Troop 39 received a thank you from the Town of Chapel Hill by way of it’s Stormwater Management Newsletter.  This follows two service projects where Troop 39 members cleaned out trash from along Bolin Creek on Umstead Road and in Southern Village Community Park.

Thanks to all the youth and adult members who helped make a difference to our town!

Troop 39 scouts and leaders presented a check for $8000 to the UNC Children’s Promise in November.

The scouts representing Troop 39 were those who had exceeded 25 hours of Community Service in 2013.  Troop 39 has performed over 30 Service Projects in 2013, ranging from April’s Touch a Truck event (where the troop raised the $8000), UNC Graduation twice a year, trail maintenance and construction in Eno River State Park.

Ten scouts of Troop 39 spent the afternoon picking up trash on a tract of land owner by our Chartering organization University United Methodist Church on Umstead Road.  It was a lovely Autumnal day – far too good to spend indoors, so what better way to spend it than helping keep our town and waterways clean.

Members of Troop 39 have donated over 1600 hours of service to the community so far in 2013.  Troop members giving more than 25 service hours to the community through the troop are eligible to earn the Presidents Volunteer Service Award.

I managed to capture a lot of photos of the scouts next to their shelters.  I hope you enjoy them.   I am sure that when these young scouts look back on scouting, this will be one of the things that will stand out in their memories.

Yours in Scouting

Glyn

SERE Wilderness Survival

October 12-13

830am for 9am departure.  Meet at Southern Village Community Park (by the picnic shelter)
Map: goo.gl/GWn18e

Scouts will be working towards Wilderness Survival Merit Badge and building a shelter and spending the night in it.  Older scouts who have the Merit badge will work as guides to the younger scouts.

What to bring:
Sleeping bag, Sleeping mat, pillow (no hammocks or tents)
Insect repellant
Survival kit in a shoe box (see below)
Warm clothes, Change of clothes for return journey
Water bottle, Personal items (Medications, toothbrush, deodorant, teddy bear etc.)

Survival Kit in a shoe box.  Suggested contents:
Pocket knife, compass, flashlight, waterproof matches or fire starters, sun protection, duct tape, whistle, signal mirror, trash bag, fishing line and hooks, trail food, first aid kit.

Check weather forecast:
Make sure you have tarps/polythene (to waterproof shelter) and rain gear if the weather is not looking good.

If you plan to earn the Wilderness Survival Merit Badge:
Wilderness Survival merit badge book
Wilderness Survival merit badge worksheet.

A scout is hungry:
Eat breakfast before departure
Bring packed lunch for Saturday
Bring money for a possible vending stop on the way down
Bring $5 for barbecue dinner on Saturday night (let Mr Tomkins know if your scout does not eat pork barbecue)
Bring money for breakfast (such as Hardees or Bojangles) on way home.

Return:
Southern Village Community Park (by the picnic shelter) targetting 11am Sunday.

Troop 39 is a uniformed troop
Everyone must travel in Class B (T shirt/hoodie, scout pants, scout socks, belt)

Please contact Mr Tomkins if you have any questions.

We have 40 scouts attending – this is the biggest outing we have had in a long time.  Thanks to the parents who have volunteered to drive.

Parents helping with the return journey, please arrive at the wilderness camp no later than 830am for a 845am departure.

DIRECTIONS TO SERE WILDERNESS SURVIVAL CAMP OCT-12-13:

THE POW WOW WILL TAKE PLACE ON FORT MCKALL IN THE US ARMY SURVIVAL TRAINING FACILITY. FROM US 1 IN ABERDEEN, TAKE A LEFT ON 15/501, TAKE 15/501TO THE 5 STAR FOOD MART AT ASHEMONT ROAD, TURN RIGHT (YES, RIGHT) ON ASHEMONT ROAD, CROSS TWO BRIDGES, ASHEMONT ROAD TURNS INTO ARMY ROAD, TAKE ARMY ROAD TO A FORK IN THE ROAD WITH A US ARMY CHOPPER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FORK, BEAR LEFT, CROSS OVER LITTLE MUDDY LAKE, THE SURVIVAL COMPOUND WILL BE A RESTRICTED AREA/ROAD ON YOUR LEFT, MAKE THAT LEFT AND FOLLOW TO THE HEADQUARTERS, ABOUT 1/4 MILE DOWN THAT GRAVEL ROAD. IF YOU HAVE ANY TROUBLE PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT THE POW WOW CHIEF AT 919-956-0038.

I do not have an address nor do I have a GPS coordinate to provide you but here are directions from SV community Park to the junction of 15-501 and Ashemont Road.  I would be cautious using your GPS to get to Army Road,  I looked up this area on Google maps and Army Road looks like it is off to the left of 15-501, not to the right but the above directions have been confirmed.

Hope you enjoy these photos.  It certainly was a lot of fun, and for some scouts they had to overcome their fear of heights, but by the end everyone was having a lot of fun!

Folks, there is a great Merit Badge opportunity approaching in November.  Check your schedules!

I will be teaching one of the Merit badges (Chess) at the clinic and may be able to offer your scout a ride.  Please contact me if your son is interested.

Details of the event, merit badges on offer and how to register are available online.

Yours in Scouting

Chris FitzSimons