Ski Trip 2015 - Dates are set

Attention Ski bums, Snowboarders & Cross Country Skiers !

Our annual Ski Trip to Camelback Mountain is in the planning phase.  The dates are confirmed for the weekend of January 23 to 25, 2015. 

We received official word that our host church friends have agreed to allow us to bunk on the floor again, Yeah!   And hot meals cooked in their kitchen - Double YEAH!

. . . skiing for all ability levels . . . and Snow boarding at Camelback again! If anyone is interested in cross country skiing, please speak to Mr. Rhodunda, there might be an option for that also. . . Prices for trip will be announced in November, most likely the same ballpark as last year, $86 +/- rentals.

Bob Rhodunda is trip leader again this year.  Check out photos from last year's trip here.

Updates & Announcements

     The fall scouting season is well underway now, and Troop 67 is busy, busy, busy.  Here are some updates that you should be aware of:

CAMPING TRIPS: 
     Sign up for Webelos Woods!  Date is Nov. 21-23.  Sign ups are now open.  Here's the link: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/805054fabaa23a75-webelos  Patrols should be in the planning phase now for their activity stations.  In addition to the Webelos from Pack 67 we have invited boys from some other Packs also.  We will have a lot of fun on this trip. . . and of course a turkey feast for all.  Don't miss it. 

     Backpacking Trips - yes, notice the "S" because we have two separate trips planned.  Date is Oct. 24-26.  New scouts will go local to Brandywine Creek State Park (BCSP) and experience their first backpacker with the troop.  Link to signup-genius: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/805054fabaa23a75-brandywine  Mr. Ebbott is leader, with Mr. Shannon and Mr. Tanner there too. 
     Experienced scouts will head out to Broad Creek Scout Reservation (Broad Creek) for a more robust experience in the foothills of Maryland.  Sign up for this trip here: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/805054FABAA23A75-broad   Mr.Stone, Mr. Cable & Mr. Pendley are your leaders on this trip. 
     A Message from your Scoutmaster Mr. Walker:
The Brandywine Creek backpacking trip is primarily for our younger scouts and is an intro to backpacking. Focus will be on Backpacking training, 2nd and 1st class requirements.  There will also be a backpacker for older scouts at another more rustic location. This trip will be designed to fulfill Camping MB requirements and the group will carry all of their gear.
The troop has several loaner backpacks so don't buy anything.

Fall is a wonderfully time of year for camping and backpacking. Don't miss this!

In Scouting,
Mr. Walker
NOTE: Any scout who is 2nd year, 3rd year, etc. and has never done a backpacking trip should speak to Mr. Walker to determine if BCSP or Broad Creek is best for you.  Another note: Mr. Ebbott may want a couple of experienced scouts to guide the new guys at BCSP so if he asks you to join that trip then be sure to sign up on the correct list!

UPCOMING MEETINGS:
     Oct. 20 - Troop meeting.  Besides the regular meeting plan, please make note that Mrs. Toto will be there to collect your POPCORN Take Order Forms.  The 20th is the deadline because she has to get our troop order in to council.  Time to make that final push for popcorn sales!
     Oct. 27 - PLC meeting.  Newly sworn in patrol leaders, and every scout who has a troop job should plan to attend either the PLC meeting, or a mentoring session with your assigned job mentor. Or, please make arrangements in advance with your mentor as needed. 

NOTE: with the change over to new scout jobs this is the time for everyone to think about what troop equipment or property you have borrowed  - - - Please return all troop equipment to the Quartermaster now.  This means a bugle from the bugler, any and all merit badge booklets or other books that you've borrowed from the scout closet (return to Librarian), and tents, tarps, stoves, coolers, etc.  At the last troop meeting we had a tent returned from a New River participant.  There must be more of these "late" tents still out there somewhere.  Please return the troop's property so that current and future scouts can make use of our equipment. 

Final note - Dues are now due.  If you haven't already, please make arrangements to pay scout and/or leader dues to Treasurer Mrs. Stone.  Want to know more about dues?  Check out our website: http://www.troop67de.com/dues.html .

