Troop 131,
I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend!
Thank you to all the scouts and adults who came out Saturday for the Shed Clean up and Gear Swap. We can now walk into the shed and find things! Special thanks to Tadhg and Mr. Devlin for leading the charge in this effort.
For the Summer Camp T-shirt Contest and based on your voting at last Monday’s meeting, the design created by Andrew Devlin was selected! Congratulations! The Troop will work to get this design incorporated into a new T-shirt order!
Please see the info below concerning the CLIMBOREE, now is the time to sign up!
PLC and TROOP MEETING
We will have our monthly PLC this week at 6:45 PM and right before the meeting. Troop and Patrol Leadership should attend!
We will have a Troop meeting at 7:30PM this Monday at Immanuel Church on the Hill! Our shooting instructor (Chencho) from the last camping trip will return and provide additional instruction in support of the Merit Badge. Please bring your blue card if you want to get items signed off! I am hoping we can award a few shooting merit badges soon!
DISTRICT ROUND TABLE- Thursday April 10th
The troop has been asked to support the Monthly District Round Table, this coming Thursday at 8:00 PM (Our Lady of Lourdes (830 23rd St S, Arlington, VA 22202).
Mrs. Devlin and I will attend; however, we need 4-6 scouts to lead the flag ceremony. I will also need two adults (who will not stay) to drive the scout’s home after opening.
SUMMER CAMP- UPDATE
First, let me offer a big thank you to Mrs. Lacayo for organizing the effort and registering all the scouts for their classes. There will be a follow-up email from her with your schedules, but from what I understand, most of you were able to get your preferred merit badges!
I also understand that we have 34 Scouts Registered for Summer Camp!!! At least from my time with the troop, this is the most we have ever had going to camp! We also have four adults who have agreed to go for the FULL week and two adults who will go for half of the week (yes you can split the week).
With so many scouts attending this year, it would be good to have one more adult go (or two for a half week each). Parents, please let Catherine Lacayo know if you are interested!
FISHING TRIP- APRIL
We have 23 scouts who signed up for this trip and like previous years it should be a good one!
See the message below from Mr. Mulvaney, please sign up! For the scouts who are going to Philmont in 14 months, (or scouts who are just interested) there will be a HIKE-IN option for this camping trip as well!
Who: All T-131 Scouts
What: Primitive Camping and Day Hike to Lake Thompson for Fishing
When: Fri 25 Apr – Sun 27 Apr 2025
Where: Linden Virginia/Whisky Hollow/Lake Thompson
Why: Troop-131 is a Camping Troop and we go every month!
Cost: Just $20 for everyone
https://forms.gle/KhRTn57E7r9SPK617
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
BIKING TRIP- MAY
We have 13 scouts who signed up for this trip and rain or shine we are going to make this happen!
See the message below from Mr. Mulvaney, please sign up! There will be a shake-down ride the weekend before for those that are interested!
Who: Everyone with a sense of adventure who loves the outdoors (i.e. SCOUTS!!!!)
What: Riding into the sunset (or at least along the canal)
When: SAT 10 May – Sun 11 May 2025 (Just Sat & Sun this month!)
Where: C&O Canal
Why: Let’s Ride!
Cost: $20 Each
And there is a Biking Merit Badge (https://www.scouting.org/merit-badges/cycling/)
Sign up at: https://forms.gle/d7FtXj7gR87E9S4HA
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 us what the payment is for; alternately, you can send a separate email.
-Brendan Mulvaney
CLIMBOREE – OCTOBER
I know it seems crazy to be signing up for an activity in October, but each of the last three years, the Climboree has filled up quickly, so please don’t delay in signing up if you would like to attend! See the note below from Mr. Mulvany, our Outdoor Coordinator. For the new scouts, this is over a holiday weekend, so the scouts will camp for three nights and return around midday on Monday. See the link below for more information, but keep in mind that the troop will register all the scouts when the registration opens at the end of the month. Please see the additional link (even further below) for the Troop Signup sheet!
https://scoutingevent.com/082-Climboree2025
Yes folks it is that time of year, it is time to sign up for OCTOBER’s CLIMB-O-Ree (for the new families, yes, you read that right, this event is in October, but sign up closes this month!!!)
