Parent Meeting – 17 January 2017

Troop 624 will hold a parents and Troop Committee meeting on 17 January 2017 at 7:30pm. For everyone’s convenience, we scheduled this meeting at the same time as the weekly Troop meeting. All parents are encouraged to attend. Topics for discussion include:

-The 2017 calendar of events
-A financial/budget report
-Troop Committee volunteer opportunities
-Troop event chaperone volunteer opportunities

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Prince William Forest Camping

The Troop spent Saturday & Sunday in Prince William Forest.  They camped, hiked, and visited the Marine Corp Museum.   The weather was cool, but not bad for December.

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Court of Honor & Christmas Party 2016

Troop 624 held our Annual Christmas Party & Court of Honor on 13 December 2016. As always, food was delicious and a good time of friends and fellowship. Court of Honor allows us to honor the scouts hard work and achievements. There were several rank advancements and many merit badges awarded during this fun evening.

Christmas Party 2016
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Court of Honor

Title: Court of Honor
Location: Lacey Woods Fire Ring
Description: The court of honor will be held Sunday, the 11th. It will be at The Lacey Woods Park Fire ring from 5-7. We will have Rocklands. If you intend on going please RSVP to matthew@saenzmail.com by Friday. Also if your son is in the Sloth Patrol (Jamie, Ryan, Louis, John and David) please bring a desert. If your son is in the Dragon Patrol (Adams, Anthony, Alex, Lucas, and Jack) please bring a side or some drinks
Start Time: 5:00 pm
Date: 09/11/2016

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Sinoquipe 2016 & Packing List

Sinoquipe 2016 is here!  There are several items I have sent out via email.

First, leadership. I will be serving as Senior Patrol Leader, with Ryan Anderson as my Assistant Senior Patrol Leader. Alex Stephenson will be the Patrol Leader of this campout, with Adams Saenz serving as his Assistant Patrol Leader.

Second, packing. Attached to this email is a packing list for Sinoquipe. If your son was at last week’s meeting, he will have gotten this. There is also the troop packing list attached to this email. Mr. Bender, Alex and myself have a copy of this.

Finally, Spirit Day! Our theme for this year is patriotic, so have your son bring all the star-spangled attire they have! Important note: YOU DO NOT NEED TO BUY ANYTHING FOR THIS! I will be bringing extra accessories for those who have none/need more.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me or Mr. Bender.

YIS,
Matthew Saenz

Sinoquipe Packing List

 

——————————————

Thank you Mr. Saenz for the packing lists.  Below are some additional thoughts.

Why We Go to Summer Camp
Our annual trek to Sinoquipe has three purposes:
 
1 – to commemorate Baden-Powell’s Brown Sea Isle experiment over a century ago to see if young men from different backgrounds given responsibility and guidance can work together and accomplish good things – we call that The Patrol Method.
 
2 – to practice The Patrol Method which B-P instilled in that first summer camp whereby a group of Scouts working together can get more done than one individual Scout alone and learn through personal advancement and gain more skills to add to the abilities of that group…The Patrol.
 
3 – and to HAVE FUN!

 
Additional Packing List Items
I would add to the Troop list.
 
– Troop 624 oars and prior camp awards
– Motorola radios
– COFFEE POT!
– tarp
– Dutch ovens
– propane lanterns and gas
 
I would add to the Scout packing list:
 
– A BIG smile and a week of cheery attitude – A Scout Is Cheerful – we’re there to have fun and a good attitude benefits everyone….ESPECIALLY the Scouters who don’t have their own Scouts in attendance.
– fishing gear – no license is required on the camp side of the lake
 
What NOT to Bring
– NO FOOD in tents – bears and little critters LOVE snacks almost as much as Scouts!
– Firearms

– Sheath knives- Any knife larger than a 4” blade- Fireworks – we had to send a Scout home one year for this- Alcohol- Personal archery equipment- Electronic games, computers, cell phones- Snuff- Raidos or stereo equipment- Bicycles- Laser pointers- Cigarettes and tobacco- Illegal substances

Attendees
Currently we have the following Scouts attending:
Ryan Anderson, Louis Cimmino, John Glasscock, David Norcross, Jamie O’Donnell, Anthony Pizzi, Adams and Mathew Saenz and Jack Winslow
I also have the following adults attending:
Randy Bender, Jim Saenz, and Ted Knight.  We could use a couple more adults.
Advancement Schedule
Attached is the advancement merit badge schedule for the week.  If there are some minor needed changes we do that when we check it on Sunday.  Please be sure the print a copy for your Scout to bring to camp.
Troop 624 Scout Spirit Award
Each year the Scouts select one of their own whom they believe demonstrated the best Scout Spirit during the week at camp.  That person receives a special Scout Sign neckerchief slide to recognize that accomplishment.
 
