Any parents interested in serving as  scoutmasters in Troop 24 (dads OR moms) are invited to attend a meeting on Tuesday, March 8, at Riverside Presbyterian Church at 7:00 p.m.   If you might be interested but need more information, please join us!  We need at least 3 scoutmasters to assist with our new scouts.  The meeting is in the Westminster Room, downstairs across from the Social Hall.  Questions?  E-mail our Scoutmaster, John Flaherty, at jef2004@msn.com.

Thank you to everyone who worked to make this year’s pancake breakfast a huge success!  Particular thanks go to our Pancake King, Rich Hosek, and Nina Henderson, as well as everyone who worked the entire day.  We served 872 meals and received many compliments from our guests.  Every year we make a list of suggestions for improvements.  If you have any ideas for next year, please e-mail them to pancakes@troop24riverside.com.

Troop 24 is planning to participate in two large-scale events in April, so be sure to mark your calendars.  More details will follow soon.

Adventure Day III – Secrets of the Sagawau – A multi troop event sponsored by the Voyageur Trace District.  This is an excellent opportunity for new scouts to work on advancement requirements.

When? Saturday, April 16, 2016, beginning at 8:30am

Where?  The event will be located in the Cook County Forest Preserves in the Maple Lake

What?  A five-mile hike, canyon and fossil quarry tours, moraines, prairies, savannas, woods, bogs, streams.  An opportunity to work on the geology merit badge and other advancement requirements.  Lunch will be served.

“Old School Camp-or-ee” A multi troop event hosted by the Blackhawk District featuring unit competitions and skill building.  Events include:

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

When?  Friday, April 22 early evening to Sunday, April 24 when camp breaks at 10am

Where?  Camp Lakota, 2050 Deep Cut Road, Woodstock, IL, US

What?  In addition to the group skills & challenges, troops will be responsible for their own meals.  There is a campfire and order of the arrow ceremony.

Mark your calendars for eight days beginning Sunday, June 25 2017 as Troop 24 will be returning to the Florida Seabase for epic high adventure.  Our troop has been allocated space for a crew of 18-20 participants for the Sea Exploring adventure.  Here is a description of this program from the official Seabase website:

• Designed for larger groups (either a council contingent or a larger troop), offering your crew the opportunity to experience a sailing adventure of yesteryear. These are large vessels, 75 feet or more, normally gaff-rigged topsail schooners, fully equipped and prepared to provide an unforgettable adventure snorkeling the beautiful Keys’ reefs, fishing, and hands-on sailing as well as a port-o-call in Key West.
• For a hands-on sailing adventure voyage, one that is exciting, ruggedly challenging, and excellent for larger groups, pack your sea bag for the Sea Exploring program. This is an eight day event and the contingent will be back in Riverside by July 3.

The eligibility requirements for participants are that they must be thirteen (13) and graduated from the 8th grade or fourteen (14) years old to participate in all programs. We are going to be gathering information to estimate cost and then plan a meeting of interested scouts in the near future.  If you have any questions in the interim, please email Jim Jerz.

Scouts: If you have not already turned in your Pancake ticket money, please bring it to the breakfast on Saturday and turn it in to the ladies at the ticket table. Thanks!

Congratulations to our newest Eagle Scout, Casey Gomorczak!

The Scout Work schedule is now posted online,along with links to download the Job Packets covering the information each scout should know before they come to the Pancake Breakfast.

Please print out the information and review it BEFORE coming to work your shift. Please plan to arrive 10 minutes before the start of your shift. http://troop24pancakes.azurewebsites.net/Work

If for any reason you cannot work the shift that you have been assigned, it is your responsibility to trade time slots with another scout, or to find someone to work the shift for you.

Reminder: There is no regular Troop meeting this Thursday, March 3, due to set-up for the Pancake Breakfast. Scouts assigned to set-up for the breakfast should report to the Social Hall. Please be there by 7:00.

The Troop will have TWO separate campouts at Bullfrog Lake in Willow Springs during the weekend of March 18-20.

• Friday night thru Saturday Morning, 3/18-19 – for scouts 2nd year or older who would like to camp and/or work on rank advancement requirements that can only be completed on a campout (acting as Patrol cook, starting a fire, setting up a stove, etc.).
• Saturday morning thru Sunday Morning , 3/19-20 –  for our new “Joiner” scouts. New Scouts will work on some of the skills and requirements needed for their first rank advancement.

Please be sure you sign up for the appropriate outing:

FRIDAY – Older scouts $15 (register here)
SATURDAY – New scouts $25 (register here)

The deadline for signing up for the outing is noon on Saturday, March 12.    Please fill out a form for each scout.

As always we need leaders, chaperones and drivers.  If you can help out in any of the following ways please use this Adult sign up form (register here) to indicate how/when you are available to help out.

Questions?  Contact Susan Lynch.