Courts of Honor are held to publicly acknowledge and celebrate rank advancement and merit badges that our scouts have earned.  January 30th will be our next Court of Honor! In order for Suzanne Woolner, our Advancement Coordinator, to get all her paperwork completed and submitted to the Council, etc. deadline for submitting completed and signed Blue Cards as well as completing Boards of Review will be January 23. Mark this on your radar so you will be prepared.  

In addition, that same evening, our Friends of Scouting representative, Zibby Nunn, will conduct a brief presentation immediately after the Court of Honor.  Friends of Scouting (FOS)  is our Northern Star Council’s annual giving campaign.

This winter our Troop will offer the following merit badges, starting on January 9:

• Personal Management:  taught by Reid Holmes

• Family Life: taught by Andrew Hecker 

• Citizenship in the Nation: taught by Nancy Erickson  and Janelle Erickson

Welcome, winter!  Now that the snow has fallen and we’ve all dug out our hats and mittens, it’s time to look ahead to the annual ski trip and make some plans!  The troop has a history of making a three-day trip up to Duluth’s Spirit Mountain over MLK weekend (1/13-1/15, 2017).  We stay overnight Friday and Saturday night at Asbury United Methodist Church, ski or snowboard Saturday and Sunday and return Sunday evening.  The following Monday is a day off from school in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  Scouts and parents, get talking and decide whether you can commit!  Typical price is approximately $150-$200 for the weekend, including ski or snowboard rental, lift tickets for both days, and some meals.

Boy Scouts has at its heart the philosophy of being a Boy Led Troop.  That being said, we still need adult involvement to make things run smoothly and to support the boys’ vision for their troop.  Several Scout parents will be stepping down from their years of volunteering in various positions in the next few months.  We ask for your help in filling the short-term duties listed on the Sign-Up Genius Link: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/805044fa4a72aa02-troop1

Or in taking on a larger, more comprehensive role on the Troop Committee or with our Voyager Bay Summer Camp. Here is a partial list of positions we are recruiting:

• Adult Recruitment - Recruits adult volunteers to fill open positions; opens/closes church at Troop meetings 
• Popcorn Sales- coordinates Fall sales of popcorn, from preparing the sales packets/forms to organizing delivery of the product
• Summer Camp Coordinator- coordinates and oversees all aspects of our weeklong summer camp at Voyager Bay (dates are June 17-23, 2017)
• Spirit Mountain Ski Trip Coordinator: The Troop heads up to Duluth for a great ski weekend January 13-15.  We stay two nights overnight at a local church and ski two days (Saturday and Sunday) at Spirit Mountain.  Suzanne Rudi will provide you with detailed notes with tips on who to contact at Spirit Mountain and Asbury Church, where to eat, how to time things out, maps of locations, and other hints. Please consider leading this fun outing! Scouts can ski or snowboard there and, if a willing adult is up for it, they can earn the Snowsports merit badge! 
• February 11-12 Winter Camping Event Coordinator: Winter Camping at William O’Brien State Park is a blast when you can slumber inside snow quinzees!  Consider leading this adventurous trip where scouts hone their winter camping skills. 

Ever wonder what you can do to support the troop that is both time-limited and yet of great help?  You are all busy, committed people… yet willing to make a difference.  I know it!  Please click on the Sign-Up Genius Link to find out and commit to a slot that needs filling! http://www.signupgenius.com/go/805044fa4a72aa02-troop1

If you are an ASM, you should be attending the monthly Troop Committee and ASM meetings!  Lots of planning, detailed discussion, and creative thinking occurs at these meetings and the troop runs more smoothly with more involvement from adults from a wide range of patrols.  In addition, you’re encouraged to go online at my.scouting.org to take the Troop Committee Challenge, which will clarify further the structure and functions of the troop committee and ASMs.  Thanks!