Busy, Busy, Busy

Busy, Busy, Busy
September 23, 2023
 Dear Scouts,

This has been a busy scout week; PLC Monday night, Troop Meeting Tuesday and Troop Committee Meeting Wednesday. Let me give some highlights.

PLC Meeting: Under the leadership of our SPL Nathaniel, we went through most of the school year for planning. Adjustments have been reflected in an updated calendar. Take a look at the calendar (link is above) as some dates had to move around to account for holidays, including those for the PLC, Troop Committee Meeting and Troop Courts of Honor. Eagle COH are just placeholders, since this is up to the families to schedule, when scouts pass their Boards of Review. Eagle projects are not scheduled this far our as well as merit badge classes we conduct as well. I’ll be counting on some help to make sure the troop has all opportunities do to all these wonderful and challenging events. So please take a look.

The Troop meeting was focused on advancement, since there is a dearth of qualified scouts to hold Positions of Responsibility. That means the burden falls on a few. Our SPL will have APSL’s that are also serving as Scribe, Quartermaster and Den Chiefs. Do all you can to support them. We will be going to two patrols most likely led by Matt and Marcus, who will also train APL’s in the art and skills of patrol leadership. This is a very important role led by some very experienced scouts. Our aim is to help all those scouts who want to advance to First Class.

That said, if you don’t want to advance, that’s ok too. I like to think of our scouting as “stress free” scouting where if you want to advance great but our aim is to prepare and develop good scouts. What’s a good scout? Those that know, advance, believe and live the scout oath and law. Plain and simple.

The Troop Committee met at Monument Hall on Wednesday. We are in good shape financially;  our annual Christmas Tree fundraiser/ service project is on the horizon and will need “all hands on deck” for this. This is complicated, requires a great deal of planning but is extremely rewarding for our scouts and community. We need your help so stand by for more details.

The Troop Committee also voted to put a deposit on Maine High Adventure Canoe trip in 2024. Mr. Green and Mr. McWilliams are leading the charge here and will require some trips to learn to canoe. The trip is open to 13 or higher with Scoutmaster approval. So we will be in touch and have more details. This is not an easy trip and requires upper body strength, stamina and remote wilderness camping. There are places deep in Maine that will not be easy to get out of. Not to scare off anyone but that’s the reality of the trip and requires scouts to be prepared. Our troop will also consider hiking Mt. Katahdin as a separate trip for the troop. I’ve been up twice and once got snowed out in May. Katahadin is the beginning or end, depending on how you look at it, of the Application Trail. Very interesting mountain and difficult.

Some other interesting things on the horizon: 2025 is Concord’s 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution and there is planning underway from our town and state. We scouts need to determine what and how we want to contribute and participate. Another topic is Warner’s Pond and the effects on Scout Island. We will be hearing more about that and the Scout House would like our point of view on some proposed steps.

I realize our troop is busy, focused on fun outdoor activities but these two topics will deserve some attention.

In a couple weeks, I’ll start the Family Life Merit badge at 6pm (most likely at Monument Hall before the meeting and we can walk over at 6:45) starting October 3, 2023.

All good scouting is on the horizon. I’m looking forward hiking Mt. Greylock and climbing Ramblewild in the Berkshires in October. Great fun and planning another big campfire.

Today is my mother’s birthday. She passed away many years ago and is part of the Dee family (funeral home here in Concord back to 1868).  Luckily, I still have two uncles (her brothers) who are in their 90’s and doing great. They share with me the history of my family in Concord which is always great to hear stories and remember those who have passed. My mother’s father was in the American Legion and carried the flag in Concord’s parade’s for over 50 years and he also took care of the Armory on Everett Street. He had great stories of horses, WWI and WWII as there was some very sad losses in the family resulting from the war. Some of these stories include the hurricane of 1938 and my young 10 year old uncle on top of the barn watching the winds. No satellites back then and it came without much warning.

Do you good turn daily. There are so many ways but start small with some small act and the others will follow.

YiS,

Mr. Duggan, Scoutmaster