Troop!

It is that time where we can meet up again in the great outdoors!

Time tonight: 7pm
Location: the Barn (outside of course)
Uniform: Class A (dust them off, pull them out from under your bed, or the corner of your closet – maybe throw an iron on it)
Required: paperwork listed on the previous post, mask, and a temperature check at home before you come.

You can bring your handbook and you can start getting things marked off by your PL and SPL/ASPL.

The troop decided to do some tent races, so we will do that after we get into the swing of things.

Agenda:

7: opening, announcements, etc.; begin rank ADV stuff – at a distance (yes, this is going to be tough for us all); tent races; IPA.

Time is flexible and we may break out into the patrols to do this stuff. One patrol does rank, the other does races, then switch. Then at the end we will do an all together IPA.

See you tonight!

Dan

Troop,

I linked the documents in the last post, but you will have to visit the troop site to actually download them. Just FYI.

Dan

Troop,

We, the adult leadership, have completed the required training in order for us to begin in-person meetings again. So, up front, we need a lot of signatures.

You and your parents need to print, read and sign the documents available in the links below:

You can do this a couple of ways:

1. Download, print, sign, scan and email each document to me;
2. Download, print, sign, and bring the completed document to our next meeting;
3. Download, digitally sign, and email the completed form to me.

The bottom line here is that you will not be allowed to participate in any activity until we get the documents from you completed.

Talk to you and see you guys soon!

Dan

BoyScouts Troop287 is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: BoyScouts Troop287’s Zoom Meeting
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Troop,

Tonight we must return to the Zoom platform once again. The required training was not available this past week in time for us to get trained properly to hold in-person meetings. The next available training is tomorrow night (via Zoom-so that is great).

This means we will be good to go after tomorrow, so we can do one of two things:

Option 1: Proceed with tonight’s meeting on-line and discuss/lock-in what we are going to do next week (although I think we have most of that covered)

Option 2: Cancel tonight’s meeting to allow for on-line decompression from all this on-line schooling that you were all just dumped into. I know since this is the first week of school for many of you, it is possible you are overloaded with school, or screens. But I also know you guys need a release with your Scouting buds.

Option 3: There really isn’t an option three, just checking to see if you guys read this far into my posts.

I will start the meeting at normal time tonight and if you guys show up, great, if not, no worries. We will hold it to a short discussion of what to expect for next week (when we will actually get to meet in person).

Dan

At least for now.

Troop, to continue on our trek to in-person meetings, we will have (presumably) our last Zoom meeting tonight.

Mr Petree will take lead on it since I am in limited connectivity in the mountains until tomorrow.

I would like to hear something back on how we are going to be successful during next week’s meeting at the barn! The idea of tent set up races was tossed around. Anyway, Have fun tonight, do some great planning, and let me know how it works out.

Geren and I will see you guys next week at the barn.

Dan

Troop,

The long awaited new guidance has been published for us to move toward meeting in person.

Basically, the adult leadership (Scoutmaster, Committee Chair, and COR) is required to do some on-line training and all parents will have to sign some waivers and such. I will get this stuff done, and push the others to get their parts done as soon as possible so we can have some meetings in person.

That being said, we will likely have one last Zoom meeting next week before being able to resume in-person stuff, just due to training availability.

When we do meet, we will still have to remain distant and wear masks when we are near each other.

More information to follow!

Dan

Troop,

Instead of holding an official meeting tonight, a bunch of the guys are getting together at Mountian Shadows Park (next to Chipeta Elementary School on Flying W Ranch Rd) to play Ultimate Cabbage.

6pm, Mountain Shadows park – not an official meeting.

Yes, if you play and have small hands, you will smell like a carny in the end (Austin Powers reference-for those of you who care).

See you guys there!

