2nd Beaver Bank Scouts

September 10, 2008

Welcome to Scouts!

We are looking forward to a fun filled year of Scouts. In the next few weeks you will be working on your permits, learning about Scouting and attending a wilderness camp in November. This camp will be self contained and each scout will need to bring their own food.

Our regularly scheduled meetings will start on Thursday, September 18 at HTB Camp from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Please try to be on time, as we would like to get our meetings started as quickly as possible. At this meeting we would welcome you to bring in your recyclables that we will collect for future camps.

The following is our basic weekly schedule:

A Regular Troop Meeting:

7:00 pm - Gathering

7:05 pm - Open Horseshoe

7:15 pm - Meeting Starts – Patrol Inspection

8:50 pm - Closing Horseshoe

9:00 pm - Dismissal

Bring each week:

Pen and scout book

$1.00 dues

Day pack – emergency and survival kit

Scouters:

Charlie Saulnier-Scouter in Charge / 864-3755 or 225-5435
Joyce Hoskin / 864-7923
Sandra Campbell / 449-2281
Ron Germon / 864-2519

We are happy to announce that the 2nd Beaver Bank Scout Troop plans to attend ScotiaJamb 2009 from July 11 to July 17, 2009.

Qualifications to attend:

Scouts and family must attend the fund raising efforts.

Scouts must attend troop overnight camps throughout the year in order to be prepared for the Jamboree.

Must be camp ready, responsible, mature and approved by leaders.

Must have $200.00 fee in by October 2th.

Fund raising activities are being planned. We would like to raise enough funds that the above fee is all that will need to be paid from each Scout. If we exceed our goal then monies will be returned.

We will be packing groceries at the

Downsview Sobey’s on Oct 25 & 26 from 11:00 to 4:00.

The parents fund raising group will be holding a Hawaiian Party for, adults only, on Saturday, February 21, 2009 in support of this trip. Please add this date to your calendar.

The troop attended the Jamboree in 2005. We had a wonderful time. The Scouts had a fabulous experience and have many great memories.

ScotiaJamb 2009 – Cape Breton Adventure II

Operation “Centurion Challenge”

Camp Carter is the “perfectly natural” spot to hold SJ’09. The program will have you challenge the four elements - Earth, Wind, Fire & Water. Why these elements and “Centurion Challenge” you ask?

Simple - 2009 makes 100 years of Flight in the British Empire. On February 23rd, 1909 J.A.D. McCurdy flew the “Silver Dart” from the frozen shores of Baddeck Bay (about 15 miles form Camp Carter). 2009 also fall in the 100th year of Scouting in North America as the first Scout group started in Port Morien (Fall 2008) a mere 70 miles from Camp Carter.

The Bras d’Or Lakes also boasts some of the best sailing, boating, and canoeing/kayaking in North America, if not the World. Baddeck Bay was also used by Bell & Colleagues to successfully test the HD-4 Hydrofoil. Bell invented the hydrofoil as a result of his pioneering work on aerodynamic designs.

Finally, Cape Breton is home of the World renowned Cabot Trail and some of the most spectacular scenery anywhere. Bell was a World traveler, but chose Baddeck for his summer home as he thought Cape Breton was the most beautiful spot he had ever seen. We hope that you will come join us at SJ’09 and see why Graham Bell thought this.

Are you ready for the challenge of the Centuries? Can you survive the rugged Cape Breton hills, valleys and majestic Lakes and the daunting challenge the four elements?

