02/28/2006 BoR

From: Jerry Kobos [mailto:jkobos@houston.rr.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 9:41 PM
Subject: RE: 02/28/2006 BOR

The following scouts participated in a Board of Review and were advanced in rank:

            Oliver Mao                     Star Scout

            William McKeever          Life Scout

            Patrick McKeveer           1^st Class Scout

            Warren Chan                 Life Scout

Great work scouts, keep up the good work.

 

Jerry Kobos

 

jkobos@houston.rr.com

281-980-6995

The Trail

Hello All,

Three and a bit years ago on a dark night I hefted a rather heavy pack, strapped it on tightly, grabbed my Staff and headed off up a steep trail. I wasn't sure where I was going. The path was faint but the signs were clear. There were sticker vines in the way, loose rocks and streams to cross. My trusty Staff steadied me and helped me onward.

Along the way I was joined by some fellow hikers and as we hiked and camped the trail became clearer, smoother and leveled out. The weather cleared, the sun came out, the pack lightened and soon we were striding out of the forest and across a broad, alpine meadow. We did our best and got through together.

If I had to describe my past three years as Scoutmaster in a few words (a rare feat for me) I would say it's been a journey. I had a destination in mind when I took the job and that was to provide a quality program for the boys that was fun and exciting, and to have fun in the process. The process was the journey and it's been a very rewarding trip.

In the past three years we have worked on a return to basics focusing on the Patrol Method and teaching the boys to work together as a team. We conducted successfully our first patrol-led campouts, we reorganized our Junior Leadership Training program, we changed the way we held troop meetings and we provided the boys with a rich calendar of opportunities: camping in New Mexico and Arkansas, the water sports camp voted the Best Summer Camp Ever, a visit to the State Capitol. Our boys went to Philmont for treks and training, and to the National Jamboree.

In the past three years we graduated 22 Eagle Scouts.

So many memories and adventures. I could not have had such a remarkable tenure as Scoutmaster without the help of my trusty Staff that I alluded to in my opening remarks. Of course, I'm referring to all those Scouters and Committee members who volunteered their time driving, hauling, organizing and putting up with me theorizing about how we could do things better. To all of you I give a big Scout salute.

And, finally, I offer my greatest appreciation to the boys without whom none of this would be possible. The greatest source of satisfaction for a Scoutmaster is to see a Scout you've worked with reach the rank of Eagle. I've had this honor twenty-two times. It's more than any Scoutmaster deserves to be so honored.

Now I've come to a fork in the trail. One path looks clear, flat and smooth. The other path is more of a challenge leading up into unknown territory where new adventures and opportunities await.

Well, I've dallied around here long enough and I've got to get going. I'm refreshed, revitalized and always a sucker for a new adventure.

Thanks, again, for all you have done to make our program a success.

See you on the trail!

Yours in Scouting,
Bill Farrell
Scoutmaster Emeritus, Troop 1631

Troop 1631 Pacesetter

-----Original Message-----
From: William Farrell [mailto:wfarrell@houston.rr.com]
Sent: Monday, February 27, 2006 10:39 PM
Subject: Pacesetter

Hello Cliff - for email blast. I may have one, final blast tomorrow
evening.

Troop 1631 - A Pacesetter

Hello All,

In addition to my role as Scoutmaster of Troop 1631 I have also volunteered
to work for the Tomahawk District teaching merit badges at the annual Merit
Badge Day, serving on staff for the Outdoor Leadership Skills Training that
some of you have taken, standing as the Chairman of the Nominating
Committee, assisting with staff at Camporees, serving on the Advancement
Committee and recently assuming the role of Pacesetter Chairman for the
Friends of Scouting Campaign.

Although being Scoutmaster is a full-time occupation, I have stretched
myself to volunteer even more of my time to Scouting and
it's a fair question to ask why. Well, the answer is fairly simple.

I firmly believe that the Boy Scout program offers the best positive youth
experience, delivers a consistent message and provides the best opportunity
for a boy to develop timeless values than any other youth program.

The message is simple: Be Prepared.

The challenge is clear: On my honor I will do my best.

And the results are measurable: To keep myself physically strong, mentally
awake and morally straight.

In a previous note I wrote about what happens when you take the "outing" out
of Scouting. Now, I want to talk about what it takes to
put the "outing" into Scouting. It takes Sc or $ and cents.

Scouting requires support, training, staffing, communications and facilities
that extend beyond any single troop. It may surprise you to know that the
annual budget for the Tomahawk District is about $300,000, or about $100 per
Scout. All of this money is raised through private donations and the annual
Friends of Scouting Campaign.

