Just to clarify for the NT crews, do NOT bring your gear this week, just the paper list of stuff (if you have it).

I will bring my gear, do an example dump, and next week, you will bring your gear so we can do a crew dump.

We will also discuss and gather crew gear during next week’s meeting on 2 May.

Apologies for any confusion.

Dan

Troop / Northern Tier participants,

We are meeting for a short time tonight during the regular Troop meeting. We will break away and link up in the main room of the church. If you have medical forms, please bring those. If not, get those things scheduled!

We will also go over the packing list, so if you have it (the packing list) bring it! I will do a gear dump this week as an example, and homework for next week is to do a dry run of your gear.

Dan

Troop,

Below is an invite to the Northern Tier planning meeting. Since we have one open slot, I am posting the meeting here. You are more than welcome to join if you are interested in attending this summer.

You’re invited to join a Microsoft Teams meeting

Title: Dan McGuire’s Teams Meeting
Time: Thursday, January 19, 2023 7:00:00 PM Mountain Standard Time

Join on your computer or mobile app
Click here to join the meeting

Troop,

If you are interested in attending Northern Tier with the folks who are headed that way in June, we have one (1) slot up for grabs.

As a Scout, you need to be 14 years old, or 13 and have completed 8th grade.

So, if you are in 8th grade right now, you are eligible. Please talk it over with your parents and give me a shout so we can fill you in on all the current details and get you invited to the Tursday eventing planning meetings where the rest of your questions will be answered, maybe.

Talk to you soon,

Dan

Sorry about this late notice, I meant to get this out earlier. No need to meet up right now, I was thinking we needed more developoment this month, but that was in an older guide.

If you are planning on attending Northern Tier this coming summer with the Troop, we need to get together and do a little planning.

Our first time hack is the end of this month. This is an excerpt for the handbook of where we should be right now (I received an email from NT about our permits, they are due by the end of the month.)

9 MONTHS PRIOR TO TRIP (SEPTEMBER – DECEMBER):
• Collect funds for your third payment. This payment is due October 1. Make sure to update Northern Tier
of any changes to your number of crews, and your participation numbers prior to October 1st.
• Make sure your crew sets up Doctor Appointments to update their BSA Health and Medical Records.
These Records must be current within a year of your trip. Make sure all members of your crew meet the
physical requirements to participate in a Northern Tier trip, including the Height and Weight
Requirements found in Appendix D.
• Northern Tier sends information on the different types of parks and routes to paddle through in the fall.
Use this information to fill out your Permit Application. The Permit Application is due on December 1.
• Begin reviewing the personal equipment list with your crew. Gear items make great Christmas gifts and
can be purchased in our trading post online at store.ntier.org.
• Complete campership applications. Campership applications are due by January 31st

Travelling:

Also, for travelling up there, we need to make those arrangements, especially for those Scouts not travelling with a parent. www.ntier.org/TripPlanning is a resource available.

Here is the leader guide, please read through it and become at least vaguely familiar with it.

Good Month, Troop!

Here is a quick reminder that dues/registration for recharter are due this month for next year. Carrie sent out statements a couple weeks ago and we need to get that stuff collected so we can finish up our recharter.

Also, for those of you who are attending Northern Tier, that monthly installment is due as well, Carrie sent that remnder out as well.

Let’s get those payments in the bank so the troop can cut some checks! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact Carrie!

Dan

a note from the Troop Treasurer:

Hello Troop 287! It’s time to register for the 2023 Scouting Year. The fee structure is listed below. 

Youth Total: $205

Youth National Fee: $75

Youth Council Fee: $60

Troop Dues: $70

Adult Total: $81

Adult National Fee: $45

Adult Council Fee: $36

Payments should be submitted to Carrie by 12/10/2022. Fees can be paid from scout accounts, via check made out to “BSA Troop 287” or through Zelle. Council scholarships are available through this link. Please contact Carrie with any questions or concerns.

