Troop 4 - Grapevine, Texas

SR2 SUMMER CAMP by SM Jeff Carter -- The important item to know is that we will be meeting at CCF @ 10:00 AM Sunday June 5, 2005 to depart for summer Camp at Sid Richardson. We will be stopping along the way for lunch prior to arrival at Summer Camp. The rest of the meals will be provided by the camp. Do not send any food with your son to Summer Camp. No electronics will be allowed at summer camp.

CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES -- The scouts and adult leaders would like to congratulate the 2005 class of Troop 4 scouts who are graduating from high school this year. They include: Michael L., Drew St., Drew Sc., Daniel B., and Spencer C. As an aside, all of them are Eagle Scouts.

CAMP ALEXANDER -- Camp Alexander parents meeting will be June 13 and final payment of $75 is due then.

EAGLE NEWS -- Troop 4 Eagle Scout Joe K. held his Eagle Scout court of honor on Saturday May 21st at Baylor Grapevine Hospital. He was the first of three Troop 4 Eagle Scouts so far this year. Life Scout Michael Cureton has had his Eagle service project of building a service cart for the Colleyville Public Library approved by both the Troop 4 Committee and the Lakeview District pre-certification committee.

HIKING by Dan Berry -- On Saturday May 7th, 8 scouts (Austin, Benjamin, Cole, Jacob, Joseph, Kyle, Ryan and TJ) and 6 adults headed to the Ft. Worth Nature Center to go hiking. The weather was great for hiking -- overcast and not too warm. We hiked for a while and then had lunch. We then decided to hike the new Cross Timbers trail. This trail goes along the levy where Troop 4 helped plant grass plugs last year and gave us a chance to see our handy work. The Cross Timbers trail hike was nice but clearly the best part is when we got the opportunity to see an alligator. A 4 to 5 foot alligator was in the canal area that ran along the side of the trail. We watched it for several minutes until it went under water. On May 21st , 3 scouts (Cole, Jacob and Ryan) headed back to the Ft. Worth Nature Center for another 10 mile hike. It was a hot one! While we did not see an alligator, we did see a large turtle along with many smaller ones and as well as an assortment of fish. There were no special events this time so we were able to spend more time on the trails which offered shade. We did pass another troop working on an Eagle project that would help reduce trail erosion. It is not too late to start working on the Hiking Merit badge. There are several more 10 mile hikes already scheduled as well as the 20 mile hike. The key to completing the merit badge is to get the 20 mile hike in. There are currently two opportunities to complete a 20 mile hike, July 9^th and July 23rd (you only need to go on one). Also, if you would like to come out and hike 5 miles to complete an advancement requirement, it is a great opportunity just be sure one of your parents comes along so that you can leave after finishing 5 miles. Adults, if your schedule allows, please sign up to come on a future hike. We can never have too much help plus it is a great way to spend a Saturday. For the adults that have participated in the first three hikes, please know that your help is sincerely appreciated. We couldn't have this merit badge program without your support.

LIKE TO HIKE? By Linda Mitchell -- Work has begun on the Hiking Merit Badge, but its not too late to join in. Under the leadership of ASM Dan Berry, Michael Berry, Jared C., Kyle C., Cole J. (and younger brother Drew), Joseph L., and Ryan M. completed the first of five required 10-mile hikes at Lake Grapevine on Saturday, April 23. Josephs Dad, Jim Lippert, also hiked with the group and shared with them his vast knowledge of native plants, which fulfilled First Class Requirement # 6 to Identify or show evidence of at least 10 native plants in your community. While most of the berries and other wild fruit we saw were not ripe, we did find one patch of blackberries that apparently get more sun than the rest and we all got an unexpected treat. Other advancement requirements met on the hike were: Tenderfoot req. # 5 Explain the rules for safe hiking; and Second Class req. # 1b to take a 5-mile hike using a map and compass. Leave No Trace concepts were discussed and practiced as well. Jim and Joseph are planning to participate in the 2006 Philmont Trek so this was the first preparatory hike for them. Others considering the trek should plan on joining the group as well. Speaking of Philmont, we dined on a Philmont Style lunch prepared by the Berrys: Crackers, tuna pouches, Fruit Roll-ups and Fig Newtons. Also enjoyed during a welcomed break was GORP (Good Old Raisins and Peanuts in case you ever wondered where that silly name came from. Add a few M&Ms and youve got a real treat and a much needed boost of energy!). Any combination of nuts and dried fruits can be used, and we plan to experiment with different versions on future hikes. More than the required 5 10-mile hikes (and 1 20-miler) have been planned so you can join us next time and still complete the Merit Badge and/or the rank requirements mentioned above. Thanks to adults Leone Berry, Gil Jordan, and Linda Mitchell for participating. The troop is boy-led, but adult participation is vital to a good program. We'd all like to thank Michael for acting as Sherpa on the hike, carrying the food and extra water for the group! Each hiker is required to bring at least 2 liters of water, so don't forget yours when you join us on our next hike!

ADVANCEMENTS -- Benjamin B., Andrew B., Cole J., Nick C., Erik G., Kevin K., and Jared C. have completed the requirements for earning the scout badge. Other advancements include: TJ N., tenderfoot and second class, and Jason H., first class.