You know the cost of providing a Scouting experience for your boy, and
you've seen your boy grow with skills, confidence and leadership. Think
about how you could improve society as a whole by helping to provide this
experience to less fortunate youth.

Your Friends of Scouting dollar can help send a Scout to summer camp,
purchase uniforms, support the Urban Scouting program and help provide fun
programs for your boy like Spring Camporee.

Because of its long and venerable history in Tomahawk District, Troop 1631
has been selected as a Pacesetter unit to be a leader in supporting Friends
of Scouting. This Sunday at our Court of Honor there will be a presentation
and an opportunity to give generously to the Scouting program, to help shape
the lives of other boys as Scouting is shaping the life of your son.

Scouting needs your dollar$ and cents and as Pacesetter Chairman I'm asking
you to demonstrate that Troop 1631 is both a Quality Unit and a Generous
Unit.

In closing, to set the pace for our troop I have donated personally to the
2006 FOS campaign $1631 in the name of Troop 1631. That gets us off to a
good start. I challenge all of you to support the program that gives so
much to your boy.

Yours in Scouting,
Bill Farrell

Feb 2006 Campout Report - Mauritz

Hello All,

The February campout at Mauritz had it all. We encountered lots of wildlife
on the way to camp including a very large owl sitting on the road and a
raccoon that at first we thought was a large dog it was so big and bouncy.
In the camp we encountered the usual denizens: armadillo, opossums and
rabbits. Late in the night a pack of coyotes serenaded us.

On Saturday we had a number of adventures and fun including fire building, a
nature hike down to the creek and learning how to tie hitches and lashings.
(this came in handy shortly) On the Nature front the Spring birds were
starting to appear and we saw robins, cardinals, blue jays, hawks, geese,
ducks and egrets.

Around lunchtime it started to rain and the boys, with the help of Mr.
Farrell, Wedelich and Clark, erected a tarp shelter using the knots, hitches
and lashings learned only a few hours previously. The pictures of our
structure are on the troop website. The tarp did not sag or collect water
and provided enough shelter for all campers to prepare lunch and continue
with our First Aid instruction.

I should also note that the structure was "unconventional" using a variety
of materials including trees, pioneering poles and logs for anchoring. The
boys got a first-hand demonstration in "improvising" at this campout.

After the rain stopped we discovered that some of the boy's tents had become
overly damp, so we moved part of our pioneering gear into their campsite and
set up a large clothesline to dry things out. That worked really well, and
the boys got a second opportunity to use their lashings and knots.

In the evening we built a huge fire even though the wood was damp, using an
axe to split some logs to expose dry wood. A visiting Webelos scout lit the
fire with a single match. In this demonstration the boys learned the value
of patience in constructing a fire as they are quick to light the match
first! Lay the fire carefully, then light the match was the lesson.

Mr. Farrell cooked a peach cobbler in a Dutch oven using an Old Scout
recipe, nearly as old as Mr. Farrell if that's possible, and used the
campfire and coals. The top was golden brown with sugar and cinnamon and
the peaches bubbled underneath. Needless to say, the pot was scraped clean.

The weather cleared in the evening which was cool and perfect for sleeping.
In fact, we decided to sleep late in the morning, but were awakened by all
the birds at sunrise. That's my favorite alarm clock, anyway!

All in all it was a perfect campout. Lots of fun, cool weather, an
opportunity to use Scouting skills and a grand fire on Saturday night.
Thanks to all those who participated. Baden-Powell, himself, would have
approved.

Respectfully submitted,
Bill Farrell

Campers:

Nirav Sheth
Cameron Oloomi
Connor Clark
Austin Williams (visiting Webelos)
Mason Williams (Austin's brother)

Adult Staff:

Kevin Clark
Bill Farrell
Hank Wedelich
George Williams (Austin and Mason's dad)

Troop 1631 Activities, March 2006

Bill Farrell

Thank you Bill for three years of dedicated service as
Troop 1631 Scoutmaster

---

Notes:

• There will be a PLC instead of a troop meeting on Monday.
  
• Hank Wedelich will be taking over the reins as Troop 1631 Scoutmaster on March 1. Congratulations, Hank, and thanks for taking on this important job.
  
• Thanks also to Bill Farrell who has led the troop for the past three years. Hank has some big shoes to fill.
  
• Thanks to Josie Powers for volunteering to serve as the troop Health and Safety coordinator.
  Thanks to Pat Mathews for her long service in this position.
  
