Do you like planning ahead? So do we! Here’s a summary of the Troop 24 events we have planned for our scouts:

May
May 4 – Scout Cabin night for First Year Scouts and Troop Guides
May 4-6 – Order of the Arrow Spring Fellowship Campout (members and elected scouts only)
May 10 – Boards of Review
May 17 – Spring Court of Honor, 7pm at RPC
May 18-20 – White Pines State Park Campout – info and sign up here
May 26 – Eagle Scout Court of Honor, 11am at RPC
May 28 – Riverside Memorial Day Ceremony
May 31 – Boards of Review, last troop meeting before summer break

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

September
Sept 7-9 – Order of the Arrow Fall Fellowship Campout (members and elected scouts only)
September 21-23 – Camp Inferno

October
Oct 12-14 – Civil War Reenactment Campout in Princeton, IL

November
Nov 2-4 – Waterfall Glen Campout and Hike
Nov 17 – 1,000 Trees Service Project

December
Dec 7 – Troop Smores booth at Riverside Holiday Stroll

May 2019
March 2, 2019 – Pancake Breakfast

June 2019
June 12-24, 2019 – Philmont Trek (trip roster is full)

July 2019
July 14-20, 2019 – Summer Camp at Camp Tesomas

Come and enjoy the White Pines State Park with Troop 24 on May 18-19.  The weekend campout is entirely planned by your Patrol Leaders Council and they have planned an exciting weekend of fun, advancement opportunities, and games.  The weekend will include the 10 Animal and 10 Plant hikes requirements for First and Second Class, fishing, soccer, frisbee, and every Scout’s favorite game, Capture the Flag.

The cost of this trip is  $45.00.  This will cover the cost of camping and meals (Dinner Friday Night, Saturday and breakfast on Sunday).

Scouts should be prepared to leave from RPC on Friday, May 18, 2018 at 5:00 pm.   Scouts should be back in Riverside by noon-ish on Sunday, May 20, 2018.

We will need both leaders and chaperones/ drivers to make this fun event happen.  Please consider joining Troop 24 scouts on this outing.

Due to the campground restrictions this outing is restricted to 15 scouts.  Sign up early to ensure your spot!

Scouts sign up here

Leaders and adults sign up here

Sign up deadline is Wednesday May 9th.   If you have any questions regarding the sign up contact Susan Lynch.

Its Physical Fitness Week at Troop 24.  We will be completing Tenderfoot Requirement 6a this Thursday so make sure you come with your running shoes and are prepared.  Scouts should start working on Tenderfoot Requirement 6b, the 30 day fitness log so as to be completed and turned in by May 31 when we complete Tenderfoot 6c.

We will resume and finish First Aid next week, May 3.  If you missed any of the First Aid meetings, be prepared to complete your missing requirements next week in order to earn the First Aid Merit Badge and complete all the First Aid advancement requirements.

May 17 is the Spring Court of Honor and this Thursday will be the last opportunity to sit for a Board of Review to be recognized at the Court of Honor.  Sign up for the Board of Review online if you are ready.

Please turn in Checks for Summer Camp made payable to Troop 24 in the amount of $300 unless you have popcorn credits.

• 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:  Physical Fitness Tenderfoot 6a.  Be Prepared.
  • Troop Guides and Instructors responsible for running the Physical Fitness stations.
• QUARTERMASTERS: Prepare trailer for Ingersoll Campout.
• MERIT BADGE: [First Class & Above]   
• TROOP ACTIVITY:
• 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.

We will continue with the First Aid Module on Thursday with Dr. Lanken, be prepared by reading the First Aid Chapter of the Scout Handbook.  We will also make final preparations for Ingersoll Campout.

Please turn in Checks for Summer Camp made payable to Troop 24 in the amount of $300 unless you have popcorn credits.

• BRING SCOUT BOOK TO ALL MEETINGS
• MEETING OPENING 7:00
  •   New Scout Patrol BLACK JACK 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.
• QUARTERMASTERS: Prepare trailer for Ingersoll Campout.
• MERIT BADGE: [First Class & Above]   
• 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.

The PLC will hold planning meetings on Tuesdays April 17, April 24 and May 8 at 6:00 in the Westminster Room.  The Council will be planning May’s Meeting theme, meeting activities, Friday Scout Cabin activity, and the White Pines Campout.  Come with your ideas and enthusiasm.

 

We are very sorry to inform you of the death of Tony Frencl, the son of Tom and Della Frencl. Tom Frencl is a longtime Boy Scout volunteer who is our Council Advancement Representative, assisting our Eagle Scout candidates through the process of applying for their Eagle award. Tony Frencl received his own Eagle award following his project of starting the Special Olympics program at RB High School.

Services will include a wake Monday, April 16th from 3 pm to 8:30 pm at Suburban Family Funeral Home, 5940 W. 35th Street in Cicero. A funeral mass will be held at St. Pius X Church in Stickney, date and time to be announced.

Please keep the Frencl family in your thoughts and prayers.

We held a meeting for parents covering everything you need to know about summer camp. There are links below for the documents that were discussed. If you were not at the meeting, please review the instructions carefully. The most important points:

–Summer Camp is July 15-21, 2018
–Sign up for summer camp now so we know who is going!
Scout Sign Up
Leader Sign Up
–Bring your payment to a troop meeting ($300 check made out to Troop 24) ASAP but no later than the May 17 Court of Honor.
–Schedule a medical exam because every scout (and adult) going to camp must have a medical form signed by a physician.
-Scouts need to select merit badge classes and submit their selections to Carolyn Lach at clach@northpark.edu. You can scan and attach the form to your email, or just email Mrs. Lach a list of your selections. See #10 below about the schedule of classes.
-Bus and bike transportation will be provided to camp. Please sign up and pay when the links are posted on the troop website.

