Scoutmaster Dispatch: Spring activity update for March and April

Hello Troop 1!

Your Patrol Leader Council (PLC) met on Monday and came up with a great calendar of events for this spring.

Help with Pinewood Derby concessions | MUMC, Saturday, March 21, 12-2pm

We're looking for a few volunteers to help serve concessions at the Pack 1 Pinewood Derby.  Join us for a fun and exciting event!

Sign up | See who's coming

Troop hike | MUMC, Sunday, March 29, 1-4pm

We'll meet at MUMC and decide where to hike.  Please sign up so that we can track your hiking log for advancement. We're planning for 5 miles again.

Sign Up | See who's coming

State capitol tour | Saturday, April 4

We're going to tour the state capitol building in St. Paul.  This will fulfill one of the requirements for Citizenship in the Nation merit badge, but any scouts are welcome to join us, whether they're working on that badge or not.

Sign up | See who's going

Cullan Fehr's Eagle Court of Honor | MUMC, Saturday, April 11, 2:15pm

Join us in celebrating Cullan as he's earned his Eagle award!

RSVP here.  Arrive at 2:15, ceremony will start at 2:30. If you have one, please wear your full class A uniform.

Lake Nokomis Trash Pickup | Lake Nokomis, Sunday, April 12, 10am

We'll meet at the Lake Nokomis North Parking Lot (just below the community center) and earn some (conservation) service hours as we hike around Lake Nokomis and pick up trash.

Sign up | See who's coming

Court of Honor | MUMC, Monday, April 27, 6:30

Celebrate our scouts' achievements together!  Scouts should arrive at 6:30 to set up, and the ceremony will start around 7.  Please bring some refreshments to share afterwards!

"Back to the Woods" weekend camp at Phillippo | May 15-17

We're going to camp with Pack 1!  By then, the weather should be nice enough for us to tent outside again.  Both groups will be in that beautiful upper area of camp, and our cabin (Snelling) is a short hike from the parking lot, and is the closest to Friendship Point.  This will be an opportunity for the incoming patrol (the Wavy Chocolate Pickle Jar of America the 2nd) to work towards their AOL badge as they gain experience camping with Troop 1.

Sign up | See who's coming

Troop meetings | MUMC, Monday nights

• March 23 Tomahawk info session.  Troop 1 is going to Tomahawk Scout Camp this July!  Scouts will share their experiences and we'll have registration info available.  Scouts and families are welcome to learn more about camp.  This can be especially helpful for AOL families and others who haven't been to camp with us before.
• March 30 - No Troop meeting, since Minneapolis schools are on spring break.
• April 6 - Free time for advancements.  This will be a great night to work on any rank or merit badge requirements you'd like to finish up.
• April 13 - We'll hold elections for youth positions of responsibility.  Think about what positions you might want to serve in this spring and summer.
• April 20 - We'll assist Pack 1 with trash pickup in celebration of Earth Day.  Join us and earn more (conservation) service hours!
• April 27 - Court of Honor (see above)
• May 4 - Patrol Leader's Council (PLC)
• May 11 - We'll plan for camping at Phillippo the following weekend.

Looking forward to a great spring together!

Scoutmasters Jill Towle + Josh Nixon

Reminder: Camp signups and First Aid Merit Badge

We have a couple fun campouts you can sign up for on our website.

Citizenship in the Nation at Phillippo | March 13-15

This weekend, we're going to Phillippo and offering Citizenship in the Nation.  Join your fellow Troop 1 scouts talking about our government, the constitution, bill of rights, and current events.  At the end of the weekend you should have most of this Eagle-required badge completed.

Register Here | Campout Roster

Intro to Backpacking | late June

While June feels far away, we're planning an extended weekend trip up to the north shore and would like to know if you're interested, and which state parks you would most like to visit.  This is a great trip for those who may not have experience backpacking.  We will be staying at a base camp, learning backpacking skills, taking day hikes, and having fun in one of the most beautiful places in our state!  Let us know if that sounds like something you would like to do.

Interest form

Troop meeting | Monday, March 96:30-8 at MUMC

This Monday we will continue to work on First Aid Merit Badge.  Those who are planning on camping at Phillippo will need to take some time for meal planning.

Merit Badge Camp | Upcoming Meetings

Hello Troop 1!

Your Patrol Leader's Council met and planned the next few weeks of events. Many Merit Badge opportunities!

Merit Badge Camp - March 13-15 at Phillippo. Northern Star Council is offering Digital Technology Merit Badge this weekend. No additional cost to take this badge if registered as a camper for the weekend. Scouts will be provided a computer to use (or can bring their own laptop/tablet). Some pre-work required! Troop 1 counselors will also be hosting Citizenship in the Nation Merit Badge. Scouts who choose this option will work on it in camp. We have reserved a (small) cabin for this camp. Digital Technology spots will fill quickly so register SOON if you want this option - we will submit initial registration for this Merit Badge on March 1.

