June Camping Pictures Posted

June Camping Pictures – 2008

Camp Tahosa Trip – FINAL DETAILS POSTED

A memo containing final details (updated July 22) for the Camp Tahosa trip has been posted to the web site. This memo contains critically important information about schedules, packing, uniforms, luggage, personal gear, etc. Please read it carefully.

Also, everyone traveling to Tahosa must attend the planning and inspection meeting on July 24.

Court of Honor

We expect to award many merit badges, badges of rank, and other awards. The evening will begin with dinner at 630pm, and will conclude around 830pm. Scouts should arrive on time and in full uniform. The dinner menu is the popular Troop 4 “pot-luck” dinner.

Each family attending should bring one main dish, one bottle of soda/water/juice and a desert. The troop will supply paper plates, cups and fine plastic cutlery.

We will have some extra guests but not as many as when there is an Eagle court of honor.

A main course can also include a large salad but keep in mind these are boys and few salads will be required/eaten to make the masses happy.

Some scouts do have dietary restriction such a no peanuts so if you do something fancy just keep that in mind and plan a sign. For those of you in a rush on the way home pizza is always a big hit.

Troop Meeting

Troop Meeting

Troop Meeting at Milford Police Station

St. Mary’s parish center will be closed for our next scheduled troop meeting on January 8th. However, the troop has lined up an alternate merit badge activity at the Milford Police Station at the normal troop meeting time. Officer Jay Ball will be conducting a fingerprinting merit badge class. This is a great opportunity to earn a merit badge in just ONE meeting. All you need to do is print out the worksheet that can be found at http://www.usscouts.org/mb/worksheets/Fingerprinting.pdf, and do a bit of on-line homework to complete the “history of fingerprinting” requirement #1. Bring the partially completed worksheet to the Jan 8th meeting, where Officer Ball will then work with all scouts that attend to complete the remaining requirements. Due to space constraints at the police station, this meeting is recommended only for those scouts who have not yet completed the fingerprinting merit badge. Attending scouts should meet the troop’s adult leaders in the Police Station front lobby at 7pm. It is very important that scouts arrive on-time for this meeting (a few minutes early is even better) in order to fill out some preliminary paperwork. Pickup will be at 8:30 in the same location. Older venture scouts that have already earned this badge may take the week off, though there is rumor that your SPL may arrange a venture-only activity. Stay tuned for a possible note from Brad.

Troop Meeting – Knife Contest, Yankee Swap, and OA Elections

The Troop Four Knife Contest will be at the December 18 troop meeting. Scouts can bring a knife that they can use under the troop/BSA rules and enter it for a variety of contests (sharpest, best looking, most functional, etc.) There will be prizes for the winners.

The meeting will also include a Yankee Swap. Scouts who want to participate should bring a small gift wrapped with a cost of less that $10. The activity is basically a grab bag and the scouts do a “swap” as each gift is unwrapped. It’s a lot of fun. We will have some refreshments at the meeting, too.

Troop Meeting – Jan. campout permission slip due

Swim Night

Troop Meeting

Troop Meeting

Halloween Party

The troop will provide beverages, but if each scout could bring a small snack/desert item to add to the junk food buffet.  (e.g., chips, cookies, etc).  Please help our cleanup crew by avoiding things that could make a mess on the parish center floor… like small or sticky candies.  Thanks!

Also…  no uniform required.  Scouts should come in costume in order to get in on the costume prizes.  Awards for scariest, most original, most grotesque, and funniest.  Prizes will also be awarded to the winners of the various contests that venture patrol came up with.

Ventures… please try to arrive 10 minutes early to help set up.

Eagle Court of Honor

This special Court of Honor will honor our newest Eagle Scout, Pat Bedard. Awards earned by all other scouts since the last Court of Honor will also be presented. There will be a dinner before the awards ceremony. Families are requested to bring a desert item and a 2-liter bottle of soft drink.

Troop Meeting

Troop Meeting

Troop Meeting

Troop Meeting (troop elections)

Troop elections for Senior Patrol Leader, Patrol Leaders, and Assistant Patrol Leaders.