• Thanks to Vanessa Mao and assistant Iris Kao for volunteering to serve as Court of Honor coordinators.
  Thanks to Fran Steele for all of her hard work setting up the Courts of Honor the last couple of years.
  
• We look forward to thanking the person who volunteers to coordinate Scouting for Food!
  
• Photographs from Winter Camp (by Phiet Pham) and John Steele's Eagle ceremony have been posted.
  
• Several new pictures of troop adults also are posted. If your photo isn't there, or if you don't like the one that is, then complain! (Then smile while I get a new one.)
  
• Draft minutes from the Feb. 15 committee meeting have been posted on the website in three different formats: Word (.doc), Adobe (.pdf) and Flash (.swf).

---

Troop 1631 Activities, March 2006

Sunday		Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday		Thursday	Friday	Saturday
26		27	28	1	March	2	3	4
Campout - Camp Mauritz		7:00p -8:30p PLC						Merit Badge Day
5		6	7	8		9	10	11
		7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting				7:00p -8:30p Roundtable
12		13	14	15		16	17	18
		Spring Break NO Troop Meeting	Spring Break	Spring Break		Spring Break	Spring Break
19		20	21	22		23	24	25
		7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting		7:30p -8:30p Parent meeting				Scouting for Food
26		27	28	29		30	31	1	April
		7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting					Campout	Campout

Feb 27	Mon	7:00p -8:30p PLC	First Colony Christian Church.. Class 'A'
Mar 4	Sat	Merit Badge Day	.
Mar 6	Mon	7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting	Troop Meeting at Colony Bend Elementary. Class "A".
Mar 9	Thu	7:00p -8:30p Roundtable	This monthly meeting of Leaders and adults from the Tomahawk District is designed for EVERYONE involved or interested in the Cub and Boy Scouting programs. The meeting provides ideas for games, cheers, stunts, skits, crafts, and/or ceremonies for the following month's theme, and provides info on advancement, training, camps, and much more. It is also a source of information on upcoming events in the District and Council. Tomahawk District Roundtable meets 2nd Thursday of each month at Stafford Primary School 1625 Staffordshire Rd, Stafford, TX 77477.
Mar 13	Mon	NO Troop Meeting	.
Mar 13-17	Tue	Spring Break	.
Mar 20	Mon	7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting	Troop Meeting at Colony Bend Elementary. Class "A".
Mar 22	Wed	7:30p -8:30p Parent meeting	Troop Committee meeting at First Colony Christian Church (upstairs), across from Clements HS. All parents welcome and encouraged to attend.
Mar 25	Sat	Scouting for Food	.
Mar 27	Mon	7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting	Troop Meeting at Colony Bend Elementary. Class "A".
Mar 31	Fri	Campout	.

Scoutmaster Conferences

From: Hank Wedelich [mailto:hank@wedelich.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2006 12:06 PM
Subject: Scoutmaster Conferences

Troop 1631,

 

Congratulations to Patrick and William McKeever for completing Scoutmaster conferences for their next rank yesterday, 2/22/06.

 

Patrick completed the SM conference for First Class.

William completed his SM conference for Life.

 

Both boys are ready for their board of review.

 

YIS,

 

Hank Wedelich

 

 

Hank Wedelich

Wedelich Consulting

hank@wedelich.com

+1 281 265-0584

www.wedelich.com

 

Mauritz Campout

From: William Farrell
Subject: Mauritz Campout

Hello Scouts and Parents,

This weekend we will take 4 boys camping. There will also be 4 adults who will dedicate their weekend so the boys have a positive youth experience.

This weekend we will listen to coyotes who always howl at night near our camp, witness deer and other wildlife who live in our camp and enjoy the best camping weather south Texas has to offer.

Four Scouts. Out of a troop with nearly 50 boys.

I am sad for the boys who will not experience the outdoors and have the fun we'll have this weekend.

I will guarantee that the boys who camp with us this weekend will have the best time of their lives. It's an easy guarantee, because all our campouts are more fun than should be allowed.

Yours in Scouting,
Bill

Scouting Essentials

From: William Farrell 
Subject: Scouting Essentials

Hello Scouts and Parents,

In 1907 Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, wrote:

"Camping is the joyous part of a Scout's life.  Living out in God's open air, among the hills and trees, and the birds and the beasts, and the sea and the rivers - that is, living with nature, having your own little canvas home, doing your own cooking and exploration - all this brings health and happiness such as you can never get among the bricks and smoke of the town."

