We're glad you are visiting. Just like our scouts, we are finding new ways to keep the adventure going. You are welcome to look over our information in the menus to the left. Our troop meets on Monday evenings at 7:00 pm with our First Class Trail (FCT) scouts meeting at 6:00 pm. We meet at the Pollard UMC Merket Scout Center, 3107 New Copeland Road, across from Pollard United Methodist Church. If you would like more information, feel free to contact Scoutmaster Andrew Bentley at bakobud@gmail.com. If you need access or are having trouble logging in, please email Sam.Learner@gmail.com or text 903-707-6995
We will not be meeting on Memorial Day, May 30. On Monday, May 6, we will have a guest speaker in the Pollard UMC gym. All scouts and parents are invited, but this meeting is considered mandatory for scouts and parents that have a scout attending summer camp. Anyone that needs a physical for camp should email Dr. Bentley. Physicals will be conducted Thursday evening, June 9, at the Scout Hut for those who still need physicals. Parents must be present for the physical. Please start preparing your daily mail, care packages, and your contribution to daily prizes. These scouts really look forward to the mail and packages! Believe me, they miss you and appreciate knowing you have thought of them. We will soon be scheduling meetings for summer camp and our annual fundraiser, Taste of Scoutwest.
General Info • Monday May 9th we will be preparing for the Winding Stairs backpacking trip. Each scout should bring all their gear in their backpack to the Monday meeting on May 9th. If they do not have a backpack, bring all of the gear on the packing list 1 (see below) in a duffle bag, and the Troop will loan a backpack. The May 9th meeting is mandatory if the scout is attending the Winding Stairs backpacking trip. We will be reviewing everyone’s equipment and a scale will be available. We will also discuss backpacking food options and preparing the patrol menus. • BSA Health Physicals are due yearly. Traditionally physicals are due before camp (see below). • Next Troop Elections, last week of August, 2022. Winding Stairs Campout 2022 (May 13-15) • Location: Near Caddo Gap, AR, no phone number! • Hiking campout • Backpack cooking • Leave Hut 5:30 pm with 9 pm arrival (we will camp at the trail-head this year) • Home about 2 pm on the 15th Summer Camp (Daniel Boone) 2022 (June 24-July 3) • Location: Camp Daniel Boone, North Carolina • UP TO DATE BSA physical exams are due before leaving for summer camp. June 11th is tentatively scheduled for exams by Dr. Bentley at the Hut. • A payment due end of April ($300) • Last Payment due middle of May ($300) • Leave Hut Friday, June 24th by 830 am. • Return to the Hut, Sunday, July 3rd by 4-5 pm • We will be tent camping at a state park on the way up, nights of 24th and 25th, and on the way back, night of July 2nd. Sea Base 2023 • First payment was due March 1st. • Next two payments due September 2022 ($400) and October 2022 ($400) • Last two payments due February 2023 ($400) and March 2023 ($400-$600) • ALL Adults - All adults will need YPT (current), taking the course now will last 2 years. • All adults will also need Safety Afloat and Hazardous Weather Training through BSA. • One scout remains on the waiting list. OA NOAC July 2022 • Location: University of Tennessee, Knoxville OA Fall Fellowship November 11-12, 2022 • Location: GWP Packing List 1. Items in/on Your Backpack • Sleeping pad (optional) • Pillow (optional; small backpack size ONLY) • Light sleeping bag or Blanket in a waterproof bag • Personal first aid kit • Two water bottles – minimum of 1 liter total • One complete change of clothes in a waterproof bag 2 • Closed-toed Water Shoes • Swim Trunks • Small flashlight (check the batteries) • Toilet paper (partial roll) • Mess Kit (LIGHT bowl, cup, utensils) • Light (backpacking) towel and/or bandanna (optional) • Carabiners, tie-downs, rope to secure items outside backpack • Personal Items (toothbrush, glasses, sunscreen, etc.) • Rain cover (Lg. garbage bag works great) • Equal portion of a shared tent 3 • Food (Breakfast 1, Lunch, Supper, Breakfast 2) • Dry Snacks • Personal water filter (if you have one) Clothes & Gear As We Begin the Hike • Sturdy hiking boots, trail runners, or good walking shoes (broken in) • Cap or (preferably) wide-brimmed hat • Scout socks or other non-cotton socks (2 pair minimum) • Scout Shorts • Class B Troop T-Shirt • Water shoes can be clipped to the outside of your pack • Rain Gear packed where it is easy to get • Two Water Bottles Filled with Water • Walking Staff (must be light; purely optional)