Toop Meeting – Venture Scouts only

Troop Committee Meeting

Parish Center

New Newsletter Posted

The June 8 Family Newsletter has been posted to the web site. Click on “NEWSLETTER” at the top of the page for important information about our last troop meeting, summer camps, the upcoming camping trip, and more.

Troop Four Family Newsletter – June 8, 2008

Summer Camps

Thanks to all those that have turned in scout camp payments and forms. Any remaining payments should be sent to Judy Alley, 7 Paula Road, Milford, as soon as possible.

For those attending Camp Resolute: please email your 3 merit badge selections to Mr. Dave Callis at dfcallis@msn.com by June 15, or better yet, bring your selections to the final June 12th troop meeting. Leaders will be available at this meeting to help you make your selections. Medical form due dates are the same. Be sure to read and meet the Camp Resolute and Camp Tahosa medical form requirements described in the camp information letters posted on the troop website.

Lastly, the troop leaders will be meeting during the June campout to make the final preparations for the Tahosa Colorado trip. To help us develop a fun and challenging program, we would like the scouts that are NOT doing the Alpine Adventure portion to please fill out a brief survey (click here for the survey) and bring it to the next troop meeting. A final Tahosa instruction letter, with detailed information on how to pack, itinerary, etc, will be issued at the end of June.

June Campout

Reminder: For those registered for the June campout to the Berkshires on June 21-23, we will meet at the parish center at 8:30 AM Saturday and leave for the campsite by about 9 AM. We will return to the parish center for pickup by 4pm on Monday.

Scouts need to bring a bag lunch for Saturday. Scouts have already planned their patrol style meals for Sat evening, Sunday, and Monday morning. Scouts should also bring some money for a fast food or diner lunch on Monday’s return. Each patrol has given grocery assignments to their members; however, there will be copies of the patrol meal plans at the June 12 meeting. See your patrol leader if you need to revisit your grocery assignment.

Note that we are bicycling for a portion of this camping trip. To ensure you’re bicycle is ready and safe for this adventure, please bring it to the June 12th troop meeting for an inspection by Troop 4’s resident cycling expert, Mr. Bob Garber. Mr. Garber and his staff will point out any problems you need to address before the trip.

Advancement

Congratulations to Alex Morte and Brian Zanella for becoming Troop 4’s 13th and 14th Eagle Scouts. Eagle Scout honors were celebrated at last week’s Eagle Court of Honor. Congratulations also go to all the scouts who have advanced in rank.

Youth Protection Training

In order to meet Council and summer camp requirements, all troop leaders must take the Council’s online Youth Protection training course. Please complete by the final June 12th troop meeting. It’s simple and quick (about an hour). When complete, please print out the completion form and give to Phil Bedard. You will need your BSA ID number in order to print out your completion certificate. Launch the boy scout youth protection link on: http://www.ktc-bsa.org/training.htm (about halfway down the page). You will need to create a simple BSA online training account.

Leaders should also take the on-line Safety Afloat and Safe Swim Defense courses. These short courses can also be launched from the same web site. The troop may not be able to participate in water related activities (like swimming at the June campout) if we do not have a sufficient number of trained leaders. Please submit your completion certificates to Phil Bedard before the June 12th troop meeting.

Guitar Hero Contest

The final troop meeting will include a Guitar Hero demonstration and contest. Don’t miss this exciting (and probably pretty funny) final event of the year.

Upcoming Event Dates & Reminders

  • June 12 is the final troop meeting
  • June 15 is the deadline for Camp Resolute merit badges. Send choices to Mr. Dave Callis at dfcallis@msn.com
  • June 15 is the deadline for Summer Camp forms. Mail to Phil Bedard at 22 Harmony Trail, Hopedale 01747 (or better yet, drop off at the June 12th troop meeting)
  • July 6-10 is Camp Resolute week
  • Mid July will include a Colorado Adventure planning meeting. Date to be announced soon.
  • Aug 2-9 is Camp Tahosa, Colorado

Questions?

Please call the Phil Bedard at 508-282-0283 or email at bedard18@verizon.net if you have any questions.

OA Ordeal Weekend

At Camp Resolute

OA Ordeal Weekend

At Camp Resolute