September 11th, 2018

Note to SCOUTS:
Scouts that are interested in elected or appointed positions need to email JJ and me by September 8. The prerequisites are: SPL/ASPL = 15 years old and Star or higher. Patrol Leader = 13 years old and First Class or higher.  All other positions are appointed and need to be filled: Quarter Master (QM), Scribe/Historian, Den Chiefs, and Troop Guide. All positions require the commitment to the camping activities, monthly PLC meetings, weekly Troop meetings, and service projects for the next 3 months ending in December and attending monthly PLC. If you can’t make the commitment, then wait until you can commit and plan ahead.
Note to PARENTS:
If you have questions about the troop, scouting, or methods please ask your son first. They are the ones in the program and should have knowledge and understanding of how the troop works. If your child does not have the answers, please encourage them to speak to their patrol leader (who also signs off on advancements). If they still can’t get answers, they should ask the ASPL or SPL. This helps the scouts learn how to self-advocate. If you as the parent need a conversation with one of the Troop adult leaders, I am available before or after meetings if I am not working with the scouts. As an alternative, you can always reach out to our Troop Committee Chair (Curtis Gekle - [email protected]). I also would encourage you to come to our monthly Troop Committee Meetings.

If you child is reporting that they are having difficulty getting on my (Mr. Duggan) schedule, then the scout should email me ([email protected])
and copy Mr. Gekle ([email protected]) with the specific request. I know that it can be difficult to get my time at a Troop meeting, but the boys can email to help schedule a meeting. 
All:
Welcome back. Our first meeting of the year was full of announcements and opportunities for all ranks to get the most out of scouting. There is a full calendar of camping, service projects and adventure for the year ahead. Please take a look at the Troop activities and get them on your calendar now. Our troop is especially blessed to have so many older scouts engaged and active with scouting. Both Justin Reed and Will Duggan, both Eagles, will be helping this year. Also, Aiden is an Eagle Scout who has been an ASPL and he will be helping the troop in many ways. Life Scout Logan has completed his Eagle project and he is on his way to Eagle, as he will soon age out in October. Logan did a great job with a formidable project at the Episcopal Church on Elm Street. Ben Clarke (Life Scout, completed the Eagle project last year and presently working towards Eagle Rank) continues to stay engaged with the Troop. Yea!
The reason I bring up the older scouts, is that the younger scouts look up to the above-mentioned scouts as role models for living the Scout Law. This boys put the Troop above themselves and are ready to help others. We don’t need a lot of Troop 132 rules and regulations, because we use the Scout Law and Oath as our guides and the older scouts model that behavior. We also have additional senior scouts like Luke, JJ, Xander, Jacob, Miles, Nolan, and others who you will be hearing from soon as they discern their Eagle projects. Stay tuned for more info on Eagle projects.
·       Jacob is working on a project this weekend and will need help. Please sign up.
·       New scouts learned many skills during Trailblazers this summer at camp. We will be setting some time aside to review what they learned, answer questions and if ready, sign off in their scout books (which they should bring every Troop meeting).
·       Merit badges earned at camp have been submitted to Mr. O’Neil and will be awarded at the Tuesday 9/25 Court of Honor (COH). If you have any questions please follow up with Mr. O’Neil.
·       All family and friends are invited and strongly encouraged to attend the Troop Court of Honor on 9/25. There are only three Troop COHs per year and this is the time to recognize the effort of the boys. The boys learn, are tested, and recognized.