Good evening, folks! Just wanted to throw a reminder out there that at this week’s Court of Honor, we will be looking to name replacements for the Troop Treasurer (thank you Douglass Family!) and my position, the Committee Chair.

As you may have heard, the Troop recharter is currently on-going (thank you, Kristen!!!), and Kristen will need a name to throw into the slot on the appropriate form.

If you have any questions about the position, please feel free to let me know. It really isn’t that tough a job because we have an outstanding group of parents filling in a lot of the Committee positions already!

Anyway, think about it, because someone’s name is going to have to be filled in!

Talk to you all Tuesday!

Dan

Troop,

I wanted to reach out and express my thanks to all of the fantastic committee members and the troop for the past year of support.

The reason I started out with that sentence is because I am looking to step down as the Committee Chair and let someone else take those reins. I would like to have someone tagged as the incoming Chair by our COH next week on the 15th, so please let me know if you are interested in the position.

It is not like I am leaving for good, I am just stepping back into a “parent support” or “ASM-undecided” role. Which means, I will be here to provide support and to answer any questions whomever replaces me will have.

A few things about the Committee Chair position:

1. Without a Committee Chair, the Troop WILL fold. There are three positions required to have a Troop: Committee Chair, Chartered Organization Representative (COR), and Scoutmaster. These positions are required to be filled by separate people. Those separate people can double up jobs on the Committee (like Advancements and COR), but not as a Scoutmaster/Assistant SM and a committee position. The reason for that is the SM is a non-voting/informal member of the committee and therefore cannot have a separate job/position on the committee.

2. It is really a fairly easy job with the awesome support we currently have on the committee. Just have to hold the monthly meetings, coordinate the Committee’s efforts throughout the year and to organize the Courts of Honor (which are pretty much pre-programmed with some refinement as they approach-Thanks Janine for your work on that).

3. The committee chair will also need to have completed all the required training for the position. The training can be found at my.scouting.org.

On that note:

Also coming open at the end of the year is the Treasurer position. Carrie has been doing that job for the past three years and it is time for her to pass the buck/checkbook to another willing participant.

1. The Treasurer handles the finances of the troop, including the Scout accounts, trailer registrations, and payments to camps, activities, reimbursements, etc.
2. Provides monthly updates to the rest of the committee on the troop’s finances.
3. provies quarterly updates to Scout families as to the standing of the individual scout accounts.
4. Ensures there are funds in our account at Council for new registrants and the Scout Shop for purchases for COH things.

Anyway, enough rambling from this guy!

Please let me know if you are interested in either of these positions, as I will not be re-registering under the rechartering process which another great volunteer, Kristen, is handling for the troop!

You can call, text, or email me if additional information on either of the positions above.

Dan 228-806-9063 / geren.mcguire@hotmail.com

Troop,

I know this is short notice, but I have a slot for the Rifle MB being taught tonight and tomorrow at the CPW youth Range on Sinton Rd. Geren has a scheduling conflict and I just realized that the MB was this weekend. I thought it was next weekend.

Anyways, if you are interested in attending, please let me know ASAP! I will have to give your name to the instructor soon to get you in there.

I paid the $25 fee already, so you should be good on that (but I won’t turn it down if you want to pay me back!)

Here are the details

https://mycouncil.pathwaytotherockies.org/Event/6865?_gl=1itb0ji_gaMTU2OTU1NzY5NS4xNjY3NTg0OTEz_ga_9RSGWEBP51*MTY2NzU4NDkxMi4xLjEuMTY2NzU4NDkxOS4wLjAuMA..&_ga=2.252090377.1052734668.1667584914-1569557695.1667584913

First come, first served on this one!

Talk to you soon,

Dan (228-806-9063)

Troop,

Don’t worry about getting dinner before the meeting tomorrow. There will be pizza served/available as well as cake. I forgot to mention that.

I was focused on the cake. My bad.

See you all tomorrow night at 6pm!

