NEWSLETTER

Tuesday, MARCH 14th

6:30PM ASM roundtable

7:30PM TROOP MEETING 


From the SPL


Hey Troop 77,


I hope yall had a great week. This meeting we will be having the Golden Axe. The wood and matches will be provided by the troop. Carlson will act as SPL for the meeting this week as I will not be able to make it. I will still be in charge until the 28th however. 


I hope to see you there!


Yours in Scouting,

Alex King

(404)-679-8724

akingt77@gmail.com  


from THE SCOUTMASTER



It was a good weekend of practice hiking for our 2023 Philmont Crews.  Mr. Cole is feeling old and out of shape, but hopefully I can pull it together in the next few months!  We have a lot going on this month with Camporee, Golden Axe, Summer Camp planning, etc., so even if you are not going to these events, please come out and support your Patrolmates and help them get ready.


Good luck to all of our Scouts participating in the LHS musical and other spring events as many of those are winding up and are extra busy over the next few weeks before spring break, which just happens to also be a busy time in Scouting.  So, remember to make time for Scouting when and where you can.


Notes and Reminders:


1. Patrol Leader Elections - CONGRATULATIONS to the following Scouts who were elected as Patrol Leader for their various Patrols (including our new perpetual High School Junior and Senior Patrols (Turtle and Gladiator)).  With the exception of the Bull Shark and Moose Patrols, whose Patrol Leaders have already taken over and started their terms, the Patrol Leaders will be sworn in and officially take over at the end of the meeting on 3/28 and have their first official PLC and Troop meeting on 4/11:



[NOTE: If any of the information above is incorrect, then please let me know as soon as possible.]


2. The new Turtle Patrol (current Juniors) needs to work with Mr. DeLange or Mr. Borja to come up with a flag (remember, be mindful that this flag is hopefully going to be used for many years to come as this will be one of our perpetual Older Scout Patrols) and you need to have a patrol yell, song, etc. (no different than all other patrols).


3. If you need a PoR (other than those of you elected as Patrol Leaders), then you need to coordinate with Carlson and his ASPL of PoRs (Sam Henderson) as soon as possible.  Also, remember that some of our special PoRs will be opening up soon due to Scouts leaving those positions or aging out.  I believe Sam Henderson has volunteered to take over the Honor Guard and someone to work on Camping/Camping Beads, but we will need someone who will need to take on Henry Todd's Scribe (Advancement) position.  Also, all Older Scouts (Electric Dragon, Turtle, and Gladiator Patrols) are eligible and can participate (and yes, that means actually participate) in our Instructor program, which is also a PoR.


4. Camporee will be here in two weeks. This is Troop 77's opportunity to showcase its Scouting Skills against all of the other Troops in the District.  We will be working on various Scout Skills at the next few meetings to help compete in Camporee and to become betterer campers overall.


5. We are making some changes to our campout return, trailer clean-up, and Patrol Box clean-up policies effective starting at Camporee.  


For parents only picking up their Scouts at OGUMC, nothing significant changes for you; although, you should get the benefit of a more accurate pick-up time, and when you come to pick-up your Scout(s), they will already be dismissed, have their personal stuff collected, and be ready to jump in the car and go when you get there (NOTE: as indicated below we will be returning and doing cleaning before the announced pick-up time, so even if you know we are back, please DO NOT come to the Church and try to pick-up your Scout early as we have limited parking and time restrictions set by the Church on when we can start pickup and all the Scouts have work to do--NO SCOUT SHOULD LEAVE UNTIL FINAL ROLL HAS BEEN CALLED AND THE TROOP HAS BEEN DISMISSED BY THE SPL).  


For Adults Leaders/Parents driving from a campout, you will have a little more responsibility to keep tabs on your travel schedule, and, in particular, the time allotted for lunch and being back at OGUMC on Sunday.  We need all drivers from campouts to arrive back at OGUMC as close to the same time as the trailer as possible (and we will set that time Sunday morning prior to departing from the campout).  


For Scouts attending the campout, we will arrive back at OGUMC somewhere between an hour to 30 minutes before we tell parents to come pick you up or before you will be dismissed if one of your parents drove from the campout.  During that time, the trailers will be completely unloaded, all equipment inventoried and and cleaned (if needed), the inside of the trailer(s) cleaned, and all equipment returned to the proper trailer for storage until the next campout (no more messes from the last campout being left for the guys going on the next campout to deal with!).  And, the trailers will be returned to their parking places and properly prepared for storage.  While directed by the Youth QMs and Senior Patrol, every Scout will be responsible for learning and remembering what equipment goes where, helping with this clean-up process, and knowing how to store the trailers properly. 


