Troop Meeting Cancelled

Good Morning Troop 540,

I hope you’re all safe, warm and at home today. The meeting for tonight has been cancelled due to the weather. We will have our Scoutmaster conference and Board of Review next Tuesday.

I will also be handing out the neckerchiefs then.

I’d like to get a report from the merit badge counselors as to what the progress has been with your scouts. If you could all email me back and let be know how many scouts have completed their requirements, how many are a partial and how many didn’t even start. Thanks. My goal would be to have the merit badges complete in the next month; if possible.

Here are some upcoming dates for future events:

  • Friday, 2/13/15 – Albany Indoor Rock Climbing: We arrive at 8:00pm on Friday and will leave the facility at 8:00am sharp on Saturday, 2/14/15
  • Friday, 3/13/15, to Sunday, 3/15/15 – Camp Nooteeming: We will be using the rifle range that Saturday morning
  • Friday, 4/17/15 to Sunday, 4/19/15 – Camp Wabanaki: We will be using backpacks and hiking into the camp from a remote location

See you all next Tuesday in North Main. Those that are up for the Scoutmaster conference, please be dressed in your full class “A” uniforms.

Sincerely,

Jon Hess – Scoutmaster, Troop 540
845-480-4391

Tomorrow’s Meeting

Troop 540,

We have a busy meeting tomorrow.  We have tent inspections, Carousel Cakes and wreath distribution, Scoutmaster Conference and Boards of Review.  Merit badge work will be available but may have to be shortened because of all of the events going on tomorrow night.

For those scouts that are going for their Scoutmaster Conference, please come dressed in your full Class A uniform.

I would like to give a special thanks to Jack Furmanek and Mr. Lamarch for being the only volunteers to sell wreaths the other day at The Knights of Columbus.

I’ll see you all tomorrow night.

Sincerely,

Jon Hess – Scoutmaster, Troop 540
845-480-4391

Troop Updates

Troop 540,

Here are the things that we discussed tonight, for those that wern’t there or left early and didn’t catch what was said in closing.

Friday, 11/21/14 at 6:00pm, camping at the Mohawk campsite at Bullowa.  There are about 10 scouts and 2 leaders going on the trip.  Make sure you have your “0” degree bags and dress in layers.  Bring a hat and gloves as well.

Saturday, 11/22/14, pick up at 12:00pm sharp. Aidan Crown has volunteered to get breakfast for this trip.  We are leaving early because of the cold conditions.

Saturday, 11/22/14, Wreaths sales from 12:00-5:00pm at The Knights of Columbus at their Christmas Bazaar.  We will need volunteers to sell the wreaths

Tuesday, 11/25/14, Green Bar Meeting from 7:00-7:30pm

Tuesday, 11/25/14, Scoutmaster Conference and Board of Review, work on merit badges

Tuesday, 12/2/14, Tree lighting at The Knights of Columbus at 7:30pm.  This will be our troop meeting.  No merit badge work this night

Tuesday, 12/9/14 Green Bar Meeting from 7:00-7:30pm at North Main

Tuesday, 12/9/14Webelos Night at North Main, from 7:30-9:00pm, No merit badge work this night

Sunday, 12/14/14, We need volunteers to help set up a party at the Lakeside Firehouse, from10:00-11:00am

Tuesday, 12/16/14, Green Bar Meeting at North Main from 7:00-7:30pm

Tuesday, 12/16/14, Holiday Party at North Main, from 7:30-9:00pm, we will work on merit badges and do a fun patrol activity and close with a party.

Friday, 12/19/14 to Sunday, 12/21/14, Camping in the Paden cabin at Bullowa

Friday, 1/23/15 to Sunday, 1/25/15, camping in the Winter cabin at Bullowa

Friday, 2/20/15 to Saturday, 2/21/15, Albany Indoor Rock Climbing

The following scouts owe money to the troop:

Donovan, James = $35
Estrella, Andre = $7
Hamilton, Cody = $10
Hess, Alex = $25
Nowosielski, William = $11
Ramos, Justin = $1
Scully, Sean = $5
Struhar, John = $10
Walker, Pete = $5
Wolff, Adi = $4
Wolff, Oren = $4

This money was from scout activities that were charged to your account for various things like overnights.  You will receive funds back into your accounts from the Carousel Cakes and wreath sales.  However, this is what is owed to the troop currently.  The more cakes, pies and wreaths you sell, the more money goes into your account.  If you don’t sell the wreaths, you will owe $25 to the troop.

Mr. Pakula wanted me to mention to you all to start thinking about summer scout camp at Ranaqua.  Before you know it, August will be right around the corner.  Also, if any family feels that they would be unable to pay for scout camp (approx $350), please come to me in private or to Mr. Pakula or Mr.Campanella.  The troop’s message is that no scout should be turned down for scout camp.  There would be assistance available for the trip, if needed.

My final message of the night is directed to the scouts that left the meeting early tonight and didn’t check in with me.  I realize some of you had homework but the meeting is from 7:30-9:00pm, not 8:30 or 8:45.  If I’m there and I decided to just leave the meeting early and not tell anybody, what kind of example would I be setting for the troop?  Even worse, if everybody had that mindset, what kind of troop would we be?  Please be more considerate, not only to myself and the other leaders, but to your fellow scouts. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Jon Hess – Scoutmaster, Troop 540
845-480-439

Tomorrow’s Meeting

Troop 540,

Just a reminder that our meeting will be held at The Knights of Columbus tomorrow.

