TROOP MEETING:
We will have an in-person Troop meeting at 7:30PM at Immanuel Church on the Hill this Monday.
In addition, we have one Board of Review scheduled. We only have two meetings before our next camping trip (Backpacking) so let’s make sure to take some time during patrol time for meal planning and prep.
There is a whole lot of scouting going on over the next few weeks, so please bear with my very long email and please take the time to read through the various posts.
WILL ROGER
Per the email from Mr. Jahns, the Funeral Mass – scheduled for this Monday 2/27 at 1 PM at St. Rita’s Catholic Church, 3815 Russell Road, Alexandria.
I understand that several current as well as a few former scouts will be pallbearers. Thank you to the scouts that volunteered to be part of the Mass.
If you plan to attend, please consider wearing your scout uniform.
If you haven’t yet, you can use the link below to see the very nice tribute Mr. Rodger’s family has added about him. You’ll read about all the amazing things he did in his life in addition to all he’s done for Scouting and Troop 131. You will also find final details on services for him over the next few days.
https://www.everlywheatley.com/tributes/William-RodgerSr
If interested, you could also use the link below to help the Rodger family with meals or expenses for the funeral luncheon.
https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/ly1dr6/donate/
Thanks for all you as a troop have already done to help Mr. Rodger and his family.
ACTIVITIES INTEREST SURVEY
See email below from Mr. Mulvaney, please take a minute to fill it out as we are just trying to gage interest in the upcoming events.
Hello Troop, 131.
We have some great campouts coming up over the next several months.
March is the annual hit- Roaring Run backpacking trip- Sign up is already live- Click here
April 21-23 is our fishing trip. The details are still being worked out, but the cost involved should be minimal. It should be about a 2-hour drive from Alexandria to our site.
May 19-21 is a brand-new adventure. A backpacking trip and a new CAVING experience. This trip will be about 3 hours from Alexandria. Camp Friday night at a roadside camp.
Get up Sat and hike up to Little Bald Knob. Set up camp in the meadow area just past that. Camp Sat night there. Sun- break camp and hike back to the road, pack cars, and drive into Stokesville area (about 20 min) and do a Caving Adventure from 13:00-16:00, then RTB to Alexandria. So home Sunday evening sometime- later than normal. Some cost involved for the caving part based on participation, but should be minor.
June 9-11 Is the return of the River Rafting trip, combined with a tour of Fallingwater (a Frank Lloyd Wright house). This trip will be about 3.5 hours from Alexandria. Rafting will be on Saturday, the same place/ company we used last year (and had a ball!) and then the Fallingwater tour will be on Sunday morning. Total cost should be around $60 as an early estimate.
July is Summer Camp, that is a whole other kettle of fish 🙂
Please fill out our interest form so we have an idea of who might be interested in which events, so we can make reservations and not miss out. Again, this is not a firm commitment, you can change your mind (either way), but we want to get a good number to work with so we can make sure we have enough spaces, but not waste money.
Troop 131 2023 Activities Interest Form
As always, let me know if you have any questions. Thanks.
Brendan Mulvaney
Outings Coordinator
Boy Scout Troop 131
CAMPING/BACKPACKING- ROARING RUN
Our next camping trip is just two weeks away. Please sign up if you plan on attending!
Next up- BACKPACKING!!!!! WOOO HOO
First Backpack trip of 2023, and Roaring Run is always a fan favorite.
Sign up here: Roaring Run 2023 Signup
Who: Everyone in Troop 131 is invited! We have spots for everyone!!!
What: Roaring Run backpack trip
When: Fri 10 Mar- Sun 12 Mar 2023
Where: Catherine’s Furnace, Shenandoah, VA (about 2.5 hours from Alexandria)
Why: ‘Cause 131 is a Backpacking Troop
Sign up here: Roaring Run 2023 Signup
As always, let me know if you have any questions.
Brendan Mulvaney
Outings Coordinator
Boy Scout Troop 131
SERVICE OPPORTUNITY
Please see note from Immanuel Church on the Hill regarding help needed with grounds cleanup. Let’s make sure we get a lot of scouts out there to support our Sponsor!
Volunteers needed – Garden and Grounds Spring Clean Up
On Saturday, March 4, from 9-1PM, please join us for a work day on the Immanuel grounds. We have tasks for all ages and ability levels, from getting your hands dirty to helping to make labels for items in the garden. No gardening knowledge specifically needed!
Please bring your own work gloves and any garden tools you have – we’ll meet in front of the Zabriskie Chapel at 9am. Please join for any time from 9-1pm, and any amount of time you can be there will be appreciated. Again we’re set for
9am – 1pm on March 4. Hope to see you there.
Please contact Kathryn Haskin (kathryn.jackson41@gmail.com) or Sarah Glassco (glasscos@gmail.com) with questions.
Samantha Mulvaney
& Shelby Workman
Troop 131 Service Coordinators
JACK SNOWDEN EAGLE PROJECT:
From what I understand, Jack Snowden completed his Eagle project this weekend. Thank you to all the scouts that helped out and please make sure to congratulate Jack when you see him!
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
SUMMER CAMP
First let me take the opportunity to thank Mr. Daren Devlin, for once again volunteering to organize summer camp. As someone who previously did this, let me tell everyone that this is no easy task.
You may have seen an email from him this evening announcing the T-131 registration form (something that he created) is now live! If you are planning on attending summer camp, then please fill it out.
For the new scouts and families, there will be a Parent information session during the Scout Meeting on March 6th.
SCHEDULE: One Month(ish) Look Ahead
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 (Summer Camp info session)
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.
