The Newsletter of Troop 9 Chapel Hill, NC April, 1995
ATTENTION PARENTS!
At its next meeting, which will be on Thursday 27 April rather than the
usual third Thursday, the troop committee will begin a two-part review
of the program and calendar for 94-95 and for 95-96. The boys have suggested
adding a ski trip, a caving trip, a white water rafting trip, and a beach
trip. If you have suggestions or questions please share those with us as
we plan for the fall and next year. If you have questions or comments on
other aspects of troop operation, please talk to a committee member or
a member of the adult troop staff; better yet, come to the meeting.
RECENT HIKING ADVENTURES
The Stone Mountain, Uwharrie, Linville Gorge, and patrol trips have been
well attended and enjoyable. Most recently, the trip to Cliffs of the Neuse
State Park was an easy weekend that provided a chance to play a wide ranging
game of capture the if-you-can-find-it flag, walk trails in a unique boundary
zone between piedmont and coastal environments, see Trailing Arbutus blooming
beside Sparkle Berry, hear the i ubiquitous Barred Owl, and wake to the
rising honks of migratory geese.
APRIL HIKING AND CAMPING!
The April 20-23 trip to the Joyce Kilmer Wilderness Area is coming up.
This is the premier trip for the troop this year: a physically challenging
trip, yet within the range of all the scouts. This exquisite wilderness
area provides incomparable views, a wonderful grassy bald, and a cross
section of North Carolina that changes from hardwood to hemlock to fir
in as little as a hundred yards. A grove of mature tulip trees that command
the landscape is an excellent climax to a memorable outing.
SUMMER CAMP JUNE 25 JULY 1
is almost upon us. The fee for this year is not confirmed but is believed
to be a hundred dollars, the same as last year. The boys will need their
physical forms updated for Personal Health and Medical History (Parents'
part). The Medical Evaluation portion of the form (physician's part) is
good for thirty-six months. Parents are encouraged to spend as much of
the week with us as their schedule allows. Please let the Scoutmaster know
if you are planning to attend.
NOTICE
The May Camporee date has been changed by the Orange District. The new
date is 12-14 May.
MERIT BADGE WORK
The boys are working on the Communications merit badge during part of each
weekly meeting through April. There are homework assignments for most weeks
that need to be completed in preparation for the following week's class.
TRIP STATUS AND CONTACT INFORMATION
Trip status and contact information is available by telephone at 933-1969.
Three functions are available: Contact the troop during a trip in an emergency,
leave a message for a troop member during a trip, find troop status during
a trip.
To contact the troop during a trip, dial 933-1969; select option 3, EMERGENCY
MESSAGE. Mark the message as URGENT with a "one" and leave a message as
prompted. The message will be recorded for playback, and a radio page will
be issued. The page can be received in most of North Carolina. We will
immediately go to the nearest phone, retrieve the message, and call the
person who left the message. Since this will involve taking the whole troop
off schedule and may involve many hours of unplanned hiking, please use
this function with discretion.
To leave a message for a member of the troop during a trip for pick-up
after the trip before starting for home, dial 933-1969; select option 4,
AFTER-THE-TRIP MESSAGE. Leave a message as directed. These messages will
be picked up after the trip before the troop starts home, or at least as
soon as telephone contact can be made. Because cars may already have separated,
it may not be possible to deliver a message to an individual.
To find current trip status, dial 933-1969; select option 4, TRIP STATUS.
This message will be in one of three forms: a.) the next troop 9 trip is
scheduled to such and so place; b.) Troop 9 is camping at such and so place
and expects to start home at such and so date and time; or 3.) Troop 9
has started for home and expects to arrive at such and so time.
