Troop,

In line with D-11, we are cancelling tonight’s meeting due to inclimate weather.

Here is some more reasoning behind the cancellation:
Our meeting site is outdoors (the barn, although inside has no heat).
D-11 only had one event, but it was cancelled due to weather.
Weather predictions have the temp at 32-33 degrees for the time period of our meeting. That, my friends, is cold. Especially since yesterday it was 94 degrees.
Road conditions will deteriorate while we are in the meeting and I want everyone to be safe.

So, there is the deal. We will meet again next week at the normal time/location: 7pm at the church (Barn).

If you had a SM conference scheduled, give me a call and we will do it over FaceTime, Zoom, or Skype. We will get it done tonight so your rank date reflects it properly.

Have a nice night off!

Dan

Troop,

Tonight we will meet at the barn again, as the church is still on restriction from mass gatherings. If the weather is bad, we will move inside and be as distant as we can, there is plenty of room in there.

Remember that we follow D-11 school schedule, so if the “close or cancel after school activities” our meeting will be cancelled. Snow is supposed to start flowing around 1pm now. I think the weather folks are just playing with us to see how far they can go with this.

Here is the agenda for the evening:
Opening at 7pm.
+5 Announcements
+10 Then roll into the Home Improvement MB for about 15-20 mins. Really talking about safety and stuff like that around the home. This is a chance to help out your parents around the home (they will verify what you’ve done via the checklist. This is a really easy badge to earn, it just may take a little time to finish up depending on the projects available at your place.
+20 After MB work, we will breakout and work some EDGE training from the older –> younger Scouts and some rank verification stuff. (I have a SM Conference to conduct at this time–let me know if you are ready for one).
Around 8pm, we will get to an IPA decided upon by the Scouts.
8:30: close the meeting.

Flags was successful yesterday, than you so much for those of you who volunteered and participated. We have one more flag session this year in November for Veterans Day. Then it is on pause until Memorial Day next year. Lets muster up some volunteers and get that day done (mark your calendars!). Each Scout earned somewhere between $60-$70 yesterday toward Scouting activities and supplies. Final tally will be calculated today or tomorrow.

Anyway, stay warm and we will see you tonight!

Dan

Troop, We are looking to take our first camping trip in a looooong time as a Troop. We are looking at 18-20 September. Hammock camping, so we are within COVID guidelines not to share tents. Everyone will also have to source, package, and carry their own food and water (meals and such will be decided in the camp prep meeting, but individuals will have to source their own stuff. (Make sure you annotate what requirements you’ve completed for Rank ADV).

More COVID restrictions: We are not allowed to transport people who are not part of our family unit. Which means, parents have to transport their Scouts to this event and pick them up afterwards. Even with the signed waivers, and if you agree to take someone else’s Scout (not allowed). The SP (start point) is about 45-60 minutes from the church. This weekend I will reconnoiter the route and time it for you and provide feedback, so families can plan accordingly.

We are planning on having the drop off at the Crag’s Campground (or at least the turn off from HWY 67 to the campground-specifics later). Gear check and hike in from there on Friday night around 6pm. Hike starting no later than 6:30pm (once attendance is completed). We will hike a couple miles and [the Scouts will] find a spot to camp (in hammocks), then the next day (Saturday) we will hike and work Scout skills (orienteering, land navigation, camp craft, etc.). We [the Scouts] will find another camp location for the night. Sunday morning we will return to our start point for pick up prior to 10am.

The link below is to the PDF of the route we will be taking. It begins and ends near the Crag’s campground.

The loop is a 7.2 mile loop, moderate trail, so each day will be pretty easy going. That is the distance, not including from HWY 67 to the trail head.

More information to follow for this trip during the week’s meeting prior. That will definitely be an in-depth camp prep meeting – first time campers with the troop need to bring their gear for verification. 10 essentials is a requirement, as well as weather-dependent gear (proper rated sleeping system, etc.) If a Scout is in need, we have a lot of gear to lend, so no one will go without what they need to be comfortable, or at least survive.

