In attendance: Dean and Laura Claugherty, John Harden, Sue Burns, Eric Krause, Terry Anderla, Tim Krause, Mike and Amy Bearman, Maggie LaNoue

Calendar - all meetings are at St. Paul's Lutheran Church at 7 p.m. unless otherwise indicated

January

Tuesday Jan 9 - Charlie, Matt, Steve and Mikey work on web site, 7-8:30 p.m.
(Communications Badge) 812 1/2 Burr Oak. Other scouts regular meeting
Tuesday Jan 16 - Alex, Michael Bommarito, Bradley and Jonathan work on web site. 812 1/2 Burr Oak, other scouts will go to the Webelo's Pinewood Derby at Harrington. John Harden to coordinate
Tuesday Jan 23 - Preparation for Polar Bear camping
Saturday January 27 - Polar Bear Outing. Has to be cold enough for water to freeze in a cup. Meet at Terry Anderla's 9 a.m. Eat breakfast first. Bring a bag lunch, and a campfire dinner (tinfoil packet), hot chocolate, cooking gear, bring a sled for gear. Will be walking at least 1/2 mile. Warm dress extra clothes.
Pick up at Anderla's 9 a.m. Sunday January 28
January 28 - District Awards dinner, for Eagle scouts and their parents. Spring Arbor.
Tuesday Jan. 30 - Preparation -Citizenship Mike Herman

February - Orange Sale fundraiser coming up
These Webelos will be crossing over: Ryan Bilicke, Paul Dack. All scouts should attend ceremony. (date pending)
Very important to attend all four meetings in February - Emergency preparedness
Jerry McQueen counselor
Klondike Derby at Camp Mascotah Competition sledding - will not spend the night. (Feb 17)
Tuesday Feb 6 - Emergency preparedness
Tuesday Feb 13- Emergency preparedness
Tuesday Feb 20- Emergency preparedness
Tuesday Feb 27- Emergency preparedness

March
Tuesday March 6
Tuesday March 13, preparation for Spring Camporee
Tuesday March 20 - work on First Aid Merit Badge - CPR - Debbie Bommarito, First Aid Counselor
Tuesday March 27- work on First Aid Merit Badge - Debbie Bommarito
Ray Dodd award - at athletic facilities (Spring Arbor) competition, eat pizza. (more info coming)

April -
Tuesday April 3 - no meeting, spring break
Tuesday April 10 - meeting - plan for Spring Camporee
Saturday April 7 or 13 - practice for Camporee at Bearman's barn - "invite a friend"
Tuesday April 17 - meeting
Friday April 20- Sunday April 22 - Spring Camporee - wear your uniform (eat first!) Subject to change.

May
Tuesday May 1 - meeting
Saturday May 5: cook breakfast and lunch in Victory Park, work on "Play Scape" - an Eagle Project by Steven Sprouse - not sure yet of exact Saturday...
Tuesday May 8- meeting
Friday May 11 - Mother Daughter banquet at Lutheran Church - Scouts come, wear uniforms, serve and clean up.
Tuesday May 15 - meeting - prepare for advancement camp out
Friday May 18 - - Sunday May 20 - Anderla's - Advancement Camp out - meet at Anderla's at 5 p.m. (eat first!)
Tuesday May 22 - meeting
Tuesday May 29 meeting

June
meetings each Tuesday 7-8:30
June 9 - Canoe Practice "invite a friend"
June 15 (meet at church at 5 p.m. (eat first!) through Sunday June 17 - afternoon
Father/Son trip to Hell Michigan - Canoeing on the Potowanamee River
All fathers are encouraged to come and enjoy this trip to Hell with your son!

July - First week - Boy Scout Summer camp - stay tuned for more info
Also in July - probably weekend of the 27th - Family camping and canoe trip

August - Civil War Muster (date?)

September - Fall Camporee

Saturday September 15 Festival of the Forks - Boy Scout Canoe Race

October
Troop Camp Out

Other requested events for this year, Fishing, Swimming, Golf Outings.

Other minutes:

Merit Badges Scouts are reminded to keep a running log of activities related to scouting and merit badges. All community volunteer work, planting flowers, Volunteer Center work, other service work, hikes. (notebook is required.) We are currently working on Citizenship badge, paperwork is required! Tip: make a copy of the requirements for each badge currently working on and put it in a notebook in a plastic cover to stay neat and readable. Also keep cards about badges earned in divided sheet protectors, like basketball card holders. See Mikey Bearman's notebook for good example.
See list of requirements online. Boys can get printout when working on web page. Mike Herman is Citizenship counselor, John Harden will take with him about requirements. Mikey Bearman is closest to finishing this badge. There are three Citizenship badges total, we are now working on the Community Citizenship badge.
Other merit badges: Rock climbing, Eric will investigate program in Kalamazoo, costs a fraction of program at Starr. It will be an overnight event. Soil Conservation Merit Badge work is coming up at some of the regular meetings. More Merit Badge Counselors are needed. Parents are requested to look through the merit badge requirements online and see where they can help. 12 specific Merit Badges are required for the Eagle Scout award, plus several of the optional ones to achieve the Eagle. Some counselors we have now are Mike Herman, Debbie Herwarth, Mike Jerasek, John King, Maggie LaNoue and Debbie Bommarito.
There was a discussion on the "Order of the Arrow" annual event for expert campers. To attend it is important for all scouts to attend all camping events. Only half of those eligible may go each year. This is a high honor and requires "Ordeal Camping," with little food provided and no speaking allowed.

Fundraisers:
Popcorn sales: $1,236. Top sellers: Two scouts sold over $200 of popcorn Tim Krause, $523 and Charlie LaNoue, $253. Alex Harden also sold $190. $411 commission earned. $213 for boys, $123 for troop. (extra funds came from leftover tins from last year)
Orange Sale coming up in February. Does anyone have a heated garage or similar place we can use for storage until scouts pick up orders?

Leadership - Still looking for a scoutmaster. Terry Anderla kindly is acting scoutmaster.
Ideas for new membership - Two new members pending from Webelos, see above. Also, Troop 172 could have a table at school open houses, esp. Open School (Middle School?) Also, scouts can invite friends to easy events, practices, fun activities.

Other discussion, chuck boxes need rebuilding. They are badly worn.

Info (not a troop activity) Saturday, January 13, Winter Nature Hike - Stockbridge - optional, no cost, 5 miles, starts @ 11 a.m. (bring skis?) call Eric Krause for more info. counts for badge

Trip to Virginia this summer for Jamboree: We decided not to plan to attend this year, but to focus on Boy Scout summer camp. Many badges and advancements can be earned at summer camp. Scholarships available.

We may set up parents' meetings on a more frequent schedule to allow us to help the boys work on their merit badges. The parental involvement of Troop 172 is one of the main reasons for the high success rate of our boys earning their Eagle badges. The Eagle badge will be a lifetime achievement and credit for those who make it. Thanks for showing your support! Parental guidelines will be provided in the near future.