Simultaneously with the trailers being cleaned, some of the Youth QMs will also be inspecting and inventorying all Patrol Boxes with the Patrol QM for the campout.  Any Patrol Box or equipment found deficient will require cleaning immediately (we are still working on our options for cleaning equipment back at OGUMC), and no Patrol Box should have to go home with a Scout to be cleaned and returned at a future meeting (can I get a Thank Goodness! from all parents). If items are missing from your Patrol Box, or if items need to be repaired, relabeled, etc., then that will all occur immediately after the campout during the cleanup period.  If any equipment is damaged, missing and cannot be found, etc., then each member of the Patrol using the Patrol Box will be charged for its replacement as appropriate. There will be some growing pains with this new process over the next few campouts as everyone gets used to the new system, and we will make modifications to this new process as needed.  


Three things every Scout can do to minimize the time needed for this extra work are: (1) keep the trailer(s) clean and organized on the campout itself and when loading up for the campout, (2) keep your Patrol Boxes and equipment clean, organized, and all equipment accounted for on the campout, and (3) pitch-in wherever you can if you see a need.  You will all be very successful and this will all become very easy if you are each a great servant leader; live the Scout Oath and Law (especially clean) through this work; and DO NOT WASTE TIME OR PLAY AROUND (be focused and efficient in your efforts).  


6. If you are eligible for NYLT sign-up as soon as possible (see additional information below).  I cannot encourage you enough to attend this youth leadership training. If you meet the age and rank requirements but have not completed ILST, you can still register and the Council is hosting ILST on May 20th, so you would need to register for that course also.


7. Swim Classification tests for summer camp, Allatoona summer merit badges, fall water trips, Philmont, and anything else the Troop does involving water will be happening soon.  We are working on finalizing the details and will distribute those as soon as we have them (hopefully yet this week).  Thanks to Eric Hoffman for jumping in and helping to coordinate this activity.


8. Please make sure you are staying on top of Summer Camp related activities.  This is often a fluid process at this time of year, so be flexible and make sure you read and stay up to date on everything Summer Camp.


9. Photo Shoot - It has been a while since we have had photo updates for Scoutbook.  While some of those old photos are really cute, we need to get them updated and added if you don't already have one.  However, instead of bringing in one of our "professional" photographers, I would like to try and see if we can do this using those fancy camera phones you or your parents have.  Scouts should be in Class A uniform shirts with neckerchief (the dark green standard Troop 77 neckerchief and not the lighter green 100 year, no NYLT, no Eagle, or any other neckerchief--if you need to borrow a neckerchief, then please let me know).  Have someone take a photo of you on your/their phone (no selfies) in front of a plain background (solid painted wall, brick wall, etc.) and crop it to a square and have it show a few inches above your head at the top, and then about the bottom of your front pocket flaps at the bottom.  Please rename the photo to include your first and last name so we do not get anyone mixed up.  We will set up a place for you to upload the photos and send that information soon.  [Please do not email them to me because I already have 50,000+ Scout Emails plus Google Drive, and I am about out of storage!]  


10. If you do not have a name patch yet, then please let Mrs. Todd or Mrs. Crawford know.  Also, the name patch goes above your right pocket flap just above where your shirt says either Boy Scouts of America or Scouts BSA in red (I've noticed a few of them above your left pockets, and that's not where they go).


11. I again encourage all Scouts, but especially our soon to be 5th year Scouts (Titans and Hedgehogs) and our Older Scouts to work on their National Outdoor Award, and I encourage younger Scouts to make it a goal and start cataloging the information necessary to earn the award.  If you are really on top of your outdoor participation game, then you can even earn a medal.  Click the link National Outdoor Award to find out more information.  All you need to do is contact me and let me know you are interested in working on your NOA, and I have a spreadsheet template that will allow you to easily track and turn in the information as you complete segments.  This award shows a real dedication to all outdoor disciplines in Scouting, so challenge yourself to earn all 6 base segments and as many gold and silver segments as you can.


YiS,

Mr. Clinton Cole

Troop 77 Scoutmaster


2023 Detailed Calendar


Note: The majority of the dates in this section are on the Troop Calendar.  If you have not done so already, please subscribe to the Troop's calendar by following the instructions on the Calendar page of the Troop’s website.


