Boy Scout Troop 1001

Hello all Scouts and Scouters,

It has been a wonderful Spring; our calendars almost say May. Monday night, May 4 will be a combined Parents' meeting and scout meeting. The topics will be the upcoming Lexington trip to Corpus Christi on May 22-25, 2009 and Summer Camp the week of June 7-13, 2009 at the Hale Scout Reservation near Talihina, Oklahoma.

All scouts and parents of scouts attending either of these activities should plan to attend Monday night's meeting.

All monies or scout show cards should be turned in to Mr. Saverline at this time. If you have not yet turned in your money, please do so by this weekend.

This weekend is our semiannual Cottonwood fundraiser. We would like a minimum of eight adult volunteer hours per family. There is a lot to do on Friday all day as well as Sunday after 5:30pm by helping the artists load in and out. In between those times there is booth sitting, water sales and other ways to be of service. Not to mention getting the family out to see some fascinating art and hear some great music in the park.

Our Adult Quartermaster, Mr. Roberts, lost his mother recently. We send our prayers and sympathy to his family during this time of transition. Anyone who would like to make a memorial donation in his mother's honor please do so by check made out to Troop 1001 and give it to our Treasurer, Mr. Watts. We will be forwarding it to the Our Daily Bread ministry in Enid, Oklahoma.

I look forward to seeing you all at TBC Monday night.

Yours in Scouting,
Scoutmaster Coon

Hello all Scouts and Scouters,

Our Spring hiking campout went well. The PLC reported that this was an exceptionally fun way to camp and plan to have more like it next year. Thank you to all the members of the adult Freebird patrol who helped make this a special memory for those that attended. A special thank you to Mr. Miller and Mr. Carnes for their sacrifice so the scouts could have a great time, and to Mr. Payette who got his first solo taste of supporting the best troop in the Circle Ten Council.

Happy Birthday to Nick S. I hope you enjoyed your Clif Bar cake and candle on the trail.

If you are a scout planning to advance rank at the Court of Honor you must complete your Scoutmaster Conference and Board of review by May 11, 2009. I will be available before the regular meetings if you contact me in advance to schedule a conference. Candidates for Star and above must formally schedule a board of review with the Committee Chairman, Doug Miller, in advance. Contact Mr. Miller to make an appointment.

We have a very busy spring so please mark your calendars now. We have six regular Monday meetings until our final outing of the year on the USS Lexington the weekend of May 22-25, 2009. We will hold our Spring Court of Honor on the aircraft carrier.

Here is a quick schedule review:

• Mon Apr 13 - Troop meeting: Shooting Sports (BB Guns & Archery), preceded by Personal Management MB at 6 pm
• Wed Apr 15 - Road to Eagle meeting for Star and Life Scouts and their Parents
• Mon Apr 20 - Troop meeting: Totin' Chip, preceded by Citizenship in the Community MB at 6 pm
• Sat Apr 25 - Trash Bash (service hours)
• Mon Apr 27 - Troop Meeting: Capture the Flag
• Thu-Sun April 30 - May 3 - Cottonwood Arts Festival
• Sat May 2 - Scout Show
• Mon May 4 - Troop meeting: Leadership discussion, plan for elections
• Mon May 11 - Troop meeting: Elections & Parent Meeting for Lexington Trip (this may swap with the May 18th meeting)
• Mon May 18 - Troop meeting: Swim test for Lexington and Summer Camp (off site)
• Fri-Mon May 22-25 - Lexington Trip
• Sun-Sat June 7-13 - Summer Camp

We have a busy Spring planned. Please stay tuned to the troop newsletter and web site for details and updates.

I look forward to seeing you all at the church on Monday night.

Yours in Scouting,
Scoutmaster Coon

  Hello all Scouts and Scouters,

Drivers are needed for our campout this weekend.

Our Wilderness Backpacking campout is this weekend. We will meet in the TBC parking lot Friday at 5:30 and leave by 6:00. Make sure to bring your permission slip and food money if you haven’t already done so.

We do not have enough seats to transport the Scouts to and from McGee Creek State Park this weekend. If any Scouters are able to drive and have room for Scouts please contact Rick Goad at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ASAP. There will be a base camp where those who don’t want to hike can camp Saturday night.

Last night’s meeting was a busy one with final preparation for our Wilderness Backpacking campout. The Scouts practiced cooking on backpacking stoves and prepared a smorgasbord of entrées, side dishes, and desert. Beef Stroganoff, Chili Mac, Jamaican BBQ Chicken, and Chicken Ala King were just a few of the savory treats the Scouts prepared, while our SPL team made Chocolate Strawberry Crunch for desert. These dishes are lightweight and easy to cook on the trail. Most patrols are planning to prepare this type of food at camp.

