Good evening straight out of returning from 2013’s T648 PLC Planning Central!
Our youth leadership has completed their annual business trip, and it is looking to be another outstanding year of exploring Arizona.  Every year (for the past 20 or so) the Patrol Leaders Council from our troop goes offsite to a local resort, which donates three casitas to the cause. In an intense and intensive Friday night, all day Saturday, and Sunday morning planning session, a full calendar for 2013-2014 was constructed. The boys (and thus, also the adults!) got a full night sleep Friday night in preparation for wild negotiations on their favorite swimming hole or mountain vista.  It’s always amazing to me how time heals all wounds. Everybody had already forgotten how cold they were on the Mayer trip last October, and couldn’t wait to go back to the place with a severed deer head in camp and where the storm front came in leaving the air temperature colder than the ice in our coolers. We now have another trip scheduled to that same site, as well as our annual ski trip, a San Francisco Peak hike in October, and snowshoeing in December. I think our boys are tired of 113 degree days, and are looking to cool down! The boys took to their new leadership positions exceptionally well all weekend long, and we are well positioned for excellence this year. And boy did they clean up nicely with smart looking slacks and collared shirts for our annual PLC Italian dinner Saturday night. Wow!
Many thanks to the contingent of adults and youth staffing an information table at Cocopah Middle School open house this week. We will continue with additional recruiting efforts with local cub scout packs into the fall leading up to our Webelos weekend in January. We also have a number of planned activities coming up to keep everyone in the scouting spirit as you get back up to speed in school. This coming weekend is an exciting backpack into Sycamore Canyon outside of Clarkdale, AZ. In a new twist, there will be both an advanced hike and a moderate hike, ending up at the same central camping location in the canyon – so hikers of all abilities are invited! On September 3rd will be the monthly PLC meeting at 6PM, followed by the troop meeting and a parent / committee meeting at 7PM.  And stay tuned for more details on a family get together on September 13th at the Turner household in a troop dessert tasting – fall kickoff event!
Come Tuesday night and learn more about backpacking in Arizona as we prepare for our upcoming outing. There is no better time than the present to be a scout in T648!
Mr. Cole