TROOP TRIBUNE

TROOP 464
FEBRUARY 1999

 [ Newsletters ]
  
SCOUTMASTER’S CORNER

   Happy New Year to everyone!!!  We started the year in Troop 464, as usual, full speed ahead.  As I write this article, we have just returned from a very successful skiing trip up at Snow Summit in Big Bear.  We had 11 Scouts and 5 adults having a lot of fun skiing, eating, and video watching.  Many thanks to Cary Teeter for giving us a great deal on her condo which was only 1000 feet from the slopes.  Also, a thank you goes to the adults (Dave Ballew, Herman Fischer, Paul Marks, and Dave Leisen) who, along with myself, helped supervised the outing.

   The month of Feb. will be no exception with activities.  The Troop outing will be a backpack in the wilds which will be lead by our experienced backpack leader, Dave Rozelle.  I highly urge all Scouts to sign up for this outing.  See Brian Ballew, our Troop Scribe, for sign ups and details.  Also in the month of Feb. (Feb.21 at 4:00 to be exact) will be the Eagle Court of Chris Balian.  As with all Scouts who have reached the highest level of Scouting, this is an important event in our Troop family.

   Our new team of Scout leaders will continue the great job done by our retiring Scout leaders.  Many thanks to retiring SPL Chris Balian, ASPL Brian Ballew, and Patrol Leaders Bryan Marks, Cory Fischer, and Kyle Luker for leading our Troop in the past 8 months.  Chris and his staff provided a great amount of energy and Scout spirit to propel our Troop at high speed.  Congratulations to SPL Bryan Marks, ASPL Josh Hall, and Patrol Leaders Scott Ballew, Chris Osborne, and Michael Nussbaum.  I look forward to your leadership in this Troop.  Also, we will be having a new Committee Chairman soon.  Pauline Crane will become our new Chairman in March.  Many, many, many thanks to Carol Fischer for her devotion and dedication to Troop 464.  Her talents will still be here as merit and rank counselor for the Troop.

   Our Venture Crew, under the adult leadership of Dave Rozelle, is growing and developing into an organized unit.  With membership opened to both boys and girls, from 14 to 21 years old, the Crew promises to become a very significant part of our Scout family.  The Venture Crew will operate separately from our Troop activities.  It will include some Scouts of Troop 464, as well as several other additions, including Robbyn Rozelle and Kym Saevig.  Welcome!  The new group will have its own leaders and adult advisors.  This is going to be a great thing, for it will be offering more challenging activities for the older Scouts.  To the young Scouts, don’t worry, the older Scouts will still be around to help out and drive you nuts!

   The next area I would like to address is the participation at the various activities.  I have been keeping track of the attendance since late spring, and we have approximately 30% attendance at the various events, with the exception of summer camp.  Understanding that there is always conflicts (school, sports, family functions, special events, etc.), however, there needs to be more support of activities by the Troop.   So, I appeal to the parents of our Scouts, since there is much time and effort put into the planning and preparation of activities by the boy leaders, please encourage your sons to come to the activities of the Troop when there is no conflict.  The activities are 100% for the Scout’s enjoyment and development, so being there helps them as well as the Troop.   

  Finally, an invitation is extended to all adults of our Troop, for your presence as assistant leaders, support staff, and generally providing input to help run this Troop.  Our Troop is run by the boys, but our support, direction, and encouragement is greatly needed.  Please see me to help with our Troop whether in the support end, or as leaders with the Scouts.  I’ll end this with a quote that was in the Fall issue of Western View, a publication of the Western LA County council, Boy Scouts of America:

            PRIORITIES

‘A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove….but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.”

            Yours in Scouting,

            Alex Balian, Scoutmaster

UPCOMING MEETINGS

Feb.     3          7:30  Court of Honor

            7          6:30  Venture Crew

            9          7:30  Committee Mtg.

            10        7:30  Troop Meeting

            17        7:30  Troop Meeting-Plan/

            practice Chris’ Eagle Court

            24        7:30  Troop Meeting -

            Backpack preparedness

March  3          7:30  Troop Meeting

            9          7:30  Committee Mtg.

            10        7:30  Troop Meeting

            17        7:30  Troop Meeting

            24        7:30  Troop Meeting

            31        7:30  Troop Meeting

BIRTHDAYS

   First, of all, an apology to all with January birthdays, I (Judy) took vacation over Christmas and didn’t get out a newsletter, sorry.  Remember, if you want to make sure I get your birthday correct, please send it to me, the list I have is dubious.

