Merit Badge University

Posted on February 1, 2012 by henebry

Registration is now live for Merit Badge University, scheduled for March 3 from 8AM to 1PM. Classes take place on Harvard campus. This is a great opportunity to earn a badge or two that’s not being offered locally in our troop.

January Minutes

Posted on January 31, 2012 by henebry

Troop/Crew Committee Meeting, 1/31/12

Attending: Michelle Holmes, Peter Desnoyers, Karuppiah Kannan , Helen O’Rourke, Ed Rice, Karene-Sean Hines, Mary Ellen Galante, Michael Payne, Colin Zick, Robin Bonner, Richard Klibaner, Chuck Henebry, David English, Derrick Jackson, Kate Elliot Smith, Jared Seaquist

Feb Ski trip to Stratton Mountain: ski trip (helen) – looks like good group of kids, excited. bad – need more 1 more driver (currently Brian O’R, Colin Z and Karene driving). Helen O’R will contact the parents of youth attending looking for a driver/parent leader. Richard needs the driver info asap, so he can get the tour permit in.

Total of 14 kids going on the trip, though several kids haven’t paid dues yet. (Dues letters sent jan 17th, and michelle confirms that dues must be paid before ski trip.)

Michael P on the Wilderness First Aid trip in March (Trip O’R the youth leader): the sessions start 8AM on Saturday, 9 on Sunday. Decision to depart Sat 7:00 AM.

Richard K on the Need trip in April: youth will do a survey of the coastline, in prep for a future disaster (oil spill, etc.).

Colin Z on the Orienteering Event on April 14: happening on the Hale reservation (where we did the Turkey roast). Lasts 9-3 on Saturday (not an overnight)

Peter D on the bike trip in May: Planning to bike out the Minuteman trail, camp. Possibly looking to bring Webelos along.

Michelle H on the June canoe trip: Need to firm up trip details. Also need to plan for doing swim tests, perhaps using Hannah as lifeguard.

Philmont: Britt reports via Michelle that he’s still working on finding kids for the trip, though it looks like the council’s also trying to drum up participants for its motley crew.

Karene will be leading our summer camp group: planning on July 8-14. Peter D and Brian O’R will both do a half-week. Some older scouts will probably do Eagle Week (Chris D, Trip, …). Deposits on the troop’s camp application are due 8/15, so Helen will get it it immediately.

Chuck on website: trying to encourage use of the website. Resolved to send out emails that direct people to info that’s up on the website.

Kate on Advancement: Ricky has board of review coming up very soon (great job Ricky!), and Michael will help in coordinating the Eagle ceremony; Eddie is nearly done with his final workbook, and will likely receive the award next fall.

Merit Badge University: Registration is now live. Register on the Council Website by 2/12.

Scholarship Request on behalf of youth hoping to serve as National Jamboree staff. He can pay $100 of the registration fee, but needs roughly $50 to pay for remainder. Michelle hopes to cover the rest of the cost (another $150) using a grant from the Council Trust. This amount moved and approved by the committee.

The same youth is interested in attending Philmont, but the cost is much higher: $1400. Some brainstorming on how to raise this amount from local charities. Michelle will coordinate the effort to raise this amount. Derrick J suggests opportunity to get matching funds during the Spring fundraiser. Karene will talk to Paula Malady about doing outreach with local business associations.

Michael P on Charter Organization: We need to meet with David E’s church. Peter suggests that his church in Harvard Sq might house us temporarily (a year or so) but may not have basement storage space.

Spring Fundraiser: the youth did brainstorming and came up with several options: lemonade, flowers, bake sale, recipe book, pet services, 4th July flags, car wash. Flowers the most promising of these ideas. Colin Z thinks that selling plants is likely to yield $$ on the order of what we raise from wreath sales (i.e. not including what we make on trees). David remembers a similar sale for his Church: they assembled bouquets (100 in an hour) and made good money (cost $7, sold for $15).

Order of the Arrow: nominating Robin Bonner as adult. (Go Robin!)

Colin Zick: Pack 74 is being revived in Beacon Hill. This is the old pack # that the Zicks and O’Rourkes came from when then joined T/C 56. Colin plans suggest to them to send their webelos over to us at least in the short term (until such time as they have a critical mass to start a scout troop over there).

