ast year saw our troop finally come of age. Not since the late 1970Æs has our troop been as large or done as many projects as we have in recent months.
The past year saw our troop size more than triple to become one of the largest troops in Spalding County.With the growth our activity schedule has also increased with more service projects, training events,advancement opportunities, and some incredible campouts.
To accommodate our growth and to insure that the Troop continues to attract new scouts, Mark Miller, one of our Assistant Scoutmasters, has agreed to become the first Cubmaster of Pack 312 (see related article on page 3). The pack, which will meet at St. John Lutheran Church, is designed for boys in the first through fifth grades. The troop & pack will also have some joint activities at both churches.
Troop 12 is also on the move, we will have our meetings at Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Monday nights at 7pm, For more information about the change please see the Article on Page 2.
The troop plans to continue an aggressive recruitment effort this spring and will again visit elementary schools in May. ôThis year we also plan to invite as many Webelow Dens as possible to come and visit Troop 12 meetings.
ôIf we continue on our present growth then one day Troop 12 may finally realize our dream of a scout building,ö according to Henderson.
About half of the Troops in Griffin have scout buildings including Troop 2, 4, 7, 9 & 13.
NEW PLANS FOR 1995:
Joint Sponsorship, Cub Pack, New meeting location, even more troop activities as growth continues
rechartering time for Troop 12 takes place at the end of every January.
Aside from a lot of paperwork that Ed & Richard Franker have to go through including the Council Quality Unit award which we anticipate earning, this marks the time for paying troop dues.
The dues are one of the main sources for operating the troop. They pay a scouts registration fee with the Boy Scouts, Liability and Accident Insurance, BoyÆs Life, they help to pay for all of the Badges and Awards presented throughout the year as well as the general upkeep of the troop (and things like this newsletter) and all of our camping equipment.
The Dues fee schedule is below:
TROOP DUES FOR 1995
For one scout $48.00
Or 4 monthly payments of
$12.50 due on the 1st of month
Each additional scout $25.00
Adult Dues $10.00
Please try to get these in as soon as possible. Checks can be paid to Troop 12. For those people who joined at one of the school nights for scouting this past fall, IF you paid $8.70 in BSA registration fees then you can deduct $7.00 now. This you would owe $41.00.
The final call for the $3.00 patches for the Chickamauga Trail are now due, Ed finally found the order form and will send in the order following the next meeting. If you went on the hike & want the patch this is your only opportunity.
Our annual dues are still one of the lowest in Griffin. Turn in money to Mr. Franker at the next meeting.
Start of new year means its Troop Dues renewal time again
Inside This Issue
New Cub Pack gets started Miller new Cubmaster page 3
Personalized Advancement Records & Calendar See Handout
Catholic Church joins with St. John as co-sponsor page 2
Scouting For Food Plans Announced page 4
The Lutheran Living Faith & Catholic Ad Altare Dei awards are just two of the more than thirty awards that scouts can earn from their respective churches.
or only the fourth time in the long history of our troop there has been a change in our sponsorship. Unlike the other three occasions this is an addition.
Effective January 1st Troop 12 is a jointly sponsored unit of Saint John Lutheran Church (ELCA) and Sacred Heart Catholic Church - Griffin Parish. Our newly established Cub Pack is also the benefactor of this joint relationship.
Our troop will continue to have activities as both churches but now through the end of May we will be having our Monday Night scoutmeetings at the Catholic Church.
For the past 10 years the congregations of both churches have worked very closely together. The Thanksgiving Meals, the Griffin 5 loaves 2 Fishes Food Pantry, and the Hope Health Clinic are all examples of ecumenical cooperation.
The Catholic church was already taking steps to organize a troop yet Griffin really does not need more troops so it made good sense for our troop to take this course. of action.
It is hoped that new members will for the troop will come from the Catholic congregation as well as new leaders. It also allows the Cub Pack and Girl Scout Troops at Saint John to have more time and space to operate.
While the Boy and Cub Scout troops are affected by this move the Girl Scout Troop at St. John is not.
Sacred Heart has a lot of land behind the church which the scouts will be using. Even more exciting is that Father Mike, the Catholic Priest has taken an active interest in scouting at the Council level and left his last three parish postings with strong scout troops.
In McDonough Georgia Troop 66 not only is one of the best Troops in the county, but the Catholic Church there built an incredible scout building there in cooperation with the troop.
