TROOP 174 MONTHLY NOTES FOR FIRST-YEAR PARENTS

FIRST-YEAR OVERVIEW

We are pleased that your son has joined Troop 174 sponsored by Immaculate Heart of MaryParish. Our new troop website is www.bsa174.com.
 

Scouting at Troop 174 provides the best leadership development program you could pick for your son. He will learn to follow others in the first few years and lead others in the last few years. He will also have lots of fun outdoors, learn to take care of himself, help others, and make life-long friends from other schools.
 

It is important to attend all of the "hikes" (i.e., weekend campouts) since we complete many requirements for advancement together on those hikes. Please look at the hike schedule on the website calendar and make your plans to attend. Hikes are scheduled for September, October, November, January, March, April, and May.
 

Usually about 25-35 dads attend the hikes. The scouting program teaches boys to be independent but, in the middle school years, they appreciate having a parent "nearby" on the hikes. If you do not have or cannot borrow a tent, we will find one for you. Many new dads have not camped in a while and we will help you pitch your tent and show you the ropes just like someone helped us a few years ago). All meals for dads on the hike are prepared by the talented "Bus-Crew" (and these guys can cook). Dads should bring $20 to the hike to pay for food.

We give short reading and study assignments to the scouts each week. These are listed in the first-year scout plan. Please help your son set aside about 25-30 minutes each Sunday to read this material so that he is prepared for the activities at the troop meeting the following Monday night. This is good stuff and they will be pleased if you take the time to review this material with them. 

Each year three or four dads of "second-year" scouts are picked to lead and teach the new first-year scouts. They will take the scouts through the first-year advancement program developed by Troop 174 to enable the scouts to earn the Tenderfoot rank by Thanksgiving, the Second Class rank by spring break, and (if the scouts work diligently), the First Class rank by October during their second year in the Troop. These dads were in your position last year and are very willing to help you as well as your son. We encourage you to join the first-year scouts on Monday nights and on the hikes (but join a break-out group that does not include your son).

Troop 174 will provide your son with a scout handbook and rope (for tying knots) upon registration. Don't buy a uniform yet. First-year scouts do not need to wear a unifonn to troop meetings until November. Don't buy a neckerchief or patches. These will be provided by the Troop at the Tenderfoot Court of Honor in November. Once the Tenderfoot rank is earned, full uniforms must be worn to every Monday troop meeting and are never worn on Hikes.

SEPTEMBER

Troop Meetings

Troop 174 meets at Immaculate Heart of Mary in the activity center (gym) on every Monday evening at 7:00 p.m. Please see the calendar for exact meeting dates. Please arrive by 6:50 p.m. so the meeting can start at 7:00 p.m. Meetings end no later than 8:45 p.m. and generally at about 8:30 p.m. Scouts are expected to wear their uniforms to the meetings; however, new scouts are not required to wear uniforms until the Tenderfoot Court of Honor held on the Monday before Thanksgiving. The Troop will provide green Troop 174 neckerchiefs to the scouts at that Court of Honor so please do not purchase a neckerchief at the Scout Shop.  First-year scouts will be given a scout handbook and a five foot length of rope. Please bring the handbook, rope, and a pen to every troop meeting and every hike.

September Hike

We look forward to seeing everyone at the camp-out (Hike) in September. Learning camping, cooking, and other outdoor "scout" skills is the main focus ofthe September hike. We provide training for both first-year scouts and also for first-year dads. To accelerate independence and develop confidence, first-year scouts and dads will be in different break-out groups during the weekend.

Dinner is served to all scouts and dads at about 8: 15 p.m. or so on Friday night and you may arrive anytime after 5:30. It is easier to get the first-year scouts ready before dark so arrival by 6 to 6:45 is fine. Car pooling is a good idea and is often arranged at the troop meeting on the Monday before the hike. Scouts and dads also "sign up" to attend the hike on the sign-up sheet passed around at the troop meeting before the hike. Patrol leaders can help scouts find rides to the hike as a last resort. Maps to the hike campsite are passed out at the troop meeting on the Monday night before the hike and driving directions are available on the troop website. The boys should bring their scout handbooks and a pen on every hike.

We will have nametags for adults on hike. An equipment list (Gear) is provided in the first-year scout section on the website.

Most first-year scouts and dads do not have backpacks. We suggest you use a duffle bag or soft sided suitcase to bring clothes and gear. Many first-year scouts will use the "points" they earn from selling Christmas Wreaths in October to "buy" a really nice backpack at the Scout auction in early December. Then they start to use a backpack on the January Hike. Our backpacking  hike is in April and we can borrow a backpack for any scout or dad that needs one in April. 

