October Backpacking Campout
Location: Sid Richardson Scout Ranch, Bridgeport
Departure: Friday October 23 2020. Meet at the Troop Shed at 6pm, depart by 645pm
Return: Sunday October 25 2020. 1pm at the Troop Shed

Cost is $20 per person

Friday night: Set up at base camp
Saturday: After breakfast, split into two groups:
- Backpackers will pack up everything including tents in their pack and hike a few miles ending up at a new camp site.
- Those who wish to remain can stay at base camp and work on rank requirements / assist with a Fall Festival.
Evening: All Scouts will assist at the Haunted Trail. Bring a costume.

Tent Camping will be in accordance with COVID-19 protocols, the Scouts need to bring their own tents and stoves.

Additional updated COVID-19 related protocols could be published prior to departure.

Meals: Scouts should bring one cold meal and three hot meals. Hikers will carry three meals with them (lunch, dinner, Sunday breakfast) and cook lunch on the trail.

We may have an opportunity for service hours. More to follow.

Do you need a new Class B shirt for the new school year or for the next campout?  I will be bringing the troop gear to the beginning of the next meeting on Monday, September 21.  Please stop by and get any Class B shirts you might need.  

If there are any new scouts that still need to get their Class B shirt and Troop number patch that are included in their new member dues, please pick them up from me at the beginning of the meeting. 

Troop Gear includes Class B T-shirts, Green Fleece Jackets, Troop number patches and Hats.  A full list of available gear and prices can be found on the website menu under Troop Gear.

Contact Suzanne Courson at troopgear@troop928.org with questions.

An eight-hour flight to Paris? Even in pre-pandemic times, that seems like a lot of work for a single merit badge requirement.

But with the Louvre Museum just a click away, the Art merit badge is within reach during COVID-19.

Museums with virtual tours, coupled with new temporary guidelines from the BSA that make virtual museum visits an acceptable option, mean your Scouts don’t have to put merit badge work on hold.

That’s right in line with the spirit of Scouting, where Scouts learn to find a way around any problem. (I’ve been so inspired to see all the examples of Scouting continuing at home.)

The best options for Scouts are museums that let virtual visitors explore at their own pace — instead of watching a video, for example. Self-guided virtual tours more closely replicate the in-person museum experience and allow visitors to dive more deeply when they find something that interests them.

So which are worth checking out? Below, we’ve scouted out eight excellent museums offering virtual visits — no ticket (or plane fare) required.

Click here for the entire article.

Did you know that your Scouting accomplishments are detailed in a personal progress report? Your report provides a list of completed merit badges, your current rank, plus a list of the requirements you've completed toward your next rank. Check out your progress now: 

• Click on Troop Roster in the Menu down the lefthand side of the page.
• Then click on Scouts.
• Find your name and click on it.
• Click on the rank next to your name. (Your rank will be in parenthesis.)

We made a large number of Merit Badge counselor updates. I encourage all Scouts to click on the Merit Badge Resources link to review the current Merit Badge Counselor list in order to determine the current counselor for your area of interest.

Parents we are always looking for volunteers. We would love to add you to the list of Merit Badge Counselors if your vocation or hobby matches a Merit Badge. Our biggest needs are Camping, Hiking, Environmental Science, Orienteering, and then any Merit Badge for which we have either one or no counselors.

Please contact me if you have any questions regarding the Merit Badge counselor updates. (click on "read more" to see name and email FF )