In consideration of the weather forecast for the upcoming weekend and concerns for keeping control of the materials used for fly tying in windy environments, the troop leaders have decided to eliminate the camping portion of the merit badge weekend.
We will hold the merit badge at Unity Church on Saturday begining at 9AM (be there no later than 8:45AM as a courtesy to the Carolina Fly Fishing Club members who are staffing our event).
Lunch will be served to all who attend. Plans are to divide the boys up into groups and rotate them through the various stations that make up the badge. If the weather should clear by the middle of the afternoon, we will attempt to transport all of the boys out to Lake Katherine (near the Dairy Barn where the scouts man the canoe event at Earth Day each year) so they can actually get some fishing time in.
The schedule for Saturday is as follows:
9AM-10AM – Session 1
10AM-11AM – Session 2
11AM-Noon – Session 3
Noon-1PM – Lunch
1PM-2PM – Session 4
2PM-3PM – Additional help session where scouts can revisit any of the stations where they feel they need additional help.
3PM- ???? – Fishing at Lake Katherine if weather permits.
If any scout that hasn’t signed up to attend the event now wants to attend the class since it is a one-day, inside event, please contact Britt Helms no later than Thursday, March 26th by going here and selecting the Webmaster and completing the contact form.
*** Due to the expected rains and thunderstorms on Friday and Saturday, this has been moved to the inside of the National Distribution Center. Park at the Carolina Scout Shop and you’ll be directed where to go for all of the great savings ***
There are lots of bargains to be had at the Carolina Scout Shop on March 27th and 28th! Check out the PDF file below for a complete listing of the items available. If you’re really interested in an item, it might be wise to note how many they have (the “Units OH” column) and plan your buying accordingly.
Information for the upcoming Fly Fishing merit badge camp out on March 27-29th is taking shape and will be posted here shortly.
Bob Thomas of the Carolina Fly Fishing Club wanted us to get the word out early that every participant MUST bring and wear a pair of sunglasses during the event.
He suggested that every participant view the video clip below to help better convince them why wearing sunglasses is important when fly fishing.
Below are permission slips for an upcoming event in PDF format that will allow you to print it off, fill it out and send it with your scout to an upcoming meeting.
Be sure to note that scouts can be picked up at the ASC Greenway Dairy Barn area no earlier than 12:30PM on March 29th. We will not be bringing scouts back to the scout hut following the event.
“The patrol system is not one method in which Scouting for boys can be carried on. It is the only method.”
~Sir Robert Baden-Powell
Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Boy Scouting movement, knew from his military experience that boys (and men) worked better together in small groups than alone or as part of a bigger group. It was this knowledge that led him to develop patrols within the Boy Scouting program.
A patrol is a group of 6 to 10 boys who are often cast together in this small group that must learn to work together for the betterment of all of their members. The best way to make the group “gel” is the development of Patrol Spirit.
Patrol Spirit
Patrol spirit is the glue that holds the patrol together and keeps it going. Building patrol spirit takes time, because it is shaped by a patrol’s experiences—good and bad. Often misadventures such as enduring a thunderstorm or getting lost in the woods will contribute much in pulling a patrol together. Many other elements also will help build patrol spirit. Creating a patrol identity and traditions will help build each patrol member’s sense of belonging.
Every patrol needs a good name. Our patrols use one of the bird names from the Troop’s approved list (Bobwhites, Eagles, Falcons, Hawks, Owls, Ravens or Roadrunners).
A patrol flag is the patrol’s trademark, and it should be a good one. Have a competition to see who comes up with the best design and who is the best artist. Make the flag out of a heavy canvas and use permanent markers to decorate it. In addition to the patrol name, the patrol flag should have the troop number on it as well as the names of all the patrol members. Mount the flag on a pole, which also can be decorated. Remember, the patrol flag should go wherever the patrol goes. Also, as the patrol wins patrol competitions or is otherwise recognized with a ribbon or award, it should be hung from the patrol flag for all to see.
Every patrol has a patrol yell, which should be short and snappy. Choose words that fit the patrol’s goals. Use the yell to announce to other patrols that your patrol is ready to eat or has won a patrol competition. Some patrols also have a patrol song.
Other patrol traditions include printing the patrol logo on the patrol box and other patrol property.
Some patrols like to specialize in doing something extremely well, such as cooking peach cobbler or hobo stew.
In short, the patrol can be a wonderful thing when everyone in the patrol works together to move the group forward.
Chris Holder and his family invite members of Troop 108 and their families to attend the presentation of his Eagle Scout award on Saturday, March 14th, 2009 at 1PM.
The ceremony will be held at Providence Baptist Church on Old Friendship road in Rock Hill, SC (see directions below) and a reception will follow.
