Upcoming Troop Meetings
Troop meeting plans are posted on the website
9/6        Chunkin Check-in. Bring your projects to show off and learn about the science.
9/13      Freedom Trail hike planning and history of Boston
9/20      Soapbox Derby kick-off
9/27      Merit Badges
10/4      Project and event planning
10/11    Orienteering and map-work

Upcoming Events
8/26 PLC Meeting
Sunday night the PLC will meet at 7:00 PM to review and plan the next month’s activities. All PLC members are required to attend. Class A shirt required. Bring a snack to share!

9/15 Day Trip to Boston/Freedom Trail
The September activity will be a hike down the Freedom Trail. This event is open to all family members. A Class B shirt for troop members is required and bring some spending money for our trip to Mike’s Pastry shop on the North End! We will take the T from Braintree into town so we will need to arrange drivers there.

9/30 Recycle Day
Our semi-annual electronic recycle day is coming soon. We are looking for some people to lead and help with this event. We need folks to arrange the truck, update the flyers and lead the distribution and media announcements. Mr. McPherson will be coaching his replacement so please let us know if you can take this on for the troop.

10/5-7 Punkin Chunkin Weekend
Brian M is leading the charge on the “Build-it, Chuck-it” event. Each patrol will be required to bring their machine, in parts, to the campout in Braintree’s Pond Meadow Park. There, they will assemble and tweak the catapult, trebuchet, ballista, whatever and see how well it works.

11/16-18 Thanksgiving Feast
Our annual Thanksgiving Feast is fast approaching. Michael M is leading this year’s event and is looking for some help in planning, shopping, and cooking! See him if you want to volunteer.

2/8-10 Gold Rush
It is never too late to start thinking about Gold Rush. We will again be at Camp Massasoit but we are considering a move north to Wah-Tut-Cah next year. Robert MF is the “Gov” this year. He will be recruiting staff this fall.

4/28 Soapbox Derby
We will be running a full-sized soapbox derby in April at the Spellman Parking lot. Plans are available on the troop website and we estimate it will take most of the winter to build your cars. More info as we approach the race!

Other News and Events
Alaska 2013
We will be kicking off our monthly meetings of those intending to go on our trek to Alaska. A core group of people have been looking into options and now we will be finalizing the details of our trip. We are looking to have scouts define the plan and approve all aspects of the trip. Our first meeting will be after the PLC on Sunday August 26 at 7:30 PM in the Spellman Center. The meeting should last ½ hour.

Unlike our other trips, this is truly a wilderness adventure. We are not visiting cities or historic sites, rather we will be hiking, exploring, fishing and doing other outdoor activities.  Bring your ideas and lets plan a great time!

Eagle Projects
For those scouts looking to move forward on their Eagle rank, the project seems to be the biggest challenge. Just finding an idea can be the hardest part of the process.

There are a few rules about the project. It cannot be for the troop, your family, or an individual. It must benefit the community in general. You must define the project, raise the funds, lead and complete the project.

If you are stuck for an idea, try this website
http://www.myprojectfinder.com/

Potpourri
9/13 – Monthly Parent's Meeting
We ask all parents to attend our monthly Parent meetings to review upcoming events and volunteer to assist or run some of the upcoming events. We meet at 8PM on the second Thursday of each month. Each event has a scout as the event coordinator, but we need to have an adult to mentor and guide the scout. This is also a chance to ask your questions about the troop and learn a bit more about the opportunities within the troop for your son and yourself over the next year.
 

Volunteer Help Wanted
This year we are seeing a big change in our adult team as many of the “Old Guard” are moving on as their sons have graduated. We really need new parent involvement to maintain the program at the current level. Remember that no commitment is too small, even if you are not sure what to do or your available time we can use help with individual events too! See SM Mike to ask how you can help.

Gillette Fund-raising Events
We have begun this year’s food stand fund-raiser at Gillette. All parents are encouraged to help work these events. The money raised is split 20% to the Troop treasury for equipment and events, the remaining 80% is split among those taking part in the event. These funds are part of the Individual Scout Account and can be used for Troop scouting events. Each year we have scouts who go on our trips and attend summer camp entirely from these fund-raising events.

Registration and Permission Slips for 2012-2013
Registration forms and dues notices were handed out at the Annual Parent’s meeting in June. Dues are $80 per boy for the entire year (there is a reduced fee for additional sons in the Troop). Dues are expected by the October 25^th Troop meeting. Permission slips and registration forms are due by the September campout, earlier if possible.

Friends Raffle Fund Raiser
The Friends of Troop 22 parent group is hosting a raffle. Tickets will be distributed and cost $5 each. The prizes include a Sit-in kayak, tickets to a Patriots game, gift cards to Dicks and Dunkin Donuts. See SA Brian for more information or to help out.

Merit Badge Nights
The troop has one meeting each month dedicated to Merit Badges and we are looking for adults willing to act as Merit Badge counselors. Being a counselor for these nights means you are there to review the requirements, give guidance, review the scouts work, and sign their Merit Badge card when they have completed the requirements. Please take a look at www.meritbadge.com for the current badges and their requirements.

The nights for each session (3 meetings each session) are listed here. Please understand that we do need you to commit to all of the nights in a particular session. Please see SM Mike or SA Brian to help.

Session 1      9/27      10/25       11/15
Session 2    12/20       1/31         2/14
Session 3      3/21       4/25         5/16

See the Event Coordination file for the list of badges we are looking for in each session.

Scoutmaster’s Corner
Smart shoppers read the labels when they go to the supermarket. Product labels tell them a number of things: Whether the can or package contains beans, corn, flour, or pork chops; what ingredients it contains; what it costs; the weight of the product. The label also carries the trademark of the packer or manufacturer. You may learn a lot by reading labels.

In Scouting, we carry around our own labels. The uniform itself is a kind of label. It tells people that we are Scouts and that we are trying to live by the Scout Oath and Law. If they know anything about Scouting, the badges we wear are labels, too. The badges describe some of the ingredients that make up your package - how far you have progressed and whether you're now a leader in the troop. How well does your label describe the contents of your package? Can it be said of you: "The enclosed package lives up to the Oath and Law? He is prepared to help in emergencies and does a good turn daily?"

And is it true that the badge of rank you wear honestly reflects your Scouting skills? I'm quite sure it does because we don't give badges in this troop to Scouts who haven't earned them. Wear your label, your uniform and its badges, proudly. And remember that it tells a lot about you and about your pledge to the Scout Oath and Law.