We will try again to meet at WPSP this Saturday, January 16, at 10 am. We will work with Scouts on First Aid, Outdoor Code, and Service for those under First Class (Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class). Scouts First Class and above can use the EDGE method to help others gain proficiency in the requirements. We will also spend time doing a Service Project at the Park – mainly picking up trash. Wear Class B WARM outfits. We will finish at 11:30 am.
Please use the file below to fill out desired MB selection offerings at the troop level (monthly) over the course of 2021. Write the selections in the empty spaces and be sure to include your name (scout)s. If you are not present 12/15 please feel free to print scan and return this to Mr. Gould via email.
If interested in helping the shelter and me, I am accepting any dog or cat food, toys, or blankets/bedding. I hope to fill a minivan full of supplies. Bring any donations to our Tuesday meeting next week on December 15th.
Scouts!!!
Earn Congressional Awards! Participants must be between the ages of 13.5 and 24 years old. Here’s how the program works:
Certificate Levels
Medal Levels
Questions?
Contact Tracy Padgett tspadgett@live.com or 423-306-0321 or Angela Ward 423-773-4577
Parents and Adult Leaders
Scouts between that ages of 13.5 and 24 have the opportunity to earn Congressional Awards, but we need your help. In order to earn these awards, our scouts will need adults willing to act as advisors and validators. An advisor helps a scout establish how they are going to reach their goals and oversees the scout’s progress toward those goals. Validators oversee individual program areas-volunteer service, personal fitness, physical fitness, and exploration/expedition. As you can see, these overlap with requirements of the scouting program, so scouts can earn recognition in both programs at the same time! If you would be willing to act as an advisor or validator, please contact Tracy Padgett at tspadgett@live.com or 423-306-0321 or Angela Ward at 423-773-4577. Without our help, our scouts will not be able to participate in this program. Our goal is to have 1-2 advisors for each patrol. For more detailed information about the program, please visit their website at https://www.congressionalaward.org/.
ADVISORS:
VALIDATORS:
Here are some service projects that could be completed during these current times. However, it is a good idea to contact a Troop 48 leader before beginning to ensure correct scope for your service project. Wear a face mask with working with other people outside your household.
1) Pick up trash – in your neighborhood, Kingsport Greenbelt, WPSP conservation events, trail heads, boat launches. Use a trash grabber or gloves for protection. A goal of a garbage bag per half hour would be great to know if an area needs this service.
2) Outdoor landscaping maintenance at your church. Pull weeds, cut back bushes (with guidance!), pick up limits, remove dead from flower beds, put out new plants. Partner with the grounds staff to learn what is needed.
3) Rake leaves or pull weeds for an elderly resident in your neighborhood – not related to you.
4) Make birdhouses and with permission put into a local park. Not necessary a known need, but ask the naturalist connected with the park about their needs. May come up with another idea.
5) Sew face masks for distribution. Several scouts have been involved with this effort.
6) With an adult driver, complete meal delivery with Meals on Wheels
7) With an adult, volunteer to purchase and deliver food for an elderly/shut-in neighbor
8) Talk with Mr. Hasler about trail maintenance – pulling limbs from the path, cutting back growth, repainting blazes, etc.
More ideas can be considered to add to this list.
How long? When will we know? Who is making the decisions? How will life proceed? These are some questions the Troop 48 membership would like to know insights about also… and the leadership can only give glimpses as new information is gathered.
Answer to the first question is “we don’t know either”. Updates that have occurred in the past week.
Responses for the second and third questions are “working on it” and “various leadership”.
Last reply is for the near-term as “the new normal” as not been defined.
Finally, the Tennessee governor’s office has issued guidance for church worship services, which may be also appropriate for youth organizations such as ours. Implementation of this directive needs to be discussed by the church and troop leaders to understand our restrictions and requirements. For example is what arrangements can provide at least 6-foot distancing between families with 50% of maximum room capacity for social distancing and while all participants wear cloth (or better) face coverings.
If you have any specific questions, please contact our Scoutmaster, Mr. Hasbrouck who can work with the rest of the youth and adult leadership.
Finally, remember the Scout motto: Be Prepared… as you can for any situation.
Hello, Troop 48! We hope everyone is staying safe while getting some exercise in your own neighborhoods. Look for opportunities to do Good Turns, such as picking up trash (and aluminum cans for recycling).
This message is to provide another update regarding our troop calendar and activities. While businesses, parks, and venues begin to reopen with limited capacity to maintain social distancing, Troop 48’s primary concerns are protecting our vulnerable members while continuing skill and leadership development.
But first, some good news. Troop 48 rechartered 72 scouts and 65 adults for the next six months. Thank you for supporting this program as we aspire to provide a solid experience for each and every one.
