Troop Meeting • Monday, 6:30-8:00pm • MUMC
We had a very productive PLC last Monday! We made several decisions regarding camps and themes through March. Check the calendar below. There was a long discussion of reconfiguring Patrol membership, we'll be doing this Monday.Camporee success!!! Troop 1 had a blast on their quest for the scoutly grail. I've heard many scouts can be found clicking coconuts and trotting around town.
Thanks for sharing your pictures.
In the coming weeks we'll see more and more of the Pack 1 AoL scouts who will often be sharing our meeting openings and attending events with us. We want them to feel welcome and like Troop 1 is the troop for them. Please practice your extrovert skills and be friendly, let them (and their parents feel confident that hanging with Troop 1 is a good choice). We are still looking for 1- 2 more for the AoL den...
High-Adventure 2020
Proposals Presentations on Monday!!!
Submissions are due for presentations on MONDAY!
You don't have to have all the details worked out, but you should have some. For example - if you want to go to backpacking in Glacier NP - are there reservations available? What's the train cost or should we travel a different way? Is there a limit to crew size? Each idea needs some roughed out details/plan and a Scout to "sponsor" further research.
All scouts are welcome to participate.
National High Adventure bases have an age requirement, but if we do it ourselves, we set the requirements.
You don't have to have all the details worked out, but you should have some. For example - if you want to go to backpacking in Glacier NP - are there reservations available? What's the train cost or should we travel a different way? Is there a limit to crew size? Each idea needs some roughed out details/plan and a Scout to "sponsor" further research.
All scouts are welcome to participate.
National High Adventure bases have an age requirement, but if we do it ourselves, we set the requirements.
FYI - The current plan is to put in for a Philmont 2021 high-adventure. We will also do a SHT trip in '21 for Philmont crew training and another crew for everybody else.
ILST Lock-In • This Friday 8:30-7am Saturday
In lieu of an October campout - the PLC decided a lock-in at the MUMC would be cool. We'll meet at MUMC at 8:30pm after the Taizé worship service.What is ILST? - ILST stands for Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops. Upon completion of ILST, a Scout is qualified to wear the “Trained” emblem on their uniform.
ILST is the first step in the continuum of youth leadership training. It’s a prerequisite for advanced leadership courses, including National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) - which is called Grey Wolf in Northern Star Council, and the National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience (NAYLE) which takes place at Philmont Training Center.
ILST is split into three modules. There are games and challenges to enhance leadership lessons and fun.
- Module One: Troop Organization includes a description of each leadership position in the troop, including roles and responsibilities, troop organization, and introductions to vision and servant leadership.
- Module Two: Tools of the Trade covers some core skill sets to help the Scout lead, including communicating, planning and teaching. This section emphasizes the big differences between PLANNING & PREPARATION - by now we should all know they're different!
- Module Three: Leadership and Teamwork incorporates additional leadership tools for the Scout, including discussions of teams and team characteristics, the stages of team development and leadership, inclusion/using your team, ethics & values of a leader, and a more in-depth review of vision
Snow Base 2020
We need to make snow base reservations ASAP!Which means I need to know which programs to register for!
Once we know what to register for, then we'll try to get a weekend. We'll double back before we make a reservation to make sure enough scouts and adults are available.
Check out the Snow Base Website
All first year Scouts will attend Snow Huskies, unless they're attached to a group of more experienced scouts that have been through that program. Then they can register for Spearhead. Logging Camp is cool looking, as is Dog Sledding. Please look at their website and decide and register with the troop by Thursday.
Please register with the troop here
Fundraising
Popcorn TablesThanks to Mrs. Barber for setting up sales tables at storefronts this weekend! The scouts that participated found a lot of success. Remember if you're interested in setting up a table at a location or at your place of worship, reach out to Mrs. Barber.
And never discount there's always a chance to sell door-to-door.
Wreaths
Get out there and sell, sell, sell. Remember Wreath delivery day is Nov. 16. You should have them to customers before Thanksgiving.
One trick going door-to-door for popcorn and wreath sales is to make a 1/2 sheet saying "sorry I missed you" with some contact information and asking if they'd like to support you in Scouting. The money raised will help you get to camp where you learn things like:___.
Upcoming Troop Fundraisers
Funds raised help the troop go. We'll need many hands on deck for each of these.
Halloween Party concessions (Friday Oct 25) - look or a sign up next week.
Concessions at Base Camp - Nov 3 - participants have been contacted.
Pancake Breakfast Nov 17 (Day after wreath delivery) - look or a sign up soon.
December Board game Camp
Based on some PLC decisions, we have decided to change things up a little this year. We'll still be at Kiwanis, but our gaming will take place in Gordon Hall!
There will be plenty of room for us to leave our games up and move on to something else. We'll be sleeping and "cooking" elsewhere.
Board Game Camp is Dec 13-15.
Upcoming Schedule
BSA Troop 1 Facebook Group
For those of you on Facebook, feel please join our closed group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/mnt3001/
Gear Spotlight: TENT STAKES
There are a variety of tent stake styles. Avoid plastic stakes, they break, and get stuck in the ground. My favorites are the red Triangle "hog" and "mini-hog" style and aluminum hook style (pictured).
Tent stakes get lost and bent, but they can last for a while when Scouts care for them. They can be used for lots of things such as tarps, etc. Out troop tents do not have stakes.
Some places to shop for gear:
Brick & Mortar: REI, Repair Lair (experienced gear), Midwest Mountaineering, LL Bean, Cabelas, Scout Shop (sometimes they have really good deals, often over-priced), even non-specialty big-box stores like Walmart & Target have a lot of decent gear.
Online: campmor.com, rei.com, sierra.com, backcountry.com, steepandcheap.com, amazon.com, sportsmansguide.com
Scoutmaster's Minute - Drafting and Leading
I'm going to mention a few things that all have something in common. Think about what that common theme is: a marathon, interstate truckers, a bike race, a flock of geese, a NASCAR race.Each of these use 'drafting' to decrease the effort required to achieve a goal. Trucks, cars, bikes, runners all benefit from following closely behind someone else that is cutting through the wind resistance. In a road bicycle race, the lead rider in a pack uses over 30% more effort than those behind. Truckers draft to conserve fuel and increase profits.
The downside is that the lead rider gets tired before the rest. If they continue to follow the tired leader, the entire group slows down. To keep up the speed, the leader falls off the point when they tire and the next in line takes over with a reserve of power to keep up the speed.
The followers need to trust the leader to lead in the right direction. They also need to recognize when the leader is getting tired and step up to take the lead.
Your Patrol Leaders serve for 3 months at a time. While they are leading, the rest of you get to draft along not expending as much energy while they are working hard. We rotate new, fresh, energized leaders to the point position often so we keep up speed and the troop keeps going. We don't want to slow down to a crawl because no one else would take the lead.
Get ready for your next turn running point so you can keep the group rolling along. I hope to see you at ILST.