1. Medical Form Parts A, B, C: Parents complete Parts A & B. A physician must complete Part C.
http://www.scouting.org/filestore/HealthSafety/pdf/680-001_ABC.pdf See sample form for instructions on how to complete specific portions: Sample medical form. You can save the completed pdf on your computer to save time next year.
MEDICAL FORMS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN JULY 1 SO THEY CAN BE COPIED AND ORGANIZED FOR CAMP. IF YOU CAN’T GET PART C (physician exam) DONE BY THEN, SUBMIT PARTS A and B AND PROVIDE 3 COPIES OF PART C BY JULY 10! NO EXCEPTIONS! Deliver forms to Mrs. Lach or scan and email to her at clach@northpark.edu.

2. Print medical forms single sided please.

3. Insurance card – provide a copy of the front and back with medical forms.

4. Map to camp: http://clsr.samoset.org/resources/MapToCLSR.pdf (6-hour ride)

5. Address/phone number of camp:
Scout’s Name, Troop 24, Camp Site – Fox (if you want to write but be sure it’s mailed early enough)
5403 Spider Lake Road
Rhinelander, WI 54501
Letters are welcome; please do not send care packages
715-365-3111 – Tesomas phone
715-333-9849 – Tesomas fax

6. Parent guide: Read the 2018 Parent’s Guidebook and more here. (DISREGARD PACKING LIST AND USE THE FOLLOWING INSTEAD)

7. Packing list – Scouts should pack so they know where everything is:
Tesomas Packing List

8. Put your scout’s name on everything–AND WE MEAN EVERYTHING!!!

9. Scouts must wear Class A uniform (Scout shirt but not neckerchief) for travel to and from camp.
Bring a clothes hanger to hang the shirt during the week.

10. Advancement schedule – Be sure to check the level of difficulty (A is the most difficult and C is the least difficult). It is recommended that first-year scouts stick to levels B and C: See 2018 Advancement Schedule here.

11. Prerequisites – Be sure to check if there are any prerequisites for chosen merit badges: See Advancement Prerequisites here. Prerequisites should be done before camp starts.

12. Supplies for certain merit badges – basketry, leatherwork, etc. can be purchased at camp and billed to parent.

13. Troop’s merit badge book library – will be brought to camp for scouts to reference, but we suggest that you print out the worksheets for each merit badge at http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

14. First-year scouts – merit badge choices (cooking + 2 or 3 more B or C level classes, swimming if your son does not mind cold lakewater).

15. Additional fee – for shotgun merit badge ($25)

16. Special diet – is available, please make request no later than July 1, contact Carolyn Lach.

17. Bikes – It is HIGHLY recommended that all scouts bring bikes to camp to get around
*Bikes MUST be inspected ahead of time. You may go to a local bike shop or the troop will schedule an inspection day – more info is forthcoming.
ALL scouts MUST HAVE HELMET! It’s a BSA rule.
Bike drop off is Saturday, July 14, at 2413 4th Ave, North Riverside (home of Tom Hartwig)

18. Microtrek: activities for older scouts who want an alternative to merit badge classes; contact Carolyn Lach to inquire about possible openings.

19. Waivers for Microtrek:
Waivers must be turned in to Carolyn Lach with the medical forms.

20. Scuba: http://www.northwoodshighadventure.com/programs/scuba.php
You will need to provide to Camp Tesomas:
Measurements – height, weight, chest, waist, inseam, shoe size
PADI Medical Statement
2 – 1 ½ x 2” size photos for certification card
Participants will get more information mailed in early summer.

21. Camp map: http://clsr.samoset.org/resources/CLSRMap.pdf (Fox Campsite is #27 on the map)

22. Departure – (The round-trip bus fee is $100 and information will be provided soon). Meet in parking lot of Hauser (behind school) Sunday July 15 at 6:30 a.m. for a 7:00 a.m. departure.

23. IF YOU HAVEN’T COMPLETED THE SWIM TEST IN ADVANCE, YOU WILL NEED TO TAKE THE SWIM TEST UPON ARRIVAL. BRING SWIM TRUNKS AND TOWEL IN SEPARATE BAG ON BUS. (See Item 28.)

24. Lunch – Bring sack lunch or money for lunch going, and be sure to save enough money for lunch on the return trip (put $ in one envelope marked “Lunch on way to camp” and $ in a second envelope marked “Lunch on way home from camp”). DO NOT BRING FOOD TO STORE FOOD IN TENTS!!!

25. Trading Post – slushies and odds and ends – ~$30 is probably enough for whole week, including lunch going and coming unless your scout wants to buy a souvenir.

26. Return – the bus departs camp between 9:00 and 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 21. The scouts arrive back in Riverside in the Hauser parking lot at around 4:30 pm. They will use leaders’ phones to call as they get close and/or an email will go out letting parents know when to meet the bus in the Hauser parking lot.

27. Cell Phones – signal is very weak; chances of loss and/or damage are significant. Do NOT bring cell phones.

28. Swim test – We will let you know several weeks before camp when/where our troop swim test will take place (probably the Pav YMCA in Berwyn). It’s best to complete before camp.

29. T-shirt size – We will send an email with a form requesting your son’s t-shirt size.

30. Expect your scout to be sent home with a tent or other equipment to clean and dry after camp.