It’s been a busy summer!  In preparation for the Court of Honor (date to be determined tonight) we will focus our meeting on rank advancement (documentation, Scoutmaster Conferences (SMCs), Boards of Review (BORs)), merit badge completion, and skills development.  It is important that all scouts bring their Scout Handbook, Troop 287 binder, and all partial merit badge workbooks and documentation to tonight’s meeting!  Here are some examples of what we’ll be doing.

-Rank advancement requirements for younger scouts (Tenderfoot, Second Class)

-Camping and Hiking documentation in logs in Troop 287 binder (to track progress towards Camping and Hiking MBs)

-Merit Badge completion/documentation (summer camp and canoe trip MB cleanup, blue cards, and partial MB documentation)

-SMCs and BORs (Lance W, Kevin A., Riley M.-BOR, Brennon S.).  Ben S. is scheduled for an Eagle SMC on Thursday at 1 pm.

If you haven’t e-mailed me about a Scoutmaster Conference, please do so and we’ll add to the schedule (jonu_1999@yahoo.com).  We’ll need ASMs for the SMCs, and Committee Members for BORs.  The scouts have done lots of great work over the summer!  See you tonight,

Jon

Hello All,

Just a reminder, there will be a Committee Meeting on Tuesday, 8/11 at 7:30pm. Everyone is welcomed and encouraged to attend. We will be discussing Court of Honor, Financial, Flags for upcoming Labor Day and many other items. We will also need a few committee members to stay after for Board of Reviews for some of the Scouts.

Thanks & See you all then!

Sandy

Yesterday Troop 287 completed a 10 mile hike along the Santa Fe Trail on the USAF Academy.  Highlights include seeing a snake devour a mouse (only to find this sign later saying the mouse was endangered) and completing the field portions of the wilderness survival and cooking merit badges.  Great job scouts!

This Friday (7 Aug) Troop 287 will embark on a 10 mile hike on the Santa Fe Trail.  This is a hike suitable for all scouts!  We’ll meet at WUMC at 8 am and return about 1 to 2 pm.  Wear sturdy shoes and a hat, and bring sunscreen, water, and a lunch in a day pack.  During the hike we will learn how to treat water, use trail stoves, build a fire using alternate methods (no matches), and practice signalling techniques.  For those scouts working on the cooking merit badge, you need to put together your own trail lunch and be prepared to discuss the foods you selected and how you prepared it.  For scouts working on the wilderness survival merit badge, please bring your personal survival kit and be prepared to discuss the contents and how to use the items in a survival situation (use the internet as a resource to find items to include).  I’m also looking for another adult driver/hiker to go on this trip.  Please e-mail me at jonu_1999@yahoo.com, if you (scout or adult) are going on this adventure so I can plan accordingly.  See you Friday!

Scouts,

A little delayed but here are the Summer Camp Photos that Will and I took for Ben Delatour Summer Camp!

The rest of them can be viewed and downloaded at the below dropbox link:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/akw47t0f2if1zkc/AABiSITtUfJew8GVaZzyDhc9a?dl=0

Also, many of these summer campers are ready for rank advancements so please study for them and schedule a scoutmaster conference for one of the next two meetings prior to the next Court of Honor.

Flash cards are available on the Troop 287 website to study for rank advancement.  Here is a link to the flash cards: https://www.bsatroop287.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/BSA_StudyFlashCards.pdf

Remember, you must also be prepared to demonstrate what you learned DURING the scoutmaster conference…such as knots, map reading, first aid, etc.

Sean

This Tuesday’s meeting will be a game night-canoe trip cleanup “party” at WUMC at 7 pm.  With everyone’s help we should be able to clean and stow the gear in about 45 minutes, leaving some time for the traditional game night.  Please wear your Class B T-Shirt.

If you’re ready for rank advancement at the August COH, please prepare for a Scoutmaster Conference and e-mail me (jonu_1999@yahoo.com) a date when you’d like to complete it.  We really only have tomorrow and the following Tuesday to get the conferences and BORs complete.  You can find a link to the “BSA Road to 1st Class Flash Cards” under “Downloads” on the troop website home page.  These are the cards you should use to study to prepare for the Scoutmaster Conference.

See you Tuesday!

Scouts,

The canoe trip folks are off having their awesome adventure! Since, most of us that are still around are the younger scouts, we will focus on Tenderfoot rank advancements (or other rank requirements if needed) this Tuesday at the church. The court of honor is next month so lets knock out those remaining requirements!! We might even have time for a fun game too…

Normal Meeting Time. 7pm, July 28th at Wilson Methodist Church.

Sean

There will NOT be a regular Troop 287 meeting this Tuesday, 21 July.

