PREVIEW of TRIPS & OUTINGS for 2005-2006

Troop 31 Calendar PREVIEW of TRIPS & OUTINGS for 2005-2006 Please note: This is just a brief overview of the Planning Committee’s best intentions at the time the calendar was planned in July. All outings and trips are subject to change in regards to activities offered depending upon various circumstances- e.g. # of scouts/adults attending, weather conditions, etc.

September French Creek Outing Located about 1 hr. from Pennsbury Township Building in Elverson, PA, (Yearly) French Creek State Park's is considered the best place in the country to learn orienteering, disc golf course, fishing, mountain biking, canoeing (Bratcher/Adams) (rentals available), backcountry style hiking, surrounds Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, mature eastern forest, some sections in the eastern part of the park are almost fully recovered old growth forest. See website for additional information- www.outdoorplaces.com/Destination/stateparks/pennsylvania/frenchcreek/ The boys attending this outing have the opportunity to complete unfinished rank requirements &/or work on appropriate merit badges. Troop canoes are taken as needed. Leaders will survey boys to see what activities the boys would like to work on. Family members are welcome to attend. Scouts will camp and eat with their patrols.

Oct Bike Trip Gettysburg, PA. Approximately 2hr drive one way. Scouts and adults welcome. Bring your own bike. Group will have their own (Gunn/King) private tour guide with stops along this 20 mile tour. Return home late afternoon.

Oct Cape Henlopen Cape Henlopen is located right above Rehobeth Beach, DE. I is Campout about a 2 to 2.5 hr drive from Pennsbury. This trip offers the scouts a “non-typical” campsite. The scouts/adults sleep in tents on the (Bratcher) dunes. Outdoor cooking along with fishing opportunities and a nature hike (unlike others) is available. Opportunities to work on Oceanography and Nature merit badges.

Oct District Camporee The Chester County Council is made up of 4 Districts. We are one (Yearly) of those districts and the name is Lenni Lenape district. Therefore, a (All Uniform Leaders) district camporee includes all the troops in that district. A theme is chosen for the weekend campout and activities are planned for the scouts revolving around the theme. This is a venue for Webelos and Cub Scouts to come and view Boy Scouts “in action.” Webelos can take this opportunity to interview various troops. It also lends the ability for troops to mingle with other troops. Scouts of all ages are strongly encouraged to attend- as it takes a lot of scout volunteers to make this a successful event.

Council Camporee Should there be a council camporee, it would follow the same information as stated above for a district camporee, except that it would be 4 times larger. Nov Merit Badge Camp Horseshoe, is located in Rising Sun, Maryland, ( approx. 45 Weekend min. from Pennsbury). The scout/adults will sleep in a cabin at Camp Horseshoe. The focus of the weekend is to work on Rifle (Coe/Necarsulmer) Shooting, Family Life &/or Communications Merit Badges. Hiking will also be offered. Scouts are to download appropriate worksheets from internet. Merit badges will not be completed at camp; individual scouts are responsible for their completion in conjunction with the merit badge counselor.

Dec Battleship New Jersey Philadelphia Waterfront- Scouts/Adults sleep overnight on the ship and eat in the galley. There are strict rules and regulations for this (Jacono/Savant) outing. Please read the handout thoroughly. Webelos are invited to attend and must have an adult with them. This is an “adventure” outing, not necessarily an advancement opportunity.

Jan Avondale Cabin The cabin is located in Avondale about 20 min. from Pennsbury Township building. Down RT 1 and exit 41. This is owned and (Coe/Bratcher) rented out by the Avondale Troop 191. Friday night to Sat AM. is dedicated to working on advancements for scouts. Sat afternoon to Sunday am is a program to introduce Webelos to the troop. Depending on the size of the group, one adult leader might take a few scouts and work on the Cooking Merit Badge.

Jan USNA NESA MB Annapolis, MD at the Naval Academy. This is an “older” scout Jamboree (usually 14 years old) outing and will be by invitation only to select (Dulik) scouts. Details provided by trip leader if scout is to attend. Always held on Martin Luther King weekend.

Feb Ski Trip The troop will go to Bear Creek in Macungie, PA., which is located about 60 min. from Pennsbury off Rt.100. This is a family fun event (Gunn/McCarthy) and all are welcome to attend. Details available with sign up sheets at troop meeting. For additional information about Bear Creek, visit website www.onthesnow.com and choose Pennsylvania under Quick Snow Report Finder.

Feb JLT/Advancement Junior Leader Training- This session is sponsored by our Troop to Day provide leadership training to the boy who have any Troop position from Asst. Patrol leader and up. It supplements the training (All Uniform Leaders) provided by Council for boys who may not have attended those yet. If they have, the leaders like them to come out and work with the younger boys.

March Camping/Hiking Location and activities to be determined by trip leaders. /Backpacking (Gunn/King) April Broad Creek Located in MD about 1 to 1hr 15 min. away. This is the first camping experience for the new scouts. Tents are utilized with full (Holloway, Dulik, facilities at campsite; toilets/running water, etc. are available. No Jacono, Savant) showers. This is when the new scouts learn how to work in patrols and have opportunities to begin work on advancements for Tenderfoot, 2nd Class and 1st Class. This site, along with Bayshore, (located in Lebanon, PA – same distance) is rotated on a yearly basis. Hiking is available at both sites.

