Christmas Service Project Part 2

We will be meeting at the Mack's house on Wednesday at 10:00 am to finish our service project.  This will involve traveling throughout the neighborhood collecting the trees anyone has left on the curb.  Please be on time.  While we will be driving around, you are still advised to dress warmly.

Christmas Service Project: Part 1

Wednesday we will be meeting at the Church at 7:00 to do the first of our two-part service project.  We need extra drivers, so parents who are willing to take two or three boys and help canvas the neighborhood with service project notices ... please give me a call. 

Scouts should remember to wear their uniform each week unless told otherwise.  If I don't see you on Wednesday, have a merry Christmas!

Pow Wow & Service Project Prep

Tomorrow we begin prep for the January Pow Wow and next week's service project.  We will meet at my house (6044 West Intrigue Drive) at 7:00 pm.

The Pow Wow is one of two merit badge earning opportunities the district provides each year.  It will take place from 8:00 am - 12:00 noon on the first three Saturdays during January.  If you would like to register for the Pow Wow, please bring the $12 registration fee tomorrow in a sealed envelope with your name on it:

1. Make checks payable to the LDS Church
2. Cash is okay too
3. If you can't fit the $12 into your budget but still want to go, just leave the sealed envelope empty.

We will register real-time during the meeting tomorrow.  After registration we will be putting materials together for our two-part service project, the first part of which is next week.

December Court of Honor

We will be holding the court of honor tomorrow night at 7:00 at the Church.  Please come on time and in full uniform.  We have over 50 merit badges and dozens of rank advancements to award.  Should be a nice night.

Activity + N - c = Wednesday

The combined activity this week is our annual visit to the Live Nativity in Draper.  We will meet at the Church at 5:00 pm and caravan over.  I do not have the address in Draper, but it should be available when your parents drop you off (if they need it).  Depending on the lines, we may be returning as late as 9:00 pm and you should dress for the outdoors - you will be spending 99% of your time in the cold (the 1% inside can be a fantastic experience if you come with a humble heart).

Quick Change!

Due to circumstances not entirely within our control, we will be cancelling the overnight poriton of the campout.  Instead we will meet at 9:00 am at the Mack's house for breakfast tomorrow before heading over to the Shannon's for the other events.

Tanner Hart will be calling around with a verbal reminder of this to make sure everyone is aware.

Please dress for snow!

Two things:

First - it looks like our campout on Friday is going to be a cold one. Because it is going to be in our backyard you may be tempted to ignore our normal winter campout rules.  Don't.  If you do not bring the appropriate gear you will be wet and cold and unhappy.  I've pasted in some guidelines below, with the gear list following.

We will meet at the Kelsch's house to set up in their yard.  Let's meet at 6:00 pm.  MAKE SURE YOU EAT DINNER FIRST ... WE WILL NOT BE COOKING DINNER AS A PATROL.
Second - no meeting on Wednesday.  Happy Thanksgiving.

Winter Camp Guidelines (list of required gear to follow)

Fail to Plan = Plan to Fail

Always bring a bit more than what you think you'll need – water, food, clothes.

Make sure that you have a good knowledge of the signs of frostbite and hypothermia. You should be able to recognize it in others and in yourself. Tell someone right away if you or another scout is showing signs of cold-related problems.

Stay hydrated. It’s easy to get dehydrated in the winter. Eat and drink plenty of carbs.

Keep out of the wind if you can. A rain fly for a tent can be pitched to serve as a wind break. The wind chill factor can often be considerable and can result in effective temperatures being much lower than nominal.

Bring extra WATER. It’s easy to get dehydrated in the winter. You aren’t visibly sweating, so you don’t think to drink water, but since the air is so dry, you lose a LOT of water through breathing. Drink lots of water!

Bring extra food that doesn’t need to be heated or cooked. Granola bars, trail mix, etc.

Keep a pot of hot water available for cocoa or Cup-a-Soup – these warm from the inside.

Always eat hot meals (breakfast, lunch, & dinner.) Dutch ovens are the best – they keep the food hot longer. It doesn't need to be fancy DO cooking. Meals should be 1-pot meals to keep cleanup to a minimum. Don't get too fancy with the meals - it's hard to chop onions & carrots at -10ºF with gloves on. Prep all meals at home in the warmth of the kitchen.

Shelter the cooking area from wind (walls of tarps, etc.)

Fill coffee/cook pots with water before bed. It's hard to pour frozen water, but easy to thaw it if it's already in the pot.

Remember C O L D:
 C Clean - dirty clothes loose their loft and get you cold.
 O Overheat - never get sweaty, strip off layers to stay warm but no too hot.
 L Layers - Dress in synthetic layers for easy temperature control.
 D Dry - wet clothes (and sleeping bags) also loose their insulation.

COTTON KILLS! Do not bring cotton. Staying dry is the key to staying warm. Air is an excellent insulator and by wearing several layers of clothes you will keep warm.