Those that plan to attend are asked to RSVP with Tony and Rhonda Holder at 329-9841 or via email at “tholder at comporium dot net”.
Every scout and scouting parent should be painfully aware of the amount of work that goes into earning the Eagle Scout award and every scout should take the time to experience an Eagle Scout Court of Honor, if he is able (before he has his own).
Click the link below for directions to the church from the scout hut.
“It is the Patrol System that makes the Troop, and all Scouting for that matter, a real co-operative matter.”
Sir Robert Baden-Powell
Aids to Scoutmastership (1920)
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At our regular Monday Night Meeting on February 23rd, we will be reorganizing the troop into similar-age patrols. This will allow each of the patrols to undertake the scouting method in a way that is appropriate and achievable by their age group.
Following the regular meeting opening, we will have announcements and then those scouts that wish to be a part of, and meet the Troop 108 minimum requirements for the Venture Patrol (age 13 and Star Rank), will move to the Buzzards Nest (the meeting room behind the main meeting room) to get organized, elect their youth leaders and to start planning their first outing as a Venture Patrol.
The remaining scouts will be given some time to organize themselves into two patrols on their own. If they fail to be able to do that within the allowed time, the adults will have to have them “draw a number out of the hat” and then put like-numbers together in patrols. Once these patrols are formed, they will select a mascot elect their patrol leaders, assistant patrol leaders and scribe/webmasters.
We will then bring the entire group back together to talk about patrol spirit and patrol competition and how we plan to kick it up a notch in the coming months.
It is human nature to want to keep things the way they are – even if it isn’t working as well as we would like for it to. But sometimes you just have to take that brave step forward to embrace change and to give it your best effort.
Who: Scouts, Leaders, and Family Members can take part in the fun at Winterplace on Sunday, March 1st.
How Much: For only $46 per person
What’s Included:
Full Day Lift Ticket – 8am – 10pm
Meal Voucher
Ski Equipment Rental
90-Minute Lesson Based on skiing level
Snow Sports Merit Badge Clinics
On-site registrations subject to additional $3 fee.
Check in at Winterplace (near Beckley, West Virginia) opens at 8am and tickets are good for skiing until 10pm. Boy Scouts can earn the Snow Sports merit badge for no additional cost as these clinics are included in the registration fee!
This year Troop 108 will be venturing 100 miles straight up I-77 and into the land of Opey and Aunt Bea for a week-long stay at Raven Knob Scout Camp from July 19th to July 25th. Situated just outside of Mount Airy, NC (Aunt Bea’s home town and model for the set of the Mayberry RFD and the Andy Griffith Shows from the 60’s) this beautiful camp has a lot to offer our scouts.
They even have a live webcam outside the dining hall that is enabled once camp is in session. Perhaps you’ll get a glimpse of your scout lining up for lunch or supper.
Here is some of the information that was sent home at a recent scout meeting regarding our 2009 summer camp plans. If you haven’t seen this information, it is probably still in your son’s red scout pouch. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Jose Rivas, who is heading up this year’s summer camp plans, at “elkrivas at bellsouth dot net” or Scoutmaster David Harllee at “dharllee at gmail dot com”.
Camp Fees, Registrations & Refunds
The camp fees for this summer are $250 per Scout. The fee includes a camp patch and T-shirt for each Scout and has been broken up into seven parts to make it easier on our scouting families.
Summer Camp Fees Schedule
1st Payment of $50 – 2/23/09
2nd Payment of $25 – 3/09/09
3rd Payment of $25 – 3/23/09
4th Payment of $50 – 4/06/09 completed registration form due tonight
5th Payment of $25 – 4/27/09
6th Payment of $50 – 5/11/09
7th Payment of $25 – 5/18/09
The camp policy regarding Scout fee refunds is as follows:
Prior to June 1, all payments made are fully refundable or transferable to another participant. Cancellations made after June 1 are subject to a non-refundable fee of $50. The Camp Director reserves the right to make an exception for extreme or extenuating circumstances.
Scouts, not Troop 108, should cover all camp costs. This prevents the Troop from losing money if a Scout cannot attend camp and has not yet paid. Please note that we cannot offer refunds for Scouts who leave camp early and under no circumstances may any refunds be carried over to the following summer.
In consideration of the weather forecast for the upcoming weekend and concerns for keeping control of the materials used for fly tying in windy environments, the troop leaders have decided to eliminate the camping portion of the merit badge weekend.
Patrol Spirit
Chris Holder and his family invite members of Troop 108 and their families to attend the presentation of his Eagle Scout award on Saturday, March 14th, 2009 at 1PM.