While the meetings are moved for the remainder of winter and spring. We will be meeting at St. John this summer as well as conducting some special events there. We will continue to use St. John for departure and return on all campouts as well.
The new Troop 12 flag that Jonathan FosterÆs family has donated to us will have both sponsors listed. We are awaiting the flag to be finished in North Carolina and expect it any week.
Troop 12 has 2 sponsors, welcomes Catholic Church partnership with Lutheran Church as we expand.
imothy Rogers is the Troop 12 librarian. His job is to help get into the hands of the scouts the books and resources they need to complete Merit Badge and other advancement requirements as well as to help the troop leaders get their books with the resources they need to complete service projects and meeting activities.
Up to now storage has been a tremendous problem. The library is kept at EdÆs house most of the year and is transferred to Camp Thunder each summer to serve as the camps main library resource. The collecting includes at least one copy of all 127 Merit Badge books (many subjects have five or more copies of the book), as well as over 80 VHS training videos, and some 400 other scouting books including many which are out of print.
Several periodicals are also kept in the collecting including Boys Life, Scouting, Scouting Action, SOSSI, Camping, Outdoor, Backpacker, and Exploring. It is hoped that some kind of lockable bookcase with a glass front can be secured in order to move at least part of the collecting to the church so the books will be more available to the scouts. Despite having a collection worth more than $5,000 few scouts in our troop have ever seen most of it. Being able to properly store the collection remains one of the top goals for the troop in 1995.
Besides the troop library collection a complete set of Merit Badge books are now available at the Flint River Regional Library in the ChildrenÆs section. The set, which was donated by the Griffin Kiwanas Club last year is always available. For help with the Griffin library collection, have your library card and see Eagle Scout & ChildrenÆs librarian Evans Millican who is upstairs and is always excited about helping scouts with their Merit Badge book needs.
Troop 12 plans to increase its involvement with reading and the Griffin Library in 1995. Because Ed Henderson is also the Chairman of the Spalding County Library Board, he is going working with the American Library Association to inaugurate the ôScouting Around the Libraryö program. Plans also include doing a service project at the library and signing the troop up for the summer reading club.
Getting back to the Troop Library, books are generally requested at the meeting before and brought the following week. Books are checked out for two weeks can can be renewed. Late fines are $.05 per week. See Timothy at the next meeting to request your books and be sure and let us know if have a spare bookcase.
Troop 12 has one of the best scout libraries in the state, more than 700 volumes in collection. Griffin library another good source for books
ow-Wows, Show & Do, Scoutleader Indoor & Outdoor Training, Fast Start Training, Woodbadge in æ96, Commissioner Training, Training for youth (JLT, Camp Staff, Den Chief, etc.) Youth Protection.... The list is endless and is vitally important. Did you know that our Council leads the entire nation in this department? In future issues we will be focusing on upcoming training events.
The next committee meeting will feature the Youth Protection Video for all leaders. All adult leaders are also reminded about the monthly scoutleader roundtables at St. George Episcopal Church (first Thursday of month at 7pm). These meetings are not just for scoutmasters but any troop leader or cub leader who wants to gain more skills and find out what is going on.
This past summer Ed Henderson & Richard Franker spent 8 days at the Lawhorn Canoe Base going through Woodbadge, which is the tops as far as adult leader training is concerned. They join our scoutmaster, Jerry Henderson, in having gone through this training and now must complete their ôticketö of projects they plan to complete.
Finally, this month the troop will nominate up to three 14 year or older first class or higher scouts to go through Junior Leader Training. Jerry Ayer, longtime scouter from Barnesville will again be Scoutmaster. Todd Droegmiller, who went through the course last year has been asked to serve on the staff for the 1994 course.
ôWe feel so strongly about this training that the troop has committed to pay up to $50.00 of the $110.00 registration fee for our leaders to go,ö according to Jerry Henderson, Troop Scoutmaster. Interested scouts are invited to inquire with Ed Henderson as soon as possible so before all of the spots fill up like last year.
ack 312 has been inaugurated at St. John Lutheran Church, marking the churches latest step in an ever growing commitment to the Scouting movement.