Keep in mind: *** This is a Pre-Pay Event, if you sign up we need to collect money from you now, even if you have to cancel later ***
But if you wait to signup, you will almost certainly miss out. It fills up within hours of opening registration.
So, yes, I get it, it isn’t until October, but it will be terrific, so if your Scout wants to do climbing this year, please please please sign up now,
Who: Everyone in Troop 131 is invited!
What: NCAC Climbing and hiking weekend
When: Fri 10 Oct- MONDAY 13 Oct 2025 LONG WEEKEND EVENT
Where: Camp Mountaineer near Morgantown, WV.
Why: Climb to the sky
Cost: $40/ person
*** This is a Pre-Pay Event, if you sign up we need to collect money from you now, even if you have to cancel later ***
Sign up at: https://forms.gle/KK1DAPvh2euyxFYB7
- Climbing on natural rock
- 60-foot climbing tower
- Bouldering on gritstone walls
- Guided challenge course
- Big Zip quarter-mile zipline
- Rifle, shotgun, and archery
- Dutch oven cooking class
- Advancement programs
ACTIVITY PAYMENTS
Just a reminder on how to make payments for Dues or other Outdoor Activities. They can be made in several ways:
- Checks delivered at the Monday Meeting to the Treasurer or Committee Chair- they should be made payable to “BSA Troop 131.” Please put in the notes the activity you are paying for.
- Credit Cards at the Monday Meeting (if the treasurer is in attendance) – Processed by the Troop Treasurer
- Zelle Account Transfer:
- Name: TreasurerT131
- Email: Treasurer@T131.Org
- Please put in the notes what activity you are paying for.
Zelle is the easiest and most seamless.
SERVICE- ALIVE
Some of you may recall, but last year some of the older scouts (14 and older) and parents were able to help our Sponsor (Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill) with furniture delivery for Alive. The church has been asked to do this again on Saturday, May 10. This is the same weekend as the Biking trip, so I am hoping that a few of you strong folks (who are not going on the biking trip) can help. Please email Service@t131.org if you can as we certainly want to support the Church!
COOKING MERIT BADGE CLASS
All, see the note below from Mrs. Farmer!
NCAC is offering a Cooking merit badge event in May at Camp Snyder (in Haymarket). Details can be found here: https://scoutingevent.com/082-96563
Please note, this event covers *some* of the requirements of the Cooking badge, but not all. Read carefully for prerequisites and expectations. The Cooking badge is a dense badge and requires cooking on camping trips. This merit badge event is intended to get you through a portion of the requirements.
(Cooking is one of the Eagle rank required badges)
YiS,
Kathryn Farmer
Advancement Chair, Troop 131
SCHEDULE: One Month(ish) Look Ahead
Monday, April 7th – Troop Meeting (PLC) – 7:30 PM – Immanuel Church on the Hill
Thursday, April 10th – District Round Table- Troop 131 Hosting – Our Lady of Lourdes
Monday, April 14th – Spring Break- No Troop Meeting
Monday, April 21st – Troop Meeting (BoR) – 7:30 PM – Immanuel Church on the Hill
Friday April 25th – 27th – Primitive Camping and Fishing Trip – Linden VA & Lake Thompson
Friday April 25th – 27th – OA Spring Ordeal/Fellowship – Camp Snyder
Monday, April 28th – Troop Meeting – 7:30 PM – Immanuel Church on the Hill
Saturday, May 3rd – Biking Trip Shakedown Ride – Alexandria VA
Monday, May 5th – Troop Meeting (PLC) – 7:30 PM – Immanuel Church on the Hill
Saturday May 10th – Alive Service Project
Saturday May 10th – 11th -Biking Trip – C&O Canal
Monday, May 12th – Troop Meeting (BoR) – 7:30 PM – Immanuel Church on the Hill
Saturday May 17th – Sea Base Car Wash – Fundraiser – 9:30-1:00 – Immanuel Church on the Hill
Monday, May 19th – Swim Test – 7:30 PM – Chinquapin Park Req. Center
