April 2014 - BSA Troop 9 Stamford CT

Color version of the Troop 9 newsletter is available online
TROOP
NEWS
Calendar
Highlights
April
Sat., 4/5 - Sun., 4/6
Backpacking on AT
Thurs., 4/17
NO MEETING
Thurs., 4/24
Swim Night
at the Italian
Center
Sat., 4/26
Urban Hike,
NYC
May
Sat., 5/3
FUMC Service Project,
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m
Thurs., 5/8
Meeting offsite
(location TBD) rocket launching
Fri., 5/16 - Sun., 5/18
Invitational Trip to RidinHy Ranch, Adirondack
State
Park,
NY
April
2014
STAMFORD, CT Est. 1923
Amazon shopping benefits
Did you know that the common act of “shopping” can benefit
Connecticut Yankee Council?
Connecticut Yankee Council can financially benefit whenever you
shop at Amazon.com. When you use the link, shown below, on
your way to the Amazon website, the CYC is automatically designated to receive an affiliate fee of 4% to 6% of the value of your
purchases. It is as simple as that! The prices you pay for your
Amazon.com purchases are not affected by this fee; the fee is automatically included in your final price. In fact, if you directly go
to the Amazon.com website and not through the Council designated link, the affiliate fee is retained by Amazon.com. Your purchases are completely confidential; the Council cannot identify the
purchases of any visitor to the website.
In one recent test lasting about a week, the Council earned over
$45.00, from FEWER THAN FIVE VISITORS to Amazon.com.
Imagine the potential if hundreds of Scouters during the rest of
this year were participating.
Please bookmark this link in your Internet browser or
iPad/iPhone application. The good news is that you don’t have to
change your shopping habits. You merely need to change the
“path” you follow to get to Amazon.com. Your shopping can help
make a difference in the lives of countless numbers of youth that
we serve.
www.troop9stamford.org
Troop 9
Leadership
Senior Patrol Leader
John V.
Scoutmaster
Roger Williams
rvw@optonline.net
358-8634
Assistant Scoutmasters
Gene Alvarez
569-3329
galvar60@gmail.com
Frank Browne
968-6540
fjbrowne@hotmail.com
Mark Kuehn
324-5954
mark.njm@gmail.com
Tony Lerner
322-2412
tonylerner@yahoo.com
John Mihok
322-0929
jjmihok52@yahoo.com
Barry Morgan
buzz330@aol.com
329-3255
Craig Orr
569-9850
Equally important: Tell your friends and family and fellow Scouts craig.orr2@gmail.com
to use this link for their shopping!!
Doug Penn
325-8355
douglaspenn@hotmail.com
http://www.amazon.com/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=ctyankee-20
Scoutmaster’s Corner
The Berlin Brigade
Have you ever heard of Germany’s Troop 46 “Freedom Outpost” also known as the Berlin Brigade?
Troop 46 is probably the oldest Scout troop in the Trans-Atlantic Council. They can date their origins
back to at least 1952 with the families of the servicemen who occupied Berlin immediately after World
War II, literally behind the Iron Curtain. Talk about having a difficult time getting supplies or
finding a place to overnight for a campout, which are only some of the hardships these Scouts had to overcome! One
of the benefits was to later earn one of the rare TAC Outpost of Freedom segments (similar to our Appalachian Trail
segments.) This TAC segment was a formally controlled segment, meaning you could only get one segment per trip
and only from the TAC Berlin office where it was registered by name. It was presented with a certificate to Cubs,
Scouts, Explorers and adults participating in a trip across the Iron Curtain via the "duty train" between Frankfurt and
Berlin, for hiking the Berlin Historical Trail, or for writing an essay on "What Freedom Means to Me.”
Photos of most Troop 9
activities can be found by
clicking on the Shutterfly link
on the troop website
This story makes me thankful of where we live and the opportunities we have as Scouts. The AT is in our backyard,
just a car ride away. You have camping and outdoor stores also just a short ride away and dozens of adult volunteers
willing to teach you. We had a wonderful hike earlier this month, and although it fell below freezing at night and we
were not allowed campfires, I didn’t hear a single complaint from the Scouts. They all seemed well prepared, and tired,
as was I. We awoke to a beautiful and crisp morning and a thankfully shorter hike out.
News or photos you’d like to
share with Troop 9? Send them
to Holly Connolly at
It’s these trips that make Scouting worthwhile to me - just one boy saying “Wow, what a beautiful sunrise” or “Check
out that hawk.” Make the most of your time as a Scout, learn as much as you can from all those who are willing to teach
you, help others around you, and be thankful for what God has given you.
YIS,
connollys@ilex2.com
**Look up Berlin Brigade Troop 46 online for more of the history!
Page 1
ASM Mark Kuehn
We had a great time on the backpacker and the scenery
was great. We also loved the new backpacking tents.
