Troop 309 Happenings

The Bike Repair Service Project is coming along extremely well. 26 bikes have been readied for donation with a half-dozen in-work and another 25 newly donated bikes awaiting our skills and sweat to “recycle” them to new owners. We’re working this Saturday at the old church from 9:30am to noon – hope to see many Scouts and some parents there! We’re particularly in need of good cleaners! 53 people are looking to us for a bike this Christmas, 48 of them age 12 or younger. And don’t forget – please mark your calendars for the BIKE PARADE on Tuesday, December 2nd. Our Scouts will ride the finished bikes over to the Ministry Center for a blessing by Father Ryan and later distribution by Gift of Love. All Troop families are encouraged to attend. It’s quite a happening!



Wilderness Survival Campout – payment ($25 per Scout) and signed permission slip (form is attached) are due first thing this coming Tuesday meeting. On Saturday, Nov. 15 at Lakewood Forest Preserve, we ask as many parents as possible to participate; particularly those who still have friends and acquaintances with their son’s former Cub Scout Pack. We’re hosting 5th Grade Webelos and parents and, in addition to many Scouting activities, we need your help parents putting on a nice luncheon for our guests and talking with them about Boy Scouting and Troop 309. It makes for a very enjoyable couple of hours that Saturday. Please help another young boy discover the Promise of Scouting – Adventure, Learning, Challenge, and Responsibility. Let me know if you can help – Thanks.



Senior Patrol Leader Election - Tuesday, November 25. This is the most senior leadership position for a Boy Scout. Interested Scouts must contact Mr. Crisler by mid-November.



Drug & Alcohol Awareness Program - Tuesday, November 25. This important program, a Second Class rank advancement requirement, is important for all to hear.



Court of Honor - Tuesday, Dec. 9th. We need a second Scout to help emcee this event. If your son may be interested ask him to contact Mr. Blase or Mr. LaVanne.



First Aid Meet – Saturday, Dec. 13th at Harper College. See Mr. Whetstone for more details.



­BONUS BUCKS NOTES:

It is hard to believe, but Christmas is only 8 weeks away. Overwhelmed with trying to find gifts for everyone? Consider giving Bonus Bucks to those hard to buy for people on your holiday shopping list. Bonus bucks can be used just like cash and allow the recipient the flexibility to get what they want. Here are some examples:



Teacher’s gifts
§ Coffee cards (Starbucks, Caribou Coffee, Panera)

§ Blockbuster video cards

§ Barnes and Noble cards

Kids gifts
§ Clothes reseller cards (Gap, Lands End, American Eagle, Banana Republic)

§ Blockbuster video cards

§ Barnes and Noble cards

§ iTunes cards

§ Consumer electronics (Best Buy, Circuit City, Amazon.com)



NEW BONUS BUCKS VENDOR:

Flash … Wal-mart has been added to the list of vendors included in the Bonus Bucks program. I have updated the order form to include them.



HOW TO SUBMIT AN ORDER:

It is easy to participate in Bonus Bucks. Here’s how to order:

1. Open the attached excel file

2. Fill in the quantity of certificates you want

3. Save the file then email it back to Mr. Blase or call him.

4. Get your request to me by Sunday, November 9th. Your certificates will be available at the November 11th meeting.

Troop 309 Happenings

Fundraising forms (wreaths, pies, & cookie dough) and funds must be turned in this Tuesday. This fundraiser is the main opportunity for our Scouts to earn the money that pays for the new Troop trailer and its outfitting, camping equipment, and subsidizes monthly camping trips. It takes a lot of money to keep our very active program going. Any questions please contact Mrs. Goodridge.

There are a couple of spots open for this Tuesday’s Bike Repair Skills Workshop at Cycle Sports (formerly Bikes Plus) in Barrington. We’re meeting at Valker Hall at 6:45pm and will drive over to Cycle Sports shortly after that. We’ll return to Valker Hall about 8:30. This should be a very good opportunity for our Scouts to learn some solid mechanical skills and apply them for our Gift of Love bike refurbish service project.

We could also use one or two more drivers. Likewise, we’d like to fill all 15 spots so check with your son if he’d like to participate in this workshop and let me know. Thanks.

Speaking of bike repair – our next Bike Repair Work Session to refurbish and clean donated bikes for Gift of Love is next Saturday Oct. 25 from 9:30am to noon. We work in the basement of the old church. We could use a few parents to help with cleaning (just between us parents – the boys, for the most part, don’t get the bikes quite as shiny and new looking as we wish). If you have a no longer used bike taking up space in your garage, and it’s still in fair condition, please consider donating it to this cause.