New Patrols

Posted on January 30, 2012 by henebry

If you want to be a patrol leader you need to come to the meeting tomorrow because we will be choosing patrol leaders then. The new patrols are as follows:

Patrol 2

Nate
Eddie
Maddie
Beau
Hugo
Slater
Adam
Alix
Ellen
Casey

Patrol 1:

Andreas
Chris
Jacob
Lucas
Tripp
Emma
Tharun
Nina
Keven
Abenezer

YiS,
Brian Zick

New Troop Positions

Posted on January 29, 2012 by henebry

The new Troop and Crew positions are as follows:

Chaplain’s Aide: Emma
Den Chief: Alix and Abenezer
Quartermaster: Jacob
Troop Guide: Hugo and Lucas
Scribe: Tripp
Scribe-in-training: Nina
ASPL: Ricky

Snowshoe Trip: Photos

Posted on January 18, 2012 by henebry

Here are photos I took on the Snowshoe trip last weekend. Let me know in the comments what you think of this way of sharing troop/crew photographs. I experimented with Photobucket and Flickr, but I wasn’t happy that these services didn’t give you access to the full size photograph. The photos shown below are all hosted directly on the Troop/Crew 56 website, and if you click through you can download the full 2592 × 1936 image. On the other hand, the gallery here isn’t easy to page through and there’s no slideshow option.

Boots for Snowshoe Trip

Posted on January 9, 2012 by henebry

Dear Scouts,

If you’re going on the snowshoe trip next weekend (Fri. Jan. 13-Sun. Jan. 16), you will need winter boots with removable liners. If you don’t have boots like this, we can borrow them from the AMC office in Boston.

If you need to borrow boots for the trip, please be at the church on Tuesday at 3:45 pm. We’ll take the Red Line to the AMC office on Beacon Hill. We should be back about 5 pm.

If you need a ride from North or West Cambridge to the church, I can offer a ride from my house. (Not sure about a ride home, though.)

Please let me know if:

You’ll be at the church at 3:45 on Tues.
You need a ride to the church.
You don’t need to borrow boots because you have boots of your own THAT HAVE REMOVABLE LINERS.OR
You need to make additional arrangements.

Thanks.

YiS,

Robin Bonner <desert_mouse@verizon.net>

p.s. Peter Desnoyers comments, “Olympia Sports in Fresh Pond had boots that would work, for I think $35 or $40. They’re only in smaller sizes (I think 8 was the largest), and they’re pink and black.”

December Minutes

Posted on December 21, 2011 by henebry

Troop/Crew 56 – Troop Committee Minutes December 20, 2011

Meeting commenced at 8:00 pm

Present: Holmes, Klibaner, Rice, Desnoyers, Elliot-Smith, English, Bonner, McClennen, Rideout, Zick, Hines

Brief Reports
- Tree/Wreath Fundraiser – Colin
  - Totals better than 2010– $2386 ($140 better than last year) for Troop/Crew, $1160 for Cubs ($143 better than last year) Discussion of factors that led to increased sales.
  - David reports that 25 wreaths of Ed Henley’s order should be credited to Beau (once paid) and 30 to Eddie. Other Ed Henley orders go to the general fund.
  - Colin looking for assistant for next year.
- Activities/Schedule – Richard
  - December Museum (Jared): Richard reported that the trip was fine but not hugely attended (5 scouts).
  - February Ski (Brian): No report
  - January Snowshoe (Robin/David): MLK Weekend. Trip is maxed out. Hugo/Ricky co-leading trip.
  - March WFA (Mike): Mike will sign everyone up; sign-up is not available yet. To be held at Camp Sayre, March 3-4?
  - April – NEED Cape Cod trip (Richard): Application all set. April 27-29.
  - Orienteering (Colin): PLC has approved; Committee supports. Colin to sign up interested scouts in January.
  - Philmont preparations – Britt: No news to report.
  - Summer camp- Michele: Thinking about which of the 4 available weeks to attend, and discussion of which scouts and adults will attend. Discussion of who would be good candidates for NYLT.
- Website – Chuck: No progress.
- Treasurers – Helen/Brian, regarding Spring term billing and Scout accounts after fundraiser: No report
- Scoutmaster/Advisor – David/Robin: Younger scouts asked about second trip in March since they are not doing wilderness first aid; orienteering may take care of that. Youth suggested rock climbing, perhaps March 11-12 with David and Peter as adults, perhaps Anita. Snow czar is away for Christmas; Abenezer volunteered to fill in.
- Snow czar advisor will be away 12/26-12/31. Michelle will serve as fill-in advisor to Abenezer.
Charter Organizationupdate – Brian on Presentation to St. James: Kate reports that Maddie and Adam were effective presenters, as were Mike and Kate. The church had several questions but seemed very interested in us. They asked for written materials from the troop/crew, and Robin’s handbook and the FAQs will be provided in a week from the meeting (12/20/12). It may be discussed at the church’s next vestry meeting. Ed reports that Grace Church might be moving to Watertown in July.
David and Peter will follow up with their respective churches.
Rechartering – (Training Audit) – Michelle: Update on training and need to keep current, based on chart that has been circulated.
Richard calls attention to new Troop/Crew calendar URL: tiny.cc/yb82n

