A couple weeks ago, we went to the Boy Scout Camporee in Rochelle, Illinois. We left on Friday at 5:30. We got there, helped the first year scouts set up tents, and set up the rest of the tents. After that, we set up a cracker barrel, or a small snack consisting of summer sausage, cheese, and crackers. After that, the scouts either chose to go to astronomy or sit around the fire. After everyone got back, we all went to sleep in our separate tents. We woke up in the morning and assembled into our patrols and made a breakfast of corned beef hash and eggs. We then cleaned up and went to our separate merit badge courses. I did not actually go to any merit badge courses, I just brought my fishing pole and went fishing, but you could have chosen the astronomy, soil and water conservation, geocaching, fishing, nature, or fly fishing merit badge. After the merit badge course was finished, we returned to the campsite to have lunch. We just had basic lunch sandwiches with cheese or ham or turkey. After lunch, we cleaned up and had about a half hour of free time. I chose to go fishing, but other scouts went to view the river and some just played games. After that, everyone chose a second merit badge and went to it from about 2:00 to 5:00. At 5:00, we all reported back to the campsite to start dinner, which was sloppy joes. I supervised my patrol, and the meal was pretty good. After dinner, the entire troop went to the camporee campfire and our troop did a skit. After the skit, we had a flag retirement ceremony and then went back to camp. We all went to sleep and woke up the next morning, broke down camp, had a small breakfast, and went home. We arrived at RPC at about 11:00.
–James S.

Troop 24 is planning an overnight camp-out at Kankakee River State Park, leaving Friday, May 18, and returning Sunday, May 20.

Scouts should come prepared to camp in tents for two nights. We have two activities planned, if enough adults sign up as leaders/chaperones: canoeing (scouts MUST have earned the Swimming Merit Badge to canoe) or bicycling. The canoeing will be a 12-mile, 3-5 hour canoe trip on Saturday, outfitted by Reed’s. The biking will be done on a 10.5 mile paved bike path through the park. Biking is available for first-year scouts, or older scouts who have not earned the Swimming Merit Badge, or those who do not want to canoe.

Please drop your Scout off at RPC at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. We will return about noon on Sunday.

The deadline for signing up for the outing is Thursday, May 10.

Please fill out a form for each scout and each leader. The Scout cost for this outing is $30 for food, and $31 for canoeing (2 per canoe) or $42 for a single kayak. (Kayaking is only for scouts with kayaking experience. Do not sign up for a kayak unless you have kayaked before.) Scouts must wear their Class A uniforms to travel. Contact Dawn Gmitro with questions.

We will provide transportation for the bikes in one of the two Troop trailers. Scout parents should be sure that the scout’s bicycle is in good working order.

Scout Form
Leader Form

Next week’s scout meeting will be at Riverside’s Scout Cabin. The meeting will begin at 7:00.

At 6:30 scouts who need the following rank requirements (most scouts who are not already 1st Class or above) are invited to be at the cabin at 6:30 SHARP to work on these requirements:

First Class 6: Identify or show evidence of at least 10 kinds of native plants found in your community.

Second Class 6: Identify or show evidence of at least 10 kinds of wild animals (birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, mollusks) found in your community.

For the wild animal requirement, it’s possible that we will not actually see 10 different animals in that 30-minute period. Scouts should come with pictures (downloaded from the internet is fine) of 10 animals they have personally observed in Riverside at some time.

The Village of Riverside and the Frederick Law Olmsted Society sponsor Landscape Work Days. The first work day of the year is SATURDAY, APRIL 28 at Scottswood Commons.

Scouts are invited to participate, and this project is automatically approved for service hours. It’s also one of the easiest ways to fulfill the community service hour requirement for the Citizenship in the Community Merit Badge: While working on this merit badge, volunteer at least eight hours of your time for the [charitable community] organization.

All workdays are scheduled for Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Look for the Riverside Public Works dump truck. Come for an hour or three, whatever your schedule allows. Bring your favorite work gloves & a water bottle, and the service hour form. All other supplies & snacks will be provided.

Future locations & dates:
Scottswood Commons: June 23 & September 22
Riverside Road: May 12, June 9 & Sept 8
Scout Cabin area: May 19
Longcommon & Downing triangle: July 14 & Aug 11
Longcommon (Big Ball Park): November 10
Various locations: Oct 13

Book Drive 2012, Joe Rogers’ Eagle Project, was a success! It is now officially over, with a total count of 6,462 books (it is not in the 8000s as suggested at the April 26 meeting). Thank you to everyone who helped make it a success!

During the month of May, Riverside Presbyterian Church will be collecting cereal of all kinds for the First Presbyterian Church of Chicago. Families come to First Presbyterian for breakfast in the summer because they’re not receiving breakfast at their schools as they do during the school year. The scouts have been an enormous help in donating cereal in the past, and RPC would appreciate your help again. Boxes of cereal can be dropped off at any Troop meeting in May.

Scouts who started working on the Family Life Merit Badge are invited to meet with their counselor, Mr. Andersen, on Thursday, April 26. The meeting will take place at 7:00 p.m. in the Westminster Room at RPC during the regular Troop meeting.