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	Boy Scout Troop 965 Havre de Grace, Maryland

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News Last updated 05/05/2008 Troop Committee Meeting Excerpts, etc.\ site map

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• May 08
  • Anita Boris, outgoing Fundraising Chair, reported that the revenue raised by last year's 4th of July fundraiser was the lowest in years and not worth the effort. Construction has been ongoing at Bel Air High School and drastically effected the parade route and vendor locations. The Fundraising Chair recommended we pursue other venues/means for scout account fundraisers.
  • The Hundtermarks, new fundraising chairs, recommendced the Troop sell popcorn net Fall. Approved.
  • Curtis Cohen, a moderator for Webster UCC (one of our two chartering organizations) is opening a hardware store this month and would like to involve the Troop in a fundraiser. He wants the Troop to cook hot dogs and hamburgers and give them to his customers free. He will reimburse us for at the market price for whatever we give away. For example, if we give away $100 worth of product that cost us $30, he will give us $100 ($70 is our profit).


• Apr 08
  • The Troop did well at the Spaghetti Supper and had accumulated a surplus over several years. Consequently, the Troop Committee decided to divide this surplus among active scouts and add it to their scout accounts. The amount is $74 per scout.




• Oct 07
• Email updates on High Adventure opportunities from John Dowdy.
• Darlington Apple Festival: Just a reminder that our Darlington Apple Festival Fundraiser is right around the corner (5-6 October). For new parents, this event is a “Troop fundraiser”. As I explained to the boys last, night - this means that each Scout is expected to work at least one shift at this event. And even though we are working, we always have fun doing it – this will be a great opportunity to get to know some of the other parents and boys of the Troop.
  We need a minimum of 8-10 Scouts/adults to adequately staff each shift, and yes, you can volunteer to work multiple shifts (trust me, I never turn down an offer of help). We even provide on-the-job training!!
  Attached is a permission slip/shift sign up form for this event, and some additional info Please indicate your first and second choice of shifts – we’ll make very effort to honor your request, but it’s first-come, first-served, and some shifts fill up quickly. Please scan/e-mail me back the completed form ASAP, or send hard copy with your Scout at next Thursday’s meeting (27 September).
  Thanks in advance for your support!!
• Darlington Baked Goods: We need baked goods for our troop’s food booth at the Darlington Apple Festival. Our best sellers are individually wrapped items (muffins, cake slices, cookies, brownies), but whole cakes and breads are great, too. Please no frosting or cream. Please bring goodies to meeting on October 4th. Be sure to include your name with the goodies you bring, as we need to be able to trace all items (Health Dept. requirement). (You don’t have to mark each item; we will assign numbers and mark them ourselves.) We will transport the goodies to the Apple Festival (October 6). Helpers needed to organize and wrap items at the Troop meeting on October 4th and at the Apple Festival on October 6th.
  Information: Call Valerie Bedsaul 410 734 9212
  Thanks for all your past support of our bake sales! We couldn’t do it without you.


• Sep 07
• Minutes of August (Aug 23) Troop Committee meeting.


• Jun 07
• Bel Air 4th of July Parade: Each year, the parents help staff our concession stand at the Bel Air 4th of July Parade. Proceeds go into the Scouts' accounts. Our booth is usually at Bel Air high school, where the parade used to end and the fireworks took place in the evening. Things will be a little different for the next year or two due to construction at Bel Air high school. The parade will be re-routed and fireworks will take place at Rockfield Park (no spectators or vendors allowed due to safety concerns). Consequently, our booth will be somewhere on Bond Street. Point of contact for volunteer scheduling and/or further information is Anita Boris, anita.boris@us.army.mil).
• Minutes of Apr (Apr 29) Troop Committee meeting.
• Minutes of Jun (Jun 03) PLC meeting.
• New River 2008 High Adventure Roster (as of 05/27/07) Troop password required
• Sea Base 2008 High Adventure Roster (as of 05/27/07) Troop password required