Good Afternoon, and thank you for your patience! There are a few items we need to go over. Mainly: T-Shirt Sizes, Health Forms, Daily Prizes/Mail, Equipment, and Payments. T-Shirt Sizes: The last 3 weeks have been chaos for me. I've gotten a couple of notes passed to me with some shirt sizes, but unfortunately I've either lost them or I did not write it down where I should have. Please let me know ASAP your scout's T-Shirt size (Adult Small, Medium, Large, Xtra Large, or 2XL). Health Forms: If you have not already, start working on getting physicals done and fill out the A/B/C form. Remember, you'll fill out A/B with your scout's info/health history/medications/etc, and C is the part the physician fills out. If you cannot get your scout in to see their normal Primary Care Physician, please let us know so Dr. Bentley can prepare a date to get the physical portion taken care of. The form can be found at this link: https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/HealthSafety/pdf/680-001_ABC.pdf Daily Prizes/Mail: Like every year, we plan to do the daily prizes, mail, care packages, etc. Start planning/gathering now, we're looking for items we can put into goodie bags (Paracord, Nail Clippers, Carabiners, etc), along with larger prizes we can gift to Scout of the Day/etc (Chairs, Hats, Pocket Knives, Whetstones, Cool Camp Gear, etc). I'll have a box set aside in the scout hut, anything non-perishable can be brought up ahead of time and we'll store it for safekeeping at the hut. Pre-written mail is 100% welcome, and we'll have a mail call each night. Please make sure envelopes are labeled by the day accordingly (Sunday through Friday night) so our mail sorter knows when to give your scout what. Equipment: •Make sure your scout has: •A working storage locker. For Example: https://www.academy.com/p/plano%C2%AE-storage-locker Your scout can latch their storage locker with a lock if they choose, just make sure they can remember the combination (I'm not a lockpick, and my method of unlocking would unfortunately ensure it never locks again). •A fitting Hawaiian shirt •An overnight bag (backpack) for clothes and items during travel -Storage Lockers will be packed in the trailer, and not accessible for 2 days as we travel to camp -This backpack could double as their camp backpack, too, as long as they organize it back into an overnight bag for the trip home •Sleeping bag (30 degree bag, temps at night can get cool at camp, especially if there's rain) •Rain Gear (at least a poncho) •Jacket/light coat/sweatshirt or some type of layers (will be cool in the mornings before it heats up in the afternoon) •Swim Gear (Trunks, Swim Shirt, Water Shoes, etc) •Battery Powered Fan •Sturdy Water Bottle •Extra shoes Payments: As we're getting closer and closer to go-time, we should have about $550 paid. The last $250-$300 will need to be paid next month (May). With inflation on the rise, we're working diligently to find cost savings to keep our expenses as close to $800-$850/scout as possible. We have a few more avenues to try, and will keep you updated as we confirm. Thank you, all, for your cooperation in our Summer Camp 2022 planning! A scout is prepared for success! Yours in Scouting, Sam Learner 903-707-6995
