Metalwork Merit Badge

This Saturday, after Scouting for Food door hanger distribution, we will start our Metalwork merit badge.  Mr. Andrew Chapman, who will lead this merit badge, has made several requests that will make your experience safe and more enjoyable.

In order to participate, you will need to obtain and bring these safety gear items:

1. Safety glasses or goggles (we may have enough pairs in the scout closet- please check on Tuesday night)

2. Leather gloves

3. Ear protection...ear plugs or head phones (I have access to enough ear plugs for everyone)

4. Long pants

5. Leather boots... No sandals or sneakers... Hiking boots are OK

6. Apron is optional... Leather or heavy canvas...no light weight fabric

7. No synthetic fleece or fibers, such as Under Armor shirts...these fabrics can melt.


The best place to find these items for the best price will be Harbor Freight or Northern Tool.  For an example, Harbor Freight sells a leather apron for $10 and leather gloves for less than $5.  We will need to help him with the cost of materials (ie., the metal we will use).  I'll let you know about that soon.

 If you have any questions, please feels free to let me know.

Scouting for Food

On Saturday, November 16th and 23rd, as part of the Lakeland District's effort, we will be assisting the Cooperative Christian Ministry in collecting food for the less fortunate in the Hickory area.  Let's all participate in order to help out those who need a helping hand this holiday season.  On Nov. 16th, we will meet at the church at 8:30am to distribute door hangers throughout the Oakwood and Hillcrest neighborhoods.  On the following Saturday, Nov. 23rd, we will collect food items in the same area. Traditionally, Troop 231 and Pack 231 collect some of the largest amounts of food in the district.  We need everyone's participation for this worthwhile event.

In addition, we will begin Metalwork merit badge on these days.  Andrew Chapman, a local artist, has agreed to lead our troop in designing and making a special metalwork piece in time for the holiday season.  We are very fortunate to have someone of his ability volunteer his time and talents to the troop for this unique merit badge.  Details will be forthcoming at Tuesday night's meeting, but plan on assisting at Scouting for Food and then heading to Andrew's studio (Red Anvil Studios) for the merit badge class.  We have planned to spend both Saturdays after Scouting for Food working in his studio.

Thanks and have a great weekend!

Red Anvil Studios

Pamlico Sea Base Pics

Fishing at Dusk

Launching

Pirate Patrol

Early morning paddle

Open Water 

Trolling Motor

Happy Faces!

Diving Dog!

What do you mean I can't wear my boots!?

What a Fantastic Trip!

Pamlico Sea Base

On Friday, November 1st, we will be headed to Pamlico Sea Base, a high adventure base near Washington, NC, for a 2-night outing. This will be an awesome opportunity for the scouts.  Scouts will be paddling in the Pamlico Sound and have the opportunity to earn either Canoeing or Kayaking merit badge.  Our first night will be at the Sea Base on the property of East Carolina Council's Camp Bonner.  We will arrive set up camp and prepare dinner, while having time to explore Sea Base and receive instruction from the program leaders about our excursion for the weekend.  Saturday morning we will break camp and prepare for the paddling trek.  We will spent the night at Goose Creek State Park on the Pamlico Sound.  We will return to Sea Base Sunday morning and arrive back in Hickory on Sunday afternoon.

What:  Pamlico Sea Base, a high adventure camp.  It offers sea-kayaking treks around the Outer Banks.  It's located on the Pamlico River as part of East Carolina Council's 600+ acre scout camp.

When: Friday, Nov. 1 to Sunday, Nov. 3.  We will leave the church at 9:30 am Friday.  We will return Sunday afternoon/evening.  Scouts will be able to call for a ride as we approach Hickory.

Gear/ Equipment: Sea Base will take care of most of our equipment.  Each scout will need to bring their own personal gear and mess kit.  This list  includes:  sleeping bag, clothing (remember to layer), toiletries, camp stove (if you have one), mess kit, sunglasses, rain jacket, sun protection, bug spray, a hat, and towel.  Please wear your Class A uniform for travel on Friday and Sunday.  Everyone should plan to bring a swimsuit or quick-drying pants for certain requirements for your merit badge.  I would not recommend you wearing blue jeans to paddle in, in case you get wet-- they dry very slowly and could cause you to become cold very quickly.