We will have our green bar meeting from 7:00-7:30pm and the troop meeting from 7:30-9:00pm.

We will be getting a head count for the upcoming camping trip and giving out food assignments and a head count for whoever is ready for their scoutmaster conference and board of review for next week.

Brandon Nebicker – Mr. Hickey will be coming in tomorrow night to give you your eagle scoutmaster conference. Please be dressed and ready for him tomorrow night.

I also need to know who is available for the overnight this weekend and who can bring the trailer? Please respond back to this email, if you are able to help out this weekend. I will be there the entire weekend but I need at least one other adult for each night. Hiram, I’m not sure if your plans have changed but I think you said you could make it for Friday into Saturday? Pete, I think you said you could make it for Saturday into Sunday? Let me know if you guys are still available.

Thanks and I’ll see you all tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Jon Hess – Scoutmaster, Troop 540
845-480-4391

Heritage District Eagle Board of Review Schedule

Troop 540,

For those life scouts that have completed your Eagle projects and are preparing for the Board of Review, here is the schedule of dates for the upcoming Heritage District Boards of Review:

  • Wednesday, December 10th
  • Wednesday, January 14th
  • Wednesday, February 11th
  • Wednesday, March 11th

After you have completed your Eagle workbooks, you should talk to me about asking Mr. Hickey if he wouldn’t mind giving you your Eagle Scoutmaster Conference. After the Scoutmaster Conference, you will then sit for the Troop’s Board of Review. Once these steps have been completed, you will coordinate with me and set up a date to sit in on one of these dates above with the Heritage District’s Eagle Board.

Here is the contact email to set this meeting up: chris.clark@scouting.org.

Sincerely,

Jon Hess – Scoutmaster, Troop 540
845-480-4391

Troop Meeting Tomorrow

Troop 540,

Please be prepared to hand in your tents for inspection, from this weekend’s camping trip.

We will allow for the merit badge counselors to work with their scouts on their respected merit badges for 30 minutes in the meeting.

For those adult volunteers that haven’t done the youth protection yet or have done it but haven’t handed in the paperwork, please make sure you hand that in to Maura Crown ASAP.

I’m going to get a show of hands on how many scouts are up for a scout master conference and board of review next week. I know the scouts worked hard on Friday night at Bullowa on their scout skills. We should have a couple of scouts that are ready to go.

Here are the troop’s upcoming events:

  • Anthony Linsalato’s eagle project on Sunday, 10/26, starting at 9:00am
  • Brian Phelan’s eagle project, on either Saturday or Sunday (25th or 26th)
  • Mrs. Donahue will be handing out Carosel Cakes information tomorrow
  • The American Legion will need help setting up a party on 12/14/14, from 10:00-11:00am
  • The K of C will be giving us a table at their holiday bazaar on 11/22/14 to sell our wreaths, in exchange for two wreaths.

See you all tomorrow night.

Sincerely,

Jon Hess – Scoutmaster, Troop 540
845-480-4391

Troop Announcements

Troop 540,

I have a couple of announcements regarding future events.

Saturday, September 20th, from 5-9pm between Lake St. and Millponds, the town of Monroe is asking for the scouts to help sell water bottles for their, “Dancing in The Streets” event.

Sunday, October 5th, from 8:30-4:30pm at Manza’s Farm, there will be a fundraiser for Anthony Linsalato’s eagle project. We will be expected to park cars and will earn 50% of parking sales towards his fundraiser. More details to follow. He will need as many scouts as he can (at least 6 scouts per time slot). According to Mrs. Donahue, this is a fundraiser that the troop can take advantage of for future eagle projects as well.

Tuesday, September 23rd, from 7:00-7:30pm, we’ll have our Green Bar Meeting at the snack bar at Museum Village, NOT in North Main.

Tuesday, September 23rd, from 7:30-9:00pm, we’ll have the troop meeting at the snack bar at Museum Village, NOT in North Main. Again, it’s advancement night, so those that are up for rank advancement need to come fully dressed for the scoutmaster conference and board of review.

Sincerely,

Jon Hess – Scoutmaster, Troop 540
845-480-4391

Troop Meeting Tomorrow

Troop 540,

Just a reminder that we have a Green Bar meeting, starting at 7:00pm sharp in the North Main cafeteria. Again, all newly elected leaders (junior assistant scoutmaster, SPL, ASPL, patrol leaders, assistant patrol leaders, troop guide and instructor) are invited to this meeting. Also invited are the assistant scoutmasters, past scoutmasters and the scribe. During this meeting, we will plan tomorrow night’s meeting, next week’s meeting and the upcoming camping trip.

For the troop meeting, I will need a show of hands for who is up for a scoutmaster conference and a committee board of review. Please come dressed properly for tomorrow night’s meeting if you are eligible for advancement.

See you all tomorrow night.

Sincerely,

Jon Hess – Scoutmaster, Troop 540
845-480-4391