It may be cool, so bring wool socks and a fleece jacket and bring rain gear as always. Inexpensive hiking boots are a good idea. Spray boots with waterproofing material from an aerosol spray can if not already waterproof. It is not necessary to wear scout uniforms on hikes. Put some dry clothes in a ZIP-LOC bag or the like in case of rain. Bring an extra trash bag or two to put duffle bags in to keep everything dry. We camp rain or shine and with rain gear and dining flys we have no problem. A small towel is a good idea to wipe off boots. The tents used by the scouts have floors and vestibules (entry ways for wet boots and gear). Each tent holds 3-4 scouts.

We need a health form for every boy especially if the dad is not on the hike. A health form is provided on our Troop 174 website. You may have turned in a health form on registration night.

A complete health form has to be turned in before your son can attend a hike.

Scouts will use their scout handbooks on Saturday so it is a good idea to put the handbook and pen in a ZIP-LOC bag on hikes where rain might fall. Many ofthe scouts and Dads bring folding chairs of the kind people use to watch athletic events so that they have somewhere to sit.

Our first-year scout plan shows what we will do on the hikes. The first-year scouts will sleep and eat in patrols but will advance in rank as a first-year group while the more senior scouts participate in other activities and cook by patrol. Please have the boys read the sections on pages 77-85 ofthe scout handbook about knife/saw/ax use and fire building.

Please contact the first-year scout leaders or Scoutmaster with any questions.

We will break camp on Sunday morning no later than 8:30 a.m. Coffee, juice, milk, and donuts are served at the bus at about 8: 15 a.m. to all scouts and dads on Sunday morning before we leave. We do not cook breakfast by patrol on Sunday morning. The goal is to allow time for everyone to get home on Sunday morning by about 10-11 :00 a.m. in time for church, football practice, or other family activities.

OCTOBER

Troop Committee (Parents)

Fathers of first-year scouts are encouraged to attend monthly troop committee meetings and join their sons on hikes. The committee operates the troop throughout the year and meets at 7 p.m. the first Sunday Wednesday of every month. See the calendar on www.bsaI74.com for the location of each meeting. First-year dads are encouraged to attend. After a one hour (max) session to review troop meetings and discuss the activities on the next hike, refreshments are served. Two dads serve as "Hike Reps" each month. These dads plan the activities on the hikes following the plan established by the Troop Committee at the planning meeting the previous  June. The Hike Reps describe the plan for the upcoming hike at the Troop Committee meeting and the Committee discusses the plan. Scoutmaster Frank Otte is our "Chief Operating Officer." He reports to the Troop Committee and leads the scouts at all troop meetings and on all hikes.

Wreath Sales/Ski Trip

Each year the troop takes a trip to Winter Park, Colorado to ski over President's Day weekend. Scouts can take this trip at no cost if they sell enough wreaths to accumulate 110 points. One point is awarded for each 24" wreath sold. Two points are awarded for selling each larger (3, 4, 5 foot wreath). This is a great experience for the scouts and we encourage all first-year scouts to participate. Each scout needs to sell enough wreaths to earn 36 points to stay in the troop because wreath sales support troop activities and purchase and provide maintenance of our camping equipment.

October Hike

For first-year scouts, help them stay dry by packing socks (several pairs) and underwear separately in 1 gallon ZIP LOCK bags. If their pack or bag gets wet, those important clothes will stay dry. Wool socks are best. Do not send cotton socks -once wet, they stay wet. Inexpensive polypropylene T-shirts are great and better than cotton. Everyone needs boots and rain gear of some kind. Tennis shoes in rainy or damp weather are cold. They need to be prepared for rain. Inside the tent, they need to keep sleeping bag and clothes from touching the tent wall since that is when water transfer happens.

Please bring rain gear and hiking boots (with two pair of socks) for the 5-mile hike. Inexpensive "clodhopper" boots can be obtained at Target and Wal-Mart. Use "spray-on" waterproofing treatment ifboots are not waterproof. Bring a bottle to carry water on the hike. Hang the bottle from your belt. Stay warm with fleece pullovers and jackets rather than cotton sweatshirts. Cotton gets wet and stays wet.

***We have reminded the first-year scouts to stay with their patrols in camp and participate in patrol meal preparation and cleanup. This is the second hike for the new scouts so we expect them to begin to assimilate into the troop and patrol structure and follow directions given by their patrol leader. Reminders from you about these matters at the drop-off are appreciated

BRING YOUR SCOUT HANDBOOK ON THE HIKE!!

