Troop 918 is sponsored by Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. Our goal is to develop Godly young men of great character with a heart of service for others and knowledge and respect for the outdoors. ________________________________________________________________________________________
The Boy Scouts of America places the greatest importance on creating the most secure environment possible for its youth members. To maintain such an environment, the BSA has developed numerous procedural and leadership selection policies, and provides parents and leaders the following online and print resources for all scouting progams. For more information please visit: www.ocbsa.org/youth-protection/
Initial deposit due date has just passed on Feb 22nd Please send your payments Now.
Summer is upon us….
Well, at least Summer Camp Registration is.
This year our Scouts have decided to return to Camp Tahquitz in the hills near Big Bear for our annual week at Summer Camp.
This is the highlight event of the year as they stretch themselves, experience personal growth, and grow in their scouting skills and rank!
Most especially after having to miss this week-long adventure last summer due to the COVID-19
A week off at Summer camp is really the highlight of the Scouting year!
We will leave for Camp the morning of Sunday, July 18th, and return home in the afternoon on Saturday, July 24th.
What will a Scout do at camp?
Camp Tahquitz offers a great adventure program for all Scouts as well as an excellent advancement program for younger Scouts too. The program is varied, offering a wide range of outdoor activities - archery, rifle shooting, rowing, canoeing, climbing, rappelling, nature studies, horseback riding and camp craft, just to name a few.
How will Scouts grow at camp?
In addition to all the fun Scouts will spend a week
Waking up on time (or close to it)
Following their own schedule of activities
Managing their own money without a lot of oversight… will there be money left for soda at the trading post by the last few days???
Eat three meals a day sitting down with their friends
Say grace before each meal
Keep his tent reasonably clean… well this might be asking a lot :- )
Can a boy as young as 10 years old go off to camp for a week and return a mature young man? You’re dreaming! We can’t promise that, but parents often note that their son has returned from a week at camp having noticeably grown up a bit!
Veteran Parents
Think back to your Scout’s camp experience. Did he have a GREAT time? I know he did and I bet he can’t wait to go back for more. In past years Troop 918 has had several Scouts and two adults invited to join the Tribe of Tahqutiz honor Scout organization that runs the camp. This is an honor that was not afforded to all Scouts and Troops. We have even had Scouts who have been invited to interview to work at the camp. (My son worked there two summers in a row). Who might be invited to this year? Will it be your Scout? Send em’ to camp and let’s find out.
New Parents
Sending your son off to their first Summer Camp for a week will raise a lot of questions. You'll start by asking is this a good idea and end up with how many socks will he need. We’ll get more information out as we draw closer, but please don’t hesitate to ask along the way. After a dozen years of attending Summer Camps with the Troop, I can tell you that these boys are just the right age and by mid-summer they will have the skills they need to for this great experience. Every Scout should go to camp! We’ll share more on Summer Camp at the New Patent Meeting next Tuesday. Please plan to attend.
Scouting's founder, Lord Robert-Baden Powell said that a Scout accomplishes as much at camp for a week as he does in 6 months of meetings.
RSVP NOW for Summer Camp 2021 to reserve your place now with only a $120 deposit! Commitment and initial deposit due by Feb 22nd... sooner is always better :-)
Additional payments of $100 will be due on 3/22, 4/19, and 5/17.
The total fee for the camp program, activities, and meals is $495. In order to help encourage more Scouts to attend camp, our Troop committee has committed $75 in subsidizing each Scout bringing the cost down to $420.
Mrs. Valerie Kester will be teaching this Merit Badge
Requirement: Scouts will have to have a completed BSA physical with their doctor.
Dates and times and Locations
October 25 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm Concourse Park (18931 Saddleback Ranch Road, Trabuco Canyon, CA)
November 1 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm Concourse Park (18931 Saddleback Ranch Road, Trabuco Canyon, CA)
Week one starts Sunday, Nov. 8 with the 12 week workout program!!
December 6 3:30pm - 5:00 pm Concourse Park (18931 Saddleback Ranch Road, Trabuco Canyon, CA)/ week 4
January 3 3:30pm - 5:00 pm Concourse Park (18931 Saddleback Ranch Road, Trabuco Canyon, CA)/week 8
January 31 3:30pm - 5:00 pm Concourse Park (18931 Saddleback Ranch Road, Trabuco Canyon, CA)/week 12
Going through the Personal Fitness merit badge workbook, the plan is the following:
page 1) covered 10/25 at meeting page 2) covered #2 and #3 on 10/25, covered #4 and #5 on 11/1 page 3) covered 'b'/ dental on 10/25, covered 2 a-d on 10/25 page 4) covered 3a on 11/1, covered 3b on 10/25, 3c-d is homework; covered 3e on 11/1; 3f-i is homework page 5) will cover 4a-e on 12/6 and cover 5a on 1/3 page 6) will cover 5b-d on 1/3; covered 6a Aerobic Fitness test on 10/25 (run/walk 1 mile) and Flexibility and Strength test on 11/1 page 7) 6b (3 days of eat/drink) and 3 healthy eating goals is homework; #7 is homework assigned 11/1 and due 11/8 to start the 12 week fitness program (our 4, 8 and 12 week meetings are based on starting the program 11/8; so they have a week to put their program together from 11/1) page 8) Fitness measurements taken on 10/25 and 11/1; the 12 week goal category is homework; each column is homework that they will fill in at week 4 (12/6), week 8 (1/3) and week 12 (1/31). They can note total change at the end of the program. The discussion items on page 8 will be discussed at the meeting on 1/31. page 9) will be covered at meeting on 12/6 page 10-12) This is the 12 week program. Putting together the program they will start on 11/8 is this week's homework. NOTE: there are 7 lines/week. I told them 5 days/week of exercise is plenty. PE counts. School or after school sports count. We discussed how to measure their heart rates. They can do that one time per week, they don't have to do it everyday.
NOTE: If you have a scout still pursuing Tenderfoot, Second Class or First Class- there is a fitness requirement for each rank that closely resembles what they are doing for this badge on a weekly basis. They can make note of what they are doing for the fitness badge here and a senior scout can sign off their rank requirements as well.
Did you know that you can subscribe to the Troop calendar?
All of the Troop dates and events would automatically show up for easy planning. This works for calendars on Apple, Google, Android, Yahoo, Windows Live or Hotmail.
Scout age boys grow fast! They typically grow out of their uniforms before they are worn out. If you have a uniform that you have outgrown, consider donating it to the Troop Thrift so that someone else can benefit.
The new Ralph's Fundraising year started Sept 1st!!!
Ralph's requires all Rewards members to re-register annually to donate to Troop 918!!!
Register your card onlineorin-store to support our Troop simply by purchasing food!
Do you have family that lives elsewhere in the country? The can register to support us with their Community Contributions card from Kroger, Fred Meyer, Dillons and other stores owned by The Kroger Co.
RALPH'S REQUIRES ANNUAL RESUBMISSION - Even if you've signed up before, each September Ralph’s requires customers to re-register their card to their chosen charity to receive the donations. Please either register or re-register your Ralph’s Club Card to Troop 918 now!
All of the Troop dates and events would automatically show up for easy planning. This works for calendars on Apple, Google, Android, Yahoo, Windows Live or Hotmail. 