• May 07
• Eagle Court of Honor (Sat, Jul 28): Jorge Guzman announced his son's Eagle Court of Honor will be Sat, Jul 28. Time and place TBA. They both thank you all for being part of his accomplishment through the years in Troop 965. POC: Jorge Guzman, jguzman@jhmi.edu. Our congratulations and admiration for a job well done.
• High Adventure Trips: are challenging trips that demand more stamina, skills, or conditioning than routine Troop outings. Consequently, they have prerequisites specific to the trip. These prerequisites are often set elsewhere and inflexible (i.e., beyond the Troop's power to waive).
• High Adventure Leaders:
• 2007: Bill Wloczewski and Jorge Guzman.
• 2008: John Dowdy and Tim Byrnes.
• Schedule:
• 2007
• Northern Tier (Manitoba, Canada), 07/27-08/02/2007. 13 year-olds are eligible. Physical within past 6 months or year using Norther Tier medical form (screens for strenuous activity).
• 2008
• New River Adventure (Powhatan, VA), tentatively 07/27-08/03/2008. Must be age 13 or older by 01/01/08. Must be able to pass swim test. Class III physical required. Approx Cost: was $300 in 2004.
• Sea Base (Islamorada, FL Keys), tentatively 08/15-08/22/2008. Must be 14 by 09/01/2008. Must pass BSA swim test (swim 100 yards and stay afloat one minute). Class III physical. No participant over 300 pounds. Must know and use Scout Oath and Scout Law as their guide to behavior while at Sea Base. Approx Cost: $675 per person (not including air fare). $100 deposit due June 15, 2007.


• Apr 07
• Minutes of Mar (Mar 25) Troop Committee meeting.


• Mar 07
• The Webster UCC (one of our chartering organizations) website has photos from Scout Sunday (Feb 11).
• Back issues of the Webster Word (Webster UCC's monthly newsletter) are also available on their website. Some contain blurbs about the Troop.
• The updated Scouts By Patrol Roster, Adult leaders Roster, Troop Merit Badge Counselors Roster, and District Merit Badge Counselors Roster have been posted to the Links page. They are encrypted to protect personal information so you'll need to give the Troop password.
• Minutes of Feb (Mar 04) Patrol Leaders Counsel meeting Feb 25 meeting was postponed one week due to weather


• Jan 07
• Minutes of January (Jan 28) Troop Committee meeting.


• Nov 06
• Minutes of November (Nov 19) Troop Committee meeting.


• Aug 06
• Revised Aquatics policy approved by Troop committee.
• Minutes of August (Aug 27) Troop Committee meeting.


• Jul 06
• Minutes of July (July 30) Troop Committee meeting.


• Jun 06
• Aquatics policy being revised by special committee.
• Minutes of "May" (June 4) Troop Committee meeting.


• May 06
• Minutes of Apr Troop Committee meeting.
• Committee/Leaders/PLC meetings scheduled for Sun, Jun 04 due to planned weekend events for May 20-21 and Memorial Day the following weekend.


• Apr 06
• Webster Play Area: Our Webster COR noted that the church envisioned clearing the brush behind the church parking lot and turning that into a play area for the children. He suggested this might make a good Eagle project for someone. Jack Hoy, our Eagle coordinator, would be alerted to suggest this to potential candidates who didn't yet have a project in mind. The POC for the church is Curtis Cohen.
• Summer Camp (Jul 2-9 @ Camp Horseshoe, PA):
• The Troop had already mailed in a deposit for 40 scouts but only 10-12 had met our 1st deadline for deposits and physicals. A 2nd deadline was approaching and it was suggested to have the Scoutmaster include notice in the weekly calls from patrol leaders; our Troop chairperson, however, wrote a letter for parents which was published on the website. Money and physicals are due to Mrs. Marianna Collins by May 11 Troop meeting.
• The Committee then discussed how much to contribute toward camp for each scout. Although Camp Horseshoe's fee per scout went up $10 (to $275 or $265 if we pay on time), our fundraisers went very well this year so the Committee decided the Troop should make up the difference to keep the cost per scout the same as last year ($200, $190 if they paid the $10 deposit on Feb 09).
• To ensure we reserve our favorite site for next year, the Troop has to put a stake (reservation) in while at camp. This means the Troop must decide (as discussed earlier) beforehand whether to change our dates to the 2nd or 3rd week in July instead (so the boys can be with their families for the 4th of July).
• Unlike last year, when our adult and scout leaders were split between summer camp, Philmont, and Sea Base, we should have our full leadership at this summer camp. Consequently, we should be able to draft a proposed calendar for 2007 and avoid the problems be had this year in having to finalize it at the last minute.
• Review of Troop Committee/Leader Positions:
• No positions were recommended to be reviewed.
• The Scoutmaster would like to step down this Fall. Two individuals were nominated for his replacement.
• The Treasurer would also like to step down. One individual had expressed an interest in this position.
• One individual volunteered for our vacant Secretary position.