In addition, on the Calendar page of the Troop’s website (underneath the calendar itself), you will find the latest released update to the Annual Planning Meeting Summary, which will give you an idea of what we will be doing through the end of May and some summer activities (the AMPS is subject to change, but it should not change too much).



MARCH


3/14:

6:30P ASM Roundtable

7:30P Troop Meeting (Meal Planning for Camporee!!)


3/21:

Scoutmaster Conferences Available with Mr. Cole (for Scout, Star, and Life)

6:30P Committee Meeting

7:30P Troop Meeting


3/23:

7P Hightower Trail District Roundtable Meeting at Kingswood UMC (Discussion: local high adventure options, day activities, camping locations, and recipe sharing)


3/24 - 3/26

Friday PM to Sunday Afternoon - Hightower Trail District Camporee at Bert Adams [NOTE: Please make sure you review the new policy regarding returning from campouts and parent pickup beleow.]


3/28:

Scoutmaster Conferences Available with Mr. Cole (for Scout, Star, and Life

7:30P Troop Meeting (new SPL and PL swear-in at end)


APRIL


4/4:

NO MEETING OR TROOP ACTIVITIES DUE TO DEKALB SPRING BREAK


4/7:

10P Registration Closes for Survivalist Campout (campout dates 4/21 - 4/23)


4/11:

6:30P PLC (NOTE: PLC is typically the first Tuesday of the month, but all early meetings will be pushed back one week in April due to no meeting over rSpring Break)

7:30P Troop Meeting


4/15:

8:30A - 4P College of Commissioner Science (https://www.atlantabsa.org/CommissionerCollege)


4/18:

6:30P ASM Roundtable

7:30P Troop Meeting


4/21 - 4/23:

Friday PM to Sunday Afternoon - Survivalist Campout at Standing Indian (and Philmont Training HIkes)


4/25:

Scoutmaster Conferences Available with Mr, Cole (Scout, Star, and Life)

6:30P Committee Meeting

7:30P Troop Meeting


4/27:

7P Hightower Trail District Roundtable Meeting at OGUMC (Discussion: Emotional and Mental Health Issues Scout-age Children are Facing led by an Emory Child Psychiatrist and an Emory Child Psychologist)


4/28:

10P Registration Closes for Backpacking Campout (campout dates 5/12 - 5/14)


4/29:

Multiple Times STEM Merit Badge Summit (https://www.atlantabsa.org/MeritBadgeSummit)

10:30A - 12P Eagle Scout Recognition Ceremony (https://www.atlantabsa.org/councileagle)


4/30:

1P - 4P Troop 77 Annual Planning Meeting (NOTE: day and time subject to change as we are still finalizing details)



BIG TICKET FUTURE DATES


5/5 - 5/7 

OA Induction Weekend at Woodruff (https://aacegwa.org/candidates/)


5/6 - 5/7:

IOLS (Introduction to Outdoor Leadership Skills) - This is one of the two mandatory additional training components to becoming a Trained Assistant Scoutmaster; and even non-ASMs can benefit greatly from this training weekend (https://www.atlantabsa.org/iols)


5/6:

CPR Saturday (https://www.atlantabsa.org/cprsaturday)


5/12 - 5/14

Friday PM to Sunday Afternoon - Backpacking Campout at Fort Mountain State Park


5/16:

7:30P Court of Honor (CoH half meeting; second half of meeting TBD)


5/20:

ILST (Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops) - Youth leadership training to prepare them for positions such as Patrol Leaderer; prerequisite to attending National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT). (https://www.atlantabsa.org/youthtraining0


6/5 - 6/9:

8:30A - 4P Hightower Trail District Cub Scout Day Camp Volunteer Opportunities s at Chamblee UMC (this counts for Service Hours and how much music time is allowed on campouts; mandatory training 6/3 at 9A)


6/18 - 6/24:

Summer Camp - Camp Sequoyah (REGISTRATION IS OPEN!)


6/25 - 6/30:

Ranger Camp (Registration is Open at https://www.nega-bsa.org/Ranger)


7/4 - 7/17:

2023 Philmont High Adventure (4 spots remain open for youths; if interested, please email Mr. Cole)



upcoming sewing nights


Janice Todd will be hosting a few Sewing nights our Troop 77 and Troop 177 Scouts and leaders this spring:


Please place their shirt and/or sash with patches into a large ziploc bag labeled with the Scout's name and have your Scout where a Class B uniform (i.e. Scouting T-shirt) to the meeting.  Depending on how many adult volunteers are available to assist Janice, the shirts/sashes will either be returned that same evening or possibly the following meeting if there's not time to finish all the uniforms that get dropped off.


