June 21, 2021

Thanks!

Thanks to all who helped set up, participated or cleaned up from the Troop Annual dinner and Eagle Court of Honor last weekend. It was a great success!! The guests were very impressed and the award recipients were honored and asked me to pass on thanks to the whole troop for all they did to make it such a special event.

This Monday….

June 21, 2021

Milwaukee Milkmen Baseball Time: 6:00*– 10:00 pm

Location: Franklin Field—Franklin, WI Uniform: Class A– Tan Shirt

Cost: $12.00 by 6/7/2021

Program: Join us for an exciting evening of Milkmen baseball. Tickets include a hot dog, soda, and a hat. Please bring additional funds to match your appetite for food and souvenirs. We have been invited to present our nations colors.

Transportation: Transportation to be provided by your family. Scouts, if your Family doesn’t want to go but you do, sign up and we will find you a ride. The Scouts will be returned to their home late Monday night. Please have someone available to greet your Scout upon his return home. Web Site: https://www.milwaukeemilkmen.com/home

We have been bestowed the honor of presenting the Flags before the start of the game. So we need all those who can participate in the flag to be in the parking lot of the Milkman by 5:30. Be sure to be in Class A uniform. If you can not make it be 5:30, we will have someone meet you in the parking lot, if you can not find us, text me at 262-930-0424. If you can not attend, and signed up, please let us know, so we are not waiting for you. If you did not sign up in advance, we can buy tickets at the gate for the same discounted rate.

COVID Rules

The Troop will assume the position that if you are vaccinated you are welcome to forego the wearing of masks unless the venue has different rules. Please keep in mind that some people of the troop are not eligible to get vaccines so that is why we request non-vaccinated wear masks. We will be checking with camp to see what their requirements are and update you on that info when we have the latest updates. As always, if not feeling well, please do not attend any Scouting events.

Summer Camp

Summer camp is coming up NEXT weekend. Just a note, I will NOT be at departure as I have a wedding to attend that weekend and will be in the area and will be meeting you there. If you have questions about camp, feel free to call your patrol leader or Mr. Sisak or Mr. Kozlik and they will be able to help. As far as camp, we will have all the details in the Summer Camp Fact sheet, that is was part of the Court of Honor handout. Here it is, before you make a call, be sure to check here, you question may be answered.

Summer Camp Fact Sheet

When: Sunday June 27th 2021- Saturday July 3, 2021. We will meet at St. Rita at 9:00 AM on June 27th, all scouts should have a bag lunch for the trip up to camp. Scouts will be returned home on July 3, mid to late afternoon

Where: Camp Freeland Leslie (CFL) CFL is located in Oxford, Wisconsin, just east of the Wisconsin Dells, and is situated on more than 470 acres of oak and pine forest. Lake Emrick, is on a privately owned lake, is one of the cleanest and deepest in the state of Wisconsin.

Facilities: Camp facilities include a modern shower house, a 24-hour Health Lodge, a well-stocked Trading Post, a dining pavilion, a waterfront for boating and swimming, treehouse instructional areas, a human foosball court, a rock-climbing wall, a shooting sports range, a hands-on nature center, a welding shop, and a metalworking forge. Program Area, additions to the older Scout program called Challenge Adventure, a new first year camper program, Mindstorm, and much more. More improvements are being made each year to CFL.

Transportation: Scouts will be transported by personal vehicles of the members of the Troop. So for parents’ sake, WE NEED YOUR HELP to transport all our Scouts, please volunteer with our Transportation Chairman.

Med Form: The latest BSA Annual Health and Medical Record (#680-001). signed by a licensed medical practitioner within the last year, is required. A photocopy of an insurance card must also be attached. Please keep a copy of this form for your records. Wisconsin state law requires camp to keep the form on file at camp, so it will not be returned.

Medication Policy: All medications brought to camp MUST be kept in the original container and turned in before departure. While your Scout is at camp, medications will be kept at the Health Lodge and dispensed from there. Exceptions to this policy include emergency allergy kits and inhalers, which Scouts may carry with them.

Dietary Restrictions: We will make every possible accommodation for Scouts or leaders who have medical, physical, or religious dietary restrictions. In order to make these accommodations, please complete a CFL Accommodation Request Form which can be attained from Mr. F.

