December 5, 2016

Wreaths for Fallen Hero’s

Just a reminder, we will be assisting in the laying of the wreaths for the veterans this SATURDAY MORNING (Class A Uniform). We will be meeting at St. Rita at 8:15 AM, to car pool out to the Union Grove cemetery (this is a little earlier than previously announced). There over 1500 wreaths to lay, and we will be working with other Troops to complete the task. With all the hands, we should be done within an hour or so and you will be dropped off at home at the conclusion. We will have transportation for all those who signed up in advance, if you didn’t sign up in advance, we will do our best to get you there.

Wave Soccer game this Saturday too!

Don’t forget that the WAVE soccer game will also be this Saturday (Class A Uniform). We will be meeting at 5:15 (NEW TIME) for the game, the Bucks also playing downtown on Saturday, parking will be a premium, we need to make sure we leave ON TIME. We are not going to wait around to long for late arrivals. Plan on a walk from the parking lot to the Panther area, the 4 PM Bucks game will take up the parking that is close. Dress for the weather! The Wave is also accepting unwrapped sports items or gift cards from Walmart, Target, Dicks, or Gander Mountain for the Make-A-Wish Toy Drive to help with the season of wishes. If you want bring any of these to the game, they will be collecting them prior to the game. A complete list can be found at www.seasonofwishes.net.

Court of Honor this Monday

This Monday is the Court of Honor, it will start at 7 PM, all scouts and at least one parent should attend. You can find the handout HERE, (PW is T161) print it out and fill out the fact sheets and get signed up for the events you want to participate in, don’t forget to have your parents fill out the permission slip, you don’t want to miss out on some of the fun activities coming up.

Troop calendar

With upcoming summer camp and Philmont trips, we wanted to make sure everyone had all the needed dates for upcoming events. Obviously, some may change, especially the ones father out, but this gives you a good road map of where we are headed. Be sure to add them to your family calendar to avoid conflicts.

Did you know that you can keep your electronic calendar up to date with a few simple clicks?? If you have a google account (or create one), you can go to the Troop web page and then the calendar section of the web page and end up HERE. Then go to the bottom right corner of the calendar and you will see “add Google calendar”. If you click on that, it will add the TROOP calendar to your google calendar, check it out. Once you have that calendar, if you look at the details, you will also see the notes for the meeting, such as fee deadlines for that meeting and the needed fact sheets for payments. If you click on events, you will also find fact sheets for those events. So basically, everything you need can be as close as your google calendar. Add the calendar to your calendar on your electronic device or computer or anything that has your calendar and/or your family calendar on it and you are set to go. If events details change, are added or anything like that, once they are updated on the Troop calendar, they will be updated on YOUR calendar right on your device if you have them synced. It is a great tool to keep up to date. If you have been using it, let me know how it works for you, if you are new to it, also let me know, I will do my best to keep that calendar as updated as possible if I know people are using it.

Wreath Money

Wreath money is due this week or next. We would like to get as much as we can this week, as we must send the check in for the bill. We ask that parents, if you can write a check for the CASH that has been collected, that would be great, we don’t have anyone at risk of carrying large sums of cash. While St. Rita is a fairly safe place, no need to put anyone at additional risk.

Being responsible

If I could add one more point to the Scout Law, it would be the work RESPONSIBLE. Occasionally, I feel the need to remind parents and scouts, we want to encourage scouts to be more responsible for things related to them and others. That starts with signing up for events and activities of the Troop. At the Court of Honor, it never fails, we see parents pouring over the sign-up table signing their son up for activities. We are happy to have the great attendance, but it is important that the YOUTH assume this responsibility, please do NOT take this job from them. Scouts, we want help you take on this task. As the troop matures, and the younger scouts get older, I can assure you that the scouts who are the most successful in the troop, do the best with leadership jobs and become Eagle Scouts are those whose parents are willing to let them assume responsibility for the simple tasks like signing up for events early on in their scouting career. I am not saying abandon your child if he needs help, ASSIST them, but DOING it for him is NOT helping him. At our most recent leadership training weekend, we talked about this very subject and most of the scouts there wanted to assume more responsibility for things their parents were doing for them. Your son WANTS to become more responsible. Responsibility does not start at that first job interview, the first college application, driving a car, the first date or any of that, it starts with doing small things, like event sign up in scouts, taking out the garbage, washing dishes, clearing the table. Let your son do these things and be the responsible young man that scouting is helping YOU as parents develop. Parents, don’t be offended if we chase you away from the table or encourage your son assume the task. We WANT to help you make them more responsible. Scouts, we are here to help, have questions? Don’t be afraid to ask us, we are more than happy to help. For parents who think doing this at home for them and having their son put them in the envelope when they get there is allowing them to take on the job, you are selling your son short. After several years of doing this, I can recognize the difference between the two options. Scouts, I have laid it out there for your parents to step back and let you grow and have independence you desire, don’t squander that opportunity. Parents, let your son take on the task, your son WANTS to be more independent, if you don’t believe so, I will remind you of your teen years. Let’s all make our best effort to have more responsible young men in our scouts. It starts with each of us. Even our youth leaders wished their fellow Troop members were more responsible. Let’s make it happen. The success of our Troop, will depend on responsible young men stepping up and being leaders.

That is a wrap, see you Saturday morning, Saturday evening and Monday. It’s a scouting kind of weekend.

Thanks

Mr. F.