Baden-Powell put a great emphasis on the experience in the outdoors as a fundamental part of Scouting and for good reason.  It is outdoors in the fresh air that one learns to improvise, demonstrate leadership and conquer small mountains of inconvenience whether it be adverse weather, the cold or heat, or insects.  Boys learn to cope and in doing so gain self-confidence and self-respect.

There is an old saying "What do you have if you take the 'outing' out of 'Scouting'?  One answer is "nothing."  Another answer is "Sc" which represents "$ and cents" that you are wasting by not participating in the best teaching experience Scouting has to offer:  leadership.

In our modern society we are bombarded with opportunities whether from school, church or team sports.  Kids and parents are forced to choose from a variety of options every week.  I realize that.

I would put forth that Scouting offers a unique opportunity for boys to develop leadership, citizenship and self-reliance skills in a well- structured program supervised by qualified, trained adults.  It's an opportunity for boys to test their self-reliance and grow in both skills and maturity.  Scouting enables boys to develop skills in citizenship and leadership that they will use throughout life.

Scouts and parents can choose to participate and take advantage of the opportunities that Scouting has to offer, or they can sit on the sidelines and watch, or choose not to participate at all.  The Scouting program is supported by dedicated volunteers who give their time, their days off and their vacation to ensure that your boys can experience a quality program.  It takes as much effort to plan and execute a campout for 4 Scouts as it does for 20 Scouts, however it's always more fun when more people participate.  It is not an accident, nor a gift, that our troop has earned the Quality Troop award for as many years as I can remember.  We don't set out to earn this award, rather, as a result of the dedication of those adults who have given their time and commitment to become trained Scouters, we provide our own quality program for the boys.  It's the right thing to do.

On the other hand, it becomes discouraging for those who plan these events, time and time again, to have their efforts met with low participation or apathy.

As Scoutmaster I work the program because I have seen the positive effect it has on the boys.  I have seen boys go from rambunctious Webelos beginning their Scouting experience as Tenderfoots grow and mature into Eagle Scouts who will become tomorrow's leaders.  I have experienced the joy of working with boys as they succeeded in building their first fire using a single match, built their first tripod with lashings, cook their first meal or pitch their first tent in the darkness.  I've thrilled to boys discovering wildlife in the forest, deer, badgers, bear and eagles.  I have been proud of Scouts who nearly fainted at the prospect of talking in front of their patrol mature into young men who commanded the attention of thousands as Valedictorian.

Scouting, like life, is a participation sport.  You have to participate and experience the joys and exhilaration of what Scouting has to offer.  Watching from the sidelines is not an option.  I would encourage each of you to evaluate what you would like to get out of the Scouting program.  Your input is and active participation is critical to your boy's growth and success.


Yours in Scouting,
   Bill Farrell
   Scoutmaster, Troop 1631

Philmont Meeting

From: William Farrell
Subject: Philmont Meeting

Parents and Scouts interested in the Philmont Trek, 2007

Informational Meeting

Who:  Parents and Scouts interested in Philmont, 2007 should attend

When:  Wednesday, March 1, 7-9 pm

Where:  Bill's House, 3311 Riviera Drive

What:  Informational meeting about the Philmont Trek 2007.  Cost, equipment required, physical conditioning, timeline, etc

If you and/or your son is interested in attending the trek at Philmont next year, this is a Not-to-be-Missed meeting!  We start the Philmont Adventure at this meeting.

To attend Philmont a boy must:

1.  Be 1st Class or higher.
2.  Be 14 prior to 1/1/2007  OR  have completed 8th grade and be 13 by the date of the trek.
3.  Not exceed the height/weight requirements 4.  Attend the training campouts and hikes.
5.  Have a positive attitude and demonstrate maturity and discipline.

To attend Philmont an adult advisor must:

1.  Not exceed the height/weight requirements.
2.  Not exceed the blood pressure limitations.
3.  Be certified in Youth Protection Training, CPR, First Aid, Trek Safely, Scoutmaster Fundamentals and Outdoor Leadership Skills Training 4.  Have 20 nights camping experience prior to the trek date.
5.  Attend the training campouts and hikes.
6.  Be in good physical condition both aerobic and strength.
7.  Be proficient in map, compass and GPS instrumentation.
8.  Have a positive attitude and demonstrate leadership and discipline.

Please note, especially potential advisors, you do not have to meet all these requirements today.  We have 15 months to plan and train, but signing on as an advisor requires a commitment that you must be prepared to make.  Training requirements must be met.

Important Dates

March 1:  Initial information meeting.  If you are ready to commit to the trek, then you may lock in your position with a $200 non- refundable deposit at this meeting (more about this below)

March 15:  Trek Sign-up Day.  Sign-up for the trek with a $200 non- refundable deposit, or sign-up on the Waiting List at no cost.

