Welcome to Troop 61

It’s time again for summer camp sign-up. A signup sheet will be available at the meeting tonight. Attached is an information sheet including important dates and fees. Please note that we need to get the fees paid by the end of April to secure our place and to get the $30 early bird discount. Also, we need adults to supervise during the week. There will be a sign-up for that as well.

If you have questions, please ask me or Anne Fogarty,

Hans Helgeson
Asst. Scoutmaster

Hi everyone. We will have a scout meeting this week. Some scouts will be working on Advancement, including the new scouts. Congratulations to the new scouts who already got their Scout rank! You will get your badge on April 12. The Court of Honor is April 12. For the new parents, this is a ceremony to recognize the scouts who have earned merit badges and advancement. Another email will be coming out about that later in the week.

For the new scouts, if you have not brought your application and check please do so at the next meeting. It is important that we get the applications turned in to Scout Council soon.

For the scouts who are working on their Citizenship in the Community merit badge, you should try to go to the town meeting tomorrow night, as that is one of the requirements for the badge.

See you this week.
Lisa Papapietro

There are two more camping trips, to Camp Carpenter and to Camp Sayre/Blue Hills, before it’s time for the Bike Trip, May 19 - 21. But this year’s Bike Trip is somewhat more complex than the last twelve annual trips to Cape Cod. So we need to focus on it earlier than normally would be the case.

We are moving the Bike Trip to Nantucket this year. The Troop Committee voted to make the move after considering the additional costs and the logistics to make a Friday evening ferry. Also, our normal camping site on Cape Cod at Nickerson State Park is closed due to storm damage the weekend of the trip and parts of the Cape Cod Bike Trail are under repair. Attached is a detailed trip announcement.

The trip requires some pre-planning. We are going to load a truck with troop equipment and bikes the night before we go. Personal gear will have to be packed by the day before the trip. As soon as school lets out on Friday afternoon each scout will have to get to the church, at the latest by 3:00 pm. We will leave promptly at 3:15 pm. The only school’s schedule that may conflict with this plan is Haynes, so for the few scouts who may be Haynes students perhaps there could be an early release. The schedule is necessary to get to and get on the ferry to Nantucket that leaves Hyannis at 7:15 pm.

An early sign up would be greatly appreciated. The attached trip announcement has an estimate of costs. The individual costs for the trip will vary depending on how many sign up. Sign-up sheets will be available beginning with this week’s troop meeting.

This should be a great trip. We are staying at the only Boy Scout camp on Nantucket, Camp Richard, and have the use of four large Adirondack shelters. Nantucket is a beautiful place to ride bikes. The long-term forecast looks exceptionally promising.

- Dick Landrigan
Assistant Scoutmaster

This is just a quick note to remind you about our upcoming trip this
weekend, March 25-26 to Camp Carpenter in Manchester, NH. We have “The
Fort” reserved and we are expected to have a great time. This trip will be
focused on advancement so bring your books. It is especially good for those
looking for 1st class, because you will have a large group of hungry people,
and three meals that need cooking.

Final planning is this Weds night, so please make sure you bring your
permission slips and money to the Troop meeting. I you are not on my list
(below) please mail me right away so that I can include you in my headcount.
I have attached a suggested packing list for early spring camping (thanks to
Mr. Landrigan). We will have room to sleep on the floor of the fort (bring
pads) but tents can still be pitched in the courtyard if you prefer.

- Hans Helgeson