Oct. 2014 Court of Honor

The boy scouts, their parents and family members, and the adult leaders of Troop 67 came together on Friday October 10, 2014 for a Court of Honor.  This was the 52nd COH held by the troop. 

The festivities began with a pot luck dinner.  True to form the chefs in our troop served up lots of great food.  Salads, several different pasta dishes, stuffed shells, fried chicken, and of course the dessert table provided plenty of good choices for dinner.

 

After dinner the room was re-arranged for the Court of Honor.  The table was very full of badges, awards and patches!  Our scouts earned 70 merit badges since the last COH.  The biggest haul was A C who earned 6 badges including Archery.  When asked by Mr. Rittberg what was the secret of finishing archery at summer camp this year - from a partial earned last year - AC replied "growing up!"  Which is very true because that's one badge that requires enough muscle to complete the requirements.

Some highlights of the awards presentations:
    13 scouts earned the Whitewater m.b. by attending the high adventure trip to New River Gorge over the summer. 
    Many Camp Horseshoe segments were earned by our summer campers.  And the new scouts earned the 100% Patrol patch as is our tradition.
    Silver Buckle = M S  and the New Scout = P L. 
    Several scouts received special recognition for earning the National Outdoor Award, the World Conservation Award, and the 100 Nights of Camping Award. 

Rank Advancements -
    The large group of new scouts moved up to the Tenderfoot rank.
    Two of our scouts earned the rank of Star - J T and A C.
    Two scouts were awarded the rank of Life - B R and M S.

*NOTE* Full names are not being used due to the internet publishing guidelines for minors.

Hawk Mtn Survivorman Camping Trip - report

  The scouts of Troop 67 turned out in force to test their survival skills at Hawk Mountain PA for a weekend camping trip. 

Yes, everyone survived!
Making the weekend even better was the fact that the weather was absolutely ideal.  The scouts built improvised shelters, but many decided to sleep in the open - under the stars - because the weather was so fine.
One downside to the weekend was that the fishing was unsuccessful.  Good thing grubmasters brought food just in case the boys couldn't catch their dinner in the lake. 

NOTE: if any scout who attended this camping trip (or adult leader) would like to write a more detailed account for this camping trip, please send to your webmaster for uploading to this blog.  Scouts are encouraged to write articles for any camping trip or event that they attend with the troop or their patrol.  Webmaster may need to edit for space and/or content, and will review with writer prior to posting here.  Photos and videos are also welcome.

 

Troop 67 calendar - revised.

Following the Troop Committee meeting last night, our calendar has been revised.

You can print out a copy for yourself using the link on our webpage WWW.troop67de.com or use this direct link: http://www.troop67de.com/documents/calendar/2014.15TroopSchedule.v2.pdf

IMPORTANT NOTES:
September 7 - Committee meeting is removed/cancel.
October 3 - Court of Honor is moved to Oct. 10th.
May 2015 - Corrections to some typos RE: Committee on 3rd and Troop on 4th.

2014 - 2015 Troop 67 Calendar Published

With the start of the 2014 - 2015 scouting season just around the corner, the Troop 67 calendar of events and important dates is now published.

You can print out a copy for yourself using the link on our webpage WWW.troop67de.com or use this direct link: http://www.troop67de.com/documents/calendar/2014.15TroopSchedule.v1.pdf

Our troop's online Google calendar will be brought up to date as time permits.

IMPORTANT EARLY DATES:
August 25 - Patrol Leaders Council meeting. 7 PM
September 8 - Troop meeting 7:15 PM
Sept. 26, 27, 28 - Camping trip to Hawk Mtn.

Environ. Sci. M.B. 2014 - UPDATE

     The scouts working on their Environmental Science merit badge met again to continue work toward this important eagle required m.b.  Mr. Rittberg led the scouts through a testing of the creek water and the creek environment at Brandywine Creek State Park.  The testing occurred at Wilson's Run which is a small creek near the main entrance to the park.  Wilson's Run drains into the Brandywine River near the bridge at Adams Dam Road. 

