Troop 24 will be attending Tesomas Summer Camp July 16-22, 2017. The cost of camp will be $295 per scout. 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 for an additional cost of $160. 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). Microtrek 300 is for scouts who have already been through Microtrek 200 and is an all-day program, additional fee $100. For details on these programs, see the Tesomas 2017 Leader guide. http://clsr.samoset.org/resources/TSCGuidebook.pdf 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 2017 Merit Badge schedule is now available online: http://clsr.samoset.org/resources/TSCAdvancement.pdf Take a look, as some new classes are being offered this summer.

Thank you Scouts, Parents and Leaders for a fantastic camp week. We had good weather and much fun. The scouts completed many merit badges and we had a few rank advancements. A special thank you to all the Leaders and Parents that helped plan, coordinate, and spend time with the Scouts at camp, without your continued help and dedication to Scouting and Troop 24 we could not have accomplished so much and provided a great summer camp.

• Are you interested in seeing pictures of your Scout’s Tesomas experience? Visit www.troop24.smugmug.com for over 1200 photographs of our week in the north woods. You can also see photographs of many of our outings on this page including the Isle Royale backpacking and ATV Trek High Adventures that Troop 24 participated in this year.

• Equipment, tents and coolers must be returned on Thursday, August 4, 6-7pm at the RPC Garage.

• Lost & Found will be held on Thursday, August 4, 6-7pm at the RPC garage. If you are missing clothes or items or if you have things that belong to others, stop by our Lost & Found on Thursday.

Assuming no significant traffic, our scouts on the bus should arrive back in North Riverside about 3:50 p.m.

The bus left Tesomas today at 9:00 a.m. We will update you when we have an estimate of their arrival time, but expect it to be between 3:00 and 4:00. A few additional photos have been posted to the Troop photo gallery at https://troop24.smugmug.com/2016-Tesomas/

Every morning there is a camp-wide flag-raising at Camp Tesomas. Scouts are led by Troop 24’s own Max Hoadley (Eagle 2016), who is a camp counselor at Tesomas. Max is in the red shirt.

Weather Forecast
The projected high temperatures next week range from 76 to 86 degrees, with a chance of thunderstorms a couple of days. Pack appropriately.

What to Bring
Please print and review the Troop 24 recommended Summer Camp Packing List. Scouts should pack so they know where everything is. Put your scout’s name on everything–AND WE MEAN EVERYTHING! Scouts must wear Class A uniforms (Scout shirts but not neckerchiefs) for travel to camp. Bring a hanger for the shirt during the week. Remember your scout book as we will have opportunities to work on rank advancement at Tesomas. If you have partial blue cards from merit badges offered at Tesomas, bring the partial blue cards so you can attempt to complete them at camp. Blue cards will be provided for this year’s classes. Be sure to bring insect repellant and long pants & a long-sleeved shirt. When buying insect repellant, be sure it is NON-AEROSOL (aerosol sprays are very flammable, and are not allowed at camp). You may bring a cell phone (at your own risk) and ear buds for use on the bus only.

Bike & Equipment Drop-Off
Bike drop-off is at Tom Hartwig’s yard at 2413 4th Avenue in North Riverside on Saturday, July 16 between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. Remember to bring a bike helmet, as it is required by Camp Tesomas.

If you have any troop equipment (and ESPECIALLY tents), please bring it to the bike drop-off on Saturday.

Packs/duffels for scouts who are now backpacking on Isle Royale should be dropped off to the bus on Sunday at 6:30 am.

Medications
Scouts taking medications should bring the meds in the original container in a ziplock bag labeled with the scout’s name. Please fill out the following form for Camp Tesomas as their medical office will administer medication: http://clsr.samoset.org/resources/MedicationForm.pdf.
Joan Janopoulos will collect this medication and remind those scouts when to visit the medical office. Please give the bags to her on Sunday.

Money
Scouts riding the bus will need money for lunch on the way to camp (or a sack lunch), and money for lunch on the way home. Remind your scout to save back enough money to eat lunch on the return trip. Scouts may buy snacks at the Trading Post during the week. Souvenirs are available as well.

Departure
Meet in the parking lot of the North Riverside Police Station at 2359 S. DesPlaines Avenue at 6:30 a.m. sharp on Sunday, July 17th to load gear and prepare for a 7:00 am departure.

Swim Test
Scouts who did not take the swim test in advance will be taking the test almost immediately after arrival. Bring swim trunks and a towel in a separate bag on the bus.

Return to Riverside
The bus departs camp between 9:00 and 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 23. The scouts arrive back at the North Riverside Police Department parking lot at around 4:00 p.m. They will use leaders’ phones to call as they get close and/or a group email will go out letting parents know when to meet the bus.

Bike drop off for Camp Tesomas will take place this Saturday from 1 to 4 pm at Tom Hartwig’s house, 2413 W. 4th Avenue, North Riverside. Please mark your bike and helmet with your name, and sign the bike agreement while you are there. If you are unable to drop off your bike during these hours, contact Tom Hartwig at thartwig@olparks.com to schedule early drop off.

Plan to meet at 6:30 am sharp this Sunday, July 17th to load gear and prepare for 7 am departure to Tesomas. Due to construction at Hauser, we will meet at North Riverside Police Department parking lot, 2359 S. DesPlaines Avenue.

Please print and review the Troop 24 recommended Summer Camp Packing List. Note that you must wear your Class A uniform during travel to camp. Remember your scout book as we will have opportunities to work on rank advancement at Tesomas. Also, remember to bring money for lunch going to and from camp and for the camp trading post/snack shop. You may bring a cell phone (at your own risk) and ear buds for use on the bus only.

If you have already had your scout’s bike inspected by a bike shop, great! If not, we will have an inspection Wednesday, July 6, from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Janopoulos’ house at 360 Nuttall in Riverside. We don’t want scouts to get to camp and have problems with their bikes, so the inspection is mandatory. If you know that your bicycle needs repair you will need to bring the needed parts with you and we will repair the bike that day.

You can also take your bicycle to any bike shop for inspection. Ask the bike shop to provide a paper saying that it is good working order.

We strongly encourage every scout to bring a bike. The camp is very large and it makes it much faster and easier to get around. Bikes are necessary for scouts taking archery and shooting sports because the ranges are quite far from our campsite.

The Troop Equipment Inspection will occur on Wednesday, June 22, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the RPC garage. Your Troop Quartermasters request your help inspecting the equipment and setting up the tents that you will be using at camp. This is a good opportunity to practice setting up the tent and thinking about what you will need to take to make your week fun and enjoyable.

Troop 24 has chartered a motorcoach bus to transport scouts to Camp Tesomas and back. This is a comfortable, air-conditioned bus with DVD players and a bathroom. The fee is $100 per scout round-trip (sorry no discount for one-way travel). If you have more than one scout, additional scouts in the same family are $75. We will also provide bicycle transport to camp for a cost of $15. We recommend that all scouts bring their bicycles due the size and layout of the camp. Please sign up now and pay the fees at Constant Contact. Thank you!

Pay for Bus & Bicyle