Fall Hiking Trip Mount Monadnock

With all the damage in Western MA due to hurricane Irene the October fall hiking trip was moved to Mt. Manadnock.

Fun was had by all. To see more. Click here.

Bring Compass & Scout Master Message

Please remember to bring your compass this Monday night

if you don't have one, the best place to get one is the Scout Shop on Rt 9 in Southboro , also REI or Dicks

Scout shop has a more reasonably priced compass  , the Silva Polaris model is good middle of road compass, about $15........if you cant get one in time the troop has a few you may borrow for the meeting

From the Scout Master! 

I think that we have made a good start to the new Scout year, with nearly every Scout returning from last year. We have added a couple of new Scouts, so the roster is gradually growing. We had a good canoe trip along the Saco River in late September, even though the weather forecast was not very promising. Some of the older Scouts will be hiking up Mount Monadnock this weekend and sleeping in a lean-to at a nearby Scout Camp.

The youth leadership team is responding very well to the challenge of helping to run the troop. We try to provide as many opportunities as possible for Scouts to serve in leadership positions. They will be doing many more presentations throughout the year, with the help of the adult leaders. 

Upcoming Trips

Scout Orienteering Weekend – on the weekend of October 28^th – 30^th we will be practicing our Orienteering skills and then competing in Orienteering competitions at the Nobscot Boy Scout Reservation. Map reading and compass skills are invaluable to anybody who heads out into the woods. I urge all Scouts to participate in this event. We might think that we are experts, but the actual heat of competition is a good way to test our skills under pressure. We will be sharing a big camping area with the Cub Scouts from Pack 12. We will be hosting the Second Year Webelos from Pack 12 in our camp site to introduce them to Troop 12 as part of a requirement for their Arrow of Light. It is important that we make them feel welcome because we need them to join Troop 12 when they Cross-Over into Scouting next April. The future health of Troop 12 is dependant upon new members joining and staying.  

 We will need four adult volunteers to help at the start and finish lines on Sunday morning, October 30th

Metro West Camping Adventure, November 12 - 13

Mr. Shupe is planning a camping trip on a local conservation area land. I know he is talking to the Sudbury Valley Trustees about a number of possible locations. We will be using Leave No Trace techniques on this trip. You will have the option to leave for part of the day to fulfill other obligations and then return to the camp site.

Climbing Trip, December 2 - 3

We will be climbing at Central Rock Climbing Gym in Worcester on the Friday night and then heading back to Nobscot to camp out after a night of climbing. More details will be provided over the upcoming weeks

Troop Meetings

Monday, October 17

We will be practicing map reading and compass skills in advance of the Orienteering Weekend.

Please bring along a compass

Monday, October 24

We will be practicing CPR skills, courtesy of my friend Dave Barnett. He has at least 12 mannequins, so everybody should get plenty of practice. This session is not sufficient for certification.

Monday, October 31

We will be practicing our abilities to scare people at home because it is Halloween. There will not be a troop meeting that night.

Other Items

Wreath Sale Fundraiser

 The information package was handed out a few weeks ago to give Scouts plenty of time to sell wreaths to families, friends and neighbours. The money raised from fundraisers is used to buy new equipment and to subsidize trips. The troop was able to heavily subsidize the recent rafting trip in Maine because we had two good fundraisers last year.

Popcorn Sale

Please return your order forms on Monday, October 17^th.

November 6^th – Plymouth Church Clean-Up Day

Troop 12 will participate in the clean-up of the church grounds on Sunday afternoon, November 6^th. Please plan to arrive at approximately 11:45am and be prepared to work until 3:00pm.

Rotary Auction, Tuesday, December 6^th and Wednesday, December 7th

Troop 12 will be assisting at the Rotary Auction again this year. Please mark your calendars.

National Jamboree 2013

Mr. Shupe is chomping at the bit to start talking about the National Jamboree that will be held at the Bechtel Family Summit High Adventure Base in the summer of 2013. The Summit is located in West Virginia and is being developed as a permanent high adventure destination for Scouts. There will be access to climbing, white water sports, horseback riding, tea drinking, mountain biking and many other thrilling adventures. I am sorry, but I seem to be getting ahead of myself. Space is limited at National Jamborees, so advance reservations are necessary.

Equipment Shortages

We have had a shortage of tents for recent trips. Please check your basements, garages, car trunks and anywhere else that tents might be hiding. These are expensive items to replace, so we need to look after them. We do not expect them to be returned the Monday night immediately after a camping trip because they need to be given a good airing out before they are returned to the Scout Shed. Joe Weber is your Troop 12 Quartermaster, so please direct your questions to him.

Scouting Philosophy

The main mission of the Scouting movement is to help young people mature into responsible adults who are good citizens and make ethical decisions. We try to do this by teaching a set of values that are also followed by the adult leaders who act as role models. We try to give Scouts gradually increasing levels of authority and responsibility to help them learn and develop valuable leadership skills. We also try to develop a strong mix of self –reliance and team work by providing opportunities for self-discovery through adventure and the use of the Patrol Method. I am a realist, so I don’t expect perfection. However, I do expect to collect some good stories that can be refined and used at Eagle Courts of Honor.

 

Thanks,

 

Dick Clarke

Scoutmaster, Troop 12

Scoutmasters "Words"

Please remember that we will have a meeting next Monday night. We will continue with our Bear Safety theme and other backpacking themes.

I also wanted to remind you that the backpacking trip next weekend, October 15th and 16th is intended for older Scouts, meaning those that have been in the troop for more than 9 months and have attended summer camp. We will be hiking approximately 8 miles, but it should not be too strenuous. We will hike 1.5 miles on the first day and 6.5 on the second day. We will carry our personal gear on our backs, along with a fair share of the common or patrol gear. This is intended to be an introduction to backpacking for those that have not done any or for those that have not done any recently. We will practice water treatment techniques, use liquid fuel stoves, eat freeze dried meals, hang bear bags, treat blisters, light fires, treat more blisters and generally live like wild men for a couple of days. We should have fun. The lean-to is situated next to the junction of two brooks, so we should plenty of water. There is also a latrine that has an air freshener, hot water, a cleaning service and good music system. There is a fire ring in front of the shelter.

We will be heading out to the western part of our state. I did a major part of this hike this past summer with my wife, so I am confident strong young men like you should be able to do it as well. Hopefully the lean-to will be available, but we won't know until we get to the parking lots.

We will go over the final details at Monday night's meeting. Please bring along the shoes/boots, rain gear, sleeping bags and backpacks that you are thinking about using on this trip. It is important that the equipment is adequate for the task at hand. I might be able to borrow or acquire some backpacks for this trip. I also have some old sleeping bags that would be suitable for this trip.

Please make a serious effort to attend this trip. It is not often that we try to do a trip just for the older scouts.

Thanks,

Dick Clarke

Scoutmaster, Troop 12

p.s.  I was lying about the latrine. A latrine is a latrine so get used to the idea. It is still better than sitting on a log and aiming for a hole in the ground.