Welcome to all 15 new scouts, we look forward to many fun events together.  Thursday’s meeting will begin the First Aid Module.  Please read the First Aid chapter in the Scout Handbook.  Please read and be prepared for Dr. Lanken and the Troop Instructors.  We will also begin the Personal Management Merit Badge with Mr. Jerz and Mrs. Murphy.

Bring any School Supply Donations for the Aidan Flaherty Eagle Scout Project to Thursday’s Meeting.

• BRING SCOUT BOOK TO ALL MEETINGS
• MEETING OPENING 7:00
  •   New Scout Patrol DUCKS is responsible for meeting set-up, FLAGS, and clean up. Report at 6:45 in Full Uniform.
• SKILL INSTRUCTION
  • Trail to First Class:  First Aid Advancement/Merit Badge in Scout Handbook.  Be Prepared.
  • Troop Guides and Instructors responsible for working with Dr. Lanken on First Aid module.
  • To Be Completed at Home: Second Class 8c & 8d; see the form from the Forms & Documents link on the Troop website.
• QUARTERMASTERS: Prepare trailer for Cantigny Campout.
• MERIT BADGE: [First Class & Above]  Personal Management.  Print out the worksheet from MeritBadge.org and be prepared. Have your parent sign off on Requirement #2.  
• TROOP ACTIVITY: First Aid Baseball
• 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, please sign up on the Troop 24 website to schedule a meeting to complete the Teach and Talk requirements.  We have the Cards.  The chip expires after one year, see Scoutmaster Flaherty to “Recharge” or renew the Chip.

Troop 24 will be attending Tesomas Summer Camp July 15-21, 2018. The cost of camp will be $300 per scout, plus an additional bus fee for transportation. Sign-up on our troop website will begin in spring, and we are requesting that payment be made by check, using popcorn credits for those scouts who have earned them. For those with financial hardship, camperships are available to pay a portion of this cost. Tesomas campership applications are due April 1. Here is a link to the form that parents should submit to be considered: http://clsr.samoset.org/resources/CampershipApplication.pdf. Troop 24 also has campership money available for scouts with financial hardship who participated in our troop fundraising, contact Scoutmaster Flaherty for more information.

Tesomas program registration opens on March 1, and the following programs and merit badge classes have limited enrollment. Scuba will be offered to high school age scouts for an additional cost. Microtrek 101 is for scouts who are 13 and 14 years of age and First Class rank (morning only, $50 additional cost). Microtrek 200 is for Scouts 15 years of age or older and First Class rank (morning and afternoon session, $65 additional cost). More information will be available at troop meetings or on the Camp Tesomas website. Four merit badge classes have limited enrollment: Climbing, Archery, Rifle Shooting and Shotgun Shooting ($25 additional fee). If you wish to participate in one of these programs, email our Troop Camp Coordinator Carolyn Lach ASAP at clach@northpark.edu.

The Tesomas 2018 Merit Badge schedule is now available online: Take a look, as some new classes are being offered this summer.

Aidan F. is holding a collection for school supplies for the Catholic Charities Refugee program. There are three collection points, The Riverside bank, Riverside Foods and The Riverside Library. They will be collecting from March 7th to March 18th. On Sunday March 11th and 18th scouts will be at the Presbyterian Church and St. Mary’s Church collecting during the services. The Refugee children really need your help so please give what you can.
Thank you.

Supplies asked for:
#2 Pencils (packs)
Erasers
Pencil sharpeners
Folders
Sturdy tote bags
Scientific calculators
Glue sticks
Scissors (both safety and non-safety)
Graphic novels
comic books
Kindergarten – 3rd grade reading level book
sturdy backpacks
Wide-ruled (50) and College ruled notebooks
Black and blue pens
Red pens (packs)
English dictionaries
Colored pencils (packs)
Markers (washable) (packs)
Small tissue packs (packs).

Scouts who would like to help with this Eagle Project, please let Aidan know by filling out this form:
Aidan F. Eagle Project

The Troop will have TWO separate camp outs at Cantigny Park in Wheaton, IL  during the weekend of March 16-18.

• 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.

Please be sure you sign up for the appropriate outing:

FRIDAY – $16 (register here)
SATURDAY (for Joiner only) –  $25 (register here)

The deadline for signing up for the outing is  Friday, March 9.    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.