We will practice knots so bring your ropes. We will build fires (2nd Class #2d) so bring your TOTE 'N CHIP cards and pocket knives. There may be rain on Saturday so be prepared.

We will divide the first-year scouts into four cooking groups each group will be led by their assigned senior scout. We have a first-year leader Dad for each "patrol". At lunch, the first-year scouts will roast water-soaked ears of com in husks on hot coals and roast a chicken breast on a sharpened green stick over an open fire. They will use a reflector oven to bake Poppin' Fresh Biscuits in a throwaway pie pan that fits well in the reflector oven.

No lunch clean up is involved. We start at 10 a.m. gathering wood and soaking the com and finish by 1 PM and then go on the 5 mile hike (Dads invited to join us) and return by 4 PM. We gather the scouts at 9:30 a.m. and do Tenderfoot athletics for 30 minutes before we start cooking.

The first-year scouts will lead a flag retirement ceremony at the October campfire to retire an old flag.

Please make sure we have a health form for your son.

NOVEMBER

November Hike

We need for every first-year scout to attend the November Hike since this is the Tenderfoot test weekend. We need to know who will be on the hike that did not sign-up to attend the hike last night. Hike directions and information is available on the calendar at www.bsaI74.com.

Leadership

Our current first-year scouts will be patrol leaders in about three or four years. One way to be a good leader is first to be a good follower. Please help your son understand how important it is that he follows directions given to him by his patrol leader or assistant patrol leader on hikes. He should stay with his patrol and not drift off into other patrol campsites. Most of the patrol leaders are in eighth or ninth grade, and all have been in the troop at least two full years.

Every patrol leader has a duty roster prepared on the Monday before a hike so that all patrol members know their assignments for cooking, cleaning, and wood gathering, etc... Please remind your son to do his fair share.

We adults are teaching the patrol leaders how to be leaders. In most cases our patrol leaders have never before had the responsibility of leading a group of 5-6 other boys. The idea is to provide a lot of adult mentoring for the Patrol Leaders on the first few hikes and then back off to see if the patrol leader can lead his group the rest of the year. Scouting is a great leadership training experience for boys. If you can help your son be a good follower, then in a few years, we can help him be a great leader.

Advancement to Tenderfoot Rank on the November Hike

The Tenderfoot Scoutmaster Conference (quiz) and Board of Review (not a quiz) will be held after lunch on Saturday during the hike. Each first-year scout will need to purchase a scout shirt (from the Scout Office at 18th and Meridian). The scouts will need to bring that scout shirt to wear during the Tenderfoot Scoutmaster Conference and Board of Review that will take place after lunch on the November Hike. They also need their Scout Handbook and a belt, rope, pen, and shoes.

The Tenderfoot Requirements can be found in the Scout Handbook on pp. 32-33. The Tenderfoot section is found on pp. 34-61 and pp 7-9. Please make sure that your son reads this material carefully and is prepared to answer questions from an assistant scoutmaster during the scoutmaster conference on the November Hike to shown that he knows the materials.

We have a Chart showing each Scout's progress to date. You can always see this. Any uncompleted requirements can be completed on this hike in the morning before the afternoon quiz.

The first-year leaders will review all Tenderfoot requirements in an "assembly line" system. Your son will then chat with Scoutmaster Frank Otte. Frank wants to see how your son is doing. The oral quiz is next and will last about 10-15 minutes and it is one-on-one between your son and an Assistant Scoutmaster. Scout oath and Law, knots, and first aid will surely be covered at the least. You will want to help your son prepare. After the Scoutmaster conference there will be a board ofreview where your son will meet with a group ofdads. No quizzing here. The dads want to make your son feels welcome in the troop and see how he is doing and if he is having fun or having any problems.

If a boy does not "pass" his scoutmaster conference, he will be sent back to us the First-Year Scout Leaders and we will work with him so he knows enough to pass. Then he will go to the end ofthe line for another try. Everyone usually passes. Good preparation is the key.

We have lots of first-year boys and we cannot be certain that everyone knows everything. At this age, some scouts are more "focused" than others. You know your son best so we are counting on you to help your son get ready. The first-year dad leaders are never involved in the scoutmaster conferences or the boards of review --we are mentors and teachers only.

If your son cannot attend the hike, please let us know. We will try to hold a special Scoutmaster conference and Board of Review at the scout meeting next Monday night for any scout not on the November hike due to illness or other significant family event. You will need to arrange that with us as we will be doing map/compass work with the boys on the Monday after the hike.