A SCOUT IS HELPFUL AND SO IS HIS PARENTS! By Linda Mitchell -- The word is out Troop 4 is the place to be! At the recent Lakeview District Awards Banquet two of our Scouters were recognized for excellence. Tom Anderson, the Troops Eagle advisor, was awarded the Fleur de Lis Award for scouters who no longer have sons in the program but continue to be active contributors. Tom and his wife Cheryl, herself a long-time scouter, have two Eagle Scout sons and have helped countless others scouts become Eagles. Both theirs sons aged out of the program several years ago, but they continue to participate because they believe so strongly in the program. John Flynn, also an Eagle Dad, continues to be very active as an Assistant Scout Master, despite the fact that his son Sean aged out and went off to college. Sean is also an ASM and attends troop events when ever he is able. Part of the Eagle Charge is to Give back to scouting what scouting has given to you and Sean is a fine example of that. Eagle Dad/ASM Ken Schiller also continues to contribute after son Drew aged out. Although new work constraints limit his participation in events, he is definitely still working with the troop behind the scenes to help make this the wonderful program it has always been. Jeff Carter was singled out as the top Scout Master in the district. He's too modest to believe he deserves it, but the rest of us know the truth! Jeff works countless hours on our website and paperwork, etc. after hours, on top of his contributions at meetings, campouts and other events. Be sure to visit the website regularly its an invaluable resource and will keep you up-to-date on coming events. Our youth leaders have made a favorable impression in the district as well. SPL Ken C. was recently awarded the National Merit Award for coming to the aid of an accident victim. ASPL Kevin M. was asked to participate as a youth leader in an upcoming Wood Badge training course for adult scouters. Cameron W. will be a staff member for summer camp at Sid Richardson for the second time. Michael B. participated in countless bridging ceremonies for OA this spring. We always have good representation at District-wide events such as Camporee and Score-O. 33 of the 39 scouts registered at that time went to Merit Badge College. While the national average of scouts who become Eagle Scouts runs between 2 and 4 %, Troop 4 runs about 10%! All of these factors have led to exponential growth in membership in the last two years and thus the need for additional adult support. While not all of us are ready to jump in with both feet like Gil Jordan, there's a place for everyone and everyone needs to find their place, to paraphrase the old adage. So how can you help? First by taking an active interest in your sons scouting career. Take a few minutes now and then to look over his handbook with him. Celebrate his accomplishments and encourage further advancement. The big difference between Cub Scout advancement and Boy Scout advancement is that Boy Scouts is self-directed and self-paced. He no longer has a Den Leader guiding his every move. While the Troops leadership helps him learn new skills and the events are planned to help him meet rank requirements, he needs your encouragement and support. See that he gets to meetings and events regularly. Your participation in some of these events is vital, too. We don't all love to camp, but attend the parents meeting in the back room frequently to keep up with what is going on. Attend committee meetings. While they are required for Committee members, parents are always encouraged and invited to attend. Come find out how the troop runs behind the scenes and find your place. Of course, there are the big jobs that need doing - the full-time positions such as the Scout Master Corps, Equipment and Camping Coordinators, etc., but there are occasional yet still important jobs that need doing, too. JoAnn Hart recently helped out by heading our Scouting for Food effort. Shiryl Thompson got us a guest book to record contact information for our visiting Webelos. Co-Comm. Chair Greg C. took on co-ordination of the T-shirt order. All were short-term assignments, but vital to the troops program. The annual Popcorn sale is a big job, even when split among two scouters such as Joyce Hegemen and Nancy Logue, but it is THE major troop fund-raiser and vital to an active troop like ours. There are other smaller fund-raising opportunities within the District and Council like Bowlathon that we have not been able to participate in due to a lack of adult support. While popcorn funds support troop activities, these other fund-raisers could be used to subsidize individual scout participants activity fees for camping and summer camp Our most immediate need is for adult support at the Sid Richardson summer camp. The list of new scouts attending seems to grow daily but most of the older scouts are attending the out-of-state summer camp so they wont be available to help guide the new scouts. ASM John Flynn is taking a week of his vacation, despite the fact that he doesn't have a son going, to lead this camp for the troop. He's going to spend the week getting his BSA Life Guard certification to help the troop with various water-related activities, but that puts him out-of-pocket as far as leading the new scouts during the day. SM Jeff Carter is going to Colorado, but plans to spend as much time as he can at Sid to work with the scouts. ASM Gerard Smith, who would rather go fly-fishing in Colorado, is going because he was needed here more. New Scout parents: Gil Jordan is going and Jeff Booth and Gary Golhoffer are trying to work it out to split the week between them. Even if you don't want to spend the night, Sid is not that far. Could you spend a day out there to help?

TROOP 4 IN THE NEWS -- Please see the attached story about Troop 4 Eagle Scout Michael L. published May 28th in The Dallas Morning News.

TROOP 4 BOR's -- Troop 4 boards of review are held the first and third Monday meetings. Scouts are required to fill out a BOR request form available from the troop scribe. Also all scouts are requested to bringtheir scout handbooks to each meeting so rank advancement requirements can be checked off. Scouts should report merit badge completions and rank advancements as soon as possible to Advancement Chairperson John Flynn in person, e-mail-- johnlflynn@yahoo.com or phone (817) 481-7908. It is the scout's responsibility to make sure Mr. Flynn is aware of their rank advancement.

RELIGIOUS AWARDS -- Information on scouting's various religious awards is available at http://www.praypub.org
http://www.longhorncouncil.org Longhorn Council web page.
http://www.troop4grapevine.com Troop 4 web page

PARENTS: Please send your correct e-mail address to WW5L@gte.net to receive the e-mail version of the newsletter.--Tom Anderson. Parents can have more than one e-mail address if they wish to receive the troop newsletter at work or a separate e-mail address from their scout sons to insure they receive it.