Boy Scout Troop 648 Scottsdale, Arizona

Dear Scouting families,



We hope each of you are doing well and that you have had the chance to #ScoutOn with us as we work to deliver Scouting in a virtual setting. As we work hard to deliver Scouting to you, the Grand Canyon Council and Pinnacle Peak district are also doing some important things to help continue Scouting not just today but for years to come.



We want to share with you an opportunity that we hope you can take advantage of with us to help support our unit through Friends of Scouting. Volunteer grants and matching donations may be available from your employer, and best of all, it supports local Scouting and helps our unit. If you are unfamiliar with these programs, volunteer grants come from an employer to qualified non-profits in recognition of the volunteer hours you give to the organization. Matching donations can double, triple, and even quadruple your individual contribution to Scouting as the match and multiply your contribution.



The Boy Scouts of America even has a tool to help you and your families identify which employers participate and how to apply.



https://ww2.matchinggifts.com/bbscouting_iframe



Through this tool you can help our unit’s Friends of Scouting and the Grand Canyon Council in just a few short steps.



1. Search your employer and learn if and how they participate.

2. Follow the instructions provided to utilize the volunteer grant or matching donation programs.

3. Once completed, email us and our District Executive Matthew Hill, the confirmation. By emailing us, we can make sure everything is credited to you and our unit correctly.

4. Feel great that you helped our unit, district, and the Grand Canyon council to offer Scouting for many years to come.



If you have specific questions about utilizing these resources, in most cases, the tool provides the best person to contact within your company. You can also contact our District Executive to seek help from the District and Council team as they are happy to help.



Thank you very much for your support of Scouting, Friends of Scouting, and the Grand Canyon Council

Matt Hill
District Executive

WOW!!!!!! What a great success this week’s Troop Meeting was. It was so good to see everyone’s smiling healthy faces! We had State Senator Heather Carter as a guest speaker. It was very informative, as well as educational (some of it for Senator Carter). Than you to all who participated, for all the great questions, and for everyone being on their best video-conferencing behavior. Because of the success of this meeting, we are planning to perform similar meetings for at least the next 2 weeks. I’ll be looking for volunteers from the Patrols to lead these meetings. Pirates were in charge of this past one, so I will be asking the other 3 patrols to start thinking of some ideas. Once we know who and what, I’ll send an e-mail to everyone with info and the link to the meeting. Let’s remember to actively be looking into things to do for Rank advancements, Merit Badges, and good deeds, as well as the homework assignment of finding out what Legislative District you live in, and who your State Senator and Congresspeople are. We’ll be asking that at the next meeting. Continue to stay well and be safe 648!

Mr Blair

Another quick reminder that tonight’s Scout Troop meeting will be held at & PM and we will have State Senator Heather Carter as out guest speaker. The meeting will be held via Zoom, and the link to join is below:

Mark Blair is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Troop 648 Scout Meeting
Time: Apr 14, 2020 07:00 PM Arizona

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/5038931776?pwd=eEUrb3V0V0hCVTlUOEpEZFpYMkRaUT09

Meeting ID: 503 893 1776
Password: 018920
One tap mobile
+13462487799,,5038931776#,,#,018920# US (Houston)
+16699006833,,5038931776#,,#,018920# US (San Jose)

Dial by your location
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US
+1 301 715 8592 US
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 503 893 1776
Password: 018920
Find your local number: https://us04web.zoom.us/u/fdQ1QpbxA3

Just a quick reminder that tonight TAC meeting for all interested adults and adult leaders will be held at 6 PM via Zoom video conferencing. The link to the meeting is below:

Mark Blair is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Troop 648 TAC Meeting
Time: Apr 14, 2020 06:00 PM Arizona

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/5038931776?pwd=eEUrb3V0V0hCVTlUOEpEZFpYMkRaUT09

Meeting ID: 503 893 1776
Password: 018920
One tap mobile
+13462487799,,5038931776#,,#,018920# US (Houston)
+16699006833,,5038931776#,,#,018920# US (San Jose)

Dial by your location
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US
+1 301 715 8592 US
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 503 893 1776
Password: 018920
Find your local number: https://us04web.zoom.us/u/fdQ1QpbxA3

Here are some “suggestions” on how to be a good participant on a Virtual video conference. Thanks

https://stanfordmag.org/contents/11-tips-for-more-effective-zoom-remote-meetings/?utm_source=The_Loop&utm_medium=email&utm_content=11-tips-for-more-effective-zoom-remote-meetings&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTkdVd05qQTNNak16WW1ZMyIsInQiOiJUZzVEdTRlQjlaVFhFXC9BdzRwekNJK1hWenFySGtMSXJySVB0d1FrMitFcVgwOHhYaXdjTXZveTJZalR5R2xpdnBCbko2bDlQMDA3OE16dDVUZUY1YU4yRG5PZ3pBaEFKc2MyZHQ4d1FrRE5TVzFwaU5hYmpvalhmVWJnckg4WFQifQ%3D%3D

Mr Blair

Below is the Zoom invitation to the Scout Troop Meeting at 7 PM. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks.

Mark Blair is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Troop 648 Scout Meeting
Time: Apr 14, 2020 07:00 PM Arizona

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/5038931776?pwd=eEUrb3V0V0hCVTlUOEpEZFpYMkRaUT09

Meeting ID: 503 893 1776
Password: 018920
One tap mobile
+13462487799,,5038931776#,,#,018920# US (Houston)
+16699006833,,5038931776#,,#,018920# US (San Jose)

Dial by your location
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US
+1 301 715 8592 US
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 503 893 1776
Password: 018920
Find your local number: https://us04web.zoom.us/u/fdQ1QpbxA3

Below is the invitation and meeting info for next week’s TAC Meeting. Please let me know if you have any questions. Show up to discuss the virtual meetings we’re going to start next week, or just to see Mr McFetter’s “Tiger King” background pictures. See everyone then.

