Hello all,
I and the other adult leaders truly appreciate the thoughtful acknowledgment from everyone upon our return from Summer Camp yesterday. It was great to see these young men participating in activities all week, interacting with other Scouts and performing tasks for the first time. Challenges were presented each day, like earning their first Merit Badge, lining up for numerous head counts, being a waiter or being responsible for cleaning the latrine, participating in Order of the Arrow Program or COPE Program, or simply being away from home for the week.
I offer my sincere thanks to Chris Bennett, Frank Mele, Brian Calderwood, Nick Beben, Bill Dixon, & Harry Betz for volunteering for the week and sharing the responsibilities in overseeing this year's Summer Camp program. The adults spent a lot of time dedicated to adult leadership training offered. Thanks to Bill Dixon for his dedication in working with Operation First Class. Thanks to Nick Beben for assisting with Carpentry Merit Badge, they had nearly 100 scouts attending & Nick ran one of the stations. Thank you also to those that provided transportation to/from camp & to those behind the scenes with paperwork (Brian Davis). None of this would have been possible or as productive!!
Weather was better than any of my three previous Summer Camp experiences - virtually no rain (20 minutes throughout the night on Wednesday) - but very hot!!
Anthony M should be commended as Senior Patrol Leader. I believe that Connor D offered a lot of assistance to Anthony as well. Anthony created the waiter schedules, duty rosters, attended daily SPL Meetings and mustered the Scouts, performing "head-counts" prior to every activity/meal/troop movement - all the while staying on top of his Merit Badges.
It gives me great pleasure to let you know that throughout the week, Troop #354 Scouts earned a combined total of 85 Merit Badges, with an additional 8 partial Merit Badges - way to go. The Merit Badges earned are as follows:
Alec C. - Carpentry MB in addition to participating in COPE all week
Alex D. - Swimming & Leatherwork, as well as Operation First Class
Anthony M. - completed a partial in Rowing, earned Pioneering, Indian Lore, Photography, & Fire Safety
Brennan C. - Swimming & Leatherwork, as well as Operation First Class
Colin B. - Space Exploration, First Aid, Camping & Carpentry
Connor D. - Camping & Small Boat Sailing
Dima B. - First Aid, Archery, & a partial in Camping
Dustin W. - Carpentry MB in addition to participating in COPE all week
Dylan C. - completed a partial in Swimming, earned First Aid, Carpentry, Camping, Tracking & a partial in Astronomy
Evan D. - Space Exploration, Widerness Survival, Camping, & Indian Lore
Gavin L. - completed a partial in Rowing, earned Pioneering, Journalism, Emergency Preparedness, & Computers, as well as his Brotherhood in the Order of the Arrow
Harry B. - Mammal Study, Computers, Environmental Science & a partial in Communications, as well as his Order of the Arrow Ordeal on Thursday
Jeffrey D. - Space Exploration, First Aid, Camping, Wilderness Survival, & Climbing
Joe R. - COPE
Josiah M. - Space Exploration, First Aid, & Swimming
Matt H. - COPE
Matt M. - Camping, Environmental Science, & Shotgun
Mike F. - completed a partial Rowing MB in addition to participating in COPE & his Order of the Arrow Ordeal on Thursday
Michael S. - Cooking, Shotgun, Climbing & Wilderness Survival
Nate B. - completed a partial in Canoeing, earned Lifesaving & Rowing, and his Brotherhood in the Order of the Arrow
Nick Ba. - Pioneering, Citizenship in the Nation, Forestry, & Computers
Nick M. - Swimming & Leatherwork, as well as Operation First Class
Noah B. - completed a partial in Fishing, earned Camping, First Aid, Wilderness Survival & a partial in Emergency Preparedness
Pat M. - Pioneering, Journalism, Forestry, & Computers & his Order of the Arrow Ordeal on Thursday
Peter H. - Camping, Citizenship in the Nation, Photography, & Wilderness Survival
Robert S. - Canoeing & Rowing
Tim K. - Camping, Wilderness Survival, Pioneering & a partial in Emergency Preparedness
Tyler F. - completed a partial in Swimming, earned First Aid, Carpentry, Tracking, Camping & a partial in Astronomy
Zach B. - Fishing & Rowing
A lot of advancement was worked on all week by virtually every scout, with several Scouts completing Rank Advancement. Zach B - 1st Class, Colin B - 1st Class, Tyler F - 1st Class - congratulations!!
Five of our Scouts (Matt H, Michael F, Joe R, Dustin W & Alec C) spent each morning participating in the COPE Program - basically team building skills combined with high wire & rope obstacle course that requires strength, endurance, and agility. Congratulations on your individual & team-building accomplishments.
Three of our Scouts (Alex D, Brennan C & Nick M) participated in Operation First Class - a program designed for first year Scouts - reviewing many of the advancement requirements through the Rank of First Class. Again, Bill Dixon dedicated the majority of his week to assisting with this program.
For the final Friday night Campfire virtually our entire Troop recreated the Black Plague in a skit - difficult to describe/explain so just ask your scout.
Our Senior Patrol Leader election was held prior to Summer Camp with Nate Bennett being elected to this 12 month position. His responsibilities have begun immediately after Summer Camp's conclusion. Our Assistant Senior Patrol Leaders are Matt H & Alec C being elected/chosen for these 6 month positions.
Individual Patrol Leader positions will be reconciled in the upcoming weeks with adjustments being made to two Patrols. We had four canditates from one Patrol & none from another. Our new SPL determined that roster adjustments involving moving two of four candidates from one Patrol to another could rectify the problem & all Scouts agreed with this decision. Your new Patrol Leaders will be announced shortly, along with revised Patrol Rosters.
Again, I am very thankful to have a story/memory about each one of these Scouts. I am also truly thankful to have had the opportunity to share many stories/memories with my fellow Leaders. Thank you again for all your help - Chris, Frank, Brian, Nick, Harry & Bill.
All for now!!
Rick Woywod
Scoutmaster
The News
2010 WEBELOS II RIFLE INVITATIONAL &
Sec of Defense to @AmericanLegion I’m particularly grateful for your long-standing support of the BSA.