | October 19, 6:30-8pm at MUMC

• Senior patrol leaders, assistant senior patrol leaders, patrol leaders, the scribe, and anyone else interested will plan out the next month's activities.

In-person wreath sales due to Nicole | October 20

Online wreath sales due to Nicole | October 24

Save the date: Wreath pickup | Saturday, November 14 at Northrup Elementary School

• We need scouts to be there early at 9:00 am to help unload the truck and sort & build all the orders for the Troop and Pack. Orders are triple checked.  No order leaves the parking lot without Nicole’s approval.
• If you are not able to attend, please let us know ASAP.  You must arrange to pick up all of your items during our delivery window as we do not have storage.
• Customer delivery should be by Thanksgiving. 

Scoutmaster Transition and Family Troop

Hello Scouts and Scout families! Two pieces of news for those who were unable to attend the Court of Honor on August 24.

First, I (Scoutmaster Nixon) announced that I was stepping down after 4 years leading Troop 1. It has been a great run and I am thankful for everyone who made my time as Scoutmaster a success - working with youth in the Troop has been so rewarding! As my son nears his 18th birthday, I feel it is the right time to change to a less active leadership position in Troop 1. I will transition to a Committee Member role, and continue to serve as a Merit Badge counselor and as an Associate Advisor for Crew 1.

Second, Troop 1 is moving to a Family Troop model. With this change, all youth in our unit - boys and girls - will be part of a fully co-ed Troop, with one Scoutmaster. I am pleased to announce that Jill Towle will serve as the first Scoutmaster of our new co-ed unit. Please join me in congratulating Scoutmaster Towle!

For Scouts, the biggest change will be that all youth will work with Jill for Scoutmaster Conferences and to request signatures on blue cards. For our leadership, this change will allow us to better serve the youth in our Troop and their families.

Other than that, our Troop will continue to run as usual. The Troop is in good hands - Jill is an experienced, amazing leader and I look forward to seeing her set a positive example for our Scouts.