Trek Commitment Rules - please read this carefully (subject to change)

A Philmont Trek requires about a year of planning.  By committing to a trek we pledge to Philmont certain revenues that must be submitted over the course of the next year.  Because treks are never oversubscribed, it is not feasible to refund money even if a Scout or adult is forced do drop out of the crew for medical reasons or due to a move.  Each trek member is responsible for his committed slot.  In the event that a Scout or adult is forced to leave the crew, it is the responsibility of that crew member to arrange a suitable substitute and to work out the money issue with the new crew member.

Yes, commitment to a Philmont Trek is a serious decision and should not be made lightly.  (I would like to add that in the two opportunities I have had to crew a Philmont Trek I jumped at the chance with both feet!  Wild horses were not going to keep me from making those treks.  They were the best experiences of my life for me and my son.)

The Waiting List.

If you are not sure about committing to a trek, but are willing to risk the possibility of an opening then you may sign up on the Waiting List.  However, you will be expected to attend all crew meetings, all crew campouts, all crew hikes and train with the crew so in the event of a drop-out that you are prepared to make the trek.  Being on the Waiting List requires the same level of commitment to the crew with the risk of being unable to make the trek if an opening doesn't materialize.

One final note.  The Crew Leader, a Scout, in accordance with the Crew Advisor, has final say over crew member status.  In the extremely rare event that a Scout or advisor is asked to leave a crew, all money paid to date will be refunded.  I make this final comment because of the gravity of what a crew is required to do at Philmont.  A crew will have fun and adventure, but lack of discipline can be fatally dangerous in the outback and reckless behavior simply can't be risked.

Now, to end on a positive note I would like to brag about the Troop 1631 crew who attended Philmont in 2005:  Chris Farrell (Crew Leader), Kyle West, Chris Wall, Justin Mathew, Stephen Mathews, John Steele, Jacob Haney, Bill Farrell (Crew Advisor), Dennis West, Matt Wall and Abey Mathew, was without doubt a Philmont-qualified crew who performed in an exemplary fashion with skill, discipline and Scout Spirit.  I have never camped with a finer bunch of Scouts and Scouters than these.  We trained hard, we prepared for the trail and we conquered Philmont.  Because we practiced over and over and over we met the challenge and were able to have the maximum of fun because we were not fighting the elements or each other.

Truly, the Best of Scouting.

See y'all next week.

Yours in Scouting,
   Bill Farrell

Announcement: Troop 1631 Scoutmaster

To all members of Troop 1631:

 

The Troop 1631 selection committee has convened and evaluated several Scout Master candidates.  All the candidates were considered and it was determined that, Hank Wedelich, would best serve the troop as the next Scout Master.  As representative of the Chartered Organization, the Optimist Club of Ft. Bend-Sugar Land, I have asked Hank to accept the honor and responsibilities of Scout Master with the support, confidence and appreciation of the Troop and the Chartered Organization, and he has accepted.  His Term will begin on March 1st. 

 

Kim Icenhower announced Hank as the new Scout Master at the last parent's meeting.  I look forward to the continued tradition of success and Scout spirit and Scout values that have always defined Troop 1631.

 

Thank you,

Judy Karonika

Troop activities Feb-Mar 2006

Troop Activities February-March 2006

 

Reminder:  Eagle Ceremony for John Steele this Sunday, 3-5 PM at St. Laurence Catholic Church.

 

Merit Badge Day:  For latest T1631 signup list see http://www.t1631.org/files/mbday2006/MBDay2006-signup.swf.  There are still some openings.  For a current list of which classes are full, see http://www.abc-cc.com/Tomahawk.  Also, adults are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to update your training.  All of the adult classes still appear to have vacancies.

---

 

February 2006

 

Sunday		Monday	Tues	Wednesday		Thursday	Friday	Saturday
				1	Feb	2	3	4
							School holiday	University of Scouting
5		6	7	8		9	10	11
Scout Sunday		7:00p -8:30p PLC				7:00p -8:30p Roundtable	JLT Campout at Camp Mauritz	JLT Campout at Camp Mauritz
12		13	14	15		16	17	18
JLT Campout at Camp Mauritz		7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting		7:30p -8:30p Parent meeting
19		20	21	22		23	24	25
3:00p -5:00p John Steele Eagle Ceremony		7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting					Campout - Camp Mauritz	Campout - Camp Mauritz
26		27	28
Campout - Camp Mauritz		7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting

