At the Troop meeting this week (regular Thursday meeting place & time), the new scouts will continue working on Tenderfoot requirements, specifically those involving Patrol Organization. A representative from the Des Plaines Valley Council will be at the meeting to talk about Youth Leader Training, a training program for scouts 13 and older. We will also be cleaning and preparing the trailer and gear for the Camporee outing.

All scouts should bring their books. Parents — please review with your scouts the importance of having the book at every meeting, and go through the book with them to see which requirements have been signed off. It’s impossible for the leaders to know which requirements every one of our 65 scouts is lacking. Scouts below 1st Class, who believe they have completed a requirement, or want to work on a requirement at the meeting, should talk to a Scoutmaster or Troop Guide (some of older scouts).

Reminder: The Troop Meeting this week will be on FRIDAY at the Scout Cabin, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The topic is First Aid, and we will cover a number of requirements for various ranks. Scouts – please bring your books!

During the Troop Meeting on Thursday, March 10, we will hold an orientation meeting for new scout parents. Please join us in the Social Hall at RPC at 7:00 p.m. Please bring the forms your scout was given at the Scout Cabin last Friday. Four scouts were not able to come to the meeting Friday – parents of those scouts, please contact Nancy Hopkins at nmhopkins1@comcast.net, and we can get the forms to you before Thursday.

Reminder: there is NO Troop meeting on Thursday. Instead, we will meet on Friday, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m., at the Riverside Scout Cabin. All new 5th grade scouts are invited. The program will be about firefighting, and conducted by two of our firefighter dads. New scouts do not need to be in scout uniforms. Information about the Troop, including forms & other paperwork, will be given to the new scouts on Friday. If your scout can not attend, we will have it available at the Troop meeting/New Parent Orientation on March 10 at RPC. Scouts are asked to sign in, and sign out, at the Scout Cabin meetings, so we don’t lose anyone. Please remind your scout to do so.

The Troop meeting next week is on Friday, March 5, at the Scout Cabin. This will be the first meeting for our new scouts.

1. Pancake Breakfast money is due tonight.

2. Payment for early registration for Camp Mach is due tonight.

3. Scouts who have been working on merit badges should turn in blue cards tonight in order to receive the badges at the 3/17 Court of Honor.

4. Briefing for parents tonight in the RPC Social Hall (downstairs) by Dr. Bonnette and a member of the RB Referendum Committee. Please come!

February 24 will be the last chance for scouts to receive a Board of Review prior to the spring Court of Honor on March 17. If a scout needs a Board of Review, please contact our Scoutmaster ASAP.

Younger scouts (and any others who still need this) will continue working on the First Aid merit badge at the February 10 meeting. This is the same night as Hauser’s family dinner and book fair. The dinner runs from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., so scouts may want to plan to attend the dinner early.

This week’s troop meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, February 4, at the Scout Cabin. Scouts should dress for outside games in the snow. The Webelos 2 scouts will be joining us, and there will also be activities in preparation for the Klondike Derby. Parents and leaders should be aware that the driveway to the scout cabin will probably not be plowed. Please plan to park on the street. We will have a new procedure at this meeting to help us keep track of scouts coming and going. Either the scout, or the scout’s parent, should sign in and sign out on a form that will be available at the cabin. Please help our leaders by reminding your scout to cooperate with this requirement. Scouts can be picked up at 9:30, but if possible send your scout to the meeting with a cell phone, in case he is ready to leave earlier.

Scouts will have two opportunities to complete Boards of Review before our next Court of Honor (to be held on March 17). Boards will be held on January 27 and February 24. Please discuss with your scout his progress toward his next rank advancement. Before a scout has a Board of Review he first needs to ask for a Scoutmaster Conference. Over the past several months we have scheduled Boards of Review for several scouts who did not show up when scheduled. A scout should request to be assigned a Board of Review, and come to the meeting dressed in full uniform with his book.