Below I am trying out an RSVP system through this website. We will see how it works. If this isn’t working, then we will switch back to sign-up genius. Please, when signing up, let me know if you need a hammock. I will source some for those in need.

Talk to you Tuesday,

Dan

Troop,

Last night was a successful restart for our in-person meetings. I am really excited that all of you participated and melded so well. There are a few notes taken away from last night’s meeting that I will address here, so please bear with me on this long(ish) post.

Scouts in Patrols: If you have access to Scoutbook, you can log in and see what patrol you are in. If you do not, let me know so we can get you sorted.

Meeting Schedule:
For each month, we will generally follow this schedule of meetings (they may shift due to when we camp and stuff like that):
Week 1: Rank ADV
Week 2: MB work
Week 3: Campout prep
Week 4: Game night

Rank ADV: The Scout seeking rank, the process is simple:
1. Seek out a senior Scout and receive education on the skill/knowledge.
2. Practice skill/knowledge
3. Demonstrate skill/knowledge to PL (get initials in LEFT hand margin of handbook)
4. Demonstrate skill/knowledge to SPL/ASPL (get second set of initials in the LEFT margin)
5. Demonstrate skill/knowledge to and Adult Leader (ASM/SM) for final initials in the RIGHT hand margin, as a final check for the requirement.

**If you worked on rank advancement during the pause of in-person meetings since March, we will work with you and your parents. If your parents will sign off in the LEFT margin, we will work through getting all those requirements documented and you advanced as appropriate. I intend on having Scoutmaster Conferences with each of you to hash out what you have done, and what you need to work on to be successful.

MB Work:
The Troop conducts Merit Badges throughout the year (we shoot for starting one each month, depending on the desires of the Troop). The process basically works like this: the MB Counselor will provide a 20-30 minute class/presentation/instruction/etc. on the selected MB. Then the remaining requirements are either done in subsequent meetings, or on the Scout’s own as homework. The Scout will leave the meeting, do the research, and bring back the results to the MB Counselor for verification (to his/her satisfaction). Once completed, the counselor will sign off on the blue card and turn it in to the Troop.

If the Scout wants to do a MB that the troop is not sponsoring:
The Scout comes to the SM and requests “permission” to start a MB. The SM will provide a signed Blue Card with the MB annotated.
The Scout seeks out a MB Counselor and conducts meetings with them. Once the requirements have been fulfilled, the counselor will fill out the Blue Card and sign it as completed. The Scout will then turn in the completed Blue Card to the Scoutmaster for recording and awarding.

Camp Prep:
Just what it sounds like. the meeting will be focused on preparing for that weekend’s trip (camping/activity/etc.). This will include meal planning, location, attendance, etc.
**type of trip will be decided on by adult leader ability to support, weather, and time of year. Scouts make a list of desired types of trips during the annual planning meeting (usually in August-this year will be this month or next.

Game night:
The Troop decides on types of game nights to do during the planning meeting. During the Camp Prep meeting, the troop will decide what Game Night to do the following week (after the trip). This ranges from kickball at a park to stuff like Battlefield/Dartwars, Minigolf, Overdrive, etc.

If we have an extra (5th week) in the month, we will fill it with something Scout related, likely follow up conferences or somthing like that. We will cross that bridge when it happens.

If you have any questions, let me know. Also, if you made it this far in the post, thanks for reading!

Dan
228-806-9063

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
Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/74178203858?pwd=SUYxNEtPNThZZEwrTzNhSUZEWkgrZz09

Meeting ID: 741 7820 3858
Passcode: 0BtFgg

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

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/74178203858?pwd=SUYxNEtPNThZZEwrTzNhSUZEWkgrZz09

Meeting ID: 741 7820 3858
Passcode: 0BtFgg

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