Simsbury Troop 175

Scouting’s Journey to Excellence to Replace Centennial Quality Recognition Program

Scouting’s Journey to Excellence is the new BSA performance recognition program for Councils, Districts, and Units.  This program replaces the Centennial Quality Recognition program.  The BSA Journey to Excellence program uses a balanced approach and key performance indicators to measure performance versus process, encourage and reward success, and achieve the mission. To view the requirements for the unit award, click on the link below.

Journey to Excellence Criteria for Troops

Asian Longhorned Beetles Coming to a Tree Near You?

The state of Connecticut is bracing itself against the possibility of an infestation of the Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB), an invasive insect that has destroyed several thousand hardwood trees in the northeast. Moving firewood is the main way the destructive insect travels.

The beetle, a serious pest in China, Korea and Japan, probably arrived in the United States in wooden packing materials such as crates and pallets.  Once discarded, the bugs move to a new host tree. The ALB does not attack conifers, but the maple, elm, willow, birch, horse chestnut poplar, ash and hackberry are all at risk.  The insect presents no danger to humans or pets.

What to look for?

• The bugs are an inch to an inch-and-a-half long, with white spots on black bodies. 
• They have black and white striped antennae that are longer than their bodies. 
• Adults are most active in summer through early fall.  They'll tunnel into their host trees after the first frost.
• Dime-sized exit holes in tree trunks
• Browning leaves at the crown of a tree

As a scout, we spend a lot of time in the woods. If you think you might have found an Asian longhorned beetle or signs of an infestation send a digital photo to the Connnecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (www.ct.gov/CAES).

Coming Sooner Than You Think, The 2013 National Scout Jamboree

The national Scout jamboree is the BSA’s iconic event, and one of the most exciting and fulfilling experiences a Scout can have. It represents a culmination of the skills and values of Scouting: appreciation for the outdoors, physical fitness, environmental conservation, and understanding of our national heritage. The jamboree provides a national gathering space for Scouts to explore a variety of adventure activities, commune with youth from across the country who share their same values, strengthen their understanding and commitment to protecting natural resources, and deepen their commitment to Scouting’s ideals. The jamboree generally occurs every four years, and lasts for 10 days.

The 2013 National Scout Jamboree will be held at The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve, the Boy Scouts of America’s new 10,000 acre property in West Virginia. the dates have been announced - July 15 to 24, 2013.  Stayed tuned for further information.

 

Troop 76 Holding Wreath Sale

Simsbury Boy Scout Troop 76 is holding their annual wreath sale. It is their only fundraiser which meets the year round needs of the troop.  The wreaths are great quality, fresh cut and made locally.  They will be delivered the 1st week of December. 

This is a great way to support scouting in Simsbury.

The sales can go through any Troop 76 scout or contact Josh Rodin at 860-658-2090

Download Christmas Wreaths Descriptions

I Blame the Boy Scouts

According to the Official BSA Blog Cracker Barrel, National Geographic Traveler contributing editor Boyd Matson has traveled the world to exotic locations, getting paid to write about his adventures to Nicaragua, Rome, Antarctica, and Bhutan—to name a few.

And who does he blame for his unquenchable thirst for adventure? The Boy Scouts.

In the latest edition of his monthly Traveler column, "I Blame the Boy Scouts," Matson explains the source of his passion for the outdoors. 

The Boy Scouts, he writes, "stole my soul when I was a kid and planted it in the wilderness. I was too young to resist their clever sales pitch built around hiking and camping trips. And their system of rewarding accomplishments with higher ranks and colorful merit badges meant, in effect, there was always one more goal to reach, one more mountain to climb."

Matson, an Eagle Scout, bases his latest column on his recent climb up Africa's Mount Kilimanjaro with his son. In recounting this adventure, he remembers another from 50 years ago when he, as a Boy Scout, climbed his first mountain: Signal Peak near Big Spring, Tex.

"Growing up 80 miles away in Midland, we were surrounded by a flat, featureless landscape. Seeing this monolith looming on the horizon 2,667 feet above sea level proved an irresistible temptation to us 12-, 13-, and 14-year-old boys out for a weekend of adventure and exploration," he writes.

He later explains how Scouting is a place for young men and women to experience some adversity, saying the outdoors "was our classroom for life lessons about facing challenges and learning that the best rewards sometimes require a little pain and suffering."

That's especially true in the digital age, Matson writes. 

