Greeetings, all!

While we're not chasing you around for your Investment in Character/Friends of Scouting forms this year, this critical fundraiser is still happening, and now it's easier than ever.

First of all, click here to check out my fundraising page.  I'm a Valley District IC Team Captain, and this page is for Troops 324B, 324G, and Ship 324 (they set it up under my name, but the money still goes toward our units' goals and the district's goal.  We really should be shooting for at least $100 per family and preferably $300 per family - so our combined goal of $3,000 is really light, considering how mamy Scouts are in our combined units, and that even with Covid shutting things down, the council is still spending upwards of $300 per Scout.  I'd really like to see us blow past that goal completely, but I also understand that some of us are still not back to work from the Covid closures. So, every dollar helps - even if $300 or $100 isn't possible, $50 is great.  Just please get yourself on record as a Friend of Scouting.

Why do we bother? Because now - especially now, when some adults are setting bad examples for citizenship from coast to coast - we need Scouting most to teach good citizenship, problem-solving skills, and proper leadership.

Thanks,
Ray

Hi folks,

The folks who run the my.scouting.org website tend to leave obsolete/invalid training courses on their site, and I don't want anyone to fall into the trap of taking 4 modules and then finding out that they have to go back and take the correct training. I did that. So have a couple of other Scouters that I know who sent me a screen shot of some completed courses but did not get a YPT completion certificate.  I took the web folks to task for leaving the old stuff on the site, but I think that fell on deaf ears.

So, I made sure to get explicit instructions from the National Council's IT folks to be sure that you don't take a wrong turn somewhere.  After I followed these, I got my YPT certificate.

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Instructions

• From the HOME page at my.scouting.org select the logo 'BSA TRAIN CENTER'
• On the next page Scroll Down to the YPT logo
• Click on the emblem
• You will see "YPT" and should see a blue button with a white + sign that says 'Add Plan'
• Click on the button – This adds the training to your personal Training Plan
• Now you need to scroll to the top of the screen and select MY LEARNING from the tabs at the top of the screen
• Scroll down that page until you see Youth Protection (training should be in alpha order)
• Select Youth Protection Training - MANDATORY
• The next screen will show all 4 modules
• Go to the first Module and select the blue button LAUNCH COURSE
  • As you complete each Module you will need to repeat the process to select the next Module, then the next Module, then the test, to complete the course.

Once you complete all Modules including the Test - scoring 75% or higher - you will receive an email with your certificate in it.

If you do not receive the email or see YPT complete when you sign onto your account within 48 hours send an email to  myscouting@scouting.org and they will research the issue.

There is only 1 version of BSAs YPT. The updated training replaces the previous Y01 (old generic YPT), Y02 (Venturing YPT), and Y03 (Exploring YPT), and is required for all BSA programs. The code for the updated YPT is Y01. (There's nothing confusing about that, right?)

If you need additional assistance, please call 972-580-2489 Monday through Friday 7am to 7pm Central time.

Also, for each activity, we will be asking you the following questions:

1. In the last 14 days, have you had contact with anyone who has tested positive or is presumed positive for COVID-19?
2. In the last 14 days, have you had contact with anyone has had influenza-like illness or been otherwise sick?
3. In the last 14 days, have you or anyone you have been in close contact with traveled on a cruise ship, internationally, or to an area that is currently under travel restrictions?

If the answer to any of the above questions is "Yes", stay home.

 4. Are you in a higher-risk category as defined by the CDC guidelines?

(If yes, we recommend you stay home. Should you choose to participate, you must understand the risks of coming to camp and that getting COVID-19 or any other communicable disease cannot be completely avoided and that it may happen.)

Now, back to our regularly-scheduled blog entry:

For this weekend's shooting sports campout, you will need the following forms completed:
If you do not have a current BSA Medical Record on file with the Troop (Mike and Joey Wells), please bring a completed Annual Health and Medical Record Parts A & B. This one does not require a physical examination by a doctor.

From Troop 324 Forms

• 324-EMERGENCY_INFORMATION.pdf (MUST COMPLETE once and provide to Mike Wells; update as necessary)
• 324-Permission_Slip_Scout.pdf (youth only)
• 324-Permission_Slip_Adult.pdf (adults only)

The permission slips must be completed for every activity. 