• Mar 06
• Darlington Apple Festival (Sat, Oct 7): Thanks largely to the efforts of John Karas and others, we were able to resolve our problem with the chairman of the Darlington Apple Festival. Since SwanFest is only the following weekend, we abandoned that contingency for this year. The Apple Festival is our 2nd largest fundraiser. [POC: Anita Boris]
• Spaghetti Supper (Sat, Mar 11): Our largest fundraiser went very well, thanks to the spectacular organization of chairman Rick Snyder and the generous contributions from Mars Foods. We didn't quite meet our goal of 1000 but we did feed an estimated 850. The volunteers who helped, as usual, did a great job. [POC: Rick Snyder]
• Scout Sunday @ Webster Church (Sun, Mar 12): Despite being the day after our Spaghetti Supper, this event was reasonably well-attended and went well. The church was pleased. This annual event was originally scheduled for Feb 12 but that church service was cancelled due to snow. Conversely, the weather for Operation Icicle (Jan 27-29 @ Broad Creek) 2 weeks earlier had been almost Spring-like. [POC: Dave Brown]


• Feb 06
• Troop calendar -- change process:
  • Some events on the Troop calendar were coordinated with and approved by the Troop Committee; changes to these events should be coordinated with and approved by the Troop Committee whenever possible/practical.
  • Other dates on the Troop calendar (e.g., Spaghetti Supper organizational meetings, payment dates for upcoming events, etc.) were set by event leaders (vs. the Troop Committee) and do not require Troop Committee approval.
  • All concerned, however, should be mindful of coordinating changes with Dave Brown (Committee Chairperson) and Rob Mitchell (Scoutmaster) due to considerations that may not be obvious.
  • Spaghetti Supper meetings, for example, have high attendance and may need the Level dining hall; date changes to these meetings need to be coordinated with Alice Peterson (Level chartering organization representative) so she can attempt to keep the hall free for those new dates and release them for the dates no longer needed.
  • If, for example, the dining hall is needed but not available, the impacted leaders can pass the word to attendees to bring their own seating and meet in the parking lot if necessary. Teamwork: forewarned is forearmed. Be prepared!
• Darlington Apple Festival (Sat, Oct 7): The Troop received a letter from the Festival Committee that we wouldn't be invited back next year; this decision was apparently traced back to one individual. John Karas volunteered to write a letter as a concerned private citizen. The Festival Committee cannot legally bar us and we have support from at least two sources who are prepared to provide us space despite the Festival Committee. [POC: Anita Boris]
• SwanFest (Sun, Oct 15 in Havre de Grace): We are investigating SwanFest as a supplementary fundraising venue. Although we are now confident about returning to Darlington, we may pursue SwanFest as a contingency (in case of bad weather, equipment problems, etc. on the Apple Festival date). [POCs: Anita Boris and Gene Gall]
• Extreme Scouting Weekend (Fri-Sun, Mar 17-19): Ron Querns has lined up the farm of a former 965 scout as the site for this March Troop outing. The site overlooks the Susquehanna River. Sounds like some great stuff is planned! The Troop will rent a port-a-pot for this event. [POC: Ron Querns]
• Troop Email List: The webmaster will be developing a centralized email list for usage by Troop leaders. A main thrust of this effort is to identify current scout families who do not have email so alternate means of communication can be considered on a case-by-case basis. Senior scout leaders who do not attend meetings and Troop 965 alumni are other areas of focus. Conflicts with scout responsiblities will be scrupulously avoided (e.g., the established SPL->Patrol Leader->scouts telephone chain for weekly meeting notifications). [POC: Gene Gall]


