Sunday, January 13, 2019

14 January 2019

Troop Meeting - Monday, 1/14 6:30-8:00

We've had many scouts doing service this past week! I'm excited to hear from Scouts that helped at the MUMC food shelf fundraiser/spaghetti dinner on Wednesday. At FMSC on Saturday, our table literally packed thousands of meals for children in Haiti.

We have one more troop organized Service Opportunity this month.
1/26 - Mini-Harvest for the MUMC Food Shelf. 7:30-9am. Show up in Uniform and help distribute food to those in need. Last Saturday hike to follow. 

Ski Camp - Fred C. Andersen Scout Camp / Trollhaugen
Feb 8-10, 2019
Troop 1 will be hosting the Arrow of Light Scouts and their Akelas. They'll be sleeping and eating with the troop for the entire weekend. (please register for camp with the troop).

Sleeping inside at Fred C. Andersen in the Peterson Cabins 1 & 2
Schedule:
Friday, Feb 8 - Meet at MUMC 6:00 (eat dinner beforehand or pack a sack, we won't be stopping). On the road by 6:30 for an estimated 7:30 arrival. 
Saturday Breakfast in Camp, 9:00 drive to Trollhaugen (about 30 minutes)
Saturday - 9:30 arrival at Trollhaugen, Ski all day, Return to Fred C about 6 pm
Saturday Lunch is at the Ski Chalet. Bring money or decide with your patrol to pack lunches in advance (You might still want money for hot cocoa). $15-$20 should get you hot cocoa and lunch. Here's their Menu.
Saturday Dinner is provided back in camp. 
Louis Hoffman and Eddie McDonald stay back and cook for the day! Thanks, Guys!

Ski Camp costs more than most camps, but we get a group discount on lift tickets and equipment. The cost breakdown is below. 
• Camp Food $10 -Friday Cracker Barrel, Saturday Breakfast, Saturday Dinner, Sunday Breakfast
• Lift Ticket - $36 Scouts / $40 Adult 
• Skis or Snowboard, Boots, Poles, Helmet - $20 
• Beginner Ski or Snowboard Lessons - Free
Register here -  Registration will Close Feb 4. 

Current Ski Camp Crew - https://goo.gl/gXaUZ1

NamePatrol
Will NewellGood
Stuart ChampionGood
Alex BarberGood
Oliver NeedlemanGood
Liam McDonaldFlying Penguin
Nicholas BrownBacon
Thomas NewellArrow of Light
Eddie McDonaldAdult - (Loon)
Ruth Wikoff-JonesAdult - (Loon)

Snow Base
Feb 22-24, Tomahawk Scout Reservation 
Snow Base Roster is set. 
Specific details have been sent to participants. 

Reptile Amphibian Discovery Zoo Mar 9-10
Sign Up - https://goo.gl/forms/BDEaB3qgl3MUIfZq1
Saturday Morning until Sunday Morning. Saturday we'll spend the day hiking and then head to RAD Zoo for supper, evening program and sleeping (indoors). 
• Reptile and Amphibian Study MB pamphlet. You may want to read it if you're going for the MB. 
•Here's a helpful worksheet

Upcoming Schedule
Jan 21 - Troop Meeting (High Adventure Proposals Due)
Jan 28 - Troop Meeting
Feb 4 - Troop Meeting
Feb 8-10 - Ski Camp @ Fred C. Andersen / Trollhaugen
Feb 11 - PLC Meeting
Feb 22-24 - Snow Base at Tomahawk
Feb 25 - Troop Meeting (Pinewood Derby Workshop/ help pack)
Mar  4 - Troop Meeting
Longer List of Troop Activites

For those of you on Facebook, feel please join our closed group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/mnt3001/

Scoutmaster's Minute
Many of you may know, one of my many quirks is that I really enjoy listening to commencement speeches. In fact, I look forward to the graduation season because of it. David McCullough Jr.'s 2012 speech, "You're not Special," or Admiral McCraven's 2014 speech (subsequently turned into a book) called "Make Your Bed", are definite standouts for me. This past year another included another speech I've been reflecting on for months. Comments were delivered by Pete Davis, the 2018 Harvard Graduate Commencement Speaker on "Liquid Modernity" or what he termed, "Infinite Browsing Mode." The following ideas are inspired and borrowed from his.  

Infinite Browsing Mode
Many of us have looked at a streaming service, Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, YouTube, etc. and started scrolling through the options. Eventually, after a good number of minutes, we realize we're simply stuck scrolling, and we're not watching a movie. Then we realize we'd rather go to sleep anyway. 

It's like entering a long hallway, with millions of doors, behind each door is a different room of requirementWith so many great options its hard to make a decision about which room to enter. 

With so many great opportunities, available to us all the time it can be hard to choose. Nobody wants to be locked out, or locked in, but nobody wants to live in a hallway either. Often times, we call this "keeping our options open." What's your hallway?  Which door will you choose? How will you know its the "right" one? 
What does this lack of commitment mean for how we represent ourselves? Or worse yet, are the infinite options available from developing something in us to prevent us from making decisions and/or maintain commitments? 

Many of us have heard the turn of phrase, "Too much analysis leads to paralysis."  But we also have the antidotes ... our time and effort. Time and effort can turn plans into real projects, strangers into our neighbors, and even a Tenderfoot into an Eagle Scout. 

Don't get stuck in Infinite Browsing Mode, just pick a movie and watch it all the way through.