Troop 483: Forum Posts

5-17-11 PLC & upcoming dates - events

Tuesday, May 17, 2011
PLC 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Patrol Leader Conference - planning session for the troop leaders

Backpacking Merit Badge II 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

If you are working on the Backpacking Merit Badge and/or plan on participating in the June 3-5th Backpacking Weekend in Allegany State Park, be sure to attend this session. We'll be discussing maps, logistics and planning our route.

Citizenship in the Community meeting 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM meet before the PLC. … then next meeting Monday, May 23, 2011 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Meet at the W.S. Town hall at 6:00 - West Seneca Town Board meeting

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Venture Activity: Climbing/Rapelling the Eternal Flame (Rescheduled from 4/16/11)

At Chestnut Ridge Park - Eternal Flame 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

We'll be climbing the root-wall next to the Eternal Flame, then rapelling back down.

Meet at the picnic table at 10 AM for a safety briefing, then we'll hike to the Eternal Flame.

It will be wet, so wear boots. Bring water, a snack,work gloves and a helmet (bike, skateboard, hockey...anything).

Scouts must have participated in at least one of the Niagara Climbing sessions

Chicken BBQ 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM Chicken BBQ to support trip to Philadelphia.

Our Mother of Good Counsel School Hall (3688 South Park Ave) from 4-7pm. Chicken Dinners are $9 and Chicken Fingers Kids Dinners $6. There will also be a basket raffle. Dine in or Take Out Available to all those scouts that will be going, we need help in different ways.

1- Set up help starting at 1:00pm at the school.

2-we are asking for all families to create a theme basket and drop off at the PLC on Tuesday or at 1:00 on Saturday.

3- If you need more tickets, please notify me at 822-5961 and I will get them to you. If you did not receive 10 tickets, please call also.

4- We need to have parent volunteers to help in the kitchen and help on the floor, this is also dinning in and we are asking for 1 parent from each family to help here also.

5- The scouts should be calling Mrs. Patty Eckert at 823-7891 to volunteer for a time slot. See Heather Brose or Michele Raczka-Schasel for tickets.

Monday, May 23, 2011 (reminder from above Cit in Community)

West Seneca Town Board meeting for Citizenship in the Community scouts
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Meet at the W.S. Town hall at 6:00

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Troop Meeting At Reserve Fire Company 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Scout Heritage Merit Badge with guest speaker - Class A Uniforms

May 28, 2011 10 – 12p St. Matthews Cemetery Memorial Day Veteran Flags - cookout after

St. Matthews Cemetery - flags for veterans in the cemetery on May 28, 2011. This would be a great community project as well as patrol projects for the troop. It would be starting at 10:00am and finish at approx. 12:00pm with a cookout afterwards. We would furnish hot dogs, chips, drinks, and whatever else we decide. The troop did this last year and I have committed the troop to this, so please mark your calendar for this day and help us remember our fallen veterans from the community.

June 3 - 5, 2011 at Camp Miller The next campout is set for June 3 - 5, 2011 at Camp Miller. This is their Fellowship Weekend and we are scheduled to attend. There is a sign up sheet for this event and we would like as many scouts as possible. There is a schedule of events that will be available for you to look at. There is also free time scheduled with different events that you can do. We are doing broom ball, blacksmithing, archery, and 2 other events. This is a free weekend campout, for we will be in tents and have a campfire on Saturday night.

July 16-17, 2011 If there is any interest in a sleepover in July at Holland Speedway when the Monster Trucks come please let us know. We would be sleeping in the northern end of the speedway and have rest rooms available to us. The dates are July 16-17. I have the name of the events coordinator and we could contact him and set something up to include a package deal. There will be a interest sheet available at the next couple of meetings.

Itineraries and Routes

The Can-U-Canoe Crew is heading south from Smoke Lake through Ragged Lake and hopefully staying in one of the sites next to the 200m portage. This should have us about 10 miles from our start. The next day will be an early start. We will definately get practice portaging six portages totaling over 4500 meters. There may be fishing opportunities in North Grace Lake depending on our time. We will end up on an island campsite on Lake Louisa. The third day we will paddle to Head Lake. This day will be 8 to 10 miles with four portages totaling 2100 meters. There is a natural waterslide at the Pardee-Harness portage. When we arrive in Head Lake there are two campsites by the Head Lake waterfalls. From here we also have access to the Highland Backpacking Trail if there are any interested hikers! Day four we will travel north on a meandering Head Creek that has three short portages. We will then head west back towards civilization on the Madawaska Creek to Cache Lake bypassing a dam. We will continue through Tanamakoon Lake and Sheriff Pond ending on Little Island Lake. This will be a long 14 mile paddle but with only seven short portages totaling 1500 meters. The final day will be around 6 miles with two early portages of 225 meters and 835 meters. We will make a few mile loop past our starting point on Smoke Lake, north into Canoe Lake and back to the Access Point Office Portage Store. There we will harness the canoes, take showers and have a well deserved restaurant lunch. We will then head back to White Fish Lake campsite for the evening ceremonies.

Follow-along on the expedition map

Itineraries and Routes

The “A-Team” is taking a southern route through Algonquin Park. Our trip starts of easy with a 10 mile paddle (and only one portage!) to Big Porcupine Lake. There we will camp under the stars, far from the highway and city lights. The next day we say goodbye to our sister crew and head east to Lawrence Lake. It’s eight miles of paddling and four short portages. We end the day by visiting water falls and a rock water slide! The third day is the toughest: 13 miles of paddling and four more portages (one of them is about a mile long). We end up on Welcome Lake with sandy beaches and a chance to rest! The next day is short so we have the opportunity to sleep in a little. Just 4 short miles and one big, downhill portage and we are at Pen Lake. There we can set up camp and explore the waterfalls, the Indian wall paintings or just fish. We end the day paddling up to our back camp on Whitefish Lake with only one small portage but 11 miles of paddling.

Follow-along on the expedition map

Required Forms for Birchbark Expedition crew members

Required forms for participation:

Annual BSA Health and Medical Review form

We are Expedition/crew No: Birchbark Expedition 7/23/11 A&B

Where to buy equipment?

