December 2014 - Boy Scout Troop 292 Mobile, AL

December
Volume LXXXII
Inside this issue:
Snow Skiing Campout
The troop will travel to Mentone, AL to snow
ski during the Martin Luther King Weekend in
January. This activity has been a favorite for our
scouts. We plan to hike to see some beautiful
waterfalls as well as ski. The troop will spend
the day on Saturday to ski and snow board.
Scouts and adults will cook and eat together for
this campout. We will camp at Camp Comer
which is one of the camps for the Greater Birmingham Council. We will use their tents. It is
anticipated that the cost of this campout will be
$80 which includes $45 for skiing, $20 for food,
and $15 for transportation. If scouts want to ski
again on Sunday morning, there is an additional
cost of $28 for a half day of skiing.
]
Your scout can sell doughnut coupons to help
raise money for this activity. If he sells 20
dozen doughnuts at $6 he will earn $65. Let
the Scoutmaster know if your scouts want to
sell coupons to help pay his way in scouting.
Scoutmaster Update
Partial Merit Badges
Troop Christmas Party
2
3
4
Leadership
5
November Highlights
6
Reader Contest
7
.Popcorn Sales Were Awesome!
This year’s popcorn sales exceeded our
troop goal. Thanks to all those who participated in sells that exceeded $15,000. These
sales allow the troop to pay for campout as
the fee that a scout pays does not cover the
“real” cost of a campout. In addition, the
popcorn sales enable the scout to help pay
for his scouting experience. The upcoming
snow skiing campout will cost $80. The
scouts that sold popcorn earned an average of $105. The sale of popcorn also helps
fund the Council in areas such as Camp
Maubila, Camp Pinetreat, and the cost of
sending volunteers to BSA school so they
are certified to run the shooting range, shotgun range, and serve as Camp Director of
summer and winter camp. Everyone benefits from the sale of popcorn.
Thanks, Thanks, & Thanks!
VIEW THE
TROOP WEBSITE
TO STAY
INFORMED OF
TROOP
ACTIVITIES. YOU
WILL BE ABLE
TO PLAN AND
BUDGET IF YOU
KNOW WHAT
THE TROOP
ACTIVITIES ARE.
www.bsa292.org

Why You Should Not Get Under A Tree During
a Lightening Storm!
Copy to your browser:
http://www.wimp.com/
amazingstrike/
Important Dates:
 December 12-14
Webelos Campout
 December 16
Christmas Party
 December 27-30
 Winter Camp
 January 17-30
Snow Skiing Campout
 Febuary8
1
 Scout Sunday
 February 20-22
 Talledega National Forest
Manny's Epistle!
Troop 292
Scoutmaster Update
Scoutmaster Update
As the year draws to an end the troop is gearing up for an awesome 2015 which includes snow skiing, hiking/backpacking, fishing, survival
campout, and much more. Read the newsletter for all activities for 2015.
Parents are being asked to work with your scout on merit badges that he has not completed. The scouts take a merit badge class at summer or
winter camp and do not complete the homework assignment to receive the badge. Encourage your scout to work on his “partial merit badges”
and help him with them.
If your scout has a leadership position, he needs to review the “blue binder” that he was given as this information describes his duties for the
position. If a scout does not fulfill his responsibilities he will not receive credit for his leadership position.
I want to thank all of our parents for supporting your scout and the troop. We have a great troop because of your involvement and support.
Many troops cancel campouts because they cannot get enough adult leaders to attend. That has never happened in this troop. You are the key to
a successful scout. You are the key to any success your son has whether it is academically, in sports, or other activities. Thanks again for your
support.
Manny Russo
Scoutmaster
Bumper Stickers
The troop will be ordering bumper stickers with the troop logo. They will cost $1.75. Parents are asked
to purchase one for their vehicle. The bumper sticker is a way to show others the importance of scouting and make them aware of Troop 292. You can see below the two examples that the committee
will be considering.
2
Partial Merit Badges
Parents: Sumer camp is now over and your scout probably has some partial merit badges meaning that they
have some work to do a home in order to complete the
badge he started at summer camp. Some scouts have
partial badges from 1-3 years ago that he also needs to
work on. To complete the badge will require parents to
help their scout just as you would if it were a homework
assignment. We are urging parents to review the advancement report that Scott sends out and help your
scout complete these badges. In some ways, scouting is
no different than school as the scout must accept responsibility for his badges just as he would with homework. I
December 4
Blake
December 5
Ryan
December 21
Zack
One of our Assistant Scoutmasters, Angel, has participated in Wood Badge Training which is the highest level of
training offered to adult scouters by BSA. One of her projects to complete as part of this training is to organize volunteers to help scouts complete these partial merit badges. This effort will be in full swing starting in August. Your
scouts should be hearing from one of our adults regarding
his partial merit badges. If have skills or interest in working
with scouts on a badge, see Scott.
Remember that you can help your scout at home to
complete a merit badge. He needs to use the merit
badge worksheets found on www.meritbadge.com.
Talk with your scout about this and give him a
little nudge in the seat of the pants!
Look What's New!
The troop is now accepting debit/credit cards to pay for recharter, campouts, summer camp, and other scout activities. This will make it much easier for those who do not use
checks. The troop will have to charge 3% extra to cover the
cost of the card. For example, if you pay $25 for an activity,
the amount debited will be $25.75.
We hope this will make it easier for you. You can still make
installments on activities and use your debit card each
month to make these payments.
3
Take advantage of this easy payment method.
