Scouts who just crossed over have until Thursday, March 24, to sign up for Camp Mach at the reduced price of $265. They can sign up later–up until sometime in May–but the price after tomorrow will be $290. Six of the 5th grade scouts have already signed up.

To sign up: http://troop24riverside.com/2011/02/camp-mach-form/
To pay online: https://www.wepay.com/tickets/view/131963
(Scouts can also bring a check for $265, made out to Troop 24, to the meeting on Thursday.)

Scouts who plan to attend summer camp should have at least one night of camping experience without a parent. Cantigny counted, as will the Spring Camporee, April 15-17. The deadline to sign up for the Camporee is April 6.

Reminder: The Philmont Crew will be hiking at Waterfall Glen on Saturday. (Not all of you have registered!). Younger scouts can sign up until 8:00 p.m. tonight. We have 2 leaders who have committed to attend with the non-Philmont scouts. The forecast for Saturday is a high of 32 degrees, cloudy, and a chance of snow flurries. This outing is required for Philmont scouts. Younger scouts will be able to complete Second Class requirement (1b) of a 5-mile hike using a compass and map. Participants should eat prior to the outing, but should bring water bottles.

To sign up: http://troop24riverside.com/2011/03/waterfall-glen-day-hike-form/

Forms – Several families need to turn in one or more of our Troop forms. Please do so as soon as possible, as your scout cannot participate in outings unless we have all his paperwork. If possible, please drop off the forms to Nancy Hopkins; otherwise, bring them to the Troop meeting on March 24.

Camp Mach – Webelos 2 scouts who just crossed over have until March 24 to sign up for Camp Mach at the reduced rate of $265. After March 24, the cost will be $290. All but six of our scouts 6th grade and above have signed up for one of our summer camp opportunities, and three of the 5th grade scouts have already registered for Camp Mach.

Kayaking – For those families who have indicated an interest in the kayaking trip, we need BOTH a check for $75/person AND a registration on our sign-up form: http://troop24riverside.com/2011/03/apostle-islands-kayaking-form/
C’mon guys – we received a couple of checks but NO ONE has filled out the form!

Cantigny Weather Forecast – Be sure to send your scouts with warm clothing for the Cantigny outing. The high on Sunday (Accuweather) is supposed to be 52 degrees, with an overnight low of 36. No rain in the forecast.

On Saturday, March 26, the Troop will be hiking at Waterfall Glen. This is a REQUIRED hike for scouts and adults going to Philmont. Other scouts are welcome to attend as well. For scouts who need to fulfill the Second Class requirement (1b) of a 5-mile hike using a compass and map, this would be an appropriate outing. For scouts other than the Philmont scouts to participate, we need at least two adults to volunteer to hike. (They do not have to be leaders – they can be parents of scouts.) There is no cost for this outing.

We will leave from RPC at noon on March 26, and return in the late afternoon. Participants should eat prior to the outing, but bring water – and a snack to carry with you if think you can’t make it without nourishment.

Sign up here

Troop 24 will be attending the Voyageur Trace Spring Camporee in Rochelle, Illinois, April  15-17.  This annual event will highlight camping skills.  Scouts should be dropped off at the Riverside Presbyterian Church on Friday evening (time to be determined).  They will return to the RPC for pick-up by parents on Sunday around noon.  Scouts should come prepared to camp in tents with sleeping bag, sleeping pad and appropriate clothing.  District 96 5th Grade Games Night is on Friday, April 15.  5th grade scouts can come on Saturday morning, with activities likely starting by 9:00 a.m.  We will need drivers! The cost for this event is $30. The deadline for signing up is Wednesday, April 6, at noon.

Please contact Dawn Gmitro with questions at dmgmitro@aol.com

Please register online.

Troop 24 is planning an overnight camping outing to Cantigny Park in Winfield on Saturday, March 19.  Scouts should be dropped off at Riverside Presbyterian Church on Saturday morning (time to be announced).  Scouts will return to RPC around noon on Sunday, March 20.  They will call to be picked up.  Return time is approximate and families must be available to pick up their scouts.

The cost for this outing is $20. The deadline to sign up for this outing is Friday, March 11 at noon.

Scouts will be camping in tents and should come prepared with sleeping bag and sleeping pad.  They should be prepared for cold weather:  synthetic wicking underwear, another insulating layer, pants, synthetic or wool socks, appropriate footwear depending on the weather (plus an extra pair of shoes/boots), a warm coat, hat and gloves, and a change of socks.  Do not wear cotton.  If it gets wet, cotton is cold. 

Please contact Dawn Gmitro at dmgmitro@aol.com with questions.

Sign up here.

Two of our upcoming outings are ideal for new scouts: Cantigny on March 19-20, and the Voyageur Trace Spring Camporee at Rochelle on April 15-17. We ask that any new scouts planning to attend summer camp (and most do), participate in at least one overnight outing without a parent. Both of these outings are open to scouts of any age/rank.

The Troop Committee met on March 1, and discussed possible outings through next December. For various reasons, scouts have been signing up for our outings “at the last minute.” Because we don’t have a firm roster of participants very far in advance, we have been unable to fully utilize the Patrol Method, with scouts planning meals, participating in shopping for food, working as a patrol, etc. To the extent possible, we will be trying to return to the patrol method, which will require us to cut off registrations farther in advance than we have previously. We request the help of our parents in discussing outings with your scouts and making an effort to commit to an outing as early as possible.

All scout families: If you have not already done so, please take this survey!

The Lincoln Pilgrimage is annual scout event sponsored by the Abraham Lincoln Council in Springfield. Last fall our Troop Committee chose this as one of our outings for the 2010-2011 scouting year. To participate in this outing, we would leave RPC as soon after school as possible on April 30, with a 3 1/2 hour drive to Springfield. We would camp Friday and Saturday nights, participate in activities until 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, and return to Riverside by 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 2.

The Pilgrimage has been in existence since 1926, and is an annual event for many Troops. Our Troop has not participated recently. Because of the distance involved, and the various possible activities available during the weekend, we need to know in advance if there is enough interest in the event–both from scouts and from parents/leaders–to offer this outing.

More information is available on the Abraham Lincoln Council website at http://www.alincolnbsa.org/council_index.htm

To gauge the level of interest, we are asking each scout family to participate in a survey.

Take Survey