Back on the main topic, Troop 48 will follow the guidance of our state and local governments with their health departments – plus the permission of our charter organization, Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church (CHPC). The Troop 48 adult leader committee met on April 21st evening to agree that troop-wide meetings of nearly 100 people, even if spread around the church facility and grounds, are not yet viable. Full Troop 48 in-person meetings through Tuesday, May 12th are cancelled as reflected on the T48.org website Calendar. May 12th is when the adult leader committee will gather again after obtaining further direction from government, church, and scouting organizations. Local schools are now closed through May. A possible trigger to be able to assemble again would be official guidance to allow reopening of churches and schools.
In meantime, many scouts are taking advantage of the Scouting from Home activities offered on the BSA Sequoyah Council website. Others are pursuing skill learning and merit badges on their own. Joshua and Mrs. White are reaching out to the members working on Scout rank. Others are finishing Star and Life ranks (and a 3rd Silver Palm!) with three-way calls for Scoutmaster Conferences and video teleconferencing for Boards of Review. The troop leadership is willing to engage with the scouts while maintaining the social distancing and two-deep leadership principles. Don’t forget to complete or recharge your Cyber Chip to allow electronic communication.
To this end, Troop 48 has requested permission of CPHC to be able to offer some drop-in events during May to be able to review the “Demonstrate” and “Show” requirements for the Scout and Tenderfoot ranks. (Talk to us about needs for Second and First Class also.) The details can hopefully be shared at the end of April. Until then, learn the skills at home using videos from various scouting websites, including Troop 48 FB page.
National BSA is advertising a campout (all night) in your backyard on Saturday, May 2nd. If you decide to participate, it will count as a camping night for advancement (but not for Order of Arrow qualification). The scouts will need to send Mr. Hasler and Mrs. White photo proof your experience (maybe picture of you setting up the tent, and then inside view… in the morning). We’ll collect the names for our troop records.
The Court of Honor and annual banquet have been cancelled for May with intention to move up the August event to allow our college-bound Eagle scouts to be recognized before their freshman orientations.
Philmont crew will learn more about their trek when the high adventure base communicates an update on Friday, May 1st.
Wilderness Road Day Camp, which many of our Den Chiefs and other scouts assist, has been pushed to the end of the month, June 29th thru July 3rd.
Separate message has been sent by Scoutmaster Hasbrouck regarding the possibility of attending CDC Summer Camp June 14-20 and/or July 5-11. Credit, including partial amount, can be earned to pay for summer camp expenses by selling 2020 Camp Cards currently through the end of June.
Finally, the entire troop would like to wish Mrs. White a big milestone Happy Birthday on May 6th.
Troop 48 can be active during this time of social distancing. This post will be updated as new information is gathered.
First action for online interaction and use of the internet is to have a current Cyber Chip (new or refreshed in past year). Use this link (https://www.scouting.org/training/youth-protection/cyber-chip/) to Scouting BSA website to select the grade-appropriate course. For the requirement to “teach Internet safety rules, behavior, and “netiquette” to… your patrol”, a email to your patrol copying the adult advisers is appropriate while the troop is not formally meeting. (Jack C. did this for the Wolf patrol.)
Remember that all electronic communication from and with scouts must at at least two adult leaders in the session or on the email.
For lower ranks, requirements starting with Repeat, Explain, Describe, and Tell can be done with a conference call having the scout, a parent, and an adult advisers assigned to your patrol). Demonstrate and Show requirements will need pictures or short video clips. None of these items must be publicly shared – or will be posted without specific permission of the scout and a parent.
For merit badges, please contact Mr. Hasler before starting one as Troop 48 is moving to comply with the certification of merit badge counselors. Make sure that you are working on the latest requirements which can be found at https://www.scouting.org/programs/scouts-bsa/advancement-and-awards/merit-badges/ Not all requirements can be completed during social distancing, but many can be done at home in consultation with your merit badge counselor. (Avery is making a key lime pie – yum. Nathan B. completed Geocaching MB.)
Instructions for completing Citizenship in the Nation merit badge was distributed by Mr. Hasler to scouts who had started or were Life rank and still needed this Eagle-required MB.
Sequoyah Council is offering several advancement training opportunities at https://sequoyahcouncil.org/events/scouting-from-home/ I would highly recommend the Communications MB. The next cycle of three class sessions is to begin Monday, April 13. Registration has not yet been created.
Troop 48 uses the Troopmaster advancement tracking program instead of Scoutbook as stated by Sequoyah Council. Mr. Allen and Mr. Hasler are available to provide information and complete virtual book checks.