There are a number of great resources that I can recommend:

1. Eastern Mountain Sports (www.EMS.com) - while their new location on Niagara Falls Blvd. is less than convenient, they have pretty much everything one would need for the trek. However, make sure you get on their email list and use the regular discounts/sales they offer. Otherwise you'll end up paying full MSRP. Do some on-line shopping and pick out what you want, waiting for the next 20% off sale to actually buy. I believe they still honor the 10% off for scouts, but you need to ask for the discount and have your scout with you!

2. Paths Peaks and Paddles (http://www.pathspeakspaddles.com/) - located up on Ellicott Creek Road in Tonawanda, an even more specialized outdoor shop, they offer expert advice and high-end equipment for serious adventurers. Nice guys, really helpful, but hard to find and can be expensive.

3. REI (www.rei.com) - a nation-wide co-op for camping and high-adventure equipment. Register on their web site and you'll have access to both great deals and a year-end rebate based on the profitability of the co-op and how much you spent. Some good on-line advice and product reviews.

4. Campmor (www.campmor.com) - an on-line retailer with almost every possible piece of gear you can imagine. Prices are consistently good, but you really need to know what you are looking for before shopping.

What about Dicks and Gander Mountain? - Be careful here - the staff at the stores rarely has any clue what your needs are and they seem to be more focused on the hockey and hunting departments. Most of their camping gear is for "car camping" that is too heavy and may not hold up to the rigors of high adventure camping. You need to know what you are buying before walking in the store.

So, if you are unsure of something, please feel free to call or email with your questions.

Sleeping Bag 101

Ideally, your scout's sleeping bag would weigh less than 2.5 lbs and compress down to about the size of a volleyball. The space/weight issue is most pronounced when backpacking at Philmont, but is still a concern for Birchbark.

As to temperature ratings: Since Birchbark is in the summer, a 40 degree bag is fine. A slightly warmer bag (20 degree bag) is more comfortable in the spring/fall seasons and at Philmont.

So, to cover both events, I still recommend a 20 degree rated polyfil mummy bag with a compression sack.

Sleeping Bag 101

One of the most important item for any high adventure expedition is your sleeping bag. The wrong sleeping bag can make your trip an awful sleep-deprived experience.

For all high adventure activities, your scout should have a mummy bag with a compression sack. This allows the sleeping bag to be compressed down to smaller than a volleyball, and in some cases down to the size of a loaf of bread. Why so small? Space and weight are at a premium when on the trail and if all the scouts brought along the old cotton bag used for car camping, there would be no space for anything else!

A common next question is what temperature rating - for three season spring/summer/fall activities a 20 degree bag is plenty warm enough. I have a 40 degree bag that when combined with long-johns or other clothes has been fine.

Another question is down or polyfill? Down sleeping bags are warm, compact really well and are very light - however they loose all their warmth if they get wet and need to be stored carefully. Polyfill does better when wet, costs less, but doesn't pack down as well and weighs more than down.

So what's my recommendation for your scout? A polyfill mummy bag with a 20 - 40 degree rating and a compression bag. Some excellent examples are at: http://www.ems.com/catalog/subcategory_simple.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302877258

How do you select a backpack?

Even the best backpack isn't comfortable if you don't fit and adjust it correctly. To start: Pick a pack that's the proper gender and general size for you. For example: women's small or men's medium.

A great article about how to fit a backpack:

http://www.backpacker.com/skills-how-to-fit-a-backpack/slideshows/142?utm_source=newsletter01&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter03

Dec 28 – PLC

PLC meeting

Dec. 21 – Class A

Court of Honor

Christmas Party

Dec 14 – Class A

Camp Do’s & Don’t

Model Camp Site

Dec. 7 – Class A

Flag Burning

Nov. 30 – Class A

Scout Trivia

First Aid Practice

Nov. 23 - Class B

Team building

11-9-10 meeting

Class A's

Hobby Day & Bring a friend !

11-2-10 Patrol Night Out - OP Lanes

Patrol Night at Orchard Park Lanes

Be there at 6:30pm for bowling and pizza

Cost $5

Brandon Hoth is running this event please rsvp to Brandon as soon as possible so he has a head count for bowling and ordering pizza & pop.

10-26-10 Halloween Party

Tuesday, October 26, 2010
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Halloween party!

Come dressed up-NO weapons of any kind! NONE !

We will have a costume contest and games. Bring a halloween themed game and/or snacks - desserts to share. The troop will supply donuts and cider.

Life to Eagle Seminar

Where: Hamburg United Methodist Church on 116 Main Street in the village

When: Wednesday October 27th at 7pm

Why: All Life Scouts that have not attended a Life to Eagle event and are planning on working on their Eagle should attend!

Checklist tasks

Requirements for the Rank of Eagle

Scouts Name __________________________________________________

Merit Badges completed
a. 12 Required ________________________
b. 9 Non- Required _______________________

Life to Eagle Training taken ______________________

Eagle Project approved by Troop Rep. __________________

Eagle Project approved by District Rep. _________________

Eagle Project Completed and Signed off __________________

Eagle Application completed ____________________

Letters of Recommendation sent __________________

Eagle Essay completed _____________________

Scoutmaster Conference ___________________

Eagle Board ______________

10-26-10

Troop Meeting

10-19-10

Troop Meeting - Class B's

10/5/10

there is no regular scout meeting 10/5/10

this is a PLC - you are welcome to attend if you want to and have ideas to bring to the troop !

meeting

there is no regular scout meeting 10/5/10

this is a PLC - you are welcome to attend if you want to and have ideas to bring to the troop !

9-28-10

Class A

2010-2011

thank you Rosanne !

2010-2011

Parent/Scout Information Night for Religious Medals will be Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at 6pm.

Unit Advancement

You can find the latest Unit advancement under the Resources documents section. Please review.

