Troop 494 Committee Minutes

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm.

1. Welcome
The minutes from the last meeting were approved with one correction. It should have stated that we packaged 2,000 meals, not pounds, at Feed My Starving Children.

 

2. Report from PLC
Jay R. reported that the PLC has been planning the December Lock In at Shoreview Community Center.  He noted that video games that are brought to the Lock In are subject to approval by the Scoutmaster.  Also, the troop will be controlling the use of video games based on the game’s rating and the Scouts’ ages.  We are also looking for volunteers to attend Pack 437’s December Pack meeting.

 

3. Adopt-A-Family
Ann Cerney gave the Committee an update on Adopt-A-Family.  The gift shopping night will be December 14.  The Committee agreed to send Scouts to do the shopping in groups.  Ann will complete a budget to see how much each group of items might cost and will plan for each group of boys to have a certain amount of funds.  Jay suggested we mix the patrols into groups to vary Scout ages and shopping experience.  Ann will take the gifts home that night.  Ann will also invite Sister Kathy, the leader of the project, to attend the December 14 troop meeting to give the Scouts an overview of what they should learn from this experience.

4. Scoutmaster Report
Jim Letourneau reported that paperwork has been sent in for our latest Eagle Scout candidates. He will also follow up with several other Scouts who are close to earning the Eagle rank.  He discussed having our latest Eagle candidates work with our new Eagle coaches, Jeanenne Rausch and Pat Mahoney.

5. Camping Subcommittee
Mary Sue Abel noted that the Northern Tier planning meeting went well last week, and she will be sending in paperwork with out route selection.  Crews have been set for Northern Tier.  There is still room on the roster for Scouts from other troops to attend if they wish.  Roger Scherping will check with Troop 112 to determine what their level of interest is.

Mary Sue noted that there are approximately 14 youth and adults who are interested in attending Philmont in 2012.  She will put us into the lottery for two crews and a date early in August for beginning the trek.

There have been no new signups for Snow Huskies or Spearhead in January.

We still need to plan an activity for February.  Jim suggested we participate in a Many Waters district event.  He will talk with the PLC to decide what we want to do.

Rick Rausch reported that there are a couple of items in the trailers that need repair, but the trailers for the most part are now winterized.

Jeff Abel noted that we have items to give to the new first year Scouts next year, but we may still need to pick up some more items.

Jeanenne Rausch reported on first responder training.  She said there is a series of three classes that needs to be taken to become an instructor, and then she could train other adults in our troop as well as adults from outside our troop.  This would be cheaper than having multiple people take the training.  Roger will send an email to the troop to determine whether anyone is interested in taking either the instructor training or the certification training.

6. Advancement Subcommittee
Jeff Abel noted that the first year Scouts’ attendance has been sparse lately.  He also noted that the Troop Guides have been doing well.  We may do a large group meeting to finish up requirements for those working on the Scout badge.

Christy Bartlett reported that there are three Scouts who are very close to earning Eagle, with several more at Life working on Eagle requirements.  Jim suggested that at the January Court of Honor we do something to encourage the Scouts at the Life rank to continue working to reach Eagle.

Shelly Jokinen noted that Tyler D.’s advancement records have been received.

The next Court of Honor is scheduled for January 18, 2011.

 

7. Fundraising Subcommittee
Joe Mikkelson presented a letter that can be used to request a date for grocery bagging at Cub in Vadnais Heights.  Roger talked with Cub Foods in Maplewood and was told we should bag at the Cub where we are physically located.  Roger will follow up with Joe on his letter.

The Committee noted that wreath pickup went well.  There was positive response on the quality of the wreaths and swags this year.

Roger discussed the flowers fundraiser, which will again be in the spring.

Roger reported on the possibility of earning tips working at the Ramsey County yard waste centers next year.  This was a pilot program, and it is currently being evaluated for next year.  We are on the signup list beginning next spring, if the program is continued.

 

8. Community Service Subcommittee
Jim Hering noted that we did not commit to planting elm trees around the city in the spring as we have too many community service activities going on at that time of year.

The Committee also suggested ways that we can help the community during the winter months, including snow shoveling and helping St. Stephen’s Church with any projects that they may need done.  Jim Letourneau will discuss the ideas with the PLC.

 

9. Treasurer's Report
No report.

 

10. Old Business
Roger reported on the troop website. Steve Anastasi observed recently that the troop website is very well done and very complete, and he also noted a few internal things that we should work on to improve the site.  He also reported that our Troop Historian, Karl S., recently sorted through over 3,000 pictures from the last 13 campouts that we had not yet posted to the website and reduced them to the required number.  Roger will now post them to the site, and then we will have online 70 campouts dating back to 1998.

Roger noted that the time for rechartering is nearing, and he encouraged those who still need Youth Protection Training to complete it before the end of the year so that they can recharter.  He will attempt to get our graduated Scouts to fill out an adult leader application, if necessary, and take Youth Protection Training so they can recharter as adults.

 

11. New Business
Roger reported that, speaking of the troop as a whole, 40% of the money going into ScoutBucks accounts is money earned through our various fundraisers.  Leaving out the top 4 fundraising Scouts, that number drops to about 30%.  That means that even though we like to think that our Scouts pay their own way, actually 60-70% of the money comes from the parents’ deposits.  At the next Court of Honor Roger will discuss this briefly with the parents to learn their attitude toward having their sons do fundraising and solicit their ideas for additional fundraising opportunities.

Jim Letourneau mentioned that we will kick off Friends of Scouting at the January Court of Honor.  Jim will handle the announcements, and Roger will handle the record keeping, just as we did last year.  Our goal this year is $4,500.

 

12. Comments / Closing

There will be no Committee meeting in December.

Roger reported that this May will make five years as Committee Chair, so he will be stepping down.  He encourages anyone who’s interested in the “easiest position on the Committee” to talk to him about becoming the new Committee Chair.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 pm.