The Troop will be preparing for the canoe trip with 2 events later next week.  On Friday (24 July) at 10 am all those working on the cooking merit badge on the canoe trip will meet at WUMC to go to WalMart and Costco to pick up expedition food and supplies.  Please bring the meal and shopping list for your assigned meal day (for the meals you were assigned at the meal planning meeting).

On Saturday (25 July) at 10 am, we will meet at the Troop barn to inventory and pack equipment.  Please bring your personal gear/bag for a shakedown to make sure you have everything and we get an idea of how we’ll load the vehicles.  Also, we will have a bug treatment to treat your clothes/gear, so please bring the personal clothes and gear you’d like to treat.

We will meet on Sunday (26 July) at WUMC at 7:30 am sharp to depart on the trip.

Please e-mail me at jonu_1999@yahoo.com with any questions.

Tonight is the canoe trip meal planning meeting at WUMC beginning at 6 pm.  If you plan on completing the cooking merit badge, please bring 2 complete days of camp meals (2 x breakfasts, lunches, and dinners) to the meeting.  Also, if you haven’t signed the trip waivers or turned in your physical please do so at the meeting.  See you tonight!

St. Mary’s Falls

Troop 287 had a successful 10 mile hike in the Cheyenne Canyon area, trekking along Upper Gold Camp Road to the St Mary’s Falls trail, to St Mary’s Falls, and beyond.  In true Troop fashion the boys elected to take on one of the more difficult trails!  Even a bit of rain at the end couldn’t dampen their spirits!  Look for another 10 miler in August.

Troop 287 will depart on the 2nd in a series of 10 mile hikes on Thursday, 9 July, meeting at 8 am at WUMC.  We will hike the upper Gold Camp Road beginning in Cheyenne Canyon.  The hike is along an old dirt road (closed to vehicles) with spectacular views of Cheyenne Canyon and the plains.  The first 5 miles is a gentle uphill slope, and then we’ll turn around and head back to the trailhead.  I need one more adult to come along to make this happen…if you can help or want more information please e-mail me at jonu_1999@yahoo.com.  Hikers need a day pack, hat, sunscreen, at least 2 liters of water, a rainjacket, a trail lunch, and snacks for the hike.  We’ll have a signup at tonight’s meeting.

Tuesday’s meeting will commence at 7 pm at WUMC.  This is game night, with the scout’s playing “capture the flag” after the opening ceremony.  Please wear Class B uniform (T-shirt) to the meeting.  We will also have a mandatory parent meeting for canoe trip participants at 8 pm.  At the meeting, the final payment of $110 per scout/adult is due (either by check or via scout fund).  I look forward to seeing everyone on Tuesday!  If you have any questions, please e-mail me at jonu_1999@yahoo.com.

Hey Troop 287,

Check out this most excellent KRDO new interview of ASM Swanie and Life Scout Ben S informing Colorado Springs on the when and how to retire an American Flag!

This is an excellent display of citizenship! Way to proudly represent Troop 287!

http://www.krdo.com/news/proper-flag-retirement-important-for-boy-scouts/33975490

Hi Everyone.

We’ve got a few brave souls signed up for Flags on July 4th, but we still need to fill out the roster. With all the Camping and Canoeing fees lately, now is a good time to refill those scout accounts with Flag participation funds.We’re still looking for:

– 2 drivers in the evening.

– 3 Navigators each for both AM and PM (good way to learn the ropes and make it go faster for everyone).

– 4 more scouts in the morning and 5 in the evening.

Please contact me if you can help out. mawhiney@gmail.com 719-362-6909

On Tuesday we will be back to our normal Troop 287 meeting time (7 pm) at WUMC.  The church is resurfacing the parking lot, so if the parking lot is coned off (as Pastor Dave told me it should be on Tuesday), please park and/or drop off your scout in the grassy area towards the barn.  We will meet in the church to work on rank advancement, merit badges (canoeing and cooking), and planning our next 10 mile hike.  If you are going on the canoe trip in late July, please ensure your scout has a current physical.  We will have have canoeing parent meeting next Tuesday, 7 July, to finalize details and collect the final payment (I’ll work the numbers for the final payment and get a number to you prior to the meeting).  See you Tuesday!

A fun evening was had by all when Troop 46 from Soiux City, SD hosted Troop 287 for killer Dutch oven meatloaf and baked potatoes, while 287 put out their best Dutch oven chocolate cherry, peach & apple crum cobblers for desserts. Each troop participated in flag retirement ceremonies while a Troop 46 bugler played taps. After a few skits and songs around the campfire everyone was wished safe travels.