2023-10-01 This Week: PLC, Troop Meeting, Wreath Sale, Pumpkin Patch, Scouting for Food, Annual Fees One Month Look-ahead

I hope everyone is doing well.  I just flew into town this afternoon after being away for the last week, so I am trying to catch up a bit.

Thank you to the scouts who attended the Pumpkin patch on Saturday – I understood that it went well!

We should call October Scout Month, because there is a TON going on … so bear with us as we try to navigate all the activities!

PLC

We will have a PLC this Monday at 7:00 at Immanuel Church on the Hill. The leadership group should plan on attending, including the SPL, ASPL’s, Patrol Leaders, Scribe, Quartermaster, etc.  Patrol leaders, if you cannot attend, then please ask your Assistant Patrol Leader to come in your place.

TROOP MEETING

We will have a Troop meeting at 7:30PM at Immanuel Church on the Hill this Monday.

Please note, this is the LAST meeting before the Climboree.  If you need a blue card for the event, then this is the time to ask me for one!  For the scouts that already asked me for Blue Cards, I will have them ready to hand out to you on Monday.

This is a longer event than typical- we are camping an extra day, therefore the meal planning must include- three extra meals!  Scouts, please be prepared.

At the last meeting, we did not complete the planning for the November Patrol camping trip!  This is something we need to complete again as well.

WREATH SALE

While the car wash was very successful with respect to fundraising, it is not enough to cover our expenses for the year.   As a result, we are doing our annual wreath sale again.  This is our main fundraising event for the year and helps pay for the badges you receive and to subsidize many of the camping trips and activities we participate in.

Mrs. Irwin has graciously agreed to be our Wreath Coordinator this year and has prepared a great packet of information and collateral to aid everyone in their sales.  She will be at the meeting on Monday and will take a few minutes to walk you through the process.

To help encourage you all (not that you need that) we will resurrect an old tradition and the top three wreath salespersons in the troop will get the “honor” of putting a whip-cream pie in the face of the Scoutmaster…. Wait… that is me!

SERVICE PROJECT- PUMPKIN PATCH

If you were not able to attend the Pumpkin Patch this Saturday, fear not!  There is another opportunity soon and the second drop off for the pumpkin patch is Saturday October 14^th.  We were so helpful this time that they asked if we could come a bit earlier and at 7:30 AM instead of 8:30. Mark your calendars!

Immanuel Church on the Hill has been an amazing sponsor and we could not exist without them generously letting us use the church grounds for meetings, the shed, and other outdoor activities.  Their members were also huge supporters of our recent car wash.  Now is the time for us to give back.

See note below from Jamie Conrad, please come out in your Class B Uniform, and help unload the pumpkins.  Not only will you earn service hours and help our sponsor, but it is also a ton of fun!

As in the last several years, pumpkin unloading will be on Saturday mornings, and will involve pallet-sized cartons of pumpkins being taken off trucks with a forklift.  The main work consists of moving pumpkins from the cartons to various places in the patch, using wheelbarrows and wagons ….  scouts will have multiple opportunities to pitch in.  Folks should bring gloves.  If they have extra wheelbarrows or wagons, that would help, too.

Finally, if you’re so inclined, we would love for your volunteers (and you!) to promote the Pumpkin Patch on social media, including:

Google: https://www.google.com/search?q=pumpkin+patch+near+alexandria+va&sca_esv=563715971&rlz=1C5GCEM_enUS912US912&ei=Ih_7ZJjtKZ6u5NoP6KGxkAE&oq=pumpkin+patch+alexandria+va&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiG3B1bXBraW4gcGF0Y2ggYWxleGFuZHJpYSB2YSoCCAEyChAAGIoFGLADGEMyCRAAGAgYHhiwAzIJEAAYCBgeGLADMhYQLhiKBRjHARivARjIAxiwAxhD2AEBMhYQLhiKBRjHARivARjIAxiwAxhD2AEBMhQQLhiABBjHARivARjIAxiwA9gBAUjHE1AAWABwAXgAkAEAmAFZoAFZqgEBMbgBAcgBAOIDBBgBIEGIBgGQBga6BgQIARgI&sclient=gws-wiz-serp.

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/immanuel-church-on-the-hill-alexandria-2

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/immanuelchurchonthehill/

Thanks, Jamie Conrad

SERVICE PROJECT- SCOUTING FOR FOOD

See note below from Mr. Moore.  We have our annual council- wide service project- Scouting for Food.