Remember the 3 W's of layering - Wicking inside layer, Warmth middle layer(s) and Wind/Water outer layer. Wicking should be a polypropylene material as long underwear and also sock liner. Warmth layer(s) should be fleece or wool. The Wind/Water layer should be Gore-Tex or at least 60/40 nylon.

If you’re camping in the snow, wear snow pants over your regular clothing

Bring extra hand covering - mittens are warmer than gloves.

Bring 2 changes of socks per day.

Everyone must be dry by sundown. No wet (sweaty) bodies or wet inner clothing.

Use plastic grocery bags or bread bags over socks. This keeps your boots dry and you can easily change those wet socks.

Keep your hands and feet warm. Your body will always protect the core, so if your hands and feet are warm, your core will also likely be warm. If your hands or feet are cold, put on more layers, and put on a hat!

Dress right while sleeping. Change into clean, dry clothes before bed. Your body makes moisture and your clothes hold it in - by changing into dry clothes you will stay warmer and it will help keep the inside of your sleeping bag dry. Wearing wool socks and long underwear (tops and bottoms) in the sleeping bag is OK.

Put on tomorrow's t- shirt and underwear at bedtime. That way you won't be starting with everything cold next to your skin in the morning.

Wear a stocking cap to bed, even if you have a mummy bag.

Put tomorrow's clothes in your bag with you. This is especially important if you’re small of stature. It can be pretty hard to warm up a big bag with a little body, the clothes cut down on that work.

Put a couple of long-lasting hand warmers into your boots after you take them off. Your boots will dry out during the night.

Fill a couple of Nalgene water bottles with warm water and sleep with one between your legs (warms the femoral artery) and with one at your feet. Or use toe/hand warmers. Toss them into your sleeping bag before you get in. Some of the toe/hand warmers will last 8 hours.

Eat a high-energy snack before bed, then brush your teeth. The extra fuel will help your body stay warm. Take a Snickers bar to bed and eat it if you wake up chilly in the night.

Use a sleeping bag that is appropriate for the conditions. Two +20ºF sleeping bags, one inside the other will work to lower the rating of both bags.

Use a bivvy sack to wrap around your sleeping bag. You can make a cheap version of this by getting an inexpensive fleece sleeping bag. It isn't much more than a blanket with a zipper but it helps lower the rating by as much as 10 degrees.

Use a sleeping bag liner. There are silk and fleece liners that go inside the sleeping bag. They will lower your sleeping bag's rating by up to 10 degrees. Or buy an inexpensive fleece throw or blanket and wrap yourself in it inside the sleeping bag.

Most cold weather bags are designed to trap heat. The proper way to do this is to pull the drawstrings until the sleeping bag is around your face, not around your neck. If the bag also has a draft harness make sure to use it above the shoulders and it snugs up to your neck to keep cold air from coming in and warm air from going out.

Don't burrow in - keep your mouth and nose outside the bag. Moisture from your breath collecting in your bag is a quick way to get real cold. Keep the inside of the bag dry.

Put a trash bag over the bottom half of your sleeping bag to help hold in the heat. A zipped up coat pulled over the foot of a sleeping bag makes an extra layer of insulation.

Don't sleep directly on the ground. Get a closed cell foam pad to provide insulation between your sleeping bag and the ground. A foam pad cushions and insulates. The air pockets are excellent in providing good insulation properties. Use more than one insulating layer below you – it’s easy to slide off the first one.

In an emergency, cardboard makes a great insulator. Old newspapers are also good insulation. A layer of foam insulation works too.

Bring a piece of cardboard to stand on when changing clothes. This will keep any snow on your clothes off your sleeping bag, and help keep your feet warmer than standing on the cold ground.

A space blanket or silver lined tarp on the floor of the tent or under your sleeping bag will reflect your heat back to you.

No cots or air mattresses! Better to lay on with 30º earth instead of –10º air.

Sleep in quinzees or igloos. These are warmer than tents since you’ve got an insulating layer of snow between you and the outside air, instead of just a thin nylon layer.

If in tents, leave the tent flaps/zippers vented a bit, it cuts down on interior frost.

Drain your bladder before you go to bed. Having to go in the middle of the night when it is 5 degrees out chills your entire body. Drink all day, but stop one hour before bed.

Required items

Sleeping Bag (Warm – no cotton/flannel)

1 Nalgene type bottle (2 recommended)

Box/Package of Hand Warmers (10+)

Warm – Insulated – Waterproof Boots

3 pair of wool socks

Snow Pants

Snow Coat

Fleece jacket/shirt (under your coat)

Wicking base layer – no cotton

Stocking Cap / beanie

1 or 2 pair of Gloves/Mittens

Scoutmaster Conferences

We will be holding Scoutmaster conferences at the Scoutmaster's house on Wednesday at 7:00 pm to prepare for the December Court of Honor (6044 West Intrigue Drive).  Bring your scout books!

