Scouts need to discuss amongst themselves whether they would like to learn Winter Survival Camping. There is the option of camping outside at Camp Dewan this winter with skiing at Wilmot Mountain as an activity. Mr. Lamble can teach us.

Scouts need to suggest activities for the Fall, Winter, and Spring. Here are some ideas. Just across the border is the Indiana Dunes, or attend a Civil War or Revolutionary War re-enactment. Camping at the Mississippi Palisades in Galena is a possibility, and attend the Grant Pilgrimage. Or go to Springfield and see the Lincoln museum and camp nearby? Go to Starved Rock? There are bigger trips, too, that require long term planning and fundraising. If scouts want to do it, your adult leaders and parents will help you find a way.

How would you like to try kayaking or canoeing? You need to pass the swim test! We can set up a weekend/Sunday to do a swimming test if you want. Let us know! Mr. Lamble knows lots of places to get information for canoe trips. Mrs. Luberic will look into the YMCA on Irving Park Rd re: the swimming merit badge. or include a calendar of upcoming events or a special offer that promotes a new product. Go on out and start selling that popcorn.!!! Let’s shoot for the stars. The money goes towards your camp account to help pay for Camp Owasippe next summer! Orders are due early November.

We handed out Carson’s Fundraising Community Days Coupon Books last week. Please sell all 6 books for 5 dollars apiece. The troop gets to keep all of the proceeds and we can use it towards activities. Get more if you need them from Mr. Dreasler or Mrs. Sutor.

In the fall we also sell wreaths and these are another good revenue producer. We get to keep 50% of the proceeds for these too. The first 5 wreaths the boys sell, the funds go to the troop. After that, if they sell more wreaths, the money goes towards their camp accounts.

We only will do these three fund-raisers and then we’re done for the year. The boys should, in their Patrols, discuss activities they would like to do. The Patrol Leaders should bring these ideas to the Senior Patrol Leader(SPL) and Scoutmaster during a regular Patrol Leaders Conference (PLC) meeting. The Senior Patrol Leader discusses the activities with the Scoutmaster and the Troop Committee. The Troop Committee discusses cost and logistics. If the Troop Committee approves, the SPL and Patrol Leaders need to work with the boys to PLAN and BUDGET the project or trip. The Troop Committee helps the Scouts when needed. The Troop Committee should bring ideas and present them to the Scouts, but to get real enthusiasm going, the boys should bring their ideas out.

Patrols can also plan activities on their own, like Patrol bowling night, or a trip to the movies, separately from the Troop. They can invite other Patrols, but they don’t have to.

To prepare for outings, the SPL and Scoutmaster helps the scouts plan each meeting's activities. The SPL and Scoutmaster do not do all of the work. Use this Troop Meeting Planning Form to write out who is responsible for doing what at each meeting to make it more productive and rewarding.

Still stumped for ideas? Read over activities in Troop Program Features. This is not the first time a troop has planned activities. Build off of other unit's best practices, and be creative and find someway of doing it that suits you. Get your Boy Scout Manual. Pick a requirement in the rank you are working on and work on it. That might sound simple, but pick just one requirement and work on it. Don't try to do too many at once. Just one or two a week. Some requirements can only be done on campouts, but there are many that can be done during our troop meeting. Use your common sense and pick one of those. We have several campouts coming up between now and July, so you'll be able to work on camping requirements then. Also, you can watch these videos that explains Tenderfoot, Second-class and First-class requirements. The key thing, is get your manual, and bring it to everything we do. Then ask a leader or scout who has earned the rank of First Class or above to sign you off on the requirement you earned. You'll have to demonstrate you know it of course. He or she will have to see that you completed the requirement.
Oh, you can get First Class requirements signed off before you earn the rank of Second Class, but you have to complete the earlier ranks before you can get to the next level. Every so often, show Mr. Dreasler your manual and have him record your advancements. Show him your manual at least once a month. Above all, take charge of your advancement. There are many leaders in our troop, and everyone will help you but you need to approach us and ask for help. No one will be bothered if you come to a meeting asking to have a requirement checked off. The second option to complete the Outdoor requirement for the Year of Celebration ribbon (above) is: Attend a Scout overnight campout and practice the principles of Leave No Trace. But what is Leave No Trace? Well, Leave No Trace (LNT) was conveniently developed by The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, an educational, nonprofit dedicated to the responsible enjoyment and active stewardship of the outdoors by all people, worldwide. Their putting forth a challenge, a big challenge, the Bigfoot Challenge! Asking you to take a look at your imprint on the environment, LNT is raising awareness about how to enjoy nature by making the smallest impact on it. Ask Mr. Lamble about LNT and how you can complete the requirement for the Outdoor ribbon. The Order of the Arrow has put together a great resource titled, "Where to Go Camping Guide." Use it, share it and thank Owasippe Lodge #7 for the thorough job of putting it together. Youth Protection Training is required for all registered volunteers. New leaders are required to take Youth Protection Training before they submit their application for registration. The certificate of completion must be submitted when the application is made and before volunteer service with youth begins. Youth Protection Training must be taken every two years. If a volunteer’s Youth Protection Training record is not current at the time of recharter, the volunteer will not be reregistered. Read more about the changes to BSA's Youth Protection and how to complete the training.

At the beginning each month, the Chicago Area Council sends out an E-Scouter Newsletter that you can sign up to receive. Keep informed on scouting activities in Chicago, and sign up.