While our Scouts are rock climbing and camping at Devil’s Lake Wisconsin this beautiful weekend, we’re planning our next campout – one of the Scouts’ favorites – Wilderness Survival Campout 14-16 November at very close-by Lakewood Forest Preserve. This is always a very fun outing. We must sound like a broken record (I know the Scouts don’t understand the meaning of that term) but, parent assistance is needed for this outing on Saturday to help host visiting 5th grade Webelos and their parents. More to come on that later, but please mark your calendars.

Bike Repair Service Project

The Troop’s biggest annual service project - Bike Repair for the St. Francis de Sales Gift of Love - is gearing up! Work dates to fix and clean donated bikes are Saturday October 4 & 25, and November 8 from 9:30 am to Noon. Scout and adult help needed.

Have a bike your family has outgrown? Donate it to this great cause.

Questions - contact Scouts Blase, Johlie, LaVanne, or Mr. Kleppinger.

Thanks!

Troop 309 Happenings

The Troop 309 High Adventure contingent (Scouts 13+ as of 1/1/09) has decided to head west to beautiful Glacier National Park, Montana in July 2009. After traveling there via the Amtrak Empire Builder the crew will backpack this gorgeous park for a few days, and then head down to lower altitudes the exciting way – 2 days of white water rafting! Sign-up is due Tuesday Oct. 7 with Mr. Crisler – and even if you have already talked or emailed with him, you must sign up officially now!


Next July we also have 6 Scouts and 3 adults heading to northern New Mexico for 10+ days of backpacking and exploring Philmont Scout Reservation. There are just a few spots left on this council sponsored adventure of a lifetime. See Mr. LaVanne or click on http://flyers.nwsc.org/CPhilmont2009.pdf for more info.

This Saturday –
• Set-up 9 am to noon in Valker Hall for the Hammer party and fund-raiser.
• Pack 208 Campout at Camp Alphonse ~2pm to 7 pm. The camp is located on the north side of Dundee Road (Route 68), one-half (1/2) mile west of Quentin Road, in Deer Grove Forest Preserve, north of Palatine, Illinois. Dinner provided by Pack 208.
• Hammer Time is 7pm in Valker Hall! A fun evening of food, music, raffles, and dancing, with musical entertainment by “Out of Storage”


Starting this Tuesday our younger Scouts are learning lashings. SPL Matt is looking for Scouts 1st class and up to teach these important skills to their fellow Scouts. Please contact Matt if you can help at one or more of the meetings in the next 3-4 weeks.


Rock Climbing Campout 17-19 October at Devil’s Lake, Wisconsin. Total cost, with professional climbing outfitter, is $70; for those who only want to camp, hike, and work on Scout skills the cost is $45. See Mr. Racicot for more info. Registration deadline is 7 October.


Wreath & Pie Sales – Scouts should be selling now! Forms & money are due Oct.21. See Mrs. Goodridge with any questions.


We’ve just set the dates for our Troop’s biggest annual service project - Bike Repair for the St. Francis de Sales Gift of Love. Work dates to repair and clean donated bikes are Saturday October 4, 25, and November 8 from 9:30 am to Noon. Scout and adult help needed. Have a bike your family has outgrown? Donate it to this great cause.

Troop 309 Happenings

This Tuesday, 16 Sept., we’re hosting a speaker who will present a drug and alcohol awareness program. This program is required for advancement to 2nd Class. If your son is working towards 2nd Class please remind him to attend as this program is no longer given in the D-95 schools and we only present it about once a year. We’ve been announcing this program to the boys for the last several weeks.

Mountain Biking Trip 19-21 September – Signed release form (attached) and $25 payment are due this Tuesday. We can still accommodate a few additional Scouts and Parents. Mountain biking at the John Muir trails in Kettle Moraine South is very exciting and, with the numerous trails available, appropriate for all bikers. Participating Scouts should attend this Tuesday for final planning. Oh, and don’t forget – helmets are mandatory for all!

Pack 208 Campout Project – Saturday, 27 September – Troop 309 helps introduce these Cub Scouts and their families to fun Scouting skills and food. We need many Scouts and a few parents to help out that afternoon.

Fund Raiser for former Troop 309 Scout Matt – evening of Saturday, 27 September. More details to come on this very important event.

