Troop 1 Parents Meeting

Monday February 3, 2003

PRESENT: Ken Boss, Al Degenhardt, Mary Euritt, Dana Jenson, Chris Klaren, Steve Murphy, Lisa Musgrave

OLD BUSINESS:

1) Review/approve previous meeting minutes – the minutes were approved

2) Treasure's report – The troop general fund is approx. $300, and the scout’s accounts add another approx. $1200. Expected income is $600 from scouts and adults planning to attend Philmont plus $160 for Red Flannel campout fees ($10 per person, payable now). Troop rechartering is expected to cost the troop approx. $400 in March or April. Please pay the $10 per scout 2003 troop dues if you have not already done so.

3) Review activities for last month:

3.a) Rank advancements – Nick Jenson and Dan Murphy earned their First Class rank in February. Congratulations scouts!

3.b) Awards – Scoutmaster Alan Degenhardt was awarded the B.S.A. National President’s and National Eagle Scout Association Scoutmaster of Merit Award on Sunday, Feb 2nd. This honor is bestowed upon scoutmasters that meet rigorous training requirements, and have a demonstrated record of leading scouts through the Boy Scout methods and rank advancement. Congratulations Al! The scouts and parents of Troop 1 Thank You for your gift of time and talent with our scouts.

3.c) Troop 1 Holiday Party, Jan 5 – Everyone went home with a present and a good time was had by all.

3.d) Planet X / IMAX Adventure, Jan 18 – Steve Murphy and John Musgrave led two cars full of scouts to Iowa City for Planet X and Cedar Rapids for IMAX. Everyone had a great time.

3.e) Snow Skiing cancelled Jan 17-19 – This event was canceled due to a lack of snow. In lieu of the ski trip, Planet X was pulled up from future activities, and the Red Flannel campout was pulled up from Feb 8-9.

3.f) Red Flannel Campout, Hickory Hills, Jan 25-26 – What else needs to be said: 9 below zero. 11 scouts and 4 adults braved the frigid weather and brought forth the first measurable snow since October, in the process earning their Red Flannel Campout award. Two additional parents kept the cabin warm and checked on the troop several times during the night. The warm cabin was a popular spot upon completion of the required 24 hours outside in temperatures below 32 degrees. All campers please pay your $10 per person campout fee to Dana as soon as possible.

3.g) Wabuha Merit Badge College, UNI, Feb 1 – Ten Troop 1 scouts attended the merit badge college, earning 20 merit badges in 20 attempts for a 100% completion! Each of the scouts earned at least one Eagle required badge. Way to go scouts! A big Thank You to Steve Murphy for organizing the event for the troop, and to Dana Jenson and Mike Potter for providing the needed two-deep leadership during the day.

3.h) Scout Sunday, Feb 2 – Troop 1 and Pack 25 had a great turnout for Scout Sunday at the 9:00 AM mass at St. Edwards and the coffee and donuts afterwards.

4) Review scheduled activities for current month:

4.a) Klondike Derby, Feb 8 – 6-9 scouts are needed to field a team for the Klondike Derby this weekend at Winnebago Scout Reservation at Marble rock. This is a great annual winter outing for scouts to display the skills they have learned. Tentative plans are to leave from St. Ed’s at 7:00 AM Saturday and return by 6:00 PM the same day. Contact Steve Murphy if you would like to attend.

4.b) Flapjackers Pancake Breakfast, Mar 1 – This is one of the biggest moneymakers for the troop and the scouts’ accounts during the year. GO OUT AND SELL SOME TICKETS! Scouts not attending the merit badge college or helping cut out Cub Scout Pinewood Derby cars on the same day should plan on helping during one or more of the three shifts (6:00 AM – 9:30 AM, 7:30 AM – 11:00 AM, or 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM). Al will schedule these times with the scouts. Dana Jenson will make arrangements for scouts to sell tickets after mass in the next 3 weeks.

4.c) Clear Lake Merit Badge College, Mar 1 – Steve Murphy is making arrangements for a trip to Clear Lake. So far 6 scouts have signed up, all taking an all-day Eagle required merit badge. Steve will contact the scouts with departure and expected return times.

5) Wreath sales wrap-up – Lisa and Dana reported that the troop made approximately $1000 during the holiday wreath sales. Thank you Lisa for chairing this Troop 1 fundraiser.

6) Philmont High Adventure registration payment, Aug 7-18, 2004 – The troop needs to know the scouts and adults that will be going to Philmont by the end of February, as a $50 transferable, but non-refundable, deposit is needed from each of them. (The troop has already made this deposit to the scout ranch.) Additional payments of $212.50 are needed in each of September 2003 and February 2004. Additional travel and meal costs to and from Cimmaron, NM are expected to be $200-$300. Scouts can earn money from troop fundraisers and apply it to any expenses for this trip. The older scouts will get the first choice to attend as it may be their only opportunity to go. If more than four adults are interested in attending, a lottery may be held to select the four. Philmont does have recommended and maximum permissible body weights due to the physical demands of hiking on a mountain at elevation. A special Philmont section on the troop web site will be created to share all information as it is received.

7) 2003 Summer Camp Planning – Camp Phillips should be a blast! There are a number of high adventure trips and 3 day treks (along with COPE) available for the older scouts, and many great activities and merit badges (water skiing and others not available at local camps) for those that stay in camp. Depending on the activities scouts sign up for, fees will range between $170 and $200 for the week, and $99 for adults. A $40 deposit will be needed by April 1 for all scouts and adults attending. More information will be posted on the troop website as it becomes available.

NEW BUSINESS:

1) Troop budget fundraiser – The troop budget calls for the scouts to earn approx. $300 in a troop fundraiser for the general fund. Al will discuss this with the scouts at the next meeting to get their ideas on what they would like to do.

2) Troop 1 and Cub Scouts – We expect to have two Webelos 2 Scouts graduate and join our troop in February. Al, Kris Boss (Sr. Patrol Leader), and perhaps other scouts will attend the graduations on Feb 23 and 24 to welcome the new scouts into the troop. The group discussed establishing a Troop 1 presence in Pack 25 at St. Ed’s to help the Cub Master and Den Leaders during their meetings. These relatively high-ranking scouts would help out at the meetings, generating interest and excitement in the Cub Scouts to continue into Boy Scouts, hopefully resulting in new troop members each year from the Pack. We will continue this discussion at upcoming troop and parents meetings.

3) There was no further new business and the meeting was adjourned.

NEXT PARENTS MEETING:

Monday, March 3, 7:00 PM, St. Ed’s cafeteria

TABLED FOR FUTURE MEETINGS:

1) Troop trailer insurance (Al, indefinite)

2) Aug 7-18, 2004 Philmont High Adventure, (when appropriate)

3) Jul 25-Aug 3, 2005 National Jamboree (when appropriate)

4) Outdoor Activities Chairman update (Chris)

5) Philmont High Adventure, Aug 7-18, 2004 (Al, May)