Dan

Troop/Families,

Tomorrow night we will kick off Geren’s Eagle COH at 6pm, spend about an hour on it and roll directly into the regular meeting (after having some cake).

We will probably be there to set up around 5:30 if anyone wants to join us. It really wont be too much to do.

Scouts, please wear Class A uniforms for this monumentous event! You can switch to Class B afterwards if the meeting flow allows.

Dan

Troop/Families,

On 11 October, we are planning to hold Geren’s Eagle Court of Honor. To align with his desires, this is not going to be a huge ceremony at all. We are looking to start at 6pm, and go until 7pm, so the troop can flow directly into the regular meeting process.

There will be cake.

So, please wear your Class A (it is the second meeting of the month anyway), and look your best. We will have a full color guard just like a regular COH as well. So be ready!

There will be cake.

Here is our planned program (rough draft):

Tuesday, 11 OCtober 2022:
5:45pm: Set up
6:00: Color guard opening flags
6:05: Opening Remarks, presentation of the Eagle stuff, people will talk and say stuff (mostly focused on Geren), have Geren say some Scouting stuff, etc.
6:25ish: Retire the colors
6:35ish: Cake sutting/serving
6:55: clean up and prep for the regular meeting.

See you all there!

Did I mention there will be cake?

Dan

Troop,

We have received a few request for merit badges within the troop.

Below is a current listing of what members of our troop have to offer as far as MB selections: If you need contact information for those below listed couselors, please come to a meeting and coordinate with them directly, or ask Mr Petree or myself. I don’t think posting all that here is a good idea with all those Scam Likely people scanning the internet for scam vicitims is a good idea!

If there is a MB that you dont see on this list that you would like to do, let Mr Petree or another adult leader know and we can get you a list of registered and qualified counselors from around Council.

Remember, the first step sis to get approval to start a merit badge from Mr Petree. He will give you a blue card. You will make contact with a counselor, and demonstrate your knowledge/skills to them, the counselor will sign the blue card when they are satisfied with your stuff, then give you the card to turn back in to Mr. Petree. (if the troop hosts a MB class, it is a little different).

Jenine Winslow  
Astronomy
Enviro. Science**  
Mammal Study
Sustainability**  
Weather

Maureen Reiser
Communication**
Cooking**  
Dog Care
Emergency Prep.**  
First Aid**  
Pers. Fitness**  
Sports

Ray Petree  
Backpacking
Camping**
Emergency Prep.**  
Engineering  
Fishing  
Search and Rescue  
Wilderness Surv.

Dan McGuire  
Automotive Maint.  
Backpacking
Camping**
Emergency Prep.**  
First Aid**  
Hiking**  
Home Repairs  
Metalwork  
Pers. Fitness**
Public Speaking  
Wilderness Surv.  
Woodwork

Jason Holpuch  
Citizenship in Society**
Cycling**
Digital Tech
Electricity  
Electronics  
Energy  
Engineering  
Fishing  
Personal Mgmt.**  
Programming  
Snow Sports  
Woodwork

Matthew Hoekstra  
Cit. in Nation**
Cit. in World**
Motorboating
Public Speaking  
Safety  
Small-Boat Sailing

Michael Anderson  
Cit. in Comm.**
Cit. in Nation**  
Cit. in World**
Climbing  
Communication**  
Electronics  
Engineering  
Family Life**
Hiking **
Inventing  
Photography  
Robotics

Janelle Anderson  
Art
Athletics  
Cooking**
Emergency Prep.**
Home Repairs  
Nature  
Painting  
Pets  
Pulp and Paper  
Reading  
Snow Sports

**Eagle Required

from Ray this morning:

Good morning, we just got cell service back. Have not been able to see a lot of the previous messages. We plan to be back at the church at just about 11 AM this morning. We are on the road and have already left camp.

