I hope you are well! A bit of an early “weekend email” because I want to remind and inform everyone of some upcoming activities:
- ILST training– This Saturday.
- Pack 131 Crossing the Bridge Ceremony – This Sunday (need scout and adult volunteers)
- Summer Camp Meeting – This Monday at the meeting
See below for more information!
ILST: Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops
See the note below from Mr. Farmer. I would like to see all Scouts in leadership positions (including the PL and APL’s) attend. Some of the older scouts will recall that Mr. Rodger used to do this training yearly. Whether you are a grizzled veteran or a new scout, if you are in a leadership position, I STRONGLY encourage you all to attend.
In addition, if you are currently NOT in leadership but would like to attend, then you are certainly welcome to do so!
As mentioned at the Scout Meeting Monday night, we are planning for the Troop’s Leadership Training Course on Saturday 22 February. This course is for the Senior Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Patrol Leaders, Assistant Patrol Leaders, Troop Guides, Scribe, Quartermaster, and any scout interested in learning more about leadership before taking a leadership role in the troop.
If you already hold a leadership position in the troop (those positions listed above) you are expected to attend the session.
Also important is that this leadership seminar is a mandatory prerequisite for the National Leadership Training course that will be held in June of this year at Camp Snyder.
When: 22 February 0900-1300 (9am to 1pm)
Where: Immanuel On The Hill Church
Uniform: Class A uniform
Additional Notes: Please bring a jacket in case we head outside for portions of the training
Contact Info: Please email Assistant Scoutmaster Michael Farmer – Michael.Farmer.USN@gmail.com – to confirm
your attendance. We need that email by THIS WEDNESDAY (19 FEB). Also
please note in your email whether you (the Scout) have any food allergies
(for our snacks).
Adults: This is not a 1 man show, I will need some assistance from you. Please drop me an email if you can participate in the course as an assistant. If you can bring an easel with paper and pens, that would be a bonus!
Regards,
Assistant Scoutmaster Michael Farmer
PACK 135 – CROSSING THE BRIDGE CEREMONY
Mr. Grocki and I were recently informed that we will have somewhere between 10-14 scouts joining us from Pack 135! How amazing is that! The “crossing the bridge” ceremony is to be held at Brooks Elementary this Sunday (2/23) at 4:00 PM. With so many scouts coming our way, I would like to have at least 4 (but ideally 6) scouts and one other adult in attendance to receive them. I know that some of these new scouts already have older brothers in the troop so I am hoping they will be there, but I need a few others as well.
Please email directly (and copy your parents) if you can attend- it should be fun!
TROOP MEETING
We will have a Troop meeting at 7:30PM this Monday at Immanuel Church on the Hill! Your leadership team will have a good plan as always!
CAMPING AND SHOOTING TRIP
See the message below from Mr. Farmer and Mr. Mulvaney, please sign up for the camping trip as soon as possible because there are a limited number of spots. We are very fortunate that this trip is so inexpensive, as the Izaak Walton League provides all the guns, ammo and range time at no cost to the troop!
We are looking ahead to March when we will hold a shooting outing. We are going to use the Izaak Walton League Poolsville location for both a shooting event, and an overnight camp. We will show up at the range at 0800 on the 15th, and spend the morning conducting training on .22 caliber rifles under NRA trained rifle instructors and supervised by NRA trained range safety officers. In the afternoon we will set up camp at the Izaak Walton League campground where we will (time permitting) conduct axe, saw, and knife safety training. Following that we will conduct campfire safety and fire builder training. For the evening we will (weather permitting) hold a campfire and an opportunity for participants to knock out cooking requirements. We will pack up camp the following morning and aim for a 0900 departure for home.
We are limiting the number of campers to 18 scouts. This is due to the fact that the Boy Scouts requires a specific ratio of scouts to instructors on the firing line. We can have 6 scouts shooting at a time (which also corresponds to the number of rifles) so three groups of 6 seems workable.
