Archives for August 2013

Scouts: Expanded options for High Adventure

Troop 18 has been a regular participant in the High Adventure program at Philmont Scout Ranch in the mountains of New Mexico — you can see a picture from the Troop’s most recent trip there on our home page.

Philmont’s first camping season was in 1939, but it isn’t the oldest High Adventure program. The Northern Tier base, in Minnesota on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, started its summer canoe adventures in 1923, and started its OKPIK winter program in the 1970s.

The Florida Sea Base began offering Scouts adventures at sea in the early 1970s, and includes tall ship sailing, island camping, ecology study, fishing and SCUBA diving.

This summer, scouting’s newest high adventure location opened in West Virginia. The Summit was the site of he 2013 National Scout Jamboree,and its summer programs will offer BMX, skateboarding, mountain biking, zip lines, challenge courses, climbing, shooting sports, whitewater and more.

The benefits of Scouting include the opportunities that are available to the Scouts, and the fact that the Scouts work together to set the goals and make the plans and preparations needed to take advantage of the opportunities.

Troop 18 Scouts: Please take some time to explore the Web sites, and start thinking about the adventures you’re like to take. Over the next few months, the patrols and the Troop will be laying out near-term plans and longer-term goals. Think about the adventures offered by Scouting’s national bases, but don’t hesitate to be an advocate for an adventure that isn’t offered at those bases.

The Personal Fitness merit badge

The Personal Fitness merit badge is required for advancement to Eagle Scout, and can be used as one of the badges for advancement to Star and Life rank.

Requirement 1 for the badge includes this:

Before completing requirements 2 through 9, have your health-care practitioner give you a physical examination, using the Scout medical examination form. Describe the examination. Tell what questions you were asked about your health. Tell what health or medical recommendations were made and report what you have done in response to the recommendations.

The next time you have a physical exam scheduled, print out a copy of the form and bring it to the appointment. With that in hand, you’ll be able to complete the other requirements.

First Fall meeting next week! Canoeing in September! Devil’s Lake in October!

Scouts and Parents,

We’ll have our first post-summer meeting on Tuesday, September 3, at 7:30 pm. Because of the rummage sale preparations underway at Christ Church, our September meetings will be held in the gym of the Winnetka Congregational Church at 725 Pine St. We’ll be preparing for our first outing of the year …

Canoeing the Wisconsin River on Saturday, September 14 and Sunday, September 15. This trip was a blast for everyone last year, with overnight camping on a river sandbar. You should have received an email from [email protected] that contained the information and liability waiver for the trip.