Hope you all are having a great weekend.
While we just finished a whole slew of Scout Activities, there is more to come this year including an outstanding set of Scuba events within the next eight months (see below) and don’t miss the info and links concerning Philmont in 2026!
We also have several service activities coming up in November including Scouting for Food and the very fun Pumpkin Clean up at the Church- see service section below!
Don’t forget to sign up and Pay for the Naval Academy outing, if you are going to attend- registration closes very soon.
TROOP MEETING
We will have a Troop meeting at 7:30PM this Monday at Immanuel Church on the Hill! As always, your leadership team will have a good meeting plan for you all.
WREATH SALES
Those at the meeting last week picked up their packets from Mrs. Setliff who volunteered to be our Wreath coordinator this year. We have a short window this year (sales end November 11th) so please start your sales as soon as possible. Remember, 50% of the proceeds goes to the troop and the other 50% goes to your scout account. This money can be used to pay for camping trips, scout activities, and even upcoming high adventure …. Just saying!
CLIMBING MERIT BADGE
Mr. Saulski held a follow-up session at the meeting on Monday and many of you met with him to finish some remaining requirements. He will be at the meeting again this week and can meet with any scout that has outstanding requirements for this merit badge. Glad to see so many of you working on this!
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
See note below from our Committee Chair, Mrs. Devlin. Scouts BSA (National) has a new system for re-chartering this year. Instead of the troop collecting your fees and paying collectively, each family is asked to pay directly. The only caveat is that the troop will still collect our dues directly. See note below and thanks for your patience as we get used to the new system.
Good evening scouts, parents, ASMs, committee members and T131 fans,
……
Cutting to the chase here, it’s almost time for fees/dues/recharter.
Adults
BSA Adult Volunteer Annual Fee = $65 paid direct to BSA
Scouts
BSA Youth Annual Fee = $180 (up $5 from last year):
- $85 National BSA fee
- $80 Participation fee for NCAC (National Capital Area Council)
- $15 for Scouts Life magazine (optional)
- Paid directly from parents to BSA, they’ll reach out to you via email in the next month or sowhen your son’s registration is expiring (most T131 scouts expire 31DEC2024)
Troop 131 Scout Dues = $25
- Goes toward camping gear, scout food, rank patches and merit badges
- Troop 131 dues are only for scouts—no dues for adults
- Paid via Zelle/cash/check to Mr. Baldwin by Nov. 15
- Scouts can pay some or all of this with the funds in their scout accounts on file with the troop—see attached doc from Mr. Baldwin for your scout’s balance
Note: We never want the ability to pay dues to stand in the way of the Scouting experience. If you would like a scholarship, please contact me or any adult leader directly and we’ll take care of it!
This is a big shift for us as a Troop—we used to collect all Troop money and submit a check directly. We’re taking notes on the new system, and BSA is eager to improve the process however they can.
Last important piece of info from the committee meeting is the adult camping fees–starting in 2025, we will waive adult camping fees for those volunteers who are supporting our activities! (If there are extra per-person fees for events like climbing or rafting, it will be announced.) Thank you to all who continue to support our boys’ outdoor experiences.
Please reach out with questions.
Anastasia Devlin
Chair, Troop 131
786.457.3043
SCOUTING FOR FOOD!
See note from Mr. Moore concerning Scouting for Food and see link below to sign up so that we can get a good head count!
11/2/24 Saturday 9-11:30 – Scouting for Food
Scouts and parents, please join us Saturday, November 2, 2024, in the parking of the church to distribute adhesive notes at homes in the neighborhood to inform local households about the Scouting for Food collection drive. Then, the second weekend, Saturday, November 9, 2024, please join us again to collect the bags/boxes of food, and return them to the church for later distribution to local food distribution charities. Meet in the parking lot of Immanuel Church on the Hill at 3606 Seminary Rd., Alexandria, VA, at 10:00 AM, Saturday, November 2nd. 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 transport Scouts to the neighborhood to drop off flyers and then pick up donated food items the following week. Parents, please contact Andrew Moore if you are able to participate (andrewdmoore2@aol.com, 202-258-7103).
Wear Class A Uniforms. Thanks!
-Mr. Moore
UPCOMING SERVICE PROJECTS
See upcoming service activities! – Links Courtesy of our Service Coordinator Mrs. Ramirez!
11/2/24 Saturday 9-11 – Pumpkin Patch at Immanuel Church on the Hill
11/9/24 Saturday 10-11:30 – Scouting for Food – We need 4 parent drivers per day for this event! Please reach out to ASM Andrew Moore (andrewdmoore2@aol.com, 202-258-7103) if you can support. Scouts and Adults, please sign up below.