Feb 19	Sun	3:00p -5:00p John Steele Eagle Ceremony	St. Laurence Catholic Church
Feb 20	Mon	7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting	Troop Meeting at Colony Bend Elementary Program patrol - Tigers Class "A"
Feb 24-26	Fri	Campout – Camp Mauritz	Camp Mauritz, with Webelos scouts Adult in charge: Bill Vautrain
Feb 27	Mon	7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting	Colony Bend Elementary Program patrol - Bobcats Class 'A'

 

March 2006

Sunday		Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday		Thursday	Friday	Saturday
				1	Mar	2	3	4
								Merit Badge Day
5		6	7	8		9	10	11
		7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting				7:00p -8:30p Roundtable
12		13	14	15		16	17	18
		Spring Break   NO Troop Meeting	Spring Break	Spring Break		Spring Break	Spring Break
19		20	21	22		23	24	25
		7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting		7:30p -8:30p Parent meeting				Scouting for Food
26		27	28	29		30	31	1	Apr
		7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting					Campout	Campout

 

Mar 4	Sat	Merit Badge Day	For latest signup info see http://www.t1631.org/files/mbday2006/MBDay2006-signup.swf
Mar 6	Mon	7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting	Troop Meeting at Colony Bend Elementary. Class "A".
Mar 9	Thu	7:00p -8:30p Roundtable	This monthly meeting of Leaders and adults from the Tomahawk District is designed for EVERYONE involved or interested in the Cub and Boy Scouting programs. The meeting provides ideas for games, cheers, stunts, skits, crafts, and/or ceremonies for the following month's theme, and provides info on advancement, training, camps, and much more. It is also a source of information on upcoming events in the District and Council. Tomahawk District Roundtable meets 2nd Thursday of each month at Stafford Primary School 1625 Staffordshire Rd, Stafford, TX 77477.
Mar 13	Mon	NO Troop Meeting	Spring Break
Mar 20	Mon	7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting	Troop Meeting at Colony Bend Elementary. Class "A".
Mar 22	Wed	7:30p -8:30p Parent meeting	Troop Committee meeting at First Colony Christian Church (upstairs), across from Clements HS. All parents welcome and encouraged to attend.
Mar 25	Sat	Scouting for Food	We need older Scouts helping at the pantry while the younger ones collect food.
Mar 27	Mon	7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting	Troop Meeting at Colony Bend Elementary. Class "A".
Mar 31	Fri	Campout

 

Approved list of classes for Merit Badge Day

Below is the approved list of classes for Merit Badge Day.  I had forgotten that ranks below Life are allowed to register for just one Eagle-required badge, so 4 boys (Conner, Will, Patrick and Daniel) received only one of the two classes they had requested. It may be possible to get a different (non-Eagle required) class, so let me know if you would like me to submit an alternate afternoon class.  (See http://www.t1631.org/files/mbday2006/class-table.pdf for the full list.)

 

First	Last	Unit	Rank	Age	Morning	Morning 2	Lunch	Afternoon	Afternoon 2
Chancey	Raymond	1631	Life	16	Cit. Nation	Cit. Nation	1	Cit. World	Cit. World
Justin	Mathew	1631	Life	15	Medicine	Medicine	1
Joshua	Mathew	1631	Scout	12	Traffic Safety	Traffic Safety	1	Fingerprinting	Crime Prev.
Jamie	Punnoose	1631	Life	16	Traffic Safety	Traffic Safety	1	Fingerprinting	Crime Prev.
Johnny	Hidalgo	1631	Life	16	Electronics	Electronics	1	Fire Safety	Fire Safety
Thomas	Hidalgo	1631	2nd Class	12	Electronics	Electronics	1	Cit. World	Cit. World
Travis	Long	1631	Star	12	Electronics	Electronics
Tejassai	Arrabolu	1631	Scout	12	Cit. World	Cit. World		Personal Man.	Personal Man.
Conner	Clark	1631	Star	14	Cit. World	Cit. World	1	x	x
Kevin	Pham	1631	Tenderfoot	11	Emergency Prep.	Emergency Prep.	1	Personal Man.	Personal Man.
Nirav	Sheth	1631	2nd Class	13	Medicine	Medicine		Communications	Communications
Scott	Vautrain	1631	Life	15	Emergency Prep.	Emergency Prep.
Will	McKeever	1631	Star	14	Cit. World	Cit. World	1	x	x
Patrick	McKeever	1631	2nd Class	13	Cit. World	Cit. World	1	x	x
Daniel	Kau	1631	2nd Class	12	Cit. World	Cit. World	1	x	x
Warren	Chan	1631	Star	13	Law	Law	1	Fingerprinting	Crime Prev.
Daniel	Goodman	1631	Life	14	Aviation	Aviation		Aviation

cliff@t1631.org
281-980-6876 (home)
832-423-6422 (cell)

 

Eagle Board of Review

A Board of Review was convened to consider the advancement of Jeremy Arnold. Jeremy performed with distinction and convinced the board that he had Scout Spirit.  Jeremy was advanced to the rank of Eagle Scout. Congratulations Jeremy and welcome to the Eagle’s Nest!  It looks like we are going to need a project to enlarge the Eagle’s Nest, it’s getting crowded!!