Rock Climbing Campout 17-19 October at Devil’s Lake, Wisconsin. Total cost, with professional climbing outfitter, is $70; for those who only want to camp, hike, and work on Scout skills the cost is $45. Registration deadline is 7 October.

Wilderness Campout 14-16 November at Lakewood Forest Preserve. This is a favorite Scout outing and introduces many Lake Zurich area 5th grade Webelos to the fun of Scouting and to Troop 309. Mark your calendars.

First Aid Meet – Saturday, 13 December. More details to come.

Wreaths, Pies, Culver Ice Cream Cakes, & Cookie Dough Sales have started. This is the Troop’s main annual fund raiser. Info was given to all Scouts at COH last Tuesday. Completed sales orders are due Tuesday October 21 with product pick-up on Saturday November 22.

Bonus Bucks Results –YTD August
17 different users have purchased over $56,000 in Bonus Bucks certificates generating almost $1,200 in profit for Troop 309. Thanks for your continued support of Troop 309’s fundraising efforts.

For those of you who are not familiar with Bonus Bucks, it is a program where you purchase gift cards from Troop 309 to make purchases from vendors that you shop every day. In turn, the Troop purchases the certificates at a discount and shares half of the discount with your Scout. This money is held in your son’s Scout Account and can be used to reimburse you for anything that pertains to scouting, including equipment, monthly outings, Summer Camp or High Adventure.

The program includes many popular vendors that you shop with every day. I have included a list of participating vendors.

VENDOR UPDATE: Wal-mart is now included in the Bonus Bucks program (denominations = $25, $50, $100 and $250).

The hardest thing about using Bonus Bucks is to think ahead about your shopping behaviors and to purchase Bonus Bucks in advance of your shopping. Once you get in the habit of purchasing Bonus Bucks, the benefit to your Scout really adds up.

Start a good habit and get your order to me by Sunday, September 14th. It will be available at the September 16th meeting.

Please feel free to contact Rich B. with any questions.


HOW TO SUBMIT AN ORDER:
It is easy to participate in Bonus Bucks. Here’s how to order:
1. Open the attached excel file
2. Fill in the quantity of certificates you want
3. Save the file to your computer then email it back to me (or call me). My contact information is below.
4. Get your request to me by Sunday, September 14th. Your certificates will be available at the September 16th meeting.

Mountain Biking Sept. 19 – 21. “From the youngest beginner to the most avid professional, 20 miles of trail [at Kettle Moraine State Forest, Wisconsin] offers some of the best off-road biking in the Midwest.” Cost is $25. Transportation for bikes will be provided. Remember – Bike Helmets Absolutely Positively Mandatory Must Be Worn While Riding. Click on http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/Org/land/parks/specific/kms/trails.html#biking for more info on the mountain biking opportunities at Kettle Moraine. More info on the camping trip may be obtained from Mr. Kudla.

For our older Scouts (ages 14+ as of 1 Jan. 2009) – We’re planning on having a contingent of high adventure Scouts join in the NWSC trek to Philmont in July 2009. Sign-ups must be in by this coming Tuesday to Mr. LaVanne. See the attachments for more details or contact Mr. LaVanne.

Troop 309 Happenings

We hope you are enjoying this very beautiful summer! Listed below is some info on our upcoming Scout outings.

• Canoeing the Wisconsin River Aug. 15 – 17. Final sign-up is due this Tuesday. Cost is $40 per Scout, $20 per leaders. We’re doing luxury camping this trip at the Wisconsin Riverside Resort - there’s even showers! Questions – See Mr. Chiarelli or Mr. Crisler. As many leaders are on summer vacation this weekend we need several parents to join in the adventure to make this happen.

• Mountain Biking at the John Muir Trails in Kettle Moraine State Park, Wisconsin Sept. 19-21. We’re camping at the beautiful - and economical - Chain of Lakes State Park. The several trails available will appropriately challenge everyone from our soon to be sixth grader Scouts to our toughest leaders (and even our several soon to be Eagle Scouts). More details coming soon from Mr. Kudla.

And please mark your calendars – Court of Honor is Tuesday September 9th. There are tons of merit badges and rank advancements to bestow upon a huge number of summer campers and other very busy Scouts.

There’s much more happening during the reminder of this year and in 2009. Mr. Crisler handed out 2008/2009 summary calendars last Tuesday. If you don’t have one ask your son to pick one up this Tuesday.