• Register Here | Campout Roster

Upcoming meetings - First Aid Merit Badge. Starting on Feb 23, the Troop will be working on First Aid with counselors Peter Johnson and Corey Needleman. If you do not know Peter, he is our Chartered Organization Representative (the person who represents Minnehaha United Methodist Church on behalf of the Troop and Pack). He is also a registered healthcare professional, and has been a Scouting member for over 40 years.

Please come to the meeting ready to work on First Aid, or if you have already earned it, ready to help other Scouts work on their First Aid skills!

See you Monday!

Scoutmaster Dispatch: MLK Day service opportunity | Snow sports merit badge | Ski camp

Hello Troop 1!

First, we had 14 scouts join us at Snow Base last week, where we built shelters, played broomball, snowshoed, skied, and some of us slept outside!

See our photos of Snow Base.

Second, our Patrol Leaders Council (PLC) met on Monday to plan the next month of activities.

Volunteer opportunity at Feed My Starving Children | Monday January 19, 2:15-4:15

This coming Monday, on MLK Jr. Day, let's help others in need by packing meal kits at Feed My Starving Children.  Scouts who have done this before say it's fun and rewarding.

Sign up | See who's going

No regular troop meeting on January 19th, since it's a school holiday.

Troop hike | Saturday, January 24, 10am at MUMC

We'll meet at MUMC and decide where we'd like to walk.  We've been doing this on the 3rd Saturday each month, covering 3-4 miles.

Troop Meeting: Snow Sports Merit Badge Part 1 | Monday, January 26, 6:30-8pm at MUMC

In preparation for Ski Camp in February, we'll start work on the snow sports merit badge.  During this first session, we'll cover general safety and first aid, and how to dress for cold weather.  There should also be time to work on rank advancement and play a game.

Troop Meeting: Snow Sports Merit Badge Part 2 | Monday, February 2  6:30-8pm  at MUMC

We are now prepared to offer snowboarding, XC skiing, and snowshoeing in addition to downhill skiing merit badge options.  We'll split into groups and work on the requirements for each sport.  Even if you've earned the badge already, you may want to learn a new skill!  There should also be time to work on rank advancement and play a game.

Ski Camp | February 6-8 at Anderson Scout Camp and Trollhaugen
Troop 1 will welcome Arrow of Light scouts to join us at camp for our annual Ski Camp weekend. We'll stay in the Peterson/Adirondack cabins Friday night, then drive to Trollhaugen on Saturday. Scouts can ski, snowboard, or hang out in the chalet. We'll offer a chance to work on Snow Sports Merit Badge (on-the-hill requirements for snowboard or alpine options). We return to Fred C. Saturday night for dinner at camp, and drive home Sunday morning.
Register Here | Campout Roster

TBD: XC Ski and/or Snowshoe outing

For those who are interested in these options for Snow Sports merit badge, we'll arrange some time out on the trails.  Anyone who is interested is welcome!  Rentals should be available.  We have some experienced skiers within the troop who are excited to help teach and share their love of this sport.

Pancake Breakfast | February 15, time TBD

We are planning to host a pancake breakfast on the Sunday morning before Mardi Gras.  Help us celebrate and fund Troop 1 activities!

Looking forward to more fun winter activities with you all!

OA Elections Tomorrow | Cold Weather Camping

Happy 2026, Troop 1 families!

Our next meeting is Monday, Jan 5, 6:30 PM, Minnehaha United Methodist Church. We have a lot going on so please try to be there before 6:30 so we can start on time!

Meeting plan for Monday Jan 5:

1. Order of the Arrow elections. OA is the national Scouting service and honor society. Members are selected by their peers - all registered Scouts are eligible to vote. We'll have some guests representing OA who will provide more information. Please plan to attend if you can, we can only hold the election if we have at least half of our registered youth present.
   
   
2. Snow Base prep / Cold Weather Camping. For the Scouts attending Snow Base, we'll have some more information on the upcoming weekend. For all Scouts, we will be discussing cold weather safety - including some of the cold weather first aid information Scouts need to know for Merit Badges such as First Aid and Snow Sports.

We'll send a separate email to Snow Base participants with pre-camp details. If you are registered for Snow Base, please watch for that email!

Other Upcoming Meetings:

January 

9-11 Snow Base @ Tomahawk

12 Patrol Leader's Council

19 (no Troop meeting - MLK Day)

24 Troop hike

26 Troop meeting - Snow Sports MB Part 1

February

2 Troop meeting - Snow Sports MB Part 2, Ski Camp planning

6-8 Ski camp @ Fred C Anderson/Trollhaugen

9 Patrol Leader's Council

See you all Monday!