Jan.      12        John Luker

            16        Chris Jurick

            19            Rajesh Jaganath

            20            Susan Marks

            28            Cathy Gearon

            31            Robert Quinn

Feb.     8          Perry Goldsmith

            22            Bryan Marks

March  1          Cory Fischer

            4          Josh Berg

            11        Joey Hastie

            17            Blake Straus

            20            Michael Maiman

            21        Josh Hall

UPCOMING EVENTS

Feb.     3            Court of Honor

            21        Chris Balian’s Eagle Court

            27            Troop Backpack Trip

March  12            Solvang Century

DAYS OF INTEREST

Feb.     8            Scouting Anniversary Day

            14        St. Valentine’s Day

            15            Presidents’ Day

March  17        St. Patrick’s Day

 

TREASURER’S REPORT

   For anyone who would like to get a jump-start on the next summer camp installment or any future Scout activity, you may make periodic payments that will be credited to your son’s account.  These payments can be applied later to whichever activity you choose.

   Any parent whose son is a member of both the Troop and the Venture Crew, checks need to be made payable as follows:  checks to Crew marked “Crew 464” and checks to the Troop “BSA Troop 464.”

            Thanks,
            Karen Osterheldt, Treasurer

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

   Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, said this to Scouts everywhere:

   “I often think, when the sun goes down, the world is hidden by a big blanket from the light of heaven, but the stars are little holes pierced in that blanket by those who have done good deeds in this world.  The stars are not all the same:  some are big, some are little, and some men have done small deeds but they have made their hole in the blanket by doing good before they go to heaven.  Try to make your hole in the blanket by good work while you are on earth.  It is something to be good, but it is far better to do good.”  Think of Baden-Powell’s words when you promise “To help other people.”

EDITOR’S NOTE 

Did you know the average life span of a major league baseball is 7 pitches?  Fortunately, we live longer to finish watching the game.  Do as Baden-Powell said, and do the best you can while you have the chance to do so.

            Yours in Scouting,
            David Ballew, ASM 

 

VENTURE CREW NEWS

DEEP SEA FISHING

            Over the holiday break, the Crew went on a ½ day deep sea fishing boat over to Anacapa Island.  The 8 Crew members and 5 adults had a great time with everybody catching fish.  The biggest fish caught by a Crew member belonged to Josh Hall, who won the coveted In-and-Out-Burger Award.

MT. PINOS “SNOWSHOE” HIKE

            On January 18th, the Crew attempted a “Snowshoe” hike.  As feared, we found no snow around the parking lot when we arrived.  Other than ice on the trail and the chill in the air, the outing was just a pleasant hike to the 8,800 ft. Mt. Pinos peak.  A few of our Crew took advantage of the slippery ice on the trail to practice their “skating” and falling moves.  

            Within an hour we were at the peak, but even at this high altitude there was ZERO snow.  Thanks to the diligent scouting effort by Joey and Danny, we were able to locate a small-protected bowl with significant snow build-up.  We actually thought about going back to the cars to pick up the three pairs of snowshoes, but thought better of it.  When in this 100-yard wide area it actually seemed like we were doing real snow camping.  For lunch we practiced our winter camp cooking skills by firing up our whisper-lites and creating the wonderful “Szechwan Vege Wrap” meal Danny R planned and prepared for us.  Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the meal.

            After a few snowball fights, sled trips down the hill on the trash can lid we found, and some cold feet, we headed back to the cars.  On the return trip even the slippery ice was beginning to thaw, leaving only slushy mud.  Driving back the Crew stopped for their traditional In-and-Out-Burger lunch then drove back.  The monotony of the trip was broken by the pestering by our female Crew members using the radios.  A critique of the trip found it fun for all, with numerous lessons learned about snow cooking.  A GREAT TRIP (see the photos on our Crew’s web site: www.markv.com/crew464).

CREW ELECTIONS

            Crew officers were elected at our second meeting, held January 10th at the Balian home.  After the dust settled from several hotly contested races, the following were installed as the first officers for the Crew:

            Robbyn Rozelle            President

            Ryan Buffum     VP Administration

            David Nussbaum          VP Program

            Kym Saevig      Secretary

            Brian Ballew     Treasurer