The Sea Base will be providing tents, paddling and safety equipment, and dry bags to carry our gear in the boats.

Food/ Meals:  We will be cooking our own meals.  Please eat a good breakfast Friday morning.  We will stop for lunch on the way to Sea Base.  We will be responsible for dinner Friday night,  3 meals Saturday, and breakfast Sunday.  We will also stop for lunch on our return to Hickory.  Meals will be planned at the troop meeting Tuesday night, but plan on food costs of about $25, plus money for fast food stops en-route.

Cost: The Sea Base weekend program will be $45 per person, plus $25 for meals at Sea Base.  Additional money for fast food lunches to and from Sea Base will be needed, as well.


This is a terrific outing for the scouts.  I hope that everyone who can attend will plan on attending.  This should be a fun and unforgettable trip for everyone.

Call or email me if you have any questions.  Thanks, and I'll see you Tuesday.

New River State Park Canoeing

On Saturday, Oct. 19, we will be traveling to the New River State Park near Jefferson, NC, for a canoeing and camp out.  We have also invited the Webelos from Pack 231 to join us on this trip.  Our plan is to travel to Zaloos Canoes on the New River, where we will be outfitted with the gear for a 5-mile canoe trip down the New River, one of the oldest rivers in the world and one of the few rivers in the northern hemisphere that flows north.  Our campsite, which is in the Wagoner Access portion of the New River State Park, is directly off of the river.  This will be the point where we will end our canoe trip.  The forecast for Saturday will be partly cloudy with a high of 57/ low 41.  The chance of rain is 30%.  Please keep the temperatures and possibly of rain in mind as you prepare for the trip, making sure to dress in layers with a rain jacket.

Where: New River State Park, Wagoner Access, located off Hwy. 16 near Jefferson, NC.  Our river outfitter is Zaloos Canoes on Hwy. 16.

When: Saturday, Oct. 19- Sunday, Oct. 20th.  We will meet at the church at 9:00am.  It will be a 1 1/2 hour trip to Zaloos Canoes on the New River.  Several scouts are expected in Hickory for a school orchestra concert on Sunday afternoon, so we plan to be up, have breakfast, and return to Hickory by 12:30.

Equipment:  We will be car camping.  Troop tents, sleeping bags/pads, mess kit, water bottle.  Prepare for cooler weather for this trip.  Should something unfortunate happen, like falling in the river-- intentional or not, please make sure you have extra dry clothes available back at the campground.  We will be patrol cooking for the entire group. We'll have a fire ring in our campsite and we'll bring firewood.  There are restrooms and water is available in the campground.

Meals:  Please eat breakfast at home and pack a bag lunch.  We will eat our lunch either prior to or on the river. We will be cooking as a patrol Saturday night and breakfast Sunday morning.  Please bring a water bottle for the river and you may bring your mess kit.  We will have paper plates and utensils available for dinner and breakfast.

Cost: Canoeing will be $18 per person.  Please also include $8, which will cover the cost for camping and food.  Total cost $26.

I look forward to seeing everyone on Saturday!

Troop Election Results

Congratulations to the elected troop officers.  Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops (ILST) training will be required to hold the following positions:  Senior Patrol Leader, Asst. Senior Patrol Leader, and Patrol Leader.  The date and time for ILST will be announced soon.

Senior PL- Carson H.
Asst. Senior PL- Will P.
Chaplain Aide- Patrick R.
Quartermaster- Charlie C.
Scribe- Allen P.

Snipe Patrol
PL- Harper H.
APL- Peter W.

Chupacabra Patrol
PL- Bradley L.
APL- Baylor P.

War Eagle Patrol
PL- Patrick R.
APL- Allen P.

Court of Honor Tuesday, August 27

We will be holding our next Court of Honor on Tuesday, August 27th at 7pm.  This has been a busy summer and we have many awards and ranks to present and celebrate.  Please plan to attend!