Sadly two of the stoves weren’t working
and the water had rust in it, so that was a
bummer. Overall we had great time
talking, hiking, and playing cards.
- John C.
Troop 9 recently had 2 great outings - the
Butternut ski trip and the pioneering campout
at Alpine. On the ski trip the snow was good
and everyone had a ton of fun. Alpine was also
pretty great. The cannons were fun to build
and worked pretty well (until ours broke.) Every patrol
made great food for the iron chef competition, but cooking was difficult because the wood didn't make any coals.
- Alex L.
“On My Honor” Service to Youth Awards
Troop 9’s Committee has selected five very
deserving volunteers to be recognized for their
many years of service to the Troop 9 Scouting program. The 2014 Troop 9 "On My Honor” Service
to Youth award recipients are:
Patty Czelada
Dan Taylor
Steve Czelada
John Varbero
Gene Alvarez
Used Tents for Sale
As mentioned at previous
meetings and in email
communications, the troop
Committee has replaced our
original 4-man & 2-man
backpacking tents. The
troop is selling the old Kelty tents "as is"
and there are just a few left!
If you’re in the market for a tent, the
The awards will be presented at the Powahay District Annual Adult following are available:
Recognition Dinner on Wed., May 7, 2014 at the Continental Manor • Kelty Vortex 4-man tent
in Norwalk. If you are interested in attending the dinner, please inQty - 6 $50 each
form Evan Atkins, Committee Chairman, as soon as possible.
Registration for the dinner is being processed online at http:// • Kelty Windfoil 2-man tent
Qty - 3 $30 each
www.ctyankee.org/districts/powahay/dinner. The cost per person is
$45.00 and is due by April 28, 2014. Please join us in celebrating their Please see Evan Atkins or Adrian Bethray
service and dedication to Troop 9 and enjoy an evening of Scouting at the Thursday meeting; checks should be
made payable to Troop 9 Stamford.
fellowship.
Page 2
TROOP 9 COURT OF HONOR - March 27, 2014
RANK
ADVANCEMENTS
TENDERFOOT
Zachary B.
MERIT BADGES
Tommy A.
Snow Sports
Joe N.
John C.
Weather
Aidan O.
Ismael D.
Crime Prevention
Grady O.
Family Life*
Garrett G.
Snow Sports
Niraj P.
Aviation
Alex H.
Camping*
Chemistry
Citizenship in the Community*
Space Exploration
Garrett G.
Alex L.
Logan W.
Chemistry
Family Life*
Personal Management*
Christopher B.
2nd CLASS
Snow Sports
Nikhil R.
Cooking*
Citizenship in the Community*
Nick K.
Personal Fitness*
Crime Prevention
Alex L.
Snow Sports
Personal Management*
Collin M.
Snow Sports
Kevin S.
Citizenship
Ryan M.
Citizenship in the World*
Sean T.
American Heritage
Darryl M.
First Aid*
David V.
Chemistry
Family Life*
in
the
Nation*
Citizenship in Nation*
Engineering
1st CLASS
Tommy A.
Nate D.
Joe N.
FYI: Merit badges followed by an * are Eagle-required badges. To earn the rank of Eagle Scout, a
Scout must complete a minimum of 21 merit badges, and of these, 13 are required.
Merit badges are to be affixed to a merit badge sash and worn as part of the full Class A uniform.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Welcome T9 New Scouts!
Totin’ Chip
John M.
Steven W.
Gregory M.
STAR
Chris E.
Grady O.
Cast Iron Chef Award
Hawks Patrol leader Alex L., pictured at left, receiving the
Cast Iron Chef award from SM Roger Williams.
The competition took place at the Alpine campout in March
and the Hawks brownie dessert was a hit with the judges.
Order of the Arrow Call-out for Newly Elected Members
John C.
Thomas M.
Aidan O.
Grady O.
Kevin S.
Sean T.
Page 3
Photos: Frank Connolly
Troop 9 Celebrates 90 years!
The March Court of Honor this year was truly a special event, a celebration of 90
years of Scouting in Troop 9. Scouts and scouters representing the last 35 years of T9
leadership under former Scoutmasters Michael Holiman (1979-1991), Craig N. Johnson (1991-1995), Evan Atkins (1995-2002), Rick Lockwood (2002-2007) and Roger
Williams (2007-present) were in attendance to partake in the festivities. They
included George & Grace Hallenbeck, Craig Atkins/Eagle Scout, Harry Bethray/
Eagle Scout & future SM, the Bethray children/future Eagle Scouts, Ray Flaig/
former ASM, Alex Flaig/Eagle Scout, Rick Lockwood/former SM, Eric Lockwood/
Eagle Scout, Justin Lockwood/Eagle Scout, Jack Chnowski/former Treasurer.
