NEWSLETTER
Tuesday, MARCH 28th
7:30PM TROOP MEETING
From the SPL
I hope y’all had a great week. Sadly, this is my last week as SPL, but I will be passing on the torch to Carlson at the end of the meeting. This meeting, the Older Scouts will talk to talk about how to properly pack light for backpacking and survivalist campouts.
I hope to see you there!
Yours in Scouting,
Alex King
(404)-679-8724
from THE SCOUTMASTER
Camporee was great this weekend. Anyone who did not go missed a great trip, so make sure you circle the calendar to do it again next March. Troop 77 won several individual and Patrol Awards. CONGRATULATIONS winners and all participants! Now you younger Scouts have seen what a Camporee looks like (versus Scout Challenge, which is once every 3 years), and next year you will BE PREPARED to challenge for the overall best patrol. Good job also to all our OA candidates, ceremony members, and Eagle Scouts recognized or participating in Saturday night’s campfire. The weather was fantastic for camping, new experiences, and a few teachable moments. Great job to all Scouts and Adults for working hard, staying safe, and being mindful as Mother Nature tried to make life more difficult that necessary by throwing 85° and sunny weather on Saturday and unleashing on us Sunday morning (I imagine some of you will still be drip drying on Tuesday!). Remember, MAKE SURE YOU DRY EVERYTHING OUT REALLY GOOD BEFORE YOU PACK IT AWAY OR YOU WILL RUIN YOUR GEAR.
At the end of this week’s meeting, Alex King will official step down as SPL (what a great story he has to tell for his last campout as SPL), and Carlson Schaffner will don the SPL mantle and all new Patrol leaders will be sworn in at the end of the meeting. I will unfortunately miss this week’s meeting due to a family obligation out of town, so Ms. Henderson will step into the Scoutmaster role this week.
I have told him personally knowing I would be out this week, but I want to make sure everyone knows and understands how great of a job Alex did for the Troop as SPL this last term. He was a great servant leader, showed solid diligence to make the Program successful, was prepared, and stayed surrounded by helpful ASPLs and the like. It was a great experience as Scoutmaster to have an NYLT Staffer as Senior Patrol Leader. While I have never managed to have an Eagle Scout as SPL, I might actually say I would rather have someone with the level of NYLT training and staffing that Alex brought with him to the table. GREAT JOB ALEX, AND YOU HAVE MY SINCERE THANKS FOR BOTH TAKING ON THE TASK AND FOR EXECUTING IT SO WELL.
Carlson—you have some big shoes to fill, but fortunately, your NYLT training will also be a valuable asset, and we all look forward to having you leadership, vision, and guidance over the next 6 months, including summer camp. I know you will bring great ENTHUSIASM…and do a phenomenal job despite having some big shoes to fill.
SENIOR PATROL MEMBERS, PATROL LEADERS, AND INTERESTED SCOUTS AND ADULTS—PLEASE MARK YOU CALENDARS FOR THE TROOP’S ANNUAL PLANNING MEETING ON APRIL 30TH FROM 1P - 4P. THIS IS A MUST ATTEND MEETING FOR ANY SCOUT INTERESTED IN SHAPING THE PROGRAM FOR THE NEXT YEAR. Any Adult or Parent that would like to attend the APM, please let me or Ms. Henderson know, as spots for adults are limited as we support boy-led Scouting in Troop 77.
Everyone have a great and safe spring break, and I will plan to see everyone at the 4/11 meeting (don’t forget, PLC at 6:30P on 4/11)!
YiS,
Mr. Clinton Cole
Troop 77 Scoutmaster
adult volunteers needed
Many Hands Make Light Work!
Scouting is Scout led, but FAMILY supported. As we welcome in our next group of 1st year Scouts (while seeing another group of older Scout families transition out from the Troop), we need parents of our rising second year Scouts and above to assist the Troop with various program and administrative functions so that our Scouts continue to have quality leadership, advancement, service, and outdoor activity opportunities which are all part of Scouting.
MYTH BUSTER: Volunteering does NOT require you to attend every Tuesday evening meeting! In fact, many volunteer roles can be completed 100% on your own time with just a monthly check in with others.
