For any week-long camp, the BSA requires that each scout submit a medical form signed by a physician. If your scout has not had a physical in the past 12 months you will need to make an appointment with his doctor. We will send you reminders, but please make the appointment soon so we’re not scrambling to get all the paperwork done at the last minute. The form is available here: http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/healthandsafety/ahmr.aspx

New scout parents might be thinking…didn’t we just do this? You did, but only Parts A & B of the form. For summer camp, we also need Part C, which is completed by a doctor. Scouts who are participating in Scuba or Microtreks at camp should play it safe and have the doctor sign Part D as well, which is the high adventure portion of the form.

On the first page of the form, don’t miss the part that says: ATTACH A PHOTOCOPY OF BOTH SIDES OF INSURANCE CARD. IF FAMILY HAS NO MEDICAL INSURANCE, STATE “NONE.” The form is not complete without the copy of the card.

On Part B of the form there is a section that says: ADULTS AUTHORIZED TO TAKE YOUTH TO AND FROM EVENTS: We suggest that you write in “Any Troop 24 leader or parent.” This will allow your scout to drive with any of our adults. You can, of course, list by name any adult who you do not wish your scout to ride with, should that be appropriate.

Please turn in medical forms to Nancy Hopkins or Liz Gomorczak, or bring them to a Troop meeting. Please turn in ONE complete copy (Parts A, B, C, D if appropriate, and insurance card copy); we will make a copy for the camp. Please retain a copy for your own files.

Scouts who are taking meds will need to fill out another form, but that will be done later.

At our Court of Honor last week we heard a presentation by representatives from our Council about the annual Friends of Scouting campaign. It costs $264 per scout to provide scout programs at the Council level. The Friends of Scouting fundraising campaign provides about 20% of the funding necessary to run the Council and events. (About 80% of the total budget goes directly to scout programs.) Our goal is to have 100% of our scout families return the donation card. If you are able to contribute, thanks! Even if you can not make a monetary donation, there is a benefit to our troop if you return the card. Please download and print it, and return it to the Council at:

Des Plaines Valley Council
Boy Scout of America
811 Hillgrove
La Grange, Illinois 60525

Thank you on behalf of our scouts.

Parents: If you are able to contribute treats (healthy or otherwise) for the Court of Honor this Thursday, please contact Sue Jones at sue_jones@designpac.com to let her know that you will be bringing something. With our hungry hoard of scouts (75 currently), we need lots of food! Sue will also need at least a couple of parents to help her set up the refreshment table and make drinks. Please respond directly to Sue if you are available to help.

Thirty of our scouts paid for all or a portion of their Camp Tesomas fee with money they earned selling popcorn. Congratulations to all of them! Five scouts still have credit remaining, to use for the bus to Camp Tesomas, or for future events:

Max B – $210.70
Ryan K – $41.77
Jeff R – $27.00
Joe R – $45.00
Jimmy S – $162.70

Please report to Riverside Foods ten minutes before your shift this weekend! It will be raining, so please bring all rain gear that you think you will need for carrying boxes or walking back and forth from stations – scouts will be mostly indoors. Also, please show up in your scout uniform. This will set a good example for the community. Instructions will be given to you before your shift, so it is important to show up at least ten (10) minutes early.

The people signed up are as follows (adults first, scouts last):

Saturday- 9-12 a.m.: Roman S., Sue J., Pat R., James S., Max H., Daniel D., Abraham and Elijah O., Joe J., Ryan C., Andy C., Robert D.

Saturday, 12-3 p.m.: Michael P., Elizabeth G., Max and Noah H., Daniel D., Andrew S., Nick S., Karl J., Chris M., Georgi G.

Sunday, 9-12 a.m.: Beth M., Chris M., Charlie M., Joseph B., Louie M., Erik R.

Sunday, 12-3 p.m.: Carolyn R., Roman S., Jeff R., Chris O., Mike G., Caleb S., Jose L., James S., Charlie M., Robert M.

Please contact Joe Rogers for any questions at rogersj17@gmail.com.

Parents: Please check your son’s shoes and see if he may have worn the wrong shoes home from the Troop meeting last night. Missing are black & white Nike shoes with a little red trim, in about a size 8. It’s possible that multiple pairs of shoes are on the wrong feet, of course, but the shoes that were left were Avila brand.

Please contact dawneensuriano@sbcglobal.net to switch shoes. If we find a multiple switch is necessary, e-mail Nancy and we’ll post another notice.

