893G Troop News – 29 Nov 2020
Scoutmaster Moment I searched about looking for something inspiring for this week’s SM Moment, and since I covered Thanksgiving in last week’s note I turned to “this day in history” topics. One website entry kept tugging at me. On this day, Nov 29th 1942 coffee rationing started in the US. Other foods rationed out due to World War II at that time included butter, milk, and sugar (and many more items). Coffee rationing ended the following summer, but sugar remained as a rationed item until 1947 - two years after the end of the war. I will note that we had a nice Thanksgiving [...]
893G Troop News – Nov 15, 2020
Scoutmaster Moment Tuesday’s meeting plan shifted in response to observations during last weekend’s campout with a noted need to review the troop cleaning procedures and give a thorough cleaning to the chuckboxes. All patrols from both the troops thoroughly cleaned the checkboxes and reviewed the 3-pot cleaning method as well as stove and griddle cleaning procedures. Fresh air cooking at a campout is fun; getting ill from poor sanitary practices while camping is never, ever fun. Healthy campers are happy campers. Although we take it for granted, sanitation is a physical measure that has probably done more to increase human life [...]
893G Troop News – 8 Nov 2020
Scoutmaster Moment The Scout motto is “Be Prepared”, we do this in many ways in our Scouting activities, and hopefully those lessons also seep into other aspects of our lives. We prepare for hikes and campouts by starting with the Ten Essentials. We prepare with plans, with lists, with knowing where to find needed items within our homes (coats, day packs, flashlights). We prepare for bad weather like winter storms, hurricanes, and more with stocking our homes with needed food items, water, flashlights and other necessities. Bryan on Scouting had a good article on Election Day Ten Essentials, as lines are expected to [...]
893G Troop News – 1 Nov 2020
Scoutmaster Moment The Scout motto is “Be Prepared”, we do this in many ways in our Scouting activities, and hopefully those lessons also seep into other aspects of our lives. We prepare for hikes and campouts by starting with the Ten Essentials. We prepare with plans, with lists, with knowing where to find needed items within our homes (coats, day packs, flashlights). We prepare for bad weather like winter storms, hurricanes, and more with stocking our homes with needed food items, water, flashlights and other necessities. Bryan on Scouting had a good article on Election Day Ten Essentials, as lines are expected to [...]
893G Troop News – 25 OCT 2020
Scoutmaster Moment A very busy Scouting Week! Saturday was our COVID revised Scouting for Food (SFF), 4 troop members represented at th 893 food sorting a VRES, and then one was able to help unload the truck at the food pantry. We sorted and delivered over 3200 pounds of goods to the pantry. From the status of some shelves you can see how these items are needed by our community. Great job to all who helped move so much needed material. Sunday was our Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops (ILST), in the cold damp. We had a very full [...]
893G Troop News – 11 OCT 2020
Scoutmaster Moment This weekend was perfect for camping. Dry and warm during the day, cool and dry in the evening - the rain from Hurricane Delta even held off until everyone was home and unloaded. My goal for the weekend was to get the troop back into camping mode after most of us hadn’t camped since January’s Klondike, and to work off some basic requirements. Multiple Scouts earned their Totin’ Chit and Firem’n Chit, plus many rank advancement items marked off. There was a bear bag demonstration, ham radio set up, useful tools created from lashing poles together, hammock hanging, [...]
893G Troop News – 20 SEP 2020
Scoutmaster MomentThis weekend we saw the passing of one of a sitting Supreme Court Justice. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg served on the court for 27 years and spent much of her career as an advocate for women’s rights and gender equality. She first applied to be a clerk at the Supreme Court in 1960 she was denied, because she was a woman. Of the 114 people who have been justices, she was the 2nd of 4 women to have served on the Court. This Troop is possible in some part due to the trailblazing she did, the cases she worked [...]
893G Troop News – 13 SEP 2020
Scoutmaster MomentAn optimist's view of success can include anytime a lesson is learned, new knowledge obtained, some benefit absorbed by an activity. Some success is easily observed; a sprinter crossing the finish tape, a high mark on an assignment. Few things in life are so clear, many events that may appear to go without a hitch likely have people in the background working hard to deal with bumps that they hope no one else sees, this is true for theatrical presentations, conferences, parties, and even meetings. There are usually “bumps’, how one deals with them becomes important. Coordinating between groups [...]
893G Troop News – 6 SEP 2020
Scoutmaster MomentA Scouting friend and former Scoutmaster shared one of her past notes and I felt it was appropriate to share with you for this week and the start of school. While this year may not be the start we are used to, I’m sure everyone will make the most of the opportunities that come up. Back to School, Back to Scouts. As we are getting ready to go back to school tomorrow with renewed purpose, also consider going back to Scouts with the same. The extra time you spend on your classes and in your unit will have rewards [...]
893G Troop News – 30 August 2020
Scoutmaster MomentThis has been a productive week for 893! The Patrol Leader Council met and made good progress planning meetings and activities through the end of October. Over the weekend the first Eagle Project got started painting the Westfield’s HS lecture hall and some scouts were able to work on aquatics requirements for rank advancement for Second Class and First Class. I may be tired just from writing this (wait, maybe also from being at all those activities…). Remember that “work" is in the mindset. A task can be fun when one is with friends and is focused on goals. [...]