NO TROOP MEETING:
Just a reminder, there is no troop meeting on Monday and in observance of the Federal Holiday. However, we have LOTS of updates and information, so even though there is no meeting, there is lots of Scouting to talk about!
We have a Board of Review scheduled for the next meeting on the 27th, so please let me know if you need a Scoutmaster Conference and Mrs. Haymes know if you completed or are getting close to completing your rank requirements.
WILL ROGER
First let me start with unfortunate news and in case you missed the email earlier in the week, see note below from Kevin Jahns concerning Will Roger. We are all very saddened by his passing and will miss him at our meetings.
Dear Troop, 131 Scouts and Families,
With sadness, I want to let you know that Mr. Will Rodger passed away this morning (February 17th) after a long, hard battle with cancer. Mr. Rodger was the longtime Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 131. He was instrumental in building up Troop 131 to the great program we enjoy today and was a wealth of Scouting knowledge which we all benefited from, especially the endless number of Troop 131 scouts he impacted. He will be greatly missed.
We will share funeral details as they are arranged, meanwhile please keep Will and his family in your thoughts and prayers.
Kevin Jahns
CAMPING PRINCE WILLIAM FOREST- RECAP:
See recap below from Mr. Irwin concerning the camping trip this weekend. It looks like we will have some frost points to award! I know that many were looking forward to the trip to the Poconos, however, I appreciate that we all rallied, adjusted and were able to get outdoors again. Special thanks to Mr. Mulvaney for finding an alternate venue for us and Mr. Irwin and the other adults for leading the charge during the camping trip!
The camping trip this weekend was lots of fun for all 14 scouts who were in attendance and experienced howling winds and a frigidly low temperature of 26F on Friday night! Saturday was beautiful and we were graced by sunny skies for our 3-mile orienteering course and hiking up, down, and across the Mary Byrd Branch Creek and surrounding hills. Special thanks to Brendan Mulvaney for the custom orienteering trek spelling out “Will” in honor of the late Mr. Will Rodger who was a longtime Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 131. All the Scouts have a new appreciation of keeping an accurate pace count and a steading bearing while crossing numerous fallen trees and small streams full of water. After a full day, we settled into an afternoon of competitive frisbee, axe/saw work to stock up on firewood, rank advancement, and some fantastic evening meals to include Mr. Nguyen cooking ribeye steaks on the grill for all of the adult leaders—now that was a special treat.
I think we all learned the importance of dressing in layers and having the right gear for the task at hand—cooking, hiking, cold weather camping, and a good compass for orienteering. Special thanks to six adult leaders that made the trip and the orienteering hike, it was a lot of fun!
ALEX HECKEL EAGLE BOARD OF REVIEW
I am pleased to announce that last week Alex Heckel successfully completed his Eagle Board of Review. A big congratulations to goes to Alex and this accomplishment. We are so fortunate to have so many Eagle Scouts in our troop!
UNIVERSITY OF SCOUTING- Adult Leaders
Sorry for the late message about this, however the annual University of Scouting event will be held next weekend. See link below. I have attended in the past and it is lots of fun. Unfortunately, registration closes today at midnight if anyone wants to attend.
https://scoutingevent.com/082-UoS2023
SERVICE OPORTUNITY
See message below from Mrs. Mulvaney, this is another opportunity to give back to our sponsor! Please help out if you can!
Scouts and families,
We have another fun opportunity to help out Immanuel Church this TUESDAY 2/21. It’s shrove Tuesday the day before Ash Wednesday (when Lent begins).
Our contact for the event, Tom Kerns has shared that they could use help before the event (setting up between 3:30 – 5:00), during the event (cashiers and bussing tables 5:00 – 7:30), and after the event (cleaning up 7:30 – 8ish?).
Please reply to this email by Sunday night 6PM, if you are able to attend, so I can share with them our plan for support.
Please reply with your name under the heading to which you can help.
Before: 3:30-5:00
During: 5:00-7:30
After: 7:30-8ish.
Thank you for remembering a scout is helpful! Scouts & Troop 131 families!
Samantha Mulvaney
& Shelby Workman
Troop 131 Service Coordinators
JACK SNOWDEN EAGLE PROJECT:
Due to the cold weather, Jack postponed his eagle project to February 25th. If you could not make it previously, please consider helping on the 25th! I am sure that many of you need service hours, and this is the perfect opportunity to help out!
