Boy Scout Troop 1001

Hello Scouts and Scouters,

Troop Mobilization was a success

During our last meeting the PLC conducted a Troop Mobilization. This is a scenario where the Scouts are first responders to a disaster scene with multiple victims with varying levels of injuries. The boys assessed the injuries, performed first aid, and prioritized the victims by severity of injury for treatment and their “ambulance ride” to the nearest hospital. I was very happy to see the Scouts take this exercise seriously and correctly assess and treat the injuries. Those who are working on the Emergency Preparedness merit badge can count this toward the requirements. Congratulations to Alex O. for planning this successful troop exercise.

“Left and Found”

We are accumulating a large quantity of coolers, shoes, clothes, jackets, and other camping gear that has been left behind after campouts this year. We will set up a table with these items at the next meeting. Please claim your gear before it becomes “troop gear”.

Advancement

There are two more meetings before Court of Honor! You still have to schedule a Scoutmaster Conference and Board of Review. 05/10 is your last chance to complete your Board of Review before CoH. If you want a BoR on 05/03 it will only be possible between 6 and 7 pm by special appointment with Mr. Miller. Plan ahead! It is possible to have your SM conference at Cottonwood if you contact me ahead of time and can wear your full Class A (that includes your handbook).

Scouts – Bring your books to the troop meetings! Consider it part of your uniform.

Patrol Leaders – Make sure you know what each of your scouts needs to advance and make sure they have the opportunity to complete their requirements. Remember – “First Class in the first year” is our goal.

Elections Postponed – Now Saturday, 05/22, during the campout.

We will hold our elections during the next campout. If you haven’t yet signed up for next year’s position you must do so now. New Patrol Leaders must be First Class or above to run for office and must also complete Oak Leaf and NYLT training before or during your time in office. We will need up to eight Patrol Leaders so I encourage all scouts who are willing to put in the extra effort to run for these important positions.

BSA Swim Test – Monday, 05/10 – for Scouts AND ADULTS

In order to participate in some of the activities during our May campout each scout AND ADULT will have to pass the BSA swim test. This is also required for any water-related activities at summer camp. We will hold this meeting at the Plano Aquatic Center at 2301 Westside Drive, Plano TX, 75075 during our normal troop meeting time. This is located near Plano Senior High, Independence Pkwy and W. Park Blvd. We will not be providing transportation so everyone will need to meet at the pool.

Next Campout – Lake Texoma, fishing, boating, elections, special year-end campfire

May 21-23 is our Lake Texoma campout. Details will be posted soon. You must pass the BSA swim test in order to participate in the boating activities.

Next meeting – 05/03 – MONEY MONDAY™!

Because our last two meetings before the campout are swimming and Court of Honor, this Monday is Money Monday™. Please bring your money for food and your permission slip for the campout. The boys will be planning menus, working on advancement, and playing a game brought to you by the Narwhal Patrol. See you there!

Yours in Scouting,
Scoutmaster Payette

At the Top: The Bottom Line

The Cottonwood Art Festival is upon us and Troop 1001 is seriously short of the necessary parent and Scout support. This activity needs parent participation as much as it does that of Scouts.

Parents, please commit to at least four hours of service for the load-in Friday daytime or for the load-out Sunday night and an additional four hours of service during the day Saturday or Sunday for booth sitting or beer garden monitoring.

Scouts should also sign up for four hours of work during the daytime Saturday or Sunday and should commit to working the load-out Sunday evening.

Please contact Mike Saverline ASAP at 972-231-4149 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and sign up for specific times. Please help us Be Prepared by signing up in advance.

Most Critical Needs

Friday, April 30, we need parents (and Scouts after school) who can help with unloading artists and set-up. On Saturday and Sunday, May 1 and 2, we need everybody to provide artist breaks, adults to man the gate at the Beer Garden, and Scouts to sell water at our Scout tent and offer cheerful service. Sunday night tear-down is all hands on deck, parents and Scouts. Sign up now - we need everyone.