Jerry Kobos

jkobos@houston.rr.com
281-980-6995

Summer Camp 2006 Announcement

Summer Camp 2006 - February 20th will be the deadline to reserve a place in Camp Daniel Boone. A $150 deposit per person is required on that date. (we are actually over due in sending it in). Bill Vautrain will be collecting reservation fees, you can reach him at the next Troop meeting or before at 281.265.2404. Please see www.danielboonecouncil.org for camp details. Camp dates including travel time are June 16-26. The balance of fees will be due before May 15.

 

New photos uploaded

Lots of new(?) pictures have been posted at the www.t1631.org website, some going back as far as April of last year:

• 04/2005 - The "twister" campout (don't know who took these)
• 07/2005 - Philmont (photos by Abey Mathew)
• 08/2005 - Court of Honor
• 09/2005 - 1st Readyman meeting with Webelos
• 10/2005 - 2nd Readyman meeting with Webelos
• 11/2005 - Court of Honor (at troop meeting)

I want to apologize to the troop for taking so long to post these.  Part of the problem was that my album-making software was very cumbersome and time-consuming to use, and I could never force myself to sit down for the long hours it would take to get all the links reconfigured.  That problem has been corrected--now the links are updated automatically.

 

The other half of the problem is something you can help me with....first of all just by giving me a CD with pictures you've taken at a troop event. (I have 0 pictures from winter camp, camp Hamman or last weekend's JLT campout.) It would be a great help, though, if you would "cull" the pictures and give me a CD with the best 15 or 20 shots.  Our webspace is limited, and it takes me a long time to look through several CD's with hundreds of pictures and pick out the ones I think are worthy.  If you'll do that, I'll take care of naming, sizing and publishing them to the web.

 

Also I'd like ALL PARENTS to take a look at the ParentPics album.  If your picture is missing--or if you just don't like the picture that's posted--please email me a recent photo.  It is very helpful at meetings to be able to put names with faces.  No one like to be called "Hey You" (except maybe Hay Chan).

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Cliff Raymond

cliff@t1631.org

 

JLT Campout report

From: William Farrell
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2006 5:48 PM
Subject: JLT Campout

Hello Scouts, Scouters and Parents,

This weekend, February 10-12, we had a great time at Camp Mauritz conducting our Winter Junior Leadership Training. Although we weather looked bad in Sugar Land on the Friday we were planning to leave, a look at the weekend radar map showed a front passing through and a clear weekend in Ganado, Texas where we would be camping.

Sure enough, leaving Sugar Land in drizzle and light rain, we arrived to a dry Camp Mauritz, the clouds cleared and we had a cold, but dry night. Saturday was clear and sunny and, setting a bad example for the boys in Being Prepared, the intrepid Scoutmaster got a sunburned nose teaching classes on Saturday.

Friday night the boys set up camp quickly and efficiently and we had a campfire with skits, songs and patrol yells.

For those of you unfamiliar with the JLT plan, the boys arrive at camp, are divided up into patrols (not their regular troop patrols) and they are tasked with setting up camp, coming up with a patrol name, creating a patrol flag and yell, and put together a skit and song for the campfire. All in the first hour of arriving. Yes, it's a challenge, but our boys are always up to it! Even the adults form their own patrol and have to follow the same plan.

So, we had the Scout patrol named Hungry Turtals (Hey, we lighten up on spelling when we camp.) and the Adult LNT patrol (Leave No Trace), pronounced "lint."

At the Friday night campfire we had a Welcome Address to JLT by Mr. Farrell followed by yells, presentations of patrol flags, and skits by the two patrols. A magnificent Cracker Barrel followed the campfire by which time it was getting very cold and we all turned in.

The next day the adults cooked breakfast for the Junior Leader Trainees and once the sun rose high enough in the clear sky we had a relatively warm day to conduct training and games. The Scouts learned about the history of Scouting and why we have things like patrols, patrol leaders, troops, uniforms and why we emphasize camping skills. Many "Ah Ha!" light bulbs turned on during these presentations.

