The Troop 1954 Wednesday Newsletter     Wednesday, November 9, 2005 Hi Folks, Thanks to all who helped with last night's meeting.  Lots of stuff to write about: IMPORTANT!!! Folks, we are missing all sorts of camping gear.  We're missing one or two two burner Coleman stoves, many pots and pans, many plates, and lots of other stuff.  I imagine most of this stuff is in people's houses, having just not gotten back after camp-outs.  PLEASE, PLEASE look around your houses for any Troop equipment and return it next week (or at least let me know you have it).  The troop can not afford to just keep buying replacement stoves for our patrols.  If we can not get our equipment back, patrols will have to purchase their own. THIS SATURDAY We have two events coming up this Saturday: First, we've been invited to participate in the San Marcos Veterans' Day Parade.  We'll be meeting on C.M. Allen near Playscape at 9:30 in the morning for that. The parade is scheduled to begin at 10, and should be a relatively short affair. Second, after the parade, we will be helping with the annual Playscape Clean-up and Work Day.  Playscape has given great pleasure to thousands of San Marcos children for more than a decade.  Virtually every kid growing up in San Marcos visits it several times a year.  It's used by schools, camps, and families.  Please come out and lend a hand in fixing it up and dedicating a new portion play area.  The Clean-Up committee will be providing lunch for workers.  As in years past, Playscape will be adding sidewalk and giving people the opportunity to purchase and write on sections of it.  I intend the Troop to purchase one or two squares and scouts who show up to work will be able to write their names into the sidewalk.  The clean-up starts after the parade and continues until about 3:00. Scouts will get service hours for participating in both the parade and the clean-up. On a different subject: Thanks to Messrs. Heathman and Bandy for taking the lead on the outdoor lighting issue.  It sounds like they've come up with a good plan to light the back yard.  They're shopping around for low prices and donations this week.  We'll be moving on this project very soon. We have made a change in our November camping plans.  We had intended to camp at Gardner State Park.  Recent changes in State Park policies make it prohibitively expensive for us to camp in the State Parks (unless we have a group site reserved).  So, we'll be camping a mile away at Yeargan's River Bend.  We'll probably be visiting the park as day tourists.  Yeargan's has a nice website at www.riverben.com.  They will let us camp for free in exchange for a brief service project.  We will, once again, invite the Webelos to join us on this trip. As always, the Troop 1954 events calendar, this and all back newsletters,  and all sorts of other useful information is available on our website at www.sanmarcos1954.org  The Wednesday Newsletter is the official record of Troop 1954 and serves as minutes for all troop and committee meetings. Attendance SPL  Tony Frediani presiding assisted by ASPL Justin Williams     Vicious Badgers  Patrol Leader, James Wheatly   Daniel John James     Ferocious Ferrets  Patrol Leader, Perry Henson   Tony Lorenzo Perry Edwin Justin   Mullets   Patrol Leader, Mason R-K Nathan He. Nathan Hi. Philip Mason       Biohazards   Patrol Leader, Ace Govea Alexey Ace Eric       Crimson Fromage     Patrol Leader, Ben Warms Patrol motto: A Light Sprinkling of Genius with a Chance of Doom Sean Ben P. Josh R. Ben W.   Highly Flammable Piffs     Patrol Leader, Patrol motto: Don't Misunderestimate Us! Lee Zach   Non-Patrol Scouts         Point System Scoring   Patrol Attend. Uniform Behavior Game Spirit Meeting 6 Mo V. Badgers 4 5     - 9 29 F. Ferrets 4 4       9 30 Mullets 5 5 -1     9 32.5 Biohazards 5 5 -2   - 8 29.5 Fromage 5 5 -5   - 5 29.5 Piffs 4 5 -1     8 17 notes: 1) you get half a point for wearing a "class B" on a "class A" night 2) We're adding a category for the evening's contest (whatever it may be).  We'll see how it works. 3) We'll try another new rule...especially because we have reduced summer attendance.  In case of tie, the patrol with the largest number of people attending gets the award. Note: Scouts with more than three consecutive misses will not be counted against patrol attendance scores.  Such scouts are not removed from their patrols.  They are simply not counted for attendance points until they return.  Also note that when all patrols score the same on a category, it doesn't matter what they score. Behavior, subtract for each incident. Fails to come to order when scout sign given -1 Fighting with each other -1 per incident Bad language -1 per incident Failure to treat others with respect -1 Asked repeatedly to do any task -1 Fails to clean up -1 Shows poor sportsmanship -1 Spirit: Add for each, highest score is a five. All members cooperate with game +1 Members make progress on meeting’s task +1 Members show enthusiasm for tasks +1 Members show good organization (listen to PL and Coach) +1 Members exemplify Scout Law +1       Announcements   1) November 12 is the San Marcos Veterans Day Parade and Playscape Cleanup 2) We need to know for sure whether or not you are coming on the Frio river camp out at next Tuesday's meeting 3) Please be sure to check your house for troop belongings 4) We will need a Committee Meeting soon to discuss plans for the Scout Hut as well as patrol equipment. 