Specific needs:

• Friday (4/30): Adults, anytime 10 am - 8 pm; Scouts 4 - 7 pm
• Saturday (5/1): Adults, 12 am - 2 pm and 4 - 6 pm; Scouts, 2 - 6pm
• Sunday (5/2): Adults, 10 am - 2 pm & 5 - 9 pm; Scouts, 10 am - 2 pm & 5 - 9 pm

I'm New - What is this all About?

Troop 1001 provides an important community service for the City of Richardson's Cottonwood Art Festival. Based on past years experience, we need about 500 adult hours for our Cottonwood activity to be successful, which equates to about 9 hours of adult help per Scout. We need 100% participation to be successful!

Adult roles

Set-Up: On Thursday evening, the troop sets up its tent and provides loading and set-up assistance to a few local artists. This activity typically runs from 6 - 8 pm.

Load-In: On Friday, Troop 1001 adults help the artists move and set up their art and equipment. This is mostly a daytime activity, but can trickle until 8 pm. Yes, it requires taking time off work but the pace is slower than the load-out and a good way to spend a day off outdoors.

Load-Out: On Sunday, the festival closes at 6 pm and all 250 artists want to be on the road home by 6:05 pm. Of course, that's impossible, but we do our best to help them tear down and load their vehicles, with most making it out by 9 pm. That makes this an All Hands on Deck activity. Troop 1001 provides a specific service to the city by verifying that each booth is fully torn down before the artist is given a pass with which to bring a vehicle into the limited parking space in Cottonwood Park. We start making assignments and positioning people for the exodus at 5 pm.

Booth Sitting: The booth sitter role is an excellent opportunity to for those who enjoy shopping for art to mix a little shopping with fulfilling this important requirement. Booth sitters are responsible for watching an artist's booth during breaks. This is performed during festival hours: 10 am to 6 pm Saturday and Sunday.

Beer Garden: The beer garden role is one of the easiest roles at the show: simply remind patrons that alcoholic beverages may not be taken out of the beer garden. We require two adults at each of the two exits, or four total, continuously during beer garden hours 11 am - 6 pm Saturday and Sunday. There is also duty 6 - 9 pm Friday for an artist-only party. Uniforms are beneficial while serving in this role.

Scout roles

Load-in: Friday after school until about 8 pm, Scouts help artists move their art and equipment to their booth locations and help set it up.

Load-Out: Sunday, scouts form up at 5 pm for the rush at 6 pm. Most activity wraps up by 9 pm. This is a hectic, critical activity and all Scouts are asked to participate. This is an All Hands on Deck activity.

Water Sales and Artist Assistance: During festival hours 10 am to 6 pm Saturday and Sunday, Scouts sell water at our troop tent and offer cheerful service to artists, running errands or assisting patrons in moving their purchases to their cars.

Location

The festival is held at Richardson's Cottonwood Park on Belt Line Road east of Coit. Troop 1001's tent is located at the south end of the park near the pool.

Communication

During the festival, Troop 1001 maintains a troop cell phone at the troop tent. Artists can use the line to request assistance. Troop members can call in to find out where they are needed next. The phone number is 214-693-0934.

Before the festival, contact Troop 1001's Cottonwood coordinator Mike Saverline at 972-231-4149 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for information or to sign up for a time slot.

Attire

For both Scouts and adults, BSA Class A uniforms are best, helping everyone to identify us, but Class B troop T-shirts are also acceptable. Parents without either should dress for comfort. Troop 1001 hats also help the artists pick us out from the crowd.

Weather

The festival goes on rain or shine. This means load-in and load-out occur regardless of the weather, too. (The city makes the call in case of tornadic activity or nearby lightning.) So we still need everyone to show up for their scheduled shifts even if it is raining. Dress for the weather. Rain suits and ponchos are more effective during load-in and load-out than umbrellas. Boots are helpful in navigating the muddy grounds.