Tenderfoot Court of Honor --Monday before Thanksgiving

Please plan to have your whole family join us on Monday night before Thanksgiving Day at 7 p.m. as we honor your son's advancement to Tenderfoot. Parents will "be on stage" with their son. Relatives are welcomed. This is a big deal and we hope that you can join us. Refreshments are served after the ceremony. Bring your camera.

DECEMBER

No hike is scheduled in December. Nevertheless it is an active month at Troop 174. First-year scouts need to make the first aid kits described on page 289 of the Scout Handbook (Second Class requirement 66) at home. They need to bring these kits to the first Troop Meeting in January.

A scout auction is held on a Sunday afternoon in December  and scouts bid against each other to redeem "points" they earned by selling Christmas wreaths to acquire scout gear. Many first-year scouts can acquire a sleeping bag, thermal pad, or backpack if they sell a fair number of wreaths.

Later that day, a parents-only holiday party is held at the Rezek's home at 5425 N. Meridian. This is a great chance to meet parents of new first-year scouts as well as the moms and dads of older scouts. Holiday food and beverages are served. An invitation will be mailed to your home and an R.S.V.P. is requested.

JANUARY

January Overview

We hope that everyone has had and is having a great winter vacation. Our first scout meeting of the New Year is Monday January 7. We want the first-year scouts to earn the Second Class rank by the end of March so that they have a chance (ifthey work hard) to earn the First Class rank in early October of their second year in the troop.

First Aid Kits

They need to make their first aid kits and bring them to the January 8 meeting. Please do not forget to do this. Scouts need to make a kit including all items (except mouth-barrier device) listed on pages 289 of the Scout Handbook. We have explained this to them at least 3 times so they will not be surprised.

First Aid

In the second halfwe focus on first aid. Please read Chapter lIon first aid in the scout handbook with them over the holiday break. To earn the first class rank in May, they need to have memorized the first aid information in the colored boxes in Chapter 11. We camp a lot and they will be with their patrols away from the main group on many hikes this spring so we want them to be prepared and ready ifthey need to provide first aid to another scout in their patrol.

FEBRUARY

February Swim at Riviera Club

We need for all first-year scouts to be in the RNI Locker the first Saturday morning in February with their swim suits on at 8 a.m. sharp since we only have exclusive use ofthe pool until

11 :00 a.m. Please try to arrive about 7:50. Please bring a towel.

Please make plans to attend. We only conduct this swim test once a year and scouts need to pass it to advance to first and second class ranks. Thanks to Dave Keiner for organizing this with Rivi as he does every year.

Please have your scout read the material in the scout handbook for the requirements below so that they are prepared to participate. Please remind your son that no horseplay is allowed and that we are guests ofthe Riviera Club. You are welcome to stay and watch.

Second Class Requirement No.7

Tell what precautions must be taken for a safe swim. (Scouts will need to tell one ofthe first¬year leaders while they are waiting to swim.)

Demonstrate your ability to jump feet first into water over your head in depth, level off, and swim 25 feet on the surface, stop, tum sharply, resume swimming, then return to your starting place.  Demonstrate water rescue methods by reaching with your arm or leg, by reaching with a suitable object, and by throwing lines and object. *** Explain why swimming rescues should not be attempted when a reaching or throwing rescue is possible, and explain why and how a rescue swimmer should avoid contact with the victim.

First Class Requirement No.9

Tell what precautions must be taken for a safe trip afloat. (Scouts need to tell one ofthe first¬year leaders while they are waiting to swim). Successfully complete the BSA swim test (see below).  With a helper and a practice victim, show a line rescue both as tender and as rescuer. (The practice victim should be approximately 30 feet from shore in deep water.)

BSA Swim Test

• Jump feet first into water over the head in depth, swim 75 yards/meters in a strong manner using one or more ofthe following strokes:
• Sidestroke
• Breaststroke
• Trudgen, or Crawl;
• Then swim 25 yards/meters using an easy, resting (elementary) backstroke. The 100 yards/meters must be swum continuously and include at lest one sharp tum. After completing the swim, rest by floating.

MARCH

March "Orienteering" Hike

March is perhaps the busiest month for first-year scouts. The March hike covers rank requirement for orienteering (map & compass) and cooking. 

The second class scoutmaster conference and board of review led by Assistant Scoutmaster will take place some time near the end of March.

