Red Lantern - October 2007

A Red Lantern Image

Announcements

Thank You to all Scouts and families who helped make St. Pascal's Fall Festival a success! Adult Volunteers Needed to help make this year a success for Troop 294!  Volunteers are needed to organize, supervise, and coordinate the events which make Troop 294 special for your youth.
Openings include Assistant Scoutmaster, campout chaperones,  after meeting gym-time supervisors, merit badge counselors and more. A chart of volunteer opportunities for the year is attached.  Please check it out and give Mike and Ellen (738-9095) a call with how you can help. Its fun to be with the scouts and see them in action!

Upcoming Troop 294 Calendar

Sept 28-30 meet at 6 pm Order of the Arrow Fall Conclave
Sept 29   Popcorn Sales start
Oct 1 7-8:30 pm Scout Meeting at St. Pascal's, MB Session 1 begins
Wreath sale starts
Oct 2 7:30 - 8:30 Venture Crew meets at Bakers Square
Oct 5-7 meet at 6 pm Fall Camporee at Lake Elmo Park Reserve
Oct 6 4:30 pm Sell Popcorn after mass
Oct 7 9:00 am - 12 Noon Sell Popcorn after masses
Oct 8 7 - 8:30 pm Scout Meeting at St Pascal's, MB 1-2
Oct 11 7 - 9 pm Adult Leader and OA Roundtable
Oct 12 6:15 to 11:30 pm Venture Crew Haunted Boat Cruise
Oct 15 7 - 8:30 pm Scout Meeting at St Pascal's, MB 1-3; Red Lantern Articles due
Oct 22 7 - 8:30 pm Scout Meeting at St Pascal's, MB 1-4
Oct 28   Popcorn Sales end
Oct 29 7 - 8:30 pm Scout Meeting at St Pascal's, MB 1-5
Nov 2-4 meet at 6 pm Campout at Phillippo Scout Reservation, LeSeur Shelter
Nov 5 7 - 8:30 pm Scout Meeting at St. Pascal's, MB Session 2 begins
Nov 5 at meeting Turn in preliminary wreath orders
Nov 6 7:30 - 8:30 Venture Crew meets at TBA
Nov 8 7 - 9 pm Adult Leader and OA Roundtable
Nov 9 tba OA Fall Fellowship
Nov 12 7 - 8:30 pm Scout Meeting at St. Pascal's, MB 2-2, Red Lantern Articles due, Florida Sea Base Pmt. # 3 due
Nov 17 9:00 am Unload Christmas Trees for St. Pascal's Men's Club
Nov 18 after masses Pack 294 Pancake Breakfast at St. Pascal's after masses
Nov 19 7:30 - 8:30 Fun Night
Nov 23 12 Noon - 3 pm Set up Tree Lot for St. Pascal's Men's Club @ St. Pascals
Nov 23 tbd Gander Mtn. Christmas Wrapping Fundraiser begins
Nov 26 7 - 8:30 pm Scout Meeting at St. Pascal's, MB 2-3, Red Lantern Articles due

troop 294 patrol news

Parent Note regarding Troop 294 Patrol Leadership Responsibility for Advancement: Leadership positions are required for advancement.  Your sons have signed a contract addressing what each youth needs to do to get credit for their leadership position. Sit down and discuss these commitments. Encourage and support them in finishing their leadership duties.  But remember, it is their responsibility to complete their contract. 

leadership

Senior Patrol Leader Ian Ba
Asst Senior Patrol Leader Spencer P
Historian Joseph M
Scribe Sal R
Quartermaster Noah R
Patrol Leader Charles P
Patrol Leader Danny M
Patrol Leader Ed S
Patrol Leader Ignatius B
OA Representative Tyler E

Patrols were formed at the first meeting.  One of the main responsibilities for a Patrol Leader during his leadership is to organize a patrol activity that happens outside of the regular meeting schedule.  This can vary from a group movie to an outdoor activity, but must be held before his leadership term ends.  Start planning now!

reports

Jacksons - We have just started off the year by picking patrols and picking patrol names. Our patrol name is the Jacksons we have named are patrol after we copied a twenty dollar bill on to our patrol flag. We have 8 members in our patrol. We have already planned our first patrol activity we are going rock climbing at vertical endeavors. We are looking forward to a great year. - Charles P, Patrol Leader

Tator tot Patrol On 17th September our pack did chemistry of freezing bubbles, making goo and gack and experimenting with liquid. One of the experiments you can do at home is this: you will need toothpicks, soap detergent, food coloring and milk.  Pour the milk into a small container; put the food coloring in the four corners of the container.  Pull out a toothpick and dip it in the soap detergent, then dip it in the middle of the milk and it will go 80's on ya. On Monday, September 10 we came up with patrol name and flag.  Then we played a game were we were split into four groups, each team had to choose a leader, then they can't get hit by any balls. Each team gets two balls and has to get set up into strategic ways to keep the leader safe, without moving.  Our team won, because we were in a corner with to defenders on either side of the leader and three offenders.  Our leader didn't get hit once.  On Saturday night my patrol came to my house to watch a movie and invited all of my friends, and the neighbors, it ended up like a party.  - Ignatius B Patrol leader

Red Balloon Patrol - Our Patrol is going to the Afton Apple Orchard for our patrol activity. We will be running around in the corn maze, if anyone wants they can also stay and pick apples. Details will be handed out shortly. Patrol members - Noah, Andrew H, Gideon, Jimmy, Eddie and Tyler Patrol Leader Dan M.