2011 Planning

Start saving up your creative juices for Wednesday.  Were going to be digging in to set up the 2011 calendar, and just like last year it is up to you young men. (I'm crossing my fingers and hoping you still want to do the camp shoot!)

We will meet at the church at 7:00 pm as usual.  Parents, please plan on picking up your boys at 8:30.

No Dancing Shoes Required

This month's young men / young women activity is still being finalized.  It will be either:

A) Ice Skating @ the Olympic Oval; or
B) A movie night at the Church

We did the Ice Skating last year and it was a blast.  The movie night is our back up plan.  No worries, all movies are Bishop approved (i.e. G or maaaybe PG ... I'm keeping my fingers crossed for How to Train Your Dragon - any movie with a protagonist named Hiccup is an instant classic in my book)

We are currently planning to meet at the Church @ 7:00 tomorrow.  If we do end up ice skating, we may meet earlier.  Please call Tanner Hart, Hampton Kelsch, or Brennon Spangler on Wednesday afternoon to confirm the time (numbers on the sidebar).

Wrapping Up

We will be meeting on Wednesday at the Church at 7:00 (finally, a normal week!).  Uniforms are expected, and we will be wrapping up our physical fitness theme by setting our workout and other health goals for next month. 

Don't forget, we also have a campout this weekend.  Currently we plan to leave at 3:00 pm from the Church on Friday, but this may change ... keep an eye on the blog.  Regardless, you will need a fishing license and fishing pole for this trip - and treat it like a winter camp.  We expect cold (though clear) weather.

Gettin' taken out behind the woodshed

We will not be meeting on Wednesday this week.  Instead, we will be joining other volunteers to cut down some trees in South Jordan that have been donated to the Scouts for use as firewood. 12-14 year-olds will meet at the Mack's house at 8:30 am (sharp) on Saturday morning - bring your axes and saws. 

The adults will be cutting down the trees and the youth will be dragging them away and trimming / cutting them for curing.  All parents are welcome to join.  Since the even will run through the afternoon, we will be providing lunch. 

If you can't make it for the entire time, please join us for what time you can ... many hands make light work and all that :)

Mostly Fire Proof (Part 2)

We will not be meeting as previously planned tomorrow night to wrap up Physical Fitness.  Instead, we will be meeting Thursday MORNING at the church to assist in the city reseeding effort.  This is a great community service opportunity. 

We will meet at the Church at 8:30 am.  You will need to bring a completed Herriman Reseeding Project Application (call Shanda Sleater 801-836-1116) signed by your parent / guardian.  While I will not be able to attend due to work conflicts, quite a few adult leaders and parents will be there.

Don't forget to wear working clothes (long pants), sturdy shoes (hiking boots / closed toe tennis shoes), and a smile.  You should also bring water for yourself.

Halloween Mixup Dinner

Tomorrow night is our October combined (coed) activity and it involves food!  Dinner will be served at 6:00, with activities to follow.  Young men should arrive at the church at 5:30 to help set up.  Uniforms are optional.

Stake Film Festival

Just a reminder - tomorrow we will be meeting at the Stake Center at 7:00 rather than our building.  Make sure to come in uniform.

Fire Proof (Mostly)

Our thoughts and prayers go with those who have lost property or peace of mind due to the recent fire.  I understand several folks are still unable to return to or live in their homes.

With this in mind, my home will be open for Scouts tomorrow @ 7:00 as an option for those who are able to attend or otherwise need a break from fire related stress.  We will continue to focus on the Physical Fitness theme by creating customized workouts and health plans.

Let's Get Physical!

Tomorrow night is week 1 of the Physical Fitness program.  We will meet at the church at 7:00 pm.  Please wear comfortable / loose fitting clothes.  Uniforms are optional for this one!

Movie Night

We will be meeting tomorrow for Scouts at 7:00 pm at Peyton Potter's house (next to the Bearden's on Wasatch Star Place) to plan our September excursion and work on our movie for the Stake Film Festival.  I'm getting all the picutres together and there are plenty to choose from.

Get those creative juices flowing!

Party Time, Baby!

The combined (coed) activity for this month is tomorrow - our annual swim party and barbecue!  We will be meeting at the Shannon's, who have graciously allowed us all to invade at 6:00 pm for swimming and food!

They are located on Rodeo drive, which is just down the hill from the Church off 6400 West.

See you there!

Camp Awesome

We will be heading to Yuba Lake today, leaving from the church at 2:30 pm and returning Saturday around the same time.  Don't forget your sunscreen and your hat!

Reminder

Don't forget, Scouts on 8/18 is at Jason Mack's house at 7:00 pm.

Service Project

Proof that BLAB wasn't a vacation ... the boys worked hard and played hard.  Here is Kyle holding up some of the sagebrush we cleared to reduce the fire hazard.  As soon as I get all the pictures together and figure out how to embed a slide show we will have the boys start sprucing this blog up.

This is a tree ... you see that there are many like it, but this one is mine.