We currently have 10 folks who have expressed interest in going: But we still have room if you want to go and your name is not on the list! There is a permission slip on the bulliten board on Scouttrack and at

www.BSATroop8.com/Jamboree.pdf

(f you are interested and not on the list just send me a note)

Scouts going:

Kyle Fabian
Michael Waverka
Joseph Dey
Brendon Gorman
Garett White

Adults going:

Chuck Eaton
Jack Barton

Cubs going:
Justin Rosado (with mom Lilliam)
Daniel Eaton

Cost including entry to two days of jamboree should be about $100 per person.

Here is the latest on the planning for the trip to the National Scout Jamboree.

A decision was made that we will be staying in a hotel Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night, leaving St Matthew Church Tuesday night, at 4 pm, arriving back at the Church by Friday evening, around 7:30 pm.

The visit to the National Jamboree will be on Wednesday and Thursday. It will be a long day of walking in the heat so plan accordingly. Bring a daypack to carry water, rainjacket, sunscreen, snacks, money, etc. Plan to wear comfortable hiking or walking shoes. The website advises there will be soft drinks, hamburgers, pizza and other food options there to buy for lunch. Don’t forget your government-issued id for entry. A school ID is acceptable.

Given the length of the trip, we will incorporate visits to local historical sites, which are tentatively scheduled to be Appomattox on on Friday morning.

A modified permission slip is also attached. If you haven’t handed one in yet it will be required to be handed in on Tuesday before we go.

Here are the key points:

Cost:
$100 per attendee (Leader, Adult, Scout, Sibling) including room and dinners
Cost for the hotel rooms will come out to be $50 per person for the two nights and includes breakfast at the hotel. We plan to have dinner together Thursday and Friday evening at the hotel (pizza-type effort). We figured $16 per person will cover dinner for the two nights and entrance fees to the historic parks. Checks made out to BSA Troop 8 and will be collected on Tuesday.

Meals:
Bring a bag dinner for Tuesday
Bring about $20 cash for lunch on Wednesday and Thursday plus dinner on the road Friday
Breakfast is included at the hotel
Dinners will be covered with the $16 cost

Attire:
Class B uniforms with the Troop 8 T-shirt will be worn for travel and visit to the historic parks on Thursday and Saturday.
The hotel has a pool so bring a bathing suit for Wednesday and Thursday evening.

What else to bring:
Government-issued picture ID to get into the Jamboree – remember no id, no entry! ( A school id works!)
comfortable hiking or walking shoes
daypack
raingear
sunscreen
hat or visor
water bottle
trail snacks
patches to trade – note trades are made Scout to Scout or Adult to Adult only
additional money for souvenirs
Sleeping bag for the hotel if you don’t share a bed
Drivers:

Drivers, please bring along a small cooler to throw in the back of your car to store cold drinks. Please bring your mobile phone if you have one.

thanks

Chuck Eaton
me@ChuckEaton.net
704.844.2993

I am enclosing a good bit of information that Mike Nielson was able to put together below….

Here is some Jamboree info to help in planning a troop visit this summer, including the points I shared at the committee meeting.

· All visitors must have a government-issued photo ID. This will require some lead time for families to obtain if scouts don’t have them already.

· There is a $10 fee per day, per person to visit the Jamboree.

· Retail food will be available onsite.

· Mark recommends visiting for two days (but not weekends due to weekend crowds).

· The Jamboree is open to visitors beginning Tues, July 27 through Tues., August 3.

o Wednesday, July 28 11am to 5pm

o Thursday, July 29 9am to 5pm

· Class B uniform is recommended while at the Jambo (Class A on the road). A hat, wicking underwear, and good footwear and socks are strongly recommended.
· Mark recommends visiting Appomattox Court House on the way to the Jamboree or on the way back.

Other useful info
· http://www.bsajamboree.org/Visitor.aspx Official Jamboree visitors site. Lists which activities are open to visitors and those that are closed (scroll down).

· Appomattox Court House link http://www.nps.gov/apco/index.htm

The PLC met today May 14th.

SPL Andrew Kazura ran the meeting.

The rafting trip altogether went good, A- in total.

Highlights included a great campsite, Hot showers.

Downsides included problems getting people up on Sunday and ready to leave. One problem that was reported was some of the new scout Dads left before anyone woke up on Sunday. It was reminded that we travel as a troop both coming and going unless special permission has been given. Also everyone is supposed to wear Class A uniforms when traveling.

