Sam Houston Area Council Thunder Wolf District

2016

Meeting at Ft. Settlement Middle School , Sugar Land, TX Meetings Welcome! Annual Camps Troop Meetings: Welcome to Boy In addition to our monthly cam- Mondays, 7:00 – 8:30 PM Troop 1631. We’re a pouts, Troop 1631 attends week Ft. Settlement Middle School long standing, stable long camps in summer and winter, 5440 Elkins Rd, Sugar Land, TX organization that cele- at varied locations in- and out-of- rd Patrol Leaders Council: brated our 34 year of state. Older scouts can choose to Monthly fun in Sugar Land in 2016. attend a high adventure camp, and are actively prepared for the physi- Parent Committee Meetings: We’re excited to introduce our troop cal challenge. Recent destinations Monthly to you, and hope you’ll find the in- are listed below. Troop Campouts: formation you need here. Please Monthly don’t hesitate to contact one of the Summer/Winter Camps Court of Honor: leaders listed on the back page. Fun activities and an opportunity to earn a variety of merit badges for Quarterly Troop 1631 was formed in 1982 by scouts of all ages. Destinations Camping Clyde Jacks, former City of Sugar have been as far ranging as Virgin- Land councilman. We are chartered ia and Colorado. Here’s a sample of Both Mom and Dad are welcome to by the Ft. Bend Optimist Club. join us on our monthly campouts, recent camps: but not required. Each campout has Boys of this age have varied inter-  2016 Summer: Hale Scout Reser- a theme with skills and ests, and scouting will be just one vation, Talihina, Oklahoma rank advancement as the focus. of your son’s activities. We under-  2015 Summer: Buffalo Trails, We’re always looking for new and stand he may not make every Balmorhea, Texas exciting places to camp, so Troop scouting event, and that’s okay.  2014 Summer: Camp Alexander, Lake George, Colorado 1631 does not have a set rotation of Each scout advances at his own  2013 Summer: Camp Constantin, camping destinations. We tend to pace. Rank achievements are en- Graford, Texas lean toward Boy Scout camps couraged, but not mandatory. where the boys can have more  2013 Winter: Buffalo Trails, Bal- freedom to explore since the area is We monitor advancements, and morhea, Texas closed to the public, but we’ve en- stand ready to support every scout  2012 Summer: Camp Ottari, Hi- joyed plenty of state parks and area who has Eagle ambitions. Our pro- wassee, Virginia campgrounds as well. Locations are gram will see him to the Eagle’s  2011 Summer: Camp Pioneer, chosen by the junior leadership. A Nest if he actively participates! Western Arkansas sample of recent destinations: High Adventure Camps Registered Members, Aug 2016: Adventurous, once-in-a-lifetime op-  Dinosaur Valley State Park, Scouts - 57, Adults – 96 portunities for older scouts (13+) Glen Rose, TX Eagle’s Nest, Aug 2015: seeking a challenging, unique and  McKinney Falls State Park, 151 Eagle Scouts, and counting! rewarding experience. Austin, TX Initial Registration Dues for 2017:  2016: Florida Sea Base (Is-  Tellepsen Scout Camp, $145 – includes registration for 1 Navasota, TX lamorada, FL) – snorkeling, scout & 1 adult, Boys Life, awards, SCUBA, boating, cabin camping  Pedernales Falls State Park, troop equipment and admin costs. Johnson City, TX (near Austin)  2015: Chilkoot High Adventure (Haines, AK) – mountaineering,  El Rancho Cima Scout Camp Themed Activities Wimberley, TX sea kayaking, whitewater rafting  2014: (Ci-  Mauritz Scout Reservation Each month has a theme that we Ganado, TX (near Victoria) build on at troop meetings and in- marron, NM) - backpacking, rock climbing, hiking, rugged camping  San Marcos River Retreat corporate into campouts. Of course  2013: Northern Tier (Minnesota San Marcos, TX rank requirements are addressed, and Canada) – canoeing, rugged  Huntsville State Park but we try to do it within the context camping, wilderness exploration Huntsville, TX of themes that keep things fun and  2012: Florida Sea Base  Goose Island State Park interesting. Recent themes include:  2011: Philmont Scout Ranch Rockport, TX Rock Climbing, Shooting, Boating, Zip Lining, Cycling, and SCUBA!  2010: National , VA Page 2 Troop 1631

