Troop 24′s annual summer camp will be at Camp Tesomas, north of Rhinelander, Wisconsin (about 6 hours from Riverside). Traditionally, almost all our scouts attend summer camp, and we highly recommend that new scouts attend camp. The dates for this year’s camp are July 16-22. More information about the camp is available here: Camp Tesomas Website We will have a parent meeting soon to answer questions about this summer camp.

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. You can start thinking about your merit badge choices by looking at the 2017 Tesomas Advancement Schedule. For older scouts who are 1st Class and above, several other options are available including Scuba or Microtreks. Please contact our summer camp coordinators (addresses below) to sign up for these programs NOW since there is limited enrollment. For scouts completing 8th grade or older who are 1st Class and above, there will also be the option of staying the following week for a canoeing/camping trip on the Wisconsin River. More details and sign up coming soon!

The cost for camp is $295 if paid before April 15. After April 15, the cost is $15 more. Because many scouts have popcorn credits, the camp fee will be paid by check made out to Troop 24. Checks can be turned in at a Troop meeting. Scouts with popcorn credit will receive an e-mail with the amount. If it will be a hardship to pay everything at once, you can pay $150 now, with the remainder due by May 15.

Tesomas offers a confidential “campership.” The application for this financial assistance is due to Tesomas by April 1 and can be found here: Campership Application. Some of our scouts have received funds in the past, so please apply if needed.

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). We will also be transporting bicycles to camp. More information about the bus and bike transportation will be available later. The bus will leave about 7:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, July 16, and will return mid-day on Saturday, July 22.

All scouts will need an updated BSA medical form, signed by a physician (Part C) prior to going to camp. Please make your doctors’ appointments soon. The form that you need to take to your physician can be downloaded here:
BSA Medical Form

Please don’t wait until the last minute to register! Register for camp here:
Scout Summer Camp Registration
At this time, we are accepting adult registration from Leaders and Troop Committee Members. Adults planning to attend Camp Tesomas, register here: Adult Summer Camp Registration

General questions about camp can be directed to our new Summer Camp Coordinators, Carolyn Lach at clach@northpark.edu or Gina Scheidler at scheidler.gina@gmail.com.

The Troop is missing a Black Patrol Box.  Please return it on Thursday as we need it for the Bullfrog Lake Camp Out.

THURSDAY March 16 TROOP 24 MEETING 7:00 PM

Bullfrog Lake Camp Out sign up ends Wednesday at 11:00PM.   Go to the Troop24Riverside.com Latest News and scroll down to the Bullfrog Lake announcement.   All Troop Instructors and Guides are to attend Saturday Night as well.

• March: Wildlife & Wilderness Survival
• BRING SCOUT BOOK TO ALL MEETINGS.
• Bandits in charge of meeting set-up, FLAGS, and clean-up. Report at 6:45pm in Full Uniform.
• Trail to First Class (New Scouts):  Tent set up instruction and Scout rank 1a-1f.
• Trail to First Class: Second Class or First Class cooking requirements for camp out.
• Trail to First Class: Second Class Citizenship 8c & 8d form can be found at Forms & Document tab of the Troop website.
• Trail to First Class: All scouts should be tracking their physical activity for Tenderfoot 6b, Second 7a, First 8a.  These requirements need to be completed consecutively.  Print the Activity Log from the Personal Fitness Merit Badge workbook p 11 at MeritBadge.org.
• Merit Badge: Communications: Come prepared to cover requirements 4, 5 and 7.
• Camp Out: Prepare Bullfrog Lake menus, trailer and supplies.
• Cyber Chip: Scout Rank and Star Rank need to acquire the Cyber Chip for your age.  Go to http://www.netsmartz.org/scouting to review the requirements.  Once you have completed the Read, Write and Watch requirements, register on the Troop 24 Website and we will set aside time in the meeting for the scout to complete the Teach and Talk requirements.  We have the Cards.  The chip expires after one year, see the Scoutmaster to “Recharge” or renew the Chip.

We look forward to seeing you at 7:00 pm on Thursday.

Oak Brook Trout Unlimited offers a Fly Fishing Merit Badge class on several dates this summer. The class takes place at the Camp Sagawau Environmental Education Center in Lemont, IL. The class is free and has limited enrollment, so register early! Scouts must register directly with the program, and arrange their own transportation. For more information, see 2017 Youth Fly Fishing Program.

