Happy New Year!

Holiday greetings, Troop 1! Reminder, no meeting tonight, our first meeting of 2024 will be Monday January 8.

As we wrap up 2023 and begin 2024, many of us are thinking about new year's resolutions. It's a time for us to reflect on what we would like to change for the coming year. Many people make resolutions, but not many people actually keep them. If you are thinking about making a resolution, how will you stick to it? How will you measure your success?

Your intended changes for the coming year don't need to be big, but they should be meaningful. Perhaps you're hoping to help out more at home (hint: Start Family Life or Home Repairs Merit Badge). Perhaps you'd like to start working on improving your fitness (Personal Fitness Merit Badge can help!). Maybe you want to be more proactive about earning your service hours (it snowed - are your neighbors in need of help shoveling?) or you might intend to be better at managing your time or money (Personal Management Merit Badge, anyone?)

However you look at the new year, I am glad you are looking at it as part of Troop 1. Stay warm, and be well!

Troop Elections | PLC | Court of Honor

Happy Tuesday, Troop 1!

Troop Elections were held last night. Your new troop leadership is Cullan (SPL), Del and Lucien (ASPLs). Full election details are listed in the Troop Leadership/Patrols file. If you need a position of responsibility (or wish to continue in your prior position, if vacant) and were not at the meeting for the election OR don't see your position listed in the file, please contact me ASAP. Some critical missing positions include Outdoor Ethics Guide, Librarian, Chaplain Aide, OA Representative, and Den Chief.

Adult leaders, this applies to you as well: If you are listed incorrectly (or not listed at all!) please let me know so I can update this file.

• Current Troop Leadership/Patrols

Patrol Leaders Council will be held Monday Dec 11, 6:30, at MUMC. The first meeting after a camp weekend is traditionally when we hold the PLC. All Patrol leaders (outgoing and newly elected) plus Scribe should plan to attend. Any scout who wishes to provide input on future meeting plans is welcome to attend but not required. Scouts can (and should!) contact their Patrol Leader to provide input: This is your Patrol Leader's job, to represent their patrol at these meetings. If you don't tell them what is important to you, they can't represent you in the meeting!

Court of Honor will be held Monday December 18 at MUMC. We have multiple newly earned ranks to award, and Merit Badges to present. Scouts should wear their best uniform. (If you're missing or have outgrown uniform parts, we may be able to help! The Troop has some extras for those who want them.) Families may wish to bring a treat to share with the troop after the event. If bringing a treat, please list ingredients to inform those who have dietary restrictions or preferences.

Last, a quick plug for service hours as we enter the winter months. Watch for snowy days! If you have neighbors and you also have a shovel, put your shovel to good use - you will have a really easy way to earn some hours and earn some goodwill at the same time.

Good Scouting!

Service Opportunities | Board Game Camp | Court of Honor

Greetings Scouts and Scout families!

Three upcoming opportunities for service to others:

Lucien's Eagle project needs volunteers to hand out flyers, this Saturday, December 2. Meet at MUMC at 9AM. Volunteers will also beneeded December 16 to pick up donated items. The project is collecting donated clothing to distribute to the Central Lutheran Free Store. Donations of new underwear, socks, mittens, gloves can be dropped off in a collection bin at MUMC. Any time on this project counts as service hours.

• Volunteer for a shift here

Sea Base Crew is staffing concessions at the Holly Trolley and Vinternatt this weekend. If you're not on the Sea Base crew, your help for this counts as service hours. Please look at the schedule and volunteer for a shift if you are able.

• Volunteer for a shift here

Pack 1 is seeking help from the Troop to support Cub Scouts in their winter camping skills. We need a few Scouts who are willing to go to Stearns Scout Camp the weekend of Jan 5-7 to assist. Pack 1 will provide food, we will sleep in a separate cabin and join the Pack at Tonkawa Lodge for the day Saturday. If we get enough attendees, we will split our group and use this as a winter camp for the Troop.

• Sign up to attend here

Monday Dec 4 is last call for Board Game Camp - if you plan to attend, make sure you are registered by then. We'll be planning the menu and setting up the duty roster at the Dec 4 meeting.

• Register here | See who else is going

Last, don't forget Court of Honor is December 18. If you hope to receive specific advancement items, make sure records of completion are turned in next Monday. If you are scheduled for a Board of Review, come to the meeting Dec 4 ready for the review. We recommend Class A uniform and don't forget to bring your Scout book!

That's all for today!

Wreath Sorting | Upcoming Meetings | Court of Honor

Your Tuesday dispatch from Troop 1:

Wreath Sorting will happen this Saturday, Nov 18, 8:30AM-Noon, at Northrop Elementary School (4315 S 31st Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55406). Scouts will be unloading the truck and sorting orders for the Troop and for Pack 1. Each order will be triple checked: Once by the scout building the order, once by another scout or adult, and the third time by the person picking up the order. Scouts should not leave until all orders have been sorted and triple checked. If you cannot make it to pick up your order by noon, make arrangements for someone else to pick up the wreaths you sold.

Upcoming meetings:

For the next two meetings, your Patrol Leaders Council has planned to work on Genealogy Merit Badge. Come to the meeting ready to work on this badge. PRINT OUT the Merit Badge workbook and bring it to the meeting on Nov 20. If you do the at-home portion over Thanksgiving break, you should be able to complete this Merit Badge during the meeting on Nov 27. Thank you to Val Mayer for being willing to serve as Merit Badge Counselor for this!

• See Merit Badge requirements | Print the Genealogy MB workbook

Troop Elections will be held on December 4. We will be electing Patrol Leaders, Senior and Assistant Senior Patrol Leaders, Quartermaster, Scribe, and other key positions. If you are planning to run for a position of responsibility, please start thinking about how you will make your case to your fellow Scouts. Remember, it is not a position of responsibility unless you take responsibility for the position!

Court of Honor is scheduled for December 18. This means that all Boards of Review for rank advancement MUST be complete by December 4. If you are close to your next rank and will finish requirements by Dec 4, contact our advancement coordinators (Val and Chad Mayer) as soon as possible.

Camping Updates:

Stearns Fall Camp was a great weekend. If you were unable to join us, please consider attending a future camp instead!

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

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.

• Register here | See who else is attending
  

Other Camp Opportunities:

Snow Base: At least 2 scouts are interested for January. Unless we have more, we will not try to book a trip this year.

Pack 1 Winter Camp: The Pack is looking for a few scouts to help with cold weather outdoor skills at Stearns Scout Camp Jan 5-7. The Pack will be at Tonkawa Lodge. Troop attendees could book McCarthy or Deckenbach Lodge if we had enough people present (no other facilities are available that weekend). This could be a good alternative to Snow Base for January camping. Are we interested in helping Pack 1?

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!

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!