The scouts need to get their one service hour (Handbook, p. 80) finished and their school drug program (Handbook, p. 108) requirement finished. They can show these requirements to you in the second class requirements in the book. They are responsible for reading the book and knowing what they need to do. As we have said, the transition is underway for them to begin to take charge oftheir scouting careers. Make-up for second class swimming will be in April when it warms up outside and they should not worry about this.

APRIL

 April "Remote" Hike

In the "remote" hike, patrols accompanied by two dads camp away from the bus and travel between campsites either by back packing or by canoe. The bus does not provide normal food service for dads during this hike.

A packing list and map ofthe hike location and trails have been passed out at the Troop meeting on Monday night. Pack light as the scouts do not need a lot of clothing. Contact your scout's patrol leader if you have any questions as to what to bring. Please save room in your scout's pack to carry food and other patrol items and equipment that will be split among the scouts by the patrol leader. Normally the patrol leader will gather all scouts in the patrol at his house on Wednesday or Thursday night before the hike to pass out patrol gear and help first-year scouts pack. Please do your best to pack and bring this to the special patrol meeting so you can be helped.

The troop will borrow a backpack and loan it to you or your son (or both). Tell us early is you need one and we will give it to you at the troop meeting just before the hike.

There will be two Dads shadowing each patrol and the patrols will be on their own. This is a scout-led hike and each patrol will camp two nights in different locations oftheir choosing and ordinarily no other patrols will be nearby. The shadow Dads will be nearby and observers only.

MAY

May "Fun" Hike

 This last hike is for fun. We can help first-year scouts make-up for missed activities but no advancement is planned. Webelos Cub Scout groups often join us on Saturday as part of a visit to see and learn about Troop 174.

First Class Scoutmaster Conference and Board of Review

 The scoutmaster conference and board of review for the first-year scouts  will take place next October.Most of the scouts will have attended summer camp by then and taken the First Aid and Camping Merit Badges. Sign-up will be in early October at the troop meeting. A CPR instruction sheet bas been provided to help the scouts recall the CPR instruction that has been provided. Dr. Harris points out that this list teaches really fast chest pumping.

At this stage every year, many of the scouts are ready to pass a first-class Scoutmaster conference but some are not. We have covered everything at least twice. Those scouts that succeed will have read the handbook carefully and been quizzed by parents. The scouts need to know the first-class rank requirements. This first class rank cannot be achieved without preparation by the scout. First Aid (all of Chapter II), map and compass, and knots will be stressed --probably in that order. 

Troop Awards

We will pass out an award nomination form to first-year dads at a troop meeting. Please nominate those scouts (other than your son) that you have observed doing well this year. Please send/give your nomination form to Dan Leonard ASAP. First-year scouts win awards so please nominate the scouts that you have seen do well. Don't forget any helpful patrol leaders or senior scouts that you came in contact with.

MAY/JUNE

End-Of-The-Year Notes

The scouts learned a lot, became good campers, and had fun and the support from parents was outstanding.

 At the First-Class, Star, and Life rank, everyone does not pass on the first attempt.

First aid knowledge is always the stumbling block for those that stumble and they will take first¬aid merit badge at summer camp and become first aid experts. As we have said throughout the year Troop 174 emphasizes first aid at the first class level since we camp out every month and the scouts are outside in the woods sometimes on their own and they need to be prepared to handle first aid problems themselves.

End-Of-The-Year Picnic and Awards Ceremony

Please join us at the picnic at 4 pm. on the last Saturday in May at the Governor's Residence for the Eagle Court of honor awards for all scouts. Families are welcome under the big tent and the food prepared by the bus crew is always great. First year scouts need to be there by 3 p.m. to help direct parking and set up some tables. Scouts need to wear full uniforms and first-year scouts are likely to win some troop awards as well as receive any second-class and first-class rank awards.

The Eagle Court of Honor and all scout awards picnic is Saturday. All scouts and their families should attend. First-year scouts will receive rank advancement and, if applicable, the snow sports merit badge earned on the ski hike. Also some first-year scouts will probably received some troop awards. The bus will be there and the bus crew will prepare a fabulous dinner with dessert and beverages. A big tent will provide the shade. Directions are attached.

June Planning Meeting

All Dads please join us at Dave Leonard's cottage on Grandview Lake on Friday night or at least on Saturday morning the weekend after the Eagle Court of Honor Picnic of the annual troop committee meeting where we plan the schedule for next year. We always have about 35 men and we need lots of first-year dads to come and help make the plans for next year. Mom's are welcome to attend. There is dinner on Friday night and breakfast and lunch on Saturday prepared by the bus crew. This is a great time and when all decisions are made so please join us to understand how this group works.