Troop 306 Weekly Newsletter- 03/07/2021

Troop 306 Weekly Newsletter

Celebrating our 108th Anniversary serving youth in Catonsville and beyond . . .

CALENDAR

Here are some important upcoming dates:

MARCH

11 - Special Parent Meeting via Zoom at 7 pm (Summer Camp)

11 - Troop Meeting via Zoom at 7:30 pm

13 - Hiking Merit Badge (15 miles)

18 - Outdoor Troop Meeting at CPC at 6 pm

25 - Outdoor Troop Meeting at CPC at 6 pm

26 - 28 (Weekend Camping Trip at Camp Rodney in North East, MD)

We hope all of you continue to be safe and well.  We recently learned that most activities and meetings inside the Catonsville Presbyterian Church building will remain suspended through April 2021.  Troop 306 will continue to hold some outdoor events and activities during the upcoming months, weather permitting. 

If there are any changes to the above schedule, we will let you know as soon as possible.

SUMMER CAMP PLANS

Last week members of the adult leadership met and continued to review information related to summer camp.  Due to ongoing issues and lingering uncertainty related to the pandemic, it was decided that the Troop will not be attending summer camp at the Heritage Scout Reservation in Pennsylvania this year.  Instead, the Troop will attend Camp Rodney located in North East, MD.  We must submit a deposit and select merit badges within the next two weeks.  We will be holding a special parent meeting on 3/11 via Zoom at 7 pm to go over the details.  Please plan to attend.

SCOUT SAVER COUPON CARD SALE REMINDERS

Kristal McCormick, this year's sale coordinator, will have Scout Saver Coupon Cards ready for distribution at the upcoming Troop meetings on 3/18and 3/25.  Kristal can also bring cards to the hiking trip on 3/13 -- if anyone is interested, please let her know in advance the number of cards you desire.  If cards are needed before the scheduled in-person dates, Kristal can make arrangements with you.  Kristal also would like to get an idea of how many Scouts would be interested in participating in an in-person card sale.  The sale would be a small scale, socially-distanced event, but for planning purposes, it would be helpful to know how many Scouts would be interested.  

As a reminder, all profits from this fundraiser go directly to the Scout Account of the seller.  This year, the Troop pre-purchased the cards to increase the profit that the Scout earns.  Because the cards cannot be returned, we ask that each family please consider purchasing a minimum of 5 cards.  

To ask questions, request cards, or express your interest in an in-person sale, Kristal may be reached at braysmum@gmail.com or 410.963.1501(text is better than calling).

SCOUTING FOR FOOD

The Baltimore Area Council is having its annual Scouting for Food campaign during the month of March.  Scouting for Food is the leading service program for Scouts BSA.  Locally, Scouting for Food is a council-wide service project to care for people in our local communities who are hungry and in need.  Troop 306 plans to give our collected donations to Catonsville Emergency Assistance and asks that you bring the food donations to the in-person meetings in March.  We are still in the process of gathering information about the most needed items, and we will provide additional information later this week.  Please be on the lookout for an email from Hope Riley.

FRIENDS OF SCOUTING

The Baltimore Area Council also is in the midst of the Friends of Scouting 2021 Annual Campaign which directly supports Scouting opportunities in our local community.  We're off to a good start this year in terms of the amount received, but we are asking that every family considers contributing to the 2021 annual campaign so that our Troop can achieve a 100% participation rate.  If all families contribute, our Troop demonstrates that we understand the importance of Scouting, and ensures that Scouting remains strong in our community in the midst of these challenging times.

All donations of any amount are greatly appreciated and also are tax deductible.  Thank you in advance for your generosity.

The link is provided below for your convenience.  Please also check out the YouTube link that discusses the impact of Scouting upon our local community in 2020.  It features our very own Jack Callahan!

https://donations.scouting.org/#/council/220/appeal/4327


https://youtu.be/wydPBw_akks

2021 LEOPOLD WEEK

"That land is a community is the basic concept of ecology, but that land is to be loved and respected is an extension of ethics." -  Aldo Leopold 

Aldo Leopold, and his essay "The Land Ethic", is an important piece of BSA's Outdoor Ethics.  Friday, March 5th started the 2021 Leopold Week.  Please see the additional information below.

"March marks the return of geese, the flow of maple sap, and across the nation, the celebration of Leopold Week!  Each year in the first week and weekend in March, organizations and individuals across the country come together to celebrate Aldo Leopold and a land ethic through community readings, film screenings, outdoor activities, and more.  This year, Leopold Week is going virtual with online community events, and several virtual programs from the Aldo Leopold Foundation.  The official dates for this year’s festivities are March 5-14, 2021... "

https://www.aldoleopold.org/news-events/calendar/leopold-week/ 

WE NEED YOU!

Troop 306 will soon be entering into its 109th year, which is pretty awesome!  This accomplishment is greatly due to the support from CPC, the community, and in particular parental involvement, and this support is necessary for the Troop to continue to thrive.  We encourage each family to attend the Troop Committee meeting held on the first Thursday of every month at 7:30 pm-- this is a great way to learn about upcoming plans, see how the Troop is managed, and obtain more information about areas of need.  The meetings are currently being held via Zoom.

As you know, we've been looking for ways to help the Troop meetings be more fun and engaging in the virtual environment.  We had previously asked for parents who would be willing to give a 20 - 30 minute presentation on their careers during one of the meetings.  Amy Sinnott will be giving her presentation on March 11.  If other parents are interested in presenting in future months, please contact Jeff or Cynthia.

SCOUTING IS IN HIGH GEAR !!!!! LET'S HAVE A GREAT SCOUT YEAR !!!!