Uniform Exchange | Fall Camp | Board Game Camp

Happy Post-Halloween, Troop 1! Hope everyone had a good evening (and that those who went out for candy stayed warm!)

Uniform & Gear Exchange: We'll be holding a uniform & gear exchange on Monday Nov 6. Bring any Scout uniform parts that you do not need or have outgrown. Extra camp gear such as backpacks, boots, sleeping bags or pads, etc. are also welcome. If you are a Scout who needs a larger shirt or some camp gear, we'd love to share within the Troop to help you out. Have uniform parts that are too small for our Troop members? We'll pass them on to Pack 1.

Stearns Fall Camp (Nov 10-12): Sign ups will close Monday Nov 6. If you are interested but haven't made the decision yet, now is the time. We'll be in Deckenbach Lodge and surrounding area. Lodge is heated but has no indoor amenities, we encourage Scouts to camp outside. Staying indoors counts for participation in Troop activities but does not count towards outdoor camping requirements for rank advancement or Merit badges that require outdoor nights. Having said that, if staying indoors makes the difference between attending or not, we'd rather have you attend!

• Register here | See who else is attending

Board Game Camp (Dec 8-10): 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 never played before. If you haven't been to Board Game Camp before, you don't want to miss it.

• Register here | See who else is attending

Other Upcoming Activities:

• Coin Collecting Merit Badge - NOVEMBER. At least 4 scouts are participating, planning for Tuesday nights. If you are also interested, please fill out the form here: https://forms.gle/PsgWQ2Ws4jn1X2jc6
  
  
• Snow Base: We have not heard from anyone expressing interest in Snow Base this year. If you want to go, speak up.

• Ski Camp (Feb 9-11): We'll be opening sign-ups for Ski Camp soon. This is our annual trip to Trollhaugen to get in some winter fun. We stay at Fred C. Anderson Scout Camp overnight and drive to Trollhaugen for the day. This camp is a bit more expensive than others as we need to factor in cost of ski/snowboard rentals (for those who need gear) and ski/snowboard lessons (for those who want them). We WILL have a chance to work on Snow Sports Merit Badge.
  
  
• Philmont 2025: We have interest in putting a crew together for this trip. If you will be 14 in 2025, start thinking about this - Scouts who have gone in the past refer to it as a "life changing experience".
  

Good Scouting!

Halloween Party | Camping & Activities

Your Wednesday Dispatch:

Halloween Party: We still need help especially for closing shift. The Pack 1 Halloween party is scheduled for Saturday Oct 28. This is to benefit the MUMC youth group. Troop 1 is selling concessions (pizza/hot dogs/refreshments) as a fundraiser for the youth group. Because this makes no money for the Troop, it should count as service hours. The volunteer shifts will run 5:30-7:30PM or 7:00-9:00PM. Scouts can volunteer for one or both shifts. Shifts overlap to accommodate scouts who may need to arrive late or leave early. Wear your uniform, OR you can wear a costume. Costumes cannot be scary and must be safe to wear in a kitchen while working (nothing flammable, sharp, etc. - use your best judgement!)

• Sign up for a shift here: https://forms.gle/try1PL1bweUxjgmZA
  

Upcoming Activities:

• Coin Collecting Merit Badge - NOVEMBER. At least 4 scouts are participating, planning for Tuesday nights. If you are also interested, please fill out the form here: https://forms.gle/PsgWQ2Ws4jn1X2jc6
  
  
• Snow Base: If the Troop wants to send a crew in January, we need to decide ASAP.
  
  
• Philmont 2025: We have interest in putting a crew together for this trip. If you will be 14 in 2025, start thinking about this - Scouts who have gone in the past refer to it as a "life changing experience".
  
  
• Upcoming Camps: Don't forget to sign up for Stearns Fall Camp (Nov 10-12) or December Board Game Camp! See sign-up links on the Troop website here: https://www.troop1min.org/home/camping

Good Scouting!

PLC report | Service Hours | Halloween Party

Happy Tuesday Troop 1!

Patrol Leaders Council: As a reminder, the PLC generally meets on the Monday immediately following camp. The PLC meetings are in person, at MUMC, 6:30PM. This week the PLC met to prepare plans through the November 10th fall camp at Stearns. Your Troop leadership should be reporting back to their patrols to ensure all Scouts know what the upcoming plans will be. The highlights:

• Flag Ceremony practice**
• Uniform discussion and uniform exchange
• Upcoming service hours opportunities

**Our troop has an opportunity to present the colors at a Minnesota Timberwolves game in November. The PLC was in favor of trying to secure a spot. This would be 4 to 10 scouts in class As, presenting the flag at the start of the game. The experience does require a $100 deposit and does not require (or include!) game tickets. Open dates are below:

• Wednesday, November 8^th 7PM
• Wednesday, November 22^nd 7PM
• Friday, November 24^th 7PM
• Tuesday, November 28^th 7PM
• Thursday, November 30^th 7PM

Service Hours: Reminder that we are participating in the Nokomis East Neighborhood Association trash clean up Saturday Oct 21 from 10AM-12PM. Meet at Keewaydin rec center (3030 E 53rd St, Minneapolis, MN 55417) at 9:45AM. Wear Class Bs and work gloves, and if you have a trash grabber, bring it along!