5) Believe it or not, Sights and Sounds is only a few weeks away.  We will begin planning for that almost immediately.     News of the Scouting World Soccer links Latinos to Scouting A new program in east county aims to get more youths involved with Boy Scouts through sport The Oregonian (Portland, Oregon) November 3, 2005 Thursday by Tim Stumm, Special to The Oregonian Afternoon rain brings Juan Mayoral's Cub Scout troop indoors on a recent Tuesday at Alder Elementary School. Mayoral drops a soccer ball into play and, just like that, the den meeting has begun. Although most Cub Scouts earn their badges tying knots and building campfires, nearly 100 east county children are moving up the ranks by dribbling through cones and mastering the offsides trap. They are part of Soccer and Scouting, a new national outreach program designed to get Latino youths involved in Boy Scouts through the competition of sport. It made its debut in Oregon in October. "It exposes them to positive things they may not have been exposed to otherwise," said Mayoral, a local district executive with Boy Scouts of America. Most days, the teams are organized by grade. Today's inclement weather, however, has forced the players indoors, and the single gym available has clumped the ages together. After warm-ups, the players divide into two teams for a full-group scrimmage. They are given yellow and red jerseys to distinguish themselves. Scouts can earn up to their Webelos badge by playing soccer. The workouts are often complemented by more traditional Scouting activities such as archery and rope courses. The group starts working on Pinewood Derby cars this month and will participate in the annual race in January. "Just like the normal Cub Scouts," Mayoral said. Reaching out to Latinos The program's intention is to introduce the world of Scouting to Latino youths, who traditionally have been underrepresented in the organization. Trial programs were initiated in Orange County, Calif.; Mt. Prospect, Ill.; Albuquerque, N.M.; and Athens, Ga. Their success prompted Boy Scouts of America to introduce the concept nationwide. Soccer was chosen over other sports because of its connection with the Latino community. Many councils have experienced tremendous growth in their Latino American communities, and the vast majority of these families view soccer as their national sport, according to the official Scouting and Soccer Web site. Mayoral saw the combination as a chance to become more involved in his youth community. "It gives me an opportunity to connect with Latino kids at a young age," he said. It also creates a venue for Latino children to mingle with peers from different backgrounds because the program is open to all children in first through fifth grades. Each has his own reason for signing up. London Marshall, a first-grader at Alder, joined to try a new sport. The fast-paced action of soccer has drawn him in quickly, but he is enjoying other parts of the program as well. "He's really into the secret handshake," said Mecca Marshall, London's mother. Hopes for expansion Other children, such as third-grader Marco Anthony Jimenez, were intrigued by the camping and fishing aspect. "He hasn't had much opportunity in the past to do those kinds of things," said his father, Julio Jimenez. Troops have been established at Alder, Davis and Glenfair elementary schools. Mayoral hopes to expand to other area schools and eventually create a league pitting the schools against one another. He also plans to take the Scouts on at least one overnight outing this year and is organizing an outing with Portland's professional soccer team, the Timbers. When the scrimmage ends, the sweaty young group huddles up for high-fives, and Mayoral discusses plans for Saturday's practice. As the Scouts disperse, tired bodies hold up smiling faces. Ian Evilsizer, a fourth-grader, greets his waiting mother, then charges for the drinking fountain with his new friends. While he enjoys camping and shooting the bow and arrow, a different reason brings him back each week. "Because I like to play soccer," he says. Upcoming Events November 18-20, Garner State Park -Yeargan's River Bend Camp Out December 1-3, Sights and Sounds of Christmas Funnel Cake Fundraiser December 26-30, Winter Camp January 20-22, John Knox Camp Camp-Out (ropes course) February TBA, Lost Pines (climbing tower and canoeing) March 13-17, Enchanted Rock Camp-Out March 30-April 2, Camporee April 4, Troop Elections April 11, Spring Court of Honor May 5-7, Inks Lake June 2-4 Big Bend July TBA Summer Camp