In addition to Mr Wells and myself we will need at least two more adults to ride herd on the scouts that are not on the shooting line. Mr Wells will be performing duties as the rifle instructor, while I will be performing the duties as the range safety officer.
Who: Sharp Eyed Shooters
What: Troop 131 Shooting Sports Extravaganza
When: Sat 15 Mar- Sun 16 Mar
Where: Izaak Walton League of America Conservation Farm
Why: We love a Rootin Tootin Shootin Time
Cost: Just $10 for everyone
MAX of 18 SCOUTS- so sign up early
https://forms.gle/mNNfuy69FQf7VC4Q8
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 telling the Treasurer what the payment is for; alternately, you can send a separate email.
Brendan Mulvaney
Outings Coordinator
Boy Scout Troop 131
SUMMER CAMP
It is time to start planning for summer camp! Mrs. Lacayo, our fearless summer camp coordinator from last year (thankfully), returns this year and will be at the meeting on 2/24 to answer questions from parents and scouts alike. See below for more information:
Goshen 2025
While there may be snow on the ground, it is never too early to start thinking about summer camp! This year, we will be attending Camp Marriott at Goshen. I’ll provide more details about camp activities and merit badge sign ups in the coming weeks, but here are a few things to know now:
- Location: Camp Marriott in Goshen, VA
- Dates: Sunday, July 6 – Saturday, July 12, 2025
- Camp Fees: If you register by April 13, the early bird cost for one Scout is $565. Regular registration will increase to $595 per Scout. (Note: This does not include the ~$100 bus fees; see below.) The cost this year is all-inclusive for all activities; you will not have to pay additional fees for any merit badges as we have had to do in years past.
- Transportation: All scouts will ride the bus to and from Goshen. The roundtrip cost is around $100. The bus leaves from Fairfax County Government Center in Fairfax, VA, and will drop back off at the same location.
- Merit Badges: There are many merit badge options available. They haven’t yet posted the schedule for 2025, but you can view the 2024 schedule to get an idea of what might be offered. I’ll send details in March about how we do sign ups.
- Forms: Each camper will need to fill out BSA Medical Forms A, B1, B2, and C, as well as the NCAC form. All forms can be found here.
Please note: Part C requires the signature of a medical professional, so prioritize getting this signed! - Scholarships: The troop is committed to making Goshen accessible to as many Scouts as possible. If you are interested in a Campership (financial aid) to help cover the fees, please let us know before February 27, 2025.
- Adult Campers: Interested in joining the Goshen fun? We will need a few good adults to join the Goshen trip. You can come for a portion of the week or the whole week. I’ll follow up with more info in a separate email, but for your awareness, adult early bird registration costs $300, and increases to $340 for regular registration. The troop will subsidize some of this cost, and any adult who chaperones on the bus will have their bus ticket covered.
We will host a parent meeting to provide more information at the Troop Meeting on Monday, February 24, 2025. We’ll be ready to answer all your Goshen questions!
SCHEDULE: One Month(ish) Look Ahead
Saturday, February 22nd – Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops (ILST) – Immanuel Church on the Hill
Saturday, February 22nd – University of Scouting- (Scouters only)
Monday, February 24th – Troop Meeting – 7:30 PM – Immanuel Church on the Hill
Monday March 3rd – Court of Honor
Monday, March 10th – Troop Meeting (PLC)- 7:30 PM – Immanuel Church on the Hill
Thursday, March 13th – Parent & Committee Meeting- 7:30 – Location TBD (there will be virtual option as well)
Friday, March 14th – 16th – Camping Trip – Shooting – Issac Walton League
Monday, March 17th – Troop Meeting (BoR) (OA Elections)– 7:30 PM – Immanuel Church on the Hill
Monday, March 24th – Troop Meeting – 7:30 PM – Immanuel Church on the Hill
Saturday, March 29th – Scout Skill Sunday – Immanuel Church on the Hill
Monday, March 31st – Troop Meeting – 7:30 PM – Immanuel Church on the Hill
