Boy Scout Troop 287

Meeting:                   Troop 287 Committee Meeting

Date & Time:            November 1, 2016, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Location:                  Wilson United Methodist Church

In attendance:         Mary Cuccaro, Steve Cuccaro, Sandy Diggs, Lisa Durrenberger, Sandy Johnston, Pam Reeves, Danny Reeves, Andrea Warner, Sean Warner, Jonathan Westcott, Lisa Woodard.

Sean Warner – Scout Master

• Flags Fundraiser this weekend, Saturday, November 5^th
• November 11-13, Dino Death March; 2 night camp-out
• Community Service project set-up for December
• Website calendar is updated; click on the “calendar” link in the right column
• Troop trailer will be repainted and updated
• Franklin Woodard’s Eagle Scout Court of Honor, Sat., Dec. 3^rd, 3:00 – 4:30
• August 2107, Pikes Peak Ascent, , Barr Camp has been reserved

Sandy Johnston – Committee Chair

• Tuesday, November 15, Court of Honor
• Court of Honor, Thanksgiving meal; look for Sign-Up Genius for food sign-up
• Council Roundtable Meeting this Thursday
• Recharter fee and Dues will be due at the COH
• Summer Camp contracts will be available for signing at COH
• January 10^th, next Committee Meeting

Danny Reeves – Committee Treasurer:

• Scout balances for Court of Honor will be given at Court of Honor

Folks,

I forgot to add the details for the Veteran’s Day Parade in the last post so here they are….

Here are the 5Ws for the Vets Day Parade on 5 November 2016:

WHO: All members of the 1st Special Forces Regiment and especially members
of SFA Chapter 4-24; also Sean Warner’s Boy Scouts (Troop 287)

WHAT: Veterans Day Parade. Uniform is any military uniform you ever wore on
active duty, or any SF “heritage uniform,” or SFA Green Blazer, or SFMC
colors. The Scout Uniform is Class A’s.

WHERE: Gather at VFW 101 in Colorado Springs to conduct final TLPs, adorn
truck with banners and flags, and then move to parade marshalling area.  See
website: http://www.csvetsparade.org/about-the-parade/parade-route.

WHEN:  Showtime at VFW 101 is between 0800 and 0830 on 5 NOV 16. Movement to
parade marshalling point between 0900-0915 (We are # 36 in the lineup and will marshal at
the north west corner of Dale St and Tejon). Parade starts at 1000. Scouts meet at VFW 101 at 830 AM!!

WHY: Honor Veterans past and present.

Please send any questions to seanmwarner@gmail.com

Sean

Scouts and Parents,

We have very little participation in the Veteran’s Day Parade and Flags.  These are both tremendous opportunities for our scouts and I’d hate to see them wasted.

Veteran’s Day Parade: The first one is to provide gratitude to the Special Forces Veterans and walk down the street with some of the world’s finest! They asked our Troop to walk with them and that is a huge honor. Right now I only see 4 scouts signed up! We can do better that that!  Please go to the Sign Up Genius Link that I sent you and sign up! The details for the parade will be at the bottom of the email.

Flags: We still need volunteers for flags. This is a great opportunity to offset your costs to all our activities and instill some pride by putting out American Flags.  We still need 3 Scouts in the morning, 5 Scouts in the afternoon and 3 navigators in the afternoon.  This is a really hard task to accomplish when we are lacking participation. The Rotary Club is going to talk to us about flags tonight because we have been so short on scouts that we have not been able to properly execute this duty and we risk loosing this opportunity. Also, for scouts to be considered for Scholarship opportunities for summer camp and such, they must participate in Flags. Please go to Sign up genius and volunteer! The SPL will call everyone over the next two days to confirm or solicit participation.

Thank you! I know the 5th will be a busy day but rewarding day.  With teamwork we can accomplish it and be very proud of our contribution to the community and our veterans!!

Meeting tonight at 7pm, Dino Death Prep, Committee Meeting, Rotary Club Talk about Flags, and possible a Scout Master Conference. I need max participation, I encourage parents to attend the committee meeting and we need at least 5 ASM’s at tonight’s meeting to help get all this done.

Thank you,

Sean

Also, if you are not getting the sign up genius emails for all these activities then please email me at seanmwarner@gmail.com and I will add your email address.

First, even if you are not going on the Dino Death March please still come to this meeting. There are a lot of things going on! Dino Death March Prep, A committee meeting, A briefing on Flags, and a Scout Master Conference!