We know you are! Check out the fun at awaits you :

Earth -Pioneering Cape Breton style, Zip Line, Climbing Wall, "A Maze in Challenge", Biking, Hiking, Miking (karaoke), and “mud mania”;
Wind -Model Airplanes, Rockets, Balloon & Kite Experiments, Theory & History of Flight; Zip Wire "Silver Dart", Put together and Bungee Launch a real Glider;
Fire - Boil Water in a Bag, Build and Light a SOS Signal Fire, Cook an Egg on a Rock, Long bows and Fire Arrows, Elemental Fire (start a fire without matches), Flaming Rockets;
Water - Swimming, Sailing, Rowing, Rafts, Canoes, Cardboard & Duct Tape Boats, and Hydro-foils on the beautiful Bras’dor Lakes
Off -site - Swimming, Bell Museum, Port Morien Trek & Scavenger Hunt, Miner's Museum , Iona Village, Marconi Museum, Pioneering Project on Big Hill (make an observation Tower so you can view the majestic Baddeck Bay (where Silver Dart Flew) and St. Anne's Bay (one of the most picturesquespots in the World!)
Other -We are hoping to get an Astronaut and the Canadian Space Agency Exhibit (as we did for SJ’05). We are also hoping to have a "FlyPast" for opening to mark 100 years of Flight together with a surprise that will be amazing, thrilling and a real test of your cool under “Fire”.

Camp Chief’s Challenge – As with SJ’05, we will have a truly amazing Camp Chief’s Challenge the full details of which will a closely guard secret, but which we can tell you will lead to a 4 part badge.

It will be a spare time activity that will involve fine old Cape Breton traditions such as hospitality, learning new skills, creative thinking and the spirit of adventure and experimentation. It will also Honour of those bold and fearless pioneers who went before us.

As John of Salisbury observed in the 12th Century – “We are like dwarfs sitting on the shoulders of giants. We see more, and things that are more distant, than they did, not because our sight is superior or because we are taller than they, but because they raise us up, and by their great stature add to ours."

"So Register Now -and stay tuned for more program news as the details are hammered out as we get closer to July 2009. There will be plenty of action events that will appeal to all at SJ'09.
Help make this the best SJ ever

– Kevin MacDonald, DCC- Program


OVERVIEW OF SCOUTS

We require Scouts to demonstrate a high level of self-discipline and attention during our Opening & Closing Ceremonies (10 min. each) and during our program and badge evaluation sessions. The Leadership Team, with input from the youth, pride ourselves in providing a full Scouting program promoting youth development in the areas of social, spiritual, physical and educational development. Our program provides hands-on experience, focusing on Camping, Conservation and the Outdoors. We provide a complete program over 4 years that will allow a Scout to earn the highest badge level in Scouts called the Chief Scout Award. First, second & third year Scouts work on the Pioneer, Voyageur and Pathfinder Awards and fourth year Scouts work on the Chief Scout Award. We do not expect every Scout to earn these awards; however, it's the Leaders' commitment to provide this level of programming. We cover the following badges: Citizenship, Leadership, Personal Development and Outdoor Skills all of which come in two levels of achievement. Leaders do expect Scouts to be interested, cooperative, polite and 'Do Their Best' in completing badge requirements to the best of their ability.
** Medical Requirements: Scouts Canada & our Group Committee require Leaders to carry an updated and current medical form for each individual going to camp. Youth will not be able to go to or remain at camp without these forms

These forms will ensure that we are prepared for emergencies at camp.
Scouts: Scouts should endeavor to be on time for all our meetings/camps and stay for the duration. This will promote responsibility, dedication, and continuity of program delivery and provide continuity of PL & APL responsibilities. It is understandable that on an occasional basis Scouts will have conflicts in their personal timetable with our meetings/camps. On this occasional basis, Scouts should notify a Leader in advance and be responsible for any program items that they have missed, hand-outs, notices, permission slips etc. as well PL's & APL's need to ensure that their responsibilities are fulfilled by other responsible Scouts.