Troop/Parents who are driving:

Just a reminder that tomorrow is the day you drop off your kid with a bunch of dudes you really don’t know well and send them off to a place where there is no cell service and wait patiently for six days for them to return safe. Haha! Just messing around. It’s gonna be fine!

Remember to fill up your fuel tanks tonight or tomorrow morning PRIOR to showing up at the barn for cross load and roll out. I would like to convoy from here to there, just to ensure nobody makes a wrong turn, gets, lost, held up at a light, etc. Our route will be south on I-25 to Exit 74 toward Rye on Hwy 165. Here is a link to the route:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/6460+Flying+W+Ranch+Rd,+Colorado+Springs,+CO+80919/San+Isabel+Scout+Ranch,+18353+CO-165,+Beulah,+CO+81023/@38.1744562,-104.8503225,10.56z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x871351eca14a0ee5:0x6960917c224dd986!2m2!1d-104.8677408!2d38.9269429!1m5!1m1!1s0x871474dfbcac772f:0xf4b351c97cf8f504!2m2!1d-105.0408036!2d38.003256!3e0

I will drive the lead and have a designated trail vehicle.

Last minute packing:

Snacks are good to bring (please don’t go crazy), but remind your Scouts all snacks and anything else that is a smellable will be stored in the troop trailer prior to evening close-out/bed time. It is a good idea to bring an identifiable bag for each individual’s smellables. Every year we have stuff left in the trailer and no one knows who’s stuff it is. No food will be stored in tents what-so-ever! Too many bears around that area.

Camp chairs: if you have room, these are a good idea to bring so they have somewhere to sit during our camp evenings when they are not at some other function, or in the morning while putting their shoes on while enjoying that morning cup of coffee. Also, some merit badge classes are in the woods. A chair is good so they are not sitting on the ground or whatever. Either way, they will have a chance to use them.

If there is anything else that may be helpful to any of us, Please dont heistate to shoot me a text saying so!

We are all going to have a great time this week; the adults attending with your kids, and the parents staying home without them!

We will be chatting back and forth starting tomorrow evening with Ray’s first “Scoutmaster Daily Update”

See you in the morning!

Dan

Parents,

The troop will supply regular patrol gear for the week (cooking, easy up canopy, tools for rank advancemtn training, etc.), as well as cots for each of the Scouts and adults. So, no worries on bringing any of those items, unless you really want to because you have a really cool cot or whatever.

I will suggest bringing or making room in the budget to purchase a hammock. Our first year at camp, many of the boys brought or bought hammocks and they were a hit. So, it has continued for the past several years. If you plan on purchasing one prior to camp, I suggest paying a visit to Sierra Trading post over off of Powers Blvd. They have a pretty good selection of hammocks and are very reasonably priced. The Scout shop also has hammocks over on Fillmore, which are the same as what they will get at camp, and should be the same price (around $25-30 i think). Hammocks serve as a nice little resting area for the boys when they are all set up in the trees away from our main campsite.

Comments on the Troop site:

Ok, so the troop site does accept comments, but it is finicky. Here is how you do it:

1. Go to whatever post you want to comment on and click on the “comments” link. Fill out the form and submit your comment. Email and name is required.

2. I should get an email telling me there is a new comment. I then have to go into the admin sesction of the site and “approve” the comment. Then it will be posted to the site.

To view comments on the site, you have to do step 1 above and scroll down to the bottom where the comments are.

Maureen and I tested this process this morning and I think it will work out, if you want to use it. Unfortunately, I was unable to locate an “automatic approval” for the comments. I’m guessing because WordPress doesnt allow that?

Let me know if anyone has any questions or concerns. Or if you want further explanation about anything Summer Camp/Troop/Scouting related.

Dan

Troop/Parents,

This post is for those first year Scout and parents to help out with some common questions you may have.

If you have additional useful information, please pass tit along with either a comment to this post, or email me directly and I will do a subsequent post.