On that note, IF YOU ARE ABLE TO HELP WITH SEWING on any of those evenings, then please email Janice Todd at jantodd4@bellsouth.net   to let her know.  Janice is in the process of transitioning out of her Sewing Committee Leader role and we need a new parent to take that over between now and the end of the year in order to continue offering the sewing committee services for our Scouts moving forward.


Summer Camp Registration is Open!


Summer Camp is the week of June 18-24 at Camp Sequoyah in Delta Alabama. Check out the Summer Camp webpage for all the details and to register! 

eagle project help needed (March 19)


Dear Troop 77 Scouts and Parents, 

 

My name is Henry Fonder-Kristy, and I am a life scout working on my Eagle project. I am building and installing benches in Frazier-Rowe Park. I need about 8 volunteers to install the benches. It will be on Sunday March 19th from 11-3 roughly. You will be carrying supplies to and from the worksite, as well as putting the benches into the ground. Food will be provided, and work gloves should be brought. More information is on the Signup Genius below if you are interested. Email me at hfonderkristy@gmail.com  if you have any questions.


https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F49AFAF2CA0FDC25-henrys 


Sincerely, 

Henry Fonder-Kristy


Scout Day at the Atlanta Hawks (March 25)


Join hundreds of Scout families from across Atlanta for Scout Night on Saturday, March 25th as the Atlanta Hawks take on the Indiana Pacers!


Each ticket includes $10 worth of food and beverage credit that can be used at the restaurants inside the arena. Each scout will also receive an Atlanta Hawks-themed Scout Patch (while supplies last). Tickets can be purchased through the provided link below!


Grab Your Seats Today! 



Ranger Camp - June 25-30, 2023


For over 30 years, the US Army Rangers has partnered with the BSA to create a unique High Adventure opportunity for up to 100 participants including youth and adult.  Participants get to experience a taste of what Army Ranger students go through during “mountain phase” of their special forces training.  Highlights include:

 

 

The camp is held at the Camp Frank D. Merrill US Army Ranger base in Dahlonega, GA.  Participants sleep in the barracks and eat in the mess hall or MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) in the field.  In the middle of the week, participants transition to Yonah Mountain and camp for two nights where skills are put into practice on a larger scale. 


MUST BE 14 OR OLDER (OR 13 AND COMPLETED THE 8TH GRADE).  REGISTRATION IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED.


**  REGISTER ON YOUR OWN USING THIS FORM: Ranger Camp Registration Form 


**  NOTIFY CHRIS HENDERSON IF YOU’VE REGISTERED (chris@difco.us.com  ). 


For more information, click here: https://www.nega-bsa.org/Ranger .


The 2023 Ranger Camp Guide has not been published yet, but if you would like even more details about the camp you can check out the 2022 Ranger Camp Guide here: 2022 Ranger Camp Guide 


Mr. Henderson went to this camp as a youth for 5 years in a row and considers it his favorite camp.  It is a lot of fun and very rewarding.  It inspired him to spend many weekends in college and beyond camping on Mt. Yonah and climbing and rappelling with his own equipment.  He is happy to answer any questions you might have about the camp.


Lead and Learn on Summer Camp Staff


Parents & Leaders,


We are searching for excellent leaders, just like your Scouts, to serve on the staff at Bert Adams Scout Camp and Woodruff Scout Camp for Summer 2023. Tell your Scouts about this excellent opportunity for growth, and encourage them to apply!


Apply for Camp Staff Today! 


Camp Staff members must be age 15 or older, but those that are 14 can serve as a Counselor-In-Training (CIT) for a two-week volunteer experience.


Click Here  for more information and have them apply today!



UPCOMING COUNCIL/DISTRICT EVENTS


See below links for activities:


Atlanta Area Council Calendar


Hightower Trail District Website


CAMPING

March Campout: 

March 24-26: Camporee at Bert Adams 

Remaining 2022-2023 Campouts

April 21-23: Survivalist Extreme

May 12-14: Backpacking

camping beads announcement


Hi everyone!  I just wanted to let everyone know that campings beads are a little behind schedule due to a shortage of beads, but you can still pick up the ones I've already sorted. Also If you have 10 blue beads or 10 black beads feel free to exchange them for a blue or black sphere, because this will allow me to redistribute those beads to other scouts. Lastly if you have not received a belt totem let me know so I can get those out to people, and if you've lost your belt totem while we cannot replace the beads we can get you a new totem. Thanks!



