Scoutmaster Minute
There is great joy in seeing a troop come together at a team.  This weekend our first troop campout was a success by all counts with scouts selecting a tent site, assisting each other with tent set up, cooking and eating as a patrol in the sun (and wind), providing service to our hosts, learning navigation and other skills.  Between the Girls Troop and Boys Troop twelve different Boards of Review were held.  Many thanks to all the adults from both troops in supporting so many BoRs for the Scouts!
 
The open air is the real objective of Scouting and the key to its success.
     – Lord Baden-Powell
 
Photos of of the week
 
 
Rank Advancement
Scouts who earned rank this past week:
 
Christina Alverez – Tenderfoot Caitlin Schuetz – Tenderfoot
Rowan Causley – Tenderfoot Megan Staton – Tenderfoot
Jayna Farver – Tenderfoot Elena Taylor – Tenderfoot
Isabella Pazos – Tenderfoot
 
This week – 4/30 – Troop Meeting (8-9pm)
Uniform: Class A (tan shirt)
Location: CUMC chapel
 
PLC discussion, including setting some dates for summer and upcoming activities
 
 
Next week – 5/14 – Troop Meeting (8-9pm) 
Uniform: Class A (tan shirt)
Location: CUMC chapel
 
Return your tent (with all parts) if taken home to dry after the weekend campout
 
Hiking Trip final prep.  Other details pending PLC…
 
 
Troop Hike – 5/18
Uniform: Class B (troop t-shirt)
Location: TBD
 
 
Summer Camp Swim Test – May 5 
ALL SUMMER CAMP PARTICIPANTS (ADULT & YOUTH) ARE EXPECTED TO ATTENDWe have swim lanes reserved at Cub Run Rec Center with a number of local troops from 1-4pm.  Please use the sign up link to register for the test, the girl troop has 2:45-3pm blocked off just for us (be sure to note 893GT in comments along with name). If this block doesn’t work we can discuss other options. We may need parental support in monitoring swim lanes during our block. Swimmers should be ready to enter the water at the indicated time.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f094aada92caa8-swim
If you haven’t been in the water in awhile, it might be a good idea to go for a visit.  The BSA swim test is located on page 168 of the Handbook in the Aquatics section.  Both Second Class and First Class ranks have aquatics requirements.  Any camper at Goshen, adult or youth, who wishes to participate in waterfront activities must take the swim test.

 
 
Annual Troop 893 Canoe Trip – May 24-26 (plan ahead)

WHAT:  The Troop’s biggest, most fun-filled event, the 46th Annual Memorial Day Family Canoe Trip, May 24-26, 2019.

WHERE:  South fork of the Shenandoah River, near Bentonville, Virginia with the Downriver Canoe Company.

WHO:  All Troop 893 registered Scouts (girls troop and boys troop), former Troop members, all Venturing Crew 893 registered Venturers, their families.  This is a family event, but because it is also a Scout event, ALCOHOL IS NOT ALLOWED.

Transportation, camping, grubmaster duties, cooking, cleanup, and canoeing or kayaking are done by families (or arranged by families), not by the Troop or by patrols.

WHEN:  Set up camp before nightfall Friday, eat, sleep, canoe, and be home on Sunday evening.  Families from the Boys Troop may informally meet in the parking lot of CUMC at 5:30 Friday evening (or any other target time you arrange) if you need to go with others.  We can arrange to meet there too as well.

Registration details will be forthcoming.

 
Upcoming Merit Badge Opportunities
Groups around the area occasionally have merit badge activities open to local Scouts, these can fill up quickly so if you are interested sign up soon.  Here are a few recently advertised events:
  • Weather MB at the National Weather Service Open House
    As one of the activities at the NWS Open House on May 4, 2019, the Weather Merit Badge will be offered.  We will have 2 classes during the day, one from 10 am – 1 pm and one from 12 pm – 3 pm.  From 12 – 1 pm, I will take the classes on a tour of the NWS Data Center and they will get a chance to view the Science on a Sphere (5’ globe with full view of the world’s weather in motion).
    Due to limitations of the classroom, I can support 25 scouts in each class and I am asking those interested to sign up for an available slot.
     
    The classes will be held at:
        NOAA Center for Weather and Climate Prediction
        5830 University Research Park  (Room 1450)
        College Park, MD, 20740
    Please fill in your information in the Sign-Up Genius and I will look forward to seeing you in the class.
        Here is the link to the Open House website:  https://www.ncep.noaa.gov/openhouse/   
 
 
Upcoming Service Opportunities
Providing service is a key part of Scouting, to do our daily good turn. Helping others often in turn helps ourselves with new experiences and opportunities for growth. This is built into requirements for most ranks. I’m adding a new section to the weekly notes to list any upcoming service opportunities that may help the Community, and progress in your  trail to Eagle.
 
    • CUMC Grace Ministries is a monthly program through our charter organization held on the 2nd Saturday of each month, with prep the Friday night before hand, help is needed at both the Friday set up and on Saturday morning to bring goods to cars
    • Eagle Project: Cameron Sutton (893BT) is seeking volunteers to support his project at Sully Plantation on May 4th from 8:30-2. Volunteers will be clearing two trails and putting down a mulch surface at the Sully Historic Site.  They will also install two bat houses. Please indicate your available to support at
    •   Uniform: Class B (t-shirt)
Key Dates (mark your calendar)

also available from Troopmaster subscription calendar

Apr 30: Troop Meeting
May 5: Summer Camp Swim Test
May 14: Troop Meeting
May 18: Troop Hike (location TBD)
May 24-26: Troop 893 Annual Family Canoe Trip campout
June 23-29: Summer Camp at Goshen Scout Reservation, Camp Olmsted
July 2 – first meeting we begin meeting every Tuesday 7-8:30pm