Getting there:

We have had so many parents sign up to drive on Sunday that I am absolutely blown away! Thank you so much for volunteering your time, fuel, and patience to have a bunch of pre-camp Scouts in your car for a couple of hours!

We will meet up at 9am on Sunday, 10 Jun 22, at the barn. Please be there on time (or before) so we can get the Troop trailer loaded with troop and Scout gear, cross load and get a vehicle load plan where each Scout is sitting. I would also like to ensure everyone’s phone number is on a roster so we can make contact as neccessary throughout the week.

We have 26 Scouts and 5 adults headed to camp. The roster will be supplied to each of the adults for informational purposes, but Ray will assume all duties as the point of contact once we leave the barn.

I would like to head out in a convoy no later than 10am. With 26 Scouts loading and cross loading equipment and all that, I think we will be just fine on time (jinxed it!).

Arrival:

We will drop the Scouts and gear in wherever the deisgnated location is, and the Scouts may or may not have to carry their stuff to the campsite (Apache). We will be allowed to drive to our campsite and drop Scouts and gear there. Then all vehicles will have to depart the area (say goodbye’s then). The troop trailer will be parked at the campsite, so will my truck. This is to facilitate the trailer’s use as a bear bin and have a vehicle at the site for emergency evacuation and such.

I will take the lump of paperwork we have collected from you and head over to check us all in. Once that process is started, the other Scoutmasters will take the troop to the campsite and the PLC (SPL/ASPL) will assign tents and all that.

Tents:

Scouts will bunk with their buddy or buddies. max three per tent. Max two years of age differential, or school grade differential. If there is a buddy team already established, the PLC will allow that, however, there will be a “no Scout left behind” concept, where everyone’s desires will be considered for buddy teams. We can also switch it up mid-week, if so desired.

Buddy teams will remain for the week. A Scout will stay with his buddy during non-course hours (after badge classes and those times). Each Scout is responsible for telling his patrol leader where he is going (Scout shop, dining facility, etc.) during the scheduled down time. The Patrol leader will maintain a system of knowing where all of his patrol members are. We also have a white board in the trailer to help with this. The SPL is overall responsible for knowing were all of the Scouts are.

Packing:

We have found that packing all of the Scouts stuff in a tuff box/plastic tote/or similar tub, is very beneficial. 1. They have ready access to their stuff. 2. it is easy to identify and mark with identifications. 3. it is easy to stack in the trailer for transport. 4. they seal to keep out mice, rodents, bugs, etc. There are many more reason they are a good idea. However, please make sure your Scout packs his own stuff. This helps him know where his stuff is. We have had parents pack and the Scout has no idea where something is when he needs it. When asked, he says, “I told my mom to pack it,” or “my dad told me he packed it.”

Bring Swim gear, just in case we can free swim.

SCOUTS SHOULD PACK THEIR OWN BAGS!

Knives:

BSA does not restrict the type of knife a Scout uses (folder or fixed blade). Hoever, there are some common sense rules to abide by. Please do not allow your Scout to bring a machette to camp. It is cool, and a great talking peice, but not a practical choice for this event. Many Scouts will bring that $30-$60 of spending money and blow it on a camp knife they found at the Scout shop. Just so you understand, most camps restrict knife sales until Wednesday, so the boys are super excited to get their “first knife,” then play with it and throw it into their knee, causing other Scouts to break out their first aid kits and do all that. Great times were had by all, and great stories continue to be shared and embellished! Not a bad thing!

Bikes:

I do not think bringing bikes is a good idea this year. Although it is allowed, I am not sure we can successfully transport as many bikes as there are desires to bring them. Many of our Scouts are first time summer campers, so lets rely on the basics of transport around camp. SISR is a small property, unlike Dobbins or Camp A, where it takes 15 minutes to walk from one MB area to another, I think bikes are not necessary. However, adults will be free to make that decision on their own as we have to visit all of the MB areas twice a day, everyday. That is a lot of walking! And they won’t let me bring my motorcycle.