SCOUTS AT THE NAVAL ACADEMY
See email from Mr. Mulvaney Concerning the next camping trip.
Who: Everyone in Troop 131 is invited!
What: Camping and Football
When: Fri 15 – Sun 17 Nov
Where: Annapolis, MD
Why: Are you ready for some football
Cost: Scout $30 camping program + $20 ticket= $50
Adult $35 camping program + $30 ticket= $65
Register at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeYaq6X12YRPODcmtuaG1yl5gkbO9-G7AyYb1Nq8PY9Dja3mQ/viewform
Cut off is 1 Nov, so sign up early
Easiest way to make payment for this or other Scout events is Zelle:
Name: TreasurerT131
Email: Treasurer@T131.Org
When making payment via Zelle, please be sure to add a note with what the payment is for; alternately, you can send a separate email to Treasurer@T131.Org
We have a good turnout signed up so far. EVERYONE, please check this list. If things have changed and you are no longer planning to attend, please let me know ASAP.
We MUST pay for tickets ahead of time, so we need a solid head count.
Price includes Football tickets, Camping, all Food, Commemorative Patch, Program Activities at Elks Camp Barrett, & Tailgate Party at Stadium
All scouts will receive a commemorative Navy Football Scout Day Patch at the game.
In 2023 we welcomed over 3,500 scouts (boys and girls) and family members to Annapolis, making it one of the largest football events in recent history.
Friday Nov 15, Scheduled Activities include:
* 3:00 pm – Unit Arrivals & Set Up Camp
* 12:00 am – Lights out
Scout Day Saturday Nov 16, Scheduled Activities include: (Tailgate Lunch Time is tentative & depends upon Kickoff time)
* 6:00 am – Continental Breakfast
* TBD – Tours of USNA by Midshipman (NESA) & USNA Scout Patch
* 11:00 am – Lunch àTailgate Lunch @ NAVYFEST – Southside of Stadium – along Taylor Ave
* 12:00 pm – USNA College Football Game: Midshipmen vs. Houston Cougars
* 6:00 pm – After Football Game – Return to Camp for Dinner
* 11:30 pm − Lights Out
Sunday Nov 17, Activities:
* 6:30 am – Hot Breakfast
* 8:30 am – Independent Interfaith Service
* 9:30 am – Clean Campsite/Depart from Camp
Brendan Mulvaney
Outings Coordinator
Boy Scout Troop 131
SCUBA CERTIFICATION & MERIT BADGE SIGN-UP/INTEREST FORM
See link below for this amazing scuba program that Mr. Saulki has set up. There are three parts starting with Discover Scuba in December, then the Confined Water Course in May and the Final Scuba Campout and Open Water Course in June.
You do not have to commit to all three activities at this time, however, they build on each other, for instance you cannot do the Open Water Course if you have not completed the previous two activities. You must compete all there to get the Merit Badge and Certifications. Some scouts completed the Discover Scuba Course last year, so they can skip this first part if they want and move right to the confined water course.
I would encourage all of you to take the Discover Scuba course. If you love it, then sign up for the other two courses. If not, then no problem.
Please use this form to sign up (commitment) for the Discover Scuba but indicate interest only for the Confined Water and Open Water Course. We will have separate sign-up sheets for those two and following the Discover Scuba Course.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfbxA9oTZsJbSlW31xic50bwQt3wkxm7M7S5YebMvWIj2ODnQ/viewform
PHILMONT SCOUT RANCH-2026
I know it seems crazy to be thinking about the Summer of 2026, but such is the requirement for High Adventure Camps
Thanks to the efforts of Mr. Farmer, the “lottery” (where we request certain dates) for Philmont Scout Ranch opened earlier this month and I am pleased to announce that we were able to reserve a spot for two crews for a 7-day trek for August 1st -8th 2026!
See link below for additional information and sign up/interest sheet. Please note that an initial $150 deposit will be due in late November of this year.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdN4gfaMCcMhY5pKC53yJj7iaj_xf1rbGmptw73twFLusIKgw/viewform
SCHEDULE: One Month(ish) Look Ahead
Monday, October 28th – Troop Meeting- 7:30 PM – Immanuel Church on the Hill
Saturday, November 2nd – Pumpkin Clean up – Immanuel Church on the Hill
Saturday, November 2nd – Scouting for Food Drop-off
Monday, November 4th – Troop Meeting- 7:30 PM – Immanuel Church on the Hill
Saturday, November 9th – Scouting for Food Pick-up
Monday, November 11th – No Troop Meeting Federal Holiday
Friday, November 15th-17th – Camping US Naval Academy Scout Day
Monday, November 18th – Troop Meeting (BoR)- 7:30 PM – Immanuel Church on the Hill