Meeting concluded at 9:05pm

November Minutes

Posted on November 30, 2011 by henebry

Attending: Paula Malady, Michelle Holmes, Britt Rideout, Derrick Jackson, Brian O’Rourke, Richard Klibaner, Robin Bonner, Ed Rice, David English, Anita McClellan, Karenee-Sean Hines, Kate Smith, Mary Ellen Galante, Michael Payne

Next week’s meeting will be taken over by venturers from all over the council. So our meeting is being shifted 30 minutes earlier (to 6:30), so we can take care of some troop business ahead of time. Younger scouts (who aren’t eligible to be Venturers) will go out to the park and complete their exercise testing for Tenderfoot. Richard, Britt and Mary Ellen will supervise, since the older scouts need to be present for the Venturing meeting.

Thanks to the Harvard Square Business Association: Paula Malady reports that they helped us obtain a license for the Winthrop St. site that we’ve used in Fall fundraising. Trip will mail a thank-you letter to Denise Jillson of the Bus Assn. Note also that we owe a fee of $75 to the City of Cambridge.

TRIPS

Richard is adult leader for the upcoming trip on Dec 17 trip to the African American Museum. Departing from the church at 9:30 and returning by 2.

David is adult leader for Jan snowshoe trip. 13th-16th (Fri-Mon). Start in Highland center. X-skiing Sat. Hike to Lonesome lake, stay two nights, hike out Monday. 6 adults reserved: Britt, Chuck, Mary Ellen, David, Robin + room for one more.

Brian is adult leader for the Feb ski trip. Weekend to be announced next meeting, but tentatively 10th-12th. Similar to last year’s trip: staying in Brian’s condo in Stratton, getting a group rate on lift tix, rentals, and 2 hr lesson. Staying two nights, one day of skiing.

Michael Payne is leader for the Wilderness First Aid trip in March, bunking at Camp Sayre in Milton. He’s having trouble registering with the council. It’s a great course, designed for adults, and being offered to Philmont-bourne scouts through the council. Teaches really vital emergency procedures, well beyond CPR, stuff we’ve used regularly at Philmont. 10 adults interested; 6 youth.

Richard is leader for the NEED trip. It’s all set and planned.

Britt reports we have 4/7 slots filled for Philmont. So it’s time to start recruiting from outside the troop. Derrick comments that the council Philmont crew is also small and might be willing to join up with us. This would save the effort of recruiting, but would cost us our deposit (!)

Finances

Brian reports that only one youth is still not paid up, and that youth hasn’t been selling trees or fundraising. Britt will chat with the family.

Fundraising

Colin reports he’s only gotten money for tree orders from two scouts. The last chance to submit orders and $$ is on Thursday at the Cubs meeting. Colin isn’t sure how many of them will actually show up. But that Cub meeting really is the last chance to put in orders.

We’re a bit late now for selling holiday cards, but with Derrick’s new flower cards we might consider doing cards for mothers’ day. Colin also mentions the possibility of selling actual flowers for Easter.

Advancement

Kate Smith reports 27 merit badges awarded at the recent Court of Honor though no rank advancement. Kate also explained the basics of advancement to groups of youth, divided by age group. We have a flyer made up that lays out the key requirements for scouts in relation to requirements for Venturing advancement. Helps make clear how they can advance in both systems in parallel.