All Scouts should make sure they are ready for a 5-mile backpacking campout. If you don’t have a proper backpack there are still a couple you can borrow in the Scout room. A school book backpack is not appropriate. See the gear list on the permission form for this campout. As Ethan, Jack, and TJ demonstrated, it is essential each Scout has:

• A good backpack
• Wool socks (cotton can cause blisters)
• Rain gear (poncho, at least)
• Water bottle
• Good shoes
• Your medication!

Each Scout will carry part of his tent, food, and cooking equipment. Make sure there is some room left in the backpack for this patrol gear. Personal gear should be light. You will be carrying your pack for 2-3 hours.

The Scouts will camp at "base camp" Friday night. Saturday morning they will cook breakfast and also prepare lunch to take with them on the hike. They will have lunch on the trail and expect to be at their wilderness campsite in the early afternoon, where they will set up camp and have the opportunity to learn about water purification and filtration. Saturday’s dinner and Sunday’s breakfast will be prepared at the wilderness campsite. After breakfast we will break camp, hike back to base camp, and head home.

This promises to be a fun-filled weekend with lots of opportunity to get some advancement requirements signed off. See you there!

Yours in Scouting,
Assistant Scoutmaster Payette

Hello all Scouts and Scouters,

Our next meeting is Money Monday! Please bring $10 along with a signed permission slip if you plan to attend the Wilderness Hiking Campout at McGee Creek State Park in Oklahoma the weekend of April 3-5, 2009. The next meeting's topic is a review of the use of lightweight camping stoves. All scouts attending the campout will need a backpack, rain gear, water bottle and a good pair of shoes for the hike. Try to borrow gear before you buy new equipment for this campout. Monday's meeting will be a good time to ask around.

Scout Show tickets are on sale now. Each scout has been asked to sell a minimum of 10 tickets and there is no maximum. One-half or $50 will go to the scout's own account and the other $50 will be used to defray the cost of building a new pavilion for our trailers. All Scout Show ticket money must be turned in by Monday, April 27th.

The pavilion has been designed by Mr. Reavis and will be used for outdoor activities throughout the scout season, in addition to housing our trailers. Scouts that sell 10 or more tickets will have their name engraved on a plaque to be mounted in the new pavilion. Family donations will also be accepted for the pavilion fund. Please help out with this exciting project.

The Citizinship in the Community merit badge class will begin at 6:00pm on Monday with the regular meeting at 7:00pm. I look forward to seeing you all next Monday night at TBC.

Yours in Scouting,
Scoutmaster Coon

Hello all Scouts and Scouters,

March comes in like a lion, so let's prepare to roar this weekend at Camporee! We had a great turnout at Money Monday's meeting. We are anticipating 60+ Scouts and Scouters in camp this weekend at Camporee to be held at Camp Cherokee near Athens, Texas. All money and permission slips should have been turned Monday. If not, please do so on Friday when forming up.

ALL attendees MUST pay $10 to Troop 1001 if attending, unless you are a staffer and have already paid Camporee directly. (Some scouts are under the incorrect impression that they need not pay anything if they are on Camporee staff.)

There will be two groups forming up for departure on Friday March 6th. Camporee Staff will be meeting at the church at 1:00pm Friday afternoon for a quick departure. All staffers should get permission from parents and school to meet early at TBC. Please contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it if you need transportation to the church at this time.

The troop will be forming up at 5:30pm in the TBC parking lot. Please be on time in Full Class A uniform with a sack dinner so we can depart no later that 6:00pm. We need to arrive as early as possible to set up camp due to the large group which will include several of our newest scouts. Spring brings Webelos and we are fortunate to have 11 new scouts with more to follow in the coming months. We will be returning on Sunday to the hospital parking lot at 12:30pm. Please plan to pick your scout up on time.

New hats and class B shirts are available. The hats are $15, the shirts are $20. The t-shirts are the high tech wicking material that keeps you cool in the heat and warm when it is cool. We are having a spring special selling both in a set for $35. Please bring your payment on Friday if you would like to compete this weekend in the newest 1001 fashion. Shirts are available first to those who have pre-ordered. The newest Scouts will have to wait a week or so for theirs to come in. There are only 24 hats left at this time, so it's first-come, first-served. We will order more when we sell out the original order of 50.

There is no regular meeting Monday night. There are PLC and committee meetings only at locations to be announced this weekend at camp. Check the troop Web site Monday to confirm the locations. There will be no regular meeting on the following Monday due to Spring Break. The next regular meeting will be March 23.

All deposits for the May trip to the U.S.S. Lexington should have been turned in by Monday. If you have not done so and want to attend, please contact Rick Goad immediately.

Richard H. and T.J. F. have done a great job with the troop this scout season. I have had the good fortune to work with these very fine young men and their peers, who will continue to make great contributions in life. I count myself lucky to have spent time witnessing boys become men. As I prepare to pass the Scoutmaster patch, I challenge those of you reading this that have yet to step up to get trained and come discover "Fun With A Purpose".

Yours in Scouting,
Scoutmaster Coon

Be Prepared Monday, Mar 2!