Scoutmaster Dispatch: Court of Honor and Silent Auction | Upcoming events | High Adventure proposals

 Hello Troop 1!

Court of Honor and Silent Auction: December 15, 6:30-8 at MUMC

Please join us tomorrow to celebrate our accomplishments this fall at the Troop 1 Court of Honor!  We'll have treats afterwards, you're welcome to bring something to share.

We're trying something new this time, we're going to hold a silent auction after the ceremony.  We hope this will be a fun way for us all to find some interesting holiday gifts while raising funds to pay for Troop 1 campouts and scout camperships throughout the year.  Scouts and families are invited to donate an item for the auction that you think others would like, such a handcrafted item, scouting collectibles, outdoor or camping gear, etc.  If you find something you like, we can take cash, credit card, Paypal, or Venmo.

The schedule is as follows:

• 6:00-6:30: Set up, donate items, open the auction for bidding
• 6:30-7:00: Scouts arrive and set up the ceremony.  Our Courts of Honor often start around 7:00
• After the ceremony, once everyone's had a chance to make their bids, we'll wrap it up and announce the winners.

Winter Break

We won't meet on December 22 or 29.  We hope you have a safe and happy holiday.

Troop meeting: January 5, 6:30-8 at MUMC

Our next meeting is the first Monday in January.  We will hold Order of the Arrow elections, and ask that everyone to attend if they can.  We will also do any planning needed for Snow Base.

Snow Base: January 9-11

We have enough scout interest that we will be able to go to Snow Base this year!  This is a winter camping experience held at Tomahawk Scout Camp, in Wisconsin.  Warm gear is provided and camp staff will show us how it's done.  Scouts can choose between the Experience program, where scouts sleep and eat meals inside, and the Spearhead program, where scouts are outside for 24 hours, sleeping in a shelter they make.

Learn more | Sign up | See who's going

High adventure proposals

On Monday, Troop 1 members proposed high adventure trips they would like to be considered for 2026.  "High Adventure" is an experience that takes us beyond our regular weekend camping, for example, remote wilderness trips, physically or mentally challenging activities, and activities that help us learn teamwork and new skills.  Scouts were excited about regional and national hiking, backpacking, and sailing adventures.  We would like to invite scouts and adults who would like to go on one or more of these trips, to let us know by filling out this interest form.  With that feedback, we can decide which trip(s) make the most sense to pursue as a group.

Thank you,

Scoutmasters Nixon and Towle

Camp Sign-Up

Hello Scouts and Scouters!

As discussed in the last meeting, we have some fun camp opportunities coming up. You can't have Scouting without "outing", so let's get out there and camp!

A gentle reminder from your Treasurer: Your Scout account needs to be paid up before you register for camp. If you have a negative balance, please email the Treasurer (troop1.mpls.treasurer@gmail.com) to top off your account. If cost of camp is an issue, camperships are available. The Troop supports camperships for all Troop 1 events, and Council offers financial support for any Council-organized camps like Snow Base and Summer Camp.

Troop camperships are supported by fundraising. For those who do not need financial assistance, please remember that keeping your Scout account paid up helps the Troop afford to assist those in need.

Board Game Camp: December 12-14, 2025, Tonkawa Lodge, Stearns Scout Camp

A perennial favorite, and a camp you won't want to miss! A full weekend of your favorite board and tabletop games, in Tonkawa Lodge - the newest and fanciest Scout lodge in Minnesota. Bring your favorite games to share, and try games you've ever played before.

Board Game Camp is organized by the Troop. Cost includes food for all attendees.

• Register Here | Campout Roster

Snow Base: January 9-11, 2026, White Pine Subcamp, Tomahawk Scout Camp

Your chance to learn how to stay warm and have fun in winter weather! Snow Base is a blast, whether you are sleeping indoors in a cozy cabin or outside in a snow shelter built by you and your friends, the camp staff at Snow Base will show you how to do it right. All necessary winter camping gear and clothing is provided by the camp, you just need your own hat and jacket!

Snow Base is a Council-organized and staffed camp. Cost includes staffed camp fees, food, and use of cold weather gear.

• Register Here | Campout Roster

Ski Camp: February 06-08, 2026, Peterson/Adirondack Lodges, Fred C. Anderson Scout Camp/Trollhaugen

Troop 1 will welcome Arrow of Light scouts to join us at camp for our annual Ski Camp weekend. We'll stay in the Peterson/Adirondack cabins Friday night, then drive to Trollhaugen on Saturday. Scouts can ski, snowboard, or hang out in the chalet. We'll offer a chance to work on Snow Sports Merit Badge.

Ski Camp is organized by the Troop. Camp cost includes food for all attendees, plus lift tickets (if skiing/boarding) and equipment rentals (if needed).

• Register Here | Campout Roster