Veteran's Day Parade

Mr. Vickers organized an opportunity for the Ravens to march in the Veteran's Day parade. Mr. Dossel has also uploaded some pictures.




It was a great way for the boys to learn about what our Veterans did for our country.

Camp Grimes with Webelos 2009

Webelos-Grimes-09

Click on photo for photo album.

We again went to Camp Grimes for our November Webelos trip and once again had a great time. The week before was filled with rain but on our weekend it was great weather. We were prepared for 80 people so we put together a special Scout Cook Crew to cook for them all. Our wonderful Scoutmaster (H2) even made each boy a special apron to signify their special position as part of the “Cook Crew”. They were led by Jay C. with long time Scouter Mr. Werkman providing coaching and encouragement. It started with hot dogs and kielbasa on Friday night and continued until lunch on Sunday.

The Ravens were able to finish many of their rank advancement requirements by making a fire, going on a hike, and preparing and cooking a meal over fire on Saturday. The Troop provided the Webelos the opportunity to earn their Outdoorsman Activity Badge. Then Webelos had a chance to participate in Highland Games with the Troop. We had a nice flag retirement ceremony on Saturday night along with a hearty meal of Chili and Beef Stew followed by Dutch Oven Cobblers.

On Sunday the Webelos started their day with a mountain man breakfast cooked by our Cook Crew. Then it was on to our day hike around Camp Grimes. We finished up with a Chapel service provided by our Chaplain Assistant Ryan K. It was a nice ending to our weekend with the Webelos.

Camp Grimes/ Webelos Trip

Camp Grimes
(Last Trip of the 2009!!)
Featuring Highland Games

Who: Scouts, Leaders and Guests

When: November 13-15, 2009

Where: Camp Grimes (Charlotte’s version of Raven Knob)

Why: Good Times, Good Food and Great Scout Fellowship

What: Spending our last weekend of the year at an excellent Scout Camp. The Troop leaders will provide fine dining for all. H2 will lead the exciting Highland Games (kilts optional) with a strenuous tug of war to end the festivities. Take part in teaching Scout skills to Webelos as we start them on the path to being a Boy Scout. Free time to play (basketball, football, Frisbee or whatever else you can imagine to do). The older Scouts will be able to do a COPE program that will include: Rock Climbing, Rappelling, Zip Lines, Obstacle Course and Team Building. We will end our stay on Sunday with a hike to further explore Camp Grimes.

Highland Games Highlights:

Caber Toss: The throwing of a young tree trunk used as a trial of strength in a Scottish sport.

Shot Put: A field event in which a rock is heaved for distance.

Hammer Throw: A field event in which a rock is attached to a wood handle and is thrown for distance.

Tug-of-War: A contest in which two teams pull against each other at opposite ends of a rope with the object of pulling the middle of the rope over a mark on the ground.

Cost: $20

What to Bring:

• Bag Supper (Friday Bus Ride)
• Sleeping Bag
• Foam/air pad for sleeping bag
• Toiletries (toothbrush, tooth paste, soap or hand sanitizer etc., etc...)
• Rain jacket (no ponchos)
• Hat, Cap or toboggan
• Gloves
• Pants (dry fit, no cotton)
• Shirts
• Undershirts (dry fit, no cotton)
• Underwear
• 1 water bottles
• Long underwear
• Fleece Sweatshirt
• Socks
• Small Flashlight or headlamp
• Non-aerosol Bug Repellant
• Sunscreen Lotion, if desired
• Spending Money
• Extra jacket (suitable for the weather)
• Personal First Aid Kit
• Compass
• Rope
• Backpack w/ Pack Cover
• Cup, bowl, and spoon

What not to Bring:

o Electronics
o Snacks
o Cell Phones

Departure and Arrival Times

Friday 5:00 Meet at Church (Bring Supper)
5:30 Depart
Sunday
3:00 Arrive at Church
3:30 Gear Stored – Go Home

T934 Popcorn Sale

Here is some information about our Troop Popcorn sales.

Important document Links:

2009 Troop Popcorn Information

2009 Troop Popcorn Calender

Receipt

And Read the Important Information Below:

SCOUTS & PARENTS:

Are you READY to sell some POPCORN?! Sale starts THIS THURSDAY - 10/1/09!

Do you know WHAT'S NEW FOR 2009 ?!

Hopefully, you got a TRAIL'S END POPCORN SALE PACKET in the mail containing ORDER FORMS and PRODUCT INFO -- OR -- you were at the MEETING this week and picked one up! (If you didn't, you'll need to COME BY CYNTHIA MCGUINNESS' house and pick one up from the file box. Address & directions are at the end of this email.)

PLEASE DISREGARD THE LEVEL PRIZE INFO in the Trail's End mailer. Our level prize program is SO much better!! You can EARN prizes based on your sales level -and- ONCE YOU REACH $350 IN SALES, YOU WILL BE ENTERED IN WEEKLY TROOP PRIZE DRAWINGS. The more you sell after that, the more chances you get in the drawings. The prizes in the weekly drawings are FABULOUS, but you need to be AT THE MEETINGS to actually win! Last year, someone's name was drawn for $160, interior frame, uber-light, adjustable backpack, but he wasn't there. My son's name was drawn next, and he's been putting it to use ever since.

**See the TROOP POPCORN INFO FORM for more details on the PRIZE PACKAGE !!**

TAKE A LOOK at the Trail's End packet! Get familiar w/ the PRODUCTS and ((NEW this year)) read up on how to COLLECT DONATIONS for the Scouts and/or Military Troops. Yep, people who don't want to buy popcorn for themselves can still support Scouting either directly or by BUYING POPCORN FOR THE TROOPS! Scouts get FULL CREDIT towards earning prizes for donations & military gifts... but the donors will need YOU to give them a RECEIPT! The file containing the receipt form is attached to this email, and you can print as many as you need.