Halloween Party: The Pack 1 Halloween party is scheduled for Saturday Oct 28. This is to benefit the MUMC youth group. Troop 1 is selling concessions (pizza/hot dogs/refreshments) as a fundraiser for the youth group. Because this makes no money for the Troop, it should count as service hours. (Mr. Needleman may contradict me on this: If we disagree, he's right - I'm still learning!) The volunteer shifts will run 5:30-7:30PM or 7:00-9:00PM. Scouts can volunteer for one or both shifts. Shifts overlap to accommodate scouts who may need to arrive late or leave early. Wear your uniform, OR you can wear a costume. Costumes cannot be scary and must be safe to wear in a kitchen while working (nothing flammable, sharp, etc. - use your best judgement!)

• Sign up for a shift here: https://forms.gle/try1PL1bweUxjgmZA
  

Notes and Reminders:

• Coin Collecting Merit Badge - at least 4 scouts would like to participate, and it looks as if Tuesday nights may accommodate most people. If you are also interested, please fill out the form here: https://forms.gle/PsgWQ2Ws4jn1X2jc6
  
  
• Snow Base: If the Troop wants to send a crew in January, we need to decide ASAP.
  
  
• Philmont 2025: We have interest in putting a crew together for this trip. If you will be 14 in 2025, start thinking about this - Scouts who have gone in the past refer to it as a "life changing experience".
  
  
• Upcoming Camps: Don't forget to sign up for Stearns Fall Camp or December Board Game Camp! See sign-up links on the Troop website here: https://www.troop1min.org/home/camping

Good Scouting!

Coin Collecting MB | Service Hours | Upcoming Camps

Hey Troop 1!

Coin Collecting Merit Badge: Thanks to Bob Finnerty for volunteering to lead this. If you are interested, please fill out the form below and review the requirements.

• Sign-up form: https://forms.gle/XVX6q82LqMfRWM5j8
• Merit badge requirements: https://www.scouting.org/merit-badges/coin-collecting/

Service Hours opportunity - Saturday October 21. Nokomis East Neighborhood Association is holding a neighborhood trash cleanup. If you can help, meet at Keewaydin Rec Center at 9:45 on the 21st. We'll be picking up trash from 10-12. It's a bit cold for your Class Bs, but a Scout hat or sweatshirt can help our neighbors know that we are there as a group representing Troop 1. Wear work gloves, be prepared for the weather!

• More info here: https://www.nokomiseast.org/event-details/nokomis-east-fall-clean-up

Upcoming Camps:

November 10-12: Fall "Back to the Woods" Camp, Stearns (Deckenbach Lodge). This is an unstructured camp. We'll try to plan a service project while on site, but the rest is up to you. Deckenbach does not have kitchen facilities, so we'll be cooking outside (and sleeping outside is strongly encouraged). Bring your Scout book, we'll have plenty of chances for advancement work.

Register here | See who else is attending

December 8-10: Board Game Camp, Stearns (Tonkawa). A full weekend of your favorite board and tabletop games, in the newest and fanciest Scout lodge in Minnesota? Count me in! Bring your favorite games to share, and try games you've never played before. Whether it takes 5 minutes or 5 hours to play, we've got time!

Register here | See who else is attending

Snow Base: Registration opened October 1, and spots will fill up. We'll be talking about this at the October 23rd Troop meeting to gauge interest and plan out a potential trip in January. Winter camping is awesome - just ask the crew that went last year!

Photos from Snow Base 2022 | Read about Snow Base here

Court of Honor | Fall Camporee | Upcoming Camps

Salutations Troop 1!

Court of Honor Monday: It's time to recognize our Scout's accomplishments. We're proud of your Scout and you should be too! Please join us as we welcome family and friends to be present while we award our Scouts the ranks and Merit Badges they have earned over the past few months. We encourage those in attendance to bring a shareable treat to enjoy after the awards ceremony is complete.

Merit Badge Work - the Troop started Communications Merit Badge this week. This and Personal Management MB will continue over the next few meetings. These are both Eagle-required badges. Please review requirements, and if you don't already have one, ask me for a blue card at the COH or next meeting.

Upcoming Campouts: Because you can't spell Scouting without "outing"!

October 13-15: Fall Camporee, Phillippo. The Camporee is an event drawing troops and crews from across our council. The Camporee offers patrol-based skill competitions and many opportunities to meet other scouts. This year, attendees can work on First Aid, Emergency Preparedness, Fire Safety, and Orienteering merit badges. Registration closes soon. We currently have 10 scouts and 5 adults registered.

