This is an FYI on a new program that is only available during 2010. In honor of the BSA’s 100th Anniversary, though, today’s generation of Scouts will get the unique opportunity to experience some of the activities their predecessors enjoyed. That’s possible thanks to the BSA’s new Historical Merit Badge Program, a set of four discontinued merit badges that today’s Scouts can earn only during 2010. Note that they do count towards advancement.

Centenial Historic Merit Badges

On November 30, the local healthcare coordinator from the Muscular Dystrophy Association office will give an overview on the MDA and the services that they offer. This will fulfill requirement #2 but you must be in attendance for it to count.

See you on Monday!

Neil Bonner, Disabilities Awareness merit badge counselor

Skiing is fun[:

Boy Scout Troop 1970 is once again hitting the slopes at Timberline Four Seasons Resort in Davis, West Virginia. We will depart the afternoon of Friday, January 22, ski on Saturday, Saturday evening (optional) and Sunday morning, then hit the road to arrive home late-afternoon on Sunday, January 24.

We had great skiing last year, with good weather and nearly every slope open. Timberline is a great place for beginning skiers, with a beginners’ slope with chair lift and two long, gentle runs. It also offers a variety of slopes for more serious skiers, with ratings up to double-black-diamond, plus a freestyle terrain park. Although this is the most expensive of the regular Troop outings, it is a terrific deal for skiing. Timberline offers an all-in-one package for Scout groups, which includes lodging, all five meals, rental equipment, lift tickets, and a ski lesson. Parents are welcome to join their sons on this trip.

It may seem early to be talking about snow, but I must have your reservation forms and payments by *** NOVEMBER 16th *** in order to reserve the proper number of bunks at Timberline.

Attached please find the following pages and forms, which I will also pass out at the Troop meeting on Monday:

- Description of the trip and available options, with a reservation form for you to complete and return with payment.

- A selection of pictures from our last two visits to Timberline.

- The permission slip for this trip.

- A list of things to bring on the trip.

It will be important to come prepared for skiing in weather that may range from spring-like to polar-like. We will spend time at Troop meetings discussing proper clothing and behavior to ensure that everyone has a fun and safe time.

Yours in Scouting,
ASM Mike Blanpied

I love backpacking!

Scouts,

Below are the details of our trip. A permission slip will follow shortly.

This trip follows very close on the heels of our last outing and we now have only one more meeting to get fully prepared. Please keep an eye out for follow up emails and be prepare for our meeting next Monday.  If you plan on participating, please respond to this email and let me know how many of your family will attend.

Things we need to do next Monday:

• Watch a short demo of cooking gear and talk about appropriate food for backpacking and drinking water
• Plan Meals and assign grub masters
• Check backpacks  If you are a younger scout that has not backpacked with us before please bring your pack packed with the gear you are taking (minus food and water)
• All are welcome to bring their packs for checking and to show off your cool camping gear.
• Return permission slips

THE TRIP:

We will be hiking the Appalachian Trail again.  How lucky we are to have this in our own back yard!  The section we will be hiking is a little over six miles long and is not extremely strenuous. It is in the mountains however and you will have a pack to carry.  Backpackers will start at Keys Gap trail head  on route 9 and hike to the camping area near Blackburn Trail Center. We will be camping in a heavily wooded area where there are a few designated campsites.   Mostly we will have to find places for our tents among the trees.

(Don’t forget those pads.)  I am guessing that in 2 weeks we should have nice fall color to add to the scenery.

If there is enough interest and adult leaders we will also have an out and back hike for those who want something a little less challenging.  Just a warning though, the camping area is about 2 tenths of a mile from the Blackburn Trail Center parking area and it is up the side of the mountain.  If we do this option, you will still want to bring lighter gear in a pack so you can carry it safely to the camping area. I checked out the trail head this past weekend.  It is under an hour away and very easy to find. 

I have included a packing check list below as well as a map of the trail area and a site on the Blackburn Trail Center.

Map
http://www.cs.utk.edu/~dunigan/at/m.php?wpt=Blackburn

BTC
http://www.pecva.org/anx/index.cfm/1,325,775,0,html/

 Regards,
Bob Terrafranca

Camp Henson 2009

Troop 1970 returned from Summer Camp at Camp Henson. There were many photos taken Juris Kelley. Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts!

[Show as slideshow]

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These were some of the many scouts that helped with Robert's Eagle Project.

Robert’s Project will benefit the Jeanne Schmidt Free Clinic.  The Free Clinic provides health services with no charge to those who are uninsured, who have a household income less than the federal poverty, and live in Herndon, Reston and Centerville.  It is a network of medical and non-medical volunteers who administer over 1,300 physicals to children through bi-monthly clinics.  It also provides dental care, as well as hypertension screenings and follow-up clinics for adults.

The goal of this Eagle Project is to collect donations of children’s vitamins with iron and new children’s books for the clinic to give to kids who come for medical care. These donations will promote nutrition and literacy.

In order to reserve a space for your scout at Camp Henson the troop needs to receive a deposit of $25 by January 26, 2009. Payment can be made with a check made out to Troop 1970 or a scout may use his Scoutbucks. The total fee to attend camp will be $320 if paid by April 27, 2009, $345 fee after this date.

Please download and complete the Camp Henson 2009 Deposit Payment Form (doc).  Submit payments or scholarship requests to: Jan Bonner, 703-352-3990, or Micki Moravitz, 703-476-2319.

two scouts on bikes

All scouts going on the bike trip this weekend need to be prepared.  The weather on the trail may be wet, and the temperature at night is probably going to be cold.  So, make sure that you have rain gear on the trail.  And, make sure that you pack plenty of layers of dry clothes.  The gear will be hauled to the campsite, not carried on the bikes.  This should make it easy for everyone to have warm and dry clothes for the evening.

Please being a sleeping bag that will keep you warm at near-freezing temperatures.  The high will be near 60 degrees while on the trail, but the low Saturday night is predicted to be 38 degrees.  And, it might be windy on Sunday morning.

Of course, the one thing we can be sure, the weather forecast will change between now and Saturday morning.  Please be prepared.  You will have more fun if you have all of the gear that you need to be comfortable.

Scoutmaster Russ Housley

Please download this Order Form. Descriptions of the wreaths, swags and garland are on the downloadable form.  Makes a great gift! We can ship the 26-inch Gift-Boxed Wreath & Hanger. Members of the Venture Patrol will be available on November 10 and 17 to collect your prepaid orders.

Orders are expected to be delivered the week of December 8. Thank you for your support!

Committee meeting follows immediately after training session.
Start Time: 19:00
Date: 2008-11-12