This week our Troop meeting will be held on Friday, January 8, at the Scout Cabin at 7:00 (NOT on Thursday at RPC). On the agenda is a fire safety demonstration by a firefighter, a video about the luge outing planned for January 30 in Muskegon, followed by popcorn and a movie. Because we’ll be meeting on Friday rather than a school night, scouts can stay later than our normal meeting time. You may wish to send your scout to the meeting with a cell phone. We have the Scout Cabin until 11:00.

1. Beginning with this Friday’s meeting, the first meeting of each month (the first Friday following the first Thursday of the month) will be held at the Scout Cabin. Special events or presentations will be held at the first meeting of the month.

2. The second meeting of the month (second Thursday) will be held at the church at 7:00 (following a Patrol Leader meeting at 6:30). We will cover a requirement for new scouts (Joiner or Tenderfoot), and separately work on a 1st Class requirement. Scouts who are 1st Class or above will have the option of working on individual merit badges (assuming they have set up an appointment with a Counselor), or have the opportunity to give back to the Troop by helping teach the younger boys or work on their troop jobs.

3. The third meeting of the month (third Thursday) will be a Troop merit badge meeting, working as a group on Eagle-required merit badges. We’ll be wrapping up Personal Fitness and will begin Emergency Preparedness in February. The youngest scouts will work on Tenderfoot requirements. Also at the third meeting 15 minutes will be designated for Patrol meetings. Boards of Review can be scheduled for the third meeting of the month, if the scout has notified the Scoutmaster in advance that they are ready.

4. The fourth meeting of the month (fourth Thursday) will follow the same format as the second meeting.