The personal fitness merit badge is one of the 13 merit badges required for the Eagle rank.  Troop 24 leaders will be helping scouts of the rank of First Class and above to begin the pre-requisities for this merit badge with the goal of scouts completing it at Camp Tesomas in July.  We will begin this program at our next troop meeting on Thursday, April 7.

Requirement 7 is for scouts to prepare a physical fitness activity plan, and requirement 8 is for the scouts to complete this plan over the course of 12 weeks.  At our troop meeting, scouts will begin the test of endurance, flexibility and strength as outlined in requirement #6 to set a baseline.  Scouts will be measured again in early July to see how much they have improved.

Troop leaders have arranged for personal trainer Jerry Owen to come to the meeting to help the scouts plan their fitness regime.  All  requirements are specified here in the merit badge worksheet, which scouts should print off and bring to the meeting on April 7.

We ask all First Class and above scouts who are going to Tesomas this summer, and who need to complete this merit badge to sign up here in advance of the meeting on April 7.  We are asking for scout emails (and optional parent emails) so the troop leaders can send notices for interim check in dates and the special July re-test date.

Troop 24’s next camping trip will be April 22 to 24 where we will join up with other boy scout troop to take part in some friendly competition for prizes.  This event is being run by the Blackhawk council which is calling it an “Old School” camporee because of the focus on classic scout skills such as knots, first aid, fire starting, etc.  Click here for a full description of the events.

This outing will be a great opportunity for our new scouts to work on rank requirements, and our older scouts to demonstrate leadership by showing the younger guys the ropes, literally!

In order to get the early-bird discount for this event, our troop has have set our own deadline of Sunday, March 27.  With spring break, and Easter around the corner – don’t delay, just go ahead and register now, so you don’t forget later on.  If your scout can’t stay for the entire time, just make a note in registration.

So enough verbiage – click here to register scouts TODAY

We can always use leaders / drivers / chaperones, so click here if you can join us.

email jiminov@hotmail.com if you have any other specific questions.

Due to services at RPC on 3/24, and spring break on 3/31, there will be no Troop meetings for the next two weeks. Our next meeting is Thursday, April 7. New scouts will be working on Tenderfoot physical fitness requirements.

As mentioned in this previous post, Troop 24 will be participating in a “Camporee” sponsored by the Blackhawk district.  This event will be a great opportunity for new scouts to complete rank advancement requirements.  Its also a great opportunity for older scouts to hone their leadership skills and have a lot of fun.  The event organizers are calling this an “Old School” Camporee because some of the activities are time-honored classics, to be set-up as friendly competitions:

• Firebuilding
• Logchopping & Sawing
• Ropes, Knots & Simulated Rescue
• First Aid
• Pioneering, Lashings & Shelter Building
• Compass Course

We will plan on leaving RPC on Friday late afternoon on Friday, April 22 and returning to Riverside mid-day on Sunday April 24.  The cost of this event is $50 per scout which includes all activities, transportation and meals on Saturday and Sunday.

The Camporee will be held at Camp Lakota, 2050 Deep Cut Road, Woodstock, IL, US

Troop 24 registration ends on March 27 so we can get an early bird discount.  Plus spring break will be going on and nobody will remember to register at that point.

Scouts register here.

Leaders/Chaperones/Drivers register here.

This is just a reminder that we will have a meeting with new scout parents tonight at 7:15 p.m. in the RPC Social Hall.  The scouts go up to the 3rd floor gym, and parents can come downstairs to the lower level.

We will have forms for you to fill out, and our scoutmaster will give you an overview of Troop 24’s scout program and our spring events.   Both parents are welcome to attend, but we need at least one parent.  The cost for cross-over scouts is $25, which can be paid by check to Troop 24.

Dear Troop 24 Scouts & Parents,

You are invited to attend an Eagle Court of Honor at Riverside Presbyterian Church, on March 13, at 3:00 p.m., for four of our scouts:  Derek Johnson, Ben Lulich, Jack Lulich, and Charlie Marcou.

Eagle Scout is the highest advancement rank in Boy Scouting, and an achievement earned by less than 10% of all scouts.

Join us in recognizing this achievement!