Upcoming Troop Meetings
Troop meeting plans are posted on the website
 3/7   Show & Tell night
 3/14 Traditional Scouting skills
 3/21 Merit Badges (New session starts)
 3/28 No Meeting
 4/4   Scale lashing project (2 week project)
 4/11 Scale lashing project (2 week project)
 4/18 No Meeting

Upcoming Events
3/10 Recycle Day fund-raiser
**** DATE CHANGE FOR THIS EVENT ****
Our semi-annual electronics recycle day is coming soon. This is a required event since the proceeds support our troop program. The collection takes place in the Spellman parking lot from noon to 4 PM.

3/15-17 Scouting Heritage Campout
This month we are at Camp Squanto and we will be having a campout using the same methods and tools as the scouts did in the 1940s. Practice those fire-building and cooking skills for this one guys, were not using stoves!

4/7 PLC Meeting
The next PLC meeting will be at the Spellman Center beginning at 7PM. Please note that there is no PLC in March. All PLC members are expected to attend. Bring a snack!

4/19-21 Pioneer Campout
We will be at Camp Resolute in Bolton MA for a pioneer weekend. Woods tools, lashings, dove tails, and Dutch Oven cooking. Bring your fishing rods, the lake here is great!

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!

5/5 Community Service
Our sponsor, the Holy Ghost Parish, has asked for help. We agreed to help and to prepare and serve the First Communion Breakfast on Sunday May 5th. Helpers are needed to buy the food, prepare serve and clean-up.
Other News and Events

3/2 and 3/10 Eagle Project Fund-raisers
AlexM will be hosting a Spaghetti Supper on 3/2 for $8 per person at the Spellman Center. Spread the word and come have a nice dinner together.
He will also be running a Craft Fair on 3/10 from noon until 4 PM. It will also be at the Spellman Center.

3/7 Alaska Meeting
Our next Alaska meeting will be at 6:30 PM on 3/7. We will be finalizing our excursions this time. Everything else should be scheduled and reserved!

6/23 Deep Sea Fishing
JakeO is putting together the day trip to go deep sea fishing in June. Jake will be announcing the plans at upcoming meetings!

Summer Camp 2013
We are booked into Wanalancet site again next year. In January we will begin collecting reservation fees for our week in the woods. Parents who wish to attend for some or all of the week are welcome too!

Long Range Planning
Have you ever wondered how to plan a year ahead of time? We will be having sessions at upcoming meetings to prepare the next troop calendar for the Planning Meeting. Well go over how to plan and how to prepare for a planning event. Our goal is to prepare the base calendar for the Annual Planning meeting on June 7 & 8.

Troop Equipment
The troop supplies the gear for campouts during your first 2 years in the troop, but then you should have your own gear. We run classes all year on what to buy and how to choose the right equipment for backpacking. However we still need gear and we are looking to increase our troop gear for meetings and outings. Alex and Gibs are leading the effort to go shopping. If you are interested in helping out or have ideas, see them at the next troop event!
 
Potpourri
Welcome to our New Scouts and Parents!
On February 23rd, we received 12 new scouts into the troop. We always love to have the Webelos crossover to the troop but it also is a challenging time. There is so much to know and do in the troop and although we try hard to give all the information we sometimes forget things. So parents, please come and say hello, make some new friends, and pass along those hints to help them understand and be a part of our T22 Family.

3/14  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 8 PM 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.

Merit Badge Nights
We are looking to fill in our last session for Merit Badges. 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 3 3/21 4/25 5/16

Stay Connected
Don't forget to visit the troop website at www.t22whitman.org  and our Facebook page at Troop 22 Whitman, MA. News and calendar events are kept there and updated frequently!

Troop Leader Development
On June 15th we are planning our Junior Leader Training event for our Troop leaders. All members of the PLC should plan on attending this one day event. Other scouts interesting in taking on a leadership role in the troop are invited too.
Parents are invited to join in as instructors or just sit in and listen to how the troop is supposed to be run. We will confirm the location next and begin staff meetings so the day covers the subjects needed.

Summer Camp 2013
We once again have selected Wah-Tut-Cah for our summer camp this year. You can review the camp program and other information at www.wahtutca.net
Summer camp is a key part of the program for Troop 22. New scouts take part in the special camp program to teach basic scout skills and help them advance to First class faster than they can on their own. Older Scouts will take Merit Badges and can complete activities not available at home. For our oldest scouts this camp has specialty activities available just to them.

Gillette Fund-raiser
We are again reviewing whether to run a booth at the stadium. We have been very fortunate with this and we use the funds with the 80/20 split allowing the individual scout accounts to pay for a lot of program features for those scout families who participate. This year we managed the booth for the full season, including some soccer and countryfest. On average the scout received @50 per event worked.
Our key decision factor is adult participation. If you are willing to commit to working the booth this coming year please contact Mr. Moss who is leading the effort to make the decision on this fund-raiser.

Scoutmasters Corner
Do you know the Scout motto? It is "Be Prepared."
It was started by a man who founded the Scouting movement over 100 years ago. His name was Robert Baden-Powell. He was an English general who took the first Scouts camping back in 1907. He was a most interesting man.
Baden-Powell was once asked what the motto meant. What is a Scout supposed to be prepared for? "Why, any old thing," Baden-Powell replied.
"That's a tall order. Life holds a lot of surprises and we can't be prepared for all of them. But in Scouting you're learning how to handle many surprises and crises. You learn how to give first aid, how to live comfortably outdoors, give service to your community and nation, clean up your environment, and do Good Turns for people and a host of other things."
Preparing you for life is what Scouting is all about. We're going to do our best to make you prepared for any old thing.