Troop/Crew FAQ

Kate and Robin and others helped put together a FAQ for the troop, covering history, advancement, equipment, fundraising, etc.

Troop/Crew Handbook

Robin describes it as a 45-50 page policy handbook, a how-to guide, and a history. So trying to do a lot and trying to address several audiences. Might be best hosted on the website. The new parent primer that Kate helped make is a better fit for most newbies. This is a reference work, not a primer. Michelle proposes we approve the handbook. Voted and approved. Robin will send to to Chuck to host it on the website.

Website

The troop website (www.troopcrew56.org) is down at the moment but will be brought back shortly. UPDATE: the website’s been renewed, but the old site’s contents were deleted. But rather than restore the old site, Chuck’s planning to create a new site from scratch over the next few weeks.

Eagle Projects

Eddie’s project is scheduled for this weekend. He built a bench with the help of a carpenter earlier this week, and he’ll be mentoring scouts to build benches this weekend. Event planned to occur at the Pacific St. dog park.

Ricky’s project is complete, but he needs to do the writeup, and that’s on hold due to college aps.

Adam’s been out to the Audubon center and has made a tentative choice of project. Really a continuation of what Tsakai did years ago. Would be great to bring her in to present and gin up interest. (This would have the extra benefit

New Charter Organization

Brian reports a meeting is planned at St. James on Dec 15, 8:00 (actually 8:15) at 2161 Mass Ave. Adam, Mattie and a few parents presenting info on our troop and crew. We’ll plan the presentation out at the next meeting, at 6:30.

David reports that his church, the AME church on Columbia and Bishop Allen, is also interested in hosting us. We’ll set up a meeting with them.

2013 National Jamboree

Michelle says that while she went to the 2000 Jamboree and wasn’t a giant fan, the upcoming Jamboree will be in the mountains of West Virginia, not at a hot military base. And this year they’re allowing girl venturers to attend. This brings us closer to equity (male youth can attend starting age 12, while females only at 14 since that’s the start age for Venturers). The new emphasis on outdoor athleticism is also really attractive. Ricky and Michelle are both signed up as staff members for a tech-oriented tent. Our Council will sent 3 troops of scouts (boys) and 1 troop of venturers (co-ed). If we want to get in on the venturer group, we need to act very soon. The fee will be $850 each ($425 for those going on staff).

Interested youth should go on the council website and sign up.

October Minutes

Posted on October 25, 2011 by henebry

In attendance: Michelle Holmes, Nathan Coney, Hannah Lyons, Karenee-Sean Hines, Anita McClellan, Elvin Atkins, Colin Zick, Derrick Jackson, Ed Rice, Chuck Henebry, Brian O’Rourke, Robin Bonner, Kate Smith, David English, Michael Payne, Mary Ellen Galante

Good money made at the Football and even better at the HOTC: $600 at the latter event, with 4 youth working the site.

Bay Circuit Trail trip: Michelle gave a presentation on the trip to the AMC: good PR for the troop, and useful feedback for the AMC for how the trail can be used. It’s a relatively new trail and they’re eager to see it put to use. Michelle really enjoyed the chance to do camping without having to drive. Robin reports it was a great trail for inexperienced hikers: lots of wildlife with minimal grade (unlike the challenges of the White mountains)

Turkey Roast: Kate and Colin are adult leaders, we have a reservation for 15 youth. Will have info needed for trip permit in to Richard K shortly. Trip O’Rourke is the youth leader. Considering leaving in early afternoon, since the public schools have the day off. Need to get clear on cooking req’s for various ranks, both venturing and boy scout. Michelle suggests may need to incorporate Dutch Ovens for this purpose.

December Trip: considering making the museum trip a day trip. This would make the event much cheaper, though Michelle reports that the evening activity was pretty impressive the last time we did this many years ago.

Snowshoe trip in January: we’re hiking to lonesome lake, but that’s too easy a hike to be all we do. We could hike up a mountain or we could cross-country ski. David English has made 10 youth reservations, but he needs to know how many adult reservations. Please email him asap: englishdavid11@yahoo.com

Ski Trip in February: Brian O’Rourke is adult leader, and we’ll be staying at his house up in VT.