"Kids spending their lives in front of computer screens may be missing those lessons," he writes. "Does a virtual world prepare them to handle adversity that has real life consequences?"

Check out the full column at the link above or in the November-December 2010 issue of Traveler.

Movember Global Men's Health Initiative

Movember is a global men's health initiative to raise awareness and funds for men’s health, specifically for cancer affecting men.

Men who grow moustaches for the month of Movember become walking, talking billboards for the cause, raising awareness by prompting private and public conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health. Funds are raised by getting friends and family to donate to their mustache growing efforts. Last year, 255,722 men and women across the globe raised $40 million (USD) - all through the power of the Mo.

The money raised as a result of Movember is channeled by our beneficiary partners into a number of world class and innovative research, support, education, and awareness initiatives. Movember funds raised in the US benefit the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG.

To register or learn more, go to http://us.movemberfoundation.com.

To support our Troop's Kevin Weathers' efforts, please go to http://us.movember.com/mospace/1133396/ or you can write a check payable to Movember, referencing his name or Registration Number 1133396 and mailing it to: Movember, PO Box 2726, Venice, CA 90294-2726

 

Breaking Dawn Mission Profile

Every year Scout Troop 175 takes its boy leaders and challenges them with an 18 hour exercise that tests their skills and ability to think strategically. Known as a “Mission Profile”, scouts are broken into teams of four and given a scenario which includes a series of challenges that earn currency needed to win the game. This year’s profile was named "Breaking Dawn" and the goal was to find out who held a yellow golf ball.

Many of the teams were led by members of the Troop Immortals, a group of high adventure advanced scouts.  This activity was a tryout for those who would like to become members of the Immortals team. 

32 scouts, representing the leadership of the troop, gathered on a Friday night at the Horace Moses Scout Reservation in Russell Mass. At 7 Pm they were split into predetermined 8 teams of 4 Scouts each and handed their Mission Profile Books which described their tasks for the next day.

The first activity, or “revolution” began at 7 am the next morning when they set off in the dark on a five mile orienteering course using compasses and maps. At the same time, teams had to decide how and where to build a log bridge over the narrow river running through the camp and build a large tower that could hold two scouts on a rope suspended inside the tower for 30 seconds at least 4 feet off the ground.

Each project was a race and winners were awarded "Money", Hershey bars, eggs and clues to the identity of the adult who held the yellow golf ball needed to win the game.

During the day, other challenges had the Scouts immerse a volunteer member in the 40 degree river fully for ten seconds after building a damn and digging an immersion pool, rescue a scout in the woods at night and bring him back in stretcher, use a treasure map to find their food for the day and then improvise all their cooking equipment from the woods around them. During the day they also had to set up secret camps in the 1600 acre reservation and try and find the other team camps.

The activity was non-stop from 7am until 9pm with teams accumulating items they would need to learn the identity of the holder of the yellow golf ball. Many of the clues and instructions were won by doing well in the various competitions but these clues were coded into a cipher that the scouts had to break using their math and logic skills.

All information and items were able to be traded among the teams so their negotiation skills became very important in accumulating the right set of equipment or getting information necessary to win the game.

At 9pm, the last activity or “Final Battle” took place in the dark. An epic game of capture the flag challenged scouts to find the secret campsites of the other teams and run off with a color coded glow stick that served as a flag. At the same time, scouts each had a color coded piece of tape on their arm that, if removed by another team’s player, required them to report to the adult’s campfire and earn the right to rejoin the game by singing a song, telling a joke or cutting some firewood. The team that brought in another team’s flag and 10 “scalps” or tape taken from another team’s player, earned the final final information needed to break the code.

At 11 :15 PM the Blue Team led by Immortal Chief Keegan Rice with Hunter Boyko, Justin Farrell and Matt Zikovich entered the Base Camp area and presented their solution to the judges and won the game. Right behind them placing second was the Yellow Team led by Immortal Eric Barch and his team of John Cahill, Ethan Meskill and Tristan Chambers. Within five minutes, the Red team came in third led by Immortal Jon Epstein with Zack Zikovich, Jason Child and Andrew Gutierrez.