The Philmont Crews have been assigned their Itineraries for the trip this summer, click the links to see an overview of the trek as well as a map with a mileage and elevation.

• Crew 619-D1 (Oski's crew)
• Crew 619-D2 (Ethan's crew)

Don't forget the crew meeting Sunday, May 2, 1:30 - 3 pm at TBC and the last shakedown campout May 7-9.

See also Philmont Update - March 31, 2010.

Hello Scouts and Scouters,

Be Prepared…

Our April campout at Mr. Raney’s ranch was a wet one. We were fortunate that Saturday was fairly rain free and we still were able to have all of our planned activities.

Congratulations to James M. for winning the skeet shooting contest, America’s Patrol for having best dessert, and to the Swol Patrol for being named Honor Patrol for the weekend. The Boys did a great job with the dessert cook-off and Mr. Raney was very happy to act as judge. Special honors go to first-time shooter Ben R. who almost never missed a shot and even managed to beat Mr. Raney in a shoot off!

Although we discussed the weather and how to pack for a rainy weekend we found that many scouts weren’t prepared. Those who followed advice of keeping rain jackets with them, wearing waterproof boots, packing dry clothes in waterproof bags in their backpacks stayed dry. Those who didn’t follow this advice found themselves wet and cold. Extra coats, socks, and sleeping bags were loaned out to unprepared scouts. This is the first real rain we have had during a campout in several years and it’s easy to believe this preparation is unnecessary. We will have another meeting before summer camp to demonstrate proper gear and packing for different weather conditions.

Parents – We need your help to ensure your boys leave home ready for a weekend outdoors. Too many boys showed up in sneakers, with no rain gear, and some without coats. The older scouts know better and should be expected to pack their own gear properly. The younger scouts need your assistance to ensure they are ready for the elements.

This experience should help reinforce the importance of the Boy Scout motto – “Be Prepared”.

Advancement

There are three more meetings before Court of Honor! Don’t wait to work on your advancement requirements. You still have to schedule a Scoutmaster Conference and Board of Review. There isn’t enough time to have these conferences for everyone in the last meeting before CoH. If you want a BoR on 05/03 it will only be possible between 6:00 and 7:00 by special appointment with Mr. Miller. Plan ahead!

Scouts – Bring your books to the troop meetings!

Patrol Leaders – Make sure you know what each of your scouts needs to advance and make sure they have the opportunity to complete their requirements. Remember – “First Class in the first year” is our goal.

Elections – 05/03

May 3 will be our annual elections night. It’s that time of year again when Scouts will be running for Patrol Leader and Senior Patrol Leader. These are very serious positions that will be a great learning experience for those Scouts who make the commitment. Are you ready to step up and continue to make Troop 1001 the best it can be? You must be First Class or above to run for office and must also complete Oak Leaf and NYLT training before or during your time in office. We will need eight Patrol Leaders so I encourage all scouts who are willing to put in the extra effort to run for these important positions.

BSA Swim Test – Monday, 05/10 – for Scouts AND ADULTS

In order to participate in some of the activities during our May campout each scout AND ADULT will have to pass the BSA swim test. This is also required for any water-related activities at summer camp. We will hold this meeting at a local pool during our normal troop meeting. Details will be posted soon.

Next Campout – Lake Texoma, fishing, boating, Island adventure

May 21-23 is our Lake Texoma campout. Details will be posted soon. You must pass the BSA swim test in order to participate in the boating activities.

Next meeting – 04/26 – Troop Mobilization

Our next meeting will include a troop mobilization. This is a disaster scenario where the troop must respond to a large-scale medical emergency with varying levels of injuries to address. The nature of the disaster will be announced at the start of the event. This is a requirement for those working on the Emergency Preparedness merit badge. This activity should be taken very seriously by all who participate.

Yours in Scouting,
Scoutmaster Payette

Whoa! Is it really only six weeks until summer camp? It's time to sign up, not a moment to lose!