Patrol Leaders: Patrol Leaders should be at meetings/camps on time in order to fulfill their responsibilities and if unable to attend a meeting he should give the Patrol Book and any instructions to his Assistant PL as early as possible in the week. PL's are responsible for the collection of their patrol's dues, record attendance and dues in their patrol book, prepare their patrol for inspection by Leaders & when required prepare the Canadian Flag for Opening Ceremonies. They should lead by example!
Assistant Patrol Leaders: Assistant Patrol Leaders should be at meetings/camps on time in order to fulfill their responsibilities. In the absence of his Patrol Leader the APL fulfills the PL's responsibilities and should lead by example!
Court-of-Honour: The goal of the Court-of-Honour is to uphold the Honour of the Troop. It is a group of responsible Scouts who work with the Leadership Team in order to have youth input and make decisions regarding programming, camping, awards and discipline. The Troop Scouter has veto over the Court-of-Honour only in the areas of safety, programming outside of Scout Canada guidelines and decisions of legal, financial or moral concern.


Scout, Parent & Leadership Team Agreement
Scouts
· Want to be part of a group, to work together, to develop themselves in the four areas of Scouting - Mental, Physical, Social and Spiritual.
· Come to all meetings and camps in uniform with a positive attitude.
· Wear a uniform - Scouts Canada current issue shirt (with badges sewn on), sash, necker. For parades, special meetings and Jamborees full uniform is required including dark blue shorts & long dark blue pants.
· Bring dues $1.00, pen, paper, Handbook & Field book & wear your uniform weekly.
· Are neat & clean B.P. said 'Look smart, Be smart'
· Do their best to live by the Scout Law & Promise at home, school, in the community and at Scouts.
· Are: Helpful & Trustworthy, Kind & Cheerful, Considerate & Clean, Wise in the use of their resources.
· Respect other people and property at all times.

Parents
· Want your youth to develop in the four areas of Scouting - Mental, Physical, Social and Spiritual. Leaders don't baby-sit, we help build responsible young adults!
· Encourage your Scout to follow this agreement and live by the Scout Law & Promise every day.
· Support your Scout! - ask them about what he is doing at meetings and at camps. Help them with badge work and encourage them to finish requirements.
· Support the Troop with fundraising, driving and leader support etc.

· Support the Group Committee & Sponsor with fundraising, special program events (Apple Day, Scout Trees, Banquet etc.) and leadership support. Group Committee meetings are held the third Thursday each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Centre. P.S. All parents are members of the 2nd Beaver Bank Scouting Group Committee and are encouraged to attend!

· School, Work & Church all come before Scouting, however, please make Scouting an important part of your youth's timetable.
· Feel free to ask questions of the Leadership Team and please follow your youth's progress through his Scouting years! Give us feedback good or bad!
Leaders
· Commit to & follow Scouts Canada program guidelines to help develop a program around the four Scouting elements. To the best of the Leadership Team's ability help Scouts develop their personal camping, life, responsibility and leadership skills and help the youth obtain their full potential as Scouts and members of the community.
· Do their best to live by the Scout/Leader Law & Promise every day & set an example for the youth both at Scout meetings/camps and in the community.
· Will be organized, accountable, dependable and work as a team to provide an effective program for our Scouts.
· Will treat Scouts and each other with respect.

FOR RETURNING SCOUTS ONLY:

OPERATION ALERT 2008 - VIKINGS

To help us prepare and plan for Operation ALERT (Provincial Scout Challenge) – Theme: Vikings. Please meet at Charlie’s house, 106 Cheaspeake Road, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Saturday, September 20th. ALERT will be held this year at Camp Nedooae (near Elderbank) from Friday, September 26 @ 6:00 pm until Sunday, September 28th 1:00 pm. The FEE: $30.00 is due on Thursday, September 18, 2008. Health Forms will need to be completed at registration.

Each team of four (a patrol) of Scouts or Venturers will attempt to complete a series of challenging projects based on skill, knowledge and teamwork. The projects are located in five different areas, away from the campsites, and are manned by the Scouters of the province. The last few years this event has been very rainy and wet. The Scouts will be sleeping in tents and it is important that they bring and WEAR their raingear in order to make the most of this event.

Scouters:

Charlie Saulnier-Scouter in Charge / 864-3755 or 225-5435
Joyce Hoskin / 864-7923
Sandra Campbell / 449-2281
Ron Germon / 864-2519