Our spring Court of Honor will be held on April 25. Scouts who are close to advancing will have an opportunity for a Board of Review on April 11. Please ask Mr. Hartwig for a Scoutmaster Conference, and contact Nancy Hopkins at nmhopkins1@comcast.net if you are requesting a Board of Review.

The Troop meeting this week is on Friday at the Scout Cabin from 7:00 to 9:30. We will be building model rockets.

Troop 24 is planning an overnight camp-out at White Pines State Park from Friday, April 19 through Sunday, April 21.

Scouts should come prepared to camp in tents for two nights. We will leave from RPC at approximately 4:45 p.m. on Friday and will return by noon on Sunday.   The deadline for signing up for the outing is Monday, April 15. Scouts should bring money for dinner on Friday night. We will stop on the way. The Scout cost for this outing is $35. Scouts must wear their Class A uniforms to travel. Further details will be sent the week of the outing.

We need parents to drive and chaperone as well. We are also looking for patrol leaders for this outing. If you would like to be a patrol leader, you need to sign up for this outing before April 10. We will be working on meal planning for this outing at the April 11 meeting.

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

Please contact  Dawn Gmitro with questions.

This year Troop 24’s annual summer camp will be at Camp Tesomas, north of Rhinelander, Wisconsin (about 6 hours from Riverside). This is the same camp we attended last year, and we’ll be in the same campsite.   Traditionally, almost all of our scouts attend summer camp, and we highly recommend that new scouts attend camp.  The dates for this year’s camp are July 21-27.  More information about the camp is available here: http://www.tesomas.com/.

Younger scouts (current 5th, 6th, 7th graders) will take merit badge classes.    For our 5th grade scouts particularly, our leaders will discuss their options with them and make recommendations.

For scouts who are 1st Class and above, and who are at least 13 or have graduated from 8th grade, and who have earned the Swimming Merit Badge, there are two other options:  Scuba and Microtreks.  Scouts who take the scuba class can earn the Scuba Merit Badge, and will be PADI-certified by the end of the week.  Scuba is an all-day program, and participants will not have time to take other merit badge classes.  We have reserved all 10 scuba spots, and registration will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis.  The additional cost for Scuba is $170, which includes all equipment.  Scouts in Microtrek will participate in a different high adventure activity each day.  Microtrek is available in the morning or the afternoon.  Scouts who sign up for the afternoon Microtreks can also take up to 3 merit badge classes in the morning.  Scouts who sign up for morning Microtrek can take one afternoon merit badge class.  Microtrek spots are also limited and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.  There is an additional $35 fee for Microtrek.

As in the past, we will charter a bus to take our scouts to camp.  We anticipate the cost to be $100 (which is in addition to the cost of the camp).  More information about the bus will be available later.  The bus will leave from Hauser’s parking lot about 7:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, July 21, and will return mid-day on Saturday, July 27.

The cost for camp is $290. If your scout sold popcorn, you should pay by check. You will receive an e-mail telling you how much is due. If your scout did not sell popcorn (and this includes all new scouts, whose popcorn money went to the Pack), you can pay the entire fee online. If it will be a hardship to pay everything at once, we’ll have an option on WePay to pay a deposit, with the remainder due by May 15.  Scouts who are interested in either Scuba or Microtrek must pay the additional fee online.

Please make it easy for us–don’t wait until the last minute to register!   First, register for camp here:   http://troop24riverside.com/2013/04/camp-tesomas-registration-form-2013/    After you have completed the registration form you will be directed to WePay.

General questions about camp can be directed to our Summer Camp Coordinator, Liz Gomorczak at jecggomo@gmail.com