Installation Day (Open to all Scouts)
February 25th from 12:00-4:00 Location: Bon Air Park, 850 N Lexington St, Arlington, VA 22205
Sign Up Genius: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4CA9AF29A7F9C34-jack
PARENT AND COMMITTEE MEETING – March 14th 8:00
See message below from Mr. Jahns, all are welcome and encouraged to attend!
Please mark your calendar for our upcoming parent and committee meeting via Zoom on Wednesday, March 14th (details to follow)
These meetings are your chance to find out what’s going on with the troop, get questions answered, make suggestions and find out how you might be able to help. All are welcome and encouraged to join!
Uniform Swap
As we get ready for an influx of new scouts this spring, please look through your son’s uniform and if you have items he has outgrown please send them into a troop meeting to be added to our uniform swap box.
Volunteer Needs
We are looking for some adult volunteers in these areas:
- Scoutmaster – We are looking for someone who might be interested in this role to shadow Mark for a gradual transition into being Scoutmaster. Don’t be intimidated by this, there is lots of training and support available! Reach out to Mark or me to discuss what is involved if you have any interest.
- Membership – This role manages our fall/spring recruitment efforts and getting new scouts processed with paperwork, etc. This is not a huge lift but a very important role for the troop. It’s primarily done via e-mail and mostly a matter of communicating with Cub Scout dens to arrange visits, communicating with potential new scouts and tracking paperwork for those who join. We haven’t had someone specifically in this role for a few years but would like to take this off the plate of the committee chair position.
- Committee Chair – Here too we are looking for someone who has interest in becoming the committee chair and could work with me for a gradual transition. This too does not need to be a heavy lift, I’d be happy to talk to anyone who might be interested.
Please do consider helping in one of these roles if you can, I would be happy to talk to you about what’s involved or answer any questions you may have.
For our latest calendar or other information, check our website – https://t131.org/
Thank you for your consideration and I hope to “see“ you on March 14th!
Kevin Jahns
703-798-1802
Order of the Arrow (OA) Elections – 20 March
See message below from Mr. Irwin. We have not had an OA election for some time and are overdue! Scouts, please mark your calendars. For those that are unfamiliar with the OA, we will provide additional information at an upcoming meeting.
The Colonial Chapter of the Amangamek-Wipit Lodge will conduct the 2022-2023 Order of the Arrow election on Monday, 20 March at 7:30pm during our normally scheduled meeting. Of special note at least 50% of Troop members must be present to conduct the election and we hope to have as close to 100 percent attendance at this meeting. We will be compiling the list of eligible and willing Scouts in the next few weeks that meet the following qualifications:
- Be a registered member of the Boy Scouts of America.
2. At the time of their election, youth must be under the age of 21, hold the Scouts BSA First Class rankand following approval by the scoutmaster, be elected by the youth members of their unit.
3. The youth must have experienced 15 nights of camping while registered with a troop within the two years immediately prior to the election. The 15 nights must include one, but no more than one, long-term camp consisting of at least five consecutive nights of overnight camping, approved and under the auspices and standards of the Boy Scouts of America. Only five nights of the long-term camp may be credited toward the 15-night camping requirement; the balance of the camping (10 nights) must be overnight, weekend, or other short-term camps of, at most, three nights each.
Thanks,
Lee
SCHEDULE: One Month(ish) Look Ahead
Monday, February 20th – No Troop Meeting- Federal Holiday – Presidents Day
Monday, February 27th – Troop Meeting (BoR)- 7:30 PM – Immanuel Church on the Hill
Monday, March 6th – Troop Meeting- 7:30 PM – Immanuel Church on the Hill
Friday, March 10th – 12th – Camping- Backpacking- Roaring Run
Monday, March 13th – Troop Meeting (PLC)- 7:30 PM – Immanuel Church on the Hill
Tuesday March 14th – Parent and Committee Meeting – 8:00 PM (virtual)
Monday, March 20th – Troop Meeting (OA Elections)- 7:30 PM – Immanuel Church on the Hill
Saturday, March 25th – Scout Skills Saturday
Monday, March 27th – Court of Honor
Monday, April 3rd – No Troop Meeting- Spring Break
GENERAL TROOP MEETING INFO:
Wear your full Class A Uniform and Scarf! Bring your Book, Bring a headlamp! Leave your phone in your pocket! and have a good time!
Blue Cards! Did you know that your Scoutmaster can email you a blue card? Just send me Mr. Ramirez an email (scoutmaster@t131.org)! Note that the SCOUT must request the blue card, not the parent!
See you all at the troop meeting.
-MR
