Troop 132

Dear Scouts,

Some scouts met last Monday night for casting hand molds as part of the Metalworking Merit Badge. Our next step is to cast these into aluminum and there will be a signup genius for this in today’s announcements. It will be exciting to cast this and see the final results. It’s a real art to getting this correct with several trial and errors. It sort of mimics life. Sometimes if you don’t succeed, you try and try again.

Advancement Corner
Congratulations and Happy Birthday to Lucas Herrero. He earned Eagle Palms after his board of review last Tuesday. He certainly has shown his commitment to the Troop and earning Eagle palms recognizes his merit badges and engagement with the troop. Happy Birthday and we welcome Lucas as an Assistant Scout Master!

Congratulations to Cole for earning Star Rank. He successfully completed his Board of Review last Tuesday and is moving into the Scribe role.

We look forward to getting those reminders out and I’ll say that a Scribe is a very important job. Reminding our PLC of upcoming events, taking detailed minutes of actions and plans, communicating those plans out, getting feedback from the PLC and keeping the information aligned to our plans is challenging. Additionally, the Scribe maintains the notebook and takes attendance at meetings (helpful in Patrol points) and maintains templates for planning like the gear management and menu planning. All these forms help the patrols’ and leaders’ plan. Congratulations Cole !

The First Aid Merit Badge training has kicked off and the blue cards signed. You all learned how a blue card works and first aid is really, really important. Either you or someone else will need your help at some point and the more you know the better prepared you and our troop will be.

The troop worked on the Cyber Chip. Please complete your troop pledge, which needs to be signed by you and your parents. These are serious matters and you need to think before posting or sending communications. We don’t let you use a knife without training and this is the same for digital communications, because it can be a great tool or it can hurt you or other. Remember that and follow the scout law.

Do your good turn daily. With snow here, it’s good to shovel your house, neighbors, hydrants and sidewalks. All you need is a shovel and a scout is fit and a good way to stay that way!

Yours in Scouting,
Mr. Duggan

Dear Scouts,

Many thanks for a great job last weekend. Hundreds of Christmas trees were picked up and all the donations will help our troop purchase equipment, reduce the costs of outings, and provide some cost relief for summer camp. You should all be very proud.

I’m very happy to report that I received and witnessed many good deeds. You helped people with their trees, you helped each other load and unload, and you helped each other stay energized and focused through a long day. You were prepared (our motto) and you lived the scout law.

Let’s start with Trustworthy: You showed up when you said you would. Others depended on you to coordinate pickups and chase cars, and off you went working together. The simple thing of doing what you say and saying what you do builds trusts. I know we can count on you and others can and that’s the basis for trust. As the saying goes, it’s hard to build and easy to break.

I also hope you had fun. I know in our truck that, between Marcus and Alexander they consumed a couple boxes of Uncrustables, in addition to a couple pizzas and donuts! Some trees were easy to pickup, some were hard to find, and they were all covered with dusting of snow which meant by the 3rd you’re your gloves and pants were all wet. You overcame all these challenges in a friendly and cheerful manner and were fun to work with.

Congratulations and well done. I am very proud of you all and how we all worked together for the service of our town and I know I received several comments on how well run the event was and how kind and courteous you all were toward each other and to the citizens of Concord.

We have a couple meetings to plan for the next outing and also finish up some things like the Metalworking MB and planning for Eagle.

We have been making some hand molds for the Metalworking Merit Badge and want to finish up any molds. This coming Monday night I will host a molding session at Monument Hall starting at 5:30pm for anyone who wants to do a mold. It will take about 30 minutes each. I can use some help. After the molds are complete, we are planning a trip to Mr. Anthony’s Foundry to cast these in aluminum. This should be exciting and will need some help from the PLC on dates and times to make this work.  Also, please remember that Mr. Sprague is leading First Aid Merit Badge training on five Sundays spread out over the next couple of months; it starts next week (Sunday January 22), so be sure to sign up!