Winter Camp
Winter camp is December 27-30 at Maubila Scout Reservation. The fee is $105. Winter Camp is very important as
many Eagle Required Merit Badges are offered only at
winter camp (not summer camp). What makes winter
camp fun is the fact that there are no mosquitoes, no
heat, the food is great, and it is only a 3 day campout! It
is a must for scouts who wish to advance in rank and aim
to become an Eagle Scout.
Encourage your scout to attend. Help him understand
that earning merit badges is important to advancing in
rank. You can sign up your scout by seeing Jay, treasurer. December 2 is the last day to get the early bird fee.
To Camp or Not to Camp!
(A message from your Scoutmaster)
Throughout the year that are many opportunities
to camp. Scouts will sign up for a campout and
then change their mind. I will often ask them why
they are not camping or why they changed their
mind. The answers are usually the same. “I did not
think I would have fun” or “it is not what I wanted
to do.” It is important for parents to remember that
camping is the major part of scouting. In fact, it is
the heart and soul of scouting. Troops that do not
camp much will lose scouts to troops that do.
Campouts are not always about doing what the
scout wants to do. It is about teamwork, being independent of adults, cooking, learning to deal
with stormy weather, developing relationships with
fellow scouts, and much more.
Troop Christmas Party
Parents are urged to make sure your scout camps
every opportunity. I know that families are busy
and scouts will often prefer to stay home and play
video games, watch TV, or just sleep in. Scouting
takes your scout away from his “comfort zone”
and puts him in the great outdoors where he
learns new skills.
A 292 Scout should be prepared……..to have a
great Christmas party! Celebrate the 292
way! The Troop Christmas party will be on December 16th at 6:30. Scouts….Don’t forget your
Dirty Santa gift! Gifts should not exceed $10 in
value and you must have a gift to be part of
the gift exchange. Please bring a dish, chips,
beverage or supplies based on the last name of
scout (see list below). Please email Lyssa by
12/12 at thebarrows123@gmail.com to confirm
what your scout is bringing.
Camping is the focus and scouts should take every opportunity to camp and learn. He will grow
and advance if he camps often. Parents, it is important that you understand this message and
share it with your scout.
A-K Main Dish or side Dish
L Chips (at least 2 large/jumbo bags and
serving bowl)
M-R Dessert (Cookies, Brownies, cake, donuts etc…..
Thanks, Manny
S Soft Drinks at least one 12 pack of canscold, iced down
4
T-W Plates, Napkins, Dessert plates,
utensils
2015 Campouts
The boy leaders of the troop met and have planned the campouts
of 2015. They did a great job and have planned a year of scouting
that will be challenging, fun, and a learning experience.
January 16-19
Snow Skiing
February 20-22
Cheaha Hiking & Backpacking
March 13-15
Camporee
April 10-12
Survival Campout
May 22-24
Canoe Campout
June 14-20
Summer Camp
July 31-August 2
Snorkeling Campout
September 11-13
Paul Johnson Campground
October 9-11
Scout Skills Campout
What is Leadership?
When we think of leadership we usually think of the
Senior Patrol Leader, older scouts, those that get things
done, and so on. Leadership in many ways is less conspicuous than this. When your scout offers to help or to
carry out a task and demonstrates a positive attitude
then he is demonstrating leadership. At summer camp,
many of our first year scouts asked if there was anything that they could help with. This is leadership. When
scouts help other scouts, this is leadership. A good
leader must first be a great follower to his SPL, ASPL, or
Patrol Leader.
At the Court of Honor you saw the many scouts that
assumed leadership positions. These positions will enable your scout to grow. Every 6 months scouts will have
an opportunity to hold a position of responsibility. Some
will do well while others will falter. However, those that
make mistakes will learn from the experience and will
perform much better the next time he holds a leadership position. Making mistakes is part of learning and
growing.
Step up to serve your fellow scouts
Be a leader
November 13-15
Hiking & Backpacking
December 28-31
Winter Camp
5
November Highlights
6
News You Can Use Reader Contest
Scouts, read your newsletter cover to cover to locate our logo, or
, and then email your
editor, Irene Watson at mom96rn93@aol.com, with the total number of logos you find in the entire newsletter. Look everywhere, including on uniforms and flags. The first three scouts to email
will be entered in a drawing to receive the prize of the month from Mr. Manny. You must be in
full uniform with your scout book at the meeting in which the prize is awarded. And I would bet
you’ll be really informed about all your troop’s happenings, too. Good Luck!
Website and
Photo Gallery
If you would like to submit articles for the website or tell us about something your scout has
done outside of scouting, please email this information to:
Manny at manny292@comcast.net or
Steve Marcantonio at steve@cpsinet.com.
Troop 292
News You Can Use
Providence Presbyterian Church
2320 Schillinger Rd
Mobile, AL 36695
Scoutmaster: Manny Russo
E-mail: Manny292@comcast.net
the
We’re on
web!
292.org
www.bsa
Editor’s Note - If you have any suggestions or contributions for
292 News, please contact Irene Watson at
mom96rn93@aol.com.
Troop 292 is a very active troop that camps each month regardless of the weather! We will camp in excess of 30 nights and
days per year. The Boy Scout Program is an “Outdoor Program,”
meaning that scout skills and leadership skills are developed
throughout this outdoor program, not only at Tuesday night meetings. We also provide hundreds of hours a year in service projects as we teach scouts this key value of “Service to Others.”
Join us as we provide a quality program that turns young boys
into young men who live the Scout Law and Oath in all that they
do.
Our Mission—The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to
prepare young people to make ethical choices over their lifetimes
by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.
7