Dan

Troop,

August is our annual planning month, so on that theme, here are a few ideas to start throwing around:

Merit badges for social distancing: the list

• American Business
• American Heritage
• Animation
• Art
• Basketry
• Bird Study
• Chemistry
• Chess
• Citizenship in the World
• Collections
• Composite Materials
• Cooking
• Digital Technology
• Drafting
• Electricity
• Electronics
• Energy
• Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Family Life
• Fingerprinting
• First Aid
• Game Design
• Genealogy
• Graphic Arts
• Home Repairs
• Leatherworking
• Mammal Study
• Metalwork
• Mining in Society
• Model Design & Building
• Moviemaking
• Music
• Nuclear Science
• Oceanography
• Painting
• Photography
• Plant Science
• Plumbing
• Pottery
• Programming
• Pulp & Paper
• Railroading
• Robotics
• Salesmanship
• Scholarship
• Sculpture
• Search & Rescue
• Soil & Water Conservation
• Space Exploration
• Stamp Collecting
• Sustainability
• Textile
• Theater
• Weather
• Wilderness Survival
• Woodcarving
• Woodwork

Camping at a distance? Need to know where and how we plan on doing this safely.

See you guys on Zoom tonight.

Topic: BoyScouts Troop287’s Zoom Meeting
Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

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Troop,

Due to our unofficially planned non-meeting tonight having a great chance of being rained out, we will do it on Thursday evening at 5pm. Same place, Adventure Mini-Golf, 6550 Corporate Dr.

No Zoom tonight, just going to meet up on Thursday.

If you have anything that needs signature, I will be available thursday evening during the golf stuff (and a little prior and after).

Have a nice Scouting-free evening!

Dan

Troop,

Tomorrow night, we will not have a meeting. Instead, I understand that the Scout leadership made a decision not to have a formal Scout related meeting, and will be attending mini-golf at Adventure Mini-Golf, 6550 Corporate Dr.

They said they plan to meet up there at 5pm, and head into the course to do some golf and batting cages.

Remember this is not a sanctioned Scouting event, just a chance to have some fun with some friends during a time slot that is usually reserved for Scouting. The cost is $5 for those 12 and up. $4 for 12 and under. http://www.adventuregolfcos.com/pricing/

Siblings and such are alright to attend as well. This place is open air, but a public area, so masks are still required. Since it is open air, I do not know if they allow you to just carry the mask with you and use it when you go into the buildings or what. But make sure you bring one.

Talk to you all tomorrow night.

If you are attending and need something signed off in your handbook, I can take a few minutes to do that on the side, just bring your book.

Dan

Troop,

As discussed last week, we are looking to move to a new schedule for our meetings during this time of no in-person meetings.

The schedule would be to meet the first and third Tuesday of each month. Reserving the second and fourth Tuesdays to have optional “other” non-Scouting activities.

I will seek Troop Council approval for this action, which is required, to make this change.

This week’s meeting (28 July) is cancelled in an effort to test this concept. I think several members of the troop are meeting up at Adventure Mingolf at 6550 Corporate Dr. More details to follow such as time and all that. Remember this is not a meeting, so no scout funds can be used to pay for the golf.

Dan

Troop,

If you are working on the Citizenship in the Community, or want to work on it, tune in tonight to the D-20 live broadcast of their School Board Meeting. make sure you take notes so when Mr Durrenberger quizzes you on it, you will be able to answer his questions.

https://www.asd20.org/board-of-education/board-meetings

Sorry, I forgot to click post earlier!

Dan

There will be PLC at 6:15 tonight to discuss this weeks game night.

Heres he needs to be there- Mark, Evan, Jack and Ignacio.

Sorry for the short notice!-Geren SPL

Of course it does! Just make sure you are documenting your activities in your Scout handbook so we can review it and mark off the requirements when we actually get to meet up again.

Troop,

As we continue to move through this Covid-19, social distancing, stay safe at home and everywhere else stuff, I encourage you to continue learning and Scouting. There are plenty of sites available through a quick Google search that will provide you with the resources to earn merit badges and rank advancement. Just let us know what your plans are and we will support them!

Tonight, again is a Zoom meeting, of course. I want to have you all think about a non-Scouting function to do “together”, but not “together”. Maybe a bike ride, hike, or something like that. Anyway, let me know. This can’t be an official Scout-sponsored gathering, it would be just for fun and volunteer based.

See you guys tonight!

Dan

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Troop,

Below are a couple of resources to keep an eye on. The first one is the State of Colorado Covid update and the second is the Pikes Peak BSA site. As I have been saying all along, we have to abide by these two agency’s guidelines before we can meet in person. This is where I go a couple times a week to see if anything has changed.

