Everyone who paid for the White Pines outing is receiving a refund through WePay. The credit should appear on your next bill. Sorry for the cancellation, but for those of you who have been to White Pines you might remember that fording a creek is necessary to get to the campgrounds, which did not seem likely.

Today is the last day to register for summer camp and pay a deposit of $75 (with $215 due on May 15). Anyone who registers after April 15 will need to pay the entire amount ($290) at once. Twenty-six scouts are already registered. Why wait until the last minute?

Spots are still available for:

Scuba (3 spots)
Morning Microtrek (1 spot)
Afternoon Microtrek (9 spots)
We really need to fill these quickly, or we will need to turn them back to Tesomas for other Troops to use. See who is registered here: http://troop24riverside.com/upcoming-events/

Scuba costs $170. At the end of the week a participant will be a PADI-certified diver. Scouts must be 1st class, strong swimmers (Swimming Merit badge recommended), and age 13 or older.

Microtreks cost $35. Participants enrolled in the morning Microtrek will still have time to take ONE merit badge class in the afternoon. Participants enrolled in the afternoon Microtrek can take up to THREE merit badge classes in the morning. Scouts must be 1st class, swimmers (for the rafting & canoeing), and age 13 or older. Only scouts age 14 and older can use the ATVs. 13-year-old scouts will be given an alternate (now undetermined) activity.

Register for summer camp here:
http://troop24riverside.com/2013/04/camp-tesomas-registration-form-2013/

Contact Liz Gomorczak with questions: jecggomo@gmail.com

The deadline to sign up for the White Pines camp-out is Monday, April 15, at 7:00 p.m. We won’t be accepting any late registrations. So far we have 21 scouts signed up, and three leaders. One family has volunteered to drive, but we will need more drivers or leaders. It takes about 2 hours to get to White Pines, so if a parent might like to volunteer to go on this trip and stay for the weekend, it would be appreciated. New scouts have to attend one camp-out before summer camp without a parent.

Scouts sign up here: http://troop24riverside.com/2013/04/white-pines-scout-registration-form-april-19-21-2013/
Leaders and/or drivers sign up here: http://troop24riverside.com/2013/04/white-pines-adult-registration-form-april-19-21-2013/

We need a scout to work with our Scoutmasters for the Court of Honor on April 25. This would satisfy one of the requirements for the Communications Merit Badge. If you are interested, please talk to Mr. Hartwig.

Baylor University Research Finds Eagle Scouts Have Positive, Lasting Influence on American Society

http://www.baylorisr.org/2012/04/eagle-scouts-merit-beyond-the-badge-report/

Troop 24 is planning an overnight camp-out at Kankakee River State Park, leaving Friday, May 3, and returning Sunday, May 5.

Scouts should come prepared to camp in tents for two nights.   We have two activities planned (if enough adults sign up as leaders/chaperones):

Canoeing/Kayaking: The canoeing/kayaking will be a 12-mile, 3-5 hour trip on Saturday, outfitted by Reed’s.

• Scouts MUST have earned the Swimming Merit Badge to canoe or kayak.
• Kayaking is only for scouts with kayaking experience. Do not sign up for a kayak unless you have kayaked before.

or

Bicycling: The biking will be done on a 10.5 mile paved bike path through the park.

• Biking is available for first-year scouts, or older scouts who have not earned the Swimming Merit Badge, or those who do not want to canoe/kayak.

Please drop your Scout off at RPC at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. We will return about noon on Sunday.

The deadline for signing up for the outing is Wednesday, April 24.

Please fill out a form for each scout and each leader/chaperone.

The Scout cost for this outing is $30 for food, and $35 for canoeing (2 per canoe) or $50 for a single kayak.

Contact Susan Lynch with questions.

We will provide transportation for the bikes in one of the two Troop trailers. Scout parents must make sure that the scout’s bicycle is in good working order prior to the outing.

Scout Form
Leader/Chaperone Form

The Cooking merit badge will be required for the Eagle Scout rank starting on January 1, 2014. All Scouts who did not earn Eagle by the end of 2013 must complete the Cooking merit badge for Eagle, no matter when they started working on that rank.

Don’t forget — the Troop meeting this week is on Friday at the Scout Cabin at 7:00, where we’ll be building ROCKETS.

New scouts who have not turned in paperwork should bring it to the meeting on Friday. New scouts who plan to go to summer camp should attend one camp-out without a parent before Tesomas. We have two remaining camps planned before school is out: White Pines on April 19-21 and Kankakee River on May 3-5 (sign-up for this coming soon).

Sign-up for summer camp and White Pines (and don’t forget that you’re not officially registered until you pay):
White Pines – April 19-21
Camp Tesomas – July 21-27