Based at Glenview Community Church, Troop 156 has served its community for more than 65 years. As one of the largest and most active Boy Scout units in Northeast Illinois, Troop 156 has a proud tradition of excellence. In the past five years alone, the Troop has produced 35 Eagle Scouts.
We are a scout-led Troop with emphasis on developing leadership ability and other other important life skills and values. The patrol method is an important part of the program and outdoor adventures, service projects and special events are scheduled year-round. It's not uncommon to have as many as three different activities the boys can choose from each month. Troop 156 is proud of our diverse culture with many different races and religions represented.
Currently Mr. Paul Bauerschmidt serves as Scoutmaster, supported by a team of 35 trained adult volunteers serving as Committee Members and Assistant Scoutmasters. Mr. Bob Blackwell is the unit's Committee Chair.
You don’t want to miss our weekly Thursday meeting this week! We will be planning for MaKaJaWan including, tent mates, merit badge plans, and passing out T-shirts. This is also an excellent opportunity for parents to ask any questions you may have.
The meeting will take place at 7pm at the GCC Garage.
As this will be my last note before next fall, I am in a reflective mood.I know that this likely runs counter to your present state of mind.After all, the summer, in all of its glory, extends seemingly unending in front of you.So, here is a bit of prospective reflection [I know, I know, thinking about a concept like that runs afoul of the first rule of summer break – think no big thoughts.Sorry, I can’t help myself.]
While it was decades and decades ago, nearly lost in the mists of time, I, too, remember summer break.There were soccer games played on the small strip of yard on the side of the house.There were swimming lessons.There were bike rides up to the high school to play tennis on the courts there.And, of course, there were Fourth of July fireworks and cookouts and cans of pop pulled from ice in a big galvanized steel tub (see, I told you it was a long time ago).
There was also a fair bit of Scouting.Summer camp, of course.Service projects.And even a merit badge or two completed somewhere other than summer camp.While I never did high adventure, I did attend the National Scout Jamboree.
During the summer, you lose the regular cadence of meetings and monthly campouts.But, you have the opportunity to take on some more intensive experiences.You also have some time to work on requirements and merit badges that take sustained effort.For example, what about working on menus to cook at home or on a campout (while sitting outside under a tree, of course).If you find yourself in a pool with a deep end, work on your surface dives.If you are away from the city and outside after dark, can you find the Big Dipper and follow the pointer stars to the North Star?Is it dark enough to see the Milky Way?You know, you might just want to page through the Scout Handbook and see what captures your attention.Yes, Scouting is an adventure.But, importantly, it is an adventure of your own making
QUESTION TIME
Q: What do you get if you cross a snowman and a shark?
A: Frostbite
BY DEFINITION
Bicycle: (1) A two-wheeled conveyance (unless it has three wheels). (2) Typically un-motorized except for those who opt for an electrical boost. (3) A key life skill – changing an innertube, that is. (4) Freedom.As in: The Star Scout appreciated the convenience of having a parent shuttle him from one activity to another, but he absolutely loved the freedom of getting to where he needed to go on his own, by bicycle.
We have two volunteers opportunities to help you kick off Summer:
Who: Silas Warnsman's Life Project
When: Tuesday, May 31, 9:00-11:00a.m. and 1:00-3:00p.m., and Wednesday, June 1, 9:00-11:00a.m.
What: Assisting teachers and staff with packing up supplies in classrooms and the office before summer renovations. To participate you must be a D34 student.
Where: Springman Middle School, 2701 Central Rd, Glenview
What: We will be building a 250 foot fence. We will build the fence around the Interperative Center. The fence will have 25 posts and 50 split rails. We will dig holes to put the posts in. Once we have the posts in place we will fill the holes with gravel.
Where: The Grove, 1421 Milwaukee Ave, Glenview Il.
R.S.V.P.: Jack Piontek (847) 521-6396
We need lots of help please call or text Jack ASAP to sign up for the project. Food and drinks will be provided.
I was gratified to see just how many ranks were achieved and merit badges completed in advance of Thursday’s Court of Honor.As a Troop, you have been very busy and it shows in everyone’s individual achievement.Congratulations!
Of course, this raises the age-old Scouting question: Is it about getting sign-offs or learning from, growing through and enjoying the experience?OK, so the answer to that question, of course, is BOTH.
Why both?Well, I see it as a matter of chasing sign-offs as the motivation to encourage you to try something new, something that you might not have otherwise tried.For example, what are the chances that you would ever pick up a compass if it weren’t for Second Class requirements 3a and 3b.By completing those requirements, you learn how to use a new tool, you grow by gaining confidence in navigating through an unknown environment and, I’ll bet, you have fun doing it.So, as the mathematicians would say, QED -- it is both about getting sign-offs as well as learning, growing and enjoying.
DID YOU KNOW
As you might expect, there is always a flurry of activity to complete Scoutmaster Conferences and Boards of Review just prior to a Court of Honor.As soon as you have completed the requirements for a particular rank, though, it is a good idea to ask Mr. Bauerschmidt for a Scoutmaster Conference and, once that is complete, to ask Mr. Moon for a Board of Review.The ranks of Star, Life and Eagle all require a certain number of months to have elapsed since the prior rank was achieved.The clock starts ticking when a Board of Review is completed, so it makes sense to request and complete a Board of Review when you are ready rather than waiting for just before the next Court of Honor.
QUESTION TIME
Q: Why did the Tenderfoot Scout act like a nut?
A: He wanted to catch a squirrel.
BY DEFINITION
Pen: (1) A writing instrument. (2) Often with blue or black ink, but also available in other colors including red and green. (3) Indelible [Your SAT word for the week]. (4) An essential Scouting tool.As in: The Second Class Scout was ready to review a number of First Class requirements with a Star Scout at that week’s meeting.It was a good thing that he remembered both his handbook and a pen, so that the Star Scout could sign off on each requirement as it was completed successfully.