Spending Money: Camp Freeland Leslie features a Trading Post fully stocked with a variety of camp supplies. Here, Scouts can obtain merit badge materials such as handicraft kits and merit badge books. Many other products are available such as Scouting literature, Scouting equipment, handicraft supplies, toiletries, water bottles, clothing, souvenirs, camping gear, and refreshments. We keep the money in envelopes in a “bank”. We keep your son’s money safe but we do not pay interest or charge fees… yet. Make it small bills Bring the money in an unsealed envelope (with his name on it). Once a day the Scouts will have access to draw money out of the bank for the day’s spending plans. This helps us make sure no one loses too much money, only a day’s worth. Those who have wreath money will have an envelope started with that amount in it.

Scouts should bring enough money to cover the cost of materials for their merit badges. We recommend that additional spending money be brought for purchasing snacks and camp souvenirs. To help determine how much money to bring to camp, a general price guide is listed below.

Merit Badge Kits $5-$20

Pocket Knives $1-$30

CFL Souvenirs $1-$50

CFL T-shirts $10-$20

CFL Sweatshirts $20-$30

CFL Hats $10-$20

CFL Water Bottles $10-$15

Camping Equipment: $1-$30

Drinks $1-$4

Snacks $1-$5

Candy $1-$3

Ice Cream $1-$5

Ice Cream for Mr. F, when you don’t have your water bottle $1-$5

What if my son gets homesick? Homesickness is common at camp. Camp staff is trained in counseling techniques, and several staff members are specifically trained to help homesick Scouts. Our first step is always to talk to the Scout about what he likes to do at camp, and then get him doing it, which cures most cases of homesickness. More severe cases are usually the result of other problems. Our staff will quickly identify and solve these problems. Although it might seem like a good solution at first, the reality is that contact with home actually increases homesickness. For this reason, Scouts will not be allowed to call home without permission from their troop leader. Calls from home are strongly discouraged. Please do not offer a bail-out plan for son. Yes Parents get homesick too, so be sure to have a network at home to support you, we want your son to succeed at camp. A good recommendation is to call some of the parents of the older scouts, they have done this before and see the benefits.

CAN I SEND MAIL? Letters and packages received at camp are always appreciated. Use the camp address given below. You can also send your Scout an email during his stay at Camp Freeland Leslie. Each day our Office Manager will check this email. Just type your Scout’s name, troop number, and campsite in the subject line and we will deliver the email to your son's campsite. To email your son, click on the “Send Your Scout an Email” in the CFL Contacts list located on the www.freelandleslie.com website. Some guidelines: Ø DO ask him about camp Ø DO encourage him to try new things Ø DON’T offer to bring him home Ø DON’T say you are sad that he is gone or that his dog misses him. Please avoid telling him about the exciting things he is missing at home—even if it’s true.

Mail Service: Camp does receive mail and packages; you can address them as follows;

Scout's Name, Troop 161, Fort McHenry Campsite Camp Freeland Leslie 105 Fawn Drive Oxford, Wisconsin 53952

Can parents call Camp? There is only one hard wired phone at camp. Consider that it is an emergency phone number. You may call Mr. F’s Cell Phone (262-930-0424) and leave a Voice mail. The camp phone number is 608-586-4312. Please remember, Scouts are NOT ALLOWED to have cell phones at camp, we expect all the parents to enforce this policy and make sure their son has not packed it.

Suggested Packing List (feel free to use the one in Scout book or Troop Guidebook, a list is also available on www.freelandleslie.com )

DO NOT BRING Firewood, Fire Starters, Alcohol, Illegal Drugs, Controlled Substances, Fireworks, Pets, Firearms, Bows, Arrows, Ammunitions, water Guns, Electronic Devices* (including but not limited to Cell Phones, Pagers, Radios, Music Players, Handheld Gaming devices, Tablets, Computers, and Televisions)* Adults may bring and use electronic devices at their own risk.

**CFL assumes no responsibility for lost or broken items of any kind brought to camp. **

--------------------------------------Please turn in the day of departure---------------------------------

I checked my son’s stuff. It looks like it’s all there and we compared it to a resource we had, the BOY SCOUT HANDBOOK or the Troop guidebook. As his parent, I think it is unlikely that he will have to wear the same pair of wet shoes and dirty shirt for an entire week. Further, as his parent, I made sure that he has the proper uniform so that while traveling he looks to be part of a Troop and not part of a mob. I have also made sure my son has left his cell phone at home. To this I do attest.

Parent X________________________________ Scout ____________________________

That’s it for this week!

Mr. F.