As we continuously strive to improve our camping experiences, one key area we’ve focused on is the meals and nutrition during Troop campouts. Our Troop leaders have observed some trends that we believe are important to address to ensure the health and safety of all our Scouts.

Firstly, we’ve noticed a significant amount of food waste, with Scouts often not eating the meals prepared. Additionally, many Scouts bring extra snacks on campouts, which can attract animals to tents and cabins. Moreover, the meals planned by the Scouts sometimes lack balance, missing essential food groups. While we understand that some Scouts may have specific eating preferences beyond food allergies, it is crucial for everyone to have well-balanced meals to stay energized for our activities.

To address these concerns, Troop leadership is committing to:

• Incorporate All Five Food Groups in Meal Planning: Going forward, we’ll ensure that our meal plans cover all five food groups, providing a balanced diet that is essential for the health and energy levels of our Scouts.
• Share Planned Menus in Advance: We will provide the menu for each campout ahead of time. This will allow Scouts who might not be interested in the planned meals to bring their own suitable alternatives.
• Gathering Feedback: We will ask our Scouts to provide feedback on what foods they like and don’t like so we can consider those preferences in our meal planning.  We will also gather feedback on the specific meals prepared during campouts so we know whether to include them in future plans.

We are asking for the cooperation of Scouts and their parents/guardians in the following ways:

• Encouragement to Eat Provided Meals: We urge everyone to encourage Scouts to eat the food being prepared. This not only helps reduce waste but also ensures that all Scouts get the nutrition they need.
• Inform Leaders About Alternative Food Arrangements: If a Scout decides to bring their own food, please let the Troop leaders know in advance. This information is vital for us to make accurate food purchases and avoid unnecessary waste.
• Limit Snacks Brought to Campouts: While snacks are often a fun part of camping, bringing excessive amounts can lead to problems, including attracting wildlife. We request that the amount of snacks brought be limited.

We believe these steps will help make our campouts more enjoyable and healthy for everyone involved. By working together, we can ensure that our meals are not only delicious but also nutritious, keeping our Scouts fueled and ready for adventure!

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

IT’S OFFICIAL!  Troop 457 is heading to Seven Ranges Scout Reservation in Kensington Ohio for summer camp June 23 – 29, 2024.  This event has been added to the Troop Calendar in TroopTrack and Scouts can RSVP now to hold their spot.

The Seven Ranges Summer Camp experience is very different from what Scouts experienced at Beaumont last summer.  Beginning in December, our monthly newsletters will include a special section discussing what Scouts can expect during their week of Summer Camp.

One important item to note, Seven Ranges’ summer camp runs Sunday through SATURDAY (not Friday like Beaumont last year).  This is to accommodate the Pipestone Camp Honors program (which will be the topic in our December newsletter).

At Troop 457, we recognize that cell phones have become a ubiquitous part of our Scouts’ everyday lives and phones are both powerful tools and major distractions. It is unrealistic to expect Scouts to leave their devices at home, but it is important that cell phones not interfere with our Leaders’ ability to deliver an effective Scouting Program.

During the October 2023 Patrol Leaders Council and Troop Committee Meetings, Mr. Maloney proposed the adoption of a Troop Cell Phone Policy that provides Scouts with clear guidance on how cell phone are (and are not) to be used during Troop meetings and events.  The policy was adopted by the PLC and Troop Committee in November 2023 and can be found below and on the Troop Website.

• Troop 457 and its leadership are NOT responsible for the cell phone if it is lost, stolen, or damaged during Scout activities.
• Cell phones are a Scouts personal property (just like their tent and camping gear).  It is the Scout’s responsibility to keep track of the phone. If a cell phone is lost during a scout activity the Troop will not spend a large amount of time looking for it.
• Scouts should not be on their cell phones during Troop Meetings unless explicitly needed for the activity.  Cell phones will only be used during down times at Troop meetings and events and should never be a disruption to troop activities.
• Cell phones will NOT be taken into restrooms, shower facilities for any reason (charging, private phone calls, or for pictures/video). This is a violation of Youth Protection.
• No pictures or videos will be posted by Scouts on any social media site without the permission of the person in the picture or video.  The Troop is permitted to post photos / videos to the Troop social media accounts and TroopTrack.
• Use of the cell phone should follow the 12 points of the Scout Law. Inappropriate content should not be accessed.
• Cyber bullying is prohibited and will not be tolerated.
• Adult leadership will NOT provide their vehicles or other means for charging cell phones.
• No music playing at any time, especially at night. Earbuds are to be worn to not disturb others.