Parent Meeting

Parent Meeting to be held at the firehall Tuesday June 29th from 7-8pm

6-22-10

Boards of Review tonight

Ice Cream Social

6-8-10

class a

part 2 of railroading merit badge

5-25-10

Meet at Fireman's Park in West Seneca

"Sports Night"

5-18-10

Knots competition

Class A

Calendar of Preparation Events

Important Upcoming Dates:

June 1st @ 6:00 PM - Crew meeting to prepare food/crew gear for Dry Run Weekend (meet in garage behind the fire hall)

June 4-6th - Philmont Dry Run weekend in Ellicottville - practice weekend backpacking and rock climbing on Little Rock City - bring $10 for food

June 14th @ 7:00 PM - Family Information Night at St. James the Less RC School in Depew - all scouts and one of their parents should plan to attend

July 13th @ 6:00 PM - send-off party and final shakedown before our departure for Philmont - bring all your personal and travel gear to the fire hall for a final check, some Pizza and pre-departure checklist (summer camp is that week - we have only one scout at summer camp and going to Philmont)

July 18th - Depart for Philmont

August 1st - Return from Philmont

2010-2011

For scouts interested in the Catholic Religious Award, Ad Alteri Dei (You must have completed 6th grade by Sept. 2010 to participate), there are a few things to keep in mind:

This medal focuses on the sacraments. If you have an opportunity to attend a sacrament such as a Baptism or a Wedding, please do so. Also, you will be asked to perform community service and to attend a retreat. There is a retreat scheduled for Oct 22 -23rd so keep that date in mind.

Thank you,

Rosanne Kowalski

5-11-10

Class B

Can jam

Meeting outside.

5-4-10

PLC

No regular troop meeting

4-27-10

Our patrol will be going to visit Engine 25/Ladder 10/6th Battalion Quarters
517 Southside & Seneca
Buffalo, New York 14210

Meet at this firehall (NOT the one on Berg Rd) at 7pm for some fire safety education.

4-20-10

Regular Troop Meeting at 7pm

Class A

Safety Stations

Personal Fitness Merit Badge Groups meet at 5:30

4-6-10

Patrol Night - Lasertron

Meet at 6pm at Lasertron

No uniforms

$15 for game and tokens

3/30/10

Compasses

3/23/10

PLC

3-20-10

The troop spaghetti dinner is 3/20/10.

Chicken BBQ

Minutes from the Chicken BBQ meeting held on 3-3-10:

Date: April 24 from 4-7pm at Our Mother of Good Counsel Parish School Gym at 3688 South Park Ave. Blasdell

Tickets will be $8. Dine In available. There will be a basket auction and a quilt raffle. If you know of any business that can donate paper products or pop/water, call Kim. See Rosanne to get your tickets. Scouts will be credited for the tickets they sell ($2.90 per ticket). Tickets sold at churches, walk-ins, and the basket raffle will be put into a kitty and split among the participants. We will need help selling tickets the weekend of April 10/11. Help is needed to staff the kitchen, sell tickets and serve dinners on the 24th.

We are asking each family of each scout going to space camp to donate a basket. Scouts selling quilt raffle tickets will earn a $1 a ticket.

3-9-09

Saint Patches offered from 6-7pm at the firehall

Regular meeting starting at 7pm, Class B, Scoutmaster's Choice.

3/2/10

There is a new parent orientation and scouts will be watching a movie about space. Class A.

2/23/10

Class A. We will be practicing setting up tents in the dark. Will also be discussing what to pack in a backpack.

Upcoming Events

Dates to keep in mind:

Feb 27 - Can/Bottle Pickup 10am firehall; Gander Mountain Candy bar sale

Feb 28 - Gander Mt candy bar sale

March 3 - 7pm Pappas chicken bbq discussion

March 6 - Valu candy bar sale

March 20 - Spaghetti Dinner

March 21 - can bottle flyer distribution

March 27 - can/bottle pickup

April 2/3 - Walmart candy bar sale

April 24 - Chicken bbq

Parent Meeting

There will be a parent meeting on Wed., 1-6-10, at Pappas, starting at 7pm.

Several topics to be discussed: travel, payment due dates, forms, fundraising, etc.

Personal Equipment - Where to Find?

A common question when looking at the Personal Equipment list is "Where do I find all this stuff?"

One of the challenges with Philmont is that some of the personal gear can be rather expensive (the backpack is one example). For most scouts, Philmont is the start of a life-time of backpacking or high-adventure camping that will allow them to use the equipment for years to come. I know my older son has used his backpack and camping gear many times while in college and traveling.

However, if the cost is a concern, start with trying to borrow the stuff from another older scout, neighbor, uncle... There is plenty of high adventure gear tucked away in garages that will suffice.

Now, if you decide you want to go shopping, some advice on stores/outlets for high adventure gear:

So, if you are unsure of something, please feel free to call or email with your questions.

Personal Equipment List

Item

Packing

1 Backpack w/frame

External frame, with a capacity of approximately 4,000 cubic inches, or

Internal frame, with a capacity of approximately 4,800 cubic inches

1 Pack Cover

Sleeping

1 Sleeping Bag (lightweight 20 to 40 degree mummy bag is best)

1 Compression Sack for sleeping bag (waterproof recommended)

1 Foam Sleeping Pad (closed-cell foam or Therma-rest)

1 Set of Sleeping clothes (light tee shirt and gym shorts)

Clothes

1 Pr. Hiking Boots (lightweight over-the-ankle)

1 Pr. Sneakers or camp-shoes

3 Pr. Wool Hiking Socks (80%)

3 Pr. Polypropylene Sock Liners

1 Pr. Long Pants (light-weight nylon zip-offs recommended)

1 Pr. Hiking Shorts w/ Pockets

3 T-shirts (wicking)

3 Pr Underwear (wicking boxer-briefs recommended)

1 Nylon Belt (for pants and shorts)

1 Polar Fleece or Wool Sweater

1 Hat w/ brim (rain and sun protection)

1 Knit hat

1 Pr. Work Gloves (lightweight leather)

3 Bandanas (different colors)

1 Breathable Rain Suit or Nylon Poncho

6-10 One Gallon Zip-lock Bags (for clothes)

3 Heavy Plastic Garbage Bags

Personal Hygiene

1 Medium size Bottle Biodegradable Camp Soap

1 Sm. Pocket Knife

1 Toothbrush and small toothpaste

1 Tube Chapstick (unflavored)

1 Baby powder/Gold Bond (sample size)

1 Comb/small brush

1 Camp Towel (Sham-wow works great)

1 Extra Medical Form

Eating

1 Sturdy Plastic Bowl

1 Graduated Cup

1 Sturdy Spork or Spoon

Item

Misc.