The boys going on the dino death march need to bring all their gear for an equipment check.  We are not having a meeting next week because of election so we will get ready this Tuesday.  The packing list will be below. I also need two or three scouts to volunteer to accomplish the first class cooking requirements which involves planning, buying (you will be reimbursed) and preparing the food for the scouts. Here is a link to Picket Wire Canyon where we will be going! http://www.exploresoutheastcolorado.com/picketwire.htm

A representative from the Rotary Club will be speaking to us about Flags. I feel it is very important for everyone that does flags (Scouts and Parents alike) to attend. Our participation is suffering on flags and it is a phenomenal gift house to earn money for the scouts and troop.  That’s house we buy all the awards and pay for many of the items we use. I challenge all parents and scouts to volunteer to do flags 3 of the five times we do it during the year. You will be surprised how much money we get.

There is a committee meeting going on at this meeting. All committee members should attend as well as parents since you will be listening to flags anyway.  This is how you really find out what is going on and you have a hand in influencing what the troop does. Do you have a good idea, grievance or input? This is the time to pass it to the troop!!!!

Because we have so much going on I could use as much ASM participation as possible!!! We need two to do the gear inspection and two to do the Scout Master Conference. That means I need 5 of use there including myself.

Our next meeting will the the Quarterly Cost of Honor.  The theme will be Thanksgiving. The troop will provide 5 turkey’s and we need volunteers to cook them. We will also need people to bring sides. I will create a sign up genius so you can sign up for how you want to help the team!!!

Thanks

Sean

******************************************Dino Death March Packing List*************************************************

Here is the packing list for the upcoming Dino Death March trip. PLEASE BRING YOUR GEAR WITH YOU TO THE NEXT MEETING.

These are the “essentials” plus a little extra..

1. A pocketknife or multitool can be handy in a wide variety of situations. It’s useful for tasks as large as building an emergency shelter or lighting a campfire with poor fuel, or as small as repairing a damaged backpack. Keep you knife sharp and clean, and don’t forget to first earn your Whittling Chip (for older Cub Scouts) or Totin’ Chip (for Boy Scouts).

2. A first-aid kit can be a lifesaver. Literally. A few items will allow you to treat scratches, blisters and other minor injuries. They should also allow you to provide initial care while waiting for help for more serious injuries. Make sure it’s small for backpacking.

3. Bring extra clothing to match the weather. Multiple layers are better than a single massive jacket, because layered clothing is adaptable to a wide range of temperatures.  A good backpacker is a minimalist. Wear one long pair of pants, preferably dry wicking convertible pants. Bring one set of extra underwear. Bring one warm shirt (fleece or hoodie). Wear one t-shirt and have one more.  Bring at least 3 pairs of socks…preferably wool or synthetic. Cotton sucks!!! Bring a beanie hat! Do not over pack clothes. Normally, the scout wears the same thing home that he wore to the campout…just needs some extra items for the cold.

4. Rain gear is very important. Rain can come in a hurry, and getting your clothes drenched is more than just uncomfortable, it can lead to hypothermia, a potentially fatal condition. A rain coat can also be your cold weather coat. Please do not have multiple coats. A rain coat over a hoodie or fleece will work fine.

5. A flashlight, headlamp or a rugged penlight is important for finding your way in the dark. Bring extra batteries, too.

6. Trail food is good for maintaining your energy. Bring more than you think you’ll need in case you get stuck (or lost) in the woods. Stay away from junk food. Trail mix, healthy energy bars and dried fruit are best.

7. Water can prevent dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Use a lightweight, unbreakable 1 liter Nalgene container with a secure lid. Every scout should have 2 liters. This can be in the form of a Nalgene or Camelback.

8. Matches and/or a fire starter may be used to light fires for heat, or for signaling for help. Store matches or lighters in resealable plastic bags.

9. Sun protection might include sunblock, sunglasses, lip balm and a wide-brimmed hat. No giant sunscreen tubes. A mini-tube of sunscreen or simply a hat and long clothes work fine.

10. A map and compass are probably the most important tools you can carry in case you get lost. Every scout should always carry a compass. The troop will provide the map.

11. Sleeping Bag should be rated to at least 20 degrees. If you can find one that is rated to 0 degrees then even better.

12. The Backpack should have a frame. School backpacks do not provide the support necessary for backpacking trips. I recommend at least a 45L backpack.

13. A Sleeping Pad insulates your scout form the cold ground. This can make all the different in preserving energy, providing a good night sleep and preventing hyperthermia.  A foam one works fine…there are more expensive lighter inflatable ones available on many online sites, REI and like outdoor retailers.