Handy-dandy trick - I do this, but your mileage may vary; void where prohibited:

• Complete everything not inside a box - it isn't likely to change. 
• Make 12 - 15 copies of that half-completed form..
• Put those copies back into the printer so that the back side of those copies will be printed upon next.
• Youth form: Scan each youth's health insurance card onto that side.
• Adult form: Scan your health and driving insurance cards onto that side.

Then, for every campout, you need only complete the stuff inside the boxes. Woohoo!

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Summer Camp at PV

If you still owe a balance, please bring payment to Mike at tonight's meeting, 22 June, 2020.

For PV, you will need to complete the following forms. You *WILL NOT* be allowed in camp without them.  If you can get them done and and bring them to Monday's meeting, that would be great. We understand that scheduling the physical exam isn't always that easy, but you really need to get started.

DAC PV Forms are here.

From the left column: 

• Pre-Camp Health Screening - YOUTH AND ADULTS MUST COMPLETE 14 DAYS IN ADVANCE OF GOING TO CAMP.!  THAT MEANS THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE STARTED ON THIS ON SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020!!!!
• BSA Medical Forms - YOUTH AND ADULTS MUST COMPLETE ALL parts INCLUDING the physical examination
• Colorado Addendum: Immunizations - MUST COMPLETE FOR ALL YOUTH
• Colorado Addendum: Additional Information - MUST COMPLETE FOR ALL YOUTH

If you need to take medications, you MUST COMPLETE these:

• Colorado Addendum: Contract to Carry
• Routine Drug Administration Chart (download and fill out if needed).

If you have dietary requirements (allergies/sensitivities, religious; NOT "I ain't eatin' that") then complete the Special Diet Request Form (do online after we hear from Mark that we're registered for our desired week.).

Hello all, and welcome to 2020!  We've got a whole year of fun planned: in just a few weeks, we'll be ice fishing and doing Bear's Okpik program. If you've never done that, you should - the skills are good ones that you can use even if you're building a quinzee in your backyard; the fishing is usually pretty productive, and Bear's homemade ice cream is worth the trip all by itself.

But none of that has anything to do with the title of this blog post.

Bear and I are often asked to contribute letters of recommendation for lots of things: business, personal, scholarships, jobs, college admissions, special programs within someone's current school or job - you name it.  And not just for Scouts - Scouters, too. I can only speak for myself when I say that I enjoy doing them.  It's an honor to get to say nice things about people I get to know over several years, and to do so in a way that helps to make an immediate difference in their lives.  So, please, ask. 

I would only ask of you that you provide some essential information regarding the nature of the letter.

• In all cases, please provide the name of the person who will receive the letter, their title, and the address to which the letter would be mailed.
• A web page URL that provides some details about the organization and program/work/scholarship/etc. for which this letter applies.

The first bulleted item allows us to personalize the letter and maintain formality.  "To whom it may concern" can be okay, but addressing someone directly gets their attention. Plus, I can mail them the letter via snail mail. The second bulleted item allows me to gather information about the qualities being sought.  Leadership is one thing that we can speak to directly from your Scouting experience, but the organization/person to whom you are submitting the letter might be more interested in your problem-solving skills, ability to work well with others, or something else. Being able to understand that allows us to craft letters that show how you measure up to their criteria before they even have to ask. Therefore, having the chance to understand what they want helps us to help you to get what you want.

I thought this might be timely, as we're starting a new calendar year, and since this is halfway through the school year, now is the time when most application processes start getting busy.

See you next week!

Ray

Hi folks,

As promised, here's an update on the Troop Committee's discussion around the new BSA National Membership fees (AKA "recharter fees") from the last couple of committee meetings

Most of you have seen the email dated 9/12/2019 9:55 PM with the subject, "[T324] IMPORTANT: affects fundraising for ALL".  If you haven't, you need to go back and read that.  It describes some changes to the Troop Policies authorized at the September Troop Committee meeting. To recap the highlights:

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The Troop Committee voted unanimously to pass a motion last night. Here is the text of that motion:

Every Scout should help with fundraising to support Troop operations and to pay their own way in Scouting; however, there are members who are not contributing. While reasons vary for this, the Troop still needs those folks to support Troop operations. Therefore, the Troop policies will amended such that:

• There are no longer discounted dues - dues are $50/year.
  
