Merit Badges and Other Advancement
All of our new scouts have completed the Scout Badge requirements already! The subsequent Tenderfoot and Totin Chip requirements are now being worked. Mr. Sgammato will continue to guide the Environmental Science merit badge crew with a mix of troop meeting and at-home activities. Mrs. Furlo has worked with scouts to complete the Coin Collecting merit badge requirements that can be done in meetings; the rest is up to the scouts. She is also available to discuss the related Collecting merit badge for any scouts that are interested. Personal Fitness Merit Badge will kickoff at an upcoming spring troop meeting. Backpacking and Hiking Merit Badge activity will begin at the next meeting, in preparation for our spring and summer adventures to Mount Monadnock, Mount Greylock, and Colorado. First Class advancement is taking place at troop meetings and camping trips.
If you have any merit badge books borrowed from the troop library that you are no longer using, please return them soon so that our new scouts can use them.
Troop Web Site Updates
The troop continues to expand the information provided on the troop website. You can sign up to receive e-mail whenever updated information is posted. To subscribe, go to the web site (www.troop4milford.org) and click on “By e-mail” under “GET WEBSITE UPDATES” on the right side of the page. If you subscribe, these emails are sent no more than once per day. No e-mail is sent on days when there are no new posts.
April Campout
The April Campout will be held Saturday/Sunday, April 12/13 at our troop campsite in Milford. We will be building (lashing) a signal tower, lashing together sleeping shelters (for scouts who want to sleep out in them), introducing our new scouts to cooking on open fires (and doing dishes!), and other fun activities. We will also have a troop campfire program on Saturday night.
The troop will meet at the parish center at 9:00 AM Saturday and leave for the campsite by about 9:30 AM. We will return to the parish center for pickup by noon on Sunday. Since this is a local campout, if your son needs to arrive/leave early/late or leave for part of the event, just note on the permission slip.
Scouts need to bring a bag lunch for Saturday, and will be cooking patrol style for dinner and breakfast. Each patrol will give grocery assignments to their members at the April 3rd troop meeting. If scouts are attending the campout, but can’t attend the planning session, they need to call their patrol leader to get their assignment. If scouts can not make it at the last minute, they need to still bring their food to the assigned food either to their patrol leader, or to the parish center on the morning we leave.
For this trip, the Troop 4 Venture Lounge is going mobile. The Lounge will be assembled at the troop campsite and will open for use after the Troop campfire for Ventures (high school age) to play cards, hold a dart tournament, and other venture stuff.
If your son will be attending, please drop off the attached permission slip no later than the April 3 Troop Meeting. Please email or call Phil Bedard before April 3 if your son will be attending but won’t be at the April 3 Troop Meeting. The troop needs to know who is attending for planning purposes.
Dave Kirchner Tribute
As many of you know, Dave Kirchner recently retired after a long and accomplished stretch as Troop 4 Scoutmaster. In recognition of Dave’s contributions, the Troop held a small ceremony at his last troop meeting. The troop was grateful to have nearly all of our Eagle Scouts attend. The few Eagles that couldn’t attend because of long distance wrote wonderful tributes which were presented to Dave. Thanks to all our Eagles for participating. The meeting was capped by a memorable “Final Scoutmaster’s Minute” that has been posted to the troop website.
Uniform Reminder
Scouts should wear their uniforms to all regular troop meetings, unless they are coming directly from a sports activity, work, etc. Shirts should be tucked in.
High Adventure and Camp Resolute Trip Updates
Scout Camp Health forms for both camps can be downloaded from our troop website. Both camps require unique forms. Please schedule any required medical appointments soon in order to avoid a last minute rush. The 2008 Camp Resolute Parent Guide, along with an update to the Troop’s own Camp Resolute Information guide, is now available, and will be emailed separately. All related material is also posted to the Troop Website.
Summer Camp payments for most scouts are due in less than 3 weeks. Please provide payment no later than (or preferably before) the April 17 troop meeting. However, new scouts attending Camp Resolute have until the May 29th troop meeting. Make checks payable to Troop 4. For those attending one or both of these camps, the required payments are:
- Camp Resolute fee is $290, and $230 for additional siblings.
- Camp Tahosa 2nd payment is $250. Final payment for Tahosa will be announced in May
Venture Scout Corner
Hi Adventure Training: Master Drill Sergeant Lanciano has designed a first-rate training program for all ventures tackling the Alpine Adventure this summer. The first phase was successful and took place last Saturday at Douglas State Forest. Please read the detailed training requirements in the “Tahosa” section of the Troop Website.
Life Scouts Starting on Their Eagle Projects: If you have a project under way, be sure to get the proposal in to Mr. Kirchner as soon as possible to be able to do the project this summer.
Eagle Projects: We are working with the town of Milford, St. Mary’s Church, and the Upton Conservation Commission on developing projects – hope to have some soon!
Environmental Science Merit Badge Classes: It’s not too late to start. See Mr. Sgammato at an upcoming troop meeting for more information.
Upcoming Event Dates & Reminders
- April 3 is a regular troop meeting. Permission Slip for the April campout is due.
- April 10 is a regular troop meeting
- April 12 Saturday – April 13 is troop camping trip at the Troop Campsite
- April 17 is a regular troop meeting
- Camp Resolute fee is due! $290 ($230 for additional siblings)
First year scouts have until May 29 to pay - Camp Tahosa 2nd payment is due! $250
- April 24 – no troop meeting – school vacation
- May 1 is a regular troop meeting
- May 3 Saturday – May 4 Sunday is the troop camping trip to Mount Monadnock
- May 8 is a regular troop meeting
Troop Four Website
Check out the Troop 4 website at: www.troop4milford.org. We have lots of information and event calendars/dates listed – and pictures too!
Please call the Phil Bedard at 508-282-0283 or email at bedard18@verizon.net if you have any questions.