April 30 is the last day new scouts can sign up for Camp Mach at the reduced price of $235.  The regular price is $260.  All registrations are due no later than May 28.  Permission slips, with checks made out to Troop 24, can be turned in at the Troop Meeting.

Scouts camping on May 1-3 at Kankakee River State Park are invited to bring their bicycles. The state park has one of the nicest bike trails in the state–10.5 miles, paved, relatively level, with no roads to cross other than park roads. Click here for pictures of the bike trail at this time of year. Bikes can be transported in the larger of the Troop trailers, with the smaller trailer hauling all other gear. Joe Ourth, one of the leaders on this outing, will work with interested scouts on the Bicycling Merit Badge. Under Boy Scout rules, helmets are required. For scouts more interested in fishing, the Kankakee River offers a great place to wet a line. The Kankakee River is one of the cleanest rivers in the state. Bring fishing tackle (leaders will have some extras). No fishing license is required for scouts under age 16.

Dennis P’s Eagle Scout project will be taking place on Saturday, May 9, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Northgate Water Tower Building and the Youth Center behind the police station. If necessary, the project will continue on Sunday as well. We will be moving about 200 boxes from the Northgate Water Tower Building to the Youth Center behind the Riverside Police Station. The scouts will be moving and loading the boxes from the second floor of the Northgate Building into vehicles. Scouts at the Youth Center will be unloading the boxes from the vehicles and placing them into a giant filing cabinet. Adult volunteers are also needed to drive the boxes from one location to the other and to supervise at both locations.

A permission slip is required for participation. Dennis will be available at the next two Troop Meetings, where the permission slips can be handed in and scouts can sign up for the morning shift (8:00-noon) or the afternoon shift (12:30-4:30). Scouts should not wear open-toed shoes and are also advised to bring gloves. Contact Dennis for more information.

Our May outing to Kankakee River State Park is open to all scouts. The departure time will be 1:00 p.m. on Friday, May 1, from the parking lot in back of Riverside Presbyterian Church. We will return on Sunday, May 3. Scouts should wear their Class A uniform (scout shirt) to travel. They do not need to bring a mess kit, but they do need to bring a cup, as well as the usual sleeping bag and clothing appropriate to the weather. We need leaders and parent drivers. The permission slip and $20 is due no later than Thursday, 4/23. The permission slip is available here.

The Boy Scouts of America now require each scout and adult leader to fill out a medical form ANNUALLY. (The old medical forms were good for three years for anyone under age 40.) The form is available here. Parts A & C must be filled out by the parent (assuming that you know your scout’s immunization dates). You must also provide a photocopy of both sides of your insurance card. Parts A & C are required for all scouts, and for participation in any scouting events. Part B is to be filled out by your physician, and is required for any outing longer than 72 hours; therefore, each scout going to Camp Mach must have a current physical exam and turn in the form with Part B signed by a doctor. Camp Mach scouts should turn in a copy of the medical form (please keep the original for your records) to Nancy Hopkins.

New scouts are reminded to bring their BSA registration forms to the Troop meeting on Thursday. The forms were handed out last week. If you did not receive one, or if you lost the form, please contact Nancy Hopkins to pick up another form. Forms are also available at the Scout Store in LaGrange.

During the Troop meeting on Thursday, April 9, there will be a video presentation about Camp Mach by the Des Plaines Valley Council. New parents should attend the meeting if possible. For photos of Camp Mach from previous years, please visit our photo gallery.

A camping trip has been planned for May 1-3 to Kankakee River State Park. Since District 96 students have Friday off, scouts will be leaving at approximately 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 1, from Riverside Presbyterian Church. (This is the same weekend as the Des Plaines Valley Council’s high adventure camp at Kettle Moraine State Park, which is available only for 1st class scouts and above.)

The Kankakee River trip is for scouts of all ranks. More information will be forthcoming, but please mark your calendars. New scouts should go on one overnight trip without a parent prior to Camp Mach.

As always, we will need leaders and drivers for this trip.

Each year the Troop has the opportunity to elect scouts to become members of the “Order of the Arrow.” To be eligible a scout must be first class or above, and have participated in 15 or more nights of camping within the past two years, including six days of which must have been at a long-term camp (for example, summer camp at Camp Mach).

The purpose of the Order of the Arrow is fourfold:

To recognize those Scout campers who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives
To develop and maintain camping traditions and spirit
To promote Scout camping
To crystallize the Scout habit of helpfulness into a life purpose of leadership in cheerful service to others

Scouts who have asked to be considered for the Order of the Arrow won’t find out if they were elected until at Camp Mach. If elected, the scout will be inducted through a ceremony in which candidates maintain silence, receive small amounts of food, work on camp improvement projects, and are required to sleep alone, apart from other campers. The entire experience is designed to teach significant values.

The Order of the Arrow is usually attained by older scouts. Any scout elected to Order of the Arrow will not be able to attend the rafting trip at Camp Mach, as they will be involved in other activities. For more information, visit http://www.oa-bsa.org/misc/basics/

We would like all scouts to be aware that there will be Maundy Thursday church service at RPC at 7:00 pm on Thursday, April 9.  Scouts are  requested to be particularly quiet in entering and leaving the building, and to please refrain from any raucous activities outside the building.  There may be additional traffic and parking problems, so please allow a little extra time.  Thanks for your cooperation.