The next exciting outings are the Ice Climbing outing (January 28), the winter skills (Klondike) training (January 29), and then the Klondike or Polar Bear Challenge 2023. You will need to know the bowline and timber hitch, first aid, especially hypothermia signs and treatment, how to start a fire with flint and steel, how to saw wood, how to set up ice fishing and be good marksmen in rifle, and how to find your way with map and compass. Finally, you need to race faster than all the other troops to win the 2023 Polar Bear Challenge. I know you can do it but you need to work hard to build the skills.

Do you good turn daily.

Yours in Scouting,
Mr. Duggan

Guest Editor: Elizabeth Sprague

Dear Scouts and Troop families,

Great job, Troop132!  Saturday, we picked up over 800 trees and safely delivered them to the compost site - a great collaboration with CC-Catholic Youth Ministry to help our community.

We've received several notes of gratitude from Concord residents thanking the Scouts and Youth Ministry for this service with special accolades for tracking down trees. A huge thanks to the parents who gave up their Saturday to drive, shuttle U-haul drivers, tend the compost operation and assist at headquarters as well as the scouts who were hardworking, cheerful and efficient. It was a pleasure to observe all working together to accomplish this tremendous feat on a cold winter day.

We'd like to collect your pictures from the day - don't forget to upload your truck decoration entries!

Much appreciation to the organizing committee: Bill and Deb Duggan, Elizabeth and Michael Sprague, Krys Steeter, Sarah McLeod, Chris Perotta, Bjorn Berke, Rudd Coffey, Leslie Flinn, Julie Jones, Peter Verlander, Mark Rzepczynski and Tony Carbrello for all of your efforts since October in brainstorming, planning, publicizing, routing and everything else!

If you have suggestions for the committee to consider for next year, please email Elizabeth Sprague (ersprague@gmail.com) - we will be meeting one more time to celebrate and capture notes for next year. If you are interested in getting involved in next year's planning, let us know - it's not too early!

One last note - if you were kind enough to put a yard sign out in front of your home, please bring them to Tuesday's Troop meeting, so we can use them again next year!

YiS, Elizabeth Reisinger Sprague

Dear Scouts,

As we wrap up the old year, and celebrate a successful 2022, I want to remind scouts and parents alike that we will start the new year with our annual Christmas Tree Pickup next Saturday, January 7, 2023. This is a required event, and we really need everyone's participation! We are very grateful for the excellent response to our call for volunteers!

We will have a Christmas Tree Pickup Training session at this week's Troop meeting (January 3), as well as an online training for adult volunteers during the week (details and invite to follow), so we can get started first thing Saturday morning. It's a long day of hard work, but it's also good fun, and I think you will all feel a great sense of accomplishment at day's end.

And one final reminder to register to have your own tree picked up - registration closes Monday evening!

As you make your plans for the new year, don't forget to do you good turn daily.

Yours in Scouting,
Mr. Duggan

Dear Scouts,

This week we will celebrate the season with our annual Troop Holiday Party, which is usually a lot of fun. Don't forget to bring a wrapped present (less than $20) for the scouts Yankee Swap. 

And in the spirit of service that is so important to our troop, I am also asking you to bring new or gently used coats for the Troop's Coat Drive. You can collect from your neighbors as well as cleaning out coats that no longer fit you. Thanks to Grady for arranging the drive, and to all who are participating. 

Finally, we are reminding scouts and parents alike that we need everyone's participation in the Christmas Tree Pickup on January 7, 2023. Signups for all our troop volunteers are below. 

I am really grateful for the great year we have had as a troop! I wish you and your families a Merry Christmas! a Happy Hanukkah! and a Joyous New Year!

And this holiday season, don't forget to do you good turn daily.

Yours in Scouting,
Mr. Duggan

Dear Scouts,

I have just arrived back from the self-proclaimed cobot capital of the work, Odense Denmark. Cobots are collaborative robots that work more closely with humans and don’t follow lines on the floor or belong in cages and can be trained to do manual tasks easily like picking and placing parts, or fetching equipment. They can even milk a cow. This city in Denmark has many young companies and a couple universities that are focused in this area. The company that I work for has two companies in Odense and I’m helping with the automation of a new production line for a larger scale robot. Almost, but not exactly like cobots building cobots.

