Due to the state of emergency and response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Troop 702's activities will be suspended for the next several weeks. We will not hold our usual Thursday night troop meetings or bi-weekly PLC meetings until further notice, but we will hopefully find opportunities to get the scouts together for outdoor activities over the next few weeks. The planned trips to the Zealand Falls AMC hut and to Camp Bell for the Pasta Pigout have been postponed. According to BSA National's guidance, small group outdoor activities should be allowed, so we anticipate organizing a day hike or two while the kids are out of school.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Doug (617.872.0943), John (617.593.1118) or Ian (781.526.1657).
Turkey Jam Press Coverage: Readings Magazine, Spring 2020
If you haven't seen it already, try to get ahold of a copy of the Readings Magazine to see the positive press that Troop 702 and Friends of Reading Scouting have received thanks to our annual Turkey Jam. It is a four-page spread with pictures of our guests and volunteers, plus a nice write-up regarding its history and that of FORS. And there are quotes from Mr. Gousie and Michael Young as well! We should all be very proud of the work we do to serve our community.
Scouting BSA Bankruptcy
This week's news of the national Scouting BSA organization's bankruptcy is hard to swallow for sure. Not only is the magnitude of the legal settlements facing the organization forcing it into this reorganization, but the tarnishing of the brand that is caused by the actions of a relatively small number of individuals is heartbreaking. Scouting BSA has made significant strides in providing training to create a safe environment for the youth who have chosen to depend on scouting for personal development, confidence and learning life skills. We hope the bankruptcy filing and reorganization can put the past behind Scouting BSA and enable the organization to move forward and thrive.
On a local level, there will be no noticeable impact in the near future. The Spirit of Adventure Council operates with financial independence, and Reading's Scout Troops are thriving. All we can do is spread the good news of the accomplishments of our scouts and their positive impact on our small community. We do want to share a few excerpts from a note we received this week from National. Many of you likely received this, but in case you overlooked it...
While the word “bankruptcy” can be intimidating, it is important to know that Scouting programs will continue. Your regular unit meetings and activities, district and council events, other Scouting adventures and countless service projects will take place as usual... We are outraged that there have been times when individuals took advantage of our programs to abuse innocent children and sincerely apologize to anyone who was harmed during their time in Scouting. We believe victims, we support them, we provide counseling by a provider of their choice, and we encourage them to come forward. Our plan is to use this Chapter 11 process to create a Trust that would provide equitable compensation to these individuals... Scouting is safer now than ever before. Approximately 90% of the pending and asserted claims against the BSA relate to abuse that occurred more than 30 years ago. As someone close to Scouting, you know the safety of children in our programs is the BSA’s absolute top priority and that one instance of abuse is one too many... Just last year, communities across the country benefited from more than 13 million Scouting service hours, and young men and women earned more than 1.7 million merit badges that represent skills that will help them succeed throughout their lives. Studies prove and parents agree that Scouting helps young people become more kind, helpful and prepared for life, and as long as those values remain important to our society, Scouting will continue to be invaluable to our nation’s youth... We know you will likely have questions about these issues and things you will see in the news. We have posted information about our restructuring on a dedicated website, www.BSArestructuring.org.
Ski Trip, February 28 - March 1
It's that time of year again. We will be hitting the slopes of Gunstock Resort for our annual Troop Ski Trip. Once again, we will be staying at the Gilford Youth Center, located at 19 Potter Hill Rd in Gilford, NH. Arrival is at your discretion Friday night, any time after 5pm. Your are on your own for dinner Friday. There are various places to stop for food on the drive up.
The Sign Up is here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E094BAEAF28ABFF2-2020.
There are a number of forms and a cost calculator on the Sign Up. These should have ALREADY been completed and turned in to Karl Weld.