Mark Miller, Troop 12 Assistant Scoutmaster, has agreed to become the Cubmaster/organizer for Pack 312. Sheila Slack, a Den Leader in Pack 12 at Oarrs Elementary School joins Mark as Assistant Cubmaster and Den Leader for the Bear Cub Scouts at the new Pack.
ôThe addition of a Cub Pack that is directly tied in to Troop 12 will help us get the kind of scouts we want in future years. It will also give our scouts an opportunity to provide service and joint activities with,ö according to Jerry Henderson, Scoutmaster.
The Pack, which is moving to fill the Troop 12 Monday night time slot at St. John is open to all boys who are in the first through fifth grade.
As more cub scouts join the pack will fully organize into Tiger Cubs (First Grade), Bear (Second Grade), Wolf (Third Grade) and Webelows (Fourth & Fifth Grade(.
Shortly the pack will start work on their Pinewood Derby Cars as well as participate in Scouting for Food & the March scout show where they hope to enter a pinewood derby car for the county championship.
Meetings will focus on learning Cub scout skills, songs, and having fun. As the adult leaders get into cub roundtables and other training events, they will be announcing plans for various meeting themes.
After the Scout Show the Pack will also start work on earning the summertime Pack Award by participating in the Spalding District Cuboree, Webelow Camporee Weekend, the Cub Resident Camp at Camp Thunder, Parent & Pal Weekends, and Spalding County Day Camp this summer at the Fairgrounds.
As with the scout troop, the cub pack is jointly sponsored by Saint John Lutheran Church & Sacred Heart Catholic Church. While the Pack plans its initial meetings at St. John they also plan to conduct some activities at the Catholic Church.
New Cub Scouts in the pack include ??? Miller, ???? William, ???? New Person, Joe Henderson & ????.
Sheila Slack, wife of Troop 12 Assistant Scoutmaster Jerrell Slack is a fully trained Den Leader, having served in Cub Pack 12 at Oarrs Elementary school for several years.
Mark Miller, who was a scout in Carrollton Georgia for years as a youth has been with the Troop for more than three years. While he is new to Cub Scouts he is looking forward to getting involved with the Pack along with his six year old son.
Joining Sheila Slack and Mark Miller are Phyllis Henderson as a Den Leader and Joseph Single ton as the newly trained Pack 312 Den Chief. Singleton has also served as Den Chief of Pack 12 and currently serves as Patrol Leader of the Rattlesnake Patrol for Troop 12.
Phyllis Henderson, who worked on the Cub Day Camp staff for several years in the 1970Æs returnthat s to the movement now her grandson is joining the program.
Dues and exact meeting times will be announced later by Mark Miller. For more information on the Cub Pack, parents and others interested can call him ay ù-\ùù.
Copies of this newsletter which are going to Pack 312 families will include flyers for all Cub Scout events that have been announced by the Flint River Council.
Cub Pack 312 organizes, Miller becomes Cubmaster
en Chiefs are Boy Scouts who help work with a Cub Scout Pack. One of the most successful training opportunities for these scouts occurred at St. John Lutheran Church on January 8th. Scouts from all over the Flint River Council came that Saturday for a five hour training session which will allow them to go back to Cub Packs where they live and work with the Cub Scouts.
Being a Den Chief is but one way a scout troop can help a Cub Pack. Besides Joseph Singleton being a Den Chief the troop will once again help staff the Webelow Camporee Weekend as well as Day Camp. The troop will also serve as hosts for Pack 312 for the upcoming Spring Camporee.
Ed Henderson, who is on the staff at Camp Thunder and is helping to plan several of the Cubing events this summer has just been selected to attend National BSA Camp School as Cub Scout Resident Camp Program Director. This training, which will be held at Bert Adams Scout Reservation, will also help provide the cub pack some additional programming ideas.
To help with Cub Scout Projects see Ed Henderson for Joseph Singleton in the Troop or call Cubmaster Mark Miller.
Troop 12 gets involved in Cub Scout Projects. St. John hosts Den Chief Training on January 8
ôThis Cub Pack is really going to be exciting. There has been a lot of interest in it.ö
Mark Miller - Pack Cubmaster
ur troop has some 30 scouts, and when you add committee members, former scouts, church sponsors at both the Catholic & Lutheran churches and our families we have quite a collection of people. This column tells about some of them and some of the things they have done ^ will do both in and out of scouting.