Summer camp is by far the fastest way to work through rank advancement requirements and to earn merit badges. Scouts can easily earn four merit badges during the week. Young scouts can check off requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class as well. Older scouts can work on the harder-to-get merit badges required for Star, Life and Eagle. All that and a boatload of fun, sometimes literally!

Summer Camp 2010 will be June 6-12 at Hale Scout Reservation near Talihina, Oklahoma. The location is cool, comfortable, and mosquito-free. For more information consult the HSR Leaders' Guide; it is written for adult leaders but has lots of information of interest to parents. Transportation will be by motor coach.

The cost for scouts will be $280, with a 50% deposit due by May 3 and the balance due by May 17. The cost includes transportation and meals. Scouts may also incur nominal fees for materials for some merit badges. (Fees can be determined from the HSR Merit Badge Guide.) Scouts will also want a little pocket money for the Trading Post. Financial hardship should never prevent an eager Scout from fully participating in troop activities. Parents with difficult circumstances should see Committee Chairman Doug Miller for alternatives, including fundraising, payment plans, and scholarships.

The bus has only 48 seats, and when they're gone, they're gone! So sign up right away by submitting your deposit of $140 to Treasurer Terry Watts (checks, as always, to "Troop 1001"). You should also submit a signed permission form. Finally, every scout attending summer camp must have a medical examination less than a year old on file. So schedule your physicals right away!

To help the troop get an early estimate of interest, we will be sending a summer camp Evite to your mailbox soon. Please take a moment to follow the link in it and give us your best guess of your plans: yes, no, or maybe.

More information on summer camp, geared especially for parents of first-time summer campers will be presented at a parent information session Monday, April 26 at 7:10 pm in Room 2 at TBC. If you're the parent of a young scout, please plan to attend.

A final preparation meeting for parents of all summer campers will be held Monday, May 24, at 7 pm in the sanctuary at TBC. Topics will include detailed packing instructions, collection of forms, how to maintain contact, transportation schedule, Q&A, and any last-minute instructions. All parents should plan to attend.

Adult Summer Campers Needed!

Many of the old-timers will be unavailable this year and we need some new volunteers to step in to make summer camp possible, especially parents of our first and second year Scouts. We need a minimum of six adults in attendance; preferably eight. Please consider spending a week in the cool Winding Stair Mountains of Southeastern Oklahoma. HSR has great amenities for adults including wi-fi Internet access, an air conditioned dining hall, a computer room, fishing boats for checkout, and an electrical outlet at the campsite. There are training opportunities all week long that will help you become an effective adult leader. Partial week attendance is possible. Cost for adults is $200, including transportation and meals. You'll need a medical examination (in the last 12 months), too. Please see Doug Miller, Tana Van Hamme, or Rick Goad for more information and to sign up.

Number one reason to volunteer for summer camp: it's the only time you'll ever be able to watch your son earn the Snow Sports merit badge in June!

Advancement

Court of Honor is next month! Don't wait to work on your advancement requirements. You still have to schedule a Scoutmaster Conference and Board of Review. There isn't enough time to have these conferences for everyone in the last meeting before CoH. There will be lots of opportunities for advancement, especially at Mr. Raney's ranch. Make sure you bring your handbook to the troop meetings and work with your Patrol leader to get requirements signed off. Patrol Leaders - Make sure you know what each of your scouts needs to advance and make sure they have the opportunity to complete their requirements. Remember - "First Class in the first year" is our goal.

Elections

It's that time of year again when Scouts will be running for Patrol Leader and Senior Patrol Leader. These are very serious positions that will be a great learning experience for those Scouts who make the commitment. These are the positions that lead the troop. Are you ready to step up and continue to make Troop 1001 the best it can be? You must be First Class or above to run for office. We will need eight Patrol Leaders so I encourage all scouts who are willing to put in the extra effort to run for these important positions.

Next Campout - Mr. Raney's Ranch!