• Upon joining the troop, $100 covers dues & recharter for first year.
  
• After joining, the Troop budget will pay the recharter for every youth who meets the Troop fundraising minimum. Everyone still pays dues.
  
• Effective immediately, each youth who does not sell the fundraising minimum in a calendar year must pay $200 by the end of the following January ($50 recharter + $50 dues + $100 fundraising participation fee) to continue in the program as a chartered member of Troop 324.

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There was additional discussion at the October Committee Meeting. An additional policy amendment would be added:

• Eagle Scouts under the age of 18 will pay a $50 Eagle Scout troop membership fee only. 

The Committee encourages these Eagle Scouts to make their training and experience an example, and make their rank and influence count for better scouting in their troop.

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In the November Committee Meeting, it was pointed out that the fundraising incentive structure that awards Scout shares has been somewhat misapplied over the last few years. Beginning in 2020, the fundraising structure will be revamped and simplified.

• The fundraising minimum is still only $300. We will assume that the Popcorn Kernel has been

awesome (as usual) and the Troop is receiving a 34% split from the Denver Area Council (DAC).

• The Scout Share will now be calculated as 50% of the total to troop from DAC on total sales over the minimum.

For example, let's say that Johnny Scout sells $680 (total sales) in popcorn.

• The total to troop from DAC is 34% of $680, or $231.20
  
• The amount over the $300 minimum is $380 ($680 - $300)
• Half of 34% is 17%
• Scout Share is 17% (50% of the troop split from DAC) of $380 (amount over minimum), which is $64.60
• Incoming Troop funds = Total to Troop – Scout Share ($231.20-$64.60), which is $166.60

To get a Scout Share, Scout must *sell* more than $300 in popcorn.

If a Scout sells $200 and gets a $100 donation, then they make the minimum - so they don't have to pay the 
$50 recharter + $50 dues + $100 fundraising participation fee - but they don’t get a share.

This keeps the fundraising in line with IRS rules: there are incentives to the youth, but we will not maintain 
Individual Scout Accounts (ISA), which got many units in trouble.  It also keeps the burden off of the Scout
families, as the Scout share allows the Scout to pay his own way.

As always, if there are questions or concerns, please talk to Ray.

YIS,
Ray

Hi folks,

It's recharter time, when we renew everyone's membership in the Troop, and the Troop's membership in the Denver Area Council (DAC).  Paperwork-wise, the process had gotten better over the last few years, but this year, another form has been added to authorize a fresh background check on every registered leaders.  This is good -- it is part of the BSA's commitment to providing safe Scouting to every youth entrusted to our programs.

Registered Adults: If you have not completed the Additional Disclosures and Background Check Authorization form, please download it from here, complete it, and return it to me immediately, as we are now in the recharter process.  If you have already completed it, thanks!  We need to submit one form for each adult in order to recharter you.

As you already know, the annual membership fees from the BSA National Council have gone up to $60 for youth members and $36 for adult members. 

• The good news: $5/month is an enormous value when you consider that many seasonal extracurricular activities often start at $100 for programs that last a few weeks.
• The bad news: When you have more than one youth in the program, it adds up.

If this creates a hardship for your family, please quietly pull me (Ray) aside, call me, or send me an e-mail about it. We will find ways to help, because the benefits of this program are far too big to allow cost to deny those to our youth.  We'll figure it out - it'll be fine.

Of course, in the midst of all this, we'll be scheduling our Investment in Character presentation soon. None of that money goes to the BSA National Council: it all stays in the DAC to take care of our camps, the HQ building, the Scout Shop, and to provide camperships to DAC camps.

Heads up: We should be done with the troop's 2020 calendar pretty soon, and then we can finish up the 2020 troop budget.  As of the moment of this writing, we don't have any huge increases coming in fundraising requirements, dues, or camping costs, but the committee will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 7pm, and this will be a topic of discussion. If you have some input to contribute, come join us in the Gold Door Room.

YIS,
​Ray

New meeting info/calendar is in progress. Stay tuned.

Hi All!

