For New Families!

Welcome to Troop 2018!  Stay updated with our latest by checking out our Facebook page:  Scouts BSA Girl Troop 2018

Signoffs in the Scout Handbook: Don’t forget that the troop’s senior Scouts are the ones who will be signing off your rank advancement, EXCEPT this one “Scout Rank” item:  “With your parent or guardian, complete the exercises in the pamphlet How to Protect Your Children From Child Abuse: A Parent’s Guide.” You also need to watch some personal safety awareness videos. It’s a good idea to complete that with your parents.

An Electronic Communication “MUST”
Hey, everyone, please don’t forget that emails and texts between Scouts and Troop adults need to have “2-Deep” leadership. This means that there must always be more than one adult in your conversation with an adult. This is a BSA youth protection requirement. This can be another troop adult or a parent, but please remember to cc someone when you communicate with one of us unless you are sending this from your parent’s email account with their supervision.

Advancement Coordinator Stuff!

If you forget to show the Advancement Coordinator your Scout Handbook after you do signoffs, take a clear photo of your book and email it to her. Don’t forget to always cc another adult every time you communicate with an adult in Scouting!

Looking for Merit Badge Counselors?

Check out the documents section of our site for a list of who in our troop is approved as Merit Badge Counselors for us. Please let Scoutmaster Catherine know if you want to work with any of them and I will get you their contact info and give you a blue card. Did I miss anyone or can I add someone on to the list? If so, please let Scoutmaster Catherine know right away.

Merit Badges

If you’re contemplating working on a merit badge on your own, contact Ms. Catherine for permission and connection with a merit badge counselor. Getting the Blue Card in hand is the ticket to start. Remember youth protection requirements: you must have a BSA-registered female adult present at all Scouting activities, so perhaps you’d like to sponsor an event for the rest of the troop to work on this Merit Badge so our handful of female adult leaders don’t get worn out? Remember that you MAY work on more than one merit badge at a time. In any case, check out this cool document for someone’s assessment of which badges are easy or which ones are difficult or require a lot of time to complete.

Some Cold Weather Camping Thoughts

It’s going to be COLD on our winter campouts! Regular sleeping bags aren’t going to work. If that’s all she has, then I definitely recommend some extra warm clothing layers and a few warm blankets to put inside her sleeping bag to trap some warmth. Our trailer does have a few spare sleeping bags for cold emergencies and extra layers. An insulating pad will keep her from having to sleep on the hard ground AND make sure she won’t waste valuable body heat trying to warm the ground under her. Check the pad’s rating to make sure it’s appropriate for winter use. If you’re looking for a big-ticket item for Christmas, then a 0-degree sleeping bag is a SMART investment! VERY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER: the rating on the sleeping bag is a survival number. It will keep you ALIVE at that number, not necessarily comfortable at that temperature. Disposable handwarmers and a sweet luxury that can really help her get through the trip. She can tuck them in her pockets during the day and in her sleeping bag at night. If you EVER have questions about gear, ask! Of course, REI is a super place to get tons of expert advice and the stuff you need. Also, be sure to check out the blog post about Cold Weather Camping on this site.

Fundraising Brainstorming!

Hey, winter! Bring us some snow, please, so our Scouts can shovel snow for their neighbors and make money for camp, troop dues, uniforms, Eagle projects, and other Scouting activities.

Scouts can also do extra chores for family or neighbors, babysit, rake leaves, wash cars when it warms up, or even sell camp cards for Scouting money.

Anyone who collects money for Scouting can place it in an envelope with their name on it and give to our Treasurer. She will credit your account. Your Scoutbook account will soon be updated with your payment and anything else you still owe.

Gear:
Giving credit where it’s due, this is “borrowed” this from Troop 454’s Scoutmaster Pat Osborne. It has some great advice for Scouting gear if you’re thinking about that for gifts…There are many places to get gear. A few that you may not know of are here:

Here are some other tips:

Sleeping bags: Keep in mind that the degree rating of the bag is the survival temperature, not the comfort temperature.  The general rule of thumb is that most will be comfortable down to about 10 degrees warmer than the rating.  Smaller people tend to be colder as they do not produce as much heat and they do not fill the bag as completely.  Sleeping in long johns, a fleece, a wool hat and good socks can help a lot.  Also, the pad is key. Make sure you get one with a good “r-rating” (insulation value) for the colder months. No sleeping bag will keep you warm if you are on cold ground. Women’s bags have more filling to be slightly warmer than men’s bags.

Any 40-degree sleeping bag, available at Target or Walmart will get them through most of the warm weather and cabin camping, but…

For a better bag go with the 20-degree bag, THIS is a great option. Stick to the adult bag size for adults or larger Scouts. It is a true 20-degree bag. It is lightweight and small and so suitable for back packing and will get your scout through all but the coldest of camps. At $60, you can’t beat it.

If you really want to go to the warmest, you’ll need a 0-degree bag, THIS is the one. It’s a little over $100, but it does sometimes go on sale. You won’t find another bag this good for less than $200.

Back packs:  They have sizes and it’s important to have it sized correctly! Make sure the size fits your scout!! REI is a great place to get hep with fit.

A good option for growing Scouts is THIS. It is adjustable so you can play with the fit and it can grow with your Scout.  I use it so unless they get significantly taller than average they won’t outgrow it. It is reasonably priced.

Also, HikerDirect has a great deal on a 40-liter pack that is good for smaller scouts. Packs should be between 40-65 liters for most of the outing we do. Getting a larger pack means more is put into it and therefore it is heavier. You’ll need a 65-75 for Philmont, so a 65 is probably the sweet spot for all of its uses.

Mess Kits:  There is a lot to be said for a cheap aluminim (or heat-proof plastic, but Catherine’s wary of the rick and ick of nanoplastics!) plate, bowl, and cutlery in a mesh bag. Walmart sells them for a low price. Pick up some extra cutlery ($1 for a set) as they never return with the complete set.  You can also buy a laundry “dunk bag” and fill it with other stuff you may have on hand. They like their hot cocoa, so they do want a cup in addition to their water bottle. Make sure it all gets labeled. The mess kits all look the same and things get lost on every trip.

Rain gear:  A “real” rain jacket is good for when they know that they will be out in the rain all day. The cheap ($1-2) plastic rain ponchos will work for most outings where rain is a lower probability. They fit into a cargo pants pocket easily and so you can always have one on hand and a few in your pack.  A regular poncho, like Frogg Toggs is good for day hikes because it covers the scout and their pack too.

Warm Jacket: When your Scout is in the market for a new winter coat I would consider going for one that compacts down. They are great for trips where it is warm in the day (or if you are active such as when hiking) but then cold at night. Trying to fit a non-compressible winter jacket into pack is a near impossible task.

Fleece:   A nice fleece can add a layer under the winter jacket for very cold outings, does well when wet, is breathable for light weight wear on active days (handles sweat well), Is light, compresses well, and is luxuriously warm in a sleeping bag on cold nights so adds versatility to the sleeping bag. In the Spring, we order embroidered troop fleece jackets and other troop outerwear.

Socks:   Quality socks can make all the difference in an outing. Good hiking socks (sold at scout shop or elsewhere) will make a person happy. Wool can keep you warm even when it is wet, and it’s the weirdest fabric. It keeps you warm when it’s cold out, and it’s surprisingly cool and confy on your feet when it is warm out. Stay away from cotton (as with most clothing).

Thermals:   Good thermals can really help you have a cozy sleep. Again, no cotton, but a mix of wool and synthetics is recommended. ColdPruf (https://coldpruf.com) 2-layer gear is a popular option.