ASPL Report - We have had two meetings in the new season.  The first meeting we divided into three patrols and made patrol flags and names.  The second meeting we had Science Night where we rotated among stations cryogenics, surface tension, "slime" polymers, and brain teasers.  Many scouts helped set up and oversee games at the St. Pascal Fall Festival.  This was the first time the new games made by many scouts for Matt R's eagle projects were used in the festival.  We look forward to the court of honor.

order of the arrow

The Order of the Arrow is Scouting's National Honor Society, Its purpose is to: To recognize those Scout campers who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives, to develop and maintain camping traditions and spirit, to promote Scout camping, to crystallize the Scout habit of helpfulness into a life purpose of leadership in cheerful service to others.

Order of the Arrow (OA) Fall Conclave - Congratulations to the scouts called out (nominated) to the Order of the Arrow at summer camp.  All OA members are invited to convene the Fall Conclave on September 28-30.  Fellowship and service begins Friday at 6:00 pm with registration and continues cheerfully until Sunday morning. Chapter Adviser Michelle P. promises fellowship and service for any & all.  All ordeal candidates called out at summer camp and members of OA should have received information about the conclave in the mail. 

camping

October Campout - The Fall Camporee October 5-7.  Sign up tonight! We will be camping at Lake Elmo Park Reserve. The cost is $12.  This will be a weekend filled with biking, archery and orienteering.  The whole family is invited. Come along!  Questions please call Ellen Aeling at (651) 738-9095.

November Campout - Nov. 2-4 at Phillippo Scout Reservation, LeSeur Shelter.

Campouts are FUN.  They are scheduled monthly.usually the first full weekend (Fri.-Sun).  Check your calendar.  From November through April, the location alternates between Phillippo Scout Reservation near the Cannon River south of the Twin Cities; or Fred C. Anderson, in Wisconsin  just across the St. Croix River from Stillwater.  These sites have nice cabin shelters - some with bunk beds!   Scouts have fun on campouts playing capture-the-flag or laser tag, hiking, exploring the woods, sitting around the campfire telling and listening to stories and EATING.the food is always good!  To get more of an idea of what happens, check out the troop website or look at the bulletin board on the wall at St. Pascals at the next Scout meeting.

activities

Troop Fundraising:  Through the year there are several good opportunities for a youth to participate in troop fundraisers to build up credit to apply to the cost of monthly campouts and summer camp.  The Popcorn Sale - see the following paragraph!  Christmas Wreath Sales begin next week.  Youth are given flyers which they use to sell advance orders of various sized wreaths and garlands.  Delivery and collections are made later in November.  Another opportunity coming up shortly will be Gift wrapping at the Gander Mtn. store in Woodbury.  Youth sign up for scheduled times to wrap gifts for shoppers for a suggested donation.  Adults are needed to supervise the gift wrapping.  Announcements regarding Wreath Sales and Gift Wrapping sign-ups and times will be made at Scout Meetings later in October.  Occasionally a special fundraiser may be organized to help youth raise money for the cost of a High Adventure Trip.  If you have suggestions for such, please see Ellen or Mike. 

 Fall Popcorn Sales:  The Popcorn Sale begins Sept. 29 - Selling popcorn to your friends, family and neighbors is one way for Scouts to earn camp credit to help pay for summer camp and other activities. This fund-raiser is used solely for youth activities; with each sale, the scout earns about 1/3 (credited to the youth's camping account).  Scouts may begin taking orders Sept. 29 and final orders are due October 28.  Scouts may also sign up to sell after masses at St. Pascals on Saturday, Oct. 6 and Sunday, Oct. 7, with sign up sheets available Sept. 24 at the Court of Honor.  Scouts may also check-out popcorn using the "show and deliver option."  More information will be presented at the Fall Court of Honor.  Kathy and Alan H are Sale Coordinators this year; please feel free to call with questions.

merit badges

Merit Badge Sessions will begin October 1.  We will begin with computer taught by Alan H and salesmanship taught by Ricki M. 

 Merit Badge Counselors are needed!  The youth again have requested merit badges that they would like for this year.  The list of the merit badges requested is at the end of the Red Lantern.    If you can help by leading a session, please see Mike about schedules and requirements. Merit Badges are a fun way for youth to learn and grow confident in many areas.  Merit Badges are required for advancement and specific badges are required for advancement to Eagle.  Check the Scout Handbook for MB requirements for Eagle Scout or go to www.meritbadge.com for more info on specific merit badges. 

a sad note

Mike M. Jr., troop member from about 1988 to 2004, died in a car accident on Sunday, September 23.

a little note

If any one is interested in a basket ball hoop the Aeling are giving one away please let us know as soon as possible.

venture crew news

Venturing is a youth development program of the Boy Scouts of America for young men and women, 14 (and have completed eighth grade) through 20 years old.  Join us for a good time. Our next meeting is Tuesday, October 2 at Bakers Square on Suburban.  Remember to bring money for pie or your favorite food.  Sign up for the Haunted Boat Dance on October 12th.  If you want to save $5 please pay Ellen $20 for the Haunted boat dance pay by Wednesday Sept 26th. 

Adult Advisor:  Ellen Aeling, (651) 738-9095.