Todd Droegmiller, was selected for all-state chorus at GHS. He had to miss the Alabama campout but did well at the event.
Chris TafoyaÆs mom, Debbie Yelvington, has been in the news...the Atlanta news and across the country on the AP network as the founder of the Griffin Humane Society. She put the spotlight on some of the illegal and inhumane practices that had gone on at the Spalding County Dog Pound. Anyone considering adopting a pet would do well to call ChrisÆs family. Way to Go!
Richard Franker starts his third year as our unit commissioner. People donÆt know this but every month Richard goes to his own set of meetings where he finds out the latest ways to make our troop & pack the best they can be.
Benny Duke, JasonÆs Dad is settling down as Distribution manager at NACOM. Things have been very busy there as they go into high gear. Rumor has it we may visit the new plant later this year.
Many thanks to state Representatives John Yates, Bill Sanders, and Senator Skin Edge for sponsoring Troop 12Æs pages at the Georgia General Assembly on the 24th. This is the third time we have conducted page day at the capital. Following the session the scouts ate at Underground Atlanta & toured the World of Coke museum.
On January 3rd the HendersonÆs traveled to Washington D.C. for the inauguration of the new house speaker, while there they visited the scout stamp exhibit at the National Postal Museum.
Next issue we will begin to feature troop Birthdays & other announcements
Notes on People, Places & Events in 1994 & 1995
erry Henderson has been active in scouting for more than 35 years. Beginning in the Greater Los Angeles Council he was Scoutmaster of a Troop in Whittier California as far back as 1969. Before that he was a scout right here in Griffin at Troop 4 of the First United Methodist Church.
In 1974, then District Executive David Allen asked Henderson to reestablish Troop 12, then at the National Guard Armory. The first meeting of the reorganized troop was March 11, 1974. Ed joined the troop at that time. The troop did well for many years. In 1979 Jerry became the Scoutmaster at Troop 2 of the First Baptist Church where he served for four years.
In 1983 Troop 12 was again without a leader and Jerry moved back to Troop 12 and brought it to St. John Lutheran Church where it has prospered for over a decade. During this time Jerry served as Committee Chairman and even took a couple of years off while Brice Beesley and Mark Beckum ran the troop. In 1991 the troop had gone inactive and Jerry came out of Scoutmaster retirement to again lead the unit. Shortly after taking back over Troop 12 with just a handful of members we hosted the 1992 Fall Camporee. He has been to Woodbadge is a Brotherhood OA member.
Jerry Henderson celebrates 35 years as Scoutleader. Reorganized Troop 12 in 1974
Troop Leaders Announce Plans for Patrol Point System. Plus Scribe & Quartermaster Reports.
attleship USS Alabama was only the latest trip in what has been a series of exciting campouts.
On January 20th 22 scouts & leaders traveled to the Pensacola Naval Air Station and attended the Land Survival School as well as toured the National Museum of Naval Aviation. It is here that the Blue Angle Top Gun pilots are trained.
In keeping with our troops interest in historic preservation and to earn the American Heritage Merit Badge the troop also toured Fort Barrackis which was a Civil War fortification in Pensacola.
Later on Saturday the troop traveled to the Battleship Alabama where we stayed on board the ship. Scouts toured the USS Drum. For many the highlight of the trip was listening to Civil War songs on tape while traveling between Griffin and the historic sites.
Last November the troop went to the Chickamauga National Battlefield & the Chattanooga Aquarium in Tennessee.
Other trips in 1994 included Camp Thunder summer camp where we were one of a handful of troops to win honor unit and the fall Camporee where the troop earned several ribbons.
In the Spring some of the campouts included Pine Mountain where everyone got to go swimming and Camp Thunder where the scouts went on a hike to the Flint River.
Just last week scouts got back from the Georgia state capital for our annual Page Day.
On the 14th three of our scouts , Chris Williams, Jason Duke, and Todd Droegmiller attended the 16th annual Dundee Mills Textile Merit Badge clinic.
In the future our two Troop Historians, Jason Duke and Robert Wilkins will write articles about the campouts and we will even try to include some of the pictures they take on every trip.
TroopÆs scouts have fun in æ94, complete many events
he Boy Scout Uniform is important, it identifies us as part of a worldwide movement that has touched the lives of more than 70 million people. The Patrol LeaderÆs Council has voted to include wearing of uniforms as a part of the new patrol competition.