SET A SALES GOAL! Scouts have been asked to reach AT LEAST $350 in total popcorn sales & donations. (Re-read that prize package info!)

>>>Our Troop's Total Goal is $30,000!<<<

PUT ON YOUR CLASS A UNIFORM & GO! Remember all the safety rules (use the buddy system, don't go inside houses, look both ways, don't sit down with your pen in your back pocket, etc...) and remember to SPEAK UP about our great Scouting program and TASTY products! >>Idea: keep your sales sheets every year & take them with you when you sell! Help people remember what they got last year & suggest they buy extra!

~~BLITZ WEEK INFO~~ This year, you have over a WEEK to fill up a sheet and earn the BLITZ PRIZE! Choose between a "Bow & Mallow" and a Suunto A-30 compass. See Trail's End Mailer for picture & details on this as well as how to earn tickets to the WFU Sports Spectacular plus SCHOLARSHIP info.

TURN IN ANY CASH/CHECKS YOU COLLECT EACH WEEK to Mr. Spiegelman. Technically, you're not supposed to collect payment for popcorn orders until delivery, but sometimes people insist. That's OK - if they insist, take their money (or better yet, their CHECK made out to TROOP 934) and check off their order as "PD" in the last column on the order form. If they give you a donation, don't forget to give them a receipt & note the gift details on the portion of the form you keep. PARENTS - you may need to show your Scout how to do this part. If you need more info on this, please contact me & I'll walk you through it.

* * FORMS-YOU-NEED * *

** Please PRINT & KEEP this email & the attachments. **

ADDITIONAL COPIES OF SALES FORMS & RECEIPTS will be available in a file box in my driveway by the garage.

1. 2009 TROOP POPCORN CALENDAR - get it done on time!

2. 2009 TROOP 934 POPCORN INFORMATION FORM / PRIZE INFO.

(Scouts: If you have NOT turned one of these in, please print 2 copies & turn 1 in! We need your goals!)

3. RECEIPT FORMS - for donations. It may help to pre-clip these at least part-way before you head out.

I am one of a few people helping Steve Kelley with the sale this year. More help will be needed as the sale progresses, especially when that truckload of popcorn rolls in! Please let Steve, Cathy Watkins-Smith or me know if you can help in any way.

Thanks & best wishes for a successful sale!

Cynthia McGuinness

4005 Windsor Place Drive, W-S, NC 27106

922-4922

Directions to my house from the church:

Right on Robinhood Road

Right on Shattalon Drive

(down the hill...up the hill...)

Windsor Place development is at the top of the hill on the left w/ a brick wall running along Shattalon Drive.

Turn Left onto Windsor Place Drive.

At 2nd STOP sign, turn right onto Willow Knoll & make an immediate left into my driveway.

(I live on the corner of Windsor Place Drive, but my driveway is on Willow Knoll. There are two yellow Adirondack rockers in my front yard.)

The file box will be labeled "Troop 934"

New Blog

I am helping with Troop 934 trek to Philmont in 2010 and so I started another blog for high adventure trips. T934 High Adventure. If you would like you can follow our adventure as we prepare for "a trip of a lifetime".

Summer Camp 09

Check on the link to see a few pictures from Raven Knob.

Raven Knob 09

Carver's Gap Treks

We had a huge backpacking trip at the end of May with over 60 Scouts and Scouters and 6 Treks. After leaving Winston-Salem we spent the night at Roan Mountain State Park and the boys did a great job of setting up camp in the dark. The next day we broke camp and started to put the Treks at their trail heads. I drove the Pfun Trek to their starting point at Iron Mountain--you can check out their pictures in the post below this one. Big Brown got a little ornery at Carvers Gap but we did get her restarted so she could pick up the rest of the crews so they could start their journeys up from the Gap to the Balds (oh the jokes I could make about some of the leaders here). The Ravens were hiking to the Stan Murray Shelter Area. It was 3 Treks of 22 first-time backpackers and 9 leaders to guide them. Another Trek of slightly older scouts went to the Overmountain Shelter. Both of these groups backtracked on Sunday and exited the trail at Carvers Gap. The older Scouts went from Carvers Gap to 19E and that is a classic hike. On the way we meet a "through" hiker with the trail name Route 66. He has a blog on the Trail Journal. I was told by one Scout that our efforts to start Big Brown were captured on video by a hiker and they might appear on You Tube.

Being involved in the logistics of getting everybody on the trail I was a little late getting started on my hike and I had to rush to catch up with my trek but I did get some great pictures of the Balds on my way up. Most of my early pictures are of the scenery, which is wonderful. I caught up with my crew and was able to take lunch at Grassy Ridge at an elevation of 6165 Feet. The Ravens did a great job on the hike and we had a super camp site at the Stan Murray Shelter. On Sunday we took a group of Ravens that were ready to travel fast so I could pick up the Pfun Frolic Tour at Hughes Gap. We made great time and I took them back to the central meeting place back in the Roan Mountain Camp Grounds at a beautiful creek side shelter were my crew began to prepare lunch for the guys and gal coming off the trail. We got everybody off the trails and gave them a hot lunch and packed up to come back home. It was so cool to give so many boys their first chance to backpack and to have the older boys get a chance to push father then they had ever been before. I'd like to thank the boys and the leaders for making this a great experience for me. Click below to enjoy the show.

Roan Mt 09