A Taste of Sinoquipe
On Friday night, the Troop will be cooking out at Le Blue Pavilion just inside the main gate.  All are invited.  Please send us a head count so we can buy enough goodies!
Staying Overnight
If you stay the night, the local Down’s Motel (717 987 3116) is an option – it’s old but clean and inexpensive.  Also, you can bring a tent and camp out in our campsite.  We will likely be in the Iroquois campsite again this year.
 
Contact Information
If you need to reach your favorite Scout you may call my cell phone (703 626 3892).  I will also be checking emails daily (tnight@erols.com).  Randy Bender’s cell phone is 703 600 9846.
 
Sending Mail to Camp
If you want to send mail to your favorite Scout(s) use this address but you should send it by Tuesday to ensure it arrives before we leave:
Scout’s Name
Troop 624 , Week 3
Camp Sinoquipe
677 Boy Scout Road
Fort Littleton, PA 17223
 
We’re going to have another GREAT summer camp…it is our 26th at Sinoquipe!
 
YiS, Ted
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Sinoquipe 2016 Weather

All week the temps are between 65 at night and 81 during the day.  A little cloudy on Tuesday but no rain being forecast….our 26th summer should be super!  YiS, Ted

 

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The annual spring Advancement Camp on June 17-19, 2016 at Camp Wilson; the youth camping area of Pohick Bay Regional Park in Lorton, VA.  Both older scouts and new scouts attended the fun weekend.   The new scouts were able to work on their Totin' ChipFirem'n Chit, and other rank requirements.

The boys cooked several delicious meals.  They practiced using the backpack stoves and created a quick lunch that would be good on a hike.   For dinner, they cooked Chili Mac over the open fire using a dutch oven.  Dinner got rave reviews and the recipe can be found with in the Troop 624 Recipe book.

All the scouts enjoyed a 5 mile hike around Camp Wilson and the Pohick Bay area.   The following are pictures from the hike.

View along the hike

Looking at the heron

Mr. Bender's selfie

More views

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Advancement Camp

Title: Advancement Camp
Description: Advancement Camp. The boys will work on rank advancement and some merit badge requirements.
Start Date: 2016-06-17
End Date: 2016-06-19

We have our spring Advancement Camp on June 17-19, 2016 at Camp Wilson; the youth camping area of Pohick Bay Regional Park in Lorton, VA. It is chance to work on all Scout requirements through 1st Class and for the older Scouts to practice mentoring the new Scouts. This is last chance this spring for the new Scouts to go on a camping trip with Troop 624. It is the outdoor program where Scouting really gives the boys an opportunity to be self-reliant, helpful to others and lead.

We will leave St. Ann’s late Friday afternoon and return early Sunday morning.  Tents and ‘crew’ gear are provided by the Troop. The cost including meals is $25

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Parent Meeting – 10 May 2016

Title: Parent Meeting
Location: Fellowship Hall – St. Ann’s
Description: Parent meeting during our normal scout time.

New parents especially should attend so they meet the rest of us, learn how we do things and indicate what role they want to play working with our Scouts.

The topics for discussion include:

– Rechartering report
– Scoutmaster report
– Treasury report
– Calendar of events
– Spring Court of Honor
– Summer Camp (7/3-7/9) registrations and scheduling – final Scout and adult count

Please send questions or additional agenda topics to me directly at tnight@erols.com .

Typically our meetings run about an hour.
Start Time: 7:30 pm
Date: 05/10/2016
End Time: 8:30 pm

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Sinoquipe – Cabin Camping in the Spring

Since Snowzilla forced the cancellation of our regularly scheduled Winter Cabin Camping, the troop will go to Sinoquipe 15-17 April 2016. A fun cabin camp will be had by all. Leave the electronics at home. Bring your hiking boots, a change of clothes, jacket, hat and you Scout Handbooks for advancement activities. The lake will be thawed so throw in your fishing poles too for catch and release! Check the weather next week as we get closer to the date and for the appropriate clothing.

We need $20/Scout (adults are paid for by the troop) for food. Pay Sharon Cunningham at 12 April 2016 meeting or mail her a check.

We need a menu for Saturday b’fast, lunch and dinner. Mr. Knight suggests:

B’fast: juevos con chorizo, fruit and juice
Lunch: cold cut sandwiches, chips, bug juice – we will have three guests – Charlie Hummel and friend and Ranger Rhodes
Dinner: chili or stew and cobbler – we will have four guests – Mason-Dixon
Scout Executive and two committee members and Ranger Rhodes (Ranger Rhodes likes our cooking!)

From the shed we need the following but if we don’t have something let Mr. Knight know and he will buy it with the food on Friday:

Large orange water jugs
Bug juice
Garbage bags and TP
Cooking utensils
Cooking pans and pots
Dutch ovens
Coffee pots
Paper plates, plastic utensils, cups
Aluminum foil and paper towels
Salt/pepper

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