24 people reported falling out of the boats on the Ocoee.

Important upcoming dates:

• Saturday May 22 at 7 PM Eagle Court of Honor in the Church Gym.

• Monday May 24 A landscaper will be coming to the meeting work on the first class nature requirement.
For scouts above First class will have leadership training.

• Monday May 31 Memorial Day no meeting

• Monday June 7 Court of Honor

• Monday June 14 Elections! The movie “A Time to Tell” will be shown

• Monday June 21 Knots and first aid presentations

• Monday June 27-July 3 Summer camp at Raven Knob

• Tuesday July 27 to 30 Troop 8 visits the National Scout Jamboree

YIS
Charlie Eaton
Troop Scribe

The PLC met on Monday night.

Next month on May 14-15-16 will be the whitewater rafting trip. This year we have new choices. One choice includes kayaking. There must be more than four people to go kayaking. To be able to kayak you mutt be able to do a barrel roll. A barrel roll is doing a 360 roll in the kayak.

This year we will be working with a new company for our rafting trip called Adventure Trail. The man who owns the company is a scoutmaster and knows what we are working with. Our campsite will include grills, a pavilion, a nearby close stream, some close walking trails and most important, a bathroom with showers.

Cost is still under discussion but will probably be from $45 to abouyt $60.

On April 26 the younger scouts will work on scout ranks and patrol boxes learning what should go in a patrol box and what shouldn’t.

On May 3 there will be a cooking demo for everyone.

On May 10 everyone will be working on creating duty rosters and doing some basic scout training working up to the trip.

Discussion was also held about the last trip. Mr Spisak said he heard the trip was a success.

Things that we needed to start included making sure everyone knows the plan which included, in this case, to bring a daypack.

Some things we should stop included leaving trash available at night for nearby animals. And not leaving exposed food in our tents. We were reminded that several scouts wore tennis shoes which are NOT proper scout wear for hiking.

Mr Spisak also reminded us that the new scout leaders did not get an opportunity to lead and that troop guides needed to tone it down a bit and even if the new scouts did not succeed the new scouts need to step up and learn to be leaders.

Things to continue is to get a couple of things signed off during each trip for the new scouts.

YIS

Charlie Eaton
Troop Scribe

The PLC meet on Monday February 1.

We are looking for a solution to what we are going to do with the Ski Trip. Options include a day trip to Sugar. Or to go to Winterplace, and try to stay in the church again. Still the answer remains we don’t know.

Next Monday night will be the Court of Honor! If you would like to help set up please show up at Six pm.

The same night we are presenting the flag ceremony at the city council meeting and we need 6 to 8 scouts to help out there.

Scouting for Food is THIS Saturday, February 6. Please meet at the Church gym at 9:30 if you can help. Pack and Troop 8 are working to try to hit 2,500 houses…. In the past we have only done about 200 homes so we really need lots of people to step up and help in a big way. Class A uniforms are encouraged.

Scouting for Food will count as scout service hours.

The 100 years of scouting celebration has been moved, it will be held at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 3115 Providence Road just south of Sharon Amity at 3:00.

Scout Sunday is this SUNDAY at the 12:30 mass we need everyone to show up in Full Class A uniforms! Dress to impress! Fancy Shoes included.

On the 15th of February meeting we will be planning for the search and rescue camp out. The camp out is the following weekend. Remember to bring your compasses. And Learn how to use them the trainer will expect everyone to know how to use them. This meeting may go longer than normal.

Troop 8 is going to sea base in 2011. You must be 14 or older to go.

Attendance. Five patrols were represented at the meeting. Beaver, Phoenix, Party Kings, Dragons and Biscuits each had a representative. Three were missing.