 Scouts and parents, please join us on Saturday, October 28th (flyer drop off) and November 4th (food pick-up) to encourage local residents to donate non-perishable food items to support Alexandria’s food pantries, meal kitchens, public schools, recreation centers and other community partners to aid those in need.  This is an annual event in which the troop participates.  

 We will meet in the parking lot of Immanuel Church on the Hill at 3606 Seminary Rd., Alexandria, VA, at 9:00 AM, Saturday, October 28th and then return to the homes of the residents in which flyers were distributed at 10:00 AM, Saturday, November 4th to pick up donated, non-perishable food items and return them back to Immanuel Church on the Hill.  For friends and family outside of the area to donate visit: https://yougivegoods.com/colonialdistrict-scoutingforfood2023.

This is a great way for Scouts to earn service hours and help those in need in our community.  Parents and their automobiles are needed to drop off and pick up Scouts to distribute notices and pick up donated food items on both days. Parents, please contact ASM Andrew Moore if you are able to participate in transporting Scouts and donated food items on the flyer drop off and food collection days (andrewdmoore2@aol.com, 202-258-7103).

 ANNUAL REGISTRATION FEES

See message below from Mr. Baldwin, our treasurer concerning our Registration Fees and Dues.

 … we are now starting the annual rechartering process for the Troop and collecting the annual registration fees as part of that. The amounts due are as follows:

 Scouts 

Troop 131 Youth Annual fee $200 (up from $120 last year) broken down as follows:

• $80 National BSA Fee (Up from $75)
• $80 Participation Fee for NCAC (New fee this year) 
• $15 for Scouts Life magazine
• $25 stays with Troop 131 

Notes –

 – You can opt out of receiving Scouts Life and deduct the $15 from the fee amount due.

 – Among other things, the $25 portion that stays with the troop helps pay for advancement recognition (i.e. merit badges are $3.59 each, ranks $2.99), camp gear replacement and upkeep, subsidizing some trips, meals for camping and our courts of honor

 Adults

Troop 131 Adult Volunteer Annual Fee – $60 (Up from $45 last year) which is our cost to the National BSA 

 Notes –

 – The Adult fee is due even if a parent is only attending one overnight event. This is a change from previous years.

 – If an adult wishes to subscribe to Scouts Life, please include an additional $15

 We recognize this is a large jump in the annual fee, and we do not want this fee to preclude any Scout from participation. As a result, scholarships are available if needed – please contact Mark or Kevin for details.

Please make payment to the Troop Treasurer by October 23^rd as we need to send payment for the entire Troop when we submit our charter on November 1^st.

Payment can be made in several ways:

• Zelle: This is preferred.  Name: TreasurerT131

                                                          Email: Treasurer@T131.org  

                 Please include a note to summarize what is being covered.

• Personal check: These can be given to me or Kevin at one of the weekly meetings
• Scout Account: Full or partial payment can be made from your Scout’s Scout Account if they have a positive balance.
• Fallingwater reimbursement: If the Troop still owes you any reimbursement, feel free to adjust your balance accordingly.

If you’re using a Scout Account or reimbursement to adjust your fee amount, please send me an email and/or include a note in Zelle so I can confirm what you’re doing.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks!

Troop Treasurer

SCHEDULE: One Month(ish) Look Ahead

Monday, October 2^nd – Troop Meeting – 7:30 PM (PLC) – Immanuel Church on the Hill

Friday Oct. 6^th-9^th – NCAC Climboree (long weekend)

Monday October 9^th – No Troop Meeting – Federal Holiday – Columbus Day

Saturday, October 14^th – Immanuel Church on the Hill Pumpkin Drop Off 2 (7:30 – noon)

Monday, October 16^th – Troop Meeting – 7:30 PM (PLC) – Immanuel Church on the Hill

Friday Oct. 20^th-22^nd   – Colonial District Camporee- Cheltenham, MD

Saturday, October 21^st – Immanuel Church on the Hill Pumpkin Drop Off 3 (8:30 – noon)

Monday, October 23^rd – Troop Meeting – 7:30 PM (BoR) – Immanuel Church on the Hill

Saturday October 28^th – ^– Scouting for Food Drop Off – Alexandria Neighborhoods

Monday October 30^th – Troop Meeting- 7:30 PM (ACPS – No School) Immanuel Church on the Hill

Saturday November 4^{th –} Scouting for Food Pick up – Alexandria Neighborhoods

Monday November 6^th – Troop Meeting- 7:30 PM – Immanuel Church on the Hill

Monday November 13^th – Troop Meeting- 7:30 PM – Immanuel Church on the Hill

Friday Nov. 17^th – 19^th   – Patrol Outing or Camping Trip – Varies