Troop 24 will send a crew to Philmont in July of 2013. If your scout is interested, but you did not attend the informational meeting on February 6, please contact High Adventure Scoutmaster Jim Ringbloom ASAP. All interested scouts (& adults) must pay a $100 deposit, by February 29, to reserve their spot.

Scouts are invited to stay after the regular Troop meeting for sock hockey (“Sockey”) games from 8:15 to 8:40. If your scout stays, please pick him up no later than 8:45.

The Troop Committee would like to announce that our esteemed Scoutmaster, Michael Payne, will be stepping down at the end of this school year. We have been very fortunate to have Michael’s leadership and expertise as Scoutmaster, and he will continue to be involved with the Troop. We have many talented and dedicated leaders, including our new Scoutmaster–Tom Hartwig. We thank Michael for his tireless efforts on behalf of our boys over the past three years, and we appreciate Tom’s willingness to accept this leadership role. Please join us in thanking both of them.

Scouts interested in earning the Snow Sports Merit Badge are invited to the Riverside Library this Saturday, February 11, at 3:00 p.m. Scouts should bring their Blue Cards, the snow sports worksheet, and the merit badge book.

It’s not too late to sign up for our Ski Trip on February 25-26 (registration deadline February 19). More information is available at http://troop24riverside.com/2012/01/sunburst-ski-trip-feb-25-26/

Beginning this Thursday, February 9, and continuing for the next several troop meetings, scouts will be working on the Law Merit Badge. All scouts are eligible to participate. They will be working with Merit Badge Counselor Chris Robling. We will meet in the Social Hall of the church this week. Scout should bring a spiral notebook and pen/pencil. Scouts will also need the Law Merit Badge book–if not at the first meeting, please have it by next week.

All scouts are expected to work a shift at the Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, March 3, OR to help with set-up on March 1. For scheduling purposes, please contact Sue Jones at sue_jones@designpac.com as soon as possible to let her know if your scout has a conflict and can’t work a particular time.

Money for pancake breakfast tickets can be turned in at the Troop meeting on Thursday. Please turn in your money after all tickets have been sold.

A report from Jimmy S on the recent Luge outing:

As we arrived at the Presbyterian Church at 8:45 on Saturday, January 14, all was well and it looked like the perfect day for luging. We got into our cars and went on our way to Muskegon. It took about 3½ hours to get there and along the way we stopped for lunch at separate places. Then we met at the Baymont Inn, our hotel, and checked in. We then proceeded to the Muskegon Sports Complex, which has the only luge track in America that is open to the public. Luging is a lot like sledding, but you lay down on an icy track. We luged for about 2 hours, from 4:00 to 6:00, then got in our cars and all went to Pizza Hut for dinner. After dinner, we left, but it was snowing so hard, you couldn’t even see the road 200 ft. in front of you. After some sliding along the road, and some wrong turns, we got back to the hotel and went swimming in the pool area. Still at the pool, some of the scouts got out, opened the door, and walked around in the snow. I did it, and I couldn’t feel my feet, so I can’t imagine what it felt like when some scouts rolled around in it. After the pool, most of the scouts went to their rooms and watched the Packers vs. Broncos football game. At 10:00, it was supposed to be lights out, although most of the scouts went to sleep around 12:00. In the morning we woke up, ate breakfast at the breakfast buffet at the hotel, and left at 8:30. We arrived in Riverside around 11:00, then we all went home.

We were successful in getting a reservation for a Philmont trek for the summer of 2013 (departing July 5 and returning on July 19). Scouts must be 14 years old or age 13 and have graduated from 8th grade to participate in a Philmont experience (our current 7th graders and older). Our most recent Eagle Scout described one of his experiences at Philmont as the best moment in Boy Scouts–not an uncommon feeling for those who have experienced Philmont.

There is also a possibility for a scuba experience at Florida Seabase during the summer of 2013. Those who are interested in either outing should attend an informational meeting on Monday, February 6, at 7:00 p.m. in the Social Hall at RPC.

The next Troop Committee meeting will be on Tuesday, February 7, at 7:00 p.m. at RPC. All scout parents are welcome to attend.