Camp Merit Badge Schedules:

Thank you for being understanding in the last week of merit badge madness.

We will get hard copies of merit badge schedules on Sunday during check-in. I also have a copy of everyone’s schedule which I will have on my phone and ensure all the other adults do as well. Just in case!

Each Scout will have a map of the camp so they can find their way to their classes. With 26 Scouts, I do not think there will by any “lone” Scout headed off to a class, everyone will be in at least a small group.

Your Scout may come home with requirements remaining to finish a badge. He will know what he needs to do to finish that particular badge. With that, he will also receive a printout and an unfinished Blue Card with blanks for the items that remain unfinished.

Any Scoutmaster attending camp can sign off as the merit badge counselor for those remaining requirements. We still have a few Scouts with outstanding requirements from Summer Camps in the past. It is no big deal. He will get those items completed so dont fret about it. As long as he maintains a copy of that Blue Card/printout, he will be alright.

Uniforms:

We are required to travel to and from BSA Activities in Class A uniform (no sash required). Your Scout will wear his Class A to camp, every morning for flags, every evening for flags, and on the way home on Saturday. Sorry, parents! You can use a pressure washer on them when you get home to get the stink off!

Hygiene:

Please ensure when your Scout packs, he packs deoderant. I have no issue calling a kid out who “forgot” to put deoderant on (tactfully, of course). These kids are going to be very active for the week, and really, help us out here!

The Scouts will be required to shower twice during the week. Tuesday evening and Thursday Evening. Then they will put deoderant on right after that. being Clean is one of the points of the Scout law. They will be reminded of this as necessary.

These dudes are old enough that they should have an idea of what hygeine is, so there will be no checks by adults, but we will definitely have this subject matter covered in our daily briefings and pre-bed nightly routine: brush teeth and all that!

Pick-up:

Saturday is out check-out/pick up day. I would like to have everyone who dropped off do the pick-up, but I know that is not always a possibility. However, we will be ready and will need as many seats on Saturda to bring kids home as we did on Sunday to take them there.

If you are driving both ways, it would be benneficial if you took the same Scout home with you for ease of rosters and tracking purposes.

Please try and be up at Camp by 9am on Saturday for pick up. We will be clearing the campsite during that time and all the Scouts should be packed and ready to go. We will ensure all Scouts returning with the group are accounted for and leave no later than 10am to head home to the Barn for dowload and parent pick-up. Our estimated arrival to the barn will be announced by the Scoutmaster so parents can grab their kids and strap them to the roof of the car for the final trip home (it is possible they will smell funny).

Like I said at the beginning, please let me know if there is anything you think to add to this list, or you want to see added. I probably have more knowlege about this than I am relaying because I have done this a few times and don’t remember a lot of stuff I previously asked questions about, so please ask that question and I will make a post on it!

I am sure I forgot something, so (seriously) let me know!

Don’t hesitate to shoot me a text or give me a call!

Dan 228-806-9063

Parents,

Sorry for the late message, but please stop by the committee meeting tonight when you drop your Scout off to ensure we finalize your camp docs. We are missing some forms and some signatures on forms. Carrie is heading this effort up to finalize our forms, so please don’t forget to check in and ensure yours are good to go!

Dan

Troop,

If you are going to camp next week 10-16 Jul, there was a development in the offerings. Bottom Line Up Front, all shooting sports and water sports have been cancelled. Please see the below email from the camp director. I am working on the situation and will update you as I get information.

If you were registered for anything water or shooting related (77% of the troop), then those events were cancelled and you’ll need to pick something else from the offerings. Let me know if you would like to discuss this and how we are trying to move forward from here. I have volunteered as a step in instructor for both archery and shotgun shooting as I am a qualified BSA instructor for both of those. I can’t do anything about rifle or water sports.

If you choose one or more of the new offerings, plet me know sonner rather than later so I can get you plugged in.

Here is the email I sent earlier and the original email from camp: