All scouts are invited to participate in any of the Village’s forestry clean-up projects.  This work would qualify as service hours toward rank advancement.  TODAY, at Turtle Park, a group will be working to remove garlic mustard, buckthorn, etc.  If you are available to help, please meet at Turtle Park after school today.

On Saturday, there is another volunteer day scheduled for the triangle park at Longcommon & Dowling.  For that event, please meet the Forester at 9:00 a.m. at the triangle park.

If you participate in any of the Forester’s volunteer days, please be sure to introduce yourself to Mr. Collins and tell him that you are from Troop 24.  All volunteers need to sign a waiver, and scouts under 18 need to have the waiver signed by a parent/guardian, in order to participate. The waiver is available here.

It would be helpful, if you have them, to bring gardening gloves and hand gardening tools (although he may have some available if you forget or don’t have them).

ATTENTION all Scouts attending Camp Mach this year (and their parents.)

Please mark your calendars for the 2009 Camp Mach Meeting on Thursday, June 4, from 7:00 p.m. to approximately 8:30 p.m. in the Social Hall at RPC. (This meeting is required for scouts and — for first-year camper– a parent).  At this meeting you will review and finalize your merit badge selections with a leader. We will also go over expectations, logistics and transportation. The Merit badge classes offered are described on pages 20-25 of the Camp Guide.

For first-year Camp Mach attendees we have found over the years that you should limit yourself to a total of three (3) scheduled events. As a troop we have found the following the best course of action to get the most out of your experience at Camp Mach and add to your rank advancement:

It is required that you attend the Brownsea (First Year Camper) course
Please sign up for the Swimming Merit Badge (required for many outdoor events we will do throughout the year with our troop.)
Strongly suggested that you sign up for the Cooking Merit Badge (required for 2nd class and it teaches skills you will use on almost every campout.)

Signing up for the three (3) events listed above will still leave plenty of time for other open activities the camp has to offer, such as open swim, open rifle, and open archery. It also leaves you some free time to enjoy the outdoors and to completely finish those merit badges.

If there are potential conflicts with the above three (3) events, please let any of the leaders know.

AS A REMINDER: If you haven”™t signed up yet, it’s not too late! We”™ll be accepting registration forms until May 28. The cost is $260. We have reserved a bus to take scouts and leaders to camp. The bus will leave from RPC early Sunday morning, July 26, returning the afternoon of August 1. The cost for the bus trip will be $100 (same as last year). The deadline for turning in your money for the bus is July 1. Checks should be made out to Troop 24, and can be turned in at a troop meeting, or given to Nancy Hopkins. Also due no later than July 1 is a medical form for each scout (and each leader). Medical forms are now required annually. The medical form is available here, and can be given to Nancy Hopkins along with your bus check.

If you’re still thinking about whether to go to Camp Mach, we would like your registration form and check for $260 (made out to Troop 24) turned in no later than Thursday, May 28. You can bring them to the Court of Honor that day, or drop them off to Nancy Hopkins. We have 35 scouts registered so far. You will also need to turn in a medical form by July 1. If you plan to ride the bus, a check for $100 is due no later than July 1, although you can, of course, turn it in now.

All scouts are invited to attend the Memorial Day ceremony in Riverside at Guthrie Park on Monday, May 25, at 10:00 a.m. Please wear your full Class A uniform, as you would for a Court of Honor. Scouts from Troop 24 have been asked to raise and lower the flag, and the Memorial Day Committee would appreciate having as many scouts in uniform attend as are available. If you plan to be in town on Monday, please be at the flagpole in Guthrie Park (between the train station and the library) no later than 9:55.

Just a reminder that our final Court of Honor for this school year is Thursday, May 28, at 7:00 p.m. All scouts should be in full Class A uniform, and a parent needs to be present for those boys who are advancing in rank.

There will be a meeting for all scouts and leaders who have signed up for the 2010 Seabase adventure.  Please meet at the RPC Social Hall on Tuesday, May 26, at 7:00.

Topics include:

• whether to pursue any fund raising activities,
  
• review options for side trips,
  
• select a scout leader who can take ownership of managing the planning and coordination of the various tasks, and
  
• any other items of general interest.

We will also begin collecting monthly payments to be deposited in the Troop account:  $100 per person.  This will be used for our next payment, which is due October 1, as well as any other required trip costs.

Questions?  Contact Jim Ringbloom.

The Troop Meeting for this Thursday, May 7, will be held in the RPC Social Hall (same door but downstairs) rather than the gym.  The gym is being painted.

The spring Court of Honor will be held on May 28 in the RPC Social Hall.  The deadline for turning in your blue cards to Mr. Jantze will be May 21.

We now have 35 scouts signed up for Camp Mach.  If you haven’t signed up yet, it’s not too late!  We’ll be accepting registration forms until May 28.  The cost is $260.  We have reserved a bus to take scouts and leaders to camp.  The bus will leave from RPC early Sunday morning, July 26, returning the afternoon of August 1.  The cost for the bus trip will be $100 (same as last year).  The deadline for turning in your money for the bus is July 1.  Checks should be made out to Troop 24, and can be turned in at a troop meeting, or given to Nancy Hopkins.  Also due no later than July 1 is a medical form for each scout (and each leader).  Medical forms are now required annually.  The medical form is available here, and can be given to Nancy Hopkins along with your bus check.

Due to a scheduling conflict, the Troop Committee meeting for May was held on Monday, May 4.  There is NO Troop Committee meeting on Tuesday, May 5.