Other Upcoming Trips
In late March (28th-29th), the troop will take a second trip to the AMC huts in New Hampshire. This time, we return to Zealand Falls, one of the AMC's most popular destinations. There are only 25 spots reserved for this trip, so be sure you don't miss the Sign Up and can make it to this one! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E094BAEAF28ABFF2-zealand1
And the Pasta Pigout has been scheduled for April 3-5 at the Griswald Reservation in New Hampshire. This is a great opportunity for scouts to visit the reservation where we spend summer camp.
Please be on the lookout for these Sign-Ups!
Summer Camp Sign Ups are Available!
DO NOT MISS SUMMER CAMP.Our weeks are Hidden Valley are among the most memorable for scouts reflecting on their experiences. It's a great time, and a good opportunity to complete merit badges. Marcy Nelson will be providing everyone with information soon, so sign up NOW!
Merit Badge Universities
It looks like there are still places available to earn merit badges in the following settings this Spring:
Merit Badge University at Harvard April 18th & May 2nd 2020 at Harvard University Registration at https://scoutspirit.doubleknot.com/event/merit-badge-university-2020/2594672 - closes February 17th: Badges still available include Electricity, Journalism, Medicine, Music, Pulp & Paper, Weather and more
Math Science Technology Expo March 21st & April 4th 2020 at UMass Lowell Registration at https://scoutspirit.doubleknot.com/event/math-science-technology-expo-2020/2590833 closes TODAY, February 1st: Badges still available include Electronics, Public Health, Weather, Photography, Model Design, Chemistry and more
ReadyScout March 7th 2020 at New England Base Camp in Milton & Base Camp Express in Woburn. Registration at https://scoutspirit.doubleknot.com/event/readyscout-base-camp-express-2020/2626903 Badges include Emergency Preparedness, First Aid, Law, Crime Prevention, Safety, Fire Safety, Weather and more
April Vacation day camp at Base Camp Express in Woburn at https://scoutspirit.doubleknot.com/event/base-camp-express-stem-camp-2020/2588705. There are also many open classes at Basecamp Express still available. Check at https://www.scoutspirit.org/advancement/ and scroll down to Base Camp Express in Woburn- Merit Badge Programs where links go to individual registrations.
Trip & Event Payments
Troop Treasurer, Chuck Lloyd, has made paying for trips and events much easier by setting up a Venmo account for the troop. If paying for any scouting event, the Venmo account is @ReadingTroop702, and the first time you use it, you must verify Chuck's cell phone # (9766). We hope that this enables us to more thoroughly collect for trips and events ahead of time. This has been an issue on a few occasions this year, as several families have not paid for Turkey Jam or the early Fall Campout in the Town Woods. If you think you're on that list, this is a great time to test out Venmo! Thank you
Upcoming Calendar:
Ski Trip - February 28 - March 1
Zealand Falls Hut Trip - March 28-29
Pasta Pigout @ Hidden Valley - April 3-5
Merit Badge University - April 18 and May 2 (sign up is closed)
Spring Bike Trip on Cape Cod - May TBD
Cooking Merit Badge Campout (Town Woods) - May or June TBD
Harbor Islands Trip - June TBD
Hidden Valley Scout Camp - July 5-11
Maine Adventure Trip - August 5-9 (tentative dates)
Tomorrow is Scout Sunday, and the Troop will be serving breakfast to the congregation of Old South Church. There will be plenty of work to do pre-service, starting at 8 AM with cooking and setting up the dining area. The service starts at 10 AM, so if unable to help with the preparations, please at least come at 9:30. And then we will serve breakfast and clean-up until around noon. Please come in full uniform!
As our Committee Meeting for February, all adults are welcome to join us at Red Heat at 7 PM on Monday night, February 10 for a social gathering. Some planning will be discussed, but this is largely just for fun!
Please remember that we have a Troop meeting on Thursday night. There will also be a Committee Meeting on Monday, January 6th, at the church and a PLC meeting on Tuesday, January 7th.
The sign up for the Freeze Out the weekend of January 18-19 will be out shortly. Please reserve that weekend if you are interested in going. Thanks for your patience.