Boy-Led? Adult Leaders Sign Me Up! Boy Scouts is intended to be a pro- All parents are encouraged to ac- Is Troop 1631 the right place for gram that puts boys in command of tively support the troop, starting your son to continue his scouting making their own decisions. Troop with simply monitoring your son’s adventures? Then let’s sign him up! 1631 takes that vision seriously and advancement, attending his Court 1. Complete a Youth and an Adult we gear our program toward help- of Honor, and reading/responding Application. ing the boys learn how to lead, fol- to the information that is sent to Contact: Alfred Sobrinho low, and participate. We believe the keep you informed. 2. best way to learn is by doing and 4219 Monarch Dr. When you enroll your son in Troop teaching others and that is our guid- Sugar Land, TX 77479 1631, please give serious consider- ing philosophy. 713 471-3066 ation to registering yourself as ei- [email protected] Troop 1631 is a boy-led troop ther an Assistant Scoutmaster or a We’ll follow up with you and with adult supervision. What ex- Troop Committee member. provide details about the cross- actly does that mean? Assistant Scoutmasters focus on over.  Junior leaders are elected by the the “operational” aspects of the scouts. Elections are held twice a troop by assisting the Scoutmaster, Contacts year. There is a Troop Leader- advising the scouts, serving as role  Scoutmaster: Andy Ralph ship Training (TLT) weekend after models, participating in campouts [email protected] every election where a 6 month and troop meetings, overseeing  Committee Chairs: plan is established. equipment, and more. Kevin McGonagle  Junior leaders plan the monthly [email protected] activities and trips in detail at a Committee members have more of Alfred Sobrinho an “administrative” focus, including: monthly Patrol Leader Council [email protected] (PLC) meeting. secretary, treasurer, communica-  Webelos Coordinator:  Meetings are run by the Senior tions, training, advancements, t- Justin Whitley Patrol Leader (SPL) or an Assis- shirts, records, Boards of Review, [email protected] tant Sr. Patrol Leader (ASPL). Courts of Honor, health/safety, ad- visors, merit badge counselors, etc.  Recruitment Chair  Every scout has the opportunity Traci Munsey to lead a group of boys, whether [email protected] it’s a patrol or the whole troop. Come Camp With Us th  Website:  Camping meals are planned by 5 grade Webelos are invited to camp with us at Webelos Woods in https://troop1631.trooptrack.com the scouts in each patrol, who al- so purchase/prepare the food. Oct. Contact Justin Whitley for more  Campouts follow the patrol meth- details: [email protected]. od, meaning that boys in the same patrol sleep, eat, and go to Scoutmaster cool places in groups together. Andy Ralph has been our Scoutmaster since January 2015 and an assistant Scoutmaster What is the adult supervision? for three years prior. He started his Scouting career almost 40 years ago as a .  Activities are supervised by During that tenure he has served as a Den Leader and Pack Committee Chair. A big be- adults who are properly trained, liever in the power of scouting in teaching leadership and organizational skills, Andy is a starting with the BSA’s Youth huge proponent of the Scouting concept of boy-led troops. To quote Lord Baden-Powell, Protection certification. “never do what a boy can do for themselves”. “I appreciate that our sons are tasked with multiple interests---from academics to school, religious, sports and social activities. To  When the SPL has a question, he me, Scouting is the thread that connects all these through leadership and character build- can turn to one of the many BSA ing.” In his free time, Andy enjoys endurance running, foreign travel, and making his trained adult leaders in the troop. own camping gear. Andy is proof of the truth of a quote from Troop 1631 Scoutmaster  Meetings are supervised by the Emeritus Alan Davis. “Scouting’s hidden secret is that the adult leaders derive as much Scoutmaster & Assistant Scout- from the Scouting experience as their sons- friendship, skills, adventure, and leadership. masters for safety and to avoid any dangerous situations. Committee Chair  Adults attend the PLC, acting as Kevin McGonagle is the Committee Chair for Troop 1631 and has been an mentors/advisors. The final deci- adult scouter for more than 9 years. “As Committee Chair, my key responsibility sion is made by the junior lead- is to recruit and involve parents in our Scouting program. I am encouraged by ers, adults do not vote. the energy and dedication of our adult leaders in guiding our sons. The reward  Adults provide transportation, and for me as an involved parent is to see the personal growth in our scouts after handle all funds, insurance, ad- completing a week in the outdoors at camp, a high adventure trek or a service vancements, and forms. project helping others in the community. I am inspired by their confidence, mas- tery of outdoor skills, stewardship of the environment, and building of lifelong friendships. It is wonderful to watch our scouts learn to live the words of the Scout Oath and Law, and be assured of its influence through their future.”