14. A Day Pack.  This trip is a car camping trip but we will be doing a ten mile hike with light gear.  The dinosaur tracks are 5 miles from our camp site and we will like there and back on Saturday.

15. Scout Hand Book. Since this is primarily a car camping trip, please bring your handbook so we can sign off on achievements while on the campout. Let me know in advance if you would like to do a Scout Master Conference while on the Back Pack Trip.

16. Two Liters of Water.  This can be in the form of a Nalgene Bottle or Camelbak or a combination of the two. We need to stay hydrated during the hike.

The troop will provide backpacking tents, water filter, first aid kit, and Jetboil stoves.

KEEPING CLEAN

Here are some hygiene items you may want to pack, depending on the outing:

• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Dental floss
• Soap
• Waterless hand cleaner
• Washcloth
• Toilet paper
• Trowel for digging cathole latrines

COOKING AND EATING

Here are some cooking and eating items you may want to pack, depending on the outing:

• Bowl for cooking and eating
• Spoon
• Cup or insulated mug
• Water treatment system
• Backpacking stove with fuel (Troop will provide this but you can bring one if you have it).
• Metal Cup that you can heat water on one a stove

EXTRAS

Here are some extras you may want to pack, depending on the outing:

• Watch
• Camera
• Notebook
• Pen or pencil
• Sunglasses
• Small musical instrument
• Gloves
• Whistle
• Nylon cord (50 Ft for close line or improvised fishing)
• Insect repellent
• Hiking stick or trekking poles
• Animal identification books, plant keys, geological studies, star charts or other guide

FOOD

• The troop will come up with a meal plan on Tuesday.
• Snacks – Stay away from sugar and junk food. Nuts, raisins, craisens, dried fruit, trail mix, healthy energy bars and items like this are good for sustained energy. Candy and other sugars suck and will cause your scout to bonk.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions!

The above photo is dinosaur tracks from Picket Wire Canyon ( Dino Death March)

Troop,

Here is the latest!

• There are a few sign ups out there.  We hardly have anyone signed up for Veteran’s Day Parade with the Special Forces Association or the Harvest Fest at the Church. Please support those that help us and sign up today
• There are some new sign ups…Pike Peak Ascent and Summer camp. We need numbers early this year to pay for those events. Last minute notification won’t work on these.
• For our next meeting on Tuesday, we will conduct Camping Prep for the Dino Death March and have a committee meeting. Please come to the meeting whether you are going on the campout or not. We will also have someone from the Rotary Club to talk to us about Flags.
• There will not be a meeting on November 8th. It’s Election Day. Make sure you Vote!
• The next COH will be on Nov 15th. The theme will be thanksgiving and we will send a  sign up Genius asking for help to prep food….some to cook turkeys and some to make sides.
• The Dino Death March is from 11-13 Novmenber. Camping is the main reason we are in scouts. This camping trip will be very memorable. I mean, when is the last time you walked in Dinosaur footprints? I will send a packing list in another email. Scouts will bring all their gear to the church on Tuesday. http://www.recreation.gov/tourParkDetail.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=74974
• In December we will do a 20 Mile hike and a community service project at the WW2 Aviation Museum. They have restored WW2 aircraft that actually fly!!! We will also do  a 20 Mile hike.

All of these events are listed on the calendar in the website.

Sean Warner

seanmwarner@gmail.com

Folks,

On Tuesday the 25th we are working on our Family Life Merit Badge. Those that started should bring in the work that they accomplished to this point.  Those that have not started are welcome to start. All scouts should bring their Family Life Worksheet and show what they have accomplished thus far. The Merit Badge will be run by Mr. Brinkman and Mr. Studebaker.

We will also have a Scout, Riley, doing a Scout Master Conference so I need two ASMs to help with that.

Additionally, Popcorn Orders have been submitted!

Sean Warner

Folks,

Just in case you haven’t submitted popcorn orders yet they are due now.  I am submitting the orders online on Monday.

Here are the order forms that I have received so far:

• Cody P
• Josh J
• Nico G
• Jack D
• Marquel E
• Devyn L
• William R
• Evan R

If you are not on this list please re-send me the order from to seanmwarner@gmail.com

Please bring any money in that you have collected to our meeting on 25 October 2016

Thanks

Sean Warner

Folks,

We are not having a normal meeting this week because of game night and Popcorn order forms are due so I’d like to offer one of two easy options for turning them in this week.

• The first option is you can scan or photograph your order from and email it to me.
• The second option is to drop off the order form at my house located at 240 Via Linda Vista, Manitou Springs, CO. I have a mailbox marked Colorado Peak Real Estate and you can drop if off in there.