Max Patch/ Whitewater Rafting Trip- August 24-25

This weekend, we will be visiting the Max Patch area of the Cherokee National Forest.  The famed Max Patch is a 230 acre bald mountain, which was once part of a working farm.  The mountain was once cleared of trees for pastureland, and now is covered by tall grasses and wildflowers.  The Appalachian Trail crosses the summit, with views of Mt. Sterling and Mt. Cammerer in the Smokies, and Mt. Mitchell in the Black Mountains to the east.  We will hike to the summit and spend some time enjoying the views, before hiking down from the summit and follow the Appalachian Trail for several miles to Lemon Gap, where we will be picked up by our bus.  Along the way, we will see rhododendon "tunnels" and the Roaring Fork Shelter on the AT.  This will be a day-hike only, so you do not need to carry your backpack, only a small drawstring pack to carry your water.  Once we meet the bus, we will travel a few miles to Round Mountain Campground, a small US Forest Service campground in a quiet, woodsy area across the line in Tennessee.  The next morning, we will pack up and travel to Marshall, NC, where we will meet our whitewater guides at Blue Heron Rafting.  After receiving our instructions, we will board rafts and shoot the French Broad River, consisting of Class 2 and 3 rapids.  Lunch will be provided by the rafting company.  After our trip, we will change into dry clothes and return to Hickory.  We anticipate returning to Hickory around 5:30.  Scouts will call home for their rides as we approach Hickory.

What: Max Patch camping/ French Broad River Whitewater Rafting.

Where: Harmon Den/ Hot Springs, NC area.  We will be camping at Round Mountain USFS Campground.

Cost:  Rafting will be $52 for the trip and lunch.  Camping fees are $3 per person.  Food costs for Saturday dinner and Sunday breakfast will be determined and announced before the trip.

Equipment: Troop tents, sleeping bag/pad.  Mess kits, water bottle.  Drawstring pack or day pack for Max Patch hike.  A change of clothes and swimming suit with water shoes or shoes that you can get wet.  Please have a change of clothes available for after the rafting trip.  Rain jacket.

Meals:  Please eat breakfast Saturday morning and pack a sandwich lunch in a bag.  We will eat our bag lunch at Max Patch.  For dinner Saturday evening and breakfast Sunday morning, we will patrol cook.  The meals have already been planned and will be cooked by scouts who have signed up already.  Lunch Sunday will be provided by the rafting company.  We may stop for a snack at a convenience store on the ride home to Hickory.  Please bring money for this expense.  Food costs will be determined and divided equally among all participants.

When:  Meet at the church at 9am Saturday.  The troop will meet at the rafting company at 11am for a noon rafting trip.  The trip should last around 2 hrs, depending on the water flows in the river.  We'll leave the Marshall, NC area around 3-3:30 and arrive back in Hickory around 5:30pm Sunday.

Weather:  The forecast Saturday at Max Patch is for occasional clouds and a high of 70* with a low at night of 61*.  Sunday is mostly sunny, with a high of 82*.  Awesome!

Thanks and I look forward to seeing everyone on Saturday!

Max Patch Camping/ French Broad River Rafting

Our next camping trip will be on August 24-25, to Max Patch, and include a whitewater rafting trip down the French Broad River.  We will be camping at a US Forest Service Campground in the Hot Springs/ Max Patch area.  Cost for the Whitewater portion will be around $45 per person, depending of the number of participants that we have.  There will be a cost for camping fees and food.  We will patrol cook on this trip. Scouts, please invite a parent to come.

Please let me know by Tuesday, August 13, whether you will be able to attend, so that a reservations can be made.  Sorry, no last minute additions can be made on this trip.  Please email or call if you have any questions.  More details to come.

Troop Meeting

We will have our troop meeting tomorrow night, July 30th, at 7pm.  We will be discussing, among other things, the completion of merit badge requirements from camp, Family Life merit badge, certain rank advancements, and planning for our next outing.  Please be sure to be in attendance and I look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow night.

Harpers Creek Camping

When:  

Meet at First Presbyterian Church at 2pm Tomorrow

        We Will Return Around 1pm on Saturday (we will call as we get closer to town)

Where:

        Off the Blue Ridge Parkway between Hwy 181 and  Grandfather Mtn.

