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Howdy!
Well, we are coming down to the wire! Only THREE weeks until our Aggie Eagle weekend. We still have room, so if you have deserving Scouts (and remember, they don’t have to have completed their Eagle or Gold Award in order to attend) have then register here: http://www.aggiecorps.org/connect-with-the-corps/aggie-eagle-program.html.
Recall during the weekend the Scouts will:
- Participate with our Cadets on the following
-- Navy/Marine Corps obstacle course
-- Air Force Leadership Development Course
-- Army Field Training Course
- Attend an Awards Banquet (parents welcome) where Corps Scholarship Certificates will be awarded
-- Qualifies out-of-state Scouts for in-state tuition – a savings of well over $35,000.00 over four years as compared to the out-of-state rate
- Attend Midnight Yell Practice with the unit they are staying with
- Receive briefings on the A&M admissions process, scholarships & financial aid, ROTC programs, Leadership Certificate program (for those Cadets not interested in military service) and more
- Observe the Corps March-In and attend the Texas A&M vs Louisiana Tech football game
- HAVE LOTS OF FUN AND LEARN A GREAT DEAL ABOUT A&M AND THE CORPS
- Please recall we also have a separate program for parents who can attend!
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 Our Troop will be going to two summer camps next June 2011. We plan to attend Camp Tahuaya from June 12-17. We also plan to attend Hale Scout Reservation from July 3-9.
Typically, the First Year Scouts attend Camp Tahuaya along with any other Scouts that want to attend during that time. Also, as in the past few years we have attended other camps for those that would like to go some where besides Camp Tahuaya.
We have heard from several other Scout leaders that Hale Scout Reservation in Oklahoma is an excellent camp. So, we thought we would give it a try. It is located in the Southeast corner of Oklahoma near Talihina, OK on the bank of Bohannon Lake. Look it up on Google.
According to the GPS, Talihina, OK is about 347 miles from Temple. That's about a 5:33 hour drive with no stops along the way. So, we will plan for approx. 7:00 hours including restroom and meal stops. We will need to leave Temple at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 26.
The following link is the 2010 Leaders Guide. It contains a list of the merit badges offered. http://halescoutreservation.org/pdf/2010%20Leaders%20Guide.pdf
These merit badges will probably be about the same for 2011, with the exception of Carpentry, Signaling, Tracking, and Pathfinding, which is only intended to be offered during 2010.
The fee for 2010, which is expected to be the same for 2011, was $210.00 per Scout and $150.00 per Adult.
We need a deposit of $10.00 from those who would like to attend by no later than Monday, Oct. 4, 2010, at the Scout meeting.
The following payment schedule has been established:
October 4, 2010
Deposit $10.00 per Scout
$10.00 per Adult
February 14, 2011
$100.00 per Scout
$70.00 per Adult
April 4, 2011
$100.00 per Scout
$70.00 per Adult
We will need a minimum of 2 adults to attend. But, there is no limit to how many adult we can have as part of our group. This is a great time for a Dad or Mom to spend some quality time with their son.
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Our Troop will be participating in the Fall Canoe Race scheduled for Sept. 17-18 at Worth Ranch. Worth Ranch is located 60 miles west of Fort Worth on the Brazos River at the foot of Kyle Mountain. As usual, we will meet in the Oak Park Church parking lot Friday, Sept. 17, and be ready to leave by 5:30 p.m.
There are two canoe races, a 6-mile race and a 14-mile race. The 6-mile race takes approx. 2 hours to complete. The 14-mile race is open ONLY to the experienced canoeist, age 14 and older (Boy Scouts must have the canoeing merit badge and good boat control). The 14-mile course will take 4 to 6 hours to complete with lots of paddling.
Water Levels - Possum Kingdom Dam controls water levels. Race times will vary with water levels and wind speed and direction. At low water you can expect to drag your boat through shallow gravel bars at least once on the 6-mile race and several times on the 14-mile section.
Each race team should have 2 paddlers from one of the following classes:
Boys Teams - up to 100 lbs
Boys Teams - 101 to 150 lbs
Boys Teams - 151+ lbs
Parent/Youth Teams
Kayak - male (experience required)
Kayak - female (experience required)
Female Youth Teams
Co-ed Youth Teams
Co-ed Adult Teams
Adult - Men
Adult - Women
There is a War Canoe in the afternoon after the other race for those that would like to participate. Any group of 4-12 participants may enter. This is a no-holds-barred type race with only one rule. Teams must cross the finish line without being sunk in order to receive a time.
Our plan is to complete the 6-mile/14-mile canoe races in the morning. Return to the campsite and have lunch. If there is any interest, we will participate in the War Canoe race in the afternoon and then leave camp. We will stop in Stephenville at the BBQ restaurant for dinner on the way home.