YiS,

Keegan Cole

email: keetaw59@gmail.com  

text: 678-637-8420


changes to campout registration


Two guidelines are now in place for campouts. You can read the details on the Campout Webpage .



These guidelines ensure the onus is on each participant to anticipate what they need to do and to plan ahead when they register for a campout.



camp cards


It’s camp card time!  Sell camp cards to your family, friends, & neighbors to help earn $ for your escrow account to offset costs for your Scouting trips - summer camp, camping trips, Philmont, etc. Cards sell for $10 each & you earn 50% commission ($5) for each card you sell.  Discounts on the card include Dick’s, Waffle House, Papa John’s, Six Flags, Race Trac and more.  In addition, the Online Savers Guide offers hundreds of other retailers.  The sale lasts until April 1st.  See Mr. Rogers at Tuesday’s meeting if you want to pick up some to sell.  For questions email jeffrogers0422@gmail.com.


Health Forms - Please review and update


Parents, please check dates on your scouts' health forms (and yours if you go on camping trips) and renew them in a timely manner.  


Here is the link to a Blank BSA Medical Form    


A few reminders:

·         At minimum, please complete Form A, Form B1, and Form B2. 

·         You must attach a front and back copy of your insurance card to your completed forms.

·         Attach an immunization record if available.

·         At minimum, you must provide a month and year for the Tetanus immunization on B2.

·         Please attach a copy of the front and back of his COVID vaccination card, if he's vaccinated.

·         Form C is required for any events longer than 72 hours and for high adventure treks; it must be completed by a doctor and and can take weeks or months to secure, so start NOW especially if your son plans to attend summer camp.

·         BEFORE TURNING IN FORMS, PLEASE SCAN A COPY and save for your records.

 

For those going on the Cumberland trip, your scout (and you if you are going) must have a current "C form" (physical completed by a doctor). If a participant does not have all med forms fully completed and turned in by February 2 that person will not go to Cumberland. 


Any questions, let us know.


Best regards,

Jeanne Fell 

Sara Henderson

404-229-3190

Troop 77 Medical Form Coordinator team

advancement


Congratulations to the following scouts who have successfully completed their rank requirements since the last time I submitted a newsletter update: 


Chas Cook - Scout rank on 2/11/2023

Wesley Greene - Scout rank on 2/28/2023

Beckett Martin - Tenderfoot on 2/7/2023

Wesley Cowden - First Class on 11/15/2023 

Vishnu Ghanta - Star rank on 2/28/2023

Spencer Wise, Star rank on 2/9/2023


Wynn Keith earned his Eagle rank along with 2 Palm awards on 12/12/2022.  Wynn completed an additional 10 merit badges to earn his Bronze Palm and Gold Palm* awards. 


Henry Todd earned his Eagle rank along with 3 Palm Awards on 2/12/2023.  Henry completed an additional 15 merit badges and earned his Bronze Palm, Gold Palm, and Silver Palm* awards    


*Eagle Palms are awarded for every 5 additional merit badges 


Once you earn a rank, make sure to stop at the Advancement Table so we can process your rank advancement and get your patch ready for you.  


If I have missed your recognition or if something isn’t showing up in Scoutbook, stop by the Advancement table to let me know. 


Patrol Patches - Moose and Bull Shark Patrols, I have your patches so stop by the Advancment table at the meeting to pick yours up.  


If you are in another patrol and need a patrol patch, stop by the Advancement Table.  We stock all the patrol patches at the troop so you can get them at the meeting.


Leadership Patches - Advancement has leadership patches so if you have a new Position of Responsibility stop by to pick up your patch


Advancement Desk - Parents are always welcome to come hang out at the Advancment Table to get to know the process the Troop uses for scouts to rank up, earn merit badges and awards.  And we can usually use a little help at each meeting - filing things, processing merit badges, etc.  Feel free to stop by at the meeting any time or reach out to me with any questions.


