Red Lantern - April 2008

Announcements

Scouting for Food is April 21 and 26th - We need youth, their families and friends to come and help collect food for local food shelters. See Activities Section for more details.

Are you interested in a June Campout?? - these dates are tentative and depend on what works with those that want to go. This is a chance to go to the Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary where bears are free to roam and people are free to observe. Details are at the end. Please read, check your calendar and let Jessica know (Ignatius's mom) if you want to go. We must have additional adults to sign up to make this happen.

We have had several people ask about a spring fund raiser and several suggestions for a fund raiser have been mentioned. If there is an adult that would like to select, set up and run a fund raiser please contact the Aeling's. This is doable idea - if someone is willing to take on the job.

An opportunity of a lifetime - There is an opening in the trip to Sea Base this summer - Sailing, snorkeling and fishing for 6 day in the Florida Keys. The trip is August 2-17, the cost is $1000. You must be 14 by Aug 2 to go. Questions - talk to Mike Aeling.

Spring Court of Honor - Mark your calendars now for Troop 294's Annual Spring Court of Honor and Potluck Dinner. Scouts and their Families will gather together to celebrate individual scout rank advancements and achievements and recognize all who have helped make this a successful scout year. There is always plenty of good food!

Troop 294 Tomahawk Scout Reservation Summer Camp July 5-July 12. Adults are needed to attend to help as cooks, guides, merit badge record keepers and drivers to and from camp. Please help with the planning now - let us know your plans and how you can help!

Camp Credit Reports - Attached to this Red Lantern are the Camp credit reports. The monies will be used to pay for summer camp. If you have any questions please call or send an e-mail to Mike Aeling.

Upcoming Troop Calendar

10-Apr	7:00 - 9:00 pm	Adult Leader and OA Roundtable
April 11-13	meet at 6 pm	Venture Crew campout - adult volunteers needed
14-Apr	7:00 - 8:30 pm	Scout Meeting, Personal Fitness continues, OA Elections, Sea Base Final $ Due
19-Apr	9:00 - 11:30 am	Annual Earth Day Clean-up at Battle Creek Regional Park
21-Apr	Meet @ 6:30	Scout Meeting: Scouting for Food Bag Distribution, All family members welcome to help, Drivers Needed, See Activities
26-Apr	10 am - 12 Noon	Scouting for Food Pick-up, Drivers Needed, See Activities
28-Apr	7:00 - 8:30 pm	Scout Meeting, Eagle Fair and advancement
1-Apr		Gateway District Dinner all leaders and Eagle's are invited
4-May	3:00 PM	John H Eagle ceremony at St Pascal's
5-May	7:00 - 8:30 pm	Scout Meeting
6-May	7:00 - 8:00 pm	Venture Crew Meeting at Battle Creek Park
8-May	7:00 - 9:00 pm	Adult Leader and OA Roundtable
May 9 -11	meet at 6 pm	Webelo's Woods Rum River Scout Camp
12-May	7:00 - 8:30 pm	Scout Meeting, Summer Camp Sign-ups, Meeting at the Aeling's
19-May	6:00 - 8:00 pm	Annual Troop 294 Spring Court of Honor and Potluck Dinner
25-May	2:00 PM	Combined Eagle and Girl Scout Gold Ceremony at St Pascal's
3-Jun	7:00 - 8:00 pm	Venture Crew Meeting at Perkins on Old Hudson near Ruth
June 17- 20	campout	Here's chance to have a campout in June - Are you interested?
July 5 - 12	all week	Troop 294 Tomahawk Scout Camp - Adult Helpers Needed
13-Jul	1 pm til done	Summer Camp Equipment Clean-up
Aug 2 - 16	two weeks	Troop 294 High Adventure Trip - Florida Sea Base

Leadership

Senior Patrol Leader	Spencer P
Assistant Senior Patrol Leader	Gideon K
Historian	Andy M
Scribe	Calvin R
QuarterMaster	Peter M
Patrol leader	Charles P
Patrol leader	Ryan J
Patrol leader	Stephen K
Bugler	Adam S
Bugler	Stephen K
OA Representative	Open

ASPL Report: - Gideon K, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader.

Hippos Patrol: The Hippos patrol includes Adam, Calvin, Austin, Andy, Ryan and Ignatius. The Hippos Patrol went Ice Fishing at Lake Demontreville and everyone caught a fish. We got to drill our own holes and had hot cocoa in the ice shack. For our second meeting we played video games at my house. - Ryan J, Patrol Leader.