We have to have all the orders in by the 23rd so I have to have the order forms earlier than that. I will collect the money at the meeting on 25 October.

Here are some other key dates….

• Popcorn Distribution (November 12, 2016)..we will had it out after the dino death march campout.
• Prizes available (December 1st, 2016)

Sean Warner

Scouts and Zombies,

Our next meeting is going to be a scary game night!  We will not have a meeting on Tuesday the 18th.  The meeting will be at the Haunted Mines on Friday 21, Oct @ 7pm.  The Haunted Mines does not operate Mon-Thursday.  The plan is to meet at the Haunted Mines at 645 on Friday. Parents and scouts can buy their own tickets online at http://hauntedmines.org/shop/ or just meet there an buy your ticket there. It’s $15 a ticket online…there might be coupons available out there somewhere.  The Haunted Mines can be located using this link http://hauntedmines.org/faq/directions/.

The Troop has done this the past 3 years and they all love it….yes it is spooky, but yes they will come out ok…or will they…

Sean Warner

We had a great time at the Centennial Campout this weekend! There were 1100 people that checked in on Friday night and plenty of events.  We threw tomahawks, shot arrows, welded, saw US Army Strikers, Airforce Gliders, and much more fun stuff!

Folks,

The Pikes Peak Council is requiring Part A and B of the physical for those scout going on this weekend’s campout.

Here is a link to it. http://www.scouting.org/filestore/HealthSafety/pdf/680-001_ABC.pdf

You don’t need a doctor and it only takes about 5 minutes to fill out part A and B. Please do so before arriving at the campout or church tomorrow night!

Sean

Here is the latest and greatest folks!

For those attending the Centennial Campout and are spending the night, and going with me, meet me at Wilson Methodist Church as close to 5pm on Friday as possible.  I expect that we will be back at the Church by 10am Sunday morning…or earlier.  On this campout, I have no problem having parents pick their scouts up directly from the campout Sunday morning…

These are the folks that I expect to see at the church:

Scouts:

• Lance W
• Preston S

Adults:

• Blake M

These are tthe people spending the night, but I expect to meet them at the campground on Friday night:

Scouts:

• Marquel Edwards
• Riley M (And Family)

Adults:

• Tom S

These are the scouts that will be there during the day on Saturday:

• Jack D (Try to arrive by 8am on Saturday)

Families Attending on Saturday

• Floyd S and family

So, upon check in on Saturday I will pick up bracelets for Lance, Preston, marquee, Jack, Sean W, Blake M, and Tom S. I DID NOT pay for additional family members so be prepared to pay $5 at the entrance for the rest of you. I’m tracking Riley’s family paid separately online.

Scouts:

• Please bring you overnight gear and plan for cold temps at night.
• Please bring your permission slips  .
• Please bring your own dinner for Friday night (Subway sandwich or something like that)
• All Scouts need to be in Class A Uniform to include neckerchief

Preston S will be supplying the food. Here is the menu:

Friday – Dinner on your own (Subway)

Saturday – Breakfast: Pancake provided by Camp, Lunch: Ham and Turkey Sandwiches, Dinner: Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Sunday – Pop-tarts and Oatmeal (Yes, I know it sounds delicious!!)

For those that need to link up with me, My cell number is 719-648-6798. I also attached all the information on the camp on this post. If you are driving there then please use the parking pass attached to the documents.

family-camp-parking-pass-camper

pikes-peak-council-family-camp-leader-guide-2016-sep-30-2016

family-camp-camper-arrival-planning

Sean Warner

Boy Scout Troop 287

Meeting:                   Troop 287 Committee Meeting

Date & Time:            October 11, 2016, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Location:                   Wilson United Methodist Church

In attendance:           Sandy Diggs, Lisa Durrenberger, Sandy Johnston, Pam Reeves, Danny Reeves, Sean Warner, Jonathan Westcott, Lisa Woodard.

Sandy Johnston – Committee Chair

• Opened the meeting
• Gave overview of Scoutmaster Meeting; calendar of activities has been created for the next year; uploaded to the Troop Website.
• October 18^th: the final Popcorn order forms are due at next Tuesday’s meeting
• October 30^th 3:00 PM: church Harvest Festival – all boys asked to help direct traffic; look for a sign-up Genius email
• November 5^th: Veteran’s Day Flags and the downtown parade: sign-up sheets (through Sign up Genius) will be re-sent.
• November 12^th: Popcorn orders will be picked-up and made available to Scouts
• November 29^th: Popcorn money is due!