YIS
Charlie Eaton
Troop Scribe

PLC Notes for December 2009
By Connor N., Troop Scribe

The troop PLC met Monday, December 7th, 2009. The first thing we talked about was Christmas tree sales for this year. It went as usual, with families coming in to get their trees, wreaths and poinsettias all morning long. However, in the PLC it was announced that we had a few scouts that were participating in their first tree sales, and they were confused. We hadn’t properly told them about what shifts are, what counts as a shift, and how many shifts were needed to go on the ski trip. It was announced at the November PLC that the consequences for not working enough shifts may include no rank advancement for a year. It was also mentioned that most of the customers got their tree in the morning and after about lunchtime on Saturday, not many people came to buy a tree. There was also a communication breakdown because on Sunday morning, all scouts were required to work the cleanup shift. On the bright side, we worked hard, and we should continue that in following years.
We got right down to business with the meeting plan. On January 4th, we will be further instructed on Leave No Trace principles. Because the February trip will be focused around map, compass and orienteering skills, that will be the instruction for the 11th. Mr. Spisak said that the man running the February search and rescue program will expect us to know without question how to orient and use a map. We also have some pretty cool games planned for the following weeks. THERE IS NO MEETING JANUARY 18th. Troop elections will be on January 25th.  As for February 1st, we will have another PLC meeting.
For all who worked enough shifts for Christmas trees, the Ski Trip to Sugar Mountain will be from January 29th to the 31st. The Catholic Jamboree and Seals Training will be on the weekend of March 19th to the 21st. For a lucky group of older scouts, the trip to the Naval Academy will be from January 15th to January 17th.
One more thing: On Christmas tree weekend, we earned an estimated $8000! Wow! That money goes toward campouts, gear, summer camp for financially unfortunate scouts, and many other things. Also, that money could amount to approximately 35,000 merit badges!

If you want to attend the Catholic Super Jamboree in March you must turn in your permission slip tonight or next week. Click here to download the form: catholic jamboree

PLC Notes for November 2009

By Connor N., Troop Scribe

The Troop 8 PLC met Monday, November 9th. We talked about the successful November Camping trip first. We camped at the Kings Mountain Battlefield. The SPL for the trip was Andrew Nielsen and the ASPLs were Kyle Fabian and Garrick White. They reported that there were changes on this trip, like Troop 8’s newly emphasized interest of cooking. In start, stop, and continue, it was said to continue battlefield trips! They work well for good camping with a built-in history lesson. We were told that we need better communication on the subject of meal planning, and we should have more structured patrol time in the meeting before the trip, and if you are going on the campout, ATTEND THE MEETING! This makes it easier for everyone. Also, our wood patrol boxes are a privilege that we are currently abusing by just throwing the gear in them.

The meeting plan for the remainder of the month is on November 16th, we will be instructed on the seven Leave No Trace Principles. On the 23rd, we will learn about the good skills of bear-bags and the three-pot method. The three-pot method was a big issue on the last trip, so hopefully it won’t be one anymore. On November 30th, We will be be given instruction on the art of Christmas tree wrangling (how to handle them) and some of the older scouts will teach some of the less common knots and lashings.

After the meetings were all planned out, the new-scout patrols got a check-up by Mr. Spisak on their overall status. On the subject of the Christmas Tree Sales coming up, it cannot be stressed more that EVERYONE needs to participate with this. It is our only fundraising in a bad economy. You have the opportunity to help by signing up to give out flyers at mass for the next couple weekends and to help unload, deliver, and clean up at the weekend of sales. Five shifts are required, and a shift counts as one mass, or one of four shifts at the sales weekend. Additionally, it is a fun weekend of camping outside the church and dodge ball!

Hello Scouts and Parents,
Tonight, a plane load of World War 2 veterans and heroes, some with walkers and some in wheel chairs returned from a trip to Washington DC. They were in Washington to see the WW2 memorial built in their honor.
Troop 8 had the extreme privilege of representing the Boy Scouts at the welcome home ceremony at Charlotte Douglas Airport. Over 20 troop 8 scouts in uniform formed a tribute line with American Flags to welcome these heroes back home.
To say it was emotional is an understatement. The scouts performed flawlessly and as scoutmaster I was very proud. The scouts were videotaped by one of the news organizations, the boys were also thanked by former Senator Dole who was acting as a guide on the trip.
After the welcoming, numerous veterans and family members sought me out to says thanks for the boys being there. Most by the time they talked to me were emotionally spent.
To the scouts and parents who came tonight with their sons a heart felt thank you.
This was a service well done.
Mark Spisak
Scoutmaster Troop 8

Click Here to see Troop 8 participate in the Honor Flight return!

Hello Scouts and Scout Parents,
Here is a link to watch the video story behind the Honor flight the troop rendered honor guard service for last night. The scouts who attended may recognize some of these heroes.

To find out about the honor flight click here

Yours in Scouting
Mark Spisak