Simsbury Troop 175

More Scout Photos

As part of the Photography Merit Badge, Scouts from Simsbury Troop 175 have been submitting photo projects to complete their requirements for the badge.

Here are some additional Scout presentations for your enjoyment.

Baking Cinnamon Swirl Bread - Stephen Banulski uses photos to provide step by step instructions on making this delicious treat.
Download Cinnamon_Swirl_Bread

The Shooting - Nick Zonenberg recreates a western shoot out.
Download The Shooting

Pine Cone Fire Starters - How to start a camp fire photo essay by John Cahill.
Download Pine Cone Fire Starters

Old Orchard Beach - Steve Bushey shares photos from a favorite vacation spot.
Download Old Orchard Beach

Winter Wonderland - Photos of nature after a snow by Matt Zikovick.
Download Winter Wonderland

White Memorial Conservation Center Trip

Our February trip will be at the White Memorial Conservation Center in Litchfield, CT February 7 & 8^th. White Memorial has more than 35 miles of trails through varied terrains, and scouts will have the opportunity to snowshoe or cross country ski. We’ll also lead a group down to Bantam Lake for some ice fishing. This trip is open to all scouts.<

If you plan to Ice Fish and would like to purchase a tip-up rig for $20 fully operational please contact Mr. Bushey ASAP.

Earnest is Better Than Hip

"I'll take an earnest person over a hip person every time, because hip is short-term. Earnest is long-term.

Earnestness is highly underestimated. It comes from the core, while hip is trying to impress you with the surface.

But there's no such thing as a timeless parody, is there? I have more respect for the earnest guy who does something that can last for generations, and that hip people feel the need to parody.

When I think of someone who is earnest, I think of a Boy Scout who works hard and becomes an Eagle Scout. When I was interviewing people to work for me, and I came upon a candidate who had been an Eagle Scout, I’d almost always try to hire him.  I knew there had to be an earnestness about him that outweighed any superficial urges toward hipness.

Becoming an Eagle Scout is just about the only thing you can put on your resume at age fifty that you did at age fourteen – and it still impresses.

Taken from Randy Pausch’s book, “The Last Lecture”, chapter 29. 

Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch, who was dying of pancreatic cancer, gave his now famous last lecture at the university, Sept. 18, 2007, before a packed Auditorium. In his moving talk, "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams," Pausch talked about his lessons learned and gave advice to students on how to achieve their own career and personal goals.  To view the lecture, visit www.thelastlecture.com

Pausch, a professor of computer science, human computer interaction and design,  co-founded Carnegie Mellon’s Entertainment Technology Center and was the creator of the Alice interactive computing program, which is being used by students worldwide.

 

Scoutmasters Have a Heart

Recently Troop 175 Scoutmaster Brad Mead and six of the assistant scoutmasters successfully renewed their CPR training in a private class held at St. Mary's School. This training is part of an ongoing effort to provide the safest possible environment for our troop's scouting activities.

Scout Ski Weekend

If you are going on the ski trip this weekend, don't forget that if you want to use the terrain park at Stratton, you must watch the safety video on-line and fill out the permission slip before the trip.  The link is:

http://ses.stratton.com/

Entrepreneurship Troop Merit Badge

Troop 175 will be offering all interested scouts the ability to earn the Entrepreneurship merit badge. We will meet prior to our regular troop meetings.

Our goal for this group is also to explore the possibility to create an ongoing scout-run business that can raise funds for the scouts and their scout accounts.

The first meeting will be on Thursday, January 22nd at 6:00 pm in St. Mary's Church Basement.

All scouts who would like to participate need to review the Entrepreneurship badge requirements and come to the first meeting with a list of possible products or services that could be run by the scouts.

Keegan Competes in Snowboard Competition

Keegan Rice, a Star scout and patrol leader in Troop 175,  competed in two snowboard competition at Ski Sundown. The Burton Mini Main Event, a under 13 competition, Keegan placed second overall.

Keegan also was the youngest competitor in the Burton Main Event Competition which featured professional snowboarder from all over the east coast.

Click here to see Keegan's jumps over a 40 foot gap on YouTube.

Knot Your Average Uniform Badge

Ever wonder what all those knots mean that some scouts and scoutmasters have on their uniform?

Click on the knot to visit the US Scouting Service Website to see each knot and their meaning.