Boy Scouts need to complete service hours as a requirement for rank advancement. For the Life rank, at least three hours of this service must be conservation-related. The Frederick Law Olmstead Society (FLOS) and Village of Riverside offer a monthly Landscape Workday, with the next project taking place on Saturday, March 11th from 9am-12pm. Come for an hour or three, whatever your schedule allows. Middle school and high school aged scouts may attend with or without their parent, but you must bring this waiver signed by your parent. Since Troop 24 leaders will not be at this workday, you need to bring the Troop 24 Service Hour Form, have it signed by your supervisor at the workday, and turn in in to Scoutmaster Flaherty at the next troop meeting. The FLOS workdays have been pre-approved as conservation service projects for Troop 24 scouts, so you do not need the service hour form signed ahead of time. This month’s project will take place at Riverside’s Longcommon and Downing Road Triangle. Wear long pants and long sleeves, bring your work gloves and a water bottle. All other supplies will be provided. This month’s work will be weeding and invasive species removal.

Future FLOS Workdays:
Longcommon & Downing triangle: Apr 8th
Indian Gardens (Scout Cabin area): Apr 29th (RBHS Day of Service) & Sept 30th
Patriots Park: Apr 29th (RBHS Day of Service) & Jun 3rd
Harrington Park – May 13th
Swan Pond: Jul 15th & Jul 29th
Riverside Road: Aug 12th, Sept 9th, Sept 16th & Oct 28th
Scottswood Common: Oct 14th
Longcommon (Big Ball Park): Nov 18th

The Troop will have TWO separate camp outs at Bullfrog Lake in Willow Springs during the weekend of March 17-19.

• Friday night through Saturday Morning, for scouts 2nd year or older who would like to camp and/or work on rank advancement requirements that can only be completed on a campout (acting as Patrol cook, starting a fire, setting up a stove, etc.).
• Saturday morning through Sunday Morning ,  for our new “Joiner” scouts.  New Scouts will work on some of the skills and requirements needed for their first rank advancement.
• Troop Guides and Troop Instructors are requested to sign up for Saturday night as well by registering for the Friday night camp out and following the prompts.

Please be sure you sign up for the appropriate outing:

FRIDAY – $20 (register here)
SATURDAY –  $25 (register here)

The deadline for signing up for the outing is noon on Wednesday, March 15.    Please fill out a form for each scout.

As always we need leaders, chaperones and drivers.  If you can help out in any of the following ways please use this Adult sign up form (register here) to indicate how/when you are available to help out.

Questions?  Contact Susan Lynch.

The New Patrol Leaders Council will meet on Tuesday, March 7 at 6:00 in the Social Hall.

MARCH:  Wildlife & Wilderness Survival

• March 4:  Pancake Breakfast at RPC
• March 7: Troop Committee Meeting
• March 13: PAV YMCA Swimming Merit Badge Class
• March 17-19:  CAMP OUT: Bullfrog Lake, 9600 Wolf Road, Willow Springs, Illinois
• March 30: Board of Review

APRIL: TBD

• April 4: Troop Committee Meeting
• April 13: NO MEETING
• April 20: Board of Review
• April 22: Voyageur Trace Adventure Day
• April 27: Spring Court of Honor
• April 28-30: CAMP OUT:  Ingersoll Scout Reservation; 33 Knox Rd 650 E, London Mills, IL 61544

MAY:  TBD

• May 12-15:  CAMP OUT:  Illini State Park/Ottawa Scouting Museum
• May 20: Troop 24 100-year anniversary event at RPC/Scout Cabin CAMP OUT
• May 25: LAST MEETING/ Board of Review
• May 29: Memorial Day Ceremony & Color Guard

JUNE: TBD

• June 2-4: CAMP OUT: Kankakee State Park, Davis Creek Campground, County Road N224W, Bourbonnais, IL 60914
• June 18-23: National Youth Leadership Training; Camp Betz, Berrien Springs, MI.
• June 25-30: National Youth Leadership Training; Camp Big Timber, Elgin, IL
• June 25-July 2:  Seabase High Adventure

JULY:  Summer Camp

• July 9-14: National Youth Leadership Training; Camp Sol R Crown, Wilmot, WI
• July 16-22:  Tesomas Summer Camp
• July 23-29:  Wisconsin River Canoe Trip High Adventure

Board of Reviews will be scheduled for the troop meeting on the last Thursday of each month.

There is no regular troop meeting this Thursday due to Pancake Breakfast set up. The only scouts who need to attend are those assigned to set up, and those First Class or above scouts who want to work on the Communications Merit Badge. All scouts and volunteering adults should check the Pancake Breakfast website to confirm your job and shift. Here is the link: http://pancakes24.azurewebsites.net. A few changes were made to ensure everyone has a job and that all shifts are covered. You should also review the instructions for your job ahead of time (click on the job title on the schedule to get to a PDF of instructions for that job). If you have not yet turned in your tickets sales money you MUST get it to Mr. Hosek immediately.
On Saturday, scouts and volunteering adults must wear Class A scout uniform (no scarf or sash). You may wear jeans, but not shorts or athletic pants. If you have a scout hat, you should wear it, otherwise kitchen workers will be required to wear a paper cap. Please arrive a few minutes early! Any questions, email Pancakes@Troop24Riverside.com.