Dear Troop 502:

For any members unable to attend this weekend’s camping trip, here are the details for helping out at Sarah Mahaffey’s Gold Award Project.

We will be in the Woodside Falls Community tomorrow from 10 – 4 (rain or shine). The objective tomorrow is the planting of 25 hemlock trees and 10 butterfly bushes. In addition, we will have a team working with Mr. Lindsey on shoring up the wooden elements on the trail – including the bridges built by Troop 502 in the recent past.

You will earn service hours for this project.

If you can attend, please meet at the Woodside Falls Pool and check in at the station there.

Thanks, in advance, for your help.

Map to Check in site:

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Travel Information:

Drop Off:  Saturday (10/29) at 7:30 AM.

We will not be stopping for breakfast, so please be sure your scout has eaten prior to being dropped off for this trip.

Pick Up: Sunday (10/30) at approximately 11:00 AM

Scouts need to be prepared for the weather as rain is in the forecast for Saturday morning and overnight lows will be in the low 30s.  Remember, this is a backpacking trip and scouts are responsible for their own meals.  This includes lunch and dinner on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday.  We will not be stopping for meals on Saturday or Sunday, so scouts will not need to carry extra money for this trip.

The backpacking shake-down trip this weekend at Belk Scout Camp is a prerequisite for certain scouts in order to participate in full backpacking trips the Troop takes.  This includes the full backpacking trip in November, next month.  Note that once you have met this prerequisite, you do not have attend another one, although we encourage you to participate in all the outdoors events.

Purpose

The purpose of this trip is to let scouts experience what a full backpacking trip will be like, but with the ability to make a mistake that adults and scouts alike can more easily correct.  Help and cars will be nearby for the entire trip this weekend.  Those that can successfully navigate this trip will be able to participate in a back country trip where help and cars are much further away.

Who Must Participate?

If you meet one of the following AND you would like to go on the November backpacking trip, you MUST attend this weekend.

1. if you are new to the Troop,
2. if you have not backpacked with the Troop,
3. or if you have backpacked with the Troop but were unable to carry your pack for the entire trip.

Those Who May Attend But Are Not Required

Those who have successfully completed a backpacking trip with the Troop can attend the November trip without attending this weekend, but are requested to attend as possible to share your knowledge and experience.  We are a boy-led troop, which means we need your help teaching the newer scouts how have fun backpacking.

This weekend will be an excellent opportunity to learn basic backpacking skills in preparation for our full trip in November.

Weather

Please keep a close eye on the weather for this weekend as temperatures are forecast to be in the 30′s Saturday night.  Scout should be prepared for warm weather during the day Saturday and cold weather overnight and in the morning Sunday.  Additional information will be provided later this week as to specific time for drop off on Saturday and pick up on Sunday.

Questions?

For questions, contact an assistant scoutmaster for your patrol.

Sorry for the late notice but hopefully each Patrol discussed this on Monday night. We will NOT be camping this weekend (10/21-10/23). The Troop leadership has decided before we go on another backpacking trip that we needed to have a shake down trip to allow our scouts that have never been on one, a chance to see what it is like and the older scouts to work on getting their gear weight down.

The Troop is planning on doing this trip next Saturday and Sunday (October 29th- October 30th) at Camp Belk or Kings Mountain. We will meet at the church on Saturday, October 29th at 7:30am and depart shortly afterwards. Scouts will need to come fully prepared for a backpacking trip with everything they will need for that weekend, which includes their food. Each Scout will be responsible for packing their own personal food and snacks for the following meals, lunch and dinner on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday. Each patrol will be carry backpacking stoves and fuel to help cook whatever they may bring. Please check your handbooks for other equipment needs or ask your Patrols on Monday night the 24th. We will hand out tents to the ones that need them on Saturday before we depart. Each Patrol will be hiking in separate groups, camping in different campsites, and we will be covering about 5-8 miles during those 2 days.

Our full backpacking trip will either take place on Friday, November 4th – 6th or November 18th – 20th, this date will be decided before our Monday night meeting on the 24th.  Trip length will be between 10-15 miles in two days. More information to come out next week concerning this..

Grey Skelton’s Eagle Court of Honor will convene on Saturday, October 8th, 2011, beginning at 5:30pm at Harrison UMC in the Sanctuary. Immediately following the Court of Honor, the Skelton family will be serving dinner in Hammill Hall, please rsvp to John or Gina if you have not already done so, at 704-806-0839. Remember Scouts and leaders need to be in full Class “A” uniform and please arrive 30 minutes prior to help setup and prepare.