Click [HERE] to download the Canoe Race registration form. The fee for both Scouts and Adults participating in the Canoe Races is $26.00. There is no fee for adults not participating in the races. The deadline for registration is Monday, Aug. 30, at the Scout meeting. Please make checks payable to Troop 153.
Remember bring extra money to pay for your BBQ dinner on the way home. |
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[UPDATED] BOB BULLOCK MUSEUM |
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[ UPDATED] We may need a couple more parents to assist with transportation.
Our Troop activity for August will be a trip to the Bob Bullock Museum in Austin on Saturday, August 21. We will meet at Oak Park Methodist Church and leave for Austin by 8:00 a.m. We plan to go to the IMAX movie Texas: The Big Picture at 10:00 a.m. After the movie, we will spend some time looking at the exhibits and other items in the museum. At approx. 12:00 pm. we will leave and stop at a Fast Food restaurant for lunch and then return to Temple. The admission prices and IMAX ticket info is as follows:
Museum Admission: Adults (18+) $7.00; Senior (65+) $6.00; Youth (5-17) $5.00; Child (3-4) $5.00
IMAX Theatre Tickets: Adult (19-64) $7.00; Senior (65+) $6.00; Youth (5-18) $5.00; Child (3-4) $5.00
Parking Fee $8.00*
*Note: The Troop will pay for the Parking fees for those assisting with the transportation. There is a parking garage at the museum. Don't forget to bring extra money for lunch ($10.00). We will have a sign-up sheet at the Troop meeting for those planning to attend. |
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VOLUNTEER POSITIONS AVAILABLE |
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 We often have some of our parents that ask if there is anything they can do to assist with the Troop. Click [HERE] for a list of some to the areas where we need assistance. We will have copies of this list available at the Troop Court of Honor on Monday, August 16th. However, if you are not able to come to the meeting, but, would like to help with one or more of these areas. Please send us an e-mail or give us a call. |
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Part of the Boy Scouts of America program is to teach leadership skills. Chapter 1, beginning on p. 46, in the latest edition of the Boy Scout Handbook is about Leadership. All Scouts and their parents should read this chapter. As stated in a quote from Distinguished Eagle Scout, Steve Fossett, "...Being a Scout taught me leadership at a young age when there are few opportunities to be a leader."
In the Troop, Scouts have several opportunities to hold a leadership position. First Year Scout, those working on their Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class ranks, can be elected into the position of Patrol Leader or Assistant Patrol Leader in their respective Patrols.
After a Scout completes his First Class Rank, then he is ready to work on the Star rank. One of the requirements for the Star rank, req. #5, is to serve actively for four months in one of the following positions of responsibility: Patrol leader, venture patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader, senior patrol leader, troop guide, Order of the Arrow troop representative, den chief, scribe, historian, quartermaster, junior assistant Scoutmaster, chaplain aide, troop webmaster*, or Leave No Trace trainer*. Descriptions of all the troop and patrol positions of responsibility can be found at:
http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Positions_of_Responsibility
*These positions do not count for Eagle.
The Life and Eagle ranks also have requirements for serving in one of these positions of responsibility. However, there are other requirements that are also part of the positions of responsibility. Req. 1 for Star, Life, and Eagle ranks states: "Be active in your Troop or Patrol....". Also, for every position of responsibility the Scout must: Set a good example for the rest of the Troop by properly wearing a complete Scout uniform to all meetings and outings, demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath and Law in your everyday life (req.#2).
"Be active in your Troop or Patrol" means they should attend the Scout meetings, as well as, the Troop campouts. Just coming to the Scout meetings does not satisfy the requirements for the position of responsibility.
We have Troop elections for the Senior Patrol Leader and the Patrol Leaders and sign-up for the appointed positions twice a year in Feb. and again in Aug. We are currently taking registration for the next 6 months of positions of responsibility. Everyone who is currently working on their Star, Life, and Eagle ranks must have a position of responsibility. Each Scout must renew his position every six months.
We will have the sign-up sheets at the Court of Honor on Monday, Aug. 16. Then would be a really good time to sign-up for a position.
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Score-O is a map & compass competition event at Sid Richardson Scout Ranch (SR2). Our Troop is planning to attend on Oct. 15-17. The event is a fast-paced orienteering competition with teams of 4-6 Scouts. They will be given a map 30 minutes before the race starts. There are 75 flags/markers on the map and they must find all you can in a 4 hour time period. Some flags are very easy to find and some are hard. Each flag is worth 5, 10, 15, 20, or 30 points, depending on how hard it is to find. 