In the afternoon there was plenty of free time to explore Camp Mauritz, build camp projects and have fun.

Finally, the last piece of work involved planning events for the Spring, Summer and part of the next term in the fall. Also, we discussed work that each Scout in leadership needed to do. Clearly, we all have a lot to do, but it's all good fun.

We knew from the weather predictions that it would get very cold Saturday night so we planned on an early dinner and had two campfires going. The leadership Scouts took the initiative (which I like) to build their own campfire and had a lot of fun in their campsite. On the other side of the camp, the cooking fire became the Warming Fire and the adults rotated like chickens-on-a-spit until it was time to extinguish the fire and seek the warm refuge of down-filled sleeping bags. I think we doused the fire and were down for the night at 8:30, with the Scouts beating us to bed by 30 minutes!

Sunday morning we awoke to frost on the tents, but got packed and out in record time.

All in all it was a good camping weekend. Many of the ASM's are trained in Trek Safely, which is offered at the University of Scouting held each year in Houston, most recently last weekend, and those of us planning campouts scour the news feeds for information about weather in the areas we plan to camp. In recent years we have cancelled campouts due to the anticipation of bad weather.

For the Winter JLT we knew that the storms hitting Sugar Land would not affect the area we were going to and the weekend would be clear. Thus, we decided to proceed with the planned campout and that was the correct decision.

We are very careful in Scouting and for those of you who have dipped your toe into the world of Scout training, and for those of you who have dived in, you know that there is a vast amount of knowledge available to us and very proscribed requirements from BSA that guides what we do. Yes, it all looks easy and seamless, but behind the scenes there's always a lot of work, planning and discussion with everything we do.

In conclusion, let me say that the boys who attended JLT experienced the coldest Texas can throw at us and they all performed like Scouts and were prepared. Be Prepared and your boys met the challenge.

Yours in Scouting,
Bill Farrell

Troop 1631 activities Feb.2006

Summer Camp Parent's Meeting - There will be a summer camp parent's meeting this Monday Feb.13 during the troop meeting.  Please plan to attend if your boy is going to camp this summer.

 

Merit Badge Day is coming up on March 4.  Sign up will be this Monday (Feb.13) at the troop meeting.  Please go to http://www.t1631.org/files/mbday2006/ to download the forms and select the classes you want, then bring forms and fees to the meeting.

 

Eagle's Nest - Congratulations to Adam Karonika for becoming the 97th Eagle from Troop 1631.  Check out the list by going to www.t1631.org and clicking the Eagle's Nest link on the right.

 

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February 2006                 Theme: First Aid

 

Sunday		Monday		Tuesday		Wednesday		Thursday		Friday		Saturday
29	Jan	30		31		1	Feb	2		3		4
		7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting								School holiday		University of Scouting
5		6		7		8		9		10		11
Scout Sunday		7:00p -8:30p PLC						7:00p -8:30p Roundtable		JLT Campout at Camp Mauritz		JLT Campout at Camp Mauritz
12		13		14		15		16		17		18
JLT Campout at Camp Mauritz		7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting OA election Program patrol- RACOONS				7:30p -8:30p Parent meeting
19		20		21		22		23		24		25
3:00p -5:00p John Steele Eagle Ceremony		7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting Program patrol - TIGERS								Campout - Camp Mauritz		Campout - Camp Mauritz
26		27		28		1	Mar	2		3		4
Campout - Camp Mauritz		7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting Program patrol - BOBCATS										Merit Badge Day

 

Feb 9	Thu	7:00p -8:30p Roundtable	This monthly meeting of Leaders and adults from the Tomahawk District is designed for EVERYONE involved or interested in the Cub and Boy Scouting programs. The meeting provides ideas for games, cheers, stunts, skits, crafts, and/or ceremonies for the following month's theme, and provides info on advancement, training, camps, and much more. It is also a source of information on upcoming events in the District and Council. Tomahawk District Roundtable meets 2nd Thursday of each month at Stafford Primary School 1625 Staffordshire Rd, Stafford, TX 77477.
Feb 10-12	Sat	JLT Campout at Camp Mauritz	.
Feb 13	Mon	7:00p -8:30p Troop Meeting	Troop Meeting at Colony Bend Elementary. Program Patrol - Racoons OA elections Class "A"
Feb 15	Wed	7:30p -8:30p Parent meeting	Troop Committee meeting at First Colony Christian Church (upstairs), across from Clements HS. All parents welcome and encouraged to attend.