Trail Talk – 7/27/26

Wow, can you believe it is already the last week of July?! Where does summer seem to go? Well, we still have lots of summer left to enjoy and I plan to enjoy every minute of it! I hope you do too! Troop 244 certainly has been very busy this summer which is probably what makes the time fly by even faster. Last week we had a group of scouts and leaders at the Mackinac Service Contingent. This week we have a group of scouts and leaders on the Mini-High Adventure to Mammoth Cave! I was told that the mini-high adventure group had some wet weather yesterday but did their first cave tour today and loved it! It sounds like they had a great NPS Guide. See group photo below.

IMPORTANT NOTES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THIS WEEK: 

  1. IMPORTANT!!
    • We have a few leaders and scouts gone this due to the Mini-High.
    • I am in need of adults who would be willing to cover their merit badges during the upcoming meetings.
    • Please be ready to be flexible tomorrow night and help with merit badges.
    • I DO NOT have any huge projects that need to be done for scouts not in merit badges, so I would like to make sure that merit badges are running!
  2. PHILMONT 2027 – I want to send out a reminder to everyone about a few things concerning Philmont for next summer:
    • Cost: $2,200: $150 Deposit already Paid. $815 by Last week of September. $815 by last week of February. $420 by last week of May.
    • Tentatively: July 5 – July 22nd. Our actual arrival date at Philmont is July 8. HOWEVER, the past several treks, we have tried to arrive a day early, which would be July 7. I have to communicate with Philmont about that. Typically we take two nights to drive out there, hence July 5. On the other end, our last full day at Philmont is July 19. In the past, we have taken 1 night to drive home. So, leave Philmont July 20. Could get home on July 21 or if we take 2 nights, July 22. All of this depends highly on transportation.
    • Transportation: There has been some debate between renting/driving vans or taking the train. I am looking for someone who would be willing to look into the price breakdown for these two options.
    • Preparation Meetings: Mandatory. Will be spread throughout next year on Sunday afternoons. Meeting dates are forthcoming(hopefully in the next week or two).
    • COMMITMENT – Philmont is a commitment. That is the only way I can say it. To have a successful, MEANINGFUL, trek, you have to commit to be at everything.
    • Want to know more about Philmont – ASK THOSE THAT HAVE GONE! Best information source possible!
  3. STEM NOVA Awards
    • Do you want to earn a Nova Award and get a unique patch?  Do you want to Do More, 244 Style?
    • You are in luck! The Michigan Crossroads Council is offering you an opportunity to complete a Scouts BSA STEM Nova Award that you can earn right here at Troop 244.
    • What are the STEM Nova Awards?
    • The STEM Nova Awards are designed to excite and expand a sense of wonder in Scouts. By working with an adult counselor or mentor, the various modules allow you to explore the basic principles of STEM and discover how fun and fascinating STEM can be.  If you are super ambitious, you can work to earn a Supernova award and go above and beyond by earning multiple STEM Nova Awards.  More Information on Nova and Supernova Awards on the Michigan Crossroads website: https://michiganscouting.org/stem/.
    • All of this will be worked outside of regular troop meetings unless we get a lot of interest in doing an activity at a meeting or a campout!
    • Contact Mr. Clapp for details.
  4. SUMMER TROOP MEETING MERIT BADGES
    • Non-Required Merit Badges offered at Troop Meetings in Summer
    • Geocaching – Mrs. Bliss
    • Orienteering – Brian
    • Artificial Intelligence – Mr. Thurn
    • Gardening – Mrs. Knapp
    • Photography – Mr. Greene
    • If you want to work on continuing to finish up Eagle Required Partials you have, you may do that as well IF your counselors are present at the meetings.
    • T21 Scouts will continue to work on T21 requirements.
  5. TROOP MEETINGS – AUGUST 4TH AND AUGUST 18TH
    • We cannot meet at the church on August 4th due to elections.
    • We are looking for an alternative spot to meet such as a park.
    • Please look for information from me later this week as to where to meet.
    • AUGUST 18TH – will be our annual planning meeting for the next year.
    • THIS MEETING IS FOR TROOP LEADERSHIP AND ADULT LEADERS.
    • If you are a scout that is not a part of troop leadership or an adult leader, then there is NO meeting on August 18th!
    • Planning Meeting – we will meet out at the Pavilion, weather permitting. We will have a cookout. The troop will provide the main course. Please bring a dish to pass.
    • Planning Meeting will start at 6:00 pm
  6. EAGLE COURT OF HONOR
    • Our next Eagle Court of Honor will be Sunday, August 30th at 2:00 p.m.
    • Honoring Sophie Schmidt, Ryan Jones, Yuna Sullins and Reilly Reinhart
    • Will need scouts to show up by 1:00 p.m. to be a part of the ceremony.
    • Please wear your Class A and neckerchief to this.
    • Please come out and help celebrate these NEW TROOP 244 EAGLE SCOUTS!
    • There will be cake!
    • Please see attached Eagle Court of Honor Invite!
  7. SEPTEMBER CAMPOUT – LABOR DAY BRIDGE WALK
    • September 5 – 7th
    • Base Cost is $45 per scout and $20 per adult leader. COST MAY VARY DEPENDING ON WHAT ACTIVITY WE DECIDE UPON FOR SUNDAY. TO BE DISCUSSED AT AUGUST PLC. WE MAY NEED FURTHER PAYMENT OR FOR SCOUTS TO BRING THEIR OWN MONEY DEPENDING ON WHAT WE DECIDE TO DO.
    • SIGN UP AT THE TROOP MEETING THIS TUESDAY!
    • Saturday – Monday. Leave Saturday morning at 10:00 am from Pathfinder
    • Arrive back home on Monday evening around 5:00 p.m. (time may vary)
    • Hang out in Northern Michigan Saturday evening and Sunday all day! Visit sites!
    • Walk the Mackinac Bridge on Labor Day Morning!
    • Most likely will walk halfway from Mackinac City and then doubleback to save on time and transportation issues.
    • After Labor Day Bridge walk, return to campsite, pack up and head home!
  8. Scouting America PHYSICAL FORMS!
    • NEW 2026 Printing of the Medical Form
    • Use the New Printing from now on!
    • Only Good for 1 year! Will need a new one for next summer!
    • Rather than waiting until the last minute, start thinking about the medical form BEFORE next summer!
    • Parts A and B – required for all troop activities
    • Part C – required by doctor for all activities 72 hours or more.
  9. Troop 244 Payment Portal – Zeffy. Our Zeffy page remains open for you to make payments or by troop merch! Wanna pay for the campout, Pictured Rocks, SwampBase, Registration, etc. Go to the following link: http://bit.ly/pay244 For troop Swag/Merch you can click on this link: http://bit.ly/244swag