1 Head Lamp or Small Flashlight

1 Extra set of batteries for above

1 Lighter

1 Watch (inexpensive waterproof)

1 Compass

1 Whistle

1 15 Foot-long Clothesline (parachute-cord works best)

6 Clothespins (spring type)

4 Water bottles (1 Qt. or 1 liter)

1 Pair Sunglasses with neck-cord

1 Small Pad & Pencil

12 Rubber Bands

1 Partial Roll Toilet paper in zip-lock bag

1 Ditty bag (for smellables in bear-bag)

1 lightweight day-pack or large fanny pack (lid from backpack may suffice)

Optional

Hiking Poles

Postcard Stamps

Camera (in zip-lock bag with extra battery)

Travel/Basecamp Equipment List:

Item

Wearing at Departure:

1 Class “A” Uniform Shirt

1 Pr. Scout Pants or Shorts

1 Pr. Scout socks (if wearing shorts)

Philmont Crew Neckerchief

Philmont Crew Hat

Slide for Neckerchief

Scout Belt

Hiking Boots

In Carry-on (small collapsible duffle bag)

2 Pair of Underwear

3 T-shirts (Scout themed recommended)

2 Pair Socks

1 Large After-Hiking Towel

1 Tooth brush & Toothpaste

1 Small Sample-size bottle of Shampoo

1 Bar Soap & Soap Dish

1 Comb or Brush

1 Deodorant

1 Pr. Shower Shoes

Reading Materials / iPod (to pass the time on the airplane)

Space Camp Parent Meeting 10/27/09

Space Camp is located in Huntsville, AL. (note they are in the Central Time Zone)

The 5 day program runs each week of August. Check in to facility between 1-2pm on Sunday and graduation is 11am Friday. They have age appropriate programs. Space Academy for 12-14 costs $899. That includes housing, meals, bed linens but not bathroom linens. Ages 15-18 costs $999 which earns 1 general science college credit from the U of Alabama/Huntsville. Chaperone fee is $199 which includes meals and housing. They have counselors who go through background checks, security cameras in the common areas, and medical staff. Some merit badges are offered. There are private bathrooms and showers; sleeping in bays that fit 20-40 kids. Lockers provided but need to bring own lock. There are snack/drink machines and a gift shop. They have gift card that can be preloaded for scouts' use while on site. 50% of the money is due 90 prior to our arrival and balance due 60 days prior. They have some "camperships" available; check website www.spacecamp.com for that.

Flights (not possible to get a direct flight) cost $330 including taxes and fees roundtrip. Flight out of Buffalo leaves approx. 6am. Return flight leaves Friday at 3pm and returns to Buffalo around 10pm.

Fundraising discussed. Collecting bottles and cans is one idea. Other ideas presented and will go out to those interested via email or at the troop meetings.

How does advancement work in Boy Scouts?

How does a scout earn a merit badge?

• Merit badges are offered during summer camp.

• Merit badges are offered as events through the Boy Scout council.

• A Troop (or groups of people) can working on merit badges together.

• Scouts can work on merit badges on their own.

Who signs off advancement?

• Patrol Leaders (including SPL and ASPL) should sign off the Scouts’ book.

o It is important that the Scout demonstrate all the requirements were completed. The responsibility is on the Scout to have this done, not the Patrol Leader to chase the Scout.

• Scout Master or Assistant Scout Master can hold and sign for the Scout Master Conference.

• The Scout then signs up for a Board of Review. This will be held between the Scout and a group of leaders. The leaders sign off the Board of Review part of that rank in the Scouts’ book.

How are Merit badges or Advancement processed?

• When merit badges are completed and the Blue cards are signed they are turned in to the troop advancement chairman or the Scout Master.

• Both the merit badges and advancement earnings must be recorded and submitted to council. This can be done by writing the form by hand or by entering the information online.

• The form (or printed Internet form) and Blue cards must be stamped by the council as received. The Advancement Chairman or the Scout Master will handle this step. This can only be done by the Troop leadership (no parents).

• The Advancement Chairman (or assistant) will purchase the patches, pins and cards as needed.

• The merit badges and advancement patch will be presented during a normal troop meeting. The formal advancement and pinning the Mom’s will be done at the Court of Honor.

Gettysburg: Final Confirmations

The current list of confirmed participants and drivers we have so far are (all are departing Friday PM unless noted otherwise):

Name	Scout/Adult	Departure
Adamczyk, Brendan	S
Barrett, Dillon	S
Brose, William	S
Brown, Eliott	S
Brzezoski, Jacob	S
Cuilo, Josh	S
Davoli, Michael	S
DeMarco, Anthony	S
DeMarco, Nick	S
Devon, Tommy	S
Fulater, Trek	S
Fulater, Tyler	S
Galanti, Joel	S
Greenan, John Jr.	S
Greenan, Matthew	S
Hoth, Brandon	S
Hoth, Elliott	S
Kowalski, Daniel	S
Lattanzio, Duncan	S
Messinger, Jason	S
Miller, Josh	S
Moranski, Jacob	S
Morgan, Kerin	S
Percy, Jonny	S
Raczka, Nick	S
Reilly, Mike	S
Tomasulo, Matt	S
Tomasulo, Michael	S	Fri @ 2
Wasierski, Matt	S
Total	29

Adults
Adamczyk, Melissa	A
Barrett,Barb	A
Brose, Mike	A
Brown, Bruce	A
Brzezoski, Duane	A
Cuilo, Bob	A
Devan, Shaun	A
Fulater, John	A
Galanti, Ralph	A	Fri @ 12
Greenan, John	A
Hoth, Mike	A
McKee, Gary	A
Miller, Michael	A
Moranski, Tom	A
Morgan, Joe	A
Percy, Alan	A
Raczka, Michele	A
Tomasulo, Don	A
Wasierski, Joe	A
Total	19

If you are not on the list, please send me an email at alan@percyfamily.com with who to add, your desired departure time and whether you plan to drive.

If your plans are up in the air and you cannot commit, you can still participate. However, the price of the tickets jumps significantly after Thursday, so there will be a $5 additional cost to those that confirm after Thursday.

