2024-03-25 This Week: No Troop Meeting, Order of the Arrow Elections, Merit Badge Counselors, One Month Look-ahead

Troop 131,

I hope you are well and are starting to relax for Spring Break!

NO TROOP MEETING

Just a reminder, there is no troop meeting tonight and due to Spring Break.   Since you are not encumbered by schoolwork or other activities, then this is the perfect time for you to work on Advancement and Merit Badges … just saying!

Our next meeting will be on April 1^st (this is not a joke)!

OA ELECTION – RECAP

Thank you to Mr. Irwin for coordinating the election and thank you all for turning out in force for the elections last Monday.  It was very successful, and I am pleased to announce that the following members from our troop have been nominated to the Order of the Arrow:

Noah Urchek

Josiah Baldwin

Luke Irwin

Arthur Dalton

Logan Bond

Ethan Lacayo

To become members, they will need to complete their Ordeal, of which the next opportunity is the weekend of April 26^th-28^th at Camp Snyder.

Current OA members don’t forget the spring fellowship is April 5-7^th (I know that Sean and Theo will be there) and the Conclave is May 17^th -19^th.  I believe that both are at Camp Snyder.

SUMMER CAMP T-SHIRT DESIGN

As Mr. Devlin mentioned again at the meeting on Monday, we are in the process of getting the t-shirts for summer camp designed.  All scouts are invited and encouraged to submit a design.  However, be aware, if we do not receive any Scout Designs, then the Adult Leaders will take it upon ourselves to design the t-shirts … I believe that Thomas the Tank Engine and My Little Pony are on the current short list for design concepts!  I would really prefer if the design came for the Scouts, so all of you budding artists … get your sketchbook out!

FISHING TRIP- April 19^th -21st

The next camping trip is just around the corner, and we are locked into a fishing trip at Pohick Bay.  The site is reserved so this will happen.

The sign-up sheet will follow soon!

MERIT BADGE COUNSELORS

We are always looking for parents’ involvement in the troop and one great way is to become a merit badge counselor.  If you are interested, then see the process below.  Anyone can become a counselor; however, you must be registered with the troop, be YPT certified and complete the online merit badge course.  Keep in mind that some merit badges, such aquatics or shooting sports, require additional training/certifications.

See link below to the google doc with the current list of counselors.  Register for the ones you are interested in/qualified for and don’t worry if there are already multiple counselors, it is great for the scouts to have options.  Counselors for eagle required merit badges (in yellow) tend to see more action, however, it is great when there are opportunities for electives as well.

(Scouts, keep in mind that you must have a conversation and receive a blue card from the Scoutmaster or one of the other Assistant Scoutmasters BEFORE you reach out to a counselor).

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19yJTQS1qk7-UBpIjI2fgJBLrB2qMx-48/edit#gid=1739196674

Merit Badge Counselor Registration Process

1. 
   Inform the Scoutmaster and Committee Chair that you intend to register as a merit badge counselor
2. Submit an online application through this link – https://my.scouting.org/VES/OnlineReg/1.0.0/?tu=UF-MB-082c22

 If already on our unit charter, you can register with “Colonial District 22” as a dual registration. If a dual registration, there will be no fee required with the application. 

 If not on the unit charter, you will register with Colonial District and the fee will be $25 

3. Once the application is completed, you can submit directly to Colonial District via e-mail (registrarcolonialmbc@gmail.com) the following:

* The MBC Information sheet (https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34405.pdf)

* Certificate of completion for Youth Protection Training (YPT)

* Certificate of completion for the online MBC training (accessible through My Scouting, same as where they do YPT https://my.scouting.org) 

4. Once complete, theColonial DistrictMerit Badge Registar will contact you and verify that you are registered with the District. You should see the merit badges listed in Scoutbook. 

SCHEDULE: One Month(ish) Look Ahead

Monday, March 25^th – No Troop Meeting – Spring Break (ACPS & FCPS) 

Monday, April 1^st – Troop Meeting- 7:30 PM (ACPS- No School) – Immanuel Church on the Hill

Friday April 5^th- 7^{th –} OA Spring Fellowship – Camp Snyder

Monday, April 8^th – Troop Meeting- 7:30 PM – Immanuel Church on the Hill

Monday, April 15^th – Troop Meeting- 7:30 PM (BoR)- Immanuel Church on the Hill

Friday April 19^th – 21^st – Camping- Fishing- Pohick Bay