On the same note, the Mayor today stated our numbers of Covid are increasing at an alarming rate. He basically gave the community two weeks to make a change, otherwise he would heavily consider re-implementing lockdowns.

I am not posting this info to put any fear into anyone at all. I just want you all to be informed and understand where my decisions are coming from to protect all of us.

Also, a couple of you are bashing out Merit Badges! Good job. Continue that effort! It will make things so much easier when it comes time for advancement through the top three ranks.

See you all in Zoom tonight. As always, if you need something from me, shoot me a text or email, or give me a call. Life is a little crazy right now, we are still renovating our house, so my response time has been a little slower than normal!

Dan

FYI: https://covid19.colorado.gov/safer-at-home

http://www.pikespeakbsa.org/News/SAFERestart

From the Pikes Peak Council Website:
Units should not conduct meetings or activities until your community has entered the “Protect our Neighbors” phase of Colorado reopening.

Zoom details:

Topic: BoyScouts Troop287’s Zoom Meeting
Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

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Troop,

Bottom line up front (BLUF): No in person meetings, yet.

The reasoning behind this: I spoke with our Scout Executive/CEO, James Machamer at Council a little while ago. We had a pretty in depth conversation about how BSA is handling this Covid stuff and the relationship between El Paso County and the stages of re-opening things.

The BSA as specific guidelines in place that should be followed when holding in-person meetings. We can definitely do all of those and be successful. There is one requirement we can not get past: the requirement for El Paso County to be in the “Protect Your Neighborhood” phase. Because El Paso County is not yet fully in that phase of this process, we are still restricted from meeting in person.

This is a definite blow to our plans to get together, but I hope that all of you understand the seriousness of this pandemic. When we are allowed to get together, we will definitely make the most of it.

I encourage all of you to NOT rely on Scouting to be your only access to the great outdoors. Just because we can’t have togetherness and camping and such, does not mean you can not do those activities with your families. Plan a trip, have a picnic, or just go into the woods and hang out for a few hours. Build a camp gadget (ahem: Rank Requirement) that is beneficial to the campsite (take a pic and send it to me and I will credit you).

Anyway, We will see you again tonight through the magic of the interspace.

Dan

Topic: BoyScouts Troop287’s Zoom Meeting
Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

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Maybe. That is the word.

Troop,

Tomorrow will be our first meeting in July after some guidance was published by State officials.

The State provided a framework for each county to follow in order to enter the next phase of Covid Response. The next Phase is “Protect Our Neighbors”.

The bottom line here is that El Paso County has not accomplished the requirements for us to move into that phase. Or at least the website is not clear on this matter.

This means we are going to plan for another Zoom type meeting; with a secondary plan to meet at the Barn (depending what I hear from Council tomorrow morning).

I will call the Council office in the morning and begin the bombardment of calls to them about meetings and such. Here is the real deal: if we do not have council approval to meet, no one is covered by BSA insurance or anything like that. So to be safe, I will make contact with Council to determine a plan forward. Once I hear something, I will make a post.

On another issue: Ryan Mutchler (Life Scout), has been approved to move forward with his Eagle Scout Project. Here is a note from him pertaining to his project. If you would like to help Ryan out (he needs to provide leadership to other Scouts to meet the requirements).

Hi Everyone!

I am Ryan Mutchler and I am new to the troop. I am working on my Eagle Scout Project and I am making N-95 face mask covers for the Audubon Surgery Center. These N-95 covers will prolong the usage of the N-95s used by the medical staff, as N-95 masks are in short supply. I am in need of volunteers to cut and sew the mask covers. I will provide the specific material and pattern to the volunteers. Volunteers can either cut out the pattern, or sew the masks together, or do both. I am asking volunteers to provide their own scissors, thread (any color is fine), and sewing machine. It is possible, this thick material being used, may dull the sewing machine needle. I will replace any needles that are affected from volunteering. In an effort to comply with social distancing, I will drop off materials to you and pick them up within a couple of days. 

If you are interested, feel free to email, call or text me.

Thanks!

Ryan Mutchler

(925)628-3007

ryan@leibnizcreations.com