Thanks,
Mr. Percy

Gettysburg: FAQ

Dates: October 9th - 12th, 2009

Sign-up:

If you are interested in attending, please re-check the sign-up list to make sure we have you on our list, your payment method and your planned departure time.

Since we need to pre-pay for the tickets to the park and the campground, it is very important that we have an accurate list of who is participating. If for some reason you cannot participate, or change your mind, please make sure we know ASAP - otherwise you'll be paying for a trip you don't attend!

Accommodations:

Granite Hill Camping Resort - Camping in the Berger Hill Group Tent site
We'll have access to all the resort facilities, including the pool, fishing pond, game room and most importantly: showers and bathrooms.

Departure:

We're planning on three different departure times (all leave from the fire hall parking lot):
- Friday at 10 AM - For those that have Friday off and want to get an early start
- Friday at 3 PM - For those that have school/work on Friday
- Saturday at 6 AM - For those that have an obligation Friday night
To help us plan transportation, please be sure to indicate on the sign-up sheet which departure time you would prefer.

Itinerary:

Friday Evening: Drive to Gettysburg and set up camp
Saturday: (Breakfast in camp and prepare bag lunches for the day)
- Morning: Visitors center and Museum - we'll start our tour with viewing the movie "The Battle of Gettysburg" and have an opportunity to see the exhibits in the museum.
- Lunch: Picnic area outside the Visitors Center
- Afternoon: Self-guided Bike or Auto Tour of Gettysburg National Military Park with a number of stops along the way to explore the sites and history of this important location.
- Dinner: in campground followed by free time in the campground

Sunday: (Breakfast in camp and prepare bag lunches for the day)
- Morning: Tour of the Eisenhower farm (meet bus at the Visitor's Center)
- Lunch (Picnic Area)
- Afternoon: Scout's choice of either further exploration of Gettysburg including the town center or Free Time back at the campground
- Dinner: in camp
- Evening: movie on the portable theater in camp

Monday: Break camp, breakfast and departure. Expect to arrive back in West Seneca mid-afternoon

Transportation:

Because Gettysburg is relatively distant, we are strongly encouraging car pooling with the following transportation policy: Each scout/adult that is participating is asked to bring an additional $15 cash for the cost of transportation, which will go directly to the driver of the vehicle at the time of departure. There will be no other reimbursement for gas/mileage. So, if you have a mini-van that can haul a lot of people - bring it!

If you are planning on driving, please let us know ASAP - we need your drivers license number, description of the vehicle and insurance information for the tour permit.

Gear/Equipment:

Bring all the usual weekend camping gear including a small day pack or book bag and a water bottle (your lunch each day). Don't forget a bathing suit and towel for the pool.

Uniforms: Wear your Class A Uniform for the ride down and bring your Class B uniform.

Please bring your personal gear (in one duffle bag) and bike (if you are bringing one) to the fire hall on Tuesday, October 6th meeting. We'll load them into one of the two trailers we are taking to Gettysburg. Both trailers are leaving Friday morning, so you MUST bring your gear on Tuesday!

Cost:

The costs for this event is $50 for all scouts and adults which covers camping fees, admission the Vistors Center, the movie, admission to the Eisenhower house and all meals while in Gettysburg.
Please also bring an additional $15 cash for transportation (see above)
We also recommend bringing some spending money for snacks while traveling and souvenier money.

Useful Links:

Granite Hill Camping Resort: http://granitehillcampingresort.com/
Gettysburg National Military Park: http://www.nps.gov/gett/index.htm
Eisenhower House: http://www.nps.gov/eise/index.htm

Questions? Please send your questions to Alan Percy at alan@percyfamily.com

Dates ?

Nadin:

We are still in the planning stages. At the first meeting I will be asking for adults to help form a comm. to really put this into operation. Thisis a trip that I think we can pull off and do with little problems.

2009-2010 Religious Awards Information

Troop 483 regular meetings will be starting in September. In anticipation, I am sending out information for scouts that may be interested in religious medals/awards.

There is a new forum on the Troop's website "Religious Awards". I put several documents in the forum:

*There is an all-faith reference guide listing the medals awarded by faith.

*Rosary Patch requirements

*Saint Patch requirements

*International Awareness Award

*Duty to God Puzzle Patch requirements

* 2010 BSA St. George Activity Patch

The rosary, saint and international awareness awards are sponsored by the National Catholic Committee on Scouting (NCCS), however, they are open to any scout of any faith. Duty to God Puzzle Patch is not sponsored by NCCS and is open to all faiths. Additionally, I can award a separate "Duty to God" badge to a scout who performs service to his faith community.

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Non-Catholic Scouts wishing to earn a religious medal need to work with their pastor in order to achieve the award. If you need help with this, please let me know. You will need to purchase a workbook that is specific to your faith. If you are unsure of which book to purchase, I have a list. Once you complete your medal, you will earn a knot that becomes a permanent part of your uniform.

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Catholic Scouts are required to work with a trained religious emblem counselor (that's me!). I will be holding meetings over several weeks in the fall. They start before our regular scout meetings, usually at 6:15. Service projects and a retreat are mandatory to complete work on the medal.

2 medals available:

Ad Alteri Dei - Must have completed 6th grade.

Pope Pius - Must have completed 8th grade. (Note: this is meant to be done as a group, not individually)

Dates to keep in mind:

>Sept 22nd Projected first meeting for religious medals at firehall

>Sept 29th last day to let me know if you plan to work on the medal program.

>Oct 23-24 Retreat overnighter (Must complete one retreat. Doesn't need to be the ones listed here but the committee sponsors 2 retreats to give you the opportunity to complete the requirement).

>Feb 20 Daytime Retreat

>March 13 Board of Review

>March 27 10am Mass award ceremony

Please check the forum for the 2010 BSA St. George Activity Patch requirements that the Buffalo Diocese has issued this year as part of the 100 Years of Scouting Celebration. (No age limitations).

Mrs. Rosanne Kowalski

823-5650

rakowalski@roadrunner.com

2010 BSA St. George Activity Patch

Complete one activity and earn the St. George Patch. Complete any of 4 additional activities and areceive a cross for each activity to attach to the patch:

1. Earn any Rosary patch

2. Earn any Saint patch

3. Earn the "Duty to God" patch

4. Earn a religious Emblem in your rank of scouting

5. Attend Scout Sunday services

6. Participate in the 10 Commandment Hike on 4/24/10

7. Visit religious booth at the Fort Niagara Camporall 5/14-5/16/10

8. Attend mass in uniform at OLV or Our Lady of Fatima

To be completed June 24, 2009 through December 31, 2010

Final Preparation Notes and Q/A

Some final notes for Mom and Dad:

Q: What is the Final Itinerary?