Sorry to miss the shooting sports weekend last week, but heard how successful that was. Thank you to SPL Matt and his father and lead honcho, Mr. Belmont, and of course, Mr. O’Leary at the Leominster Sportsman’s association for planning and hosting us.

Today, Saturday we celebrate the accomplishments of two scouts who have earned the Eagle rank, Christian Perrotta and Lucas Herrero. I strongly encourage all scouts at all ranks to support them. Both Christian and Lucas started at scout rank, and through persistence, hard work and support have achieved this goal.

They are good scouts and we are lucky to have such scouts in our troop. Come celebrate their journey.

Do you good turn daily.

Yours in Scouting,
Mr. Duggan

Dear Scouts,

This past week, the Troop did its good turn! Last Saturday, Cameron's volunteer project for the Council on Aging helped four Concord households with yard cleanup, and then the scouts worked together to get a submerged chair out of the Nashoba Brook. Well done!

And on Sunday, we had another successful Turkey Truck food drive. Between yelling through traffic cones, greeting neighbors in town and after mass, and working together to load turkeys into the Turkey Truck, I saw the spirit of cooperation last weekend. The scouts and volunteers collected or purchased and then delivered 261 turkeys to families in need in Boston, a wonderful result this year. 

So on this Thanksgiving Weekend, when we focus on family and friends, on service and community, I am really proud that you all did your good turns. 

Happy Thanksgiving!
 
Yours in Scouting,
Mr. Duggan

Dear Scouts,

Please sign up to for Cameron’s Project this Saturday to help the Council on Aging. He will need help with several projects and this is a great way to do your good deed.

Another opportunity is with the Annual Turkey Drive, on Sunday. Senior Patrol Leader Matt, will be arranging coverage from 7:30AM-12:30 pm in shifts. It’s not expected that everyone comes for the entire morning, but if you coordinate with him on when you can that would help all of us. Help is needed to unload and load turkey’s and tell people how to help our cause. Not a lot of work but many hands make the light work.

I hope to see many of you this weekend and look forward to Tuesday night ice cream making and tasting!
 
Yours in Scouting,
Mr. Duggan

Dear Scouts,

Today is Veteran’s Day. Please thank veterans for their service and sacrifice. Just a history note: this day was originally called Armistice Day, in honor of when World War I ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. This day was later changed as Veterans’ Day, to honor all those who served. If you in Monument Square, look at the Concord citizens who gave their life in this war. If you go inside the Armory, look at the wall plaque of all the Concord citizens who were in that war as well. Please thank those who serve and sacrifice for our country. Thank you to Grady, Lincoln, Lucas, Lucien, and Mr. Rzepczynski for attending and helping with the Flag Retirement.

This weekend, we have weather coming in from Hurricane/Tropical Storm Nicole. We will start our skills outing at 11am at Camp Acton. Be prepared. Bring your rain gear and good waterproof boots. If it’s not raining it will be wet. We plan on completing at 4pm, which is also a new time. Bring a lunch and we will cook over a fire is the plan.

The Mt. Washington crew will also look to the weather which will be changing quickly and bringing in cold air. This is a tricky time of year where you need to be prepared for everything. High winds, rain, snow and cold. You have good experienced leaders and experienced scouts.

Next week we have a PLC meeting on Monday night, 6:30-8:00 pm (ending at 8) and lots to cover for planning. Turkey Truck /Turkey Drive coming up as well as a day of Service on 11/19/22. Plenty of great opportunities to earn service hours this season!

We do have a Turkey Drive Go-Fund-Me Campaign set -up and welcome all your contributions so we can buy and deliver Turkey’s to those families who need our help.

And don’t forget that the Christmas Tree Pick-up is also on the horizon (January 7, 2023). Remind your parents as this is an all-hands event.

Do your good turn daily and if you can, do more than one!

Yours in Scouting,
Mr. Duggan