Volunteering can be on the Programming side where one works directly with our Scouts on skills, leadership, and programs; Alternatively, volunteering can also be on the Administration side where one works with other adults/parents (and occasionally Scouts) on handling anything from Trip/event planning to advancement or financial record tracking to communications and other service coordination tasks.
The quality and availability of Scout advancement, service, leadership development, and adventure opportunities is 100% dependent on parent volunteers to assist in the management and oversight of those opportunities.
If you have any questions about the monthly adult volunteer committee meetings or how to assist the Troop, then please email commchair@troop77bsa.org.
Yours in Scouting,
Bruce King
T77 Committee Chair
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
3/28:
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:
April 25
May 2
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.
Northern Tier 2024
Interested in going to Northern Tier in 2024 and haven't let us know?! Tomorrow is an important deadline. Check out details on our Northern Tier website!
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!
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:
Learning knots, including how to tie a climbing and rappelling harness
Climbing, belaying and rappelling on various features, starting out small and working your way up to larger features, including a night rappel
Learning how to construct a rope bridge as part of a team and night rope bridge competition
Land navigation as part of a team using a map and compass
Everything is challenge by choice but the Ranger Instructors are great at helping participants overcome any fears and enjoying a sense of accomplishment
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.
your scouts are our future staff!
We don’t have to tell you just how impactful a wilderness canoe trip can be to Scouts from around the country. You’ve been here and paddled the pristine waters. Now you can help us give the next generation wilderness experiences by recruiting your past participants.
Did you know have over 80% of Northern Tier staff were participants before working at Northern Tier and over 90% were involved in the scouting movement? What this means is that past participants are the beating heart of our staff as we provide wilderness adventures that last a lifetime. We need you to help us find those past participants that feel the call of the Northwoods again!
Many scouts never even consider that working at Northern Tier High Adventure is an option but we are here to tell you it is! We hire over 150 staff each summer from around the country and train them to provide wilderness adventures that last a lifetime. We hire for all positions including canoe guides, kitchen, retail, outfitting, and maintenance. Working at Northern Tier can be a great opportunity to travel to the Northwoods and work in a fun challenging environment.
Find out more here! Northern Tier High Adventure Staff!
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!
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!
CAMPING
April Campout:
April 21-23: Survivalist Extreme
Remaining 2022-2023 Campouts
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 .
Completion of requirements - If a participant does not have med forms or required (adult) training completed two weeks before the campout, the participant will not go.
Cancellation and Refunds - If a participant cancels their participation within two weeks of the campout, some or all of the fee will still need to be paid.
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
Camp Card sale is coming to an end. The official end date is April 1st so please turn in your extra camp cards & money from sold camp cards at this Tuesday’s meeting, March 28th to Mr. Rogers. For any questions please email Jeff Rogers at 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.
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
770-891-0769
advancement OPPORTUNITIES
merit badge minute
Atlanta Area Council
The AAC is offering a number of different merit badge classes this spring:
March 29: Metalwork Merit Badge
April 1: Aviation Merit Badge
April 22: Construction Merit Badge Day. Register for any one of the following merit badges: Surveying, Welding, Drafting, Electrical or Plumbing
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:
April 29th: Check https://www.atlantabsa.org/MeritBadgeSummit for details as to when registration will open.
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 –
Or text @troop77p to the number 81010
Troop 77 Scouts
or text @troop77s to the number 81010
Troop 177 Parents –
Or text @troop177p to the number 81010
Troop 177 Scouts
or text @troop177s to the number 81010
Scoutbook
At least one parent/guardian MUST activate their Scoutbook account.
Only the linked parent/guardian can activate the scout's access to their Scoutbook account. (If you scout does not have an email please make them a free account at gmail.com)
To activate your Scout's account complete please click here How to activate your scout's Scoutbook account
Scoutbook has a mobile app. Search for “Scouting BSA” in the APP Store or Google Play and download today! Your login is the same as the web version.
Coming soon a scout will be able to check their escrow account, if medical forms are out of date, swim test status and much more