   The boys were successful in finding many signs that the creek is in excellent health.  At least 5 different types of fly nymphs were found.  And a small cray fish too.  Photos can be viewed here.  Many fish were seen also.  The Mayfly and the Stonefly are two species that are very sensitive and so finding them present is a good sign for this body of water.  During the chemical testing phase of the investigation, the creek passed every test in the "safe" or "excellent quality" zone of each test.  Besides a visual observation of he water, some of the tests included the following:
     pH
     temperature
     dissolved O2
     Nitrogen level
     Phosphate level
     conductivity (ions)
    
   Mr. Rittberg's volunteer status with Stream Watch Delaware came in handy for all this testing, he had supplies & procedures from the Delaware Nature Society which the boys carefully made their scientific measurements.  For a sample of the data collected, look here. 

    Also while in the park, the boys did a comparitive analysis of two natural habitats.  One was an open meadow down near Wilson's Run and the other was a mature heavy forest up on top of the hill in the tulip tree woods area.  The scouts plan to meet again late this month to do a community service project for New Castle County by eliminating some invasive plant species.  Look for another update soon !

Philmont - trips, shakedowns, advice

Philmont 2015 Shakedown to Loyalsock-Link Trail in Aug 2014
1) we found that the advice on parking was not good advice - parking at World's End State Park office is the best solution. Other parking spot are marked "Permit Only" and you must need to get county approval for parking overnight now
2) the ranger at the park advised taking the Loyalsock trail out of the Park as it is very steep and hard to come down that way. We found he was correct and tired ourselves out climbing up with our hands, although we realized we had left the trail! A short bushwhack got us back to the trail, but it was still very steep.
3) we hiked about 3 miles in to the first campsite, right near a creek. There weren't many good spots to tent, however
4) the next day we hiked to a pond with many excellent campsites, where we had our lunch. Then on to campsites next to the Loyalsock Creek which were excellent. The boys got to wade in the creek and we had a nice night
5) On Sunday we planned to hike 3 miles or so to Haystacks in the morning as it had rained and was still raining lightly in the morning. We were hoping the rain would stop and the tents could dry a bit while we did the short hike. One of our scouts was really dragging, however, and said his stomach wasn't feeling well. He also was hobbling, so we stopped and found he was also getting bad blisters. A good reason to do these shakedowns early! He went back with another scout and a leader while the rest of us pressed on down a shallow slope until about a 1/3 mile from Haystacks where the trail was very steep down. Haystacks was a bunch of big "Haystack" shaped boulders in rapids. We had a short religious service there,  which was nice. There is a very nice campsite there, but might be difficult with the steep path. But we realized it would be nice to camp there.
6) when we got back to the campsite, we had lunch and checked in our ill scout. The leader said his feet looked awful and that the scout was probably done for hiking. After lunch it rained more and we had already decided to just have the drivers get the cars by walking along a road. We got the cars and returned to pick up the rest of our crew just before the big rains arrived :)

In review:
Loyalsock-Link trail is an excellent loop as a shakedown. Haystacks is nice, but the campsites next to the creek near the bridge are fine and the scouts thought Haystacks wasn't worth the hike after wading in the creek on Saturday at the excellent campsites farther up. We didn't finish the Link trail, but part of it was washed out anyway and you had to take the road at that point. I had called the Natural resources for Loyalsock Forest, but they were not very informative. The Ranger came on Saturday as the sites next to the river are for only a night for backpackers. He told us that the trail was out and that there had been a bear at the houses nearby the weekend before! So bear bags are important.