        It is called Gragg Prong

What:

        Have your son pack a sandwich and chips for dinner Friday night

        We will be making our dessert (details of who needs to bring what are below)

        We will provide granola bars, hot chocolate/apple cider, oatmeal for breakfast

        We will stop and get lunch on the way home

Cost:

        $15 per person covers breakfast and lunch on Saturday

Dessert on Friday Night:

        Peter bring 5-6 med. Granny Smith apples

        Robinson bring 20 oz Sprite

        Will bring ½ cup Brown Sugar

        Harper bring box of yellow cake mix

        Patrick bring 1 stick of butter

        Elijah 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

Weather:

        The weather looks very good.  Only 10-20% chance of rain with temps 52-75 degrees.

Details:

        We are going to end up with a very good turnout. 

        We will leave from the church and hopefully get up to our location around 4-5pm. 

        From there we will hike in about 1-2 miles and set up camp.  For new Scouts, don’t worry, we have tents.       

        There is a stream so you will be allowed to play in it and also fish if you bring a rod.

Packing Suggestions:

        (This is a list of suggestions but it may not include everything so don’t rely on it as your only source)

• Backpack
• Boots
• Several pairs of good socks that go above ankle (1-2 to hike in and out an 1-2 to end up getting wet)
• Short pants (scout pants are great)
• Gym shorts/bathing suit
• Ziploc bag to put we clothes in (not required just good to have)
• Shoes that can be worn in
• Underwear
• Long sleeve shirt
• May want long pants for cooler evening
• Light waterproof raincoat or shell
• Sleeping bag
• Canteen(s)
• Small flashlight
• Hat (optional)
• Mess kit/bowl with eating utensil
• Some like to bring bug repellent/sunscreen.  It is optional and someone else may have it if you don’t

Important:

        To go you must have a signed waiver form.  NO EXCEPTIONS.

        Other than the 20 oz. Sprite that Robinson brings, NO SODAS.

Summer Camp Reminders

Scout Camp is around the corner!  July 7-13th.

If you haven't submitted your final payments for Scout Camp, please do so as soon as possible.  Scouts who have signed up for merit badge classes that have program fees with receive an email soon with their final fees.

Scouts need to have a BSA Medical form updated every year. We are required to have each scout's updated medical form and a copy of their insurance card at the start of camp.  The medical form can be found at http://www.scouting.org/filestore/HealthSafety/pdf/whole.pdf.  Parts A, B, and C must be completed and signed by a medical provider.  Piedmont Urgent Care offers camp physicals for $50-- no appointment necessary.  Most primary care physicians will only charge your co-pay for a physical, but you must make an appointment and have it completed before camp, so please plan ahead.

If you have any questions, please talk to your scout leaders.  Thanks!

Summer Camp Planning

If you haven't made plans to join us for scout camp this summer, it's not too late!  Camp Raven Knob still has space available, but the troop needs to know soon.  We are going to Sunday, July 7th to Saturday, July 13th.  Camp Raven Knob is located near Mt. Airy, NC, about a 1 1/2 hour drive from Hickory.  If your thinking about going and need more information, please speak with Mike Webber, John Fuller, or Mark Roberts.  Don't miss out!

Scouts- If you haven't turned in your merit badge class preferences, please do so soon, so that you have that opportunity to get the classes that you want.  Otherwise, I'm putting you all in basket weaving MB for the whole day!

See you on Tuesday...

Whitewater Center Pics

We had a great day at the National Whitewater Center.  The weather held out long enough for us to run the ropes course, raft the whitewater course, and finish up our day on the Big Zip-- a zip line that traverses the whitewater course, giving us a bird's-eye view of Class III- IV rafting.

National Whitewater Center

We will be going to the National Whitewater Center on Saturday, April 27th.  Please met at the church at 9:30.  We will return at 5 pm.The cost of admission is $54 per person, plus the cost of lunch.  There is a restaurant/ market there where you can purchase lunch, or if you wish, you can bring a bag lunch.  We'll have a cooler available with us.

The Whitewater Center has many different outdoor activities available, including whitewater rafting, canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, zip lines, ropes courses, climbing walls, and mountain biking.  The NWC offers an all-day pass that allows participants to try all activities for one price.  We do need a head count to reserve rafting times, so please let us know by Tuesday if you plan to attend.  You can email, call, or let the leaders know at the next troop meeting, but we need to know by Tuesday.  You also need to go to http://usnwc.org/play/wp-content/uploads/Assumption-of-Risk-waiver.pdf and download the release waiver, print it, sign it, and bring it with you on Saturday.  Each scout must have this on Saturday to participate.  I will have BSA consents to sign on Saturday, but please bring your own NWC waiver. Invite your parents to join us. Thanks!