Last chance to sign up & pay for USS Lex

Money Monday: $10 and permission form for Camporee

Personal Management MB - 6 pm

Troop Meeting - 7 pm

Bring $15, get a new hat!

Hello all Scouts and Scouters,

We had a terrific Camporee Prep campout at Myers Park last weekend. The weather was cold Saturday night but being prepared was the key to staying toasty warm. To help prepare for Camporee, the patrols had a competition of scouting skills, including first-aid, signaling, tent setup, orienteering/pentathlon, pioneering, and fire building. Congratulations to the Chupacabra patrol for their teamwork, spirit, and mastery of scouting skills. These elements combined to earn them the coveted title of Camporee Prep Honor Patrol! Thanks to all the scouters who pitched in to run these events, including the surprise plumbing preparedness event :-).

I was very impressed with the progress the patrols have made with their orienteering skills. Richard and TJ had everyone practice this skill during several troop meetings and it really paid off. Having run the orienteering course for the last couple of years I can say that the scouts have made phenomenal progress over last year. Congratulations on a job well done!

In our last troop meeting the scouts continued to work on lashings and pioneering skills. I was especially pleased to see the senior scouts pitching in to teach the newer scouts. During our next troop meeting, March 2, we will focus on fire building. We want every scout to learn this skill and will again look to the older scouts to help teach the rest of the troop, just as they were taught by the skilled scouts before them. Remember, this meeting is Money Monday and also the last chance to sign up for the USS Lexington!

Camporee is just around the corner! Taking home a trophy isn’t the ultimate goal of Camporee. It is a chance to camp with and meet other troops, enjoy the outdoors, participate in fun events, and a competition of teamwork and scouting skills. As with orienteering, if you practice the skills you will do a great job. Focus on the skills, show spirit, have fun, and the winning will take care of itself.

We have the privilege of welcoming 11 new scouts into our troop in the next couple of weeks. In our boy-led tradition, we will look to our troop guides and older scouts to help them learn, grow, and enjoy scouting. Remember, these scouts will be the PLC in just a couple of years. Teach them well!

Yours in Scouting,
Assistant Scoutmaster Payette

Hello all Scouts and Scouters,

The weather is changing so a campout is near! Troop 1001 will be camping at Myers Park, in Collin County Texas, for Camporee Prep this weekend, February 21-22, 2009. Scouts should be at the church parking lot no later than 8:30 am on Saturday morning in Class A uniform. We will be returning about 6 pm Sunday to the hospital parking lot across Campbell Road.

This is a change from our usual schedule to accommodate those scouts participating in school activities on Saturday ranging from Band and Orchestra to Track. If your scout is scheduled to participate in a school activity please plan to get him to Myers park when he is done performing, running, jumping or whatever his specialty happens to be. We have an active troop and every patrol needs each member to bring his skills to bear.

Monday night February 23 at 7 pm following the campout will be a regular scout meeting along with a committee meeting. Please plan to park your car and come inside when you bring your scout. We need parents as well as scouts to be a successful troop.

This past Monday night I had the pleasure of acknowledging our newest tenderfoot, Michael P. of the Ocelot patrol along with awarding the most recent Eagle to leave the nest, Alex Van V. who came to the meeting to assist with firebuilding training.

I have been fortunate to participate in more that fourteen Eagle Scout conferences in my time as Scoutmaster. I hope to sit in on a few more before I pass the baton to Mr. Payette in late May. I thank each family for the opportunity to watch your son mature in Scouting. If you want to share in these special memories, come to Myers Park this weekend and enjoy the fun with a purpose.

Yours in Scouting,
Scoutmaster Coon

Hello all Scouts and Scouters,

Next week is Money Monday! Scouts planning to attend the campout on Saturday February 21st and Sunday February 22nd should bring $10 and a signed permission slip to next Monday night's meeting. This campout will be at nearby Myers Park in McKinney. We are leaving from the church Saturday morning for a change of pace. Many scouts are involved in a music contest on Saturday, so we are planning a one night campout with an early evening return on Sunday at 6:00pm to the hospital parking lot.

Thank you to all who attended Scout Sunday. We had a great turnout in support of Scouting and the Trinity Bible Church. A Scout is reverent.

Monday night we will be building fires outside, weather permitting. In addition, the patrols will be in patrol corners to plan their campout meals. Any scout that needs meal planning for rank advancement should be at the meeting Monday night. All Patrol Advisors should participate in the patrol corners portion of the meeting.

Troop 1001 is providing staff to the 2009 Camporee to be held at Camp Cherokee the weekend of March 6,7 & 8. If you have volunteered to staff please attend the staff orientation meeting Thursday night February 12th at The Waterview Church of Christ, 1409 North Waterview, Richardson, TX 75080 at 7:00pm and again on Thursday February 26th at the same time and location. A cool hat is included.

There is a lot happening during the next few weeks as we march toward Camporee. Thank you to all adult Scouters that continue to support the troop with time and expertise. A scout is helpful.

Yours in Scouting,
Scoutmaster Coon