       "These types of complex games test the boys not only on their Scouting knowledge but also on their ability to bring their teams through a series of successes and setbacks and keep driving towards the goal" said Scoutmaster Brad Mead. "By 2pm they have had a long exhausting day and there is still another nine hours to go. Half the Mission takes place in the dark. The scouts have to improvise everything on the spot and under the relentless pressure of time and not letting the other teams beat them. Overlaying all of it is the ability to form alliances with other teams, buy and sell information or disinformation, tools,food and develop a strategy that gets their team to  the goal before the other guys. It’s a "thinking man’s" game and a thousand different ways to win- or lose."

The adults cooked up a midnight buffet for the very hungry and tired teams and the next morning over breakfast a complete recap of strategies, hits and misses , was discussed with the adult leaders before heading home.

 

 

To see photos taken at the event, please visit our Troop Online Photo Library.

Click here to download the BREAKING DAWN Mission Profile

Troop 175 Citrus Sale

Troop 175 is undertaking it's first fund raising sale of Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit and Navel Oranges this holiday season. Those wishing to help the scouts in Troop 175 can purchase a box a delicious citrus fruit to enjoy and share with friends and family.

•20lb boxes for $25 (32 – 36 oranges, 18 – 24 grapefruit)
•20lb boxes mixed for $25 (16 – 18 oranges and 9 – 12 grapefruit
•40lb boxes for $45 (64 – 72 oranges, 36 – 48 grapefruit)

All orders in to the Troop by the deadline of Thursday 30th November will receive their fruit from their scout on or about December 15th. Payment by check at time of order, made payable to “BSA Troop 175”

All profits from the sale go to the scouts to defray trip and equipment costs.

To order, see a scout from Troop 175 before November 30th!

Troop 175's Newest Eagle Scout

Congratulations to Rob B. who recently passed his Eagle rank scoutmasters conference and is a Board of Review away from attaining the presidious Eagle rank.

What do you need to STOP doing in order to become more successful?

Here is an article from Fast Thinking Magazine that illustrates one of the concepts Troop 175's leaders group learns on our Junior Leaders Training Trips - that being prepared for the unexpected and thinking out of the box go hand in hand. Thanks to scout patent Lori Boyko for suggesting the article.

 

In 1949, 13 (out of a highly skilled team of16 men) died battling a relatively small blaze that turned deadly in Mann Gulch, Montana. Upon investigating the circumstances of why 13 of the 'smoke jumpers' died while only three lived, Norman Maclean wrote a book entitled 'Young Men and Fire', which is the true story account of that fateful expedition of the 'smoke jumpers' - fire fighters who parachute into the back country to fight fires.

Maclean found some startling and interesting facts. Mann Gulch is surrounded by steep canyon walls with the northern slope at a 75% incline. When the wind turned suddenly on the smoke jumpers, they were in a race with the fire up those steep walls. Unexpectedly, the fire started to spread much faster than anticipated.

According to Rhondalynn Korolak, who writes a blog for the Women's Network Australia and Fast Thinking, one of Maclean's most notable discoveries was that the 13 who died had carried their tools - heavy poleaxes, saws, shovels and heavy back packs - while attempting to out run the fire up those steep walls.

"In other words, the 13 had run as far as they could with all their equipment, even though that equipment was worse than useless in a race with the fire," she says. "Their inability to drop their heavy tools and packs ultimately prevented them from being able to outrun the fire. To these seasoned fire fighters, their tools were more than simple objects - they represented who they were, why they were there and what they were trained to do. Dropping their tools would have meant abandoning their knowledge, beliefs, training and experience.

"This might not seem like a hard choice to make to you, but because these specialised fire fighters hadn't been trained for such an unpredictable moment, they had no alternative models or maps for behaviour. In moments of uncertainty and imminent danger, clinging to the old 'right' way might seem like a good idea, but more often than not, it is actually deadly," she continues.

The three survivors of the blaze were forced to think outside the box and develop alternative methods of escaping the fire. Once they figured out they were no longer 'fighting the fire' but were instead 'trying to escape from it', they realised they had to drop all of their useless equipment.

What are the poleaxes, shovels and backpacks you're currently running with? she asks. What are the tired, worn out strategies and tools which you are lugging around? What existing beliefs and models of behaviour do you need to drop in order for you to survive and prosper? What training, attitudes, decisions or experience needs to be abandoned in favour of a new, innovative approach?

Survivors and successful people triumph because they are flexible and willing to do whatever it takes to get the results they desire. New or changing circumstances always necessitate a new perspective or approach. The alternative, 'doing the same thing over and over again' is the definition of insanity and can only lead to suffering, disappointment and pain.