I hope everyone can make it.

No Troop Meeting for April 16th

We had a great time at Hart Square this past weekend.  Thanks to the Hart family for their hospitality and allowing us to visit their village.  Congratulations to the troop's new OA candidates- Jackson, Carson, Baylor, Patrick, and Will.  I'd also like to welcome the newest members of our troop-- Peter, Charlie, and Elijah!  These guys are ready to have fun with their friends and do some cool stuff in scouting.

We will not meet tomorrow night, but will meet again next Tuesday, April 23rd.   Please continue to sell scout cards.  If you want more to sell, please let me know and I can get you more cards.  Remember, sell 10 cards and your Scoutmaster gets a new, aerodynamic haircut for camp!

Please mark Saturday, April 27th on your calendar.  We are planning to go to the National Whitewater Center in Charlotte.  I will send out more information about this trip soon.

Hart Square Preparations for the Weekend

Please meet at the church at 6:00 pm Friday evening.  We will be traveling to Hart Square in southern Catawba County.  Hart Square is the largest collection of historic log cabin-style buildings in the US. It's a truly remarkable place and Dr. and Mrs. Hart have been so kind to allow the scouts to hold their camporee there.

Once there, we will check-in and set up our campsite.  A campfire program will begin at 9pm.  Please plan to eat dinner before the trip.  The scout leaders will make a Dutch Oven dessert for cracker barrel before taps.

Meals

We plan to patrol cook for this camping trip.  Please plan to bring $20 to cover the cost of the camporee (patches, awards, and other expenses) and for groceries/ meals.   We will have paper plates and plasticwear, but you may bring your mess kits, if you wish. You may bring your camp stove to heat water for warm drinks.  Water will be available onsite.  Please bring a water bottle for your personal use throughout the day.

Campfires

Campfires are allowed if we keep it in a barrel or artificial pit.

Clothing/Gear

Please bring your Class A uniform for the campfire program, flag ceremony, and Chapel on Sunday morning.  If you do not have one, that's OK.  I have some tan Class B uniforms (troop t-shirt) that will work fine.

The weather forecast is improving for Friday.  Currently, there is a 30% chance of rain Friday night, but clear and sunny Saturday and Sunday.  The high should be around 70 and low 45-50.  A rain jacket would be a good idea.

Saturday afternoon, we will hold an Order of the Arrow election that will be supervised by the district OA advisor.  

Sunday, we will have a chapel service, pack up and clean up camp.  We will plan to break camp and depart Hart Square around 9:30.  We should be back in Hickory shortly after that.  Scouts will have access to the adult leaders' cell phones to call home for a ride if they need.

I think we should have a terrific time!

Lakeland District Spring Camporee

Please plan to attend the 2013 Lakeland District Spring Camporee at Hart Square on April 12- 14th.  Activities include gold panning, wood carving, pottery, leatherwork (you'll be making your own patch), animal trapping, ferry rides, blacksmithing, black powder, and revolutionary war encampments.  There will be opportunities to earn partial merit badges and an Order of the Arrow call out.  The cost is $10 per person, plus the cost of food.  Please let Mr. Roberts know if you plan to attend by Monday, April 1st.

Welcome to the New Webpage for BSA Troop 231

Welcome to the new Webpage for Troop 231 BSA!  Troop 231, established in 1931, is chartered by First Presbyterian Church, Hickory, NC.  This webpage will be used to distribute news about the troop, maintain a list of online resources, disseminate information, and provide an efficient tool for communication for the troop's events and activities to scouts in the troop.

If you are interested in learning more about scouting or Troop 231, I invite you to visit the website and stop in for a visit.  The troop meets on Tuesday nights at 7:00 pm in the scout room of the lower level of First Presbyterian Church.  Our address is 237 2nd Ave NE, in Hickory, NC.  We plan campouts for every month and attend scout camp each summer.

For more information, please send us an email or call Mark Roberts at 828-323-9970.

We look forward to seeing you!

Mark Roberts, Scoutmaster
John Fuller, Assistant Scoutmaster
Mike Webber, Assistant Scoutmaster
Gary Oakley, Troop Committee Chairman