Lessons learned:
1) buy food with scouts for backpacking trips - we had our scout buy squeeze vegetable/fruit bag things that weighed 4oz each. His lunch was a pound a piece. I had wondered why when I carried a tent it seemed lighter than carrying the food!
2) be prepared to change plans on the fly
3) teach the boys about how to avoid blisters BEFORE the trip. This wasn't a big problem with our crew in 2012, so it was a surprise. Apparently there are toe socks, wrapping in medical tape, vaseline and many other solutions. I found liner sock solved all my issues, but the scout had brought liner socks and was wearing them.
4) the early shakedown was good because we got 10 of the 11 people going to Philmont to attend, so we got a good feel for each other early on. With our 2012 crew, we did not have any trip where we had that many.
5) make sure scouts aren't bringing their own food. The scout who felt ill had brought packages of Gatorade which he had drunk freely of the day before. It could be he had too much Gatorade

Please feel free to add comments!

Troop Website - Updated

Hi Troop 67 families,
I want to let you know that I've updated the website today. Our website is: http://www.troop67de.com/

Today's update includes:
1. Several important dates such as first troop meeting of fall season, first PLC, and first camping trip. These dates are right on the top of the home page for your convenience. The complete calendar will be published soon, but you can update your home calendar with these first dates for the new scouting season.
2. New eagle project workbook link. National BSA recently revised their mandatory eagle project workbook. Use this link to access the new workbook. Life scouts who began their proposal using the old workbook can follow through with the old version; however, new project proposals must use the newly revised workbook.
3. Scroll down toward the bottom of our home page and you will see our new BLOG link. This is an exciting new way that our adult leaders will be able to communicate with all members of Troop 67. Blog postings can be about camping trip reports, troop policy changes/clarifications, service project updates, calendar change alerts, etc., etc. Any time that we have something to announce to the group we can post it in the Blog. We will continue to send email blasts through Troopmaster Software when we want to confirm that every member has received important information. But the troop committee has been looking for a way to communicate more generally with our members. Hopefully this new blog will be an effective communication tool for us.

Adult leaders who want to learn how to create a Blog 67 posting should attend the next troop committee meeting. Or see our Webmaster Dean Coffin.

***Important -- you can sign up to get email alerts when a new Blog posting has been published. Here's how to enroll for this news feed service: go to our Blog (see link on website, or click here:http://wilmingtontroop67news.blogspot.com/ ). Look up in the top right corner area to submit your email address. It's that easy. Now you are subscribed and will be notified when a new blog article is posted.

We're looking forward to a great new year of scouting!

Troop 67 Committee meeting

Please NOTE:
The Committee meeting originally scheduled for August 3rd has been moved to Sunday August 17th. Meeting is in the Aldersgate Rainbow Room at 6:30 p.m.

Troop 67 Committee meetings are open to parents of our scouts. New scout parents are welcome to attend and get involved.

Troop 67 is recognized again this year as a Gold level quality unit - congratulations to our boy scouts, our parent volunteers and our adult scouting leaders! This acheivement would not be possible without the efforts of parent volunteers - come out and join our award winning group.

Summer camp dinner

Hello, Troop 67 Families,

Camp is off to a great start, and I know we parents are looking forward to seeing our sons. Our Troop potluck dinner at the campsite is on Saturday, July 12. Please see the highlighted link below for the details, to RSVP and to sign up to bring something and/or help with clean up and set up. If you don't have time to make something, you can choose to give $10 to Carroll Taylor who is buying fried chicken and will buy more for anyone interested in contributing that way. Thanks and see you soon.

Kerry

Kerry Doyle-Shannon

Anna

Anna Flick

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040a4ea9ad2d6-summer

Troop 67

Summer Camp Family Potluck Dinner

On Saturday, July 12 families will meet their scouts at Camp Horseshoe for a potluck dinner at the scouts' campsite, Clifton Lisle site. The Troop will provide beverages and paper products. Parents are asked to RSVP and to bring a dish to share. We will not be able to reheat or refrigerate dishes so please pack your meal accordingly for the approximately one hour drive to camp.
Dinner will follow the 5:45 p.m. campwide parade in the main flag area which families are welcome to attend, but please try to arrive no later than 4:45 p.m. To see scouts compete in the semi-annual Paul Bunyan contest, please arrive by 2:30 p.m.
We also need some parents to help with set up and clean up.
Families may leave after dinner or attend the campwide campfire after dark; if you stay for this, bring a flashlight. Please wear comfortable walking shoes, not flip flops or sandals, to walk around the camp.
If you have any questions, please contact Kerry Doyle-Shannon at kdsandbls@verizon.net or Anna Flick at flick2307@gmail.com. Thanks and we look forward to seeing you!