Hello Scouts and Parents, We will be starting the Citizenship in the Nation merit badge taught by Judge Cam Barker. If you do not have this merit badge, this is an excellent opportunity to complete part one. Part two will be a trip to the federal courthouse with Judge Cam Barker this coming Saturday 4/30/2022, with details to follow. This coming Monday, all scouts not in Citizenship in the Nation merit badge can wear class b and bring some work gloves. Scoutmaster Andrew Bentley mowed the backyard this week at the hut, as far back as possible. We need to pick up some branches and sticks and weed "flower beds" around the hut. All scouts can wear Class B for Monday, May 2nd, Personal Fitness merit badge. If you already have the Personal Fitness merit badge, you can help others. Remember! We expect all Scouts to attend meetings in Class A unless otherwise specified. As Lord Baden-Powel said, "The uniform makes for brotherhood since when universally adopted, it covers up all differences of class and country." Thanks! Mr. Rich Long Assistant Scoutmaster Troop 369
Happy Easter! We will be working on 2 eagle required merit badges in the next 3 weeks. We will work on Personal Fitness merit badge on Mondays April 18th and May 2nd . We will work on Citizenship in the Nation on April 25th and Saturday the 30th . Even if you have PF merit badge, we need all scouts to be present Monday, the 18th in order to take down and pack up from the last campout. Please bring a pen or pencil to take notes for merit badge work. Our next campout in May will be backpacking at Winding Stairs in Arkansas. Please make your reservation known on the website so we can arrange appropriate transportation. Summer Camp design competition is due this MONDAY night. Turn these in to Dr. Bentley. Summer Camp payment of $350 is due by 4/25/22. Current inflation this Spring is causing us to raise the projected fee to $850 (hoping this will be the ceiling). We are working diligently to keep the expenses down. With this payment, total fees paid will be $550 after this payment. Last payment due in May will be $300 - $350. Sam Learner and I are working to finalize details. Summer Camp shirt sizes due now to Mr. Learner. Andrew Bentley Scoutmaster
Troop 369 News General Info -Yearly registration dues / payments are due IMMEDIATELY - this will have consequences on the ability to go on the Winding Stairs campout and Summer camp if not paid. -Troop will start Personal Fitness MB in April 2022 -Citizenship in the Nation will be taught by Judge Cam Barker on Monday, April 25th and Saturday, April 30th. Sign up will be coming this week. -BSA Health Physicals are due yearly. Traditionally physicals are due before camp (see below). -Next Troop Elections, last week of August, 2022. Winding Stairs Campout 2022 (May 13-15) Location: Near Caddo Gap, AR, no phone number! -Hiking campout -Backpack cooking -Leave Hut 5:30 pm with 9 pm arrival (we will camp at the trail-head this year) -Home about 2 pm on the 15th Summer Camp (Daniel Boone) 2022 (June 24-July 3) Location: Camp Daniel Boone, North Carolina -NEED FINAL NUMBERS this week on scouts going on this trip -UP TO DATE BSA physical exams are due before leaving for summer camp. June 11th is tentatively scheduled for exams by Dr. Bentley at the Hut. -Send shirt sizes to Mr. Learner. -Next payment due end of April ($300) -Last Payment due middle of May ($300) -Leave Hut Friday, June 24th by 830 am. -Return to the Hut, Sunday, July 3rd by 4-5 pm -We will be tent camping at a state park on the way up, nights of 24th and 25th, and on the way back, night of July 2nd. -MB selections due NOW! Send to Mr. Learner. -voting on mug color and shirt color night of 4/4/22 meeting -Tshirt design will open 4/4/22 and due by meeting of 4/18/22 Sea Base 2023 -First payment was due March 1st. -Next two payments due September 2022 ($400) and October 2022 ($400) -Last two payments due February 2023 ($400) and March 2023 ($400-$600) -ALL Adults - All adults will need YPT (current), taking the course now will last 2 years. -All adults will also need Safety Afloat and Hazardous Weather Training through BSA. -One scout remains on the waiting list. OA Conclave April 22-24, 2022 Location: Camp Kinsey, Stonewall, LA -Registration is NOW for OA members going to conclave OA NOAC July 2022 Location: University of Tennessee, Knoxville OA Fall Fellowship November 11-12, 2022 Location: GWP