Random Quackers: Our members are: Ian D., Ian B., Sal R., Caleb B., Zach W., Joseph M, Peter M, and Charles P. The last month for our patrol has been busy. We started with a campout which was a lot of fun. Then we had our first patrol activity which was at the X-Arcade in North St. Paul. Two days later we had our second patrol activity which was going to see Drillbit Taylor it was really funny. Now we are about to have an April campout which is going to be a lot of fun. - Charles P, Patrol Leader.

Cough Drops Patrol: The Cough Drops Patrol consists of: Tyler E., Noah M-R., Gideon K., Danny M., Ian B., Spencer P., Andrew S. and Stephen K. A quick thanks to Spencer and his family for hosting our patrol activity. We watched I-Robot. We were all present except for Noah and Andrew. We all continue to work on Personal Fitness MB. - Stephen K, Patrol Leader.

Order of the arrow

OA Leader Report: The Order of the Arrow Representative position is now open. If anyone is interested in this leadership role please see Mike or Ellen.

The Order of the Arrow is Scouting's National Honor Society, Its purpose is: 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.

Camping

May Campout - Webelo's Woods and Gateway Spring Camporee at Rum River Scout Camp May 9-11. This is fun filled weekend at a new camp. Pioneering activities and a big pot luck. The cost is $20.

Summer Camp at Tomahawk Scout Reservation planning is just ahead. Planning for it is well underway. Scout Merit Badge Sign-ups will be at the Monday May 12 meeting at the Aeling's. Adults are needed to make it another successful camp year as drivers, cooks, guides, recordkeepers.

Campership for summer camp - If the cost of summer camp is hardship on your family, there are campership available from the Northernstar Council. To get the form please sent an e-mail to Mike Aeling maeling@troop294.netand he will e-mail you the form. Then bring the filled out form back to Mike and he will summit it to the council. The sooner you get the form to Mike the better your chances are to get a campership June Campout.

Activities

Scouting for Food is April 21 and 26th - We need youth, their families and friends to come and help collect food for local food shelters. On Monday April 21 we will meet at St. Pascal's at 6:30 p.m. and walk the surrounding neighborhood passing out donation bags at each house. The morning of Saturday, April 26 we will meet back at St. Pascal's at 10 a.m. to retrace our steps picking up the bags of food people have left on their doorsteps to donate. Bob and Ricki M are coordinating this event. They need adults to drive and youth to be the legs of the operation. Please let them know if you can help. Please sign up at the scout meetings or contact Bob and Ricki M.

Are you interested in being on the Camp staff for a Boy Scout Camp? Ellen has camp staff interest forms for signing up.

Merit badges

Merit Badge Sessions: Merit Badge Session 4 is underway: Personal Fitness, led by Terry K and Connie E, continues. This is a challenging Merit Badge and we will finish out the meeting year with it. First Aid led by Jim C. Both of these are required for advancement to Eagle.

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.

Venture crew 294 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.

Venture Crew Campout April 11-13 - We have Peterson 1 Cabin at Fred C. Anderson reserved. We are having a birthday party for Yvette and Clare. The cost is $15. We will meet at the Aeling's at 6 pm on Friday and return on Sunday at 10ish. Ellen Aeling is in charge; please let Ellen know by Tuesday April 8th if you are going. You must be registered crew member to go on the campout.

Venture Crew May Meeting: May Crew meeting is Tuesday, May 6 at 7 pm at Battle Creek Park near the water park. We will roast hot dogs, make s'mores and play some games. Bring a friend!

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

June campout

Come join us and the bears! We will be spending 5 days in Orr, Minnesota swimming and hiking, but the main activity is a guided tour of the Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary where bears are free to roam and we are free to observe.

Tentative June 16th - 20th 2008 Price $70 -$80

Please call Jessica to confirm you would like to go, or email.

We need 3-4 adults to tag along as well

Thousands of people visit the Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary every year, to view and learn about black bears, their behaviors, habitat needs and life cycles. Visitors also get the opportunity to view a special group of wild bears that come to this location every summer, from an elevated platform.

Nestled in the North Woods of Minnesota, the Sanctuary is located approximately two hours northwest of Duluth. The nearest town is Orr (www.orrmn.com), which is about thirty minutes away. Encompassing some 360 acres, the Sanctuary consists of a combination of habitats: aspen forests, cedar swamps, marshes, beaver ponds, a primary stream, open meadows and numerous other resources.