NEED trip in April 27-29: we are fully scheduled for the trip. Nathan Coney will arrange the conservation project.

Youth were clamoring last month to do Whitewater Rafting in Spring; they’ve been told what they need to do if they want to make this happen. So far they’ve not put in the effort. So rafting will probably happen as planned next fall, 2012.

New website:

Are we willing to have photos of the troop available online? Derrick thinks it would be a boon for recruitment. Philmont has youth signing photo waivers. Brian suggests photos fine so long as we don’t have names attached. General agreement to move forward. Some concern that too precise of details on where we’re going on trips isn’t publicly available.

Treasurer’s report: most youth in good shape. Some exceptions. Helen will send out stern letters to both who re seriously in the whole, informing them that they cannot attend trips until they are paid up.

Eagle Scout Projects: Jacob is starting work on his project. Adam is a little further along. Eddie has received verbal approval of his project from the district eagle chair, so his project is close to ready to go.

This coming Saturday is the second of two days for Ricky’s project. He’s not been coming to meetings, though, and that really hurts him in generating interest in his project.

Female Advancement: Kate reports that the subcommittee wants (1) to really engage the younger girls in Boy Scout advancement through first class and then (2) to take advantage of overlap between venturing advancement and upper-division Boy Scout advancement. But there’s little overlap. Kate explains that Venturing takes a very different approach to advancement from Scouts: more depth on a few elements, where scouts demands breadth. The council south of us have venturing camp focused on key skills for outdoor bronze, and the council north of us has a camp focused on a different set of key skills. We might start sending girls to those camps to help them do something like lifesaving or scuba really in-depth. Michelle and Robin are looking into providing scholarship incentives for youth to attain higher venturing ranks. Real goal here is to give the girls incentives on par with the incentives that drive the boys to attain higher ranks.

AMC training: David English has renewed his YOP with the AMC, and Colin has completed his basic training. Colin will try to push his up from basic to full.

Tree fundraiser: Colin will be introducing the sale to the youth next week. Our supplier has raised their prices a bit, but not so much that we need to raise prices, having already raised prices last year. We’re hoping to take advantage of the yard next door, if we pledge to return it in better shape than when we start the distribution.

Card fundraiser: Richard K doesn’t mind overseeing production, but we have a supply problem: the ink tanks system kept breaking down. Derrick thinks that the problem may be the quality of the printer. He will consult with Richard.

New charter organization: Brian O’R hoping to meet with St. James and several other organizations in December. He’s putting together a presentation and he’s like to bring along a few youth (boys and girls).

New parent orientation: Kate is setting this up for the week after next (right before the Turkey Roast). And she’s looking for leaders to help out with different units of our organization.

Unit Handbook: Robin updated our unit handbook for her Wood Badge. We will vote on it next month: so everyone should read it. Kate recommends that we rework it into FAQ form.

Alberto has agreed to be the Snow Czar.

Anita McClellan agrees to be both Public Relations and Nurse Scry.

Elvin Atkins agrees to be Equipment Czar.

Karene will be parent liason.

Derrick reports that a second youth has completed the work for the photography merit badge.

For next month, Michelle wants us to consider the National Jamboree in 2013, the first ever to allow venturing girls to participate.

September Minutes

Posted on October 5, 2011 by henebry

Attending: Brian O’Rourke, Hannah, Mary Ellen Galante, Britt Rideout, Ed Rice, Elvin Atkins, Richard K, Kate Elliot Smith, Derrick Jackson, Dr. Payne, Robin Bonner, Chuck Henebry

Meeting run tonight by Kate Eliot Smith, due to Michelle being unavailable this evening.

Some initial discussion of what awards the troop’s young women should be working on. Successful initial period, in which girls work on the boys’ awards up through First Class. What to do after that is tricky, since the Venturing Awards are neither widely recognized and the girls aren’t very enthusiastic about them. Moreover, the requirements are different enough from Eagle requirements that you can’t have the girls do the Eagle requirements and then award them the Venturing Silver or Gold. Committee formed for further discussion: Kate, Robin, hannah, Mary Ellen, Helen, Michelle, Karene Hines (new parent).

This Saturday (10/1/11) Ricky is doing his Eagle project, which involves photographing houses around Cambridgeport for the Cambridge Historical society. Two shifts: 10-1 and 2-5. Bring a camera and (if you have one) a laptop.