Board of Review (BOR) - 

Parents - It is super helpful and very appreciated if you can participate on the Board of Review for a scouts rank.  It is super easy and we have a list of questions for you to use.  A great way to get to know the scouts, other parents and how everything “works”.  Best of all it takes about 15 minutes of your time. To sign up to help use the same sign up genius listed below for Scouts - just sign up under “Adult”. Thanks in Advance!


Scouts - Make sure you have completed ALL requirements then schedule your Board of Review, here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D44AEAD29A7FF2-troop 


Questions?  Feel free to stop by the Advancement Table at the meeting.  I am happy to help talk about ranking up, merit badges, awards, or any other questions you have.  


Yours in Scouting,

Pam Crawford

pamcrawford1@me.com 

770-891-0769


advancement OPPORTUNITIES

merit badge minute


Atlanta Area Council 

The AAC is offering a number of different merit badge classes this spring:


The cost per class is $20.  Follow this link to register for any of the above classes through Tentaroo:   

https://www.atlantabsa.org/meritbadgedays  


***

AAC is holding an Open Shooting Day at Bert Adams on April 22nd.  This event is only for Scouts who have already started one of the shooting merit badges, but still need help meeting the targeting requirements.  For more information click here: https://www.atlantabsa.org/shootingdays


***

The AAC's next Merit Badge Summit is scheduled for April 29th.  Registration opens this Tuesday, February 28th.  Spots may fill up quickly!  Click here for more information:  https://www.atlantabsa.org/MeritBadgeSummit  


***

And, finally, registration for the AAC's Aquatic Merit Badge days will open on April 4th.  This is a great opportunity to earn Swimming, Lifesaving and Small-Boat Sailing merit badges (and more!) before your Scout goes off to summer camp.  Stay tuned for more information. 


Chattahoochee Nature Center

The Chattahoochee Nature Center is offering Nature Merit Badge on April 23 and Environmental Science Merit Badge on April 30.  Each class costs $45.  Sign up here:  https://www.chattnaturecenter.org/education/scouts/scouts-bsa/  



Dunwoody Nature Center

Dunwoody Nature Center has updated its merit badge offerings for the spring and summer season.   DNC is offering Nature Study on April 8, Soil and Water Conservation on May 27, and Sustainability on June 24.  For more information, click here:   https://dunwoodynature.org/scout-merit-badges/  


merit badge summits

Merit Badge Summit is a quality Merit Badge program that helps Scouts learn about different fields of knowledge. By recruiting experienced professional counselors, Scouts receive an unparalleled experience. The per-class registration fee of $20 includes program materials for most classes with only a few exceptions. All classes (with a few exceptions) will be 4 hours in length. Classes will usually be offered either from 8 AM – 12 PM or 1:00 PM – 5:00PM. If you are staying all day, please bring a lunch. There is an additional cost option for Chick-Fil-A box meals for either a sandwich or nuggets at $10 per meal. Follow this link to find out more information:  https://www.atlantabsa.org/MeritBadgeSummit. 

There are one more upcoming Merit Badge Summit opportunity this Spring:



DUTY TO GOD weekend: march 17-19

The Northeast Georgia Council is hosting a Duty to God Weekend at Scoutland campsite (3685 Looper Lake Rd, Gainesville, GA 30506) on Lake Lanier (~1.5 hrs from OGUMC) .  The program will offer training specific to BSA Chaplains & Chaplain Aides.  Anyone interested in serving in these roles should consider going. Currently, the cost is $50 per Student and includes one free adult attending per student.

The program is also offering the RP3 programs (Protestant) and NCCS Religious Activity programs (Catholic). These programs can be used to meet some/all BSA Duty to God religious emblems requirements for these two faiths. Participants will receive a patch upon completion! Adults can also participate and earn the patch.  These Duty to God offerings are open to all youth from Kindergarten through 12th grade and adults.  All are welcome (siblings, youth groups, etc.) as a student does not need to be a Scout to participate in these programs.

Registration includes Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner, and Sunday breakfast, course workbook, patch, and materials

For more info, go to:

BSA sign up at https://www.nega-bsa.org/DutytoGodWeekend 

Protestant* at  www.praypub.org/rp3 

Catholic at www.nccs-bsa.org/index.php/religious-activities 

If you are interested in going or already signed up, please let Mr. Wade know via the Chaplain email address:    chaplain@troop77bsa.org 

ORder of the Arrow


Hello everyone, this is Ryan Shimabukuro, your Order of the Arrow (OA) Troop Representative. This newsletter contains important information about current and upcoming OA events, and more.