Just as important as the Scout Uniform is the Scout Handbook. Both should be used at all scout functions. In your Handbook are places for the troop leaders to sign off on all of your advancement, especially the Tenderfoot - First Class requirements. Whenever any of these requirements are completed and signed off it is important that Ed be told so it can be entered into the troopÆs computer database.
Since Uniforms are expensive the troop actively collects and recycles old ones. If someone gets to big for a shirt they are asked to put it in the troops clothing bank. When someone else needs it they pay $5 which is then given to the donor of the old shirt.
Uniforms can be purchased at Morrow Powells in downtown Griffin or at the Scout Office on Zebulon Road. Parents should get the Council Strip and Troop Numbers (12). Other patches are awarded at Court of Honors or on campouts.
Proper Uniforming & Scout Handbook are important. Troop 12 T-Shirt being considered
February 4th & 11th date for this Service Project
ark your calendar now for July 16 - 22 1995. That is the 5th week of summer camp when Troop 12 goes to Camp Thunder.
This is the HIGHLIGHT of every scouts year and it is an opportunity you don't want to miss. At a cost of only $99.00 when a deposit is paid by April 1st it is one of the lowest cost scout camps in the southeastern U.S.
Despite its low cost Camp Thunder has leapt on the national stage as one of the most talked about Boy Scout camps in the nation.
The smash hit Radical Outdoor Challenge seen by millions every week on ESPN is filmed at camp. Even now, in January, the council has stopped taking reservations for this summer because every site for the summer is FILLED UP!
Consider that one troop from Texas is driving more than 1,200 miles round trip with over 50 scouts to come to camp, and this is no isolated example. In week after week Camp Thunder is attracting troops from 100Æs of miles away who could have gone to dozens of other scout camps a lot closer. They come to Camp Thunder because it is really that good!
There are over 50 Merit Badges. Rifle & Shotgun Shooting, Canoeing, First Aid, Space Exploration, you name it! The 2300 acre camp has many special programs including the Buckskin First Year Camper Program, Mountain Biking, Project COPE, Mountain Man, Whitewater Kyacking, and the Outback Program.
Ed will be back on serving his 14th summer on camp staff and Todd Droegmiller will be making his second appearance. Eric Smith has also applied for Camp staff.
Every parent should look for more information in the mail and additional announcements will be made at meetings.
Parents are also needed to volunteer to spend one or more nights at camp. On Friday there will be a family covered dish dinner at camp.
Planning for camp should start now. This spring there will be a parents meeting about camp and a showing of the Camp Thunder video.
Camp Thunder æ95 is the place to be for Summer Camp
here are 127 Merit Badges in scouting including 14 required for Eagle. Earning these are one of two major advancement goals for the Troop in 1995. The other is to have all of the scouts that were members of the troop at the start of the year to be up to second class scout by summer camp.
For the troops newer scouts a February campout at the Lawhorn Canoe Base (tentative) will be conducted with the goal of passing off Tenderfoot - First Class requirements. The older scouts will get started on Safety Merit Badge that same weekend as they progress on towards Eagle.
In the coming months, Mr. Ray Howard, a longtime Griffin scouter will be visiting the troop over three meetings to teach Indian Lore Merit Badge. The troop will also be doing the Citizenship in the World Merit Badge.
At the county level Ed is working on a Merit Badge counselor list for all Griffin troops to use. At the troop level we need parents to volunteer to teach various badges like First Aid, Family Life, Personal Management. Contact Ed today if you can help.
Advancement is a year round priority for every scout. Merit Badge Counselors needed.
Troop 12 goes all out for O.A.
ast year was the busiest in our 28 year recorded history but we plan to pass that in ;95 with even better campouts and trips.
On January 7th the troop Leaders held a Junior LeaderÆs Conference lockin at St. John where plans were developed for the coming year.
As we wait for the district and council to confirm some of their dates, troop events are starting to fill our calendar.
Attached to this newsletter is the February & March Calendars for the troop & Cub Pack.
Some of the big plans for the coming year are a Snow Skiing trip next MLK weekend in January æ96 at Timberland Ski Resort in Davis WV.