DATE: 7/12/2014 (Sat 6:00PM - 7:00PM)

LOCATION: Camp Horseshoe

CREATED BY: Kerry Doyle-Shannon CONTACT

Environmental Science Merit Badge 2014

    Five scouts from Troop 67 have begun working on the Environmental Science Merit Badge with Mr. Rittberg as their counselor.  Mr. Rittberg's engineering background, along with his employment as a manager with the Emergency Response Group of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, make him a great resource for our scouts who need to complete this eagle required badge.
   

    The first few sessions have seen the scouts visit an air quality monitoring station to learn about what our air is tested for and how the testing is conducted, And the boys dressed for and demonstrated a HAZMAT clean up drill both for a spill on land and a spill in a stream. 

     At the air quality monitoring station the boys learned that most of the testing is for very small, microscopic compounds, although testing for particulate matter is also part of the testing.  The tests are run on certain days and intervals which are in conjunction with air quality testing nationwide.  The results are send in to the U.S. EPA for compilation and analysis. 

    To see the complete set of photos from these meetings, visit the troop 67 photo album.

 

June 2014 COURT OF HONOR

     On June 7th 2014 at Brandywine Creek State Park, Troop 67 held a Court of Honor.  This was the 51st COH that we have held in the 17 years since we've been chartered.  The ceremony was preceded by a wonderful pot luck picnic which was a big hit - especially since almost everything was home made and really delicious.  Mr. Friedkin & Mr. Coffin offered their grills for service and they were really put to the test as about 75 burgers and 40 dogs were cooked up in short order. 

     In April we had ten new scouts join the troop after crossing over from Pack 67.  These boys were recognized with their Scout badge and were welcomed into Troop 67. 

     Rank Advancements - there was only one rank advancement this time:  BG has earned the rank of Star.

     Merit badges - the following badges were earned since our last COH: 

A C	- Safety
B R	- Law
B G	- Communications, Environ.Science
A T	- Cit.World, Cit.Nation, Camping, Pers.Fitness, Pers.Mgm't

*Full names are not being used due to internet publishing.  AT was obviously working hard these last few months finishing up 5 eagle badges!  Way to go!

New Scout Campout report

     New scouts & old joined together for activity stations, fishing, and a large scale monkey bridge at Roosevelt S.R. in New Jersey this past weekend.  There was a great turnout of adult leaders too, as new dads & old gathered to lend a hand during the weekend.

     We have ten new scouts this year.  These boys were put through some activity stations run by the older scouts - learning how to pitch their own tent, how to start a campfire & cook foil packs over coals, how to participate in a color guard & flag etiquette, and how to recognize poisonous plants. 

     After the learning business was taken care of the boys broke into two groups and either went fishing or built a monkey bridge.  The monkey bridge was on a grand scale, and Mr.'s Landis, Mundy & MacEwen came for the day to help supervise the construction. 

     The fishing was good.  A variety of panfish, bass and catfish were caught.  Live bait & artificial lures were used but mostly live worms had the best result.  The weather was good except for a evening shower that cut our campfire program short.  When we got back to town we heard that a bad thunderstorm had gone thru Wilmington, but we didn't have any rough weather across the river in Jersey.  Overall there was a fun relaxed atmosphere on this camping trip but we got work done too.

Philly Trip & Pine Hill S.R.

     Sixteen scouts, along with four leaders, got their fill of history & cheese steaks this past weekend on our camping trip to Philadelphia.  There was alot of hiking around the center city/olde town area.  And we took both the high speed PATCO train as well as the Market Frankfort subway train. 