Saturday, July 23rd - Meet at Fire Hall at 7:30 AM in Class A Uniforms and all your personal gear in one duffle bag that has your name on it.

Drive to Wye Marsh Wildlife Center in Midland Ontario

Visit Wye Marsh and experience St. Marie Among the Huron, a reconstructed fort from the French trapper era

Stay overnight at the Wildlife Center

Sunday, July 24th - Leave Wye Marsh and head to Algonquin, stopping in Huntsville for last-minute provisions and lunch

Set-up basecamp at Whitefish Lake Campground

Last minute on-water skills practice and packing

Monday, July 25th - Friday, July 29th - Backcountry- Each crew has a different route planned - see The 2011 itinerary and canoe routes

Friday, July 29th - Return to Whitefish Lake Campground - Shower, clean-up our gear, make a visit to the logging museum, and Whitney for dinner. Later that night we'll have a closing ceremony and stay overnight

Saturday, July 30th - Early departure from Algonquin, driving all the way back to the Firehall (we should arrive around noon, but will call everyone once we have a firm ETA)

Q: Which crew is my scout on?
A: The A-Team crew includes:

Jake McCormack, Jayson Koscielniak, Dillon Barrett, Chris Eckert, Nicholas Raczka and Alex Percy with Mr. McCormack and Mr. Koscielniak as advisors, guided by Mr. Percy

The Can-u-Canoe crew includes:

Michael Reilly, Jr., Matt Reilly, Michael Davoli, Brendan Adamczyk, Josh Cuillo and Brandon Hoth with Mr. Reilly and Mr. Davoli as advisors, guided by Mr. Bliss

Q: How much money should we send with our scout?
A: Your scout will need some spending money to cover Lunch on Sunday , breakfast on Saturday and some souvenirs. $40 to $50 US should suffice for all but the biggest eater and souvenir hunter. We'll stop Saturday morning at a bank North of Toronto to exchange US$ for CAN$.

Q: What will I need for Travel Documentation?
A: Every scout should have either their passport, passport card, enhanced driver's license or a copy of their birth certificate and some form of photo ID. Please bring an extra photocopy of the above for the advisor file (just in case).

Q: Should my scout bring his cell phone to Canada?
A: We ask that you do not allow your scout to bring his cell phone with him to Canada. Unless you have a special plan from your wireless carrier, phone calls and text messages to/from Canada are charged at international roaming fees which are VERY EXPENSIVE. The adult advisors will have their cell phones and in an emergency will make their phones available for a call home.

Q: Can my scout bring electronics?
A: Yes, your scout can bring an MP3 player, portable DVD player or other "toys" for the car ride. These devices will stay in the car for the duration of the trip.

Q: If I have an emergency at home, how do I reach the Birchbark Crews?
A: If there is an emergency at home and you need to contact us during the trip, use one of the following numbers:

Saturday AM to early Monday noon or after Friday noon - call either Mr. Percy's cell phone at 716-830-5966, Mr. McCormack's at (716) 479-4922 or Mr. Reilly's at (716) 445-0359
Monday noon to Friday noon - call the Ontario Park Police at 1-888-310-1122 - to help them find us, you will need to tell them the lake we are on (see itinerary) and that we have three red canoes, large green tents, and a green tarp.

Q: What is the driving route that we plan to take?
A: Saturday, we drive from the Fire Hall to Wye Mash. Sunday, we drive from Wye Mash to Algonquin. Our return on next Saturday is the reverse (without the stop in Wye Marsh).

Q: Can our scout bring snacks?
A: Yes, but please limit them to energy bar-type snacks that we can take along on the trip without worrying about size or volume. Limit to one per day. They should go in their fanny packs in a zip-lock bag that we can put up in the bear bag every night. A bag of goodies for the car ride up is fine, just be sensitive to the mess the snack would make in the car (i.e. no powdered donuts or popcorn, please)

Q: Can my scout bring fishing gear?
A: Yes, however your scout will need to buy a fishing license while in Huntsville, Ontario (see this link for more information on licenses) Please keep the amount of fishing gear to a minimum (they have to carry it) Also, lead sinkers are a no-no in Canada.

Q: Where can I find the weather forecast for next week?
A: The nearest weather station is in Huntsville, Ontario at: http://www.theweathernetwork.com/fourteenday/caon0314

Q: How should my scout pack for the ride up?

A: Since it is a long ride, some small snacks and an Gameboy or iPod will help pass the time. Load the fannypack for the trip up and put the snacks and electronics inside for the ride! We can re-pack the fanny pack once up in Algonquin. Everything else should be in one duffle bag, labeled with your scouts name on it.

Q: What's the most important thing to NOT FORGET?

A: Your photo ID and Birth Certificate or Passport! Bring a photocopy too (just in case).

It should be a great trip and I look forward to spending it with your scouts!

Any questions? Email at alan@percyfamily.com or call me at 716-662-2769 (H) or 716-830-5966 (C)