Special congratulatory wishes were received
by the troop committee from many former
troop members who were not able to attend
including Craig Johnson, Robbie Hallenbeck, Tom Mirto,
Ed & Lee Tatro, Chris & David Pavia, Tommy & Andrew
Pavia and the Pappas family.
Troop 9 Adult Leadership
One of the benefits of having a large amount of volunteers is that “many hands make light work.” Well, light
work doesn’t really describe the commitment that these men make to the Scouting program, but it does make it
possible for them to spread out and cover the long and
varied list of activities and events that occur in Troop 9.
While rarely all seen in one location at the same time, the
entire adult leadership corps of Troop 9 was in attendance
at the March 27th Court of Honor to celebrate T9’s 90th
anniversary year.
Pictured, left to right, are Scoutmaster Roger Williams
and Assistant Scoutmasters Doug Penn, Tony Lerner,
Barry Morgan, Gene Alvarez, Frank Browne, Craig Orr,
and Mark Kuehn.
Thank you all for your service to Troop 9!
Summer Camp at Sequassen July 13-19, 2014
Troop 9 will be converging on the Eli Whitney campsite at Camp Sequassen July 13-19 and is looking forward to a great week of fun,
fellowship and advancement. The camp is located in New Hartford, CT and has 537 acres of outdoor adventure including a 238 acre lake.
It’s a proven fact that Scouts who attend summer camp advance faster and further over time. The advantages are endless and it’s an
experience that is not to be missed. The program offers a mix of individual, patrol, and troop activities as well as opportunities for
advancement. The many options for fun include swimming, fishing, boating, archery, rifle shooting, softball, volleyball, soccer, the craft &
nature centers, and last but not least - the Trading Post!!
In addition to T9’s adult leadership, parent volunteers are needed to ensure adequate supervision for the week.
It’s a great opportunity to have some fun with the troop and to spend quality time with your son. You may stay
the entire week, Sunday-Wednesday night, or Thursday-Saturday.
The cost for the week is $435 after April 14th with a sibling discount of $40 and camperships are available.
Included in the cost is the camp fee, T-shirts, and a group photo. For more information on any of the abovementioned items or to register please see Roger Williams. You may also send an email to him at
rvw@optonline.net with the Scout name and list of activities (i.e. merit badges, scuba, etc.) Checks should be
made payable to Troop 9 Stamford and given to Pat Nulty, T9 treasurer.
More detailed information on summer camp was distributed at the March 27th Court of Honor and includes the Camp overview (blue
sheet), Quick Guide (yellow sheet), Wilderness Patrol (goldenrod sheet), and Merit Badge registration form (white sheet).
The deadline for registering and submitting completed medical forms is June 1. All attendees (youth & adult) must complete a standard
BSA medical form - parts A, B & C - along with the addendums for the State of CT and Sequassen Summer Camp. The form is an online
fillable form; go to the website, fill in the information, then print.
The link for the form is http://www.ctyankee.org/fs/page/000899/cycresidentcampahmrform2014.pdf
Page 4
Photos: Frank Connolly
In keeping with this month’s themes of the 90th year celebration and the upcoming
summer camp week, Bob Busby herein provides us with a look back at summer camp over
the years. Summer camp weeks from 2001, 2002 and 2003 are shown here and we’ll see
more in the coming months.
If you have some “golden oldie” pictures of Troop 9 days gone by that you’d like to contribute to Troop 9’s
Throwback Thursday monthly feature, please send them to connollys@ilex2.com.
2nd row (standing): Tommy Pavia, Chris Bonine, Rick
Lockwood/SM, Bob Busby, CJ Walsh, Ted Pappas, Mike
Giuliano
1st row (kneeling): Liam Morgan,
Justin Lockwood, Tim Giuliano, Gil
Eaton-Koch, Sean Tarantino, Brian
Busby, Mike Mirto
3rd row (standing): Bob Busby, Mike Hopkins, Mike
Pappas, Chip Walsh, Sherry Tarantino, Ted Pappas
2nd row (kneeling): Tommy Pavia, CJ
Walsh, Tom Connolly, Brian Busby,
Eric Lockwood, Alex Flaig
1st row (sitting): Sean Tarantino, Gil
Eaton-Koch, Tim Giuliano, Liam Morgan,
Justin Lockwood, Chris Hopkins, Keith
Busby
3rd row (standing): CJ Walsh, Tom English, Bob
Busby, Tommy Pavia, George Murphy, Bill
Schlossberg, Ted Pappas
2nd row (kneeling): Brian Busby, Liam
Morgan, Tim Giuliano, Nick Amico,
Gil Eaton-Koch, Sean Tarantino, Tom
Connolly
1st row (sitting): Justin Lockwood, George
Murphy, Chris Hopkins, Tom English,
Jesse Goertel, Keith Busby, Dan Schlossberg
Page 5
Page 6
Photos: Frank Connolly, Sandy Ellis