Mark Blair is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Troop 648 TAC Meeting
Time: Apr 14, 2020 06:00 PM Arizona

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/5038931776?pwd=eEUrb3V0V0hCVTlUOEpEZFpYMkRaUT09

Meeting ID: 503 893 1776
Password: 018920
One tap mobile
+13462487799,,5038931776#,,#,018920# US (Houston)
+16699006833,,5038931776#,,#,018920# US (San Jose)

Dial by your location
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US
+1 301 715 8592 US
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 503 893 1776
Password: 018920
Find your local number: https://us04web.zoom.us/u/fdQ1QpbxA3

Troop 648,
I hope this update finds our Scouting family safe and well. I am first going to apologize for the length of this e-mail. It is longer than most, but believe me, chock full of information and discussion topics about what the Scout Leadership envisions the rest of the the month (and possibly beyond) will look like for our Troop. Obviously unless redirected, the state of Arizona is in a “stay at home” order likely through the end of April. All face to face meetings and outings and projects are cancelled or postponed. This includes Sean Hart’s upcoming Eagle Project (new date to be determined), and most likely the early May outing at Parson Spring. We will be notifying the Troop if that might possibly be rescheduled at a later time.

Now a recap of the PLC Meeting. We had a “virtual” PLC Meeting using the Zoom videoconferencing platform. I think it went very well, and a lot of good ideas and solutions were discussed about how to go forward this month for the Troop. It was decided that we will attempt our first Virtual meeting this Tuesday (4/14/2020) at 7 PM on Zoom. It is a very easy software program to use and easy to set up a free account. I recommend everyone doing that prior to Tuesday to get used to the process. I will be sending out, in a separate e-mail, the invite to the meeting and recommendations on how an efficient and polite Zoom meeting should go (just a few recommended rules). We have a great speaker scheduled for that night. State Senator Heather Carter from Arizona’s 15th Legislative District will be speaking about the role of government during the current crisis. Please let us know if you have difficulty with accessing the program or need equipment to do so. We’ll try to the best of our ability to get that lent out to you.

To all the adults and adult leaders, we will be having a short TAC (Troop Activity Council) Meeting just before the Troop meeting at 6 PM. This is open to all adults who wish to hear and opine more about the virtual meetings upcoming. Because of a lack of ability to have any other events at this time, the meeting will be mainly about the virtual meetings. I will send a separate invite for that meeting – again only for the Parents, guardians and adult leaders in the Troop.

A final note is about the opportunity to continue to help the community and local neighbors through volunteer work and donations. There have recently been two chances to be involved in that I would like to share with you. First, Joseph Sucher’s Mom, Mrs Sucher, would like to bring to everyone’s attention the Harvest Compassion Center. They are currently in desperate need of Diapers, wipes, pantry items, toiletry items, shaving cream, sunscreen and single pack toothbrushes. If anyone would like to help organize, to donate, or would just help spread the word and let Mrs Sucher know, she would be more than happy to coordinate a way to get those items. She can be contacted at [email protected]. The second is an idea from one of our adult leaders that the Troop itself contact a local food bank and try to contact friends and neighbors about collection and delivering items to the food bank. That is something we can discuss at the meeting next Tuesday (Both TAC and Troop Meeting).

As always, out thoughts are with all of our Scouts and their extended families as we continue to get through this crisis together. Please stay in contact, and let us know if there is anything we can do to help.

Mr Blair

Troop 648 Scoutmaster

[email protected]

(602) 430-8142

Troop 648,
I hope these updates continue to find your families safe and in good health. This weekend the Federal Government anticipates the Social Distancing recommendations to continue through the end of April. Also, this morning, the State Government issued an order to extend the closure of Arizona schools for the reminder of the year. With this information, we have to continue to be responsible citizens and postpone our weekly in-person meeting gatherings. I encourage all Scouts and families to look at previous postings about the availability of Merit Badges that can be completed, or partially completed on-line/virtually with a counselor. The adult and Scout leadership is also going to look at the possibility of doing some virtual meetings in the upcoming weeks. To that point, I would like all Scout leaders (SPL, ASPL’s, Troop Guides, Patrol Leaders and Scribe to contact me (Mr Blair) and the SPL (Arjun Blair) directly to organize a virtual meeting for the upcoming PLC meeting being held next Tuesday (4/7/2020). I will send out a directed e-mail to all those leaders in order to send instructions, platform we will use and time of meeting. This will be a mandatory meeting of all Scout leaders, where we will discuss the possibility of virtual meetings for the Troop.

In the meantime, we will be cancelling this week’s Troop Meeting and the upcoming meetings for the month of April, at least. I would like all Scouts to remember that Scouting and their journey in Scouts can continue. All Scouts should still be living the Scout Oath and Law, to be doing a good deed daily, and to be doing their part in this crisis to continue to be responsible citizens in the community, country and world. I would like to challenge all Scouts to e-mail myself or the SPL with what they did that day as a good deed, or what they did to help there community as a whole during the crisis. E-mail me at: [email protected], and/or your SPL at [email protected]. I will post and share these with the Troop, so that we continue to feel connected as a family.

Thanks to everyone for their understanding and patience as we adjust our program during these uncertain and stressful times

Your’s in Scouting,
Mr Blair
Troop 648 Scoutmaster