Shoutout

Congratulations on the following scouts who were elected by their peers into the Order of the Arrow:

·         Charlie Brewer

·         Wesley Cowden

·         Myles Garber

·         Nathan Hoffman

·         Smith Jensen

·         Landon Keith

·         Wynn Keith

·         Carpenter Lineman

·         Zander Parris

·         Carlson Schaffner

·         Franklin Schofner

·         Jon Cole Tjoflat

·         Spencer Wise

Please visit: https://aacegwa.org/candidates/  for more information.


Events and Registration

The link to our Egwa Tawa Dee Lodge website is https://aacegwa.org . It has a calendar of upcoming events and information on how to register for the events. 

Some important upcoming dates are:

May 5-7: Spring Induction

August 25-27: Fall Induction

November 10-12: Winter Induction


Dues

Yes, there are dues in the OA. This year, and every year, dues are $25. In some situations, if you did not pay dues last year, then you will need to pay those in order to pay your dues for this year and stay current. The Troop does NOT reimburse for payment of Adult or Youth OA dues, unless the Adult or Scout is actively involved in OA (e.g., attends monthly meetings, Chapter and Lodge events, Conclaves, Fellowship Events, Service Events, etc.), in which case you need to talk to me or Dr. Gilbert.

The link for paying dues is: https://www.atlantabsa.org/OAMemberRenewal 


What is the Order of the Arrow?

According to the Order of the Arrow’s website (https://oa-bsa.org/ ), the Order of the Arrow is an honor organization that recognizes Scouts and Scouters who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives. This recognition provides encouragement for others to live these ideals as well. Arrowmen are known for maintaining camping traditions and spirit, promoting year-round and long-term resident camping, and providing cheerful service to others. OA service, activities, adventures, and training for youth and adults are models of quality leadership development and programming that enrich and help to extend Scouting to America's youth.


Etowah Chapter:

The following are the elected officials (and advisor) in our Chapter:


Chapter Chief: Andrew Lewinski drewladzin@gmail.com 

Vice Chapter Chief: Ryan Shimabukuro ryanrshim@gmail.com 

Etowah Chapter Advisor: Ramus Caribbean EtowahAdviser@aacegwa.org 


If you have any questions about the events, you can contact me or Andrew, the current Etowah Chapter Chief.

Thanks!

Ryan

SCOUTMASTER CONFERENCES


Scoutmaster Conferences for Scout, Star, Life and Eagle are conducted by Mr. Cole.  You can sign-up for those Scoutmaster Conferences on the Troop's website under Scoutmaster Conferences  and follow the instructions and use the Sign-up Genius link under SCOUTMASTER CONFERENCES SIGN-UP FOR SCOUT, STAR AND LIFE RANKS.  IF YOUR SCOUTMASTER CONFERENCE IS BEFORE 7P, ONE OF YOUR PARENTS MUST BE PREPARED TO STAY FOR THE CONFERENCE TO REMAIN YPT COMPLIANT.  Scoutmaster Conferences for Eagle can be arranged by emailing Mr. Cole at ctcole0308@gmail.com.

Scoutmaster Conferences for Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class are completed by an Assistant Scoutmaster and should be arranged through the ASM Helpdesk or by contacting Mr. Jensen at garyljensen@gmail.com.

EAGLE COURTS OF HONOR HELP 


For anyone (Scouts or Parents) who can volunteer some time to help organize a few things, get things setup, or help take things down at the end of Eagle Courts of Honor, Mrs. Cole could certainly use the help.  It’s not an overwhelming amount of stuff to get done by a team, but it starts to get overwhelming if you are having to do it all by yourself. If you’re interested in helping with the Eagle Courts of Honor please contact Holly Cole (hpcole77@gmail.com or (770) 401-4992) and let her know.  With a big backlog from COVID and being fortunate to have 1-2 Scouts earning Eagle a month, this is a great way to give some time to the Troop on a night other than Tuesdays and a great place to start volunteering.

community service opportunities

Click the link below to see all of the community service opportunities available now.

https://sites.google.com/troop77bsa.com/scout-parent/service

Communication     


Remind Application

Troop 77 Parents –

Troop 77 Scouts

Troop 177 Parents –

Troop 177 Scouts

Scoutbook

Other Announcements

Troop 77 Calendar: Use the following address to access the Troop 77 calendar from other applications. You can copy and paste this into any calendar product that supports the iCal format.

https://www.scoutbook.com/ics/17077.45861.ics