• Jan 06
• C&O Canal Bike Trip (Sat-Sat, Aug 5-12):
205-mile high adventure bike trip from Cumberland, MD to Washington, DC. Cost is $190; 1st installment due Mar 9 ($20). Leader-in-charge is Mr. Jorge Guzman; registration forms are due to him by Feb 9. Scout must be 2nd Class or above; adult must be BSA-registered leader. Must complete 40-mile shakedown trip (May 19-21) unless completed a prior Troop 965 C&O Canal Trip (1994, 1998, or 2002). Registration form and info
• Many of the documents needed for the Eagle Scout process are now available online at the Baltimore Area Council website. Select "Advancement" and then select "Eagle Procedures." This page contains the following downloadable documents:
  • BAC Administrative Procedures
  • Eagle Congratulatory Letters
  • Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook
  • Eagle Scout Rank Application
  • Eagle Rank Award Confidential Reference Request
  • Eagle Scout Scholarship Application
  • Unit Leader Comments
  • Eagle Scout Project Description
• Click to download Harford District’s Life to Eagle Orientation
• Click to download Harford District Merit Badge Counselor Orientation Training
• Click to download Harford District Merit Badge Counselor Application


• Dec 05
• Troop Ski Trip to Camelback (Fri-Sun, Feb 24-26): http://www.skicamelback.com/. Camelback Permission Slip/Packing List/Info now available. Leader in charge: Lou Kosydar.
  (Tannersville, PA)


• Nov 05
• Click here for info on our adopted family for the Holidays.
  POC: David Sickenberger


• Oct 05
• Darlington Apple Festival: Net profit approx $2700+. Approx twice what we made our previous best there.
• Churchville Mini-Golf: Field trip cancelled. Need the full 3 meetings to prepare for Survival Weekend @ Camp Rodney.
• Christmas Party: Had to be postponed from Dec 2-3 to Dec 9-10. Arena Club staff having their party Dec 2-3.
• 2006 Calendar Activities: Committee and Leaders went through draft calendar month-by-month. Minor issues to be resolved. Final version will be forthcoming.
• Camelback Ski Trip: Scheduled for Feb 24-26 2006. Lou Kosydar handed out a form at a Troop meeting to solicit interest. Form due back to him on Nov 4 with $50 deposit if going.
• Troop 965 Christmas Gift Items: Steve Kilczewski emailed order forms for Troop 965 fleece vests, fleece blankets, and black knit caps. Orders due back to him by Nov 10 Troop meeting.