The annual popcorn sale is underway, and we're off to a really good start. This is the primary funding mechanism for the troop, and you're probably wondering where the money goes. Generally you can learn the details at the committee meeting, but we mainly use it to cover:

• Rechartering
• Court of Honor expenses
• Holding reservations at camps
• Camperships/Scholarships/Committee contributions to camp fees
• Costs associated with activities not covered by whatever you pay

The camperships/scholarships are really important.  We want all of our youth to have a really good Scouting experience, and we don't want money to stand in the way. When we all chip in and sell popcorn, it helps *everyone* to have more fun.

Remember, the top-seller will have their summer camp paid and can smoosh a pie in Bear's face! 2nd-highest seller gets to smoosh pie in Ray's face. Everyone who meets the $300 sales minimum gets their recharter paid by the troop. Finally, this sale helps you to earn money to put towards your Scouting expenses.

You can only lose if you don't participate!

(Augmented/corrected on July 23, 2019)

At a camp out, I was asked to guesstimate wind speed.  I admitted that I had no idea, but took a crack at it, and I was probably wrong.  I remembered this handy scale, and thought I'd find it and post it here.  It won't be on the test.

Troop 324 Committee Meeting Minutes

14 April 2019

Attendees: Ray, Mike, Eric, Juli, Sam, Tasha, JT, Bear

1900: Come to order/review minutes.  Move Juli Eric 2nd: Unanimous.

1905: AOB adds?

1910: SPL Report – Sam

-Had TLC last week. Last Monday: Scout Show prep/advancements for younger Scouts  Last night: 4/15 Swim night. 19-20 Campout Ft Lupton.  4/22 Flag Etiquette and games. 4/26: Scout Show setup 1730-2000, 0830-1600 4/27 Scout Show.  4/29 & 5/6: Personal Fitness MB.  5/4: Whole WPC cleanup.  5/13: Another TLC, then Range Safety. 5/17-19 Shooting Sports campout.  Need Scout Show signups and materials.

NYLT: Sam was planning to go this year. 1st week. Sign up, Sam!  Get Scholarships from District/Council, Sam will see if another Scout wants to do it. 6/9-15.  It’s during HA week. $250.

1920: Camping Report – Mark.  Going camping Friday/Saturday.

1930: OA Rep report – Mark No Mark

1940: Advancement Report – Chuck (via text): RAs: 1 Eagle + 4 palms; 2 Scouts completed their blue swimmer requirements last night, and 4 Scouts completed 3 water rescue requirements each.

1950: Treasurer's Report – Mike

2000: Scoutmaster's Report – Brian

Westminster City Cleanup Day 5/11; Pastor David has a friend who has a bike shop willing to do bike fixup day. Need signups for Scout Show. 5 boys for this weekend.  Shooting Sports at Huttenhow’s: Jay has approved. Bear will work with Bart to help work on patrol boxes.  Bear is retiring his truck – he picked up a 1-ton Dodge diesel.

2010: Skipper's Report – JT

Aquatics Day was great. 8 lifesavers, 22 swimmers, 17 aquanauts, 3 tigers, a few wolves, then 12 snorkelers. No wash outs. One adult failed a swim check (medical). 1 puker. 1 kid fell and knocked a tooth out/chipped one. Trying to find a date for next year. 5 PADI Scholarships avail. Confined water skills on Saturday morning. Everyone has e-learning, so they should be able to skip classroom. 6/8 open water. Ark at Scout Show. Sea Badge is same weekend. 5/25: Ark shakeout. June HA. July Hope It Floats Pt. I  Aug. Pt. II with Troop, Sept. Pt. III.

Dec. pheasant hunt.  CU Boulder may be a good joint venture with their Eagle Scout fraternity.

2020: Training Reports – Ray (see below)

2020: Recruiting – Scout Show

2030: Fundraising: $50 in from Camp cards the week before last.

2040: Summer Camp –Mark’s question: should we sign up and reserve spots? YES 7 Scouts/4 Adults. 7/7-13.

2050: AOB - Need Key 3 meeting for all units.

JT: In September we’re doing Northglenn Pirate Days. We’ve been offered a fundraising opportunity.  We’re meeting with them on a booth/canopy and wholesale pricing for t-shirts, hats, etc.  DAC Camporee weekend.

2100: Adjourn Moved JT; 2nd Tasha  Unanimous.