April Canoeing Merit This takes place at the home of the Phil Bieg, one of the senior Badge scouts in our troop. The indoor pool is used to have the boys do the BSA Swim test (NOT the Swimming Merit Badge) and begin the (Coe/Bieg) basics for the Canoe Merit Badge. The boys are usually divided into groups and some go on Sat and others on Sun. Time is agreed upon with the Bieg family- usually takes a couple hours. All scouts must pass the BSA swim test if they are thinking of going on the Delaware Canoe Trip.

May Fly Fishing Class An Orvis Instructor, (ex Troop 31 Scout) will be escorting the scouts to a stock pond for fishing and instructions. Breakfast and Lunch (Bratcher) are provided along with equipment.

May Camping Location to be determined. Goals are geared toward helping new scouts with advancements and introducing them to Patrol Camping. (Adams/Jacono) May Canoeing on the This is an opportunity for scouts to work on their canoeing abilities, Brandywine determine if the Delaware Canoe trip is something they would like to do, or to just come out and have fun. The troop uses their canoes (McCarthy/Coe) and transports them up to Northbrook where you enter the Brandywine and canoe to the Brandywine River Museum (Bridge at Route 1).

May Memorial Day Service Brandywine Baptist Church at 8:30 am. (King) June Troop 31 Family Day Pennsbury Township Building. BBQ June Delaware Canoe Trip Lander's River Trips- www.landersrivertrips.com Route 97 Narrowsburg, New York 12764 (Coe/ (800) 252-3925 or (914) 252-3925 Landers is a well established outfitter offering a number of trip options by canoe and raft along the upper Delaware, above Port Jervis. Campgrounds are available at Skinner's Falls, Narrowsburg and Minisink, and visitors can pitch their own tent. 3 hours north of Philadelphia, 2 - 2½ hours northwest of New York.

This is a 5 day trip requiring 50 miles of canoeing down the Delaware River with potential for Class 2 rapids depending on water levels. New scouts need to pass the 1st class swim test (done at Bieg’s pool) and have started the Canoeing merit badge (Bieg’s pool). It is highly recommended that the new scouts go on the Brandywine trip if they are thinking of doing this trip. New scouts (started in March) must be accompanied by an adult or guardian. Older scouts should have completed the swimming and canoeing merit badges if they are to attend with a buddy (another scout) or have an adult with them and have at least started the canoe training. Adults MUST HAVE a completed Physical Health & Medical Record Form Class 3 and Scouts must have a Personal Health & Medical Record Form Class 1 & 2 to attend. See Parent Guidebook for Health form requirements & where to obtain.

There is a planning meeting for this trip and much more detailed information as the trip date approaches.

July Summer Planning Location ______at 1:00 pm Meeting All parents, uniform leaders, and scouts are welcome to attend. This is where the calendar for the next scouting year is planned. The troop would like to have at least 1 uniform leader and 1 parent host each event/activity.

July High Adventure Trip To be determined. July 2-8th Science Camp This specialized week-long merit badge camp, sponsored by Chester County Council each summer at Camp Ware, is geared for Scouts, 2nd Class and above, who have strong interests in science-related programs, including field trips. Conducted by registered adult leaders from Chester County who are involved in technical fields, it is quite a departure from the traditional merit badge program offered at Camp Horseshoe. Over the years, merit badges such as Electronics, Chemistry, Radio, Surveying, Nuclear Science, Model Design & Building and Geology have been offered, just to name a few. They are rotated each year so Scouts can return 2 or 3 summers in a row and take up to 5 new badges each time. The application forms with the merit badges to be offered are generally mailed to all registered CCCBSA Scouts in Jan. or Feb. Sign-up is limited to the first 125 Scouts registering with deposits and generally fills up very quickly. Note - This is a provisional camp (volunteer Leaders and Counselors are supplied by Chester County Council, not by Troop 31). However, all Troop 31 Scouts attending (usually 5 or 6) will be located in the same campsite so they can choose to bunk together or make new friends from other Troops.

August Summer Camp Camp Horseshoe, located in Rising Sun, Maryland, (approx. 45 min. from Pennsbury) is used year round with week-long Scout camp programs during June, July and August. An assortment of winter cabins, adirondacks, and patrol shelters are available for weekend camping during the remainder of the year. The troop reserves this week every year to secure a campsite. Adirondacks &/or tents are the sleeping accommodations. Scouts of all ages are encouraged to attend. For the first year scouts, a Trailblazer Program is offered to assist them in obtaining their Tenderfoot through 2nd Class advancements. For the older scouts, various merit badges are offered. It is encouraged that the first year scouts complete the Swimming Merit Badge at Summer Camp. 1st Year scouts can work on 1 merit badge in addition to the Trailblazer program.

January 12, 2006