Alan Percy

Religious Medals Reference Guide

http://www.troop483.com/Documents/Religious/DutyToGod2007.pdf

International Awareness Award

http://www.troop483.com/Documents/Religious/InternationalAwarenessAward.pdf

Rosary Patches

http://www.troop483.com/Documents/Religious/JoyfulMysteries.pdf

http://www.troop483.com/Documents/Religious/LuminousMysteries.pdf

http://www.troop483.com/Documents/Religious/SorrowfulMysteriesRosaryPatch.pdf

http://www.troop483.com/Documents/Religious/gloriousMysteriesForm.pdf

http://www.troop483.com/Documents/Religious/PraytheRosary-PrayerReference.pdf

http://www.troop483.com/Documents/Religious/PrayingTheRosaryPatch.pdf

Saint Patches

http://www.troop483.com/Documents/Religious/BlessedAndreBessette.pdf

http://www.troop483.com/Documents/Religious/BlessedDamienOfMolokai.pdf

http://www.troop483.com/Documents/Religious/BlessedKateriTekakwitha.pdf

http://www.troop483.com/Documents/Religious/BlessedMotherMarianneCope.pdf

http://www.troop483.com/Documents/Religious/StElizabethAnnSeton.pdf

http://www.troop483.com/Documents/Religious/StFrancesXavierCabrini.pdf

http://www.troop483.com/Documents/Religious/StIsaacJogues.pdf

http://www.troop483.com/Documents/Religious/StJohnNeumann.pdf

http://www.troop483.com/Documents/Religious/StKatherineDrexel.pdf

http://www.troop483.com/Documents/Religious/StPeterClave.pdf

All Faith - Duty To God Puzzle Patch

http://www.troop483.com/Documents/Religious/DTGPuzzlePatch.pdf

All Faith - Duty To God Puzzle Patch

http://www.troop483.com/Documents/Religious/DTGPuzzlePatch

alternate directions

FYI: it is 14 miles after you turn on to Clinton until you hit Burroughs

And the camp sign isn't highly visible. It is at the intersection of Burroughs and Schoelkolf roads.

alternate directions

It's really easy - 2 turns off Clinton Street and you are there !!

Go East on Clinton Street, Right on Burroughs Road, Left in to Camp entrance!!

Here's a little more detail:

Head East on Clinton Street - keep going !!

Just past KML (on the left), the road goes down hill and then up again - like a valley - at the bottom of the hill

Make a Right onto Burroughs Road (if you go up the hill and see a sign for Bennington you've gone too far)

The entrance to camp is on the left just after you curve around the creek and go over the bridge/creek

Mosquito net for camp

Thanks, I ordered one and will make it adjustable, probably with rope some how

Duane

Mosquito net for camp

Duane,

The cots are the same as cub camp cots (without the mattresses!). I don't think anyone would mind if you brought a mosquito net. If you need exact dimensions, the camp director can tell you. His email address is on the GNFC website.

Rosanne

Mosquito net for camp

I'm not real sure - but I think they are around 3ft wide and 6ft long.

Mosquito net for camp

I got a question for camp....

My son usually gets bit pretty bad by mosquitos...at the mother and son breakfast, I saw that one of the boys tents had a mosquito net over his bed, did it work? Can I build on of those and bring it up for him? Does anyone remember how big the cots are?

Duane Brzezowski

Summer Camp Notes from Parent Meeting

Our ccamp site is near the fishing pond. Even if your scout is not taking the fishing merit badge, he can fish. He would need to bring a pole and bait with him to camp.

Summer Camp Notes from Parent Meeting

Notes taken at the parent meeting regarding summer camp

Sunday - we meet in the parking lot at SSR at 1pm. Each scout is responsible for their own transportation to/from camp. RSVP to the adult leaders if you are coming out Wed. evening.

Wed evening - the troop will cook beef stew at their campsite. Parents are welcome to come feast with their scout and take some of the dirty laundry home with them mid-week. Please leave your scout at camp because the week isn't over yet!

Highlights of what to bring to camp:

Camp chair

Pack in a plastic tote

Scout book in a ziploc plastic bag

Raingear

Foam pad to sleep on; mattresses are NOT provided

Coat hanger

swim trunks

towel

Bug spray

Sunscreen

Clothesline

Boots

What not to bring:

No food

No open toe shoes

No electronics

No cell phones

The merit badge pamphlet library will be brought to camp. Basketry and leatherworking will be offered by troop 483 leadership. Citizenship in the world will be offered by Mr. Fulater. Please complete the merit badge worksheets ahead of time.

Saturday morning: 9:30am Court of Honor. Our troop will be participating in a flag burning ceremony followed by lunch. Depart at 1pm.

~Respectfully submitted by Rosanne Kowalski

Directions to Camp

1373 Burrough Rd
Cowlesville, NY 14037-9754
Phone: (585) 591-0598

Link to Google Maps

Directions from Reserve Fire hall

1.	Head northeast on Berg Rd toward NY-240/Orchard Park Rd	371 ft
2.	Turn left at NY-240/Orchard Park Rd	259 ft
3.	Turn right at Reserve Rd	1.9 mi
4.	Turn left at Southwestern Blvd/US-20 Continue to follow US-20	2.7 mi
5.	Merge onto NY-400 S via the ramp to E Aurora	7.6 mi
6.	Take the US-20A/NY-78 exit toward E Aurora	0.2 mi
7.	Keep left at the fork, follow signs for WARSAW	266 ft
8.	Slight left at Big Tree Rd/E Main St/NY-78/US-20A Continue to follow Big Tree Rd/US-20A	9.1 mi
9.	Turn left at Burrough Rd Destination will be on the left	2.6 mi

Burrough Rd, Cowlesville, NY 14037

Bicycling around

At the Mother / Son breakfast, it was said that the main transportation at Gettysberg will be biking. Does this mean everyone needs to bring a bike? Will all be riding only? I think this needs to be cleared up as people have signed up who might not have a bike or want to ride for that trip.

Personal Equipment List for Birchbark

A list of Personal Equipment needed for our Birchbark expedition to Algonquin:

For travel/basecamp:

Copy of Birth Certificate and picture ID (school ID is fine)
Copy of Health Form (folded and in a zip-lock bag)
Class A Uniform (for car ride up)
Change of clothes (for car ride home)
Duffle bag (big enough to hold everything on this list)
Towel
Shampoo, shaving and other personal hygene items (for after-expedition shower)

For Expedition: (all clothing should be non-cotton and quick drying)

Wear in Canoe:

Hat with brim
Water shoes (old sneakers or sandals - not crocks or flip-flops!)
One Tee Shirt
Light long sleeve shirt (for protection from sun and bugs)
Shorts
One pair of Underwear
Belt
Watch
Sunglasses (with neck strap)
Whistle (with small string to hang around neck)

Sleeping Gear:

Sleeping Bag (synthetic 40 degree compressible)
Compression sack (to squeeze the above down to the size of a loaf of bread)
Dry bag /plastic bag that will contain compressed sleeping bag
Sleeping Pad (optional - will be only used in base camp)

Large Fanny Pack that can carry the following contents:

Compass
Small notebook
Pencil
DEET Bug repellent
Matches/lighter
Chap stick
Sun Screen
1/2 roll of toilet paper (in zip-lock bag)
Two sport/nalgene water bottles
Rain Jacket (not a poncho)
Two - Bandanas
Small pocket knife
Headlamp
Extra batteries for above

Dry sack and the following contents:

Zip-off pants
Swim Suit
Polar Fleece (light)
Wool/knit hat
Tee shirt (extra)
Underware (extra)
Wool socks (thin are best)
Camp shoes (crocks are okay)
Small personal first aid kit
6 pieces of nylon cord
Water-proof camera
Rain pants (optional)
Drinking cup/mug (suitable for hot drinks)
Plastic bowl
Spoon/spork
Light work gloves

Wash Kit:

Small bar of soap (ivory is best)
Toothbrush
Toothpaste (small sample size)
Comb / brush
Gold bond or Baby powder (small)
Pack towel (shammy works great)

Border Crossing ID Requirements

A few parents have asked about the identification requirements for crossing into and back from Canada this summer. The following information is taken from the World Hemisphere Travel Initiative website: http://www.getyouhome.gov/html/lang_eng/index.html

For Adults (19 and older):

On June 1, 2009, U.S. citizens returning home from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda, by land or sea, will be required to present one of the travel documents listed below.

Many of these documents are already available, and obtaining one now will ensure that you are ready on June 1, 2009, when they will be required.

U.S. Passport – This is an internationally recognized travel document that verifies a person’s identity and nationality. It is accepted for travel by air, land and sea.

U.S. Passport Card – This is a new, limited-use travel document that fits in your wallet and costs less than a U.S. Passport. It is only valid for travel by land and sea.

Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) – Several states and Canadian provinces/territories are issuing this driver’s license or identification document that denotes identity and citizenship. It is specifically designed for cross-border travel into the U.S. by land or sea.

Trusted Traveler Program Cards – NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST enrollment cards can speed your entry into the U.S. and are issued only to pre-approved, low-risk travelers. The cards are valid for use at land or sea; the NEXUS card can be used in airports with a NEXUS kiosk.

Children/Youth:

Beginning June 1, 2009, U.S. and Canadian citizens under the age of 16, or under the age of 19 traveling with a school, religious or other youth group, may present a birth certificate, consular report of birth abroad, naturalization certificate or Certificate of Canadian Citizenship. Birth certificate can be an original, photocopy or certified copy.

Forgotten userids and passwords

If you forget your userid and/or password - don't create a new account! We have many people with multiple accounts clogging up the system. Not to mention that you will recieve multiple emails from the site.

If you forgot your password - Go to the Membership tab and along the right is a "Forgot Username or password" box. Enter your username that you created initially. You will then be asked your question that you also selected when you first created your account. Enter that correctly and your password will be emailed to you.

If you forgot your username - Click on the Suggestion button and send us what you think your username is, what your email address is and your real name and we will try and look it up for you. When we respond - you can then follow the above process to get your password.

Merit Badge Counselors

Dr. Peter Kowalski is the adult training coordinator. I'll make sure I introduce you guys at the troop meetings. He has a list of who is doing what, what is required and what we need.

Cycling is open! We will be glad to have you as the councilor.

Thanks for helping out!

UpComming Meeting

This comming up meeting we are going to be doing a jeopardy. Hint Hint Know some things that were shown at the last campout and also some of our troop history.

Merit Badge Counselors

Who can tell me which required merit badges are not currently covered, I am willing to help, but I need to know which ones we need a counselor for.....I would like to maybe do the cycling counselor if we still need help with that one.

Duane Brzezowski

Meeting Dates for Birchbark - updated for 2011!

Dates that should be on your calendars:

Monday, November 29, 2010 7:00 TO 9:00 PM

Leader Information Night & Reunion

GNFC Scout Service Center (716) 891-4073

2860 Genesee Street, Buffalo, NY 14225-3131

For interested Units-Parents and Adult and Youth Leaders. Reports from last year’s units. Meet the Guides.

Monday, January 24, 2011 7:00 TO 9:00 PM

Leader Orientation Meeting

GNFC Scout Service Center (716) 891-4073

2860 Genesee Street, Buffalo, NY 14225-3131

For Adult Leaders and Youth Leaders from your crew.

Indoor Voyageur Training, Review of Essential Skills, Packing Gear to stay dry, Voyageur Lore, Food Selection, Canoe Routes

Monday, February 28, 2011 7:00 to 9:00 pm

Leader Trip Planning & Route Selection Meeting

GNFC Scout Service Center (716) 891-4073

2860 Genesee Street, Buffalo, NY 14225-3131

For Adult Leader Youth Leaders from your crew.

Route Selection must be in to the Scout Service Center, in order to officially book the reservation with Algonquin Park.Menu Selection must be in to the Scout Service Center, to give us time to order your trail meals.

Saturday, June 11, 2011 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Outdoor Canoe Trip Shakedown

Camp Scouthaven in Freedom, NY

Outdoor Skills Training, Canoeing Instruction, Portaging,1-hour Dunk Test for Gear, Tarp Pitching, Bear Bags,

Knot tying tests, Personal Equipment Shakedown

Bring: Lunch AND Snack, Personal Equipment, 8 foot Rope, Change of clothes (just in case)

FOR ALL YOUTH & ADULTS

IMPORTANT!!

New Scout Parent Orientation

The slides from the orientation meeting can be found at: http://photos.troop483.com/Slideshow.aspx?gallery=177494 This takes you to the slide show view - just use the controls at the bottom of the screen to manually control the slide advancement.

Contact me at alan@percyfamily.com if you have any questions!

Mr. Percy

3/3/9 meeting

All young braves (the new scouts that just joined) should meet Anthony DeMarco and Mr. McKee at Strickers bowling alley at 6:30!

Dates ?

Do we have dates for Space Camp yet?

Who is working on this ?

FYI - Huntsville, Alabama is approximately 835 miles away.

Driving straight through with gas & "refresher" stops it will take approximately 14+ hours.

Nadine Tomasulo

Tues March 3

We are going to the Palace Theater in Hamburg to see "Mall Cop" at 7:00 pm.