Leaders Trip - Lewis and Clark Style

Simsbury Boy Scout Troop 175 held one of its two Junior Leader Training Trips the first week of January in Barkhamsted. They hiked about 25 minutes into the wood to the Roaring Brook Campsite. This is a spectacular location right next to the Roaring Brook which as results of all the rain and snow is really roaring. 

The scouts spent most of the day building a Long House Winter Camp in the tradition of Lewis and Clark's Expedition -  a long House sufficient to house all members of the Leader Group - about 25 Scouts. Inside  were two stone fireplaces with chimney's as either end of the Long House. The Temperature outside was 10 degrees and inside a cozy 50 degrees. We used these fireplaces to keep warm and cook. The plan was to keep the fires burning all night, but someone decided not to wake the 3:00 am shift and the fires went out.

After dark,  the scouts and adult leaders entered the long house to cook dinner and hang out for the evening with readings from the Lewis and Clark journals. The Next morning they cooked breakfast and then took apart the Long House and fireplaces and "leave no trace".

Click here to see photos from the event.

Troop 175 Scout Receives Grant From Northeast Utilities

 Lee Adamowicz, Troop 175's Senior Patrol Leader was recently presented with a check for $385 as part of the Northeast Utilities Environmental Project Grant Program. This Program funds local community and grassroots environmental projects that are often overlooked by large grant programs.

Lee's eagle scout project included the building and installation of birdhouses, a picnic table, and benches on the American School for the Deaf’s island campground in Salisbury, CT. The scouts working under Lee's direction also performed trail maintenance and remarking on the property.

Congratulations to Lee and thank you to Northeastern Utilities for their support of the community.




 

The Eagle Scout Award

Troop 175 has a number of scouts working towards their Eagle Scout Award. It's not easy, otherwise everyone would attain it.  It's meant to challenge the scout to work hard, provide leadership and not give up even when things don't go your way.

Here is what the CT Rivers Council newsletter has to say about the eagle award.

It’s Scouting’s highest rank and among its most familiar icons. Men who have earned it count it among their most treasured possessions. Those who missed it by a whisker remember exactly which requirement they didn’t complete. Americans from all walks of life know that being an Eagle Scout is a great honor, even if they don’t know just what the badge means.

The award is more than a badge. It’s a state of being. You are an Eagle Scout—never were. You may have received the badge as a boy, but you earn it every day as a man. In the words of the Eagle Scout Promise, you do your best each day to make your training and example, your rank and your influence count strongly for better Scouting and for better citizenship in your troop, in your community, and in your contacts with other people. And to this you pledge your sacred honor.

Good luck to all of our scouts who are earning the right to be called an Eagle Scout.

Simsbury Land Trust Photo Contest Deadline Feb 1st

Join the Simsbury Land Trust Annual Photography Contest!

Grab your camera and take a hike! Join over 50 other Simsbury Land Trust members and students and submit an entry (or three) to our annual photography contest. Last year over 75 entries were submitted by Simsbury Land Trust members. The rules are simple, and there is no entry fee. All photos must be taken on an SLT property or at an Simsbury Land Trust sponsored event. The contest is open to all members of the Simsbury Land Trust (students do not need to be members.) Many of the photographs may be used in the annual report, membership and other brochures, and the website. If you would like any additional information, please contact the office at 651-8773.

Photography Contest Guidelines

• Open to all members of the Simsbury Land Trust. (students need not be members)
• Enter up to 3 pieces in the following categories:
  1. Close-up
  2. Landscape
  3. Computer enhanced photography
  4. People in Nature – SLT Activities and Events
  5. Student photographers – can be in any of above formats, digital or traditional photography (students are exempt from the membership requirement)
• Work must be in the form of prints 8 x 10 or 5 x 7, b/w or color. Entries will not be returned. All work must be clearly marked with your name, address and phone number, along with the category and location of photo. If you have your photos on disc, a copy on disk as well as printed form would be appreciated.
• All photographs must be taken on Simsbury Land Trust Properties – see our website's Properties & Maps section for a map of properties.
• All winning photographs may be used for promotional purposes by the Simsbury Land Trust. Photographers retain rights to the photograph.
• Winners will be announced at the Simsbury Land Trust Annual Membership Dinner in early spring.

Please submit your entries to:

Simsbury Land Trust
P.O. Box 634
Simsbury, CT 06070

Deadline: February 1, 2009!

Originally posted November 23, 2008

Happy New Year

 

The Scoutmasters of Troop 175 wish a very happy new year to all of the scouts of the troop and their families.

Here's to an exciting 2009!