Register here | See who else is attending

November 10-12: Fall "Back to the Woods" Camp, Stearns (Deckenbach Lodge). Like the Wild River campout last month, this is an unstructured camp. We'll try to plan a service project while on site, but the rest is up to you. Deckenbach does not have kitchen facilities, so we'll be cooking outside (and sleeping outside is strongly encouraged). Bring your Scout book, we'll have plenty of cances for advancement work.

Register here | See who else is attending

December 8-10: Board Game Camp, Stearns (Tonkawa). A full weekend of your favorite board and tabletop games, in the newest and fanciest Scout lodge in Minnesota? Count me in! Bring your favorite games to share, and try games you've never played before. Whether it takes 5 minutes or 5 hours to play, we've got time!

Register here | See who else is attending

Last but not least, Snow Base registration opens October 1. We'll be talking about this at an upcoming meeting to gauge interest and plan out a potential trip in January. Winter camping is awesome - just ask the crew that went last year!

Photos from Snow Base 2022 | Read about Snow Base here

Good Scouting!

All-Troop PLC Monday

Happy Friday, Troop 1! Quick update for everyone.

All-Troop Patrol Leaders Council will be held Monday Sept 11. We do not seem to have actually definitively determined who all of our current Patrol Leaders are, so we're inviting everyone to this planning meeting. Be Prepared to discuss plans for future Troop meetings. Start thinking about positions of responsibility, we'll be holding new elections in October.

Scoutmaster Conference and Board of Review will be held during the Sept 11 meeting for those scouts who have asked for them. If you have requested a BOR, remember to attend in your Class A uniform and bring your Scout Handbook. For new scouts who need conference for Scout rank, remember you do not need a BOR, just the Scoutmaster Conference for this rank. I can certainly accommodate should any of the Moo-Wooing Platycats need a conference for Scout rank after this weekend's campout.

Court of Honor is September 25.

Reminder - October 13-15: Fall Camporee, Phillippo. The Camporee is an event drawing troops and crews from across our council. The details have not yet been shared, but usually a Camporee offers patrol-based skill competitions and many opportunities to meet other scouts. We are inviting Arrow of Light and Webelos scouts from Pack 1 to attend with us. This is your chance to show these younger scouts how Troop 1 operates, as a first step in helping them make the transition from Pack to Troop over the upcoming program year.

We currently have two scouts registered for the camporee - we're hoping to have better attendance. Please indicate interest quickly as spaces do fill up. Scouts who attended one of the last two camporees had significant chances to complete advancement requirements!

Register here | See who else is attending

Good Scouting!

Court of Honor | Upcoming Camps

Greetings Troop 1! Great to see so many of you Monday.

Merit Badge Work - the Troop started Personal Management MB this week. Thanks to Ruth Wikoff-Jones for helping us get started! This is an Eagle-required badge and a good one to start on early in your Scouting progress. If you were not at the meeting but want to join in, see the badge requirements here and ask me for a blue card at the next meeting.

Speaking of next meeting: No meeting this coming Monday (Labor Day) and the following Monday Sept 11, is our Patrol Leaders Council (Patrol leaders/SPL/ASPL/Scribe expected to attend - new Scouts, take note, the Monday immediately after a campout is nearly always reserved for the PLC). This means our next full Troop meeting is September 18, with Court of Honor on Sept 25.

If you are close to completing a rank, I will be available to do Scoutmaster Conference during the PLC on Sept 11. For ranks that require a Board of Review (anything Tenderfoot and above), it is important to contact Chad and Val Mayer ASAP to determine if we can arrange a time. BOR must be completed by Sept 11 as we generally have a cutoff date two weeks prior to the Court of Honor.

Reminder regarding Upcoming Campouts.

September 8-10: Wild River State Park. This is a non-structured back-to-the-woods camp, with an expectation that scouts will be able to focus on advancement opportunities. We have 6 scouts who plan to attend, plus 3 adults. If you are interested please submit your registration ASAP so that your grubmaster has time to secure food before camp weekend. Meals were planned at Monday's meeting. Jill and Chad Towle are organizing this weekend as I am unlikely able to make this camp.

Register here | See who else is attending

October 13-15: Fall Camporee, Phillippo. The Camporee is an event drawing troops and crews from across our council. The details have not yet been shared, but usually a Camporee offers patrol-based skill competitions and many opportunities to meet other scouts. We are inviting Arrow of Light and Webelos scouts from Pack 1 to attend with us. This is your chance to show these younger scouts how Troop 1 operates, as a first step in helping them make the transition from Pack to Troop over the upcoming program year.

We do not have any scouts registered for the camporee yet: Please indicate interest quickly as spaces do fill up. Scouts who attended one of the last two camporees had significant chances to complete advancement requirements!

Register here | See who else is attending

Finally, if you have not yet submitted your annual registration please do so as soon as possible at https://www.northernstar.org/registration.

Good Scouting!