This fall we will spend some time in the North Georgia Mountains at Woodruff Scout Camp and the Sorghum Festival in Blairsville. We will also go on a Spelunking (cave exploring) trip to the lost sea in Athens Tennessee. During summer camp everyone is going to take Canoeing Merit Badge because in August we are going on a Whitewater Canoe trip down the Flint River!
Coming up in February we have a number of activities we want to focus on in this issue:
SCOUT SUNDAY - On Sunday Feb. 5th we ask all scouts & their families to come to St. John Lutheran Church for the 11am worship service. This is the one time during the year we ask that the troop families to do this. The troop will be recognized and refreshments will be served following the service. It was on this Sunday that Scouting was organized in the United States.
SCOUT SHOW - The Flint River Council Scout Show will be on March 25th at the Griffin Fairgrounds. In just one week we will start selling the tickets for that event.
The show is a chance for everyone parents, relatives, etc. to come and see what the troop does.
The tickets (Candy Bars with the wrapper used to get into the gate) will also be a chance for the troop to make some money and for scouts to win prizes. Eric said that the TLC would have a meeting this month to decide what to do at our booth.
Spelunking, Snow Skiing, Whitewater Canoeing, & Motorboating just a few of the exciting trips planned
very two months we hope to have a troop newsletter which will be handed out to all members as well as sponsors, and others interested in the troop.
The next issue will feature news stories from each patrol leader and other troop leaders about what they plan to do in their job. Submissions from all scouts are welcome. We will also be sending home with each issue the Flint River Council SCOUTING ACTION newsletter (Look for photos from our troop in there).
When parents & scouts read these publications as well as Scouting & Boys Life we think we will have the best informed troop in the council.
Troop 12 has an internet address!! To send E-Mail write ôBIGEDBSA@aol.comö You will also find many articles written by Ed Henderson on the America On Line GO SCOUTING area. For free software to log onto AOL see Ed anytime.
Troop 12 starts newsletter, needs ideas for articles and submissions from members. Computer BBS & Recorded Voice Mail services are also announced..
Training opportunities abound for adult leaders in 1995, Troop now has three Woodbadgers
Plans underway to send 3 scouts to Junior Leader Training this summer!
*Jonathan FosterÆs parents for donating the cost of a new Troop 12 flag.
* Joseph SingletonÆs mom for helping with refreshments at troop parties.
* Eric SmithÆs father for going camping at the Fall Camporee
* Todd DroegmillerÆs mother for teaching some of the Citizenship badges to scouts at the meetings.
* Jason HechlerÆs parents for helping with refreshments at Court of Honors and going to the Battleship trip.
* Brandon Lopez guardian, Mrs. Rhodes for arranging a swim party for the troop at the Moose Club
*Chris Williams parents for help with the Cub Pack & for going on many campouts with the troop.
* Richard Franker, who has no son in the troop and has been doing everything for over five years for all of us.
* Jason DukeÆs father for going on several campouts and helping with the troop..
Thanks to our Parents
an you imagine having to choose between being accepted to both the Air Force Academy and West Point Military Academy and a $55,000.00 scholarship to almost any other school in the country and having to choose?
Suppose the same week you got your invitation to West Point after passing a rigorous review process you got the go ahead from the National Boy Scouts of America to go ahead and submit your Eagle Scout Application.
Suppose while doing both exceptionally well at school in academics and as the number two commanding officer of the JROTC program you are also winning chess games as one of the top five members of the GHS chess team while being active in church and keeping a very high 3.5 GPA?
Needless to say things are merry now at the Foster family. Sean completed his Eagle Scout project last year at Griffin High where he set up an obstacle course for the ROTC and others to use. After getting approval wavers on the Family Life Merit Badge Sean passed his council Board of Review this past January 19th in Griffin.
This is a real cause for the troop to celebrate. Plans include for Congressman Mac Collins to present Sean his Eagle sometime this spring, we will announce the date as it is scheduled. Sean will be honored at the at the February 8th Kiwanas Eagle luncheon at the Elks Club & on March 10th will be honored at the Flint River Council Eagle Awards Banquet. Sean also has agreed to teach the troop Map & Compass skills in March. CONGRATULATIONS SEAN FOSTER!
Sean Foster passes Eagle Board & gets acceptance from West Point & Air Force Academies all in the same week!
