Boy Scout Troop 648 Scottsdale, Arizona

WOW!!!!!!!  What a great turn out.  Thanks to everyone who was able to make it to the meeting last night.  It was a great show of force and support to the Scouts.  At one point I counted more parents/leaders than Scouts!  We were able to complete most of the Board of Reviews and all of the Scoutmaster Conferences due to everyone pitching in.  We will attempt to be better organized to make sure that parents don’t come and sit and wait to be asked at the meeting.  I know some were “standing by” and ready to help, but never got the call.  Thanks again for making sure that the Scouts have a fun and rewarding Court of Honor next week.

Mark Blair

Scoutmaster Troop 648

Here are some of the links to the upcoming Merit Badge Clinics (all of these will fill up fast!):

https://scoutingevent.com/010-octcapenvironsciencemb (Environmental Science Merit Badge)-CAP

https://scoutingevent.com/010-nov3mammalstudy (Mammal Study Merit Badge)- Odysea Aquarium

https://scoutingevent.com/010-nov17insectstudy (Insect Study Merit Badge)-Butterfly Wonderland

https://mim.org/events/boy-scout-badge-day-dec-1-2018/ (Music Merit Badge) – MIM

https://scoutingevent.com/010-dec1mammalstudy (Mammal Study Merit Badge)- Odysea Aquarium

 

https://scoutingevent.com/010-scottsdalemuseumwest (4 Merit Badges)- Scottsdale Museum of the West

https://scoutingevent.com/010-janrobotics (Robotics Merit Badge) – LEOGOLAND Discovery Center

https://scoutingevent.com/010-janoceanographymb (Oceanography Merit Badge) – SEALIFE Arizona

https://scoutingevent.com/010-feboceanography (Oceanography Merit Badge) – SEALIFE Arizona

https://scoutingevent.com/010-marchrobotics (Robotics Merit Badge) – LEOGOLAND Discovery Center

https://scoutingevent.com/010-march2019 (Metalwork Merit Badge) – SMART Local 369

https://scoutingevent.com/010-marchoceanography (Oceanography Merit Badge) – SEALIFE Arizona

To stay up to date, please join the Grand Canyon Council Facebook Page.

A general alarm call is being sent out to the adult leaders and parents of Troop 648.  Next week is the week before the Fall COH.  This usually means there is a big push for the Scouts to try to finish up Merit Badges and get last minute Rank requirements and Scoutmaster Conferences signed off.  I currently have at least 3 Board of Review requests, and 2 Scoutmaster Conferences requested for next week.  It would be very helpful if any available parent could attend the meeting next week so that we can perform as many reviews as possible before the following week’s COH.  This is an extremely important part of Scouting – the recognition and awards the Scouts receive for all their hard work over the past few months.  Thank you in advance for your participation, and as always thank you to all leaders and adults for their continued support in Scouting.

Mark Blair

Troop 648 Scoutmaster

Effective immediately, all merit badge counselors must have completed the new Youth Protection Training that was placed online on Feb 1, 2018 to be considered registered.   This policy is for all merit badge counselors, no exceptions.

Later this week, Scoutbook will automatically not list any merit badge counselor who has not completed YPT on or after 2/1/18

When the merit badge counselor list is replaced on our council website, all counselors who have not completed the new training will be removed from the list.

If a counselor takes the training after the list is uploaded, they will be returned to the list on the next upload to the council website (which normally occurs monthly.)

Scoutbook will reflect that they have taken the training the next day or two and return them to the list there.

How to check your Youth Protection training date and expiration

1. Log in to My.Scouting.org.
2. Click “Menu” at the top left.
3. Click “My Dashboard.”
4. Make sure you’re under “My Training” and “YPT.”
5. Note the date next to “Youth Protection Training Certification.” You’ll see the date you completed the course right there. Below that, you’ll find the date your certification expires — two years after completion.
6. If your completion date is on or after 02/01/18, you have taken the updated training.
7. Next make sure you’re my.Scouting account is linked to your Merit Badge Counselor postion:
8. Click on the three line menu in the upper left and select “My Profile” and make sure under Active Positions, it lists merit badge counselor.  If it does not, send an email to: gccadvancement1@gmail.com
9. Congrats! Thanks for your efforts to help keep Scouts safe.

This is a friendly reminder about the PLC meeting tomorrow at 6PM at CCC. If you led a campout last month, if you are leading one this month, if you are leading one next month, or if you are in a Senior Leadership position ( SPL, ASPL (Meetings), ASPL   (Outings), Troop Guides, Patrol Leder (or your Patrol’s representative if the PL can’t attend, or Scribe) then you are expected to be at the meeting. Also invited are any other nosey individuals who like to partake in a fun lively discussion of your Troop’s upcoming events. Thank you. See you tomorrow

Mark Blair

Scoutmaster

Greetings!

This is a reminder that Mr. Butler is having an ‘invitation only’ camping gear sale for all members of Troop 648 this weekend, Saturday, Sept 29, 2018 from 8am-1pm, while things last!

