TO: Boy Scouts, Parents, and Committee Members

FROM: Mr. Darrell Smith, Scoutmaster

SUBJECT: First Quarter Notes

30 March 2000

To All:

1. The past few months proved to be milestones for Troop 220. We earned the 2000 Quality Unit Award and 100% Boy’s Life award. This proves our overall success last year. In part it means that our adults were properly trained to lead, our Scouts progressed in skill and rank, and we camped regularly.

2. Personally I think our single largest gain was going global! Thanks to Mr. Galeano, we are now in the virtual world on the Internet. Tell your friends and relatives to visit our awesome web site, with tons of camping pics at: www.oocities.org/troop220_rafb. I urge everyone to check it regularly. It’s a great recruiting tool! We also obtained 4 computers and monitors from the Back to School Computer Program from Robins AFB and computers donated from Mr. Galeano’s work. Of them, one was given to Pack 220. To top it off, Mrs. Reis obtained a scanner for us just last week.

3. Speaking of Pack 220, they held their annual Blue and Gold ceremony. Several boys crossed over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts. We witnessed Derrick’s brother Jordan, who received his Arrow of Light and subsequently joined T-220. Those of you who missed this event, you should go next year. This year’s guest speaker was none other than Brig. Gen. Scott from Robins Aviation Museum. Did you know he was an Eagle Scout? He mentions how important Scouting is in his book, God is My Co-Pilot, as he did in his speech. If you have questions about Blue and Gold, just ask one of our Scouts who serve as Den Chief.

4. This quarter, we had to cancel a camping trip due to a lack of leaders. As this is rare for us, we need to encourage our parents and assistants to join us camping whenever possible. We exonerated ourselves by excelling in the district’s Spring Camporee at the Fairgrounds in Perry. We enjoyed P-220 and their parents that joined us. We won the Silver Spatula award for cooking, second place in the Director’s Award, and a first place in events. Also, our trip in January went well in Mobile, AL, camping aboard the historic battleship USS Alabama. My hat goes off to Frank Reis securing our transportation and becoming our bus driver as well as Scoutmaster.

5. A few words on advancement: Thanks to Mrs. Bartholomew for arranging a meeting at the bank this month rounding out our Personal Management merit badges. Steve and Matt completed their Personal Fitness merit badges and Steven finished Communications. Steve and Scott are on their last few steps of their Eagle Projects. Josh and Brian advanced to Life Scout, while Aaron advanced to First Class. Steven advanced to Second Class and Rob advanced to Tenderfoot. My apologies if I missed any other successes.

6. I’d like to express my warmest ‘Thanks’ to those of you who wrote sympathy cards in the death of my father-in-law. Mrs. Nikki and I know we’re surrounded by a wonderful troop! I also want to thank the troop for supporting our assistant Scoutmaster Mr. Zak Scott so well as he fights Leukemia. Check with the hospital or me on how you can have your bone marrow test to help Mr. Zak find a compatible donor.

Yours in Scouting,

Darrell Smith, Scoutmaster