Scoutmaster Minute  – EAGLE REQUIREMENTS – Ok, as of last week, you had finished your Eagle Project and were working on your Final Draft of the Eagle Workbook for me to read. NOW WHAT? Well, there are a few other requirements for Eagle other than the Eagle Service Project and Merit Badges. These are the requirements that a lot of people don’t pay attention to and often get forgotten until the last minute. One of these requirements is something that is called the Goals and Ambitions Statement. This is a statement that you are going to write, much like writing a paper for school, about your goals and ambitions both in your present life but also for your future. I often tell scouts to look at about the next 20 years of your life. What do you see happening in your life? What are you striving and aiming to do? Maybe right now you are in high school and you have some goals concerning athletics or academics. But then, what about high school, is your goal to go to college, go to a trade school, go straight to the workforce, go into the armed services or something else? What are your thoughts on that step? If you are going to college or a trade school, what are some ideas of “where” and “what”. Where do you think you want to go and what do you want to specialize in. What about after college/school etc.? What kind of job are you looking for? Where do you want to live? Do you want to have a family? Do you hope to maintain an involvement in the scouting program either yourself or for your kids? All of these are questions you can ask yourself to look at your future.

Many times, when I have scouts writing these statements, they say “well, I don’t know where I want to go to college” or “what if it changes” and to that I want to tell you it is OK! Just because you put something in this statement DOES NOT MEAN YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY END UP DOING IT! For something like college, you might just put some ideas of where you want to go down. If you put MSU down, it doesn’t mean you have to go there(thank goodness). However, the Eagle Board of Review is looking to see that you are mature enough to have some idea of what you want out of life.

Finally, the particulars of the statement; it typically is about a page to a page and a half long, double-spaced. It is NOT a statement about how scouting has made an impact on your life. You can incorporate that in there, but it shouldn’t be the main focus. Just like with the Eagle Workbook, you will write this statement and then send it to me to review. I will make comments/suggestions, send it back to you to revise and then you will send it back to me. This statement will then be put in your 3-ring Eagle binder at the very back! DON’T MAKE THIS OVERLY COMPLICATED!

“What Troop Does More!!” – 244!!!

Yours in Scouting,

Brian Poppen