Trail Talk – 8/3/26

Good afternoon 244!

Wow! Can you believe it is August already? Many people start to think about school as August begins. I just can’t bring myself to do that yet! Oh, I will help my kids prepare for school by getting the school supplies and all that but I am still on my summer break until August 24th. I noticed that other schools don’t start until the end of this month! Enjoy your break while you have it! Once school gets going again, we all get really busy and worn out! Enjoy summer while it is here!

THIS WEEK’S TROOP MEETING IS NOT AT PATHFINDER CHURCH! PLEASE DON’T GO THERE BECAUSE OF THE ELECTIONS. WE WILL BE MEETING AT LAKEVIEW PARK! SEE ANNOUNCEMENT BELOW.

One thing that I want to bring everyone’s attention to is the September Campout below. We will be doing our September campout on Labor Day weekend this year so that we can do the Labor Day bridge walk across the Mackinac Bridge. This has been something that people have asked me about doing for several years now. Now that it is August, we need to start planning for this campout. PLEASE SIGN UP FOR THIS CAMPOUT AT THE TROOP MEETING OR ON ZEFFY. FOR DETAILS, SEE THE ANNOUNCEMENT BELOW. So far, I only have 1 scout signed up for the campout that I know of. If we don’t get enough people to make this worthwhile we won’t be able to run it. Permission slip is attached.

IMPORTANT NOTES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THIS WEEK:

  1. TROOP MEETING THIS WEEK!! – AUGUST 4TH
    • We CANNOT meet at the church TOMORROW due to elections.
    • WE WILL BE MEETING AT LAKEVIEW PARK ON PORTAGE RD!
    • SAME TIME SAME EVERYTHING ELSE! Parents drop off normal time and pick up normal time(8:30)
    • We will do our opening, have advancement time(probably a little shortened) and have an extended game time!
    • We will also be celebrating a future 244 scout’s birthday tomorrow night!
    • DO NOT GO TO THE CHURCH TOMORROW NIGHT!
  2. TROOP MEETING AUGUST 18TH – ANNUAL PLANNING MEETING.
    • AUGUST 18TH – will be our annual planning meeting for the next year.
    • THIS MEETING IS FOR TROOP YOUTH LEADERSHIP AND ADULT LEADERS.
    • YOUTH LEADERSHIP = SPLs, ASPLs, Troop Quartermaster, Scribe, PLs, JASMs, Troop Guides
    • If you are a scout NOT a part of troop leadership – NO TROOP MEETING
    • Troop will supply the main dish – hamburgers, hot dog, something like that.
    • PLEASE EVERYONE ELSE, BRING A SIDE DISH OR DESSERT TO PASS!
    • Planning Meeting will start at 6:00 pm(instead of 7:00)
    • COME WITH IDEAS FOR THE NEXT SCOUT YEAR!
  3. EAGLE PROJECT IDEA!!
    • Who: Pathfinder Church
    • What: Building and installing shelves for the PuzHub at the church. This is their puzzle area upstairs right next to the main entrance.
    • HOW: Talk to Mrs. Baldwin about the idea and get contact information from her for who you would need to contact at the church!
    • IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS IDEA, PLEASE COME AND TALK TO ME!
  4. PHILMONT 2027 – REMINDERS
    • 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: We have a scout leader or 2 looking into Train options at this point in time.
    • Preparation Meetings: Mandatory. Even if you have been to Philmont before, it doesn’t matter. Preparation for Philmont starts with your commitment to attending preparation meetings.
    • TENTATIVE Preparation Meeting Dates: Sunday, September 20 at 1:00 at Al Sabor Land Preserve(Training hike), Sunday October 18th at 3:00 p.m. at Pathfinder(Expectations and Gear), Sunday January 10th at 3:00 pm(Important!!, Itinerary Selection!) at Pathfinder,  Sunday April 18th at 3:00 pm at Pathfinder(Final Information and readiness). THESE DATES ARE ONLY TENTATIVE AT THIS POINT IN TIME BECAUSE I HAVE TO CONFIRM THESE DATES WITH PATHFINDER CHURCH! I will send out more firm dates once I have communicated with the church about whether spaces are available on the given dates. PENCIL them in for now but be ready for changes to be made. IF ANYONE SEES ANYTHING GLARING ABOUT THESE DATES, PLEASE NOTIFY ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS I PLAN TO TRY TO WORK THIS OUT WITH THE CHURCH NEXT WEEK!
    • 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!
  5. 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.
    • See the attached requirements and inquire with Michael Clapp for more details.
    • 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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
  8. 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.
    • Permission Slip attached
    • 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!
  9. 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.
  10. 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 – Well, now you have finished your Project, merit badges, Goals and Ambitions Statement, leadership position. Now there is one final requirement you need to get completed and this is the Letters of Recommendation. It is required that every Eagle applicant have at least 4 “References”, just like when you apply for a job you have to supply references to your prospective employer, you have to do the same for Eagle. Different councils do this in different ways. The way that Michigan Crossroads Council does this is actually pretty easy. There is a form letter that you will get from me. I will also supply you with a document that has instructions for getting the letters of recommendation done. The process is pretty simple. You will print out 4 of these form letters. You will get 4 envelopes. You will put a stamp on each envelope. You will put your name on the back of the envelope. You will put Mr. Bowman’s address(our district advancement chair) on the envelope as they get mailed to him. You will then choose 4 people that know you and your character very well and you hope will write good things about you. You will go to each of these people, give them the letter and an envelope. You will tell them what you are asking for and why. You will ask them to fill out the form letter, stick it in the envelope, put their return address on the envelope and mail it to Mr.  Bowman. YOU WILL NEVER SEE THESE LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION. They are never to go into your hands again.

A couple of things about the letters. You might ask yourself “well, who do I give them to?”. That is a valid question. I will first tell you who you cannot give them to. You cannot give one to a parent. It used to be that scouting always had a parent fill out one of these forms. THAT HAS CHANGED. They no longer want a parent filling out a letter of recommendation. You also CANNOT give one to me to fill out as your Scoutmaster. They do not want scoutmasters filling them out either. It has been that way for a long time. So, then who? Well, your scoutmaster can’t fill one out, but your assistant scoutmaster can! That is always a great source. Other sources might include teachers, coaches, employers, pastors or youth pastors, trusted adult family friends and so on. THE LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION MUST BE FILLED OUT BY AN ADULT! You may not hand these out to your friends to fill out.

Finally, once you have given these letters out you need to email me some information on each of these people. I need to know their Names, Addresses, Email Addresses and Phone numbers. This is because I have to enter all of that information into your Eagle Application.

When can you do the letters of recommendation – ANYTIME!! You do not have to wait for your project to be done. You don’t even have to wait to be done with all of your merit badges. As soon as you turn Life Scout, you can start doing the letters of recommendation. So, DON’T WAIT! This is an “easy” requirement. Get it done!

 

“What Troop Does More!!” – 244!!!

Yours in Scouting,

Brian Poppen