Crossover

Pack 163’s crossover is February 14, 2013... We need scouts to help welcome the new boys to the troop! Sign up at the troop meeting.

Pinewood Derbies

It’s the start of the Pinewood Derby Season! Troop 4 has been asked to run 4 pinewood derbies this year. We need approximately 4-6 scouts at each derby.

February 28 -- Montessori School, Waukesha
March 11 -- Pack 4, Lowell Elementary

Sign up at the troop meetings!

Shedd Aquarium
FRIDAY, February 22, 2013

We’ll be going to the Shedd Aquarium as the February Outing.

Time: Arrive at ETC at 8 am. We’ll leave at 8:30 am. Return to ETC around 6:30 pm
Cost: $25 / scout ; $30 / adult

No food is included. Bring money to buy your own lunch at the Museum. Bring your student ID and wear your Class A uniforms.

Permissions Slip are available at the troop meeting.

Court of Honor & FOS
February 24, 2013

Our next Court of Honor will be on February 24, 2013 at St. John Neumann in the downstairs. Please plan on coming! This is an opportunity to show off to relatives what your son is doing in scouts! This will also be when our Friends of Scouting presentation will take place.

RSVP to Liz with the number of people coming by February 20th.

Rotary Pancake Festival
February 16, 2013

Once again it’s an opportunity to get service hours in! We’ll be bussing tables and generally helping around at the Waukesha Rotary Pancake Festival. We are working 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. Plan on eating before working. Wear your Class A uniform. (Oh! Scouts who work... You get to eat free.)

Scouting for Food & Whitewater Swimming Pre-Test
March 23, 2013

We’re picking up bags against this year for Scouting for Food... March 23 be at ETC to pick up routes at 9 am. After lunch we’re going to cabin camp then on Sunday go to Whitewater for the swimming pre-test. Watch for the permission slip.

ALL SCOUTS SHOULD ATTEND THIS OUTING! This saves time at Summer Camp. If you can’t make the overnight, join the Troop at the Whitewater Aquatics Center on Sunday at noon.

Council Spring Fundraiser
March 22 - April 16, 2013

This spring, the Council Fundraiser is Pecatonica Popcorn and Interstate Batteries. Forms will be available at the March 19 troop meeting and the sale starts March 22. Forms are due back to the Troop at the April 16 troop meeting. This is a great opportunity to earn a little more for summer camp and other activities. Scouts will earn a 40% commission on this sale.

Summer Camp
July 7-13, 2013

Summer Camp permission slips are out! The next deadline for pricing deals is May 1!

Scouts must start signing up for merit badges with Mr. Danner! Class will fill FAST as camp is full! Forms are available at troop meetings.

A Note About Merit Badges & Blue Cards

As a reminder, it is a scouts responsibility to sign up for merit badges. This includes finding clinics or calling merit badge counselors and taking out and getting blue cards signed.

Occasionally the troop will announce merit badge opportunities or facilitate registration, but it is still the scouts responsibility to see that he has done the pre-requirements, has all the materials for the clinic, and taken out a blue card.

Eagle & Other Merit Badge Changes

Note: If you already started the merit badge, you may switch but don’t have to. From the Guide to Advancement: “There is no time limit between starting and completing a badge, although a counselor may determine so much time has passed since any effort took place that new requirements must be used.”

Cooking - Becomes EAGLE REQUIRED January 1, 2014 & will be updated during 2013. If you apply for your Eagle in 2014, unless all you need is the BOR you will need this badge.
Cycling - Still EAGLE REQUIRED. Adding a mountain biking option
Sustainability (new badge) - An EAGLE REQUIRED alternative to Environmental Science. Will be introduced in summer 2013.
Game Design (new badge) - Will be released spring 2013.
Programming (new badge) - Will be released at National Jamboree in 2013.
Digital Technology - replaces the current Computers merit badge. Will be released late 2013.
Animation (new badge) - Coming in 2014.
Signs, Signals and Codes (new badge) - Covers active languages like ASL & Braille as well as Morse Code, trail markings, etc. Will be released in 2014.
Multi-Media (new badge) - Will be released in 2014.
Computer-Aided Design (new badge) - Will be released in 2015.
Advanced Computing (new badge) - Will be released in 2015.

Outdoor Ethics - As of January 1, 2013, the Leave No Trace Awareness Awards will be changing to the Outdoor Ethics Award.