This will include years of camping, backpacking, camp cooking and a few other things that might be considered Scout like.  For example: Tents, sleeping bags, Coleman stoves, high BTU cookstove, external frame backpacks (3 of them), hiking sticks, cast iron skillets, Dutch ovens, backpacking stoves, propane Fat Fryer, propane crock pot, small propane grill, port-a-potties and more. Possibly some SCUBA gear.

Open to Troop 648 Scout Families at bargain prices.

LOCATION:

4556 E Paso Trail

Phoenix, AZ 85050

This is a quick reminder that this is the last weekend to renew your YPT on-line.  As of this Monday (10/1), if you haven’t completed it, you will be dropped as a Merit Badge Counselor in the system and have to re-apply.  Thank you to everyone who has already completed this.  Please let us know if you have any questions.

Mark Blair

Troop 648 Scoutmaster

hornetdermdoc@gmail.com

This weekend Troop 648 had fourteen members take our half dozen troop canoes for a voyage extravaganza along the Verde River.  Camping only 2 miles and launching only 9 miles from our backpacking trip last month, the two events had only the beautiful twinkling lights of Jerome off in the distance and an extreme amount of fun in common.  Oh yeah, I guess we did also see another tarantula!  On Saturday morning, Troop 648 arose early and cooked breakfast in the wild.  Overhearing a scout say, ‘Well we could toss it in the woods’, the curious Assistant Scoutmaster went over to further understand the issue.  Discovering scrambled eggs stuck to the bottom of their pan, he quickly staved off disaster by describing them as the scout delicacy ‘crunchy eggs’, leading to all the scouts wanting to try them.  This also led to further ‘crunchy’ themes the remainder of the trip (e.g. Doritos in hot dogs, and Graham crackers in oatmeal).   A bit later, upon arriving at the launch site, it was recommended by the rangers that we not send novice canoers through the class 2 rapids downstream as we had planned.  Rather than go to West Clear Creek as an alternate launch site many miles away, our intrepid T648 boatsmen negotiated something no one else does from where we were – paddle upstream, and then return down on the other side of a long narrow river island.  A beautiful morning of paddling through lush foliage, portaging through narrows, and bombing through ‘class 2 ripples’ coming back downstream ensued.  Only one cap-size and one broken paddle occurred, and a rip-roaring success was declared by all.  The remainder of the outing included an afternoon of splashing in the river, watching the space station brightly glide overhead in the night sky, completing a high desert night hike, encountering a heron, an owl and a gila monster, all while deepening friendships, building new skills, and ‘getting things signed off!’

Next month? Camporee at Geronimo!

Hello Troop 648

If you are attending the base camp and canoeing outing this weekend to the Dead Horse State Park and Verde River area, please be sure to read (especially Scouts) the info below. If you are attending and have not signed up yet, please let me know as soon as possible and be sure to also sign up on Scoutbook.

• Forecasted temps on Saturday will be 91ËšF for a high and 65ËšF for the low. Nice weather, but still hot.
• Bring a lot of drinking water
• Bring a lot of drinking water
• Bring a lot of drinking water
• Don’t forget sunscreen/sun protection including a wide brim hat
• If your Scout doesn’t know a ‘thwart’ from a ‘gunnel’ please have him read and study this
• If  your Scout doesn’t know how to ‘portage’ please have him watch this short video
• If your Scout doesn’t know the basic canoe strokes and how to propel, turn, stop, etc, have him watch this video
• Have your Scout bring a daypack as they will need one on the float. There will be some portaging (carrying the canoe from navigable water to navigable water). If they are carrying a canoe on their shoulders and have 27 other miscellaneous things with them and no daypack, it will be challenging :o).
• Expect 3-4 hours floating/portaging, so manage necessary water. If it were me, I’d bring about 2-4 liters per hour.
• If you are anywhere near the water (on shore, on the water, in the canoe, etc.), you MUST be wearing a PFD. No exceptions.
• Buddy system at all times on and near the water. No exceptions.
• Remind your Scout that they will need to bring water with them on Saturday for the river float and best to carry some snacks
• Be sure to have your Scout bring shoes that can get wet. They should not canoe shoeless due to the portaging.
• If your Scout was assigned to purchase the food for their patrol, please let me know as soon as you can
• Cost to be finalized, but plan for around $25 for gas (we have two trailers instead of one) and about $15-$20 for patrol food
• Scouts attending (let me know if your Scout on this list is NOT attending): Brotherton, Carson C, Carson D, Hart, Komar, Proctor, Starr
• Adults attending: Cole, Gay, Komar, Weinhold

Should be a great time! Contact me with any questions.

Mr. McFetters - Assistant Scoutmaster

Picture taken and colorized from early Verde River voyage sometime in the 1850s…Commercial fishing has since rendered the river mostly for pleasure floats now.

Aidan Brown’s Eagle Project:

Thank you everyone for all your help on my Eagle Project! It was a great turnout and everyone worked really hard. I was really proud of our troop. It meant a lot to me having you all there supporting me during my project. Our beneficiary was really happy with how it all turned out.

Here are some before and after pictures of how we helped Club SAR!

Thanks again to everyone!

Aidan Brown