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BSA Troop 12 Newsletter
Our Return Address:
724 West Taylor Street
Griffin, GA 30223-2720
On the Internet BIGEDBSA@aol.com
Inside This Issue:
Troop Calendar for February & March
BSA Scouting Action Newsletter
Updated Troop Roster & Phone List
Religious Emblems Program to start for scouts of all faiths.
he 12th point of the Scout Law is ôA Scout is Reverent.ö To this end nearly every church body in America has developed a religions emblem program for scouts of that faith.
Ed Henderson, Assistant Scoutmaster and the Chaplain at Camp Thunder has announced that the troop will begin to stress these awards for 1995.
We want all of our scouts to contact the religious leader at their home church and make plans to start their religious emblem award.
While Troop 12 is sponsored by both a Catholic & Lutheran church, most troop members are Baptist & Methodist. These faiths earn the God & Country award.
The Catholic Church already has an active Ad Altare Dei award program. Father Mike, the head priest will help host the Archdiocese Catholic scouting retreat at Camp Thunder this fall.
Pastor Katherine Pasch at St. John has already met with the Education Committee of the church and is putting an article in the next issue of the church newsletter Wings about the award program.
Pasch stressed that the program will not only be for Lutheran scouts in Troop 12 but is open to all members of the congregation in any troop or other youth program such as Girl Scouts, 4-H, Cub Scouts, etc. For more information about the particular religious emblem for your faith look in the scout handbook or see Ed to get started.
The Eagle Patrol, headed by Jason Hechler has set up a phone bank to get more of their members to meetings. Jason says he is redoing the patrol flag and wants to have a patrol campout soon.
Religious Emblems..
The Ini-to Lodge of the Order of the Arrow is a brotherhood of Honored Campers. Last year our troop and post elected five new nominees.
Upcoming events for our lodge include a Beaver Day at camp on Feb 18th & the Spring Fellowship on March 3-5th. Of course the big event is the Section Conclave in April!
Patrol Reports
The Rattlesnake Patrol, headed by Joseph Singleton presented its new Patrol Flag at the last meeting.
The King Cobra Patrol won the first Patrol vs. Patrol competition at Sacred Heart church and had the most people at the first meeting. They are working on a new flag pole and stand for their flag. The editor wishes to apologize for the use of the mouse as a symbol for the King Cobra Patrol but since he could find no clip art of the snake a picture of the victim seemed to be the next best thing.
No news from the Cherokee Leadership Patrol this month.
ne of the most exciting things that the Troop LeaderÆs Council came up with following the lock in retreat is the new Patrol Competition point system.
Each Patrol Leader has been given the ways they can earn points. Some of the ways include meeting attendance, being in uniform, having patrol flags out, turning in advancement, using the troop library, serving as service or program patrol, and bringing in visitors to the meetings.
Patrol competition will also take place each meeting. The PLC will plan events for each meeting.
At the end of April the winning Patrol will get a Pizza Party for having the most points.
Meanwhile Brandon Lopez said that the troopÆs equipment needs to be in better shape. On the next campout he is going to get the troop involved in cleaning & inventorying the trailer.
SCOUTING FOR FOOD - As a part of Scouting Anniversary week we will be taking part in a national effort to collect food for the needy in our community. Last year we helped collect some 7 tons of food in Griffin for the five loaves & 2 fishes food pantry.
The project is done over 2 Saturdays (Feb 4th & 11th). The first Saturday we will meet at ST. JOHN church at 10am to distribute the bags and the following Saturday we will pick up the filled food bags that people will leave out for our scouts to collect. Parents help is vitally needed for about 2 hours each morning to complete the project.
The first Saturday we will simply put out the bags. Each bag has printed instructions on what the donor is to do. Wearing of uniforms is very important.
The following Saturday we will recanvas the same areas. Families participating will leave the canned good filled bags out front for scouts to pick up.
Troop 12 has been assigned the area between Airport Road south between the Scout Office & Ethridge Mill Road. When we meet that Saturday at the church individual routes will be determined.
Attached to this newsletter is the council Scouting Action newsletter which has a nice article about the program which is sponsored by Krogers.
Re really want this project to do well. The Griffin coordinator for the effort is Kate McLaurin of Sacred Heart Church. Kate has worked hard at both the Lutheran and Catholic church with members of both congregations on food pantry projects throughout the year. This is our troops opportunity to help.
Patches will be awarded to all scouts that participate on both Saturdays.