We ate lunch at Campo's near the Franklin Court area - great cheese steaks.  They had a sign out front saying "scout groups welcome" and it was a great choice because their food is awesome!  We stayed in a cabin with wood burning stove over at Pine Hill Scout Reservation in New Jersey. 

Some of the stuff we saw in the city:  the LOVE statue, the Comcast building, City Hall, a run up the steps at the Art Museum, the Rocky statue, a tour of the Mutter Museum (creepy medical oddities!), Ben Franklin's burial place, Independence Hall, and the National Portrait Gallery at Independence Mall.  To view the complete photos from the weekend, check out this link.

Springer Middle School gets upgrades to their veggie garden thanks to Troop 67!

     Thanks to a joint community service project of Boy Scout Troop 67 Wilmington, Delaware and the nonprofit organization Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids (HFHK) we are proud to announce that Springer Middle School now has wheelchair access to their vegetable garden.  Troop 67 came out in force on Saturday March 8, 2014 to modify the existing garden by raising the planting bed and building a ramp into the garden. 

Scouts hard at work:

Boy scouts constructing a raised planting bed for Springer M.S. vegetable garden.

     HFHK began at Springer back in 2005.  Now there are gardens at over 20 schools throughout the state of Delaware.  You can read about the group on their website here.  And check out their latest newsletter thru this link.

 

 

     This service project is just one of many that are undertaken every year by Troop 67's scouts, leaders, and families.  We literally give hundreds of hours per year to our community.  And many projects are completely funded through the troop and private donations (although this Springer garden wheelchair accessibility project was funded by a federal grant won by HFHK).  Boy scouts the world over are known for their good deeds. . . the scouts of Troop 67 certainly have taken that spirit to heart!

Gold Rush Derby 2014

     This year's Gold Rush was cut down from a weekend camping trip into a one day event due to a serious snow storm forecast to hit our area Thursday night into Friday.  This is kind of ironic since this is the one year that the "Klondike" theme was being suspended in favor of a California 49er theme complete with the sleds having been converted to wagons!

Scouts participate in the 2 man saw competition.

     Of course the boys of Troop 67 had some awesome fun in the 6" of snow, but about half the units scheduled to attend cancelled in the days leading up to the weekend.  Our scouts did us proud by bringing home the typical assortment of prizes.  This year's honors are:
  1. Third place in the Golden Compass to the Ram patrol.
  2. First place for Best Scout Run Station to the Godzilla patrol.
  3. Fastest time of the day in Two Scout Saw - Michael and Ethan.

Our station was a lashing project snowball catapult.

     As you could guess the weather played very well into our troop's station - a catapult lashing project.  Another lucky break was that the planning committee modified the day's events so that patrols traveled in pairs to every station.  This set up a snowball fight for each group of visiting scouts!  It's so nice when things come together perfectly.  When our own scouts returned to our campsite they had a good long snowball war while their foil packs were cooking on the open fire.  Complete set of photos from the day are here.

     Turns out that Gold Rush as a one day event was alot of fun. Check out the video.

Scout Sunday and Court of Honor

     Today was a busy day for the scouts, leaders, and families of Boy Scout Troop 67 Wilmington, Delaware.  The day began with the annual Scout Sunday at Aldersgate United Methodist Church.  Aldersgate is the charter organization which sponsors Troop 67.  The scouts acted as greeters and ushers for both morning services.  A special highlight for the troop was that 6 recent eagle scouts made up the color guard at the 11 a.m. service and each young man spoke to the congregation about his path to eagle and his eagle project.

     The troop held a general Court of Honor in the afternoon.  This Court of Honor (COH) is our 50th since the troop was established in 1996.  This COH included lunch for those present and rank advancements, merit badges, and awards were presented.  In addition to 3 rank advancements and 7 merit badges, the special awards were for Journey to Excellence (Gold) to the entire troop, 100 Nights of Camping award to one scout, and the announcement of the winners of the annual Cook Off competition - the Beaver patrol.  We were honored to have Pastor Chris Pennington join us for lunch.

The Moose patrol are leading the points competition at mid-year.  Keep up the good work!