Scouts working on the personal fitness MB should continue with their personal exercise programs.  Scouts should log all their activities including any organized sports practices or major bike rides, walks or hikes.

We will check on scout progress  on this merit badge during our Thursday April 28 meeting, when scouts will complete a timed run of one mile and also test sit-ups and push-ups.

In the interim, please email hdrubio@gmail.com or jiminov@hotmail.com with any questions.

There are 2 spots open for Scuba at Camp Tesomas, and we have 4 spots available for the ATV Trek (age 16 & older). Contact Carrie Staubus for more information at carriestaubus@earthlink.net

Parents of scouts attending summer camp are invited to a meeting on Thursday, April 28, at 7:00 p.m. in the RPC Social Hall. The meeting is mandatory if your scout has never attended summer camp before, and strongly encouraged for all parents. Questions? Contact Carrie Staubus at carriestaubus@earthlink.net.

Due to conflicts with school events, we are rescheduling our spring Court of Honor to Thursday, May 19. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend to honor our scouts who are advancing in rank and receiving merit badges. The Court of Honor will be at 7:00 in the RPC Social Hall.

This summer Troop 24 will be going to Camp Tesomas for our fifth year, and it is always a fun, productive and memorable time for all who attend. It’s not too late to register, although the cost now will be $305 per scout. If you have not yet made your payment, or if you have other questions contact Carrie Staubus at carrie@staubus.net.

Scouts register here: http://troop24riverside.com/2016/02/camp-tesomas-form-2016/

Leaders/Adults register here: http://troop24riverside.com/2016/04/camp-tesomas-2016-leader-form/

The Tesomas advancement schedule for 2016 is now available at this link: http://clsr.samoset.org/resources/TSCAdvancement.pdf

Please start thinking about what merit badge classes or activities you would like to do. The following merit badge classes have limited enrollment: Archery, Climbing, Rifle Shooting and Shotgun Shooting (extra $25 fee). These classes are difficult classes and only recommended for those who have been Boy Scouts for several years. If you would like to sign up for one of those classes, you should email Mrs. Staubus soon to secure a spot. Other classes have open enrollment, and you may sign up after our meeting about summer camp. To read about difficulty levels and prerequisites for classes, see the page 21-22 of the Leader Guidebook available here: http://clsr.samoset.org/resources/TSCGuidebook.pdf

Keep in mind that some classes such as Personal Management and Personal Fitness have 12 or 13 week prerequisites that you should begin NOW if you want to complete the merit badge at camp.

Congratulations to our newest Eagle Scout, William Gmitro!

Join the troop 24 contingent heading out to Adventure Day this Saturday, April 16.  The weather forecast looks to be idea for the activities that have been planned: clear & sunny in the lower 60’s.

The cost is only $6 for scouts and you can register for either morning or afternoon sessions, if your schedule limits you from joining us all day.

There will be something for all levels of scouts: rank requirements for newer scouts and service hours for the older guys.  Of course, there will also be good opportunities for outdoor dun, learning and exercise.

• Click here to see the post with all of the event details, or just click here to register today.

If you have any questions, email jiminov AT hotmail DOT com.

At the Troop meeting on Thursday we will have a “Lost and Found” display from the camp-out at Bullfrog Lake. Despite Scoutmaster Flaherty’s instructions to the scouts, none of these items were labeled. They were spread out on a picnic table at the end of the camp-out and none of the scouts seemed to recognize their own gear.

We have two suggestions:
LABEL EVERYTHING that your scout takes to a camp-out
Have your scout pack his own bag

Both of these requirements will be very important at summer camp.

This list of items left behind at the camp-out is beyond anything we have experienced in the past. Please talk to your scout, but if you don’t think he will be able to identify his gear, a parent may want to come to the meeting Thursday to claim the following items:

– white plastic camping cutlery, knife/fork/ spoon on a ring
– expandable camp cup
– green plastic two ended unit with fork/ spoon
– metal camp fork
– blue mesh bag
– back / green trim champion brand youth gloves
– cooking dish with handle
– mini pan / pot with lid
– youth Levi jeans 26w/ 26.5 L “527 style”
– neckerchief (Cindy Reynolds has it)

In case you didn’t see the earlier e-mail from Susan about this, Bullfrog Lake campground said a scout left behind a pair of boots; they are going to clean the mud off them and hold onto them in hopes that they will be claimed. The boots are tan with black soles – the size indicates one of our younger scouts left them behind. If your son did not come home with his boots, please call Bullfrog Lake:
Phone: 312-636-9785
Address: 9600 Wolf Rd, Willow Springs, IL 60480

One of our scouts is missing a blue, non-mesh (Coleman) bag for his sleeping bag.

If your scout came home with anything that was not his, please bring it to the meeting on Thursday.

PAV YMCA has agreed to offer another merit badge class on April 18, from 6:00 to 8:30 for our scouts who were not able to attend the last one. The cost is $20, paid to PAV YMCA on the first day of class. You must sign up so that we can let the Y know how many scouts to expect.

The Swimming Merit Badge is an Eagle-required badge. Scouts must earn this badge to participate in any water-related activities or water merit badges (canoeing, rowing, sailing, kayaking, scuba, etc.). Any scout who has not earned this badge is encouraged to take this class, but if you have a conflict, the badge can also be completed at summer camp.

The deadline for registration is next Monday, April 11.

Asst. Scoutmaster Lisa Gaynor will be coordinating the event. Please contact Lisa with questions.

Sign up here: http://troop24riverside.com/2016/04/swimming-merit-badge-class-form/