April 16-18 is our annual event at Mr. Raney's Ranch. This is a fun-filled weekend of fishing, archery, BB guns, water rocketry, shotgun shooting, dessert cook-off, a special campfire, and more. Everyone is encouraged to attend. This is a great time for Webelos to visit as well. If you didn't turn in your money or permission form you MUST do this Friday before we leave the parking lot.

Bring your FULL Class A. We will have formal flag ceremonies at Mr. Raney's ranch so make sure you bring your full Class A uniform.

No Troop meeting Monday, 04/19. Next regular Troop meeting is Monday, 04/26.

When we return we will be planning elections, May campout details, CoH, and a mobilization. Enjoy the week off!

Yours in Scouting,
Scoutmaster Payette

Hello Scouts and Scouters,

This week’s meeting included a very important class on gun safety. Thanks go to Mr. Raney and Mr. Breaux for taking time to visit us and help make sure we are ready to safely shoot shoguns at the next campout. I hope you all know what the most dangerous gun in the world is.

Advancement

There are only Six weeks left before Court of Honor. We want to see each of you complete your current rank before then. Don’t wait until the last minute as each of you will have to schedule a Scoutmaster Conference and Board of Review.

There will be lots of opportunities for advancement, especially at Mr. Raney’s ranch. Make sure you bring your handbook to the troop meetings and work with your Patrol leader to get requirements signed off.

Patrol Leaders – Make sure you know what each of your scouts needs to advance and make sure they have the opportunity to complete their requirements.

Trash Bash

Thanks to all the boys who attended Trash Bash. Fifteen boys and several adults spent the morning cleaning up Prairie Creek Park and then headed over to CiCis for pizza. Pitching in and being an active part of our community is the foundation of good citizenship. We ALL should try to be active citizens whether or not we need service hours. It’s up to you to make your troop and your community all they can be.

Next Campout – Mr. Raney’s Ranch!

April 16-18 is our annual event at Mr. Raney’s Ranch. This is a fun-filled weekend of fishing, archery, BB guns, water rocketry, shotgun shooting, dessert cook-off, a special campfire, and more. Everyone is encouraged to attend. This is a great time for Webelos to visit as well.

Next regular Troop meeting is Monday, 04/12 – Money Monday

Mr. Watts will demonstrate some ideas for creative camp cooking during our next meeting. This meeting is Money Monday. Please bring your signed permission form and money for food. It is important that each patrol create an accurate campout attendance list for this campout. The cost is $10 per Scout. We originally discussed charging $17 per Scout to further defray the cost of dinner and activities but have decided to stick with the usual cost of $10.

Yours in Scouting,
Scoutmaster Payette

Troop 1001 will be camping at Ken Raney's Ranch, Quail Alley, Near Breckenridge Texas, on the weekend of April 16-18, 2010. This annual event has long been a tradition for the troop and is always one of the best campouts of the year. Mr. Raney is a fantastic host and his ranch, also known as Quail Alley, offers everything necessary for an activity-packed weekend.

Scouts should be at the church parking lot no later than 6:00 p.m. on Friday evening in Class A uniform. We will be returning about 1:00 p.m. Sunday to the hospital parking lot across Campbell Road.

Update April 27, 2010: If you need to finish Weather, Oceanography or Reptiles/Amphibians merit badges please email Mrs. Goad at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 972-235-2390. We can discuss what you need to do to finish up your merit badge. Due to the swim test May 10th we will not meet at TBC.

Mrs. Joelle Goad has offered to help any scout finish Weather, Oceanography, or Reptile/Amphibian merit badge started at summer camp. She will be available Monday April 26 and May 10 from 6-7 PM at TBC.

Formal leadership training for boys starts with Oak Leaf, an overnight activity for Scouts 12 years of age or older and of First Class rank or higher, though Second Class scouts are sometimes accommodated. The May class is offered by the Great Plains District. Your last chance to take Oak Leaf for a while is May 1-2. You need to sign up this week to insure a spot in the class. See the Great Plains web site for details and registration information. Note that parents must register directly on the Great Plains web site. Troop 1001 does not manage registration.