Andre here to tell us about upcoming Fundraising at Harvard Home football games 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/10. Setting up in Winthrop Park, aiming to set up after rather than before the game. Aiming to get donated coffee and apple cider. Recommended that we hit up a different place for donations for each week. We may need to get a food permit, in which case we need to know soon what we’re offering. Note: we aren’t selling, but rather giving drinks away and asking for donations. We may be able to get tables from Eliot House using Hannah’s status as Harvard College Friends of Scouting.

Richard K to cover upcoming trips. Britt says that there was minimal interest during today’s meeting in doing the Bay Circuit trail up in Andover. Britt or Michelle will be the trip leader , Maddie the youth leader. Oct 14-16.

Turkey Roast planned for Hale Reservation (in Westwood). Nov 11-13. Trip the youth leader. Kate the trip leader.

April NEED trip: application coming due at end of Sept. Richard borrowing from Mary Ellen G’s prior year application to create it for this year.

Whitewater Rafting trip: we had planned to move the trip to Fall 2012. Some of the youth were unhappy about this; we’ve communicated to them that if they can get a $25 cash deposit from 20 youth to go, we will change back to a raft trip Spring 2012. In considering this, they need to consider that a raft trip in Spring will probably mean canceling the bike trip currently scheduled for May 2012.

Recruitment: 6 or seven new youth:

Emma Andrew

Riley James Brian (Harvard student, joining as Venturer)

Tharun Kanan

Nina Xiaoyang McClellan

Ellen O’Rourke

Abenezer Melaku Zewde

Fall dues put four active youth in arrears. Brian sent out a letter letting them know; the Harvard fundraising could easily recover them to good balances; alternatively the parent could pay in for the Fall.

Membership fees for new scouts: Robin has a rule from our unit handbook. We will proceed accordingly. Robin will fill in Chuck and Brian O’R.

Ricky’s Eagle project is about to go forward this weekend. Eddie’s project has been sent back from the Council for clarification, so it may get pushed back from its scheduled date in Oct.

Adam Smith’s project is in planning; aiming to do a project with the Audubon Habitat.

Merit Badge University (10/23 and 11/20) is focusing this year on tech & science. Signup on the Boston Minuteman council website.

Venture Leader Training (10/22): Kate E-S is signed up; she’d like to get others signed up as otherwise the course is undersubscribed.

Colin Zick completed the AMC youth training. Great news! Good job Colin!

Beau serving as new quartermaster scout. Planning to implement checklists to help youth remember all the stuff to bring on a trip, and all the stuff to do on return.

Scoutmaster/Advisor update: Adam is the new spl, Brian Zick the ASPL, Ricky Troop Guide, Trip scy, Beau quartermaster, Chaplain Aide Maddie, Casey Snow Czar, Levi Den Chief, Patrol Leader 1 Lucas, asst Hugo, Patrol Leader 2 Chris, asst Tharun

Troops in Newton have a wiki. Chuck will look into shifting the website over to PMWiki. **Update** Chris Desnoyers says he doesn’t have access to the login keys for the current website. And Chuck has had no success in contacting Kemper in search of this information.

New Charter Organization search. Michael Payne has spoken to the minister at St. James Episcopal. Kate has attended church. Looks nice, and very friendly and gung-ho about us. Very diverse congregation as well. Not a giant population of youth over there, though. St. Paul’s AME in Cen Sq is another option. Not making any changes this year, as the new charter falls due in Dec.

Order of the Arrow ordeal appears to have gone well last weekend. Brian Zick, Lucas, Beau all inducted.

Open positions: Snow Czar is a very pressing need. Alberto (Kate’s ex’s partner) is a good possible fit. She will speak to him. He’d need someone close by to serve as eyes on the ground (Britt and Michelle can do this)

Need to have a parent orientation meeting to help fill the remaining slots. Robin will organize this next week and schedule it for an upcoming meeting.

Tabling question of whether youth new to the troop, who have not paid dues and may not become permanent members should be allowed to vote for leadership or trip planning. Also question of youth who are longterm members but haven’t paid dues should be allowed to vote.

BSA Troop & Crew 56

High Adventure, departing weekly from Cambridge, MA