• Sep 05
• Level Meeting Snafu: The chartering organization representive (COR) from Level Volunteer Fire Company apologized for the 09/22/05 meeting problem. We were supposed to have the classroom. COR was mad. Only 12 in the class; Chief told them to meet in auxiliary. Notify COR immediately if problem recurs in future.
• Webster Complaints: Webster COR relayed complaints from choir practice that scouts were noisy while they were trying to practice and, although they complained to leaders, nothing was done. This was at first Fall meeting where boys had to race around outside the church for physical fitness. Ask leaders to ensure scouts are respectful if they have any future outdoor activites at Webster meetings.
• Housekeeping After Meetings: Committee members asked to check boys and girls bathrooms before leaving either meeting place to ensure no water running, windows open, trash, etc.
• Level Parking Lot Lights: Since it will be dark when we are leaving, Level COR invited us to turn the parking lot lights on before adjourning. They work via timer in coat room and take a while to warm up. Turn them on around 8:00 PM or so for an hour or two.
• Troop patches: Troop patches say "Webster, MD;" The Level COR wants it to read "Webster-Level." Patches were great idea but Committee wants to review/approve any future items with Troop logo (logo suggests they are official Troop item so should properly be approved by Troop).
• 2006 Calendar Activities: Still nothing for Committee to review/approve. Chairperson to arrange a joint meeting of Leaders and Committee in Oct (Oct 30) to collaborate and, hopefully, conclude this.
• Eagle Scouts: Susan Beatty advised the Troop has had 30 Eagle scouts and may have up to 8 more soon. Rob Mitchell to take care of decals for trailer. Ron Querns to fabricate a continuation plaque for Webster. Level will be remodeling the hallway near their entrance and might like something afterwards that matches the decor.
• October Outings: On Oct 21-23, some scouts going to Be Prepared event at Timonium Fairgrounds while others going to Appalachian Trail Backpacking trip in PA. The Backpacking Trip will have 3 separate agendas (new scouts will arrive Sat and hike 5 miles, older scouts will do 10-mile trail, and senior scouts will hike 13 miles at night on Fri and sleep in camp on Sat). Concern raised that such fracturing of the Troop causes logistical challenges (e.g., Muddy Run where we just barely had 2 leaders for the non-canoeing scouts).
• Darlington Apple Festival: Scout participation is mandatory (i.e., non-participants to explain reason to Scoutmaster) for this fund raiser and Spaghetti Dinner in April. 36 scouts have not yet signed up to work this event. Peak periods expected to be 1-4 PM shift and clean-up; Anita Boris may need to make phonecalls and do some load-balancing.
• Community Service Projects: Webster COR would like someone to fix broken bench upstairs (broken by Cub Scouts 2 years ago) and cut back the brush in back around the parking lot. Level COR had no specific ideas but would like boys to do something so she could deflect any criticisms. Susan Beatty noted that several boys will be ready for Eagle projects soon and should see her for ideas.


• Aug 05
• Pool Party Cancellation: Had to cancel Pool Party by 11:00 AM to get our deposit back. Still raining at 10:50 AM; cleared and sun came out around 12:15 PM but too late. Problem for Sep canoe outing (cancelled canoe certification for scouts and Safety Afloat/Safe Swim Defense training required for leaders at outing).
• Canoe Outing Problems: Outing will be at Muddy Run, PA but need site to conduct canoe certification (approx 3 hours in water unswamping canoes) for uncertified scouts. Can't use Webster Lake (goose droppings), Muddy Run (swimming not allowed in reservoir), and 2-3 feet of silt on Broadcreek Memorial Scout Reservation. Opted to do canoe certification at Broadcreek Public Landing and then join rest of Troop at Muddy Run.
• Leader Training Online: Safety Afloat and Safe Swim Defense training available online via BSA website. Forward certificates to Susan Betty for credit.
• 2006 Calendar Activities: Troop normally comes up with ideas for next year's activities while at summer camp. This year, however, most of the patrol leaders were at Philmont (which coincided with summer camp). To get scouts to come up with ideas at a Sep Troop meeting. Leaders and Troop Committee will then need to scrub/approve the list.
• Name Tags: Steve Kilczewksi distributed 40+ name tags for registered leaders. Order was based on Dec 04 troop charter. Troop will have to order maybe 10 per year from here out for new leaders. Main purpose was so scouts would know who leaders were (for merit badges, permission slips, etc.).
• Eagle Scouts: Need to update trailer with Eagle scouts since 2002 (just decals but one row needs to be shifted due to long name). Also plaque at Webster is full; need continuation plaque to bring up to date.


• May 05
• Aerosol can ban: Aerosol cans will be banned from future trip packing lists. Safety factor. Can be used as "flame thrower" but high potential for serious injury to shooter and any by-standers.
• Summer camp: Need applications and money turned in. May lose our traditional camp site if not enough paid/going.


SUGGESTION BOX: Have a problem, idea or suggestion you'd like the Troop Committee to consider???
Click here!


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Scout names and personal information are not freely available on this website. All rosters containing names and/or personal information are encrypted and password-protected using the Troop password. If you find any scout names or personal information on this website, please notify the webmaster immediately! Thank you!

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BAC GIF courtesy of Baltimore Area Council (BAC)
Pin greenwing JPG courtesy of Rick Murray
Unit 965 JPG scanned by G. Gall