Danny Reeves – Committee Treasurer:

• Gave the current status of the Troop’s different financial accounts and the total Operating Account
• Discussed the current status of the ‘Flag’ money
• Questioned the feasibility of having our next Committee Meeting on Election Day

Motions:

• Committee Chair made a motion to allocate funds to various accounts in order to budget the Operating Account; motion was seconded and approved.
• Motion made to add superfluous funds to the Scholarship Fund; seconded and approved.
• Motion made to use ScoutBook over TroopMaster to record Merit Badges; motion was seconded and approved.
• Motion made to move the next Committee Meeting to November 1^st – approved

Sean Warner – Scout Master

• October 14^th – 16^th will be the Pike’s Peak council’s Centennial Campout; 6 Scouts attending from Troop 287
• Motion made to hold Summer Camp at Cris Dobbins; motion approved
• Saturday, November 5^th will be the Veteran’s Day Parade and our “Flags” fundraiser.
• November 11^th & 12^th: “The Dino Death March”
• Scoutmaster Conferences have been quantified and standardized
• No meetings in December, but there will be a 20-mile hike and a service project to meet requirements for the Citizenship in the Community Merit Badge

Folks,

First, a follow up for the Centennial Campout

The cost for the campout is $10 for the campout and $15 for food so $25 total.  The treasure will be at Tuesday nights meeting. Please be prepared to settle payment tomorrow at Tuesday night’s meeting. Please bring a signed permission slip as well. This is available on the troop website.

Second, all the events the troop will be doing are available to view on the Troop Calendar on the website. One the right hand side of the website there is a link that says “View all Troop Events.” Click on that and you can see every meeting and outing through June 2017.  This will allow adult leaders, scouts and parents alike to prepare and plan for future meetings and outings.
Sean Warner

Scouts,

The focus of this Tuesday’s meeting will be preparations for the Centennial Campout and a Committee meeting.

Here is what we will focus on for the Campout:

• Timelines
• Meal Planning
• Packing Inspections
• Permission slips

The Committee Meeting will start at 730pm. Parents are always encouraged to attend along with the committee members.

Here is the packing list for the Centennial Campou  PLEASE BRING YOUR GEAR WITH YOU TO THE NEXT MEETING.  Always pack like you are going on a Backpack trip even when car camping. The goal is that all scouts know how to pack their backpack bag from memory.

1. A pocketknife or multitool

2. A first-aid kit

3. Bring extra clothing to match the weather.

4. Rain gear

5. A flashlight and/or headlamp

6. Trail food

7. Water (2 Liters)

8. Matches and/or a fire starter

9. Sun protection

10. compass

11. Sleeping Bag should be rated to at least 20 degrees. If you can find one that is rated to 0 degrees then even better.

12. The Backpack should have a frame. School backpacks do not provide the support necessary for backpacking trips. I recommend at least a 45L backpack.

13. A Sleeping Pad 

14 Class A’s and Class B’s

KEEPING CLEAN

Here are some hygiene items you may want to pack, depending on the outing:

• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Dental floss
• Soap
• Waterless hand cleaner
• Washcloth
• Toilet paper
• Trowel for digging cathole latrines

COOKING AND EATING

Here are some cooking and eating items you may want to pack, depending on the outing:

• Bowl for cooking and eating
• Spoon
• Cup or insulated mug
• Water treatment system
• Backpacking stove with fuel (Troop will provide this but you can bring one if you have it).
• Metal Cup that you can heat water on one a stove

EXTRAS

Here are some extras you may want to pack, depending on the outing:

• Watch
• Camera
• Notebook
• Pen or pencil
• Sunglasses
• Small musical instrument
• Gloves
• Whistle
• Nylon cord (50 Ft for close line or improvised fishing)
• Insect repellent
• Hiking stick or trekking poles
• Animal identification books, plant keys, geological studies, star charts or other guide

FOOD

Please feel free to contact me with any questions!

Sean Warner

Scout Parents,

There are some very excellent Camping Gear Deals at Costco right now.  I was there last night and this display will be there through Sunday.  The prices of all this gear is double at REI.  There are 20 Degree down sleeping bags for about $130…inflatable sleeping mats for as low as $29 and other cool gear….

Just thought I would spread the word!

Sean

There is less than two weeks to sell popcorn folks!  If you still haven’t received an order form you can pick them up at council.

• Final Orders Due – Troop meeting on Oct 18th
• Final Distribution (November 12, 2016)
• Popcorn pick up will be when we return from the Dino Death March Campout
• Payment Due – by 6:00 PM (December 1st, 2016)