The Scouts Are at it Again!
After an eventful summer that included such memorable events as the Summer Camp at Friedlander and the 2010 National Scout Jamboree, the time had come for Troop 281 to begin another scouting year. The meeting started off on what could be said to be a bittersweet note, as several scouts had left the Troop over the summer for various reasons, but with the newer scout patrols still having many of the scouts who had formed them there doesn't appear to be any omen of low attendance for Troop 281's future.
Tonight also marked the start of Alex Rye's term as SPL, to which he quickly started to perform his job by having all the scouts overcome their inability to grasp advanced geometric shapes and form a half...something out of the benches for a presentation. After some technical difficulties (question: how many scouters does it take to fix a malfunctioning slideshow projector? Answer: at least five) Alex got the ball rolling by breaking down the schedule for the year to come. One of the biggest changes to the old style was that each month there would be a "fun" meeting, such as Coco Key Waterpark for September 14th. The usual suspects were still on the schedule as well: the "Stuff-your-face-full-of-food" Courts of Honor, the monthly campouts, all the familiar aspects of the Troop 281 schedule that have become familiar to everybody.
When Alex was done, Dr. Reynolds came up and did a presentation about Philmont, dropping the occasional reference to the fact there were still open spots on the crews for the upcoming high adventure trip. Anyways, the slideshow presented pictures of the Reynolds' previous trip to the (in)famous Philmont Scout Ranch a few years ago and Dr. Reynolds narrated. The scouts of 281 were treated to pictures of the Philmont sign (which was covered in hanging, worn-out hiking boots), a twin-seated toilet that was found on the trails, and Avery R. kissing an anvil because he accidentally hit it while trying out blacksmithing at Philmont as well. While the pictures were magnificent, it was only a taste of what it was like in person according to Dr. Reynolds at the end of the slideshow.
By this point, it had gotten too late for a game, so after a failed demonstration of a marshmallow crossbow due to old marshmallow ammo, the popcorn order sheets were announced to be pick-upable after the meeting was closed. Demonstrating that their knack for not being able to form an actual "circle" at the order to "circle up" had been lost over the summer (although this time got pretty close to being an actual circle), the scouts crossed hands like they have so many times before, and in closing the meeting had begun another adventure (and mishap-filled) year of scouting!
Tonight also marked the start of Alex Rye's term as SPL, to which he quickly started to perform his job by having all the scouts overcome their inability to grasp advanced geometric shapes and form a half...something out of the benches for a presentation. After some technical difficulties (question: how many scouters does it take to fix a malfunctioning slideshow projector? Answer: at least five) Alex got the ball rolling by breaking down the schedule for the year to come. One of the biggest changes to the old style was that each month there would be a "fun" meeting, such as Coco Key Waterpark for September 14th. The usual suspects were still on the schedule as well: the "Stuff-your-face-full-of-food" Courts of Honor, the monthly campouts, all the familiar aspects of the Troop 281 schedule that have become familiar to everybody.
When Alex was done, Dr. Reynolds came up and did a presentation about Philmont, dropping the occasional reference to the fact there were still open spots on the crews for the upcoming high adventure trip. Anyways, the slideshow presented pictures of the Reynolds' previous trip to the (in)famous Philmont Scout Ranch a few years ago and Dr. Reynolds narrated. The scouts of 281 were treated to pictures of the Philmont sign (which was covered in hanging, worn-out hiking boots), a twin-seated toilet that was found on the trails, and Avery R. kissing an anvil because he accidentally hit it while trying out blacksmithing at Philmont as well. While the pictures were magnificent, it was only a taste of what it was like in person according to Dr. Reynolds at the end of the slideshow.
By this point, it had gotten too late for a game, so after a failed demonstration of a marshmallow crossbow due to old marshmallow ammo, the popcorn order sheets were announced to be pick-upable after the meeting was closed. Demonstrating that their knack for not being able to form an actual "circle" at the order to "circle up" had been lost over the summer (although this time got pretty close to being an actual circle), the scouts crossed hands like they have so many times before, and in closing the meeting had begun another adventure (and mishap-filled) year of scouting!
COCO KEY RESORT
-Ben Hallenbeck, Troop Historian
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