THANK YOU to every scout and adult volunteer that made the Pancake Breakfast a huge success.  We had a great turnout and it was a wonderful community event.

Cantigny Campout March 16, 17, 18:  Wednesday is the last day to sign up for the Friday Night Cantigny Campout. https://troop24riverside.com/2018/02/st-patricks-day-campout-at-cantigny-park-two-outings-one-awesome-weekend/

• Scouts will camp Friday night to Saturday afternoon with the opportunity to explore the Cantigny grounds.  This is an excellent opportunity to complete those camping and cooking requirements for rank advancement!
• All those signed up to Camp on Friday night are REQUIRED to attend the Troop Meeting on this Thursday, 3/8 to plan their campout and meals.  We will meet in the Westminster Room.
• All our new Troop Guides, Carl L, Daniel W, Thomas J, Ryan L, Colin G, & Christopher C are needed to camp on Saturday night with the new crossovers.  It is the responsibility of the Troop Guide to teach our newest scouts the ways of camping with Troop 24.  You will all be treated to the best Corned Beef & Cabbage dinner you have ever had courtesy of the Leaders.  Please sign up for the Saturday campout or join us for the entire weekend!
• All new Scouts have the first Boy Scout campout on Saturday afternoon to Sunday, March 17-18 at Cantigny.  Please register for the Saturday Campout at the link above.  Scouts will only need their personal gear including sleeping bag and mat, clothes, and mess kit.  The Troop supplies the tents and food.

Thursday Meeting March 8:  Three Meetings in One!

• New Scouts shall attend the Thursday meeting at 7:00 pm in the third floor gym, enter on the south side door.  Scouts should be dressed in the full uniforms and prepared with pen and paper.  We will be forming New Scout patrols, electing patrol leaders, and introducing the scouts to Troop procedures.
• Troop Guides: Carl L, Daniel W, Thomas J, Ryan L, Colin G, & Christopher C are required to attend the Thursday meeting to guide and introduce the New Scouts to the ways of Troop 24.
• New Scout Parent Meeting: We will hold a Parent meeting for all our New Scout parents at 7:00 pm in the Social Hall.  We will discuss all facets of Boy Scouts, Troop 24 procedures, Summer Camp and Campouts.  Come prepared to take notes and we will answer all your questions.  Please bring your completed registration forms to the meeting and $40; see Mrs. Staubus email to you on March 1.
• Cantigny Friday Campout Planning Meeting: All those signed up for Friday night Cantigny Campout will report to the Westminster Room to plan meals and activities for the Campout.
• First Class and above scouts must register for a Troop Job with Mr. Flaherty.  If you haven’t already chosen a Troop job, see Mr. Flaherty on Thursday.  We are in need of Troop Instructors and Quartermasters!

The Troop 24 calendar has been updated with new events. The calendar is on our troop website under the link “View Calendar” along the right hand side. If you use Google Calendars as your own calendar, you can easily import the information without having to retype it. We are looking forward to seeing you at the many events we have planned for this coming year. Here is a summary of Troop 24 special events:

March
March 3 – Pancake Breakfast
March 3 – Pack 120 Blue and Gold
March 8 – New Scouts first troop meeting, information meeting for parents of new scouts
March 16-18 – Cantigny Campout
March 22 – Boards of Review
March 29 – No Troop Meeting – Spring Break

April
April 15 – Volunteer opportunity at Lions Club Chicken Dinner
April 20-22 – Climbing and Shooting Campout at Ingersoll Scout Reservation
April 21 – Hofmann Dam River Rats Service Project
April 26 – Boards of Review
April 29 – Service Project at the Boulevard

May
May 4-6 – Order of the Arrow Spring Fellowship Campout (members and elected scouts only)
May 17 – Spring Court of Honor
May 18-20 – White Pines State Park Campout
May 28 – Riverside Memorial Day Ceremony
May 31 – Boards of Review

June
June 1-3 – Kankakee State Park Campout

July
July 4 – Pizza Booth Fundraiser
July 8-14 – Whitewater Rafting Trip at Camp Daniel Boone (older scouts only)
July 15-21 – Summer Camp at Camp Tesomas