Our Troop holds our Patrol Leaders Council (PLC) and Patrol Meetings on the third Tuesday of every month.  These meetings play an important role in operating our Troop.  Let’s take a quick look at the objectives of these meetings and how they will be changing over the next several months.

Patrol Leaders Council (PLC) Meetings

The Patrol Leaders Council (or PLC) meeting should be attended by any Scout who holds a leadership position in the Troop (e.g., Senior Patrol Leader, Patrol Leader, Quartermaster).  During these meetings, our Youth Leaders receive important information about the operation of the Troop and discuss what activities will be taking place in the upcoming 2 months.  They also assign responsibility for planning these meetings to specific Patrols.

Patrol Meetings

Patrol Meetings are held immediately following the PLC meeting (during the Parents Meeting) and should be attended all Scouts in a Patrol regardless of their leadership position.  During these meetings:

• The Patrol Leader (and any other members of the patrol in leadership positions) will review what was discussed in the PLC and share any important updates.
• The Patrol members will provide their Patrol leader with any updates on their personal rank advancement and what requirements they need to complete to earn their next rank.  The Patrol leader will share this information with the PLC in the next meeting.
• Patrol members will work together to plan any upcoming Troop meetings or events to which their Patrol was assigned responsibility.

Scouts should maximize their time working together to complete these plans in order to be prepared for their upcoming meetings.

What is Changing

The following changes will be made to the Patrol Meetings in the upcoming months to ensure our Scouts are actively working on event planning:

• The Scoutmaster or Assistant Scoutmaster will actively participate in Patrol Meetings once their updates have been completed in the Parents Meeting.
• Scouts will have access to a structure planning check list for Troop Events and Troop Meetings (coming soon)
• Planning checklist will be reviewed by the Scoutmaster / Assistant Scoutmaster before leaving the meeting.
• The final planning checklists must be presented to the Senior Patrol Leader and Scoutmaster:
  • Troop Meetings – At the meeting the week before the meeting the patrol is planning
  • Troop Events / Campouts – At the meeting 2 weeks before the event.

The Troop website has a new “Service Portal” from which our members can quickly perform a variety of actions, including:

• Request changes to TroopTrack Accounts (add/remove a user, add an email address to a Scout’s account)
• Learn more about Health Forms and Permission Slips
• Request an Application for Merit Badge (a.k.a. Blue Card)
• Request approval of independent Service Hours
• Request a Scoutmaster Conference or Board of Review
• Submit an adult leader application (including merit badge counselor applications)
• An online Lost and Found where you can submit items found at an event or items you are missing from an event.

We’re in the process of finalizing a few features (including limiting it to only Troop members via their TroopTrack user accounts), but please start using these tools to submit your requests rather than emails.

Cell phone have become a ubiquitous part of today’s society.  Many of our Scouts carry their phones with them to Troop meetings and events.  These phones can be a tool to help the contact parents, store information, or look things up to complete rank and merit badge requirements.  They can also be a distraction at meetings and isolate Scouts from one another.

We recognize that it is unrealistic to ban cell phones from Troop meetings and events, but our leadership has decided that we need to set clear expectations of how cell phones should be used during Troop functions.  Below is a proposed cell phone policy.  We invite Scouts and Parents / Guardians to provide their feedback to their youth leaders, the Scoutmaster or Committee Chair before November 19, 2023.  The official policy will be adopted in the November 21 PLC meeting.

Proposed Cel Phone Policy

• Troop 457 and its leadership are NOT responsible for the cell phone if it is lost, stolen, or damaged during Scout activities.
• Cell phones are a Scouts personal property (just like their tent and camping gear).  It is the Scout’s responsibility to keep track of the phone. If a cell phone is lost during a scout activity the Troop will not spend a large amount of time looking for it.
• Scouts should not be on their cell phones during Troop Meetings unless explicitly needed for the activity.  Cell phones will only be used during down times at Troop meetings and events and should never be a disruption to troop activities.
• Cell phones will NOT be taken into restrooms, shower facilities for any reason (charging, private phone calls, or for pictures/video). This is a violation of Youth Protection.
• No pictures or videos will be posted by Scouts on any social media site without the permission of the person in the picture or video.  The Troop is permitted to post photos / videos to the Troop social media accounts and TroopTrack.
• Use of the cell phone should follow the 12 points of the Scout Law. Inappropriate content should not be accessed.
• Cyber bullying is prohibited and will not be tolerated.
• Adult leadership will NOT provide their vehicles or other means for charging of cell phones. 
• No music playing at any time, especially at night. Earbuds are to be worn to not disturb others.