BSA TROOP 474

Home of the WOOD DUCKS

Agenda & Announcements November 13, 2003

  1. Colours, Law & Oath;
  2. Go to www.troop474.org for calendar, event descriptions, photos, resources, neat stuff.
  3. SENIOR SCOUTS, WHAT LEADERSHIP WILL YOU DEMONSTRATE TONIGHT? Who needs help with rank advancement, AT hike planning…Lead by Example
  4. Use of foul language will not be tolerated within the Scouting Program…No BS! Seriously!
  5. ANNOUNCEMENTS
        1. AT Backpack Trip this weekend- see separate hand out and also on our web site under the schedule 11/15-16. CORRECTION: NO FOIL MEALS SINCE NO FIRES PERMITTED ON AT IN CT. ALL COOKING MUST BE OVER STOVE. Temperature is forecasted clear 40’s in day, 20’s at night. LAYER CLOTHING: HAT TO BED
        2. FOOD DRIVE – BRING AT LEAST ONE BAG OF FOOD TO NEXT WEEK’S MEETING. THE BRECHLIN FAMILY IS TROOP 474 FOOD DRIVE COORDINATOR. SEE MR. BRECHLIN (12 WINTHROP RD TELE 453-1520) WITH QUESTIONS, DELIVERY OF FOOD.
        3. COOK OFF COMPETITION NEXT WEEK’S MEETING. Bring a lantern if you need. Meeting is at 6:30 in parking lot. Each Patrol or sub groups should plan and prepare a hot meal fit for backpacking. The rules are few. You will be judged on the following criteria;

Prefer you cook over stove although foil meals are permitted in charcoal grill as if it were a wood ember camp fire.

- Chris Terwilleger, please remember toasted pop tarts does not constitute a hot supper.

- Nate Dawg, hot sauce is permitted as long as you can eat it.

Judging will be Honourable Mr. Town, Mr. Ingraham and Jonathon Dudley none of whom can be bought.

COOK OFF TO THE DEATH!

D.11/22-23 TURKEY FEAST AT Deer Lake - Cedars. See Separate Hand out. Arrive by Saturday late morning early afternoon. You are responsible for your own lunch and next morning breakfast. Troop is providing roast open fire Turkey dinner. Cost is $5 per head. Please do not make us chase you down. Come for the day and meal even if you can’t sleep over. Rank advancement opportunities will be available.

E. EVERY SCOUT/TENDERFOOT/ AND SECOND CLASS SCOUT SHOULD BRING THEIR BOOKS TO EVERY MEETING. PEN IS PART OF YOUR UNIFORM. See Mr. Town with your books. Get a Life Scout if you need help

6. ACTIVITY - November Theme is Backpacking

A. TONIGHT ALL THOSE GOING ON THE AT trip need to buddy up with patrol members to decide & plan tenting, stoves, meals

Use 3 season. Temperature will be 20 at night. WEAR A CAP TO SLEEP. HAVE GLOVES. BE ABLE TO LAYER. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE COLD AND WINDS. BE PREPARED…NO JOKE!

B. Patrol Cook Off Planning See Criteria above.
                1. SPL & ASPL WORK WITH BOYS NEEDING RANK ADVANCEMENT

Retire Colours – Dismissed

Check Out www.troop474.org for important information.

…it comes with the territory of being a leader...you always have some good, some bad, some low maintenance, some high maintenance, some achievers, some dead beats, those that are worthy of your trust and those that are not. In the context of a normalized distribution saying in a sample of 10, you probably have two very strong performers, two very weak performers, and 6 somewhere in the middle. You as a leader have responsibility to work with the weakest, even when it almost is thankless. When necessary for the good of the majority, find a way to work around the trouble maker while letting the trouble maker keep his self esteem...being effective is more important than appearing right.

So for example if a Patrol phone chain were to be patched, one might consider having an unreliable boy at the end of the list, or consider letting all the boys not called complain to the unreliable boy, that is if you as leader think it is a conflict worth picking. Use of foul language is not acceptable. Deal with foul language or any bad behavior through leading by example. It is all about choices we make which should always be aligned with the Boy Scout Oath and Law. We can't always choose who we lead, but rather need to lead who we are dealt which is our responsibility as leaders.

Rank Advancement equals leadership equals responsibility equals Trust. You might be touching the lives of people more than you know. Stay on your game because it shows.

Mr. Pecoraro.