REGISTRATION ENDS WEDNESDAY MAY 3!!!!!!

For our May camping trip, Troop 24 is heading out to Illini State Park which is located on a beautiful stretch of the Illinois River in Marseilles, Illinois which is an easy 70 to 80 minute drive from the Riverside area. From our base of operations, we are going to hike at the nearby Starved Rock State Park, which is known as one of the most interesting geological areas of Illinois. We are also planning a visit to the Ottawa Scouting Museum, which is the final resting place of W.D. Boyce, who is a founder of the Boy Scouts of America. This outing will be a great opportunity for new scouts to work on rank advancement and all scouts to complete requirements for the Scouting Heritage Merit Badge.

Our plan is to leave Riverside on Friday afternoon, May 12 and return to Riverside early on Sunday, May 14 so scouts can be back in time for Mother’s Day activities. The cost for this trip is $58 per scout, which includes all meals.

Registration will end on Wednesday, May 3. Remember that new scouts who are planning on going to Camp Tesomas this summer must participate in at least one weekend camp-out before Tesomas.

Email Jim Jerz if you have any questions about this trip.

Click below to register

• Scout Link
• Adult Leader / Chaperone Link

APRIL:
 April 27: Spring Court of Honor
 April 28-30: CAMP OUT: Ingersoll Scout Reservation; 33 Knox Rd 650 E, London Mills, IL 61544

MAY:
 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: Board of Review
 May 29: Memorial Day Ceremony & Color Guard

JUNE:
 June 2-4: CAMP OUT: Kankakee State Park, Davis Creek Campground, County Road N224W, Bourbonnais, IL 60914
 June 25-July 2: Seabase High Adventure

JULY: Summer Camp
 July 3: Flag Raising Ceremony for Riverside Independence Day Celebration
 July 4: Pizza Booth at Riverside Independence Day Celebration
 July 16-22: Tesomas Summer Camp

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

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 select merit badge choices on the 2017 Tesomas Advancement Schedule and turn it in at troop meeting or email to our camp coordinators (addresses below). For older scouts who are 1st Class and above, several other options are available including Microtreks. Please contact our summer camp coordinators to sign up for these programs NOW since there is limited enrollment.

The cost for camp is $295. (A late fee may of $15 may be added soon) Because many scouts have popcorn credits, the camp fee should be paid by check made out to Troop 24. Checks can be turned in at a Troop meeting. Scouts with popcorn credit were e-mailed 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.

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 now. The form that you need to take to your physician can be downloaded here:
BSA Medical Form
Scuba participants will also need the PADI medical form.

Please don’t wait until the last minute to register! Register for camp here:
Scout Summer Camp Registration
Leaders and Troop Committee Members planning to attend Camp Tesomas, register here: Adult Summer Camp Registration

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

In place of our usual Thursday troop meeting, there will be a Court of Honor this week, starting at 7:00 p.m. in the RPC Social Hall. Scouts who wish to participate as color guard, candle lighters, etc. should arrive at 6:45 p.m.

Wikipedia’s definition of a BSA Court of Honor: “In the Boy Scouts of America a court of honor is a troop activity where scouts and their families come together to get their awards, and have a good time together. It is important for the scout’s family members to be there for their scouts receiving his rank advancement, merit badges, and other awards.”

Troop 24 holds two Courts of Honor each year–one in the fall and one in the spring. We expect that all scouts participate in these events, unless there is an unavoidable conflict. Scouts should dress in full uniform, including their scarf and merit badge sash (if they have one). Please no jeans or athletic apparel.

We also ask that each scout have at least one parent or grandparent present. Parents as well as scouts come forward when rank advancements are announced, and it’s sad when a scout has to stand up there alone.

We need refreshments for the reception after the ceremony. Noretta Griffin will be coordinating this, but we need volunteers to help set up and clean up. If you can volunteer or bring food, please e-mail Noretta at jasonandcorky@comcast.net. Suggestions are cookies, brownies, fruit, cheese & crackers, veggies & dip, hummus or guacamole & chips. Thanks!

All First Year scouts are encouraged to attend the Bravo & Delta Patrol meeting on Sunday evening at 7:00 in the RPC Social Hall.  Come prepared to finish your Scout Rank Requirements and have a Scoutmaster Conference.  Review your unfinished requirements, practice, and achieve the Scout Rank for recognition at our forthcoming Court of Honor on Thursday.

To earn the Scout Rank all scouts need to complete requirement #6:With your parent or guardian, complete the exercises in the pamphlet How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse: A Parent’s Guide and earn the Cyber Chip Award for your grade. The Pamphlet is located in the very front of the Scout Handbook.

To earn the Cyber Chip go to: http://www.netsmartz.org/scouting.  We will be using the green 6-8 grade Cyber Chip. The scout and parent must complete #2 at home:  Write and sign a personalized contract with your parent or guardian that outlines rules for using the computer and mobile devices, including what you can download, what you can post, and consequences for inappropriate use.  The scout should be prepared to lead the activities set forth in #4.  We will cover the rest at the meeting.

Hope to see all our Bravo and Delta Patrol members on Sunday evening.

TODAY is the deadline to sign up for the climbing & shooting camp out April 28-30.  Click here to register your scout or here if you can participate as an adult leader or chaperone..

For our May camping trip, Troop 24 is heading out to Illini State Park which is located on a beautiful stretch of the Illinois River in Marseilles, Illinois which is an easy 70 to 80 minute drive from the Riverside area.  From our base of operations, we are going to hike at the nearby Starved Rock State Park, which is known as one of the most interesting geological areas of Illinois.  We are also planning a visit to the Ottawa Scouting Museum, which is the final resting place of W.D. Boyce, who is a founder of the Boy Scouts of America.  This outing will be a great opportunity for new scouts to work on rank advancement and all scouts to complete requirements for the Scouting Heritage Merit Badge.

Our plan is to leave Riverside on Friday afternoon, May 12 and return to Riverside early on Sunday, May 14 so scouts can be back in time for Mother’s Day activities.  The cost for this trip is $58 per scout, which includes all meals.

Registration will end on Wednesday, May 3.  Remember that new scouts who are planning on going to Camp Tesomas this summer must participate in at least one weekend camp-out before Tesomas.

Email Jim Jerz if you have any questions about this trip.

Click below to register

• Scout Link
• Adult Leader / Chaperone Link

THURSDAY April 20 TROOP 24 MEETING 7:00 PM

• April: Scouting Heritage Month
• BRING SCOUT BOOK TO ALL MEETINGS AND ACTIVITIES.
• BRAVO in charge of meeting set-up, FLAGS, and clean-up. Report at 6:45pm in Full Uniform.
• Boards of Review. Full uniform required.
• Trail to First Class (New Scouts): Complete Scout Rank Requirements.
• Trail to First Class: Come prepared to work on your missing rank advancement requirements.
• 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 pp 11 at MeritBadge.org.
• Merit Badge: Scouting Heritage with Mrs. Staubus.  Download and print the workbook from MeritBadge.org
• Camp Out: Camp Ingersoll Preparation.  All scouts attending camp must attend Thursday to prepare equipment and menus.
• 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.