Our Spring Court of Honor will be next Thursday, April 19, 7:00 p.m., in the RPC Social Hall. We have two Courts of Honor each year to recognize our scouts’ achievements. We ask that at least one parent attend with each scout, as parents come to the front of the room to stand with their scout for rank advancements. Our scouts will also describe their events and outings.

To emcee this event, we are asking if there are any scouts currently working on the Communication Merit Badge, who need to full Requirement 8: Plan a troop court of honor, campfire program, or an interfaith worship service. Have the patrol leaders’ council approve it, then write the script and prepare the program. Serve as master of ceremonies. Scouts should contact Mr. Payne at pain08@comcast.net immediately if they wish to fulfill this requirement at the Court of Honor.

Finally, we need two parent volunteers to organize the treats for the reception following the program. Those parent volunteers will coordinate set-up and clean-up and will need volunteers for snacks (cookies, fruit, cheese/crackers, veggies, etc.) If you are willing to help coordinate the reception, please contact Nancy Hopkins at nmhopkins1@comcast.net

Next summer is the biennial National Jamboree. Interested scouts from Troop 24 can attend as part of the Des Plaines Valley Council’s contingent. Calvin P and Cody L (as well as Scoutmaster Michael Payne) attended the last Jamboree and could answer questions for interested scouts.

Be the first to experience BSA’s newest High Adventure Base and permanent Jamboree base at Summit Bechtel in beautiful West Virginia at the 2013 National Jamboree. Des Plaines Valley Council now has one troop of 36 scouts and 4 Leaders. Don’t be left out!

Register at www.bsajamboree.org, create your personal account and reserve your space now! Follow instructions to print out your reservation certificate, get Scoutmaster approval signature, and return to Council Service Center with down payment of $150.00.

The final per person cost is expected not to exceed $2,000.00. Cost includes admission to Jamboree, round trip travel, excursion trip with overnight accommodation, patches, t-shirts and other memorabilia.

For more information, contact: joe.vucko@gmail.com

All scouts should bring their books to the meeting on Thursday. They will leave their books so that we can update our online records to record their rank advancement requirements. Books will be returned next week at the Court of Honor on April 19.

At the Troop meeting on Thursday, April 12, scouts will be working on Tenderfoot requirements 10a & 10b:

10a Record your best in the following tests:
Push-ups
Pull-ups
Sit-ups
Standing long jump
1/4 mile walk/run
10b Show improvement in the activities listed in requirement 10a after practicing for 30 days.

In addition, starting at approximately 7:30 p.m., we will discuss options for merit badges classes at Camp Tesomas. Ideally, scouts and parents will have reviewed the choices in advance (which can be found at http://clsr.samoset.org/resources/TSCAdvancement.pdf. The meeting will be an opportunity for questions about camp activities in general. Parents are not required to attend this meeting, but are welcome to come if you have questions about camp (especially parents of 5th graders or anyone who has not previously attended a summer camp).

Selections of merit badge classes should be turned in by next Thursday, at the Court of Honor.

Attention Scouts – We have changed venues for the Spring Camp-o-ree. We are no longer attending the Voyageur Trace Spring Camp-o-ree but rather the Twin Lakes Spring Camp-o-ree. Same dates, same cost, new venue, better program!

When: Depart RPC at 5:00 PM Friday, April 20 and will return to RPC around Noon Sunday, April 22.
Where: Scout Adventure Camp, Rochelle Illinois

In addition to basic camping skills (ideal for our newest scouts), the program will allow for scouts of all ranks to also work on 1-2 Merit Badges. Choices include:
Astronomy
Weather
Geocaching
Fishing/Fly Fishing
Nature
Soil and Water Conservation

Tentative Agenda:
Friday, April 20
– Check in 7:00 pm
– In Troop Cracker Barrel
– Astronomy starts at 9:00pm
Saturday, April 21
– Morning Activities start 9:00 am
– Afternoon Activities start 2:00 pm
– All Camp Campfire 8:00 pm (each Troop to provide song & skit)
Sunday, April 22 9:00 am Camp Sunday Service

The cost for this outing is $45. The deadline for signing up for the outing is Sunday, April 15 at noon. Please fill out a form for each scout.

If your scout plans to attend our summer camp at Camp Tesomas (July 15-21), he should attend at least one weekend camp-out before attempting a week away from home & family. This